AN: IF YOU HAVE READ THE COMPLETED STORY ON TUMBLR PLEASE KEEP YOUR REVIEWS SPOILER FREE FOR OTHERS OR WAIT UNTIL ALL THE CHAPTERS ARE POSTED HERE.

Chapter 4 will be posted Monday, May 8th.

Chapter 3-Coffee?

She had almost called in on Monday. It was stupid and unprofessional, but it was better than crying in the office. Better than second guessing every good feeling she had had for the past week whenever she saw him.

By lunch, her reason had won and she had given up the idea. Instead, she had shuffled into the office after a long day and what she was sure was going to be her worst English grade yet.

She did her filing and sorting, made tea, and she sat on the sofa silently waiting for the end of the day.

She didn't know when she fell asleep, but it was after ten when she woke up. The office had been dark save for the light that came from the crack of Naru's open door. Silent, other than the arhythmic clacking of a keyboard coming from the same room.

Mai had gathered her things in the mostly darkness as quietly as she could, but she couldn't help but sneak a glance in his office. His attention had been rapt, torn between the pile of notes on his desk and his screen.

Bag in hand, she had taken a step forward, ready to knock and let him know that she was leaving. But her hand had stopped, hovering next to the door as she watched him work.

It was unfair, he even made typing captivating. The light of the screen only accentuated his features and the screen light made his eyes shine. But that was nothing compared to the way he unconsciously worried his lip as he worked through something, releasing it with a thought that sent his fingers into a flurry of motion.

He didn't even know she was there.

She knew how focused he was when he got like this. How the whole world faded away.

She had lost count of the number of nights she had lingered in the office, the hope of an end of day conversation perhaps turning longer as they made their way to the station. But he always continued to work and finally she would give up the vigil and settle for the next best thing.

That flicker of surprise that would pass over his face when she brought him one last cup of tea before she headed out. His eyes would blink, the fog clearing, and he would realize the cup he had forgotten on his desk had already gone cold. He would look between the tea and the clock, mentally readjusting to the idea of time.

It had been one of her favorite rituals.

It had been one of their times.

But, in hindsight, she understood how selfish the action had been on her part. She had interrupted his work as an excuse to interact with him one last time, just so she could feel good before she stepped out the door.

She had headed to the front door, hoping that this late she might be lucky enough not to have to sit next to anyone else on the train.

The next day, the anger came.

He had lied to her.

Not just on that porch, in that moment. But in every quiet glance, every hint of a smile that she had cherished and that she thought she had earned.

It had been slow going, a friendship years in the making, but that time had also taught her that was just how it was with Naru. Trust and the openness that came with it creeping forward, almost painstakingly so, but she was willing to put in the time. Because every once in a while, she would see progress, that one step forward, and it would make it worth it.

They weren't easy to get, his attentions, so when she had managed it she felt like she could take on anything, that she was special.

But she wasn't special.

She wasn't even important enough, to tell the truth to.

She had been so wrong, and it made her furious.

Furious with him, but even more so with herself. She really was the idiot he painted her to be.

Wednesday, Madoka was waiting for her when she got to the office.

"Don't put that down," Madoka said from the sofa pointing to Mai's school bag. "We are going out."

"Madoka, I have to work."

"No you don't," she stood grabbing her purse and turning to face the back offices. "Noll, Mai is going out for the evening."

Mai opened her mouth to argue, but Madoka raised a finger.

"Suit yourselves," Naru's voice told them from the other room and Madoka gave a smug nod.

"But—"

"No buts, let's go."

Mai allowed Madoka to lead her back out of the office and down the street.

"Where are we going?" Mai asked after they had made it a few blocks. "Do you have more house shopping you need help with?"

"No," Madoka turned back to her, "I just figured you needed to get out of the office."

Mai stopped walking.

"Why?"

Madoka smiled.

"Coffee?" she pointed to a cafe across the street.

Mai claimed a booth in the far back of the shop as Madoka waited for their drinks. Mai couldn't figure out why Madoka had shown up today.

Madoka smiled at her again as she sat down.

"So, what's up?"

"What? You asked me to come here."

"We're chatting. You know, how's school? How's work? What did Noll do to make an ass of himself this time?"

Mai's face darkened.

"So, school? We'll start there. How's school going? What are you guys working on?"

"What makes you think that Naru was an ass?"

