All characters are the property of SNK/Playmore. I don't own them, the video games, or the anime.

Chapter Two

When Mai Shiranui next opened her eyes, it was after noon. She groaned as she rolled over onto her back, partly from the pain that still wracked her entire body, and partly from the deeper scars still afflicting her heart. She hadn't had any dreams when she had fallen back to sleep, which disappointed her. I don't deserve to sleep peacefully. I should have more bad dreams, to remind me of what a failure I am.

As she lay there, Mai lifted up the sheet and looked down at her body. Andy had reapplied the salve to her wounds while she had slept. There were still angry red welts on her skin, but the bumps were starting to go down. I don't deserve to have him taking such good care of me, either, she thought bitterly. I don't deserve anything good.

Though she was not sleepy, she still lay on her back on the futon, staring up at the ceiling. There were several things she probably could have been doing, but Mai just couldn't muster the will to get out of bed, except to answer the call of nature.

After about an hour, the fusuma slid open and Andy Bogard entered the room. He was dressed in his fighting dogi, and was dabbing at the sweat on his face with a small towel. Obviously he had just come from the gym. Mai glanced over at him and gave a small nod, then she resumed staring at the ceiling. Seeing him in the doorway, she actually felt a momentary flash of anger, even though she knew it was unreasonable. How can he just be going normally about his day when he knows our lives here are over? He's always been slow, but is he really THAT slow?

"I'm glad you're finally awake," Andy said. "I see the compress is working. Your cheek isn't swollen. How are you feeling?"

"How do you think?" Mai asked him, still looking up. Her voice sounded a little harsh, due to the burst of anger she'd felt a moment ago, but Andy seemed to take it in stride. "Everything hurts," Mai then added, a little more calm this time.

Andy walked to her bedside, got down on one knee, and lifted the blankets. He ran his fingers gently over a few of the welts on her arm, satisfied that the bumps appeared to be going down. "One more application and these should disappear completely," he said, trying to keep his voice cheery. "If you're still feeling sore, though, I can... give you a massage?"

"No, I don't deserve to have you taking such good care of me," Mai spoke softly, saying out loud what she'd been thinking earlier.

Andy seemed taken aback by this. "But I like to give you massages. I know I definitely don't give them as good as you, but... it will still help get some of the tension out of your muscles."

Mai saw the light of caring in Andy's bright blue eyes, caring that she did not feel worthy of. She rolled onto her left side, turning her back to him. "You don't have to waste so much time and effort on me."

"It's not a waste, Mai," Andy insisted. "It's the least I can do. I mean, when we were teenagers, you always took great care of me every time I pushed myself too hard on the practice field. I know I always tried to act tough, and push you away to stop you from fawning over me, but deep down, I really was touched that you cared enough about me to be so concerned. I just... well, you know my reasons for wanting to keep you at a distance back then."

Mai wished that Andy hadn't mentioned their childhood. It reminded her of happier times, when her grandfather was still with them, was still the master, and the dojo still belonged to her immediate family. A time before Mai had ruined things by failing Hanzo. Tears started to spring from her eyes, running down her face and onto the pillow.

"I'm fine, Andy," Mai said, managing to stifle her sobs. "I just... need to rest here a while longer."

"Okay," Andy said, though he didn't sound convinced. "Um... can I bring you something to eat?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Okay. Well, let me know if you change your mind. I'm going to have a shower." With that, Andy rose, stripped off his dogi, and made his way to the master bathroom.

Mai spent the rest of the day in bed, getting up only to use the bathroom, or to get a glass of water from the kitchen. Physically, she was okay. Mentally, she lacked the will to want to do anything. She didn't see the point, anyway. Everything in this dojo, including the Shiranui scrolls, now belonged to her clan. Being up and about around the house would only remind her of that.

Andy could tell that there was no physical reason for Mai to still be in bed, but he kept his mouth shut. He remembered how he had felt after his father was murdered. When Jeff Bogard had adopted him and Terry, it felt like Andy had finally found a real home. Then Geese Howard had taken that away, and Master Tung had told the two newly re-orphaned boys that if they wanted to get justice for Jeff's murder, they would have to leave their home for the next ten years, and continue their training outside of South Town.

Andy already knew how much it hurt to lose your home, how scary it was to be stripped of everything you found familiar. So he felt the best course of action was to let Mai mope. Eventually, she would get it out of her system and bounce back, just as Andy had needed to as a boy. Mai has always had an incredible spirit. She'll power through this. I know she will.

By evening time, however, Mai still hadn't gotten out of bed, and had once more refused Andy's offer to bring her some food, or to massage her. So Andy, realizing that he was on his own for dinner, decided to fix himself spaghetti and natto, as it was the only thing he knew how to cook. He was almost done preparing it when Mai entered the kitchen. Thankfully, she had put on a white slip this time. Earlier that day, when she'd come into the kitchen for some water, she was still dressed only in her underwear, which Andy had been rather vocal about. Now, Mai said nothing as she crossed to the refrigerator, and pulled out the container of broth from last night.

