Naru's P.O.V

I watched the monitors, Monk was exercising the field, Lin was listening to the audio. Mai was standing behind me watching. She was running a high fever but refused to rest until everything was said and done. John and Ayako had left after Mai had her dream and we decided what was needed.

"Ok, Masako, do you still sense anything?" I asked and glanced behind me. She shocked her head.

"No, it seems like everything is calm now…" She responded, quietly. I nodded.

"Good. Yasuhara, start packing things up, Lin can you help him?" I looked at him, both of them shaking their heads that they didn't mind. I started packing up the paperwork and headed to the car. Monk came in, picked Mai up, then followed me and put her in the car.

"Thought i'd help. You looked like you didn't want her to just wait there for you. She's burning up." He said.

"I know. She'll be off for the next week until she's better." I said. Mai looked too weak to even try to argue with me.

"Well, Ayako and i need to head back to Japan in the next couple days. John is free to stay, and i think Yasuhara is on summer break. Not too sure about Masako." He said. I nodded.

"Well, we shouldn't need your assistance anymore while we're here." I loaded a couple boxes into the van.

"Aww, and here i thought you came to appreciate me finally" He said. I blinked and shot him a look. "Ok, ok, shutting up" He finished. I just shook my head.

"Last box!" Yasuhara yelled as he loaded it in. "I'll head back to the hotel for some rest!" Mai waved at them weakly with a small smile as i climbed into the van, Lin in the drivers seat. They looked concerned.

"Hey, Naru. You better be serious about giving her time off." Monk stated, his tone serious. I looked at my book and just stayed quiet. I may have let myself slip while she was in the hospital, but i'm not going to outright admit it until Mai is ready to. "Naru."

"He's serious." Lin responded for me, "trust me. She won't be working until her fever is gone and her strength is back" He finished before driving off, taking me and Mai home.

"When we get back, would you mind going to get some medicine for her?" I asked, still reading.

"Not at all. Just make sure she stays in bed" Lin said. I nodded, feeling Mai laying against my shoulder.

When was the first time i saw her as more than an annoying assistant…? I returned to Japan a year after we buried Gene and Mai had confessed…A year since i'd rejected her. I'd been back for a week before all this started…it's been 2 months since we met back up..I guess a whole month since we started dating… but when we first met she was nothing but an annoying girl a year younger than me. Her attitude was as refreshing as it was annoying, a lot like Gene. So when did i start to like this girl… Maybe the case at that hex school? When i showed her the coin trick? Or was it the labyrinth…no it had to of been before the labyrinth. Definitely the school.I looked down at Mai, my eyes softening as I watched her sleep, cheeks flushed with her fever.

"Well, you did think about her a lot from the first day you met. But i guess you would've started feeling things when you got closer" I heard Gene pipe up.

"I suppose so. But what do you think?" I asked him, "you had more experience in this kind of thing" He just chuckled.

"The school. Then you helped her during the labyrinth, and saved her life at the coast." He said. I looked out the window at the passing trees and road. Her breathing was picking up as she clutched my jacket in her sleep. I pet her head and felt her relax.

I didn't know what to think anymore. All i knew was that i wanted her safe. I don't want her to be part of this world anymore, but now that i know who she is…I can't keep her away from it, and that angers me. When they figured out who i was, i wasn't surprised she was the last to realize, she's not exactly bright. But her reactions were cute… I don't know why i accused her of liking Gene… I just couldn't believe it was me she was talking about.

"To be fair," Gene started, "We are identical." He finished for the millionth time. I knew that, i did. But for some reason i still…regret saying it. Acting as if i didn't like her back. The entire year i spent here after burying him, i did nothing but…regret it. That's why i went back. To clear the air and hopefully get a second chance. Now, here i am with that second chance, and i told her how i felt, but i still can't…Get over the look on her face…The look of a broken heart and anger at the accusation i'd made. I have her now, and i still have that same dream of that broken, angry face.

I sighed as i saw our house coming up. "No use thinking about it now, just make it up to her" I thought, getting out of the car and picking her up, taking her inside. Lin left again to drop off the equipment and pick up medicine for her.

Mai's P.O.V

I woke up to being moved. I guess we were home. I felt so cold but hot at the same time…My head was killing me and my throat sore. My entire body felt like lead and i couldn't even think straight. I kept hearing my parents and siblings voices and laughter. Tears pricked my eyes as i felt myself being lowered onto a bed, then a thumb wiping at my eye and a soft kiss on my forehead. I blinked slowly, vision hazy as i looked up to see Naru.

"You're awake…Lin went to get medicine…I'm going to take your temperature" He said quietly, walking into the bathroom to get the medkit. I couldn't move or speak, i just blinked slowly and looked around. I could see Riku and Sairu sitting next to me, but…I was sure they'd moved on…Is my fever that bad that i'm hallucinating?..

Naru walked back over, and took my temperature, "38.9(102f)" He said quietly, "Makes sense you can't move…I'll get some cold water and ice…" He said, walking out again. I closed my eyes, tired. I was so very tired…

I couldn't even cough, it was so bad. I tried to make Naru leave me alone so he wouldn't get sick, but he just just my hand down and started putting a damp cold rag on my head. He just…stayed with me… When did i fall for him again?.. This narcissistic, tea loving jerk who treated me like crap until he suddenly had a change of heart?

Oh that's right…At Yasuhara's school…When we fell through the floor and he kept the ceiling from crashing onto me…I liked him around the third case we worked together, with the hex…but i think i came to terms with loving him at Yasu's school…I can still remember how hard my heart was beating when he was on top of me, and i was scared he was injured…Surprisingly he wasn't very hurt, but he checked and made sure i was ok…The first time he showed any amount of concern for me at the time… I closed my eyes and started to fall asleep again, remembering our old cases and all the times Naru had shown me he cared…even if they weren't outright…He was my boyfriend now…and i don't regret ever meeting him, going through what we did, and even getting rejected a year ago…I just…treasure what we have now…