Beneath the Lilac Tree

by archangelBBQ

"Been there, done that." It's been many years, but Mai and Naru finally meet again. Or has it? Moving forward this time, Naru is determined to change the past, even if he cannot predict how it will shape their future. Together the twins, Mai, and Lin will create SPR from scratch, though things are certain to be much different this time around.

17. Part XVII

Thanks for the encouraging reviews and all the constructive feedback, especially to the anonymous donors and PM-disabled users, to whom I cannot properly reply. Thanks always to Meepyonnee for monumental insight and patience. This chapter wouldn't have happened without you and I don't know how to thank you enough. Extra special thanks to Ferb O. Oche for looking out for me, you don't know how much I appreciate it. And to all of you who haven't given up on this yet, even though the writer is struggling to keep it timely. I have gained so much from writing this silly story. I'm really so very grateful. Thank you.

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...

Part XVII

Mai was falling, tumbling headfirst into a dream. It was a narrow residential street she landed upon, the houses on either side partially hidden behind stone walls, hedges and trees. As she walked she glanced idly for cats beneath the hedges. There were always cats along this street. She knew where this road led; she knew where her feet were taking her.

The cemetery was a nearly commotion of activity, bustling in comparison to the silent, empty days she'd visited before. A couple stood together in front of a headstone, their talk drowned out by the conversation of a group of teenagers sitting on a nearby family plot. A girl was pouring tea out of a thermos and passing it around to her friends. When she'd finished, the five young adults lifted their cups in solemn salutation to the departed. It was not a bad way to be remembered, Mai thought, and she couldn't help but smile sadly as she passed. Ahead of her, an elderly woman walked with two young girls. As they turned, she realized they were twins. Somehow she knew that the girls had lost their parents, and her heart lurched in her tightening chest.

When she reached the Taniyama plot, she knelt and lit the incense she'd brought with her, pressing her fingers together and offering a prayer for her grandparents first before her own parents. When she lifted her head, eyes tracing over her family name, she sighed.

"Mother," she said softly, reaching forward to touch the stone with her fingertips. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

She slid her fingers along the names of the headstone before allowing her hand to drop. Rows of stones behind her, in the distance, she heard the teenagers laugh.

"I've been well," she said, humming out a sigh. "Mostly the same as usual. My boss gave me a raise and a promotion two weeks ago. I'm a manager now," she laughed quietly. "Though I only delegate work to two clerks, not much of a manager, huh? Our biggest client from England is coming to the office in two weeks and I'll be working with them this time. I'm a little nervous. If it goes well, my boss might even ask me to accompany her when she goes to London office for the project. She hinted at it, but it's probably too early to tell." Her voice trailed off and she gazed vacantly beyond the stone. "I don't know why I let myself think about it. Even if I went to London, what are the chances..."

Shaking herself, Mai hummed again and tipped her head from side to side. "Keiko's getting married. Michiru's been seeing Iwasaki from school pretty seriously for some time now, too. I have a feeling he'll ask her to marry him, the way he looks at her. I'm really happy for both of them. I'm not the only one who's single, though, Yuriko's too busy with university work to date anyone. I haven't seen her in a while." She exhaled and rested her chin on her hand. "I haven't seen Bou-san in a long time, either. It's probably been three or four months already by now. I should call him, but I know he's so busy. And what do we even have to talk about anymore?" She shook her head. "I should've known we would all drift apart eventually. I hope they're all okay. Wherever they are. Whatever they're doing."

She sighed and lifted her eyes to the sky. Massive white clouds drifted hurriedly and effortlessly, hiding the blue sky behind them. "I miss him," she whispered. "Funny, right? To miss someone you haven't seen in eight years. Do you think he ever thinks about me, or has he forgotten me completely?" She dropped her head and quickly wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand, ashamed. "It's impossible anyway."

"It's dumb, I know it's dumb. But I really wish I could see him again. If only to say I'm sorry."

...

It began to rain again in the night; gently at first, as it had during the day, before the heavy clouds of a thunderstorm rolled in. Flashes of lightning lit the walls of the apartment and thunder rumbled overhead. Oliver awoke to a loud and sudden crack, opening his eyes and sitting up in bed. He turned his head to see his brother across the room, but Gene was still sleeping soundly despite the din. Rising to his feet he stepped quietly toward the door, sliding it open a crack and peering down the hall to see a glow from the living room. Reaching for a long-sleeved shirt tossed over the edge of his twin's bed, he slipped out of the room, closing the door soundlessly behind him and pulling the shirt over his torso as he walked down the hall.

Luella turned when she heard footsteps behind her, muffled by the sound of the rain beating against the windowpane. "When I saw the light, I thought you might be up," Oliver said, crossing the room to where she sat on the sofa. "Can I get you anything?"

"Sorry," she apologized with a shake of her head, her wavy hair falling in front of her face with the movement. "I just couldn't sleep. Still jet lagged, I suppose." She held out her hand toward him. "Sit with me for a little bit?"

He sat down next to her wordlessly and Luella took his hand in her own. "Oh, Noll," she sighed, squeezing his fingers and brushing his hair out of his eyes. "I can't even imagine what you've gone through."

"You shouldn't have to," he said flatly.

"No, darling. You shouldn't bear it all by yourself." She smoothed his hair gently. "Oh, Oliver," she murmured. "You've never had the chance to be young, have you?"

Oliver looked at his hands in his lap and the way his adopted mother clutched at him tightly, protectively.

"You've always had the weight of the world on your shoulders and all the sorrows that came with it." Luella said softly. "And now—how many years have passed? How many extra years have you seen?"

"...Sixteen."

She inhaled sharply. "That many?" He could see the mental math flickering in her eyes as she calculated his actual age, and she shook her head bitterly. "My darling boy grew up before my eyes and I missed every second of it."

Oliver frowned, unable to meet her gaze. This was exactly why he hadn't wanted to tell his parents what had happened. He felt a stab of guilt, seeing the lost and forlorn expression on her face and the melancholy in her bluish grey eyes.

"Why do you believe me?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

He averted his gaze, watching the light reflecting on the window in the splattering raindrops. "Too many reasons."

"I know you wouldn't lie."

His eyes returned to their hands and he watched her stroke his fingers with her own. His mother's hands were pale and pink, the Caucasian hue slightly different than his own, with short, rounded fingernails. He suddenly wondered when the last time his mother had held his hand; if he had ever sat with her like this before.

"Would you tell me?" Luella asked quietly. "Tell me what I missed?"

Oliver looked up to meet her eyes, suddenly bewildered by her request. "Impossible."

"From the beginning. Please," she begged. "I just want to understand. I want to be able to offer the support a mother should give her sons."

Once again Oliver could not look her in the eyes and averted his gaze. What would Gene do?

Gene would tell her, and so reluctantly he began to speak.

Luella had never known Gene's true reasons to come to Japan. Her eyes widened as he told her how Gene had meant to find out what had happened to their biological father and to track down the family of their birth mother. She paled and gripped his hand tightly as he told her how he'd seen Gene's death, squeezing the color out of his fingertips as he told her how he'd seen Lake Kiseki in Nagano Prefecture but hadn't known yet what or where it was. She watched him attentively, nodding as he told her how Lin had accompanied him to open the SPR office as a cover for him to scour Japan's rural lakes to find Gene's body. And how, almost immediately, he'd met a curious and suspicious girl who saw through his deceit. How she'd knocked over a bookshelf, crushed a camera and sprained Lin's ankle in the process, and how he'd asked her to work for him.

Luella's shoulders relaxed as Mai entered his story and he paused, confused by her reaction. A smile twitched on her lips as he told her about the strange characters he'd met while posing as Shibuya Kazuya and the strained friendships they'd formed. How they'd stuck around when he found the lake Gene was resting in, the revelation that Gene's spirit had been guiding Mai's visions the entire time, and how he'd left Japan without planning to ever return. At this, Luella frowned and he struggled for words, feeling the need to explain his actions. Luella nodded sympathetically as he told her how he didn't know what to say and so never contacted Mai. Tears formed in her eyes as he recounted how Lin had called one day, informing him she'd been found dead in her apartment.

"So you went back." She whispered, holding his hand.

"Yes." He paused, eyes staring unfocused at the opposite wall. "It sounds rather irrational and unlike me, doesn't it."

Luella didn't answer his question but instead asked her own. "What happened then? When you saw Mai? Did she know what had happened?"

"Not initially." He paused as he gathered his thoughts. "I sought her out on that day before Lin and I were to return to England. It was then I realized I wanted her to stay by my side, and logically, love was the only thing that could account for those feelings after eight years."

"And Mai came to England."

He nodded. "I never told you what Mai meant to me. You never asked, either, but I think you knew from the beginning. And then there was the accident…" His throat closed in and suddenly it was difficult to speak. "You were in France," he said, swallowing with difficulty. "There was a car accident on the street. In front of BSPR." He closed his eyes, remembering the sound of sirens and the wail of the injured child, the smell of smoke and burning plastic and the picnic spilling into the street. Mai's bare foot hanging limply over the curb. "The doctors said she wouldn't..." He cleared his throat, willing his mouth and tongue to form the words. "She was going to die again." A single tear slipped down his cheek and he made no move to wipe it away.

