Thanks for coming back! I am so excited for this chapter - don't judge me after you read it! You have to write a review and share your reaction. This is where the story really starts to take off~~~

It was Friday night, just a few days after Martin and Luella went home. Luella had called to chat a little bit; she had gotten my number from Madoka. She was just as animated if not more so over the phone. We talked for hours about psychology and she told me about England. The more she shared, the more I wanted to take her up on her offer of visiting.

I got to see Madoka and Lin a few times this week as well, at the office. They were setting up a crib and some supplies in Lin's office for Lilliana. Lin and Madoka were eager to come back to work, but they also wanted to keep Lilliana close. I'm surprised that Naru let them, to be honest. I figured he would be annoyed with a baby in the office or at least consider it unprofessional. Instead he let them do it, but he did ask for tea a lot. Especially when the baby cried.

It was nice to be back in the office a bit. Naru told me to come into the office for some filing and to start some new testing.

He was able to determine from the lightbulb tests that my instincts were still spot on, which would be great for when we resumed cases. Of course, that wouldn't be happening anytime soon. He had me demonstrate for Lin and Madoka the tests we had already completed some time ago. He also tried testing my astral projection abilities.

The first test was fairly simple; Lin sat in his office with an object on his desk and I had to astral project, wake up, and tell Naru what object was sitting on Lin's desk. It was hard to fall asleep on command, but Lin had shown me some meditations and mantras that helped. He showed me another meditation which worked really well. It was like a body scan meditation, but rather than relaxing each part of my body, I tried to make each part float. Soon enough I floated easily out of my body, which slumped on the couch.

After a few successful rounds, Naru made the test harder. During the Urado case, I had successfully projected with my old house key and manifested it to Masako when she had been taken. For this test I held the object and tried to astral project it with me, place it on Lin's desk, and return without the object. This was something I had worked on with Gene while he was my spirit guide, after I knew the truth about him and Naru.

I hadn't done it in a while, so it took quite a few tries to get it right, especially since Naru was watching. I had to really feel the object, and make it as light as my body. It took a few attempts before I could successfully project with an object. Naru tested various objects such as pencils, books, and larger objects like a chair. It took some time, but by Thursday I was able successfully project with larger objects and leave them in Lin's office.

While it felt great to develop and hone some of my powers, it was draining my energy. In addition to working at the office and testing, I had also worked a few shifts at the bakery. Mr. Satori still wasn't feeling well and he was visiting his doctor a lot. I had barely seen him the past few days since he was away so much.

I had just finished closing the bakery after a busy Friday night, when I heard some noise in the kitchen. I peeked in to see Mr. Satori sneaking into a cookie jar.

"Mr. Satori?"

He jumped and looked guilty. "Hello Mai. Looks like you literally caught me stealing a cookie from the cookie jar." We laughed and I joined him in the kitchen. "Tea?"

"Yes please. It's been a while since I've had some of your tea."

I brewed up a pot and we took it to the break room. Something about his pensive look made me think he wanted to talk. We sipped our tea for a few moments in silence.

"Mai, are you happy? Answer honestly."

I hadn't been expecting that question. "I am." Mr Satori smiled.

"Good. I've been worried about you since I heard you were in a coma. I can't say I understand the work you do, or if I can really say I'm a believer in the supernatural, but I can see that it makes you happy and fulfilled. Your friends are always around and I believe that they have your best interests at heart. It's very obvious that they care for you."

I wasn't sure where he was going with this conversation, but I sat quietly and drank my tea as he talked.

"I've been thinking about life a lot, recently. Weighing my options, considering the new chapter. I've been visiting my doctor recently, as I know you are aware. Turns out I have heart failure and he is pushing for me to retire." My face instantly fell into sadness.

"Don't look at me like that, Mai. I'm old, what can I say? Heart conditions run in my family and it has been something I've been monitoring in the past few years. My son has been pushing me to stop baking and run the business as a silent owner for a while now, and move in with him and the rest of the family. It would be nice to spend more time with my grandkids, so I've been considering it. I didn't start this business to make money. I love to bake and that's why I do what I do, and it would be impossible to suddenly just stop. I see a lot of myself in you; young, happy, doing what you love so at such a young age. I wish I had started my bakery sooner." He nodded his head and reminisced. "Do you know why I hired you?"