"Your skin looks better," Andy remarked. "Did you put more salve on the welts?"

"Yes," Mai said flatly. Her voice still had none of the perkiness it normally did. It was almost robotic, something Andy wasn't used to hearing in his fiancee. Mai said nothing more as she poured some broth into a ceramic mug and stuck it in the microwave.

Andy rose from his seat at the table, crossed over to Mai, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Mai... do you think it's wise to drink that? It'll make you drowsy, and you haven't eaten anything solid all day."

Mai shrugged off his hand. "I'll be fine, Andy. Frankly, I prefer to be asleep right now." Her voice was still flat.

For a few moments, Andy stood behind her, uncertain as to whether he should say or do anything more. Then there was a loud ding from the microwave as the broth finished heating. Mai took the steaming cup from the microwave, and then left the kitchen to go back to the bedroom. Andy stared sadly at the kitchen doorway for a moment, then shook his head and finished preparing his own dinner.

The following day was Monday, and Andy overslept a little, since he'd had trouble falling asleep again the night before. The broth Mai drank had conked her out, but she still moaned and tossed next to him on the futon. At one point, Andy had seen tears in the corners of her eyes, as the nightmares became too dark. Andy had tried the same thing he'd done the night before, holding Mai's hand while she slept, and whispering to her how much he loved her, and would always stand by her. He couldn't tell if it helped her, but he also couldn't just lie there without trying something.

Mai was still asleep when Andy awoke, so Andy let her be as he went to the gym to practice his Ninjitsu. He missed having Mai to spar with. Ever since he'd started living here again after the Dead Sea Incident, having Mai as a regular sparring partner had helped him, or at least that's what it felt like. At the rate they were progressing by working together, Andy was starting to think his victory over Terry might be attainable within a few years.

But I can't think about that now, he thought as he started on his forms. It felt a little selfish, considering the reason that Mai chose not to join him for practice.

As with yesterday, Mai spent all morning in bed, and ate very little except some miso soup, and even then it was just a few bites. By the time that afternoon rolled around, Andy knew that Mai would have to get up soon, because the students they'd managed to acquire over the last month would soon be showing up for class, and they had no idea what had transpired on Saturday.

"Come on, Mai," Andy nudged her a little as he spoke. "Our students will be arriving soon. We still have a class to teach, and we have to tell them... about certain things."

"I'm not fit to be a sensei, Andy," Mai grumbled. "I think I've proven that. I'm a failure. I couldn't even win one stupid honor duel. If I try to teach anyone, they'll wind up as failures, just like me."

"But you like teaching Ninjitsu, Mai. Ever since we opened our doors to students last month, you keep telling me how it makes you feel like your grandfather is still with us."

Mai rose up suddenly and punched the wall behind their futon in a sudden burst of anger. "If my grandfather were still with us, he'd probably want nothing to do with me. He made me the master, and I lost everything in a matter of months. I'm not worthy to be a teacher, and I'm not worthy to call myself a Shiranui."

Andy placed a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Mai. Don't talk like that. You'll always be Hanzo's granddaughter, and I know he'd still be proud of you. Besides, until your clan gets here this Saturday, we still have a responsibility to our kohai. Remember what Hanzo-sensei said: if the students are willing to do the work, then the master must be willing to make them."

Mai shrugged his hand off and collapsed back onto the futon. "If it's so important to you, then you teach the fucking class. You're better than me, anyway."

Andy gave a resigned sigh, but in the end, he changed into his fighting dogi, and went to the gym to prepare for the arrival of their students, several of whom were coming straight from school.

After the kohai had arrived, changed into their own dogi and assembled in the gym, Andy entered to greet them. Some of the students looked confused or disappointed that Mai was not with him, but they still bowed anyway. Andy bowed back and motioned for them to sit. Andy then announced: "So, I have some bad news. I'm afraid that the dojo will be getting some new sensei after next Saturday. Mai-sensei and I will no longer be here. I don't have any more details, other than to say that classes will likely be on hiatus next week while the new master settles in."

One of the students raised his hand. "What happened to Mai-sensei?"

Andy paused before answering slowly: "Mai-sensei... was hurt, I'm afraid. She's resting today, but she's all right. But sadly, because of what hurt her, she won't be sensei anymore after this Saturday. And neither will I."

Another student raised his hand. "Will the new sensei be as sexy as Mai-sensei?"

The rest of the kohai chortled, and Andy felt his temper rising. "You know what?" He blurted out, suddenly losing all desire to teach. "Class is cancelled for the rest of the week while the dojo changes ownership. There's a lot Mai-sensei and I have to do to get ready for that. Thank you all for coming."