Luella pulled him close to her and held him tightly. "Oh, Oliver, Oliver," she breathed, blinking away her own tears and tightening her grip around him. She understood now, how he had lost what he'd held dear and how devastatingly alone he must have felt. Luella bit her lip, trying to quell the unease in her core. What she could not imagine was his single-minded determination to change things. Ultimately, he had refused to accept what had happened and if he hadn't succeeded he would have died as well.

"And you came here. To this time," she managed.

He nodded.

Her hand was shaking as she brushed his cheek with her thumb. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry we weren't there for you..." Her voice trailed off as she realized the implications. Had she and Martin been with him, surely they would have tried to stop him. Risking his own life in order to save another's—

She sighed heavily, dropping her hands and stilling the trembling by taking his once more in her own. It was no way to think. He had succeeded, hadn't he? He'd saved Mai's life again and now both of her sons were alive and well. She didn't even know the devastation of losing one of them; couldn't hardly imagine it without shuddering. She whet her lips. "Gene found what he wanted about your birth parents, didn't he? If he had died on his quest, I never would have forgiven myself," she murmured.

Oliver remained silent, knowing the truth behind that statement.

"To think he couldn't tell me he wanted to know, that he had to use a ruse to come find them—"

"He didn't want you to think you weren't enough for him. It's not that he wanted a new family."

"We'd always assumed your father must have also perished in the earthquake," Luella said, hesitating when he gave a short nod in confirmation. "Did you find their families?"

"Our paternal grandparents live in America. They'd like to meet us, the next time they travel to Britain. We met our maternal grandmother several weeks ago. I don't imagine we'll see her again." He answered her question before she could ask. "I imagine it's for the best. Seeing us again would only remind her of what she lost in her daughter. And Gene was content to know that she had not been aware of our birth. It was shortly before we met her that he lost interest in finding her as well, when he regained memories from the time after his death."

Luella nodded slowly, and the room lapsed into silence but for the sound of the rain outside. "Mai has preternatural abilities, doesn't she?" She asked after some time. "You said... Gene guided her visions. Is she a medium, then, like him?"

"Her abilities are a bit similar to Gene's," Naru started slowly, carefully, remembering Gene's unease when they had first discussed Martin discovering the extent of Mai's potential. "She usually had visions on cases and has extremely good intuition when it comes to danger. But it's been different, this time, due to Gene's influence. Right now Lin is working with her to develop her meditation skills and control."

Luella gripped his hand, still held tightly in her own. "I'm sorry to drag you back to England like this. Martin's mind seems to be made up—"

He shook his head. "It's for the best," he said, his voice dropping in resignation. "I'm only sixteen, Luella. I can't run from my duties or fail the expectations of those around me."

She pressed her lips together in displeasure. "Noll..." She sighed when she could see he was not to be persuaded. "I didn't believe you, at first, when you said you wanted to marry her. I didn't think you could know what you were really saying. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

"I thought that would be the most direct way to express my commitment."

A wan smile lifted her lips and she patted his hand. "Yes. I suppose it would be."

The pair sat in silence before Oliver saw the rise and fall of Luella's shoulders that indicated a hidden yawn. He stood abruptly, her hands falling out of his before he turned and offered his toward her again. She took his hand and he helped her to her feet. "Go back to sleep, Luella," he told her, a tight smile crossing his lips. "It's our last full day in Japan, we'd better make the most of it."

She nodded and took a step forward but stopped, eyebrows raised as she turned her head slowly to gaze at the sofa on which they'd been seated only moments before. "I see Lin's sleeping in his own bedroom tonight," she said softly, a small smile creeping onto her features. She looked strangely pleased, Naru thought, and a bit too knowing. "Madoka will be glad to hear he's found someone. She was always trying to set him up with her friends. And she likes Sarah quite a bit."

"Luella," Naru said firmly. "No. Do not tell anyone."

"But—"

"Not Madoka and not even Martin. Sarah and Lin will tell you when they're ready, and then you can gossip about it like school children."

"You're no fun," Luella teased, her warm smile spreading further across her lips.

"So I've heard," he said dryly, and she laughed lightly.

"Good night, Noll." She took his face in her hands and kissed his cheek, a peaceful flush of happiness and content warming her when he did not pull away. "My dear, dear boy. Sweet dreams."

...

Mai awoke at exactly six o'clock that morning. She stared at the ceiling for only a moment before she sat up quickly, suddenly knowing with a peculiar certainty that Lin was headed toward her apartment at that very instant for their morning training session. She scrambled from her futon and dressed, folding her comforter and the futon quickly before hurrying out of the room. She'd only just reached the main room when there was a knock at the front door. Taking several quick steps toward it, she unlocked the latch and slid it open.

"Lin-san," she said a little breathlessly. "I didn't think you'd be here this morning."

He lifted an eyebrow curiously. "And yet you're ready?"

"Well..." her voice trailed off and she didn't know what to say.

He tilted his head and gave her a wry smile. "It's up to you of course."

"No, it's probably better not to skip another day," she said as she bent down to get her sneakers. She frowned and bit her lip, remembering their last session and how she'd somehow channelled psychic energy into his stone. It was hard to imagine the control that both Naru and Gene seemed to possess when it came to their abilities. Straightening, she picked up her knit hat and mittens, pulling them on. "What are we going to do today?"

"Same as usual. We'll start with a short run, move through meditation exercises and review the new postures I taught you last week."

"When you say a short run is it short by your standards or mine?" She asked as she followed him out of the house, sliding the door shut behind her and listening for the distinctive sound of the lock. The air outside was colder than the day before and damp from the night's rain; the stones of the walk were wet but the sky, though still dim and overcast, was obviously clearing. It would be a sunny day.

He laughed out loud. "Yours, Mai. Always yours."

"I'm not so sure," she said suspiciously, but followed him out of the gate, and the two began to trot down the quiet street.

...

"Very good, Mai," Lin said. They'd long since finished the run and gone through the meditations. They now stood, facing each other in the empty space of her living room, feet bare on the floor, sweatshirts discarded after the earlier exercises. "You're much more relaxed and focused today, as you should be. With practice, the benefits of these exercises will become second nature."

Mai followed Lin's hand with her own in a gentle sweep around her body, though she did not feel as graceful in her movements as he seemed to appear. "Is that why Naru doesn't practice qigong anymore? Because it's already second nature to him?"

"Not at all. No matter how skilled you become, skills can always be forgotten. After our training is complete, I would still recommend you practice meditation every day and revisit the exercises I've taught you, once a week at the very least. Depending on your circumstances you may want to practice more often." Lin paused as he watched her. "Your left elbow is beginning to droop, Mai. Feel the energy extending through your arm, flowing past your hand and into your fingertips. You let your elbow droop and you disrupt the energy flow. Keep the stationary arm steady."

Mai flushed slightly and corrected herself. Lin nodded with satisfaction and continued as if nothing had happened. "Naru never completely stopped practicing qigong," he began, and a frown flickered across his face. "Although it was not as regular as I would have liked—he was adamant that without Gene he would not use his PK, and therefore there was no need for him to do so. I must reluctantly say that despite his lack of practice, his technique is remarkable." Lin smiled wryly. "As demonstrated when he mended the metal door. Though as you might remember from the Yoshimi case, Naru doesn't need to use these postures to use his PK. The qigong is more of a starting point, a structure to build upon for focusing psychic energy."

Mai nodded as he spoke, then frowned suddenly as she turned to look at him quizzically. "Wait, after our training is complete..?" She echoed and flushed even as she said the words. It was stupid of her to think that Lin would spend his mornings with her forever, keeping her physically fit by making her run and helping her meditate and teaching her the qigong exercises, but it was hard to imagine otherwise. After just being there, the future seemed so distant now. It was impossible to think that eventually she'd finish school, graduate again and be free to go where she pleased. As Gene and Naru grew older, there was no reason Lin should have to stay with them. Eventually, of course, he would return to England to be with Sarah. And where would Naru and Gene be, where would she be, in England or Japan?

"Only when you're ready," Lin said, interrupting her thoughts. "Try not to think about those uncertainties, Mai. I can see how it makes you anxious."

Mai nodded and exhaled as they lowered their hands.

"Your left leg," he said softly as they began the next movements, "should feel firmly rooted to the floor. You should be able to lift your right foot at any time."

Mai grimaced as she tried to lift her foot and teetered unsteadily.

"Relax your hand. Inhale. Now, once again from the beginning."

They were mid-way through the qigong exercise when Lin dropped his hands and relaxed. Mai looked at him questioningly and he shook his head. "Continue."

"Lin-san, I don't know if I remember—"

"Try. Close your eyes if that helps. Forget that I'm here. Focus on your own energy and the energy surrounding you."

Mai closed her eyes and pivoted her body. She'd been trying to feel her psychic energy throughout the entire lesson and hadn't succeeded. Now, simply by closing her eyes, everything came into sharp focus. She could feel the energy, as Lin had said, running through her body, out along her outstretched arms and coiling at her fingertips. It was hot and cool all at once, like a refreshing breeze on a hot, sunny day at the ocean, and as she thought this she let the energy build and settle into her palm.