I shook my head no. "I hired you because I could tell just by your mannerisms and words, that you were an honest girl. You care deeply, you're passionate, and you understand what is important in life. I could tell as soon as I met you. I knew you had no baking experience. Baking is a skill that can be taught. But kindness and passion? That comes from the heart and soul. I hired you not for your talents, but for the goodness in your heart and for your beautiful smile. You can chase away people's troubles and worries with a smile like that." I blushed at his praise.

"I hope you never lose that. It's so hard to find someone as good as you in this world anymore, especially in someone who has faced the hardships you have. I also hope you'll follow your dreams Mai. As unconventional as they seem, if you love it, you should do it."

I nodded my head and took in the advice. "Mr. Satori, will you be retiring then?"

He shook his head, "No not yet. I want to weigh my options, talk to my doctor a little more. He wants me to retire immediately and so does my son, but I can't just stop baking. How can we dispose of our passions so easily?"

I nodded my head in understanding; I could definitely relate. But I was worried for him.

"Your face is so easy to read, Mai. Don't worry. I have had such a wonderful life, full of beautiful memories. I married the love of my life, had a son I'm proud of who is happily married and gave me grandkids, and I got to fulfill my dreams even if it was later in life; I would die a happy man. I can only hope that those I leave behind will celebrate the life they have and those in it."

He picked up another cookie from his plate, "And that they remember that sweets are the perfect remedy for any of life's troubles!"

He sent me a wink and we laughed. After finishing the pot of tea, we retired to our own apartments.

My heart was heavy with the news of Mr. Satori's health, and I was still worried for him. My worry gnawed at my stomach; I cared about him like family, and there was no doubt in my mind that he cared for me. He had been so kind and generous to me. He gave me a job, a home, and he treats me so well. I'll just have to make sure he takes it easy.

...

Saturday and Sunday passed in a blur. Worry still gnawed at my stomach and I found it difficult to concentrate on my studying. Classes were starting soon and I had yet to finish reviewing all of my previous work. I found my mind easily drifting away from the words on the pages, which led to more frustration. After giving up, I decided to go to bed early Sunday evening. I texted Naru a few times but even then I still felt anxious. Eventually I fell into an uneasy sleep after hours of tossing and turning.

…

Suddenly I sat upright in bed, wide awake. I looked around my room and tried to find the source of my sudden alertness. Everything seemed oddly quiet. I picked up my phone and checked the time. 3:07am.

I had no new messages or missed calls so I put my phone on the table and laid back down. I tossed and turned for a few minutes, then I decided that I was too wired to fall back asleep. I flung off my sheets expecting the cool night air to hit my skin; I was only wearing a tshirt and pajama shorts. Instead the air felt unusually warm, even for summer. I picked up my phone and walked into the kitchen. I thought about making some tea, but instead I decided to go down to the bakery and make tea and a snack. I glanced at my phone again. 3:15am. Mr. Satori should already be down there baking already. I put my phone down on the kitchen counter and left my apartment.

I walked down to the second floor, where Mr. Satori's apartment was. I was barefoot and the sound of my footsteps were almost nonexistent. I listened in at his door, but heard nothing moving behind it. I made my way back to the stairs and started towards the first floor.

Suddenly, the hairs on my arms raised and my instincts were on high alert, telling me to run. I paused and tried to take in everything around me, looking for the sign of my discomfort. If I looked closely enough, I could see a grey haze swirling around in the air. I sniffed and could smell a strong, pungent odor. Is that.. Smoke?

I looked down at the first floor and made my way quickly down the remainder of the stairs. The haze and the smell became stronger as I approached the door to the bakery.

"Mr. Satori? Are you in there?"

I could hear noise on the other side of the door, but no voice answered my call. I reached out and grabbed the door handle, and I suddenly pulled my hand back, crying out. The door handle was hot! I felt the rest of the door and it too, was warm.

I banged on the door "Mr. Satori! Are you in there?!"

