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Last time-

Riven was watching the interaction from the dance floor where she and Kai were dancing. Why was Jess leaving? What had he done? She was shot a watery smile from Jess as she left the hall. Riven felt her stomach sink. Pushing away from Kai who gave her a questioning look that she ignored Riven cross to where Tala stood looking sorry for himself.

"God you are such an idiot! I don't even know why I like you in the first place anymore. Wake up to yourself Tala." Before he had a chance to reply she was already out the door and looking for Jess.

Her figure was outline by the moon, she was marching up the hill to the lookout and it looked as if nothing was going to stop her. Quickly Riven followed, she caught up to her just as she reached the lookout. They selected a seat and sat in silence for a good hour before Jess voiced what was on her mind.

"He hates me."

Chapter 29

"No, Tala doesn't hate you Jess. He's just confused right now." Riven slid across the seat and slid an arm around Jess's shoulder for comfort. Affectionate gestures didn't come easy for Riven but right now it felt natural to comfort the younger girl beside her. She was so angry with Tala that she would try to comfort an angry mountain lion if Tala had upset it but this was completely different. Jess had just gotten engaged to a guy who she truly loved and her own brother had spoiled the experience for her. Now she had to defend Tala to explain that Tala was just confused when all she wanted to do was call his a bastard.

Jess sniffed in the cool evening air.

Riven smiled to herself as she saw a shooting star fly across the velvet blue sky. "Look Tala is just being a jerk because he cares about you, he doesn't want you to leave him. I know he is only being greedy but you are the most important thing to him and he doesn't want to let you go even if it is to Kai." In the distance a faint glow indicated that a farmer or family were having a bonfire, the glow was warm and inviting and Riven wished she was sitting beside it.

"So you think Tala is stressed about me not being in his life to cook and clean for him, yeah I can really see that, bugger him he can get a maid. What he did was really mean, you aren't meant to be mean to people you love or care about. I don't know why he is being a prick to you either, it's so obvious that he likes you. I hate him!" the resolve in her voice shocked Riven slightly, the bond that Jess and Tala shared wasn't going to be ruined by a petty fight but if it made Jess feel better what was the harm?

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Kai strode across the dance floor to where Tala stood in the corner of the room looking like a sullen puppy who just lost his favourite toy. "Care to explain that one to me?" Kai rested his hands in his pockets while he waited for an answer.

"Not really mate, I just fucked up big time." Tala shocked his head.

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This is Detective Charles Banner from the Virginia Police Department, if a Mr Kai Hiwatari could contact us on 555-692-738 as soon as possible it would be greatly appreciated.

Kai listened to the message wondering what was going on. why would the police from home be contacting him here? Due to the time difference he couldn't call them now so he would call them in the morning around ten.

"Who was that?" Jess came up from behind him. Kai quickly jotted down the number while he still remembered before deleting the message and turning to Jess.

"No one important. I'm sorry tonight turned out the way it did, tonight was support to be perfect, well that was the way I planed it anyway." He pulled Jess into a tight hug, he knew that she was upset about what had happened between herself and Tala but he wasn't sure what that actually was so he couldn't really say anything, just be there when she wanted to talk. "Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah I guess, it will work itself out." Jess leaned into Kai feeling all her worries wash away with his closeness.

"Look I'm going to go and make a coffee, would you like one" Kai ran his hands down Jess's arms before letting out a sigh, the last thing he wanted to do was leave Jess but there was so much going on in his head. Jess shook her head on reply to Kai's question.

Kai pulled back before kissing Jess on the forehead, "I'll be back soon."

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Then next morning Kai sat along in a disused room listening to what the man was saying to him from the other end of the phone, he couldn't speak, he was in complete and utter shock. "We require your help in the matter as soon a possible." The man told him. Kai sat nodding even though he knew the man couldn't see him. "Yes, I understand I will be there as soon as I can." The conversation ended shortly after. This was hard. He hated Mai for what she had done to Jess but he still loved her, after all she was his cousin, what was he meant to do? How was he meant to feel?

Getting up, Kai decided that it would be a good idea to tell Tala what was going and that he had to go home, god this was the last thing Jess needed right now. Even though Jess knew what Mai had done it was clear that she still cared about her, feelings were something Jess didn't give up on easily. Well she did have Riven now but still, this was going to hit her hard. All he could do was be there for her when she needed it. Kai walked out of the room to find Tala, he was sitting out side on the balcony reading the morning paper. "Tala I have to talk to you." Kai sat down in the seat across from his friend and soon to be brother in law.

Tala looked up from the paper, seeing the serious look on Kai's face he set his paper down. "I'm listening." Tala said quietly, hoping like hell that what Kai had to say had nothing to do with Jess.