Andy bowed his head, and although there were several grunts of disappointment from all assembled, the students still rose and bowed their heads as well, then turned and started to trickle out of the gym. Except for the boy who had just asked his rude question.

Andy walked closer to the boy and addressed him sternly: "When the sensei bows, it is respectful for the kohai to stand and bow back."

The boy rose to his feet but did not bow. "You're not even one of us," he said with a smirk. "Just a hakujin."

Andy extended his left arm towards the ground, and launched a Hishou-ken that scorched the tatami mat just inches from the boy's feet. The boy jumped back, having felt the heat of the blast, his smirk instantly replaced by a look of fear. "You should thank your lucky stars that my sensei is no longer with us," Andy snapped at him. "If you had ever shown him this level of disrespect, he'd have cracked your head wide open! Now get out and never come back!"

The boy turned and walked out as quickly as he could, which was awkward for him, since a dark stain had appeared in the crotch of his trousers. After the boy was gone, Andy blew a large breath out through his nostrils, then folded his hands in front of his chest, tried to re-focus his energies. A part of him regretted using that much force against the boy, but then he reminded himself that this time next week, he and Mai would be gone. Besides, I was right. Hanzo-sensei would never have taken that kind of disrespect from a student. Not without dishing out some serious hurt.

Andy imagined Hanzo's spirit smiling down at him, and he allowed himself a small smile for the first time in days. He spent the next few hours meditating and going through some of his katas. By the time he was finished, it was dusk, and he found himself thinking about how little Mai had eaten over the last two days.

So Andy grabbed a shower, changed into street clothes, took a walk down to one of the restaurants Mai liked, and got an order of yakisoba to go. A short time later, he was back at the dojo, and seated on the floor next to her side of the futon with a steaming bowlful. "I brought you some food," Andy said. "I know you love this dish."

"I'm not hungry," Mai said with a weary sigh.

Andy picked up a generous bite of fried chicken, noodles, and shredded cabbage with the chopsticks, and offered it to Mai. But the ninja girl did not even open her mouth.

"Please eat, Mai," Andy said. "Come on, you've had nothing solid to eat since Saturday morning. You need your strength."

He held the food an inch from Mai's lips, but Mai turned her head away from him, like a finicky child.

"What's the point?" She grumbled. "I'm not strong. I've never been strong enough. I couldn't beat Hauer or Laurence Blood, and got my useless ass captured both times. I couldn't defend my rightful claim to this dojo, which grandfather trusted me with. I barely had it for a year before I stupidly lost it in a duel I had no business fighting. It's not like eating will somehow make me strong enough to fix any of that. Maybe Nobutoki was right. Being a ninja is a man's world. A weak, useless girl like me should never have studied the arts."

Andy put the chopsticks down and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders. "Don't say that and don't think it, Mai. Deep down, I know you don't believe that. You love practicing Ninjitsu, you always will. And you've saved me just as much as I've saved you. I would be dead if you hadn't stopped Billy Kane, remember? And... you rescued yourself from Geese, without my help. You've always been a great ninja, better than most of the men in your clan. You know it, I know it, and... your grandfather always knew it, too."

"But I wasn't great enough to defend his legacy. When it came time for me to step up and prove that I'm the master, I failed him. So how exactly does that make me great? It doesn't!" Once more, Andy saw Mai's eyes were starting to water. He reached up to brush away her tears, but Mai flinched back from his touch. "Leave me alone," she said flatly.

Andy shook his head sadly, but in the end, he set the dish of yakisoba down on the floor next to the futon. "In case you change your mind," he said. Then he rose and left the bedroom.

He spent the next hour working out in the gym, and when he checked in on Mai, she was lying down with the blanket pulled completely over her. She had not touched the food, so Andy took the bowl back to the kitchen, covered it, and put it in the fridge. He warmed up some natto over spaghetti for himself, and then went to bed after eating. Once again, he was up for several hours, feeling Mai toss and turn next to him, caught in the throes of yet another troubled dream.

What is it tonight? Andy thought. Is she dreaming that I'm taking her ring back and leaving her? Or is it the spirits of her family, telling her how disappointed they are in her, and no longer consider her worthy of their love? Both of these had plagued Mai ever since her loss to Nobutoki, Andy could tell by the things Mai was saying in her sleep, as she begged her fiancé or the phantom of her grandfather for forgiveness she didn't need. He thought about waking her, but she would just have a new nightmare when she fell back to sleep again, and also, he didn't know what else to say to her. Andy was trying everything he could think of, but nothing was working, and he was starting to run out of ideas.

This was probably why when he awoke the next morning, he decided to take a "tougher" approach, since coaxing her hadn't been effective.

