Luella is sobbing quietly and I'm beginning to wonder if she's depressed or happy. After telling the two of them what happened these pass few weeks (it was mostly just me telling the story. Naru just kind of sat next to me with 'irked' written all over him) and now we're all sitting in the room quietly. The only sound is of Luella's tears.

Last night, after they'd caught us, Martin had instructed us to go to bed. Naru and I didn't really talk, we just dressed separately and knocked out. It's almost noon in England now, and Luella hasn't stopped crying since ten.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Luella sniffles, "It's just…"

Naru sighs, "Mother—"

"Oliver, why don't you and Mai go out for a while? I'm sure she'd love a tour of BSPR." Martin says, rubbing Luella's back. Naru sighs once again, before nodding and standing up. He offers me his hand; I take it gratefully. Standing up and moving with Naru as he entwines our fingers in a sweet move.

Luella sobs once again.

I guess that was Naru's way of making up for not letting me tell them immediately. PDA isn't really Naru's strong point, and I'm perfectly okay with that (it's just who he is). However, the fact that he'd do it (even though it's just a little bit) just to make me feel better, makes my heart soar.

As soon as we're out of the room and the door is shut firmly behind us, I grasp my arm and hug it to me, laying my head on his shoulder. His some-what tense form relaxes and he kisses my head briefly, before pulling me along.

Madoka's Point of View:

"Do you think they've caught them in the act yet?" I ask my husband, who is sitting next to me on our couch. My feet rest on his lap as he massages them, and some soft music plays from the TV as the couple finally kiss each other.

Most wouldn't believe it, but Lin has a weird fetish for chick flicks.

"If we get a video call, then we'll know." He says, his expert hands working magic on my feet which were sore from standing all day in heels.

I don't understand how Mai does it. Even when I was filling in for Noll, I didn't stand this much. She must be some kind of alien thing because no one should be able to stand for eight hours a day in heels as tall as hers.

As if on cue to Lin's words, a video call pops up on our flat screen TV. I grab the remote and move in to a sitting position with my legs hanging off of the couch. Pressing the accept button, my screen is once again filled with a sobbing Luella and smiling Martin.

I laugh and Lin chuckles at the over-bearing mother. Martin grins at us, "Should I be expecting grand children?" That just sends Luella in to a whole new round of theatrics.

Lin laughs, "With the way we've been catching them, yes. Very soon."

Luella sniffles, "I had hoped and now that my Oliver actually found some one and it's Mai, I just…" she wipes her eyes with a tissue.

I smile softly at her, "I know. We're happy for him too. Mai is probably the only person that can ever make Noll okay again. The only people that don't know that little fact is the two love birds themselves. Noll doesn't think he'll ever be okay again, but I think he's beginning to change his opinion. Mai is just too self conscious to realize it. Just as you got used to their unique friendship, you'll get used to their very… different relationship." I grin, "Those two are like fire and ice colliding. They're going to be each other's death as much as they'll be each other's salvation. We're going to have to leave that for them to figure out."

And since Noll did that spell, I mean it literally. I think.

"So you're saying we should leave them alone?" Luella asks, finally calming down some.

I shake my head, "Not necessarily. I'm just saying that they got together with out much help from us, so now we have to let them handle their relationship how they want to."

"They're both stubborn," Lin says quietly, "I don't believe they'll give up at the first sign of trouble." Martin and Luella share a look and I can practically hear the agreement in their shared opinion.

"Look at it this way," I say, gaining their attention once again. I lean back against the couch and grin at them, "They got together through one of the biggest fights I've ever seen them have. There's no way those two will be splitting up because of an argument."

Luella can't help but laugh through her tears.

3rd Person's Point of View:

Naru watches as Mai stares in wonder at the large building before them. Her eyes are wide and her mouth his open slightly. She has on a pair of jean shorts and a normal soft pink t-shirt with the sleeves missing. Her sandals add to make the look more "spring-y." She looks completely normal and she is also completely covered.

Yet Naru had to fight the urge to kiss her right here and now.

"Naru," Mai says, interrupting his thought process, "Is this really where you work?"

"It's where you work too, mon tout." Naru tells her, watching as the bright red blush, that only Mai can have, grows on to her face. He knew that Mai has no earthly idea what his words meant, but it's like her instincts force her to be embarrassed. Naru smiles at her, "You just work in a different section."

She grins back, her eyes sparkling with, what Naru is beginning to call, her "love" for him. It's still hard for him to believe, but he couldn't help the little sliver of hope shinning in to his mind that maybe, just maybe Mai really did love him. Maybe he could be happy… with her.

"Can we go in?" Mai asks, smiling at him sweetly.

As if the answer would be no. Idiot.