Still no response. I took a deep breath and grabbed the handle again and wretched open the door quickly. A wall of heat and flames rushed towards me and I fell backwards as they reached for me.

Fire! The bakery is on fire!

I tried to look through the flames for Mr. Satori but I couldn't see him at all.

The flames started moving into the hallway as soon as I had opened the door. Heavy smoke filled the air and I could already feel the oxygen being eaten away by the flames. I ran up the stairs and threw myself against Mr. Satori's apartment door.

"Mr. Satori!" I grabbed the door knob with my good hand, and found that it was unlocked. I ran into the apartment, shouting his name and looking everywhere. I had checked every room twice. He wasn't there. I ran back out of the apartment and saw the flames rising up the stairs.

I have to get out! I ran up to my apartment, bursting in the door. I grabbed my phone off the counter and dialed emergency services. I coughed a few times as it rang; smoke had already started to fill my apartment. I ran over to the window in the living room and tried to pry it open with one good hand. My other hand radiated with pain from being burnt on the hot door handle. Fortunately there was a fire escape just on the other side of the window. If only I could get it open!

"Emergency services, what's your emergency?"

"My building is on fire! I need help!"

"Ok miss, what is your address?"

I rattled off my address and I continued to pull open my window. With a few grunts I was able to rip it open.

" Is there anyone else in your building?"

"Yes! There's an older man named Satori! I tried to find him but I couldn't!"

"Alright miss, calm down. Are you out of the building?"

"I'm using the fire escape right now."

"Alright, get out of the building and find a safe distance away. Emergency services are on their way. Stay on the line with me, ok?"

I agreed and started climbing out the window when I stopped. I hesitated for a moment then climbed back inside the apartment. I ran to my room and grabbed a small box off of my desk.

Quickly I ran back to the open window and climbed out onto the fire escape, holding the box close to my chest. I climbed down as quickly as possible, ignoring the rusty metal grates ripping up my bare feet. I kept talking to the operator, telling her where I was and what was happening. When I reached ground I ran to the front of the store and took in the sight. Orange and yellow flames consumed the entire building, and the heat radiated off of it in waves. I could hear sirens in the distance getting closer and closer.

A hand grabbed my shoulder and I turned to see one of the neighbors. She ushered me to the other side of the street. I looked around and noticed others outside watching the fire. I started looking at every face for Mr. Satori, but I couldn't see him anywhere. I continued to talk to the operator until the fire trucks showed up. I disconnected the call and ran up to them.

"This is my building! I think there's still an older man inside!" The fireman looked down at me.

"Did you look to see if he's out here?"

"I did, but he's not here!" He nodded and started barking out orders. I watched as they started battling the flames and entered the building.

Suddenly another hand landed on my shoulder. I was so full of nervous energy that I jumped at the touch. An ambulance had arrived, and the EMT who startled me was trying to coax me over to the ambulance. I followed him over and he started to look at my injuries.

"What's your name?"

"Mai Taniyama."

"Ok Miss Taniyama, my name is Shin Tojo, and I'm going to take care of you." He checked me over and fortunately only my hand and my feet were injured. My throat was a little raw from smoke inhalation and I was dirty from smoke, but he said I didn't have to go to the hospital.

I shivered as a cool breeze floated over my skin. Tojo offered me a blanket and a bottle of water, which I graciously accepted. My throat was burning from the smoke. He spoke calmly to me and offered me a sympathetic smile.

"Is there someone you can call to come get you? Family or friends?"

I thought for a moment about who to call. Monk and Ayako were still in the US, Yasu and Masako were still out of town filming, and John was at the Vatican. I could call Lin or Madoka, but they had Lilliana to take care of. I could call Naru… he said I could text him anytime and he would answer. He would answer a call too, right?

I unlocked my phone and pulled up his number. It's almost 4am… maybe I shouldn't. But where could I go if I wasn't going to the hospital?

"Do you want me to make the call for you?" I looked up at the EMT, who was watching me carefully. I almost declined his offer but I stopped. I nodded my head and passed him my phone.

"What's the name?"

"Na… Kazuya Shibuya." He nodded and walked away with my phone. A few minutes later, he came back and passed me my phone.

