Disclaimer: I Don't own anything

Chapter Twenty-five: Warrior

Mai Pov

"Here you go," I place a hot cup of tea on top of the table, causing Lin which was in his laptop to stop speed typing to glance at me.

"Thanks," he simply said to me, then returns to his writing as his normal self would do.

I nodded as I place the silver-plate against me and turned around to go back to my desk since Lin was in the lobby sitting on the sofa waiting for the others.

"Mai," I heard my name be called out behind me. I turned to see Naru coming out of his office with some papers at hand.

"Yes?" I asked.

"I need you to take a week off from your classes, this case is very important," he said to me. I leaned my hip against the side of my desk.

"Okay, will do, but do you need me? I'm in the middle of the finals and you know how strict they are. I'm about to graduate." I told him. Naru lifts his icy blue eyes from looking over Lin's shoulder since he was checking on something on the laptop.

"It's only a week, it won't affect anything, I'll take responsibility if you are that concern," he replies. I pout, but nodded in defeat, but wiggle my finger at him.

"Lin, you heard what he said, you're my witness," I mentioned. Lin rose his gaze and nodded.

"You gave your word Noll," he tells him. Naru rolled his eyes at him and nods.

"If we are done, go and open the door for the others." he points behind me. I nodded as I turned around and went up to the door and opened the door to see everyone smiling at me.

"Hi, guys,"

"Hi, Mai," they all said at the same smiling, as I make room for them to walk in, but a blinding light appeared in front of me, causing me to flinch. I cover my eyes when I heard in a distance in an echoing way.

"Tick, tock, tick tock, it's six, before we are free." then the blinding light went dark.

...

...

Six Years Later:

"Mai, wake up." I heard at a distance, I flinched from my strange dream as I felt a bug on my cheek. I lift my hand and slap myself causing me to groan in pain.

"Ouch." I moaned as I opened my eyes, at first my vision is blurry, but as I rubbed it my vision clears up, and see Naru placing his arms on the edge of the surface, looking at me. (Since he was swimming,)

"Didn't you sleep well last night? Did you had one of those nightmares?" he asks as he brushes my hair behind my ear. I shook my head.

"I didn't have a nightmare, but a strange dream," I whispered while I stretched out my arm to gently run my hands through his wet hair.

"About what?"

"A day before we left that case when you asked me to take off a week from my classes. I saw everyone smiling face, even Lin's. Then I heard a strange voice, I'm not sure who it was, but it said six before we are free. Just like every year." I told him.

Naru frowns as he hoists himself out of the water and I move a bit to give him room, and he sits next to me then crosses his arms, looking down at the water itself.

"It's been six years since we landed in the Black Lagoon, and five years since we became wanted ever since not a soul or Ayame hasn't contacted us. We haven't even found out anything on the page or made any progress. We simply just live on this island." He rambles on. I frowned, leaning my head on his side while Naru takes a hold of my hand.

"At least we had four years of peacefulness out that hell of that year that we were declared wanted. I missed that.." I whispered.

After we left the cave and somehow manage to get back to our home, let just say it was hell for the rest of the year, the dead kept coming after us every time we left the treehouse, so we had to find a way around that, but we couldn't do much but survive, until a year later when they finally gave up.

"You know, I just remember something," he said while he glances down at me.

"What?"

"Our deal.. I have let it slip for a few years. I have to give you that test." My eyes widen, but I nodded in agreement.

"I forgot about that, yes I remember, I have to dance if I fail if I win, you have to do anything I ask for and I have learned a lot from you, even English, you're a great teacher," I praised him while I caress his arm feeling him shiver a bit.

Six years, six years living alone with no one around, but depending and trusting on each other.

"You know, today is our sixth wedding anniversary." I smiled, feeling my heart warm up. Naru arched a brow while I kiss his shoulder.

"I have forgotten.." he admits, when he gets up.

I blushed, looking down at my lap. Even though we have seen each other naked so many times at this point, I'm still shy.

Naru is now twenty-six and I'm twenty-five.

We haven't had any intimacy because I'm scared I would get pregnant, is not that I don't want to, but we are wanted and it's dangerous. I don't want our baby to be in trouble. Yet, I want Naru, all of him. At this point in my life, he's my life. He's everything to me and I accept everything, and he's been a gentleman respecting me and understanding.