Naru sighs, putting his hand on her back and ushering her up the stairs and to the glass doors. The minute they step through the door, Mai actually squeals in excitement before darting forward and going poke around like a child. Naru rolls his eyes before following.

The next hour or so consist of Mai asking what things were and Naru answering her. They got some looks of bewilderment, which Naru promptly ignored, but he knew why the looks were tossed their way. No one expected to see the great Oliver Davis escorting a girl around.

All he is to these people is Martin's genius adopted son. The one who's much more pleasant brother died.

"Hey Naru?" Mai says quietly, breaking him out of his self loathing. She's standing pretty close to him, and she seemed to notice his mood souring. She cocks her head to the side adorably, "What's wrong?"

Naru reaches up and ruffles her hair, "Nothing."

Immediately, she glares, swatting his hand away, "Dammit Narcissist! Do you know how long it takes me to comb my hair in the morning?"

"Then cut it." Naru says, his hands finding his jacket pockets. Naru feels a sense of nostalgia at the thought of Mai's short hair. He remembers how she used to wear it down everyday, and how sometimes, when she was having a bad day, she'd walk in to the office and it seemed she hadn't brushed it at all. His favorite thing to do on those days were compare her to a porcupine.

Mai quiets suddenly, before looking up at him with imploring cinnamon brown eyes, "Do you want me to cut it?"

Naru looks at her now. Her long brown hair reaches her middle back, and her face seems so much older. Instead of the innocence that he'd once adored, now a certain intelligence flashes in her eyes…

…and it has got to be the sexiest thing Naru has ever witnessed.

"No." He says firmly. Mai smiles and he can't help his mouth twitching, wanting to smile with her. It seemed every appendage of his body wanted to please Mai.

"Oliver! Mai!" A deep voice calls from behind them. The two turn around to see Martin baring down on them.

—

Mai's Point of View:

I watch as Martin makes his way through throngs of people. He seems determined to make it to us, even as he politely smiles at people who wish him a good morning. Eventually, he pushes through and he's in front of us.

He smiles charmingly, "I am happy to say that Luella has taken a tonic and she is peacefully unconscious in our bed."

I giggle merrily as Naru rolls his eyes, "I can't believe you drugged mother."

Martin grins at his son, "Would you rather deal with her theatrics?" At Naru's silence, he looks smug. His facial expression then changes in to one of dawning, as if he forgot something, "Oh, Oliver, I'm afraid that while you're here, I must ask something of you. Do you remember that little girl Aiko from Japan that you introduced to the company?" At the professors nod, he continues, "Well, we flew her and her father out here about a month ago for intense training. However, her powers seem to be getting stronger the more we try to stop them. Here is what I need you to do…"

"Would mind helping me for a moment, Mai?" Martin asks, having sent Naru on his way.

"Not at all."

"Then follow me."

Martin leads me to a room that I suppose his office. He sets me in to the task of organizing his files in to seven different file cabinets. If he'd asked me when I was still young, I'd have groaned and taken all day. Now all I do is nod and begin my task.

It'll take me a couple hours. Tops.

Martin and I work in silence as he does paperwork at his desk before I'm forced to look up when he sighs. He's watching me and I feel myself blush. He smiles, "I remember when Luella used to do that."

I sit up straight from my position on the floor. The files are spread around me and they're all I piles and I've even been color coating them. I cock my head to the side naturally, "What do you mean?"

Martin chuckles softly, "Luella used to be the shyest girl I'd ever seen. I remember seeing her in high school for the first time. We're from different parts of England, so naturally, we hadn't met until her parents moved here for a job." I stand and slowly sit down in the soft office chair as Martin speaks. He smiles when he sees he has my attention, "I'm assuming you want to hear this?"

I grin, "Please?"

He chuckles before continuing with his story, "She was in my Speech class. I remember her walking in with yoga pants and a hoodie two sizes too big. All black. Her hair hung in her face and she was so pale. Yet when the teacher asked her to introduce herself, and she looked up, I was met by the most shocking pair of blue eyes I'd ever seen. Bright and intelligent, if not a little more than shy.

"Back then, I'd found school to be nothing more than a playground. Imagine that. A senior in high school with a scholarship already and still I was more fond of a party than a text book." He tosses me an ironic smile and I laugh. He grins at me before continuing, "Fortunately for me, she was seated right in front of me. At first, I ignored her because that's what my friends expected me to do. She was the weird kid with two dad's and odd books in different languages.

"Then we were paired up for an assignment. It took me nearly half an hour to convince her to get on to my Harley Davison, and then she clung to me like a soaked cat. Then I realized why she always wore baggy clothes. She was so curved that she reminded me of an hour glass. Luella didn't like attention at the time, so she hid her body from everyone. It was a shame, really. Eventually, I was able to go to her house and start our project. I eventually figured out what her families 'big secret' was, and I got in to parapsychology, but that wasn't it. Somewhere along the way, I got to realize that Luella wasn't shy because she was insecure. She was shy because she has such a large personality.

