Thanks for the reviews! Favs and follows! This is my first time writing a fanfic.
Lin may be a bit ooc
Please enjoy!
Lin P.O.V
"Good evening Mai." Lin replied with a slight smile, as he shut the door behind him. Smiling was something that Lin had never seemed to ever do, but lately, it has become a habit for the usually stotic adult. All thanks to the short brunette who stood before him.
"How was your day?" She asked, as she took his bag from him. He glanced at Mai while shrugging off his coat. She was looking better. But Lin could see the from the dark circles that rested under her eyes, that she needed sleep.
"Same as usual." Lin sighed. "Noll was a headache today. He just couldn't-" Lin stopped mid sentence. Bringing up Oliver in front of Mai tended to make her a little uncomfortable. Lin tried his best to avoid the subject whenever possible. Which was difficult seeing that his day usually revolved around Oliver and his whims.
"It's all right Lin. You don't have to tiptoe around me. Naru and I… Well…" she struggled to get the words out. "What happened is in the past. So don't worry. I can handle it." She stated with a sad smile.
Lin could tell that what ever had happened between Mai and Oliver had given Mai an immense amount of pain. Pain, that Lin knew she concealed deep down. Mai was not the same Mai as before, when they had left her. She no longer smiled as brightly, or talked as loudly as Lin had remembered. She had matured. That much was clear. Having seen what Mai has been going through he understood why. There was still a lot she had not shared with him, but he would give her the time and space she needed. Honestly he didn't know if he was ready to hear it. He still couldn't get the image out of his when he first seen her two months ago.
Two months ago
Lin was just finishing typing up the previous case summary when the phone rang. "Hello." Lin answered, as he balanced the phone between his face and his shoulder while typing.
"Yes. Are you the employer of Miss Mai Taniyama?"
Lin pondered this for a moment. It has been awhile since he had heard that name " We are her previous employment. May I ask what this is about."
"This is Dr. Itoh at Tosei General Hospital." said the man. " I was wondering if you had any information on who is the guardian to Miss Taniyama. It says here that all her current relatives are deceased. She is currently unconscious and is unable-"
Lin fumbled with the phone "Is she all right?! What happened?" he interrupted.
"Ah. Yes, as of now her condition is stable. She was brought here about an hour ago. From what I heard she collapsed by a nearby crosswalk. She has a minor concussion and what appears to be lacerations on her arms and face and bruising near her throat. Which I believe she had sustained prior to her collapse." the doctor went on. "I am not sure if I should contact child services or not, seeing as she is not yet 18 .But its clear to me that this girl is in need of some kind of friend or acquaintance to be here when she regains consciousness."
Concern flooded through Lin as he heard the doctor continue to explain the situation. Although Lin hadn't been that close to Mai, he had grown very fond of the bright eyed brunette that had the talent of taming his Narcissistic ward. Ok she was a bit loud sometimes, and very accident prone, but for Lin her presence was comforting. After hearing about what happened, he felt he had a duty to make sure she was all right. He didn't have to think about it at all when he replied "Thank you for calling me Dr. Itoh. I will be arriving as soon as possible, which will probably be early tomorrow morning. I will sort out any problems then." With that, he hung up the phone and made to leave the office. Grabbing his coat and bag Lin dashed to the door.
"And where are you going?" Lin almost tripped over his feet when he heard the voice from behind him. Noll was leaning against his office door with his arms crossed, as he narrowed his eyes at Lin. Lin had completely forgotten that he wasn't alone in the office.
"Oh Noll, I was on my way-" Lin stopped short.
"On your way where?" Noll demanded with a raised eyebrow. Lin didn't think now was the right time to tell Noll about Mai. He tended to get very touchy when anything had to do with said girl.
"Umm.. It's a personal manner. I don't know when I will return, but I'll contact you when I do." Lin stated as he shoved his arms into his coat. "I got to go Noll." Lin shut the door and quickly made his way down the stairs. Lin would explain when he got back. Right now he had to get to Japan. Calling a cab, he made his way through the snowy streets of England toward the airport.
