Here's another chapter although this isn't the immediate chapter after Good-bye. This was just one that I thought of after I wrote that one and was reading Mai's profile and it struck me. What does she think on the anniversary of her parents' deaths?


It wasn't the first time that he had seen tears in her eyes. However it was the first time he had seen her cry without Naru being the cause. As far as Gene knew Naru hadn't even talked to Mai that day. That meant it couldn't be his brother that was the cause of her obvious distress.

Gene wished that he could hold her and comfort her. But he was a ghost. He couldn't do that. The only person that could hold her was Naru. Gene looked over at the office but he didn't want to leave Mai there trying to fight her tears. He turned back towards her as she heard a soft sob. He went back over to the girl and put his transparent hand on the girl's shoulder. Even though he knew it would give her no comfort.

That's when he saw the picture that she was clutching in her hands as she tried to not cry even more. He peered at the picture over her shoulder and felt his eyes widen. There was a younger version of Mai in the picture, she must have been six or seven years old, and two adults that were hugging on her and looking as though they were the happiest people in the world.

One look at the picture immediately told him who the adults were. Mai looked almost identical to her mother. Gene felt sorrow wash through him. He knew what it felt like to miss his parents. He had never known his true parents and there had never been a day that he didn't think about his parents.

Her hand flipped the picture and he saw the writing on the back of the picture and he felt a soft sigh escape his ghostly lips. The air gently stirred her locks but she was to interested in the picture of her parents that was in her hands.

'In Loving Memory of Mom and Dad. 08/16/1998.' was written on the back of the picture in Mai's neat handwriting. Gene saw the tears that were trailing down Mai's face before she buried her head into her arms and her shoulders were shaking with her sobs. He wished more than anything that he could hold her. It was frustrating to a point that Gene knew that if he had a chance to live again that he would never walk across that road. Especially in the middle of the night in black clothing.

"I'm sorry I won't be able to visit you this year." she whispered and Gene felt sorrow clench his heart, if he still had one that is.

"Mai, sweetheart, can I have some tea in here? Mr. Davis and I are still talking to our son." Mrs. Davis, Luella, stuck her head out. Mai gave her a bright smile and nodded before she put her picture up and stood up.

"Of course, Mrs. Davis. Would you like some cookies as well?" she asked. The older woman shook her head before she closed the door and Mai rolled her eyes before she went into the kitchen that was located in the English offices of SPR.

"You'll be alright, won't you?" Gene whispered before he hugged her from behind as she stood waiting for the teapot to whistle. "You'll learn to let the sorrow go eventually."