"Come on, Mai," Andy snapped. "Your clan is coming Saturday, and you're still the master of this place until then. We have work to do before they get here."

"But I'm not the master, Andy," Mai snapped back. "My cousin saw to that. And let's face it, I was a lousy master, anyway. I didn't hold onto this place very long before I lost it in a duel. Ojisama trusted me with his legacy, and I failed him. I don't deserve to be called master of anything."

"But isn't there anything here you want to take with you?" Andy asked.

Mai shook her head. "As far as I'm concerned, the clan can keep everything in this place. It's all theirs, anyway, remember?"

"But, Mai," Andy insisted. "The night before your duel, you said that your clan probably won't care if you want to take old baubles or keepsakes that used to belong to your family, or say, things like your grandfather's chair. Their interest is only in Hanzo-sensei's books and scrolls..." Andy's voice trailed off, and he groaned inwardly as he realized he had mentioned the wrong thing.

Sure enough, Mai looked like she was about to start crying again. "You just had to mention that, didn't you? Do you like reminding me of what a failure I am?"

"No, Mai, I wasn't trying to do that. I don't think you're a failure. I'm just trying to make you feel better..."

"Well, maybe you should stop trying," Mai snapped at him. "You clearly suck at it. And you're wrong. I am a failure. I've lost my family's home, and I've lost my clan's scrolls, which Ojisama trusted me to preserve. I was supposed to pass that knowledge on to our children someday. Centuries of tradition are over now, thanks to me. If Ojisama were here he'd be ashamed of me. And if you had any brains, you'd be ashamed of me, too." She turned away from him again, started to cry. Andy reached a hand out for her, but before he could touch her, he heard Mai say blankly: "Just leave me alone."

With a sad sigh, Andy rose from the bed and tried to start his day. He wasn't very hungry, so he decided to go for a jog through the woods. He'd been running about a mile when he came to a familiar spot: a small clearing in the trees that provided a nice view of Mino down below. When he was a boy, Hanzo would sometimes bring him to this spot to practice the beginner's forms of Ninjitsu.

Andy had come back here last year, when Mai and the rest of her clan had been performing the bone-picking ceremony on Hanzo's cremated remains. Andy had elected to make himself scarce for that, and had hiked up to this spot with a small statue of the Buddha and some sticks of incense. The younger Bogard had spent several hours up here, mourning privately for his sensei and praying for Hanzo's spirit. Now Andy stood at the edge of this clearing and once more folded his hands. Sensei, he thought to himself. If your spirit can hear this, then please... what can I do to help your granddaughter? Mai needs my help now more than ever. You and I both know what a strong woman she really is. How can I make her see that again? Please, just give me a sign...

Andy wasn't expecting an answer, but still felt disappointed when several minutes passed, and he didn't seem to get the sign he'd prayed for. All the anger and frustration he'd been trying to keep inside himself for Mai's sake finally got the best of him, and Andy was filled with the overwhelming urge to hit something. So he put on a pair of sparring gloves, found a large tree nearby, and started to punch its trunk in a steady rhythm, first with the palm of one hand, then the other, back and forth in a fluid motion.

It was simple. Fighting always was. When you were in the ring with an opponent, you just had to hit them as hard as you could with the right moves, before they did the same to you. Simple. Being in a relationship... was certainly the opposite.

The trunk of the tree started to crack and splinter as Andy vented all of his frustrations over the last few days, using that rage to put as much power as he could into his strikes. He was starting to think that maybe he had been premature in proposing to Mai. If he couldn't even find the right words to make Mai feel better... maybe he wasn't ready to be a husband.

You're not the failure, Mai, he thought as he struck the tree even harder. I am. If I were anything like Terry, I'd have already found the answer, and would know exactly what to say to get you out of your funk. But I'm not. I'll never be that good. In a sudden flash of anger, Andy did a flip backwards and launched forward elbow first in a Zan-Ei-Ken. His attack slammed into the weakened part of the trunk, snapping it clean in half and knocking the tree onto its side.

Andy gave the newly-formed stump one last kick, then jogged back to the dojo and microwaved some leftover rice balls and miso soup for breakfast. By the time he was finished eating, his anger at himself had subsided just a little. Enough for him to realize that he was going to need some advice from an outside source if he wanted to get Mai out of her depression. His brother was the most logical choice, since Terry Bogard had gone through a similar depression after losing to Krauser.

However, he got an answering machine when he called Terry, so Andy hung up without leaving a message. He sat there for a few minutes, trying to figure out who to call next. Joe knew lots about how to pick up women, but not a lot on how to hold onto one for longer than a few weeks. Master Jubei had known Hanzo longer than any of them, but Andy wasn't sure Mai would want to hear a pep talk from someone who tried to molest her on a regular basis every time she visited his dojo. Kim Kaphwan was married and thus might be able to provide some useful insight. But for some reason, Andy decided that he wanted a female perspective. He pulled a business card out of one of the kitchen drawers, picked up the phone from its cradle on the wall and started to dial the number on the card.