"Not yet," Lin's voice filtered through the light humming that had started to fill her ears. "Control of your own psychic energy means keeping it contained and balanced within your own body."

Mai nodded and let the energy dissipate, relaxing as it flowed up her arm. She inhaled slowly and continued the exercise, stretching her arm outward and leading with the back of her hand. As she did, she continued to focus inward on her own energy and simultaneously began to reach outward. She could see—she could feel Lin's presence in front of her without using her eyes. Behind him she suddenly noticed four silvery shapes, twisting in the air despite remaining stationary. Of course, she thought. His shiki. They're always behind him, always at the ready. But Aahil isn't here. I wonder where he went?

She felt extremely fluid, all of a sudden. She couldn't help but smile as she lifted her right leg, placing her foot against her knee and balancing as she completed the exercise. Opening her eyes and lowering her foot, she looked at Lin sheepishly. "How'd I do?"

Lin had a curious expression on his face. "Very well," he said. "I should have noticed long ago that your focus increases tenfold when you close your eyes."

"Hmm," Mai said, tilting her head. She pressed her lips together and made a dissatisfied noise. "When I don't fall asleep."

"You have a tendency to fall asleep during meditations, yes." Lin smiled wryly. "But not during qigong. You're much more focused during the qigong exercises. That's enough for now," he finished with a nod. "We'll skip our finishing meditations today, if you don't mind."

They sat on pillows at the kotatsu, cups of steaming tea in their hands. Lin had initially declined when Mai asked if he wanted a cup, but when she made herself one he admitted that he wouldn't mind if it was no trouble.

"You once asked if qigong was used to heal people." Lin blew the steam off his tea, watching it rise and curl in the air. "It's perhaps the most well-known aspect of qigong, but also the most advanced. Healing qigong requires one to bind their own psychic energy with another's. You cannot simply take your own psychic energy and heal another person. It must be done with their own. Does this make sense?"

"I think so," Mai said slowly. She nodded as she sipped her tea. "It's like PK-LT, then, isn't it?"

Lin nodded curtly. "Yes. Perhaps slightly less controlling, less invasive. A person with PK-LT can directly control the actions of another's—they force their own psychic energy onto a person or another living being. A person using PK-LT replaces the target's psychic energy with their own. In a sense, healing qigong is more of a suggestion, rather than a command."

Mai looked at her tea and frowned, thinking. "You use healing qigong, don't you, Lin-san?" She looked up quickly, gazing seriously at his visible eye. "Naru told me.. that time when I tried to absorb PK with Madoka. That it was okay because you were there." She bit her lip. "And all those times Naru collapsed. You must have—"

Lin exhaled and rested his arms against the table, steam still rising from his untouched cup of tea. All of a sudden Mai thought he seemed rather tired. "Yes. I always did everything in my power to keep Naru's hospital visits as short as possible." His lips twitched in a grin and the smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. "But I was unable to completely prevent them. The immensity of Naru's psychic energy also means it is nearly impossible for another to influence him. It is for this same reason that Naru could never use healing qigong himself. His energy would completely overpower another's and would no doubt end in more harm than good."

Mai frowned. "Could Gene learn healing qigong? Does Gene know any qigong at all?"

"Gene initially took the same lessons as Naru, but his disposition does not tend toward qigong."

"What about..." Mai blushed in embarrassment, "that time I sprained your ankle? You didn't heal yourself, Lin-san."

Lin smiled, and this time the smile remained on his lips. "The nature of healing qigong is to heal others, Mai. I didn't because I am unable to heal myself. Not because I wanted time away from Naru."

"An unexpected benefit?" Mai laughed, teasing.

Lin shook his head but said nothing, the smile still present on his features. He lifted the teacup and drank the remaining tea in one gulp. "I should let you get ready for school."

"Wait, Lin-san," Mai said quickly, stopping him as he began to rise. "I wanted to ask you something. If you don't mind. It's just," she began tentatively, "why do you think Sarah-san remembers?"

Lin raised an eyebrow at her question. "I don't know the answer to that, Mai. I don't think it's possible to know. Why do any of us remember? Because we were there? Our proximity to Naru? Then what about the first time, that you and Naru both remember despite being thousands of kilometers apart?" He shook his head and continued. "Who can say. However, Aahil was with Sarah when she left the hospital to go to the car. She was returning when he left her side, when I called him to me right before the end."

Mai looked startled. "So Sarah would have been within Naru's PK..."

"Yes. It seems likely that his PK blast destroyed the entire building."

Mai shuddered and looked at her tea. "If Naru hadn't..."

Lin paused, picking up his cup again and tipping it in a circular motion, watching the dregs swirl in the bottom of the cup. "If he hadn't succeeded? Yes. It would have been a tragedy. Everyone there would have died."

Mai covered her face and began to cry. "I'm sorry, Lin-san, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Mai," Lin said gently, setting down his cup and reaching over to pat her shoulder gently. "He did it, didn't he?" A small grin twitched at his features. "Naru is too proud. There's no way he would have let himself fail. I imagine it's only because of his extreme confidence he managed to pull this off in the first place."

"He's really powerful, isn't he? More than he lets on."

"More than we can even imagine."

...

Gene was reading in the living room when Lin returned to the apartment. "Morning," he said absently.

"Good morning," Lin returned the greeting, watching the younger man as he slipped off his jacket.

"I said something rude to Sarah last night," Gene said suddenly, looking up with an expression that was both awkward and ashamed. "I'm sorry."

Lin considered him, taking off his shoes and shaking his head. "You don't need to apologize to me."

Gene set down his book and followed Lin to the kitchen. As Lin set the kettle to boil Martin appeared in the doorway. "Morning, Lin, morning, Gene," he said with a bright smile. "I heard the door, you went out?"

"Just for a morning jog," Lin said smoothly, retrieving cups from the shelf. "Tea, Martin?"

"Please," Martin ruffled Gene's hair, not noticing how his son had tensed at his question. "I would've thought you to be sleeping still, Gene. This might be a first, you getting up before your brother." Seeing he was about to protest, Martin held up his hands with a smile as he sat down at the table. "I'm not complaining." He smiled as Lin set cups of tea on the table, the man then excusing himself and slipping quietly out of the room. "A bit fortuitous, perhaps," Martin continued. "Madoka's going to call, I'm sure she'd like to talk to you."

"Oh?" Gene's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing suspiciously. "It's pretty late there. Did something come up?"

"No, rather, she said she'd call me when she returned to the office. She resolved her last case and I thought I'd ask her to start gathering some resources together for me to look into."

"Look into what?" Gene demanded when his father made no attempt to elaborate.

Martin smiled almost apologetically, propping his elbow on the table. "Any cases referencing precognition as well as documented claims of time-traveling, as a matter of fact. I'm also curious of how one's psychic energy could directly affect their environment—"

"What?" Gene interrupted. "You can't be serious. You said you wouldn't involve BSPR!" He accused.

"I'm not going to tell her why I've asked her to do this," Martin reassured him. "But I thought eventually you and Noll would tell Madoka anyway. She's part of our family, after all—"

"No. Do not tell Madoka," Gene hissed, his eyes blazing with a sudden anger.

Gene, his twin suddenly warned, appearing in the doorway. Naru entered the kitchen, closing the door behind him. "Can this wait two days? I'm already familiar with BSPR's resources on the subject—"

The sound of the phone ringing interrupted him. Martin retrieved the mobile from his pocket and answered. "Good morning, Madoka," he said, and laughed deeply. "It's morning here. You've already finished the Walker case notes, then? .. No, that's not necessary. I'll read it when we get back." He paused again, listening, his eyes darting between his sons, and cleared his throat. "Er, right, about that. No, no reason in particular—it's just a thought I had. Yes, yes, specifically, like you said. Any cases of precognition. Including those from the restricted archives. Precognition and any other preternatural methods seeing or sensing an undesirable future that could in sense then be altered—"

"Martin," Gene and Naru could hear Madoka's distorted voice exclaim over the phone. "You do know that from your email it sounds like you're talking about time travel, right? Is that what this is? Am I wrong? What happened that you're suddenly interested in impossibilities?"

Naru closed his eyes, willing his burgeoning headache to subside. He knew he should have foreseen this. He could feel Gene's anger and unease through their telepathic link and he reached toward him, hoping to calm him.

You can't blame Martin for being curious. This was bound to happen sooner or later. That he wants to conduct his own research should be a good thing, Gene. That means he believes what we've told him, rather than wanting to lock us up in an institution.

I didn't— I didn't think, Gene thought toward him. His mental voice sounded strangled. Martin and Luella can know—they should know, they should know everything. But we can't tell Madoka. After all, Madoka was the one—

"You should know nothing is impossible in this field," Martin said cheerfully. "I was just curious—just an idea I had," Martin said, still eyeing the twins in front of him with a perplexed look on his face. "Humour me a little bit, and I'll talk to you in detail when we get back on Tuesday."

Wednesday, Gene mouthed to his father, looking annoyed.

"Er—yes, that's right. Wednesday, isn't it? Thanks, Madoka. I'll keep this short so you can go home. I'll see you Tues—Wednesday," he amended. "Have a good night. Take care." He closed the phone and levelled his gaze on his sons.

