"Sorry, it's not much, but it is what I call home, at least." John said as they walked into his apartment. Taking his coat and hers he went to a side closet to hang them up. It was true, his apartment was a lot like hers, small in size, but adequate for one person's needs. It was furnished well, yet not over the tope either. Crosses adorned the walls, but what can you expect for a priest. Smiling at thought, she turned her attention back to her friend who, had just then continued to talk.
"Mai, I hope you don't mind eating in?" he asked a little nervously, looking her direction.
"No, John, I don't mind eating in." She stated with a smile, "Would you like me to help you make something?"
Smiling back, "Sure!" he said beckoning towards the kitchen area. Walking over to the refrigerator, he opened it up and started rummaging. "Now what would you like to eat? There is rice, ramen, I could make pasta! Do you like pasta?" he glanced in her direction. "Or we could order pizza?" he finished tilting his head to the side.
"Pasta sounds good..."Mai suddenly had a guilty expression on her face," But what ever you want!"
"Pasta it is!" he said smiling at her. "Could you get the noodles out? They are in the cabinet over there." John then grabbed out a pot and started to fill it up with water. Mai walked over to the indicated space, "So, you wanted to know the reason, right?" she said quietly
"Of course, you can tell me anything, mai." John said as he walked over behind her.
"Well you see, something's have come up and I have been short on money lately...and well yesterday, Naru told me that I needed a more mature wardrobe, or he was going to fire me. So I ended up using what little money I had for food, on that." her voice was a little shaky, she was trembling a little, trying to hold back the tears, as the stress of earlier came back. John came over, wrapped his arms around her in a hug, she just hugged him back, just trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall again. The moment was interrupted by a ring tone. John pulled away with an apologetic look on his face as he went to the other room to answer the call. Mai walked over, put the pasta in, and waited for it to boil, whilst ease dropping on the conversation.
"Oh hello shibuya-san...yep...of course...ok...seven right?" she heard the young man speak into the phone. She really hoped naru didn't try calling her phone, because she didn't want to explain that one to him.
"Mai-san?...I see you haven't gotten hold of her all day." he looked her way, "Um, actually, you can talk to her now, yes she is here...one moment." John walked in and gave mai the cell.
"Hi, Naru!" she said meekly into the receiver.
"Mai, why are you not answering your phone?" Said the icy, cold, demeaning voice of her boss.
"Um, Sorry my phone has died, and I haven't had time to charge it today..." she silently prayed that he would buy that excuse.
"Humph, incompetent as usual, I don't ever want you to let your phone die again." His loud words causing her to flinch slightly, "Also, you will need to be here by five tomorrow morning instead so don't be late." And with that he hung up.
"I am sorry, Mai-san, I wasn't going to tell him where you were, but he said something about driving over to your apartment, so I had to tell him." His voice was apologetic and sincere, as he spoke
"It is ok John-san, it is better this way!" turning around she tried to put the best fake smile on her face, even though, he knew that she knew, that he didn't believe her.
"Mai-san, did you have to turn your phone off?" he asked as he started to strain the pasta.
"Hai, I couldn't pay for it this month." She said sadly. He just nodded, as she said that. They worked in silence for the rest of the time, and eventually dinner was finished. "This looks really good, John-san!" she said excitedly for the first, in a long time.
"I hope it is! What did shibuya-san want, by the way?" he asked as he took a bite of the food.
"He wanted me in by five tomorrow." She said non-chalontly as she just dug in. She heard chuckling coming from the other side of the table, looking up, she could see john was trying his best to hold back a laugh. "What's so funny?"
"Mai, I don't think I have ever seen you eat like that before that is why." he finally said as he stopped laughing.
"Oh, hahahah, yah your right." smiling once more, she continued to eat, once again.
"Mai-san, would you like to stay the night?" John suddenly asked, and then turned red after realizing what he said. Mai had already turned a bright shade of red at the thought of it. Gulping, john started stammering, "I mean you could just...sleep over, and I will drop you off in time for work tomorrow, so that way you don't have to go back home tonight. You won't be all alone, at least, oh that didn't sound good either." He buried his head in his hands trying to hide his embarrassment. The sound of a laughing, made him look up, suddenly. Mai was read as a tomato, but she was laughing! He hadn't seen her laugh in a couple of months. Well at least not like that, she was holding her sides, and was trying to catch her breath.