The phone was answered on the second ring. "Blue Mary Investigations," said the voice on the other end. "There's no case too big or small. How can I assist you today?"

"Um, hi, Mary," Andy said after a moment of silence. He'd never heard Mary answer a phone like that before. It was... definitely different.

"Andy?" The detective did not even try to hide the incredulity in her voice, as she normally would have. "Well, this is a first, you calling me. Is the world ending?"

Andy couldn't help but smile faintly at that. He didn't dislike Terry's girlfriend. He just didn't talk to her much because other than the fact that they both loved fighting, he'd just never found any other common ground. That, and Mary's personality was the exact opposite of Mai's. Mai, he'd learned to handle, for the most part. Mary was also spirited, but in a much different way, one that was somehow more intimidating than Mai's bubbly enthusiasm. "Oh, well, I called Terry but his answering machine said he's on a training journey and won't be back until next month."

"So I was your rebound?" Mary said with a laugh. "I'm honored."

"Oh, well, if you're busy, I can... try to reach out to Joe or Kim..."

The detective laughed even louder. "I'm messing with you, Andy," she said. "Seriously, what's up? You sound like you have a problem. You and Mai have another fight?"

Andy then explained everything that had happened at the temple a few days ago, and its effects on his fiancée. How the overly cheery, bouncy ninja girl had changed into a completely different person after the fight, one that Andy did not recognize, and no matter what he tried, he couldn't seem to do anything for her. After Andy had finished, Mary was silent for a moment. Then she spoke: "I'm very sorry to hear that you two are losing your home. You'll have a place you can stay, won't you?"

"Yeah, I'm not worried about that," said Andy. "We're moving to South Town, and I figure we can crash at Terry's place until we find our own. It's Mai I'm worried about the most. I've tried talking to her, but nothing I say seems to be getting through."

"It is getting through, Andy," Mary said. "The thing is, Mai already knows how you feel about her. She thinks that she's failed her grandfather, a man that she loved and respected very much, and still does, and that Hanzo would be ashamed of her. So the person she needs to talk to is Hanzo."

For a moment, Andy tried to process those words. Obviously Mai couldn't really talk to her grandfather. So was Mary actually suggesting Andy hold a seance? Would that even work?

On the other end, Mary could tell by Andy's silence what he was thinking, and laughed. "No, Andy, I'm not telling you to hold a seance. Try to stay grounded, will you?"

"Then what are you saying?" Andy asked her.

"There are other ways Mai can speak to him," explained Mary. "Mai told me once about a letter he wrote her shortly before he died. Does she still have it? I can tell you from experience that reading something written by a loved one after they've passed can be like them speaking to you from beyond the grave."

"Yeah," Andy said. "She kept the letter. But how can..." then he remembered the words of kindness and love Hanzo had written in that letter, and how Mai had not found and read it until long after his ashes were in the ground. He remembered how he was actually a little envious of Mai when she'd showed it to him. Andy had never bothered to save anything Jeff Bogard had written him, not even birthday or holiday cards, because he'd felt they wouldn't help him in his plan for revenge. He regretted that now, because it would have been nice to read words from his father similar to what was in Hanzo's letter...

...And he suddenly knew exactly how to help Mai. "Sorry, Mary, but I have to go talk to Mai. I... I know what to do now. At least, I hope so."

"Sure, Andy," Mary spoke on the other end. "Glad I could help you find the answer. But if it doesn't work, I'm happy to fly over and knock some sense into her."

Knowing Mary, that probably wasn't a joke, but Andy laughed anyway. "Thanks. Take care." Then he hung up and made his way back to the master bedroom.

The fusuma was shut, and Andy slid it open very slowly. Mai was lying on her side on the futon, her back to him. If she was awake, she did not turn to acknowledge that Andy had entered the room.

Andy stepped over to Mai's dresser, and found the letter folded up in front of her favorite picture of her grandfather: him holding her on his knee when she was five. Andy took the letter and made his way over to the futon. He climbed onto his side of the mattress, moved into a sitting position on his shins and then cleared his throat. "Mai..."

"I said leave me alone, Andy," he heard her voice say faintly.

"Okay," Andy said. "I have just one thing to tell you and then I promise I'll leave you alone. Look at me, please."

"Just go away," Mai grumbled. "I don't want to hear any more pep talks. It won't change the fact that I failed..."

"Look at me," Andy repeated more firmly.

Mai was surprised by the authority in her fiancé's voice. She was not used to hearing it from him. So she did as he asked.