"I remember the day she first kissed me too. We'd just gotten in to a huge fight because I'd seen her trying to smoke cigarettes." Martin's lip raises in some type of silent snarl, "She stormed off after I called her stupid, and when I finally caught up, it was raining so horribly I couldn't see. She asked me why it was my business anyway and I told her it was because I loved her.

"Naturally, she punched me in the face and told me to stop messing with her. I remember thinking about how one woman can be so stubborn, but the fight only got worse when I asked. She asked me again why it was any of my business and I told her the same thing. She still didn't believe me so I got angry. I begin to spout none sense about how she shouldn't be so untrusting of people. I told her that she shouldn't hide herself from everyone just because she was so used to society judging her. Then I told her she was the loudest person I'd ever met and that it was okay to be herself in front of people. She could be as loud and as crazy and as insane as she wanted. That I didn't care. As long as she loved me back. And she kissed me."

I can't help but smile. Martin speaks so softly while telling the story and I decide that he's the best story teller I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. His eyes sparked darkly as he tells the story and I'm just as intrigued as I'm sure any one else would be. Eventually, he returns from his thoughts and smiles at me. I smile back, "You and Luella must have been quite the couple in college."

Martin scoffs, "You have no idea." And then he smiles, "The point of me originally telling you the story was to say that not every relationship gets off to the best start, and those are the ones that last. So take my advice, think about how you two were brought together the next time the entire foundation threatens to break." His face is serious, even if I can see the affection swirling in his dark eyes.

My heart warms and I smile at him, "I will. Thank you."

The doors open and a small voice squeals, "Mai-chan!" I turn to see Aiko running across the room. I laugh and stand, grabbing her and sweeping her in a hug. She is so much more heavier now than I remember her. It suddenly dawns on me that it's been nearly five months since I've last seen this little abused and mentally scarred child. Real happiness shines in her face as she grins at me and I can't help but be drawn in by her gleeful attitude.

"Naru-chan said that you two are girlfriend and boyfriend now!" Aiko exclaims, using my nickname for the professor with out any fear.

I laugh, "Yep!"

"Does he eat your face like Daddy does to Christine-san?" Aiko says, her head popping to the side. I remember Christine being the name of the woman sent to replace Aiko's first therapist. So Christine and Uto-san are together, huh? Interesting.

Keeping with her seriousness, I nod gravely, "Yes. He does. All the time."

Aiko looks horrified, "No!"

"Mai, that's enough." Naru says, making his way across the room with annoyance written across his face. I laugh as Aiko climbs down and gets in to a 'fighting stance' that really just involved very fake 'hi-ya!' movements as she 'protects' me from my getting-more-annoyed-by-the-minute boyfriend.

I shrug when he sends me a look, "Maybe you shouldn't eat peoples faces." He opens gaps at me as I laugh loudly.

Five seconds later, Aiko is taking my hand and dragging me around the building. She's a much better guide than Naru, mostly because Aiko doesn't mind people staring at her it seems. She's so innocent that she doesn't realize people are annoyed by the noise, and I resolve to not let anyone ruin her good attitude. It's not like people understand what we are talking about anyway. They all speak English and we're speaking in Japanese.

Eventually, we make it around the entire building and then Aiko shows me the area with the code name 'A.J.E.J.' I have no idea what it means, but the letters sound more like names to me rather than an acronym.

Several people look up as we enter, and Aiko immediately darts to the PK-MT section and shows off all the fancy equipment that the scientist let her 'play' with. We aren't in there for fifteen minutes before the door opens and Naru is standing there.

Everyone grows quiet for a split second before returning to their duties, although noticeably gossiping about the newly arrived professor. Naru ignores them and makes a b-line for Aiko and I.

"Naru-chan!" Aiko greets happily, waving as she plays with some type of ball machine.

Naru raises an eyebrow and she explains what she's doing. When he understand, his eyebrows shoot up, "But Mai doesn't have your powers, Uto-san."

"Call me Aiko-chan," the small child pouts, before smiling, "Yes she does! I heard Martin-kun tell Daddy that Mai has PK too!"

"It's different, Aiko-chan." I tell her, crouching down to her level, "You know how you can make anything that's moving move different?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I can make people do what I like." I say, smiling at her as understanding dawns on her features.

"So you can make Naru-chan and Daddy stop eating you and Christine-san's face?!" She exclaims loudly, making everyone turn to us. They have no idea what she just said, but I'm sure they thought that it was quite loud, considering Aiko had yelled it. And yet even in the attention of everyone, I can't help my head being thrown back and the gleeful laugh that escapes me.