"Right," Martin finally said. "I'm sorry I brought Madoka into this without asking you first," he said, meeting Gene's pointed gaze. "Knowing how close she is to our family, I didn't think it would be a problem."

"Apology accepted," Gene mumbled, slouching in his chair and averting his gaze.

"Noll, I presumed you took the liberty of researching our case files the same way," Martin said. "So you'll be pleased to have access, no doubt, to the restricted archives."

"Yes," Naru said simply, taking the seat next to his brother.

Don't tell Martin then that you've already been through everything, then.

He's just trying to help, Naru thought in exasperation.

Martin's eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "I hope you'll forgive me if I ask about your telepathy," he said evenly, glancing between the two. "It seems much stronger than the last time you tested in the lab. Am I wrong?"

Naru exhaled in resignation. "No. You're not."

"But it's not related to any of this," Gene said sharply.

"You mean.." Martin's voice halted suddenly, uncomfortable with the implications. "Unrelated to your precognition of the alternate future. You believe you would've..."

"Yeah. This would've happened anyway," Gene said, running his hands through his hair. "If I hadn't gone and died."

An uneasy look crossed Martin's face. "Significant growth in psychic abilities are almost always triggered by something, Gene."

"Well then, this is one of the exceptions to that almost always." Gene muttered. Seeing that Naru was eying the tea Lin had left for himself, he pushed the teacup toward his brother.

"We've been testing the parameters," Naru began as he picked up the tea cup. Looking to Gene for his approval, he continued. "Not only are we able to communicate more than we were before, we're able to communicate over greater distances." He paused to take a sip of the tea. "Such as when Gene went to gather research materials at different libraries over the city while I remained at the office. Gene's been able to 'borrow' my psychometry on a few occasions as well, in a very loose sense of the term."

"Really?!" Martin's eyes lit up. "But this is fascinating! You should have said something much sooner! Gene, when you come back to England we'll have to conduct a formal experiment immediately!"

Gene's face soured but he nodded in resignation. "Of course, Martin. Of course."

...

It was only the first class of the day and already Mai was bored. She rested her head on her hand as she copied the notes from the blackboard, glancing sideways to gaze out the window. It was hard not to wonder what Naru and Gene, Lin and Sarah, Martin and Luella were up to.

Luella had wanted to do more sightseeing; Martin had expressed his desire not to interrupt the daily operations of the SPR office, and therefore stay in. Gene would want to go out with Luella but Naru, she knew, wanted to talk to Sarah to find out more about what she remembered from the past. And Lin... Well, Lin would want to stay with Sarah, but unless Lin and Sarah were going to admit to Martin that they were together, without a doubt he wouldn't say anything to conflict with Martin's requests. If Martin asked him to drive them around Tokyo, she was sure he would do it. Her pencil stilled and tapped expectantly at the page, waiting for her to return her gaze to the board as she watched the swaying branches of the trees instead. A sudden gust rattled the windows and her shoulders jerked in surprise.

"—And a reminder, this will be on the final exam, everyone—" the teacher said loudly as the bell rang, the class ending.

"Mai-chan," Michiru said, turning around in her desk. She rested her elbows on Mai's desk and grinned sympathetically, watching as her friend closed her notebook and returned her pencils to their case. "You look tired this morning."

"Yeah. I almost overslept," Mai lied, though the yawn that followed was genuine. She sighed and rested her head in her hands. "Sorry. I'll make you yawn too."

Michiru yawned and turned her head away, trying to hide her mouth with her hand. She laughed. "No, I stayed up late last night. It's my own fault. At least you weren't late! Sensei's been in such a bad mood lately." Michiru grinned and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "Though she might forgive you since your math grades have improved a lot in the past few weeks. You've been studying a lot lately, huh?"

"I guess so," Mai said, twirling her pencil between her fingers absently. While it was true her math grades had improved, it was her English grades that had the most significant change for the better. "It just seems to make more sense this time," she muttered, shrugging. When Michiru gave her a quizzical look, Mai cleared her throat and changed the subject. "Have you seen Keiko yet this morning? I texted her yesterday and she never replied. Did she come to school?"

Michiru's grin slipped from her face and she nodded. "Yeah, she came. She was still upset yesterday, but she looked much more optimistic today. I think she's okay." She grimaced and exhaled a long sigh. "I feel partly responsible for what happened. I told her to go for it, you know. I never thought... I never thought he'd say those things to her. I thought he felt the same way." She wrinkled her nose as she frowned, eyebrows lowering in disgust. "What a jerk."

Mai nodded slowly, her mind wandering back to her own first confession.

When you say that, are you thinking of me? Or Gene?

Mai winced. It had been a long time since she'd thought of that moment. It still hurt to remember, but not because Naru rejected her. It hurt because she could see, now, how foolish she'd been. To mistake Gene for his brother, to tell Naru how she felt when it was so obviously not a good time. She'd been young and so very immature. She'd brought it all upon herself. But had she even changed, in all these years?

Michiru frowned. "Mai?" She asked tentatively.

"Sorry," Mai shook her head. "I was just thinking." She forced a thin smile. Thinking of Naru and remembering how he'd be leaving for England the very next day brought a dull ache to her chest. "Sometimes we say really awful things to people, even when we don't really mean it."

Michiru stared at her skeptically. "You don't mean to say he actually might like her but still rejected her—"

"No, no, not at all," Mai said quickly, waving her hands in front of her face. "I wouldn't say that. But he might not have meant everything he said, either. I mean, Fukazawa doesn't seem like the type of guy to say those things, right? He might even regret it." She smiled bitterly. "I know I've said some stupid things I regretted later."

"We all say stupid things," Michiru scoffed. "But not like that guy. He's lucky he's not in our homeroom. When I see him at lunch—"

"No," Mai said a little too quickly, remembering all of a sudden what had happened the last time this turn of events had gone around. Michiru had confronted Fukazawa only for his cousin to jump into the fray, she'd said some pretty regrettable things herself and the three of them had ended up in detention. "I don't think that's a good idea."

Michiru stared at her in disbelief. "How can you stand up for him?" She asked, her voice lowering to a hiss. "I thought you of all people would understand! You saw how Keiko was on Saturday, you know—"

"Yes," Mai interrupted, trying not to sound annoyed. "But getting into a fight in the middle of lunch hour is not a good idea."

"Who said anything about getting into a fight?" Michiru said hotly. "I'll just tell Fukazawa Ryouta he should be ashamed of himself and apologize to Keiko—"

"Yeah, but his cousin Fukazawa Shiori will be there too," Mai said, unable to conceal the worry from her voice. She wanted to prevent the confrontation at all costs but Michiru, not knowing what she did, did not seem inclined to agree. "Let's just wait until after school, okay?" She said hurriedly. "You know Shiori has a reputation of being really hot-tempered. If any of the teachers see you exchanging heated words, they're going to think the worst, right?"

"If that's what you think, then fine," Michiru said, turning away from her. It was then the second bell rang.

"Michiru-chan," Mai whispered, unwilling for her friend to be annoyed with her, even as the teacher rapped on the board to signal that class was about to resume. "Don't be—"

"It's fine, Mai," Michiru interrupted her, whispering back over her shoulder. Her facial expression didn't match her words, though, and it was clear she was angry. "You're probably right."

...

Michiru was still angry through their morning classes and never once acknowledged Mai during their breaks. When the girl got up and left the room during the class break before English class, her classmate Iwasaki turned and gave her a puzzled frown.

"You and Michiru have a fight or something?" He asked.

"Something like that I guess," Mai sighed, resting her head in her hands. She watched absently as Iwasaki took out his English papers and then started, gasping as she remembered she hadn't finished that assignment. She'd meant to do it Sunday night but had completely forgotten by the time she'd gotten home. "Oh, no," she muttered, annoyed with herself, and hurriedly pulled out her notebook from her desk, flipping open to the assignment. Reading the instructions, she hastily began scribbling in the answers. This is easy. You can do this, just don't over think it—

"Forgot your homework, huh?" Iwasaki asked sympathetically, but Mai ignored him as she concentrated. Only four more questions—

She was so engrossed in completing the last questions she did not see Michiru return to her seat, nor did she notice their teacher enter the classroom. She stood out, concentrating on her homework while the rest of the class talked and laughed, and the teacher noticed her immediately and walked up the aisle to her desk. He watched her work, eyebrows first lowered suspiciously, and then raised in surprise.

"Mai," Michiru hissed, and Mai snapped her head forward to meet the level stare of her frowning teacher. "S-sensei," she stammered. "I'd just... forgotten to complete the last..."

"That's fine, Taniyama." He held out his hand toward her and she passed the paper to him. "Class," he continued, turning briskly back to the front of the class. "Pass your assignments forward. Taniyama, see me after class in the teacher's room."

...

"You looked very suspicious," her teacher said as she sat down in the chair next to his desk in the teacher's room, "but I'm relieved to see you weren't cheating." He gave her a firm look. "I hope I'm not wrong. We have very strict policies even for a first offense."