As Mai turned to face him, Andy had to stop himself from wincing. Her beautiful brown eyes were swollen and bloodshot from crying, with dark circles underneath them. Her bright, copper-colored hair was undone from its normal ponytail, and hadn't been washed in days, trailing down her back in a disorganized tangle. The bruise was still on her face, though thanks to the compresses it had faded from purple to a shade of blue. But that was not why Andy suppressed a flinch. He always thought Mai looked beautiful even when she was a mess. It was the fact that the sparkle in her eyes had faded, which said that inside, Mai's normally vivacious spirit, the most beautiful part of her, had been thoroughly crushed, leaving Mai an empty shell of the woman Andy had fallen in love with.

Well, maybe this will revive that beautiful fighting spirit of hers. I hope. Once Mai was facing him, Andy held Hanzo's letter out to her. "Read the last few lines of this letter," he told her.

Mai propped herself up on her elbow, and took the letter. "Ojisama's letter?" She asked him, confusion lining her forehead. "But what good will that..."

"Please, just read them," Andy repeated.

Once again, Mai was stunned by the firmness of Andy's tone. So she opened it and read silently to herself: You have grown into a fine ninja, and a clever, strong-willed, beautiful young woman. You made me proud every day, dear one. I know you will continue to do so, as long as you keep following your heart.

After she was done, Mai folded the letter and placed it on her nightstand. "Okay, I've read them, Andy," she said. "Now what?"

Andy took a deep breath. "Mai... you didn't find and read that letter until after Hanzo-sensei had passed on. So those words... are like him talking to you from beyond the grave. And he said that as long as you follow your heart, he'll always be proud of you. Mai... why did you say yes when I asked you to marry me?"

"Because I love you, obviously," Mai said, starting to sound annoyed. "What does that have to do with this?"

"You said yes because your heart told you it was the right thing to do?" Andy asked her.

"Yes, of course," said Mai. "But what..."

"Please, Mai, let me finish what I have to say. You've... always been true to your heart, even though it went against the rest of your clan. You could have kept this place if you just went against your heart, and called the engagement off. But you didn't. Even with the rest of your clan against you, you still followed your heart, and even though you lost the duel, you saw the path you chose through to its end. And that's... what Master Hanzo always tried to teach us. To stand up for what we believe in, even if no one else does.

"You've stayed faithful to what your heart wanted, regardless of what it cost you. So... according to your grandfather's own words, he's not ashamed of you. He's proud of you, for making the choice your heart told you to make, and standing by it. If he were here today, I think he would only be ashamed of you for loafing around in bed wallowing in self-pity. Because that's not who you are. He knew, and I know that you're stronger than that.

"The Mai that I grew up with always picked herself up and fought harder, no matter how many times she got knocked down in practice matches. The Mai that I know put twice as much effort into her training after what happened in China, because she was tired of being captured, and never wanted to feel helpless again. The Mai I know has always strived to be number one in this country. You lost the other day, but you're still the granddaughter of Hanzo Shiranui. You're a strong, independent woman, and your clan can never take that away from you. You'll pick yourself up from this, just like I know you can. Because to me, you'll always be number one.

"Hanzo... would still be proud of you, Mai. You just read proof of that. And... that's all I wanted to say."

Mai was sitting up now in the same position as Andy. Her hands rested demurely on her knees, and her head was tilted down, her brown eyes shut. For a few moments, she was silent. Andy was about to get up and go when he saw that tears were starting to trickle out through the cracks in Mai's eyelids. There were only a few at first, then they quickly increased in volume, spilling down her cheeks and dripping off her chin onto the fabric of the slip that she wore.

Oh god, did I just make things worse? Andy thought. What should he do now? Try to comfort her? Would Mai push him away if he tried that? Should he just leave? "Mai, I'm sorry," Andy spoke softly. "I... I didn't mean to make you..."

Before Andy could say anything else, Mai threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled Andy close to her, clinging to him almost desperately. Tears continued streaming down her cheeks as she peppered Andy's face with an onslaught of soft kisses.

"I love you so much," Mai said finally. "You sweet, wonderful man." Then she pressed her lips firmly to Andy's. Andy was too surprised to kiss back, and just sat there with his eyes wide open as Mai sucked his face, pulling away a few seconds later with a wet smack. She then buried her face in his shirt and spent a few more minutes crying. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around him, threatening to cut off his circulation, but Andy just sat there and let Mai do what she needed to get through this.

Finally, Mai sat up again, and wiped her eyes with the backs of her hands. "Thank you, Andy," she said, a smile creeping back onto her face. "Thank you for telling me exactly what I needed to hear. You're right. I don't know why I couldn't see it before. Ojisama wouldn't be ashamed of me for losing this place. If he were here now, he'd just tell me to get out of this stupid bed and get on with my life." Her eyes began to shine with tears again. "Oh, Andy, I'm so sorry. I've been acting like such a stupid, selfish child these last few days. And I've said terrible things to you, things that I didn't mean... Can you ever forgive me?"