Naru scowls at the girl, "Stop saying that."

Aiko smiles, "It's okay, Naru-chan! You and Daddy just love them, right? That's why you do it!" At the word 'love' my smile fades, but Aiko doesn't notice. She continues to rattle on, "That's okay though. Because Mai-chan and Christine-san love you guys too! Mai-chan even told me when y'all were at my house!"

My entire face heats up and I look up to see Naru smirking at me, "Really now?"

I glare at him, "Not one word!"

He almost smiles, but then he turns to Aiko, "I'm here to escort you back to your father, Uto— I mean," Naru corrects himself, "Aiko-san."

Aiko grins happily at the fact that he's finally called her by her first name, even if it's with honorifics. She giggles gleefully before grabbing Naru's hand and tugging him out of the door. I smile at them as I watch Naru roll his eyes in a display of annoyance, but I know better. I could see the visible like for the girl shinning through his mask.

I crouch down and begin to clean up the machine that Aiko had been messing with. That girl is something else.

"Who the hell is she?" A whispered voice says to my right. I don't turn to look, I just keep dissembling the machine Aiko had set up.

"I don't know, but I think she knows Professor Davis." Another voice says.

"Probably just a random girl who's trying to get in to his pants." The first voice says.

"Heh. As if Professor Oliver Davis would ever let someone like her do that."

I tune them out and continue working on cleaning. But I can't help but wonder. Does Naru want to have sex with me?

"What did you and my father talk about when I was gone?" Naru calls from the bedroom as I brush my teeth.

"Nothing, really." I call back, pulling the toothbrush from my mouth very quickly before putting back in and making my words come out oddly, "Mos-th-ly jus abou him an yer motha."

Naru doesn't answer me so I take that as an acceptance of my explanation. I finish my business in the bathroom before exiting and closing the door behind me. I see him sitting up in bed with a book in his lap. His eyes are visibly shooting across the page as he reads at the speed of lightning.

I hear an echo of the whispered conversation between the two scientist in the PK-MT department. I wonder if Naru even wants to have sex with me? Maybe he thinks I'm too young. I mean, I was just fifteen when he was nearly eighteen. Three years isn't very long, but maybe he still sees me as a child.

Well I'll show him.

I cross the room swiftly and take the book from him. He looks up outraged for a moment before I smash my lips to his. He makes a questionable noise in his throat before kissing me back. I strattle him and drop the book to the ground.

He can just find the page he was on later.

He continues kissing me, his hands finding my waist and I mentally shriek in outrage. Why doesn't he grab my butt or something like a normal boyfriend would do?

So I grab his hands and move them lower, hoping he gets the hint. He hesitates and I can feel him trying to pull away, but I follow his lips and he sighs through his nose, before biting down on my bottom lip and making me gasp. His tongue thrusts in to my mouth, and his hands slide over my bottom like I want. Either my butt is really small, or his hands are really just that big.

Eventually, I get tired of just making out with his hands on me. So I reach for the bottom of my t-shirt. Naru seems to draw the line there. His hands grab my wrists and he pulls away, "Mai, what the hell are you doing?"

Did Naru just cuss?

I blanch, stupefied for a moment before answering him with growing red cheeks, "Well, don't you want to?"

He gives me a look that's somewhere between bewilderment and angry, "Mai, why would I want to do that?" He must've seen the hurt quickly cross my features as my arms drop to my sides, because he back tracks, "That's not what I meant. I meant I won't take advantage of you like that."

I feel myself smile softly, "Naru, you can't take advantage of the willing."

He narrows his eyes, and leans back with me still on his lap, "Mai, what's this about? Why do you just suddenly want to have sex." I feel my eyes widen and I open my mouth to spout something— anything— but Naru holds up his hand, effectively cutting me off, "I don't care. I won't have sex with you until your ready."

I scoff, "I think I can tell when I'm ready to have sex, Naru. I am a grown woman."

His eyes narrow even further, "I'm very aware of how grown you are, Mai, but the fact still remains. You aren't ready."

"Oh really?"

"Yes really."

"And how would I tell if I'm ready, oh great professor." The amount of sarcasm in my tone would have done Ayako proud.

Naru's face relaxes and he smirks, "Trust me, you'll know. It's just not now."

"And how can you tell if I'm ready or not?" I say smartly, annoyed and embarrassed that my attempt at seduction had failed.

Naru laughs, the sound still beautiful even as we argue, "Because I know you a lot better than you think. Now get up and go make me some tea before bed." I glare at him and he stares back long enough for me to crack. I roll my eyes and get off of him, moving towards the door.

Stupid idiot. You're lucky I love you.