"No, Izumiya-sensei," Mai said quickly, shaking her head and waving her hands vehemently. "I wasn't cheating, I swear. I honestly.. just forgot I hadn't finished the assignment. I'd be happy to complete a secondary assignment." She flushed in embarrassment and averted her gaze. It was unnerving to be scrutinized so carefully and she was ashamed that she'd been so careless. It was just like a bad dream, finding out she'd forgotten something important—tests or assignments, her school bag, anything. "I only had four questions left. I thought I could finish them before class began."

Izumiya said nothing for a moment and tapped his fingers against the desk. "You've begun a part-time job? Ando-sensei told us."

Mai nodded. Ando-sensei was the school guidance counsellor and she'd needed his approval before being able to take off classes for SPR. She was certain he'd alerted all her teachers to let him know if her grades started to drop in any of her classes.

"I don't know how you've been faring in your other classes, but in English your grades are better than ever." Izumiya continued and gave her a wan smile. "When you manage to complete your assignments, of course."

"Yes, sensei," Mai said.

"The new school year will begin in a few weeks. I hope you'll continue to take your studies seriously," Izumiya said. "Do you have a university in mind yet?"

Mai fidgeted even as she tried to remain still, her ankles rubbing together as she moved her knees. "No, not yet."

"It's not too early to start thinking about it."

"Yes, sensei."

"Sorry to cut into your lunch hour." He waved her away slightly. "You're dismissed. Thank you, Taniyama."

Mai stood and bowed as she excused herself, and hurried from the room.

She returned to her classroom and wasn't surprised to see that Michiru wasn't there. Neither was Iwasaki to ask where Michiru might have gone. Mai frowned and hurried down the hall, peeking in one of the other classrooms, but Keiko and Yuriko weren't there either. Scanning the room, she could see that Fukazawa Shiori was absent as well, but Fukazawa Ryouta sat at a table with a group of friends. Mai ducked away before they could see her looking. A nervous feeling began to gnaw at her stomach and she bit her lip to distract herself from it.

Maybe Shiori didn't come to school today. Maybe I'm wrong to think something will happen this time.

It was then that she heard one of the boys in the classroom speak loudly. "I can't believe Natsukawa confessed to you, Ryouta," he said, and Mai's ears perked up. Natsukawa was Keiko's surname. Whoever the speaker was, he wasn't close enough to call Keiko by her first name—probably one of Ryouta's friends from another class.

"Shut up about it already," Ryouta said sourly. "It's not a big deal."

"And meeting you out in Iidabashi when you and Yoshi were just there for a movie? Sounds like a stalker," one of the other boys laughed.

"I'm sure that was a coincidence. She was there with a friend too." Ryouta said lowly, and Mai had to strain to hear him. "I can't believe you told them," he muttered then, presumably to Yoshi.

"I would have just said yes," the first boy said. "If she likes you then you know what kind of stuff you could ask her to do—"

"Just shut up about it," Ryouta said again, louder. "I turned her down because I don't feel the same way and it would be wrong to lead her on. Not so you guys could laugh about it later." A hand slammed against the table. "Seriously. Cut it out."

"But Yoshi said you'd—"

"Yeah," Ryouta admitted. "I said some rude things to her. I was nervous and I didn't know what to do. But that's my business and not your entertainment."

Mai took several hurried steps away from the classroom and leaned against the wall, her head spinning. She couldn't believe what she'd just heard and she closed her eyes. Had that been her intuition, speaking up for Ryouta when she had no other reason to do such a thing? Or had she just been lucky? Either way, she had a new respect for him, one she'd never had before. Originally, after that incident she'd labelled him as a jerk and never bothered to think twice.

Mai forced her eyes open and hurried down the hall, back toward her own classroom. Now she just needed to decide if she should tell her friends of the exchange she'd just overheard. Having grabbed her lunch from her desk, she left her classroom again, heading toward the stairs to the second-floor AV room.

Her friends weren't there, but she finally found them in the choir room, sitting on the stage-risers and eating their lunches. In hindsight, Mai realized, she should have checked there first. Keiko and Yuriko were both in the chorus club and it wasn't uncommon for them to eat lunch there when they wanted to get out of their classrooms.

"Mai-chan," Keiko waved her over. "Michiru told us what happened. You didn't get in trouble, did you?" She smiled in relief when Mai shook her head. "That's good. Izumiya-sensei caught Yoshifumi cheating last week and tore up his paper in front of the whole class."

"Izumiya's a hardass, but he's not stupid," Yuriko said, scooting over so Mai could sit next to her. "You weren't cheating. He probably just wanted to remind you get your assignments done on time, am I right?"

Mai nodded and opened her lunchbox, glancing at Michiru, who still hadn't said anything. "And he asked me if I had a university in mind yet."

"University!?" Yuriko shrieked loudly. Some of the other girls across the room turned and looked at her in surprise. "Do we need to have our top university picks already? Haven't we got one more year before we need to start thinking about that?"

"Calm down," Keiko laughed, nudging Yuriko with her elbow. "And no matter what it is you'll get in just fine, Yukko-chan."

Mai and Michiru couldn't help but laugh at the other two. Meeting Michiru's gaze, Mai could see that everything was okay between them again.

...

"I'm sorry about what I said before," Michiru said, after they left Keiko and Yuriko and made their way back to their own classroom. "You were probably right. And confronting Fukazawa about it wasn't going to make Keiko feel any better."

Mai shook her head slowly, debating whether or not to tell her what she'd overheard. It would only complicate things, she thought, and decided against it. "No, I know it must've seemed so strange for me to stand up for him all of a sudden," she said. "I just..." Her voice trailed off and she didn't know what to say. She just what? Remembered something that (never) happened a long time ago and tried to see things from his perspective? Yeah, right. "But you know I'm always on your side, right?"

"Of course," Michiru grinned as they entered their classroom.

"Oh, your argument's over?" Iwasaki remarked as he passed them.

"We were never arguing," Michiru said peevishly, but she gave a relieved smile to Mai as they sat down, and the bell rang again to start afternoon classes.

...

Mai was wiping the blackboard as part of her after-school cleaning duties when Yuriko appeared in the doorway, cheeks flushed and breathless. "Mai," she whispered, skittering over to her friend. Seeing Michiru sweeping at the back of the class, she waved her other friend over. "Michiru!"

"What is it?" Mai asked.

"You'll never believe it!" Yuriko said, her wide eyes darting between Mai and Michiru's expectant faces. "After class Fukazawa asked Keiko if he could speak to her, before his club. Keiko said she didn't want to speak to him alone, so I went with her. And you would never guess but he apologized to her!"

"For what he said on Saturday?" Mai asked, incredulously.

Yuriko nodded. "Everything," she affirmed.

"No way. You were right all along!" Michiru exclaimed, wide-eyed, and poked Mai's shoulder forcefully. "How did you know?"

"What do you mean?" Yuriko asked.

"Oh—it was nothing—" Mai tried, but Michiru cut her off.

"Mai said this morning, that Fukazawa probably didn't exactly mean what he said. So, what did he say?"

"Well," Yuriko faltered slightly. "It's not as if he asked her out or anything. He apologized for what he said on Saturday, but he said he still can't accept her confession. Fukazawa said he didn't want to lead her on since he doesn't return her feelings."

Michiru nodded thoughtfully. "Still," she said slowly. "That's better, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Keiko seemed happy about it, afterwards, but a little sad too." Yuriko pressed her lips together. "I mean, if you think about it, it's kind of good, but it's kind of bad too, right? He apologized for what he said, but since he was rejecting her anyway, maybe it would be better if he was just a dumb jerk that she could forget about. This way it's a little harder."

"No, it's definitely better this way," Mai said. "I mean, that's what I think," she amended hurriedly. "I can see how his apology would make her sad, but it's like... parting on good terms. I think it's better that way. That's all."

"Where is Keiko, anyway? She has cleaning duty now?" Michiru asked.

"Yeah. She has cram school later, but I thought maybe we should go out for ramen or hit up an arcade or something before. Are you guys in?" Yuriko looked expectantly at Mai. "You don't have your part-time job this afternoon, do you?"

"No, I'm free." Mai lied. She would just have to text Gene and Naru and let them know she wouldn't be able to come to the office. Not that they were expecting her anyway—but she'd said she'd call after school to meet them.

"Let's do it, definitely. You don't mind skipping out your studying?" Michiru teased Yuriko.

"Of course not," Yuriko laughed. "I need a night off! Besides, I've got 6,000 yen from my stepdad burning a hole in my pocket. Let's go get some parfaits! I'll go wait for Keiko, and we'll meet you guys back here, okay?"

"Okay," Michiru called as the other girl hurried out the door again.

Mai turned back to the blackboard. Even as she continued to wipe with her left hand, she pulled her phone from her pocket with her right and keyed out a short text, chewing on her lip. The question was, did Naru have the mobile phone that he and his brother shared, or did Gene?

Something came up. Sorry but I can't come to the office this afternoon. Please call me when you finish your interview with Hara-san.

She slipped the phone back into her pocket, hoping he'd text her back to let her know it was okay.

...