"He's on his way. I told him to bring some shoes for you too."

I nodded and muttered my thanks. I hadn't thought to ask, so thankfully one of us had a functioning brain. He continued to clean and bandage my injuries. While getting cleaned up, a police officer came over to talk to me.

"Hello miss, my name is Officer Nobu. I understand you are a tenant in this building?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, my name is Mai Taniyama. There's another tenant too, Mr. Satori. Has anyone found him yet?" I looked at him hopefully.

"We found the man in the building close to the entrance. He is in critical condition and is being transported to the nearest hospital. It looks like he may have had a heart attack." I nodded slowly taking in the information, trying to remain calm.

"He has a son, do you need his information? I have it right here in my phone."

He called over another officer who took down the information and left to make the call. Officer Nobu then turned to me and asked me to recount the events. I told him what happened to the best of my ability. He asked a few additional questions about the fire and I answered as best I could. We exchanged contact information in case he had additional questions, then he left.

Tojo had finished bandaging my injuries while I had talked to the officer and he was sitting silently next to me. I appreciated the quiet companionship at the moment. I took a few sips of water. Talking had hurt but I was able to refrain from coughing a lot when talking to Officer Nobu.

A few minutes had passed by, when I suddenly heard someone calling my name. I turned my head to look for the source and I spotted Naru over by the crowd of people that had gathered.

"Is that who I called?" I nodded at Tojo and he waved at the officer holding back the crowd, who then allowed Naru to pass. Naru walked over quickly. He was wearing jeans, a shirt and a suit jacket, which once again made me speechless seeing him so casual. He also carried a pair of slippers in his hand, which I assumed were for me. When he reached us he bent down to my level and started looking me over. His eyes burned with an intensity I hadn't seen before. His blue eyes only seemed darker in the reflection of the fire.

"What is the extent of her injuries?" Naru addressed Tojo and continued to look me over, running his hands down my arms looking for injuries. He grabbed my hand gently and turned it over looking at the bandage.

"Her hand has a burn on it, but it's not severe. It will probably blister, but it should heal within a few days. She went down the fire escape barefoot, so her feet are cut up from the metal. They've been cleaned and as long as they stay clean and properly bandaged, they should heal quickly. They may be tender to walk on for a few days though. She has minor smoke inhalation but other than that she is alright and does not require a hospital visit."

Naru nodded and he carefully looked over my feet. Once he was satisfied, he gently put the slippers on my feet. For a moment I almost felt like Cinderella, when the prince slipped on the glass slipper. But the pain ruined the moment when I cringed from the sudden pressure on the bottom of my feet.

"Can you walk?" I gingerly tested putting weight on my feet, and I winced from the pain, sucking in a sharp breath.

"They hurt but I'll be okay."

Naru sighed and addressed Tojo again. "Are we free to leave?"

"She spoke with a police officer already. You're free to go." I passed the blanket back to Tojo and thanked him for his help. I grabbed my stuff and started walking away with Naru.

I had only taken a few slow steps but when I put my foot down again I hissed in pain. Naru sighed. Suddenly he scooped me up in his arms. I wasn't prepared for it and I grabbed onto my box tightly and threw my arm around his neck.

"Naru! Put me down! I can walk on my own!" Naru gripped me tightly as I struggled.

"Mai stop. You're in pain and can barely walk, just let me carry you."

He sounded so resigned; so I stopped struggling and let him carry me to his car. The further we got away from the fire the colder it was. I shivered and snuggled closer to him. If I hadn't been so emotionally and physically exhausted, I may have blushed or felt embarrassed. I didn't have it in me at the moment.

I peeked over his shoulder and watched as the firefighters still battled the blaze. It had gone down significantly, but the building was completely destroyed. I felt sorrow pierce my heart as I watched my home burn.

By the time we got to his car, I was shivering uncontrollably. He opened the door and gently put me in the passenger seat. Without a word, he took off his suit jacket and draped it around my shoulders. It was warm and helped subdue some of the shivers. He closed my door and I huddled into the large jacket, taking in the combination of leather, soap and smoke. There was a distinct Naru scent, which felt comforting.