Now it was Andy's turn to move forward and wrap his arms around Mai. "Of course I forgive you," he whispered in the ninja girl's ear as he stroked her hair. "I know you didn't mean what you said. I'm just happy to have the old Mai back. I... I was really starting to miss her."

After they had let each other go, Mai giggled and put her hands on Andy's shoulders. "We'll see if you're still saying that in a few hours, Andy. We have a lot to do, a short time to do it in, and we'll need to work serious overtime to make up for the days I wasted." They then heard a loud growling noise, and after a moment Mai realized it was coming from her. She looked down and put a hand over her belly. "But first things first... do we have any food in the fridge? I am starving."

Andy nodded. "Yeah. I've been cooking natto and spaghetti these last few days because I don't know how to make anything else, but we have leftover takeout in there, too. There's that yakisoba from yesterday that you didn't eat. Do you want me to bring you some?"

Mai shook her head. "Not on your life, Andy. I'm not spending another minute in this bed. I'll get it myself." With that, she jumped off the futon and started towards the closet.

That's my girl, Andy thought as he smiled at his love.

Mai pulled a red yukata from the closet and put it on over her slip. "So first, something to eat," she said. "Then..." she paused, pulled up the sleeve of her robe, and sniffed the inside of her elbow. She made a face and covered herself up again. "Then... I need a very long, hot shower. I am ripe. And after that, we've got work to do."

Andy laughed. "I'll be waiting."

"Andy..." Mai said. "You're going to be a great husband. You're better at solving problems than you give yourself credit for." She put her hands on her hips, then, regarding her fiancé almost critically. "Oh, and Andy... get out of bed. Are you gonna waste the whole day?" She giggled and winked at him, then left the bedroom at a brisk pace, that familiar bounce back in her steps.

"Welcome back, my love," Andy whispered softly as Mai departed, and then he got up off the futon. Maybe I will actually be a good husband, after all, he thought as he followed Mai to the kitchen. Whether it's finding the right combination of moves to please Mai in bed, or the right combination of words to cheer her up, it seems like everything is similar to fighting. It's all just about learning the right combinations...

Mai was true to her word. About an hour later, Andy was sitting in the reading room, meditating on the couch, when he heard a knock on the frame of the doorway. He opened his eyes to see Mai standing there, looking clean and freshly scrubbed, her skin still glowing from her shower. She was dressed in a pair of jeans with rips in the knees, and an old, frayed t-shirt that bared her midriff, her go-to outfit when she was ready to do serious housework. Her hair was pulled up in a tight bun with a bright pink kerchief knotted in place over it, and her arms were laden with cleaning supplies. "Let's get to work, Andy!" She said in her normal, cheerful voice.

"Whatever you say, Master Shiranui," Andy said as he rose to his feet.

Neither one of them got much of a break over the next few days. They cleaned the dojo from top to bottom, both inside and out. They made inventory of the things that they wanted to take with them, and packed them in boxes. The boxes were left open, however, as anything they did want to take would have to be done with the approval of Mai's clan.

They arranged for air travel to the States, and paid a visit to the post office to let them know they were vacating their old address. This also meant they had to call as many people as possible in Mai's address book to give them their temporary mailing address when they got to America. They also brought a few of Hanzo's old books to their library and tied up the copy machine for an hour xeroxing pages out of them. At one point, Mai left the dojo for a few hours on "an errand," which was what she called it when Andy asked. Because of the determination in her voice, Andy didn't think to push Mai for more info. He simply used the time she was gone to get a much-needed nap.

As the deadline loomed closer, they realized that there was still a lot to do. So they put calls out to Jubei Yamada and Joe Higashi for extra help. Both of them had already been made aware of Mai's recent honor duel, and so they were eager to assist with cleaning and packing. After Joe had come down, they also rented a van to move the boxes, as Joe was the only one of the group who had a driver's license.

The night before the Shiranui clan was scheduled to arrive with their attorneys and the legal documents for Mai to sign, all that was left to do was to load the van, which could not be done until the clan inspected their boxes. So Mai and Andy decided to take Joe and Jubei out to dinner at a seafood restaurant in Mino which was one of Mai's favorites. The four of them managed to get a table back in the corner of the room, and shared a very nice, leisurely meal while reminiscing about the past: Jubei shared memories of Hanzo from their younger days, all four of them talked about the ten years Andy had spent growing up in Japan while preparing to fight Geese, and Andy, Mai and Joe discussed the adventures they'd had with Terry afterwards (or the good parts of them, anyway).

"I'm actually gonna miss you, Mai," Joe said shortly after they had finished dessert. "Who am I gonna argue with after you go?"

Mai smirked at him. "Knowing you, it won't take long to find a replacement, you big jerk." She held out her wine glass to him, and Joe clinked his beer bottle against it.