"So I take that as a yes?" he mumbled under his hands as he was trying to still compose himself.
"John, I haven't laughed like that in a long, long, time." she said still trying to catch her breath. "But yes, I will stay. I didn't actually plan on going home tonight anyways." With that being said, John looked up perturbed.
"What did you mean by that?" he asked, "Don't you need your overnight bags, for the case tomorrow?" to be honest, he was confused by the whole thing.
"Hahaha, no I left them at work, already." she said as she sipped her tea.
"But you just found out today, correct?" he asked even more confused by the turn of events.
"True, but I packed them last night, something told me too, so I did, so don't look so worried." She said playfully punching him in the arm.
"Ok ok I won't!" he exclaimed, then he stopped to look at the time, "Wow well we should get to bed, it is already eleven, and someone has to get up early!" while pinching her cheek in the process.
"Hey, hey, ok I will go get ready ok!" she said prying his hand away from her cheek, and she ducked out of the room, and towards the bathroom. "John-san may I take a shower?" her voice echoed from the back room.
"Hai!" he answered back, as he started cleaning up the dishes and table. Meanwhile in the bathroom, Mai was humming to herself, happily taking a warm shower. 'At least I can see while I'm in here!' she thought as she just hummed to herself, and let the warm water take her away. When she got out, she noticed john was laying on the couch, and was already asleep. Smiling she went and got a blanket from his bed and spread it on him. She then proceeded to crawl into his bed, which a blush danced upon her face. "I wonder what Ayako and Bou-san would say about this." she mused with herself. And with that she actually feel sleep right away.
She sat up to look around, this isn't John's bed? Oh I must be dreaming again..." Mai stood up and looked around the darkness. "Gene, must be coming soon, then..." looking around she had yet to find the black haired boy.
"Come little baby don't say a word, mommies going to buy you a mocking bird." a child's voice carried through her dreamscape.
"Gene? Are you there?" she continued to call out.
"And if that mocking bird won't sing, mommies going to make it bleed...hahhahahhahahahahaha" the voice changed into a shriek kind of a laugh. Covering her ears, Mai saw images flooding her eyes, blood, bodies, blood, death., all of it. And suddenly in front of her stood a child that had blood all over him, and his eyes were black pits, then he suddenly started to speak "And if the mocking bird won't bleed, then mommies going to make that lady...die!"
Screaming Mai woke up with a start, she was, where was she, she couldn't remember. Suddenly the door opened to a very tired yet concerned john, who came rushing over, to her side.
"Mai, are you alright?" worry was etched on his face, "What happened?" She just started to sob, he pulled her close. Rubbing her back, he rocked her back and forth. "It's ok, Nothing is going to happen while I am here." running his hand through her hair, he quietly rocked her back to sleep. A few hours later, she awoke to the alarm going off. Mai opened her eyes to find she was once again laying down, and covered up. Looking at the clock it was 4:35 am. Groaning she got out of bed, and changed quickly. Walking out to the kitchen she found john, already dressed and ready for the day.
"You ready?" he asked as he was headed for the door, opening it for her, they quickly made their way to the car. While on the way to the office, john spoke up, "Mai, do remember anything from your dream last night?" Images flowed through her mind, blood, why was there always so much blood?
"Yes.." After she had explained the dream to him, he looked at her oddly.
"Do you know if this is connected to the new case? Or why it could be targeting you?" worry and concern etched all over his face yet again, as he asked.
"No, I have no idea...I wish it was more clear though some parts where weird." her voiced trailed off as she saw the images once again.
"It is ok! Well we are here, sorry I woke up late and didn't get you breakfast, I will stop by the office early, and bring some over ok!" He said as, she opened the car door. "Is there anything you want specifically?"
Turning back to look at him, once she was already out, "Nope, surprise me! And thanks for everything John." She said with a smile, "See yah later then." and with that she shut the door, and turned and walked towards her prison.