Gene sighed as he opened the door, relieved to be back in their apartment for the evening. It'd been a long day and quite honestly he was glad the sightseeing would be coming to an end very soon. The morning had been full of museums and since the weather was nice, more temples and gardens. It wasn't their original plan, but somehow he, Luella, Sarah and Lin had ended up going to a theater in Ginza for a mid-afternoon kabuki performance. Martin and Noll had opted out and returned to the office. Afterwards, Luella had insisted that she make dinner that evening, so Lin had offered to take her to the supermarket for shopping. Sarah expressed a desire to go as well, so he'd returned to the office, alone, to join his brother and father for the visit with Hara Masako, famous medium and television personality.

The visit went well, all things considered. Martin had been absolutely ecstatic to talk to her, even if he had to do it through an interpreter. Masako had been gracious and polite, but after she batted her eyelashes at Noll, his brother had distanced himself from her as much as possible and had all but completely detached himself from the conversation. That left him to do the bulk of translation. Noll only cut in when he struggled for words or when his translations were deemed lacking.

Masako, however, had now certainly realized where it was from that she recognized the two. Martin had introduced himself as a visiting researcher from BSPR and it wouldn't take much more than that to connect the dots. After all, she'd seen the video, his brother told him. And Martin had asked several questions which implicated Gene to be a medium as well. Knowing he was a medium, that they were connected to BSPR and that they spoke English with British accents—something even an untrained ear would pick up—no doubt she was aware of their true identities as Eugene and Oliver Davis.

At least she hadn't said as much to Martin. She'd promised to call in on them at a later date. No need to tell her that Noll was leaving the country, Gene thought sourly, or she might not even return. He wasn't sure yet how he would ask her to not disclose their identities. This had happened before, though—albeit quite differently, but he would ask Noll how he'd dealt with her the last time. Later, though. Right now he was exhausted and didn't want to think about it.

His brother seemed to sense some of his train of thought and smirked. "Don't tell me you're tired from the sightseeing around the city," Naru said. "You probably even slept through that three-hour performance."

"I did not," Gene retorted as he shrugged off his jacket. "And it actually took a lot of concentration to understand what was going on."

"Didn't they have a programme in English?"

"We're back," Martin called, closing the front door behind him.

Luella appeared from the kitchen, her hair clipped back and sleeves rolled past her elbows. "How'd it go with Miss Hara?"

"Great," Martin said enthusiastically. "I'll tell you all about it. Where's Lin and Sarah?"

"Oh, Lin said he had an errand to run," Luella said casually. "Sarah went with him."

Gene eyed his mother as he kicked off his shoes. She looked a little too pleased for just saying that Lin and Sarah had gone out together, and followed his brother to the kitchen.

He half-listened to Martin as he told Luella about their meeting with Masako, though his mind was elsewhere. Noll had had a few minutes alone with Sarah in one of the museum galleries and had asked her some questions, but despite it all they were no closer to having any idea why she or any of them remembered the original timeline. Before yesterday, Gene hadn't even considered the possibility that someone outside of their circle might remember or even be aware of the slip in time Noll had managed to pull them through. But with Lin's shiki being on edge with something unknown disturbing the spiritual plane and Lin's grandmother planning an imminent visit, he had to admit it was a real possibility. He pressed his lips together, watching Martin speak but no longer aware of the words.

If I was a normal person living a normal life and all of a sudden I thought I'd gone back in time eight years, what would I think? Would I be happy? Sad?

You would think you were mad, his brother told him silently. Gene jerked his head up and saw Noll looking at him, an eyebrow raised skeptically. He hadn't realized he'd let the thought travel across their connection.

It's what Sarah thought at first, Noll continued, folding his arms across his chest as he thought, and shrugged. That's what she said.

Sarah isn't exactly what I would call quote-unquote normal, Gene rolled his eyes. She has psychic abilities.

True, Noll nodded. But you would say to a lesser extent than you and I. She chooses not to use her abilities. I might have more control over my psychometry than I used to, but I still can't exactly turn it off. Just as you can't decide that you don't want to see spirits any longer and stop seeing them.

Gene averted his gaze as he thought. When you first told me—when you told me what you'd done, that there was this non-existent future you'd lived with Mai, you said I'd think you were insane. And maybe if I didn't know what I did, hadn't seen the things I'd seen, I would've thought you were. Because it all sounds pretty crazy. We're taught that some things are possible and some aren't, and time-travel by way of PK definitely falls into the impossible. Even if you believe in one side of the equation, you probably don't believe in the other.

Noll's lips twitched. For the record, I never thought you'd think I was insane. You know me too well for that.

Gene scoffed aloud. Both Martin and Luella stopped to look at him, and he covered up the noise with a forced cough. Is that supposed to be to my credit or yours?

Noll didn't answer, his fingers tapping thoughtfully against his thighs, and Gene could see his mind was already racing forward.

Sarah did say something interesting, he finally said. After you'd left to go see what Luella was up to. She said, wasn't it possible that we all remembered because I wanted us to. If my PK had brought us here, then my PK could have preserved our memories as well.

Gene nearly started. Is that possible?

It doesn't seem likely, Noll thought slowly. But it did make me think of something.

Gene frowned as he waited for the enumeration. What? He finally asked impatiently.

Noll hesitated. Perhaps you'll think this sounds just as unlikely. But I thought that there was the possibility that she had it backwards—we all had it backwards. Maybe it wasn't even my PK that brought us here.

Gene's jaw dropped open. You don't mean that, he interrupted.

Noll shook his head slightly, his eyes watching Martin and Luella's conversation, though Gene knew that he, like himself, was so focused on their own conversation he couldn't hear their parents. I don't see how I could have preserved our memories. Not the first time, when Mai and I were so far away from each other, and not the second, when all parties were gathered in nearly the same room. He closed his eyes. It wasn't me. If our memories are linked to whatever it was that brought us back here, I don't see how it could be because of my PK.

Then what was it? Gene demanded.

Noll shrugged again. I don't know.

You're right, Gene thought, trying not to sound annoyed. I do think it's unlikely. You had a perfectly good idea and you threw it out the window. You spent years of research and you came to this conclusion, and now you'll let one tiny speculation throw you off? It was definitely your PK, Noll, unless you think you blew up a building and both times Father Time just came to your rescue because he felt like it.

Noll's fingers had stilled. He closed his eyes. Gene knew that he was so utterly concentrated on a specific thought that it was better not to interrupt him until he'd found whatever it was he was looking for.

On the afternoon of July 26th, 2002, Mai was hit on the head, Naru suddenly thought toward him, opening his eyes. Well enough that it knocked her down. It was only after this incident that she began to remember the future.

So?

On the morning July 26th, 2002, I awoke just before my alarm as if I'd had a bad dream. I started to piece it together during breakfast, Noll thought toward him sharply. There was at least an eight, nine hour discrepancy in when we began to remember.

Gene frowned. I don't understand what you're trying to say. You remembered at different rates—what's significant about that?

What if Mai was knocked unconscious? Noll asked pointedly. What if her spirit guide was the one who triggered the return of her memories?

Gene looked skeptical, glancing at his parents to ensure they were still involved in their conversation. They'd finished the topic of Hara Masako and now Luella was telling Martin about the kabuki play. You think I did it, then, he thought back to his brother.

Noll gazed at him steadily. Even if, in the middle of creating a massive PK explosion, I still had the time to think who should be able to remember the current events so as best to assist me in the past—which I doubt, by the way—I never would have considered having Sarah remember. And certainly not in the split-second decision it would have had to be. Yes, I would have wanted Lin to remember, but I wouldn't have considered his wife, even if I recognized how important she was to him.

Gene winced. When you put it like that you sound so cold-hearted, Noll.

That's because I am a cold-hearted person, he countered flatly. I would not have considered it. But it is the sort of thing you'd think of.

Gene couldn't think of anything to say.

In a sense, Noll continued, we absolutely need Lin. If I want to see Mai before she can immigrate to England—or if Mai doesn't even want to immigrate to England—we need Lin to open the office. We need Lin to live here with us. We need Lin in order for us to be in Japan with Mai. I think we can both recognize this fact. Even if Martin and Luella had remembered instead, we wouldn't be able to be here without him. Luella might have supported this, but Martin likely wouldn't have been swayed. Not without Lin.

If Martin and Luella remembered everything, they would remember you were an adult, Gene protested. It's only me that was a child dumb enough to go get myself killed—

They wouldn't want either of us to be in a country on our own, Noll thought sharply, no matter how old they thought either of us were. It's not something they'd be comfortable with. But that's another aspect which makes more sense for Lin to remember, not Martin and Luella. They don't remember their grief. While I am infinitely grateful, now, that that's the case, it's not necessarily something I would have considered at the time.

You give yourself too little credit, Noll.

I recognize that I don't empathize with other people easily, Noll said, and would not meet his gaze. If we think realistically about my character, I would have selected those close to me to remember based on how beneficial it would be for me when we went back. But you would have considered their feelings first.

That's not true, Noll. Gene protested. You know that's not true.

When his brother didn't answer Gene pressed on, narrowing his eyes. Okay, we'll do things your way and follow that logic for a second. You either keep your memories because your PK is the instigator for all of this— When Noll raised an eyebrow he waved his hand vaguely. I'll stand by that explanation for now not just because you don't have a back-up plan but also because that's what my gut feeling says is true, which you are always telling me to trust and listen to, by the way. You keep your memories of that future, either because of your PK or because I have something to do with it, that doesn't change. But somehow I give Mai her memories as well when she just happens to visit the astral plane when she's knocked out at her school?