I don't know how long Naru can stand it, and in a few days, I'll be his age, twenty-six, and I still get shy and timid around him, especially when we are naked in front of each other. He tries hard, but sometimes I see him look at me with desire which makes me feel full and aching for him to take me. It breaks my heart because I feel the same, even though we have grown accustomed to our touches and kisses. I can't have anyone else but him. My body, my flesh only craves his which I can never get tired of, but only wants more.

I want to be his woman completely.

We have been accustomed by now to live in Black Lagoon alone with anyone. It's become part of our normal lives.

I wish Ayame could come, I miss her and we need her help, it's been five years since we last saw her. Since she told me to run from Kyoko.

I felt something on my head which was Naru's hand... I glance up, to see Naru sitting back down and hands me a beautiful purple flower which made my heart flutter by this gesture.

"I founded near the caves a few days ago.." He mumbles, looking a bit bashful.

I took it, and a bright smile passes my lips.

I have to give him my gift as well. I haven't given him his birthday gift for so long now because he hates celebrating it. But a wedding gift, he shouldn't have a problem. right?

"Thank you so much, it's beautiful." I gasped out, he always does this even though he's shy, he will bring me something very pretty to cheer me up. I collect them. He knows, how much a simple thing, can mean so much to me. I once told him that I don't need fancy things, just a simple gesture is enough to brighten up my day.

Since that day, he keeps bringing me things, once in a while.

Turning around, I kiss his lips and blushed, causing him to smirk.

Looking down at the water, but I place the flower on my ear, while Naru fixes my ear.

"I can't believe six years have passed. You think that the gang is still looking for us?"

"They could or label us as dead by now. The only time I saw the ship was two months before our first year. That's all." he shrugs causing my heart to be in pain by his words.

"Dead, they might think we have died drowning. That's horrible to think about." I frowned feeling my heartbreak by this news. Naru nods in agreement.

"We just have to wait, everything is out of our hands," he said as he looks down and stares at my chest. I blushed, covering my breasts with my arm.

"That scar never left, I still wonder why, just like mine?" he whispers, placing his hand on it and traces it gently, I felt myself shiver at his touch.

No matter how much time passes, a simple touch of his feels like the first time. He makes me feel so loved, even though he hasn't once said those words to me, since he confessed. I just can simply feel it.

"I think it's time to head for the north. I think is time to see them. It's been five years already. We need to free them. At least your boat is in the progress." I added, Naru has been busy making boats since two years ago. He was bored out of his mind and found a book on it and gave it a try, the book belonged to Dr. John.

"It's a hobby, even though the first twenty tries didn't help at all," he murmurs while I giggled, from the memories, of each one either sinking or just tilting over causing him to get wet luckily it wasn't far from the shore so he could swim back.

I lean my head on his arm, swinging my feet.

"I'm glad, I don't mind living here. It's very peaceful. No drama from no one. Yet a part of me wants to go home, to see what changed. I do get scared at times." I whispered.

"From what?"

"When we return, you start to forget me another woman can take you away from me, or we separate. Also adapting back to the normal of people surrounding us all the time. Six years is a long time Naru. " I shivered not liking the thoughts at all.

Naru frowns, as he surprises me when I felt his arm wrap around my waist and hoists me up to sit on his bare lap and wraps his arms around me. I wrap my arms around his broad chest, since he's been working out a lot, he grew more muscles and is bulkier than normal.

"I doubt at this point, I would have anyone else. I have known you for ten years and have been married to you for six years. I don't regret my decision. I can assure you that. Plus, we aren't done here. There are too many unanswered questions. I am tending to get to the bottom of this. By adapting to the city life if we ever return it won't be the same anymore. I have gotten used to this life just us. We've been surviving on this island for so long at this point, that it's just strange not to. I have a feeling it will hard on us going back to normal and I don't think we can be separated for so long either." he seems to tell me truthfully.

I stare at him with pure love that oozed out of my eyes.

He's right, I don't think when we return we would be the same old Naru and Mai. We are inseparable at this point and his words ease me so much, that he only wants me because I know Naru.

I wrap my arms around him and smile brightly at him feeling my heart with great joy, pressing my lips on his cheek then close my eyes, caressing his cheek with my nose lovingly. I felt Naru leaning into my touch.

"Well, that's my man talking. I was wondering where he went... Let's start from the beginning?" Naru places his arm under my legs and hoists me up.

"Eii?" I screeched, as he begins to head for the rocks, where our clothes are.

