A/N: I am soo sorry that this is a short chapter but I am saving the rest for the finale… I am pretty sure I know how I will end it, but I would like some feedback to know what all you guys want the story to end like… After this chapter it will pretty much be over ANYWAYS, but still…. Who knows? Someone may inspire me to keep it going with an excellent idea!! So please review when you have completed your reading!
Her lids felt heavy with sleep, but she wanted to open them and find exactly where she was. She managed to crack open the lids a small bit. All she saw was white. A huge, white light glaring her in the face. Is this what heaven looks like? Am I dead? If I'm dead, then how the hell did I end up in HEAVEN?! She quickly snapped her eyes shut and threw one hand in front of her eyes.
"Oh, sorry." She heard an unfamiliar feminine voice speak softly. "I'll move that." Eyes still closed, she listened to whomever it was move some things around in the room, then exit and shut the door behind him. When she was sure this unidentified person was gone, she opened her eyes again. She looked down to see herself in a hospital bed. She looked around. There was nothing much in the room, save a small table beside her bed and some complicated-looking equipment. She had no idea why she was here. Then it hit her- the plan, the fight, the cop, the fire escape, the gun, the shot, the fall… It all came back to her in a rush. She didn't know what exactly happened, though. She moved her right arm and winced in pain. Her shoulder hurt like hell. She wanted somebody to come in and explain everything to her. Just then, her wish was granted. The doorknob turned, and in walked a formidable looking man with broad shoulders decked out in a trench coat and hat.
"I'm sorry if you just woke up, but I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. This was all my fault. Oh, by the way, if you don't remember me from last night, my name is Officer Carl Martino." He shut the door and walked to Mai's bedside. Martino noticed Mai's quizzical look. "Does 'Kurama' ring any bells?" He took the spark of realization in her eyes as a yes. "Anyway, I owe you an apology and an explanation. You see, you, Mai Watanabe, are obviously not the Mai Watamitsu we were looking for."
"Patrick Verona?" the deep voice questioned Patrick.
"Yes?" Patrick replied, very curious as to what on earth this man was doing and what the hell he was doing in that ridiculous outfit. He saw the man take out a rose and scribble on a piece of paper with it. Patrick gave it a closer look. No, not a rose; it was a pen. But still, very curious. "Can I help you?"
"Ah yes, I am looking for a Miss Mai Wata…uh…"
"It's Watanabe." Mai emerged from the darkness behind Patrick, wiping blood from her lip and coming to stand over Patrick's left shoulder. "What's with the costume?"
"Basically, all of what happened could have been avoided in its entirety. We did, though, catch the Mai we were looking for, but not that that is any comfort to you…" He trailed off. "Anyway, I'm sorry and I would explain what happened to you after you, uh, lost consciousness, but I think there is someone who wants to and could do a better job of explaining this to you." Just then, the door swung open to reveal Patrick standing there, staring down at Mai with a look of compassion written all over his face. "Yeah, so… I'll, uh, I'll be going now…" Martino left the two to their business, silently shutting the door behind him.
Patrick walked over to Mai's bed. She drew her legs up and he sat on the end of it. A few akward moments passed. "So…" Mai began. "The last thing I remember was a gun shot and the feeling of falling…"
"Yeah, well after you attempted to shoot yourself in the head, you fell over the railing and down towards the pavement. There were police there, and they managed to catch you in a big sheet. They thought you were dead. There was blood everywhere… Thankfully you missed… I don't think I could have lived with myself if I had to watch you die…"
"So that's why my arm is all busted up?" Mai questioned, motioning towards her cast and the sling wrapped around it and her neck. He nodded. "God… did I really manage to miss by that much?" A small smile crept onto Mai's face for the first time in weeks. Patrick noticed and smiled back at her. "Well, thank you for coming and having the guts to talk to me about this. That's really rather brave of you, whether you know it or not."
"I just thought that the least I could do is say goodbye without just leaving this time." He leaned forward and wrapped Mai in an unexpected embrace. Mai was utterly shocked at first, but she soon got over her shock and hugged him back with her good arm. Patrick then got up and left the room without even saying a word. Nothing more needed to be said.
~
"How'd she take it?" Kat interrogated Patrick as he shut the door as silently as possible.
"Like I thought she would. I know she understands, but she would rather have it not be this way." Patrick squinted at nothing in particular. "It needed to end this way." He pulled out a disgusting piece of Nicorette gum and shoved it into his mouth. "There is nothing more to worry about. So finally, we can get back to where we left off." Kat and Patrick breathed sighs of relief. It was finally all coming to an end. Thank god… they both thought.
A/N: You know what to do….
Charlotte ;)