Lin leaned his weight against the counter as he inquired where Mai Taniyama's room was. The nurse behind the counter directed him to sit and wait for the doctor to arrive. Lin dozed on an off as he sat in the waiting room. The plane ride had been agonizing. The turbulence had made it impossible to sleep and even when he had tried the kid behind him made it clear that wasn't going to happen by kicking the seat repeatedly. Resting his head against the wall behind him, he stared at the ceiling. The corridor in the hospital was nearly vacant. It was after all 3 in the morning. Lin eventually succumbed to his exhaustion as the minutes dwindled by.
Lin was startled out of his slumber with a tap on his shoulder. A young doctor stood in front of him with a clipboard in hand. Lin quickly rose from his chair. Trying to dispel any drowsiness that lingered within him.
"You must be who I spoke with on the phone, regarding Miss Taniyama. I'm Dr. Itoh." the young doctor greeted, hand extended.
"Lin Koujo." Lin responded as he shook his hand.
"All right. Let me update you on Miss Taniyama's condition. Like I told you she has a minor concussion. She has not yet regained consciousness, but we expect her to within the next few hours. As for the lacerations and bruising I am concerned on how she sustained those injuries." Dr. Itoh stated with a worried expression.
Lin too was concerned, and was determined to get to the bottom of it. Lin assured Dr. Itoh that he would get answers as they proceeded down the hall. Nurses bustled from room to room as they passed. The smell of disinfectant hung in the air. He wrinkled his nose in displeasure. He never liked hospitals to bright and clean to hold so much pain and suffering. He did his best tried to avoid them.
"-and this is her room." Dr. Itoh finished, as they came to a stop. Lin eyed the name tag that read "Taniyama, Mai" on the door. "She is hooked up to several machines that keep track of her vitals. Her body seems to be quite weak so I recommend her to remain in the hospital for a couple days to recover. Please notify me when she wakes and we'll go over a few test to see how she is feeling."
Lin thanked the young doctor as they parted ways. A soft beeping sound greeted Lin's ears as he entered the room. It was very dim in the small white room. The doctor had mentioned that Mai eyes would be sensitive to bright lights and to reduce irritation to keep the lights on low. Lin's eyes adjusted to the dimness as he took in the sight before him.
Mai looked so broken as she laid there in bed. Her skin matched the whiteness of the sheets that covered her small body. Several cords were attached to her body draping lightly to the floor before leading to the machines that monitored her health. As Lin approached the bed, he saw the scraps and cuts that covered her arms and face. She was so still. Not a movement besides the subtle rise and fall of her chest. The right side of her face held multiple bruises that stood out on her pale skin. Lin felt so helpless seeing her so beaten down. How could the Mai he had known be reduced to such a state. He lowered himself into the seat next to her bed.
He let his face fall in his hands. He couldn't help but feel that he was partly responsible for the condition Mai was currently in. He should have tried harder to contact her after they had departed to England, but at any mention of Mai Noll would plummet back into a dark and dismal depression. "Oh Noll would be absolutely livid if he were to find out Mai was injured in such ways." Lin thought to himself. His hands fall to his lap as he studied the fragile girl in front of him.
Taking a closer look at her face he could see that her eyebrows were drawn together. She looked as if she was in pain, or having an unpleasant dream. Dark circles rested under her eyes, clearly a sign she wasn't sleeping properly. She was also noticeably thinner. Lin wondered what was troubling her. What had happened for her to have ended up here. Had someone hurt her. He would find out one way or another.
Lin awkwardly took her hand in his, careful not to disrupt the iv wire. He had to admit that he cared for Mai, not in the romantic sort of way. He couldn't quite explain it, but he felt the need to protect her, like a guardian. She had a way of warming even the coldest of hearts. Gripping Mai's hand tighter, he promised he would be there for her in the future. Starting now he would be a more permanent part of her life. He leaned back in his seat and waited for Mai to awaken.
Lin's mind was wondering when a squeeze of his hand shook him from his thoughts. Sitting straighter in his chair, he directed his attention on Mai. She shifted slightly in bed. A weak moan slipped from her lips, as her eyes slowly fluttered open. Squinting from the light, her gaze darted around the room. She was probably wondering where she was. Lin assumed with a sigh. He was about to say something when her eyes locked with his.
"Mai?" Lin uttered, leaning forward slightly.