You borrowed my psychometry. Noll suddenly thought. At Murata Kaori's house. You were able to pull just enough of my psychometry through our psychic connection to read Mai's futon. Psychometry is, at the most basic level, a form of simple post-cognition. A way to pass memories through objects or people.

I was dead, Noll.

Being dead has nothing to do with it. We were all dead after the explosion.

Gene shook his head. Since neither of us remember what actually happened, I guess we can't exactly disprove this idea, Noll. Even if I could have done it the first time, what about the second? If I wasn't dead, how could I possibly borrow your psychometry to make not only Mai remember, but Lin and Sarah as well?

But Noll was silent this time, lost in his thoughts, and didn't reply.

...

Lin and Sarah returned to the apartment not long after that and the two settled in the living room when Luella shooed them from the kitchen. Lin turned on the stereo and the couple sat next to each other on the sofa—not too close, Gene noticed—but next to each other nonetheless. Earlier in the day Sarah had bought an enormous, coffee table-style book of Japanese temples photographed throughout the four seasons, and she paged through it now. Lin occasionally looked away from his own novel to look at the photos over her shoulder.

Gene leaned back in his chair, frowning to himself as he mulled over what his brother had said. It made him uneasy, not necessarily because Noll now thought he'd been able to borrow his psychometry while he'd been long since dead, but more because it was a clear demonstration that they would never know exactly what had happened. Noll certainly hated not knowing if only for the sake of knowing, but Gene couldn't shake the feeling that if they knew what had happened, maybe they could prevent something else from happening in the future. What he had no idea, but there was something out there. There was storm forming, somewhere, as a direct result of Noll's butterfly nudge. All he could say was that none of them were in immediate danger. Instinctually, he knew they had time before the storm hit. But time for what, exactly?

He also felt frustrated, annoyed even. Noll refused to recognize his own kindness, refused to believe that he himself would have considered Lin's feelings. Gene didn't believe it for a second. Lin had been Noll's closest friend for the eight years before he was with Mai and had shared the spot with her for the years following. Noll trusted Lin absolutely, respected him, and certainly cared for the man's well-being. That Noll would be so short-sighted that he wouldn't think for Sarah to remember as well—it was unthinkable, really. Noll could be dense and callous and a pompous pain in the ass sometimes, but he wasn't unfeeling.

Gene sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. If he had anything to do with their memories at all. Maybe it had nothing to do with Noll's psychometry and everything to do with his PK explosion. Or maybe it was all dumb luck.

"Dinner won't be long now," Luella interrupted his thoughts and he looked up to watch her open the oven and pull out a covered pan. "Did you ask Mai to join us tonight?"

"Oh, right, I told her we'd call..." Gene said, pulling the mobile phone from his pocket. Naru nodded absently as he took the phone from him.

"Gene, honey, could you set the table—" Luella began, but stopped when she saw her other son raise the phone to his ear.

"Mai," he said quietly. Both parents stopped to watch him, their gazes softening as they watched a relaxed smile twitch across Naru's lips. "Is that so? That's good." Luella covered the happy smile that spread across her lips with both hands as Naru chuckled quietly. "I'm glad I'm not interrupting." He turned his head away as he realized he had an enraptured audience, his voice flattening. "We're about to have dinner. Come when you're ready."

"Really, Noll," Luella chastised as he lowered the phone, though he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her with such an endearing look on her face. "You don't need to order her around like that."

"You'd think he'd have learned some manners over the years," Gene agreed, nodding with an exaggerated frown, and Martin let out the awkward laugh he'd been trying to contain.

Naru just shook his head in exasperation, but he could not deny how comforting it was to hear his family laughing together.

...

It was Sarah, this time, who answered the door when Mai arrived. The apartment was warm and the enticing aromas of roasted vegetables and meat cooked with spices wafted through the door, familiar and yet difficult for Mai to place at the same time. There was music playing in the living room and she could hear laughter and voices from the kitchen.

"How are you?" Sarah asked, stepping aside for Mai to enter.

"Mmm, tired, but I'm okay," Mai laughed, smiling her thanks as Sarah took her coat. "And you?" She asked, taking off her shoes.

"Pretty much the same," Sarah laughed, hanging the coat on the rack. "It always surprises me how exhausting it is to travel in a foreign country. But I guess I'll have plenty of time to sleep on the flight back, so I shouldn't complain."

"Ugh, the flight!" Mai laughed with an exaggerated shudder, pushing her shoes out of the way. "How long is it, again?" She asked as she straightened. Seeing a slight flash of silver from below Sarah's collarbone, her eyes widened and she all but forgot her question. "Sarah," she breathed, "is that...?"

Sarah touched the ring that was on a necklace around her neck, a blush rising to her cheeks. "Oh," she murmured, tucking it back beneath her sweater. "Koujo wanted to get me a ring again," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder where Lin sat reading on the sofa. "But I can't wear it yet. I don't want anyone asking about it, and a ring on my finger is going to generate questions."

"Can I see?" Mai asked shyly.

Sarah nodded and pulled on the thin silver chain to retrieve the ring. It was a simple band without any gemstones, but as Mai leaned forward to study it she could see it was etched in a delicate design of flowers and leaves.

"It's really pretty," Mai blushed after she said it, suddenly feeling self-conscious. But if Sarah thought her comment was silly or shallow, she didn't show it.

"Thank you," she said genuinely. Seeing that Mai was done looking, Sarah smiled and slipped it underneath her sweater again.

"I know it's not official, but I still feel like I should offer congratulations."

Sarah giggled. "We were already married," she murmured with an abashed look on her face.

"Still," Mai laughed. "I barely knew you when you and Lin-san got engaged, so I didn't get to say it last time."

At that moment Gene poked his head through the door. "We're ready—Mai, when did you get here?"

"Just now," Mai called back, trying not to grin too broadly as she followed Lin and Sarah into the dining room to join the others.

...

Dinner together with the family was so relaxed and natural that it wasn't until afterwards that Mai found herself wondering how she could have ever been so nervous around Martin and Luella at all. If Madoka had been there, Mai thought, it would have felt almost exactly like their gatherings in England, and she felt a pang of melancholic longing to be able to stay with everyone together. Part of her wished Gene would close the SPR office and they could all go to England together—surely someone could become her legal guardian so that she could go overseas—but the other part of her understood why it was necessary to continue forward as she was. It was important to finish high school, and besides, she still needed to meet her friends through SPR again along the way.

After their meal, the family moved from the dinner table to the living room. Lin turned on another CD from his collection, Gene made some after-dinner coffee, Mai offered to make tea, and Luella set out the lemon biscuits she'd made during the afternoon.

As they settled into the living room, Luella produced a jigsaw puzzle box, which she gave to Gene. "I know how much you like puzzles," she beamed at him. "Perhaps we can start this together?"

All in all it was such a simple gift, but Mai could see that Gene was delighted. He embraced his mother and whispered something in her ear. Luella smiled and patted his arm, though her eyes were shining with unshed tears as he released her from his arms.

Mai knelt on the floor next to the long coffee table as Gene opened the box and dumped the pieces out onto the surface. All of a sudden she felt ashamed of her own short-sightedness. She'd been thinking about Naru's imminent return to England and his separation from both her and his twin, and even Sarah and Lin's separation from each other. But she hadn't yet considered how Luella and Martin were going to be separated from their other son again. And now, knowing that Gene hadn't survived his original visit to Japan must weigh heavily on their minds.

Mai bit her lip as she glanced at the older woman. Luella had sat down next to Gene at the table and was waving Sarah and Lin toward them to join in on the puzzle. Most likely Luella didn't want Gene to stay in Japan at all, though Mai couldn't guess whether or not the woman would have tried to convince him to come home. Certainly, at least, she'd told Lin to watch over him closely.

Mai lifted her eyes toward Naru where he leaned against the sofa, his empty teacup held loosely in his hands. He'd been gazing at her with a calm, open expression on his face, and she felt a slight flush spread across her cheeks as she met his eyes, unable to keep herself from wondering what he was thinking.

"Noll, you get over here too," Gene gestured toward his brother. Naru did not object but came and sat next to Mai wordlessly, picking up the empty box and gazing at the image, a photograph of an idyllic Hokkaido landscape. He passed it to Martin, who had finished his tea and set the cup aside before joining.

The family talked and laughed as they worked on the puzzle, and the image began to take shape on the table beneath them. As to be expected, the edges were completed first, but soon there was a horizon between the blue sky and green fields, and various clusters of pieces inside the frame. Lin constructed a red barn while Luella and Sarah worked on piecing together the sheep that dotted the fields. Martin and Naru were engrossed in the wispy clouds that covered the sky, Gene worked on the posts of the fence while Mai picked out the pieces of the blue and purple lupins of the foreground.

It was a discreet yawn from Sarah that prompted Luella to look up at the clock. "Oh dear," she murmured. "Is that really the time?" She smiled kindly at Mai. "It's getting late, dear."