As soon as he got in the driver's seat, he turned the car over and put the heat on. We pulled away from the scene and started driving towards his apartment. Neither of us said anything the entire ride. Fortunately I had stopped shivering by the time we made it to the apartment. Naru parked in the garage and got out. I opened the door and was ready to get out when he appeared and scooped me out of the seat. I didn't argue this time; I just let him carry me as exhaustion weighed me down.

We walked through the lobby, the security guard eyeing us suspiciously, but Naru ignored him and went straight to the elevator. Without jostling me, he was able to select his floor, and we rode up to the top floor in silence. When the elevators opened up, Naru strode forward until we reached his door.

"Mai, I have to get the key out of my pocket. I'm going to put you down for a second."

Without waiting for any response, he gently lowered my legs to the ground, but he kept the arm around my torso, holding me up against his body so my poor feet barely touched the floor. It took him no time at all to unlock the door. He scooped me up again and walked into his apartment. We went past the kitchen and living room, down the hallway and into the bathroom. Naru gently put me down on the toilet seat.

"Wait here."

He walked out of the bathroom, leaving me there. I clutched my box and phone in my lap and looked around the bathroom. It was simple, just like the rest of the apartment.

Naru appeared again with a shirt and pajama bottoms. He set them on the counter then bent down and pulled out a washcloth and soap from the cupboard under the sink.

"You can't shower tonight because of the bandages, but if you want to clean up you're welcome to the soap and anything else. Do you need any help?" I shook my head no, and he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

I sat there for a few moments just taking in the silence, thinking about everything. My home burned down, I lost everything, Mr. Satori had a heart attack and was in critical condition; just a few days ago we had been talking and drinking tea together in the break room. My gut had been worrying since we talked, but I didn't think anything of it. Instead, I ignored my instincts and now not only was our home gone, but an innocent man could be dead. Tears started to leak from my eyes, but I pressed my fists into them, forcing them to stop. I couldn't cry right now; I refused to let myself break down just yet.

When I felt like I wasn't going to cry, I pulled my hands away and stood up from the toilet, walking gingerly to the sink. I put my box and phone down on the counter and I picked up the washcloth. I started with my face and worked my way down. I stripped myself from my clothes and put Naru's on. Looking at myself in the mirror, it was almost comical. The clothes were way too big and I felt dwarfed in them. But they were clean and smelled like Naru. I blushed at the thought of wearing his clothes.

After I felt human again, I opened the bathroom door, surprised to see Naru leaning on the wall across from me.

"Oh… Um… where should I put my dirty clothes?"

"Just leave them." I grabbed my stuff and started leaving the bathroom when Naru came forward and picked me up again.

This time I felt a little embarrassed, but he said nothing and carried me to a bedroom down the hall. He gently set me on the edge of the bed.

"This is the spare room. The sheets are clean. I put a glass of water and some pain killers on the bedside table for you in case you needed it. Can I get you anything?" I shook my head no. A moment of silence stretched between us before he spoke again.

"Alright then. If you need anything my room is right next door. Text or call, don't walk on your feet, they need to heal." He stood up and made his way to the door. He paused for a moment, as if he was going to say something. Instead he settled for a quiet goodnight, and he pulled the door closed.

I put my stuff on the bedside table, and I took a sip of water with the pain medicine. I folded the covers back and slipped inside them. As soon as I let my body relax, pain and exhaustion consumed me. My feet ached and my hand throbbed. All in all, I felt miserable. Unable to hold it back any longer, I let my emotion wash over me, and I allowed the tears to quietly flow. After a while they stopped and the tear tracks along my cheeks dried. I released the tension in my body and slowly fell into a deep sleep.

Maybe when I wake tomorrow, this would all be a dream.

Poor Mai! But Naru to the rescue3

Leave a review with your reaction and thoughts! Thanks to all the reviews I've received so far, they really help and make me want to keep this story going.

If you haven't already, go find my newest GH story called ICE PRINCE! It's a fantasy AU and I am working on both stories at the same time.

Until next week! Stay safe, be healthy, and read fanfiction!

-Jen