"No more hiding, I know they are planning something since they have laid low for a long time," he whispers. I blushed as he placed me down near the boulders and he bends to grab our clothes. He hands me my dress and he places his pants on.

"You know Naru,"

"Hmm?" He turns to look at me as he puts on his black shirt the same one he came within this island.

"Did you notice that our regular clothes look as though age hasn't touched it? I mean, do I look older to you?" I asked him. Naru takes a step closer and looks at me with a deep look causing me to hiccuped as he suddenly smirks with a mischievous glint on his eyes.

"Old, you look very old." He teases me as he pinches my cheeks in a playful matter. I grunt, pouting at him as I remove his hands away.

"Really?" I asked a bit concerned as I touch my cheeks, but he shook his head as he wraps his arms around my shoulders and held me in his arms.

"You look the same when I met you, Mai, you haven't aged much. How about me?" he asks as I look up at him and nodded seriously.

"Yes, you look old too." I teased him back with a giggle. He scrunches his face and suddenly flicked my forehead playfully causing me to flinch.

"Hey, you just called me old." I played along causing him to chuckle, as he hugged me back.

"I know," He simply said as I wrap my arms around my husband's torso and held him tight.

Even though Naru is still cold, I took notice that he's more open since time went by. I never thought he could be so playful and loving with me. He teases me, but he so gentle.

"You look the same Naru, the same, but with a bit more muscles and scars, well a warrior scars," I told him. Naru looks down at me and arched a brow.

"Warrior scars?" he questions. I nodded at him as I rub my palm against his chest where his heart lies.

"You are a warrior Naru, a handsome, fearless warrior that protects me. These are battle scars that you received from those evil ghosts that want our lives. I know it's not the same as saving a nation or a country, but for me, it means the world because I don't want your sacrifices to go to waste, I keep them in my heart as my treasures."

Naru leans down and kiss my forehead gently and held me once again.

"You know that I love you right? I love you with every fiber of my being." I told him causing Naru, to look at me with a peaceful look of love as he leans down and rubs his nose against mine in affection.

"I know Mai, and me too, only God knows how much."

...

...

"What are you doing?" Naru asks me while crossing his arms arching a brow up watching me.

"Ah, I'm trying to figure out why your boat keeps sinking, there must be something off or something you're missing," I said to him pointing at it, as we stare at Naru's boat, which is near the palm tree on the beach, which is halfway in construction, missing chunks since Naru dismantle it for the hundredth time trying to get it fixed. Naru had to use some of the tree residues that the storm has torn up over the years.

"Instead of doing that, you should prepare, I already have a list of questions I want to test you on," he said as I turn to look at him.

"You do?"

"You know I don't waste time," he said seriously as I slump my shoulders.

"Let me refresh please before you test me, it's been a while," I told him.

"You must have it by heart Mai, we live on an island that the dead are our neighbors instead of the living. If something comes up and I'm not there, you need to be quick in your feet." Naru tells me.

"I know, okay, let's do this, then give me three days, three days I'll refresh everything and you can drop every question you have." I bargain.

"You had five years Mai," he said of matter of fact.

"Do you remember everything you learn through the years? I barely remember what I learned in high school at this point." I said trying to get him to reason.

"No, I do remember," he said seriously. I rolled my eyes at him as I went up to him and grab his hand.

"Come on, just three days it's all I ask of you. Please," I pouted as I swing his arm.

"What benefit do I gain if I let you have three days?" he questions me.

I took a step closer to him and tiptoed, noticing that Naru is swallowing hard as he fists his hand.

"We haven't kiss for a while you know, right?" I began as I ran my finger seductively down his chest as I tilt forward, half closing my eyes, feeling my chest burn as a smirk pass my lips.

"Mai!" he whispers in a deep tone as I open my eyes.

"If you want a kiss from me, then give me three days." I bargain, as I press my lips on the junction of his neck and kiss it gently. I heard him groan in pain, as I forced myself to rip away from him, even though I ached to kiss him.

Naru is still a man, and I know how wild he gets when he kisses me which causes me to lose every reason in me. I just can't get enough of him. Kissing him has become an addiction that I love so passionately.

"That's cruel Mai, you know that. Since when did you become so bold?" He questions.

"Since I know how much you love my kisses." I took out my tongue in a teasing matter as Naru suddenly took a hold of my arm and pins me against him causing me to gasp in shock looking back up at him.