"When is Noll not being an ass?" Madoka countered.

"Fair," Mai said with a small smile.

Madoka smiled back.

"You want to tell me what's bothering you?"

Mai shrugged.

"How about I tell you what I know."

"Sure."

"I know you are upset about something. I know you had a rough day on Monday and didn't leave the office till after ten, I know yesterday you got angry enough to have a battle with a teakettle. Which judging by the pink patch on your hand I will call a draw."

"How did you know?" Mai grumbled.

"I have my spy."

Mai wasn't sure if she was flattered or creeped out that Lin would relay information about her to Madoka. But she was leaning towards creeped out.

"I also know that things seemed to be going well between you and Noll until the past few days. He said you stopped by on Sunday to drop off cookies and that you seemed upset about something."

Mai crossed her arms, with an audible 'hmmph'.

"And now, I know that has something to do with whatever is bothering you."

"I'm not bothered," Mai said unfolding her arms and leaning back.

"Okay, look, sorry Mai, I know we probably aren't close enough and I am just butting into all of this. But I want you to know you can talk to me. I like you, you're a great girl. And I like the effect you have on Noll."

Mai couldn't stop the blush that crept across her cheeks so she picked up her drink and focused on that instead.

"I was so happy to see that you had taken an interest in him."

Mai's eyes went wide as she narrowly escaped choking on her coffee.

"Do you want to argue that point? Because I can start listing off evidence," Madoka raised a brow.

Mai sighed, no wonder even Naru listened to her, Madoka was terrifying when she wanted to be.

"No."

"And I know he's not great at expressing himself and sometimes that can come off as sort of, well, he's an ass, I don't have to tell you that. But he also, he's—"

Madoka fumbled for a moment, searching for what she wanted to say.

"Noll is unique, and wonderful, in so many ways, but I think, at least partially because of that, he has always been separate from most of the world. I can't say he wouldn't have chosen solitude, but I do know that it was often chosen for him. So, he is more comfortable with it now. Does that make sense?"

Mai gave a small nod. She wasn't sure that it did, but it certainly sounded important to Madoka so she didn't want to interrupt her.

"People, well people aren't always kind to something that they can't relate to. And Noll," Madoka smiled, "well he is who he is and he isn't interested in changing that just to make someone else feel better about themselves. But I think you know all this too."

Mai nodded again, this time with understanding.

"But that doesn't mean it doesn't affect him. That it doesn't hurt. And now he's so good at keeping everything that could hurt him out that he forgot how to let anything in. Or maybe he had never learned in the first place. I don't know…" she looked out the window.

"Madoka, are you okay?" Mai asked.

Madoka gave her a wry smile in return and took Mai's hand.

"I'm rambling," she dismissed. "The point is you got in. And I don't want some idiotic move on his part to ruin that before he even realizes he has made a mistake. So, I wanted to apologize on his behalf and ask that you give him time to learn before you give up on him. He needs someone to hold him accountable, to tell him when he's being an ass."

"You seem to do a pretty good job," Mai said hoping to lighten up the conversation.

"I'm not always here though and I need to leave the job in very capable hands." Madoka watched her. "And I think I know whose hands he would prefer."

Mai blushed.

"I think you are confused—"

"Look, Mai, you are an amazing friend. And it may be imperceptible but you are rubbing off on him. And I guess I just wanted to be able to tell you that before I had to leave again."

"Oh, thanks," Mai said, sliding her hand back from Madoka's and sitting back in her seat.

"Did I say something wrong?"

Mai sighed. Talking was good, she reminded herself, and if she talked to Madoka maybe she could help put all this behind her. On the plus side, Madoka was leaving soon so she wouldn't be able to tease her like Keiko or Ayako would.

"I guess, I had just thought, hoped, I mean after last week. That maybe, maybe I could be more."

"I haven't seen anything to think that couldn't be true. I can't make promises obviously, but I haven't seen him so comfortable with someone since Gene."

"I have," Mai grumbled.

"I'm sorry, what?" Madoka sat up in her seat.

"I saw him, with someone," Mai said, staring at the table.

"That's impossible."

Mai shifted in her seat but didn't look up.

"I'm sorry, I just, you saw him? You saw him doing what?"

"Well, I didn't see, see. I just, I saw a woman go into the house on Sunday. And then when he answered the door, I could see he had been, occupied." Mai ran her fingers through the condensation pool left by her glass.