Mai looked at her watch. "Oh. Yes. I should go home," she agreed regretfully.

"I'll walk you." Naru said, placing a piece into the puzzle and rising to his feet.

Seeing an uneasy look cross over Martin's face, Gene hopped to his feet as well. "I'll chaperone," he said with a wink. "Come on, Mai."

Luella stood and gestured for her husband to rise as well. "I don't suppose we'll see you tomorrow, will we?" She asked.

"Oh," Mai said, her face falling. She hadn't even considered it, but Luella was right. "No, I don't suppose so." She bit her lip as she looked between the twins. "I guess this is good-bye, then."

It was Sarah who approached her first, hugging her gently. "I'll see you when you come to England. Unless I come back to Japan first," she murmured softly in her ear. She released her and squeezed her shoulders encouragingly. "We'll keep in touch. I'll email you, okay?" She grinned amiably. "If you don't mind me practicing my terrible Japanese too much."

"Of course not," Mai assured her, swallowing past the lump in her throat. She was moved by the other woman's words. "Thank you, Sarah."

Martin seemed at a loss of what to do but eventually shook her hand. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mai. We're looking forward to seeing you again."

"Me, too," Mai couldn't help but give a short bow after he released her hand. "Thank you, Dr Davis."

Luella hugged her tightly. "I'm so happy we met you, Mai," she whispered in her ear. She smiled and patted her cheek. "Thank you for everything. Keep an eye on them for us, will you?"

"I will," Mai promised, and Luella embraced her again.

"And look out for Gene, for me," she whispered.

"Of course," Mai whispered back. When Luella stepped back Mai could see she was close to crying again, and tears welled up in her own eyes. "Thank you for everything," she said, bowing. "Thank you."

She waved as they left the apartment. The door closed behind them, and the trio took the lift down to the lobby and out into the cool night.

Neither of the three spoke as they walked the first block, but when they turned onto the side street that Mai lived on, Gene stopped abruptly.

"What is it?" Mai asked.

"Nothing," Gene said shortly. He grinned, though the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay, Mai? After school."

"Yeah," Mai agreed. The lump had returned to her throat. By then, the others would have left. "See you later, Gene," she said, and waved as he turned and left.

Naru placed his hand on her shoulder as they walked down the street toward her apartment.

"I won't see you tomorrow, then," Mai said, her voice falling.

"I can come by in the morning," he said, ducking his head as they passed through the gate toward her home. "After your training with Lin."

"You don't have to—" she began as she unlocked her front door, but he silenced her with a shake of his head.

"Of course I don't," he scoffed and followed her inside. "But I want to. Unless you'd rather I didn't."

"Of course I do," Mai said quickly. "I just know it's not exactly... convenient."

"Convenience," he said with disdain. He took off his shoes and dropped his coat on the floor, taking her hand in his. "I can't stay long," he warned, and she exhaled as they folded their arms around each other, holding each other as tightly and as closely as possible.

"It'll be July before you know it," he murmured into her hair.

"I'll miss you, too," Mai laughed sadly. She took his cheeks in her hands, gazing at his face. "Oh, Naru," she whispered. He didn't answer and she kissed him instead, pulling him toward her and running her hands through his hair. She wanted to memorize the touch of his hands, the scent of his skin, the silkiness of his hair between her fingers. She wanted his embrace, his smiles—no matter how slight—and the brightness of his eyes so deeply ingrained in her memories that she could pull them to mind whenever she wanted, so that she would never be lonely without him. The sound of his voice, his breathing, his heartbeat next to her own. July, all of a sudden, felt very far away.

...

Gene was waiting for him outside the apartment when he returned, milling beneath the building's awning and rubbing his hands up and down his arms to keep warm.

"You didn't need to wait outside," Naru told him.

Gene shrugged and followed him inside. "A good a place as any," he said, pressing the button for the lift.

They returned to the apartment in silence. When they entered, their parents were still in the living room around the puzzle with Lin and Sarah.

"We're back," Gene announced.

"Noll, darling, would you like another cup of tea?" Luella asked.

"No. I'm going to pack," Naru said flatly, striding across the room toward the hall. "Good night."

...

Naru was arranging clothes in his luggage when Gene returned to the room.

"Everyone says good night," Gene said blandly, plopping down onto the bed. Naru looked up but said nothing. Gene watched him fold his shirts neatly into the suitcase. "Luella was asking if we could stop at the department store on our way to the airport tomorrow. It seems like she wants to get Mai a present or something."

"She doesn't need to do that. She and Martin both have been generous enough with their visit. Mai doesn't expect anything more from them," Naru said shortly, and paused as he took a shirt from a hanger. "But I'm sure she would appreciate the gesture," he conceded.

Gene rolled onto his stomach and watched his brother's methodical packing, propping his chin on his hands. "You know, Noll, I've been thinking," he started. When Naru didn't respond, he continued, his voice dropping. "We haven't done it in ages."

"Done what in ages?" Naru asked, though Gene had a feeling he knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Traded places."

The corners of Naru's lips twitched. "You mean, you want to go back to England instead of me?" He shook his head. "I can't do that to you."

"Yeah, it'd be absolute torture," Gene said, rolling his eyes and sitting up, leaning back against the pillows and tucking a foot beneath his other knee. "Going to school and giving presentations and locking myself away to bury my nose in your books." He frowned, gazing at his brother. "I'm serious, Noll."

Naru shook his head as he picked up a pair of pants and folded them neatly before dropping them into the suitcase. "I can't say that doesn't appeal to me. But this is unavoidable." He smirked at his twin. "Besides, I know you'll slack off and I'll lose my honours. And you might be able to fool Martin for a week or two, but you'll let something slip in front of Luella in a matter of days. Probably even on the flight over."

"I bet Luella would approve," Gene snorted.

Naru tipped his head. "Quite likely she might."

"What about Aahil?"

"What about him?"

"He impersonated me, couldn't he do the same for you? Then we could stay in Japan together—"

"Don't be ridiculous," Naru interrupted. "Aahil wouldn't even be capable of doing that without Lin. Besides, pretending to be someone in front of classmates for an hour or two is one thing, but to attempt to mislead your own parents for an extended period of time is something completely different."

Gene exhaled loudly and turned his gaze to the window. Noll resumed his packing.

After he had finished, he sat down on the bed next to his brother. Gene had taken out his portable CD player and had been listening to music with one earbud. As Naru sat down next to him, Gene offered him the other. It was classical music, piano. He didn't recognize it, but he'd never been very good at that sort of thing anyway. While Martin was often eager to discuss his favorite Baroque or Romantic composers on their Sunday afternoons, he'd never really paid enough attention to actually remember any of the information.

"I read in the liner notes that Chopin wrote this piece one evening during a rainstorm, waiting for his friends to return." Gene began, eyes fixed on the spinning of the disc, visible through the plastic of the player. "He was so distraught as he played that he was convinced his friends had died in the rain. That they were never coming back. After a while he got so depressed that he thought maybe he had died as well. That he'd seen himself drown in a lake."

Naru remained silent as he listened to the melody of the piano and the gentle accompaniment.

"I wish you weren't going back to England," Gene continued. "I wish you could stay here." He closed his eyes. "Or I wish we could go with you. I know it's only three months but we've never been apart so long before..." His voice trailed off. Neither of the twins said anything to fill the silence. Both had closed off their mental connection from the other so tightly so as not to let the other know what they were thinking, but they were both thinking the exact same thing.

The melody disappeared and the music intensified with the gradual introduction of low, dominating chords.

Drowned in a lake.

Naru felt cold. The tone of the music changed from oppressive to yearning. He felt a shiver run along his arms with the return of the original melody.

The rhythmic drumming of the piano softened as the piece came to a gentle close. Naru turned off the player and glanced at his brother, who had fallen asleep next to him. Carefully, he removed the earphones and set the CD player on the bedside table. Leaning back onto the pillows, Gene shifted in his sleep so he was resting against his shoulder.

Closing his eyes, Naru let sleep overtake him.

...

---

Note from the writer-

Shoutout to Meepyonne's story Crooked Angles (which you should all read sometime if you haven't already.) I stole the piano music mentioned from her, which is Chopin's 'Raindrop' Prelude, Op 28, No. 15, and the business about Chopin seeing himself drown in a lake is all true (at least according to George Sand.)

Besides the general problems I have with every chapter, this one was quite the test for in-group/out-group relationships (and in the end I just started dropping the more casual honorifics at Mai's school, which I probably should have been doing the whole time.)

Speaking of school, I noticed this major error a couple years ago but decided not to bother to correct it. In hindsight I probably should have, but it's far too late now. If this was (somewhat) aligned to work out according to canon, Mai would be in her last year of middle school at this time and would be graduating in a few weeks. But, since I went ahead and said she was in her first year of high school .. she'll be entering her second year in a few weeks instead. (There are some other really big mistakes in this story too. Please don't think I'm trying to say that's the only one.)

Eternal thanks, as always, for your encouragement and support! Your feedback is always appreciated. I'm not a professional writer and I'm certainly not perfect, so I can use the tips along the way. I also love hearing any speculations about future chapters and more often than not it forces me to think about something I might have otherwise overlooked.

Until next time—cheers!