Her hand was ripped from his, as she shrank back into the bed. Her small hands shook, while she clutched the sheets tightly. Her eyes searched his face and widened with recognition.
"Lin?" she whispered, confusion swirled in her brown eyes.
" Yes Mai. It's me." He responded in a soft voice, afraid he would frighten her.
"…but how? … Why are…you..here?" Wincing, she clutched her head in pain.
"Mai you are in pain, let me call the doctor and then we'll discuss everything once your feeling better." Lin reassured. He reached over her bed toward the call button. Mai flinched back abruptly. Lin froze aware he had startled the injured girl. She seemed to be extremely jumpy, like a wounded animal.
"Mai. I am just going to press this button so the doctor will be notified." Lin explained, gesturing toward the button on her left. She gave a slight nod at this. He slowly pressed the button and settled back in to his chair. She let out a shaky breath, as they waited for the doctor to arrive.
Lin desperately wanted to ask Mai question after question about what had happened, but he knew he would have to wait. It was clear she was in a very delicate state and she needed time to recover.
Mai lightly traced the patterns in the sheets with her small fingers as she waited. Her light brown hair hung her face. Lin noticed it had grown quite a bit from the short bob she usually had. It reached mid shoulder. She shifted uncomfortably in bed. That's when he saw what was hidden beneath her hair. Lin had to hold back a gasp. Dark purple blotches covered her small throat in what Lin thought looked awfully like finger prints. Oh Mai. Lin thought. Who did this to you? As if sensing his thought, she looked up at him. Seeing what he was looking at. She quickly turned from him, hiding her injuries.
Time trickled by as they sat waiting. Lin still couldn't shake the uneasiness that seemed to creep into his bones. Mai sat a little straighter, as her gaze shifted to the door. No sooner than she did the door opened. Lin cast a curious glance at Mai. How had she… Lin shook off the thought. He would ask later.
"I see you are awake. How are you feeling?" Dr. Itoh kindly greeted Mai.
"I feel fine just a little dizzy." Mai softly replied. She kind of swayed a bit, Lin suspected she wasn't letting on to how she was really feeling, which worried him.
"She was clutching her head a little while ago. I think she is in quite a deal of pain. Is there anything she can take to ease her discomfort?" Lin inquired with a worried tone.
" Yes. I was just about to administer the painkiller now. It should help take away any pain she is currently feeling."He replied with a smile. Lin nodded his approval. Dr. Itoh headed toward Mai's iv.
"The side affects are only minor. But you will feel quite sleepy, but seeing what your body has been through the more sleep the better." He reassured Mai, adjusting the iv.
"Sleep!" Mai shouted, more alert than ever. "No-o no! I think I had enough." She stammered. Lin sensed something wrong, as her breathing rapidly increased.
"Oh nonsense! There's no such thing as to much sleep." Dr. Itoh exclaimed, patting her leg. Lin could tell he was trying to comfort Mai, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.
"NO! Please! I don't need to sleep!" Mai yelled her voice cracking. She tried to remove the iv cord, but Lin stopped her just in time. Dr. It oh quickly backed away from the iv. Startled by the outburst.
"Mai, the doctor is trying to help. No one wants to hurt you." Lin said slowly. Holding both her shoulders, while he looked into her frantic eyes. Mai trembled like a leaf. Why was she so afraid to sleep?
"Li-n! Please!" She whimpered, with teary eyes. "I don't want to..I-I don't need sleep!" She pleaded.
" Its all right Mai." Lin murmured softly. Trying his best to comfort the poor girl. "You don't have to if you don't want to." Mai broke into sobs, tears rolled down her face. Her tiny hands clung tightly to his shirt as she leaned into his shoulder.
"Shh. Its alright." He whispered as he awkwardly wrapped his arms around her. He glanced at Dr. Itoh who motioned to the door. Lin nodded. With a sad smile he softly shut the door behind him.
Lin adjusted him self so he was fully on the bed. He clumsily cradled Mai in his arms. He was never was one for physical contact, but for Mai he would try. The shoulder of his shirt grew damp, as her sobs slowly died down. Lin gently stroked her head.
Lin was honestly scared. Scared and angry. Mai had been hurt, hurt badly. Lin would make sure it would never happen again, but first he had to heal the broken girl who shivered in his arms.