"Didn't I warn you, Mai, that I would take care of that tongue of yours." He threatens as he lowers himself to kiss me, but I place my hand on his lips stopping him, and kiss his forehead gently.

"Three days Naru, give me that much, please. This is very important to me, this is the first time in years that I'm excited about something. Then if I pass or not, one thing I promise I will kiss you to your heart's desire and you can kiss me all you want without limit on our kissing. If we haven't kissed for a few days, you can hold off for a few days right?" I question him. He slowly nods against my hand.

I lowered my hand and looks a bit annoyed.

"Fine, only three days Mai, and only in the lips is prohibited," he said. I licked my lips at him and nodded.

"Of course, you can kiss me anywhere but the lips are out of limits same goes with me," I assured him. He looks a bit more relieved and bends down to kiss my cheek. I felt myself grow shy as a blush appears on my cheeks.

"Using my weakness against me, not a good idea Mai let see if you can hold up, but it's a deal," he whispers against my ear. I shrugged and kiss his cheek in return.

"I'm not that weak Naru," I challenged. He chuckled knowing that he had something on me.

"You said it yourself, not I, remember it well," he said as though he knew I wouldn't last long or something.

"Have you thought about the whole aging thing?" I changed the subject because if I didn't, it would be hard to not think of it.

I slip my hand on his and intertwined our fingers and walk back to the treehouse in a slow paste, just enjoying each other.

"Nothing ages, not even the clothes or the makeup. I did took notice that every time a year you get a tick, tock thing, and a number. It's like they're counting down or something. Now I'm not sure why, but it's a big clue." He admits to me.

"Hmm, that could be it, whatever it is, they are eager to leave this island and that's a fact. Just the thought that we have to go back out there is scary enough." I said.

"Well it's our job and don't worry, remember is my job to protect you," he said. I look up at him.

"That scares me the most. I lived without you for five months Naru, remember? Even was told that you died. Do you know how terrifying the feeling was? I can't go through that again. I'm not afraid of death, but losing you." I told him honestly.

"I feel the same Mai," he said. I leaned my head against his arm and held his hand tighter.

"We just have to prepare a new plan, I'm sure Alack and Isac are waiting for the same technique. If only we could have found that other piece of the diary paper."

"Yeah, I feel like we missed something though, if it wasn't for the vision you had we wouldn't get this far, but.." but as soon as he mentions that, something in me clicked remembering the vision.

Wait, we never checked the mirror, the diary was going crazy with the mirror right?

"Ne, Naru." I absentmindedly slap his arm.

"What?" Naru looks down at me while rubbing his arm with his free hand.

"I just remember something," I told him as I let go of his hand and clapped with pure joy.

"What?"

"The diary.."

"What about it?" I jumped up and kiss his lips gently from the excitement forgetting about our deal, causing him to blink, but rose a brow as he licks his lips.

"Mai?" he asks confused by my action as I took his arm to pull him towards our home.

"Remember, when I told you that it was pulling me towards the wall."

"Yes."

"I told you that it was pointing at the mirror. I forgot about that detail. Ayame told me something about something reflection. I don't understand it we need to check it out." I told him.

"Right, I forgot about that detail, since we were too excited with the secret door." He admits.

We began to run towards the treehouse, but in doing so a sudden chill ran down my spine, making me stop in my tracks, something that I haven't experienced in five years. Naru felt it as well, as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into his embrace.

I took a hold of his shirt.

"Do you think is them?" I asked feeling my heart beating hard from fear. Naru scans our surroundings.

"I don't know, but I feel it," he said, as he looks down at me.

"We should make a break back to our home," I told him. He nods at me in agreement, but before we could almost take a step, we heard.

"It's the peak of the hour my Angel. It's six already. The third moon will rise soon head north... Soon we will be free yet so many things have to happen, your journey just has begun and many hardships await, but it's worth it."

I smiled with great joy, as I look at him.

"You heard that Naru?" I asked him. Naru leans down and gives me a chaste kiss, as, he pressed his forehead against mine feeling him more relaxed in a sense.

"Finally A voice that I wanted to hear for a long time," Naru said, as we began to head for our home as I look up at the sky and said.

"Welcome back old friend, it's about time."

New version of a almost new chapter for those who have read my Og. For new readers, then I hope you all enjoyed it. :) Lots of sweet moments, I hope I didn't take Naru out of Character.