"A woman? He didn't mention anyone else stopping by on Sunday. I wonder, and you said he knew her?"

"She had a key to the house."

"She what? Wait… what did she look like?"

"I never got to see her face but she was the most beautiful thing ever. She's like elegance and mystery personified," Mai sighed.

"What now?"

"Even if I was wrong Madoka I wouldn't stand a chance against someone like Audrey."

"She has a name?"

"That's just what I called her because she reminded me of Audrey Hepburn, you know from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. I loved that film when I was younger, and when I saw her it was like she had come alive. Black dress and black gloves contrasting with the paleness of her skin, punctuated by the bright red of her lipstick. It was just, incredible. And she had it, you know, just that presence, it made everyone else just kind of diminish. It was like something straight out of a movie."

"I'm sorry, which one of them are you pinning after?"

Mai crossed her arms.

"Is there a problem?"

"Oh, definitely not," Madoka grinned, "I think that is great, more than great."

"It's not great," Mai said resting her head in her hand and bringing her finger back to its work pulling out curved lines of liquid on the tabletop.

"It's not as bad as you think."

"He had her lipstick on him." Mai brought her glistening finger to the left of her chin and then to her own lips. "I'm not dumb."

"I think you should talk to him," Madoka told her.

She shrugged again, still refusing to move her gaze from the table top. Could Madoka be right? What other possible explanation could there be? Was Madoka just trying to make her feel better? While kind, Madoka seemed too straightforward to lie just to give her false hope.

"Audrey, huh?" Madoka tried, her voice light.

Mai colored again at the use of the name.

"Good name. Very fitting. I feel like an idiot for not thinking of it myself."

Mai's eyes shot up.

"You know her?"

"Oh, yes, for a while now. Though it has been a few years." Madoka brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes shining. "Look, I know it will be hard for you to understand, but I promise you Audrey is no threat. In fact, I think it is past time you meet."

"Me—meet? I, I can't," Mai's face burned brighter and she brought her hands up to hide and cool it.

Madoka laughed again.

"Oh, come on, you two would be fast friends. I promise." Madoka looked at her with an expectant expression.

"And maybe more," she added with an eyebrow wiggle.

Mai squeaked.

"No sense on giving up on all of love in one evening."

Mai's head was starting to hurt, how did this conversation go from her worrying over Naru's liaisons to Madoka trying to set her up with said liaison?

"No, Madoka."

"I got it!" Madoka clapped her hands together and Mai jumped in her seat. "Mai, I'm going back to England Saturday. We are going out for dinner on Friday. I want you to come too."

"I don't know, I probably have to study. School hasn't been so great lately."

"Please Mai, it's my last night in town," Madoka pouted.

"Well…"

"I can put in a good word with your boss, get you the rest of the week off so you have plenty of study time," Madoka added with a wink.

Mai sighed.

"I won't take no for an answer."

Even if she said no she would only show up at the office again tomorrow. And she could enlist Lin and Naru to ask as well. Mai was beginning to understand why Naru tried to keep his distance from her. If she stonewalled him half as hard as she was right now long term exposure could be crippling.

"You don't have to do that, I can make it."

"Great, come by the house after school. I've got some planning to do. And I think you have some homework. I will see you later."

Madoka slid from the booth and with a jaunty wave headed out of the cafe.

Mai grabbed her own bag and headed towards the door. Her stomach roiling with the nervous expectation of the weekend. But she still couldn't figure it out.

Had she just agreed to talk to Naru or Audrey?

...

Notes:

For those of you who have asked questions in your reviews, I am afraid I won't say much because of spoilers. But we can definitely talk about it after next Monday when everything has come out.

Lulis, thank you so much for your review as well as for the compliment to my nickname.

Big thanks to Shunakoo25 for leaving a number of reviews and PMs I am glad to see you are interested in the story. I hope that you find some answers by the end. But your emotional attachment to the story has been wonderful to see.

Thank you to all my reviewers; a secret guest, Crazy dice, OdoriK1098, thearisocrat, daughterXofXdarkness, and Micheruchan.

A number of you asked about Audrey being Luella, I can def confirm, NOT LUELLA. (I hope Mai isn't lusting Naru's mom, #awkward)

I think this is all for now. I spent all this last weekend working at a convention so no further on KH I am afraid.

Till next chapter...