"I'll miss you too, Mai," her old judo master said. "You and Andy. You'll always be number one in Japan, even if you're not here."

"Domo, sensei," Mai said with a small bow of her head. "It was a hard choice to make, but I feel like Andy and I will have more opportunities in South Town. If I stay here, I'm just a ninja heiress without a clan or a dojo. I don't need all the headaches that will give me. But Ojisama once said that no one ever truly leaves Japan. Everyone who comes here leaves a piece of their soul behind on this island. So that someday, they'll come back for it." She then reflected silently how that had been true for Andy a few years ago. When his training journey was over, Andy had not returned to South Town. He'd come back to this country instead. And someday, Mai would return, too.

She then went on to say: "And I've learned that home is more than just a building. It's a state of mind. And I have that with Andy. As long as he and I are together, I'll always be home, no matter where we live."

Andy smiled as he reached over and gave Mai's hand a gentle squeeze. Master Jubei reached for the sake bottle and refilled his cup. He then offered the bottle to the others at the table. "I would like to propose a toast. To my dear comrade Hanzo, the brother I should have had. And to his lovely granddaughter. And my... not as lovely, but still excellent student."

Mai laughed and shook her head. "I appreciate that, Master, but I can't take part in one of your sake toasts tonight. My clan is coming bright and early tomorrow and I want a clear head when I meet with them."

Jubei shook his head as he took a sip of his drink. "The gift of youth is wasted on this generation," he muttered. "Besides, if you were hungover, it might make meeting with them easier. I know I like to be hungover when I talk with your uncles."

Mai laughed. "I can't argue with that, Master, but... no. I'll celebrate with the sake tomorrow night, after I don't have to see or speak to them anymore."

"Well, I'm not meeting with Mai's clan tomorrow, Master," Joe chimed up. "So pass the bottle."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Just so you know, if you two pass out, Andy and I aren't gonna carry you back to the dojo. We're just gonna let you sleep wherever you fall."

The four of them laughed, even though the look in her eyes told them that Mai was serious.

A few hours later, Andy and Mai were in their futon in the master bedroom. Their guests had thankfully made it home before passing out, Jubei on the futon in Andy's old room and Joe on the couch in the reading room.

Despite all the work they'd been doing the last few days, Andy found he couldn't sleep. Maybe it was because he knew this was their last night in this room, and he wanted to remember it.

"Andy?" He heard Mai whisper next to him in the dark. "Are you still up?"

Andy turned to face his fiancee. "Yes," he answered.

"Well, in that case..." Mai sat up in bed and took off the chamisole she was wearing. She then reached under the covers and started to wriggle out of her panties.

"Um, Mai," Andy said. "I may not be asleep, but I'm still pretty tired. I don't... think I can perform tonight."

Mai tossed her underwear to the floor and turned to face him. "That's okay, Andy, I'm too tired for sex also. I just... want you to hold me tonight. Please?"

Andy smiled and held his arms out to her. Mai eagerly spooned up alongside him and rested her head on his shoulder. Andy pulled the covers back over them both and wrapped the kunoichi in his embrace.

"Thank you, Andy," she whispered, and placed a small kiss on his neck. "I've missed snuggling my man."

"I've missed this, too," Andy said.

For a while, they were silent, Andy holding Mai while Mai relished the sensation of being in his arms. Then she whispered: "We belong to each other, Andy. I'm yours and you're mine. I'm sorry I ever doubted that. I'll never doubt it again."

"You don't have to apologize again, Mai," Andy told her. "I already forgave you. Besides, you're the only woman I'll ever love. If I lost you, I don't think I could ever bring myself to fall in love again. I'd probably just cash in my savings account and spend the rest of my life studying Ninjitsu in the mountains."

"If something were to happen to me, I wish you would try to find love again at some point, but I'll take that as a compliment, Andy," Mai said.

"I'm glad," Andy whispered, starting to drift off from fatigue. "That's... how I meant it."

Mai giggled and gave Andy another kiss on the neck. "You're adorable, Andy," she said, and then yawned before continuing: "Don't ever change..." Shortly after saying these words, Mai finally fell asleep, safe and cozy in her lover's arms.

Andy wrapped his arms tighter around Mai, holding her almost protectively. He was not awake for much longer. The warmth of Mai's body so close, her breasts rubbing gently against him as they rose and fell in time with her breathing, the floral perfume of her hair, the soft tickle of her breath on his neck each time she exhaled... all of these were finally enough to make Andy fall asleep as well.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

I know it probably feels like I could end it here, but there's at least one more chapter left in me. Maybe two. Depends on whether I feel the need to split Chapter 3 up. I'll just have to see what the word count turns out to be. So up next: the revenge of Mai Shiranui (sort of), and maybe the conclusion. Stay tuned...