"I have to go home for a while, there has been an accident." Kai had decided to take baby steps with the new he had to deliver. "What kind of accident?" Tala was now sitting up straighter in his seat.

"It's Mai, she um, well she died." Kai watched the shock register on Tala's face. "How?" Tala asked in a slightly hoarse voice.

"All that the police told me was that it was a drug over dose but according to them she meant to do it." Kai finally let his emotions show, his voice choked as he finished his sentence and turned his head away so Tala couldn't see the pure devastation that was now etched into his face. The two sat in silence for quite some time, both dealing with the feelings now running through their bodies. Neither had cried but god they found it hard, neither had looked at one another either for fear of loosing it. Finally Tala spoke. "What are you going to tell Jess, she doesn't need this right now?"

"I have no idea, but I was thinking that the truth would be the best form of attack. I don't want to lie to her Tala." Tala nodded and the two fell into silence once again.

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Four figures sat aside from the family, seven people had turned up to mourn the loss of Mai Hiwatari. No one from school had come not even Hillary or Kate and they had been suppositive friends. The family sat in their privet grief, none of them understanding why their beautiful daughter or older sister had taken her life.

Riven gave Tala's hand a squeeze, she felt very out of place at the funeral, she hadn't know Mai and had only ever heard bad things about her. Tala offered her a reassuring smile, the two had finally worked out their differences and were very carefully wading their way into the new relationship. Tala wasn't really to fall in love again just yet but he was sure it would happen, he had never met another person like Riven in his life and as far as he was concerned that was a good thing.

Jess sat looking at the coffin, the lid was closed and it was hard to believe that Mai was in there and that all the life had left her body. Casting her eyes to the right she looked at Mai's family. The minister stood before them reading a passage from the bible, when he was finished he asked if anyone would like to say something about Mai. Jess continued to look at the family, no one was moving. How could they have nothing to say about her, not a memory, quirky habit, even an angry word but there was nothing, not a single word. Jess couldn't believe it. "How can you have nothing to say about her, she was your daughter!" Jess was on her feet looking at Mai's mother and father. "Jess." Kai had grabbed her hand and was trying to pull her back into her seat but Jess shook her hand free. "Fine, if you have nothing to say about your daughters' life I do. Jess walked to the front of the room and stood next to the minister who was performing the service. He had paled a few shades when Jess had made her verbal attach on the family and he was now holding his breath along with everyone else in the room. Tala, Kai and Riven because they though Jess was going to tell everyone how much of a bitch Mai had been and her family because something had reached them through their grief.

Jess began after taking a deep breath. "I can still remember the first time I met Mai. She had come to live with Kai and from the first I hated her," there was a gasp from Mai's mother. Jess continued. "It turned out however that I was wrong, I had though that she was someone trying to take Kai away from me, boy was I wrong." She let out a soft laugh at that. "Mai grew to be my best friend and my life finally felt complete and I know that Mai was happy, we became family." Mai's mother broke down in tears at that point. "I know that Mai has done some things in her life that she felt was wrong but she was a good person and she had a very big heart. Big enough to fit my brother and I in there along with all the other people she cared about. If nothing else Mai loved her family. I was lucky that she had a place for me in her heart and in return I loved her as a best friend, as the sister I never had. I will miss her greatly." Jess finished and looked at everyone in the room, all eyes were on her. As she walked down the steps to return to her seat she was enveloped in a tight hug, Mai's mother clung to her sobbing into her shoulder. "Thank you." She managed between sobs, soon after however her husband pried her off Jess and took her back to her seat, she watched them go, the smaller boy beside them looking slightly confused. Jess walked over to him. "Would you like to say something about your sister, maybe you could tell us something nice she did for you or something she gave you for your birthday?" the little boy looked at Jess for a moment before nodding. Jess stretched out her hand to the little boy. The boy took the out stretched hand and together the two walked to the minister, finally feeling ready to say goodbye to someone who had played a very large part in both their lives.

Jess no longer hated Mai, if she ever had. No, wether she intended it that way or not Mai had made her a stronger person. In a way Mai had taught her that it didn't matter who knew where you came from or what had happened to you in the past. You are what you are and people will either accept it and if they don't, well they aren't worth knowing. Jess squeezed the small hand when she felt it begin to shake. "Thank you Mai, I am what I am and I am proud of that."

The End

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OMG wow well what can I say, that wasn't how I had imagined the story ending but then the whole thing never went the way I planed. I can't believe that it's all over, this is a big thing for me.

I hope you all enjoyed this fic and please review because this is your last chance and I would like to know what you all think.

Infinite x's and o's

The Perfect Oasis.