Epilogue

About three months later I was typing out a report of one of Naru's most recent investigations in the office, when he came out sipping a cup of tea I had just made him and reading something in a manila folder.

"Add this to the Greenhouse case," he said, closing it with a thumb and dropping it on the desk.

Since I was in the middle of a sentence, I just nodded. Now that I was off of field work (for the most part), Naru had released all the office work he had been keeping from me to my responsibility in an attempt to help me not feel left out. He also asked me to look over all the footage and sound records for 'a second opinion,' but I was getting the increasing impression that he was paranoid that I'd force my way into a case in order to escape a particularly bad episode of cabin fever.

And don't even mention whenever I get one of 'those' dreams while he's on a case and I'm back home. This weird spiritual connection we have both fascinates and terrifies him. Not that he'd ever admit that he freaks out inside whenever he hears that his cases somehow reach me all the way back in our safe little apartment. They weren't even all that bad. Just a lost little girl who wanted to tell her mom sorry for a fight they'd had before she died and a rather confused old man who didn't know he was dead.

Frankly, the one who was most bemused to how well I was adapting to 'office work and housewife' life was me. I couldn't believe how much I had to do, even more than before. Not to mention a little something on the side I had yet to reveal to Naru...

When I looked up from the computer screen to take the folder, Naru was still there, watching me.

"What?" I asked.

"I am legally and socially allowed to stare at my wife whenever I want," he said over the rim of his mug before taking a sip.

"Creep. What do you really want?"

"I've managed to set up appointment with a tutor of Ms. Hara's recommendation Wednesday evening. And lavender is a very nice color for your skin."

I groaned and leaned my elbow on the desk to rub my forefinger and thumb over my eyes. "Sure thing, boss."

"Also..." he hesitated.

I stopped rubbing my eyes long enough to glance up at him, and found his face to be pensive.

"What?"

"About that 'project' you said you're working on while I was gone last month...you didn't say it was with my mother. Or that she was funding it."

I let loose a bark of laughter-or more like a cackle-that made Naru jump.

"Oh, we're just deciding how to best milk your family jewels for super sperm-I'm aiming for triplets."

I laughed even harder when he almost dropped his mug. His following show of distaste at my teasing didn't help. It was adorable.

"Why can't I get a straight answer out of you anymore?"

"Because this is way more fun." But I considered telling him as I calmed down. It wasn't like I was trying to keep it a secret from him. I just knew how sensitive he got when the media got involved, but we were married, after all. And I had already agreed with Luella that changing all the names would be for the best.

I cleared my throat. "I'm writing a book."

His eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"A series of books, actually. You're mom is helping me self-publish them." And just so he didn't think otherwise. "I was all for doing it the traditional route, querying editors and all, but when I shared my idea with her she just sort of jumped on me, you know?"

He snorted. "Like she does on everything else?" He put his cup down, all seriousness. "Why haven't you told me until now?" Then, because he's such a genius, it dawned on him. The exact scowl I knew he'd have came into place. "You're not."

"I so am."

Scowl deepens. "Mai-"

"Oh, come on! I changed all the names and I'm even using a pen name, okay? So calm your tits."

"These are legitimate, scientific observations and facts. By making fiction out of it you're giving people the invitation to continue in their ignorance! Do you think I liked all those years teaching you elementary facts that even children know?"

I wanted to get offended. But the years I had known him had taught me that he didn't mean to be a rude ass, and that he, like anyone else, often said stuff he didn't mean...I got offended anyways.

"Well, jee, sorry for not being a complete ghost nerd like you. At least I had enough practice socially to get our relationship off the ground. We wouldn't even be married if we'd depended on your oh-so-aggressive way of winning the girl."

That made him back off. He knew fire when he smelled it. For a long moment we glared coolly at each other. We'd had enough of these spats to understand what was going on. He had said something stupid. I had overreacted. Cheerleaders were more often skinny than not. Ayako and Takigawa would probably move back their wedding date again.

So, he shook a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Since I can tell when my opinion is wanted..."

Oh, wow, now that was a new blow.

"It isn't that," I said. "There really is nothing to worry about. And they help me feel like I'm making use of all my experience, you know?" When he picked up his cup and started heading back to his office, I started to actually panic. "Fiction helps people to accept the truth first, doesn't it? I mean, how often has fairytales or myths helped you in your investigations? The line between truth and fiction is hard to find, right?" He stepped through his open door. I pushed myself to my feet. "Wait! Naru!"

"Calm down. I'm just getting back to work."

"Don't give me that, you're upset with me!"

"Well, I like to be involved with your life and interests."

That got me all confused. "I thought you were mad about me writing books based off the cases?"

"I am. You're writing them without consulting me for what I think. Also, yes, I am a bit insulted by your immature outburst, but then I was an idiot to insult you, so there we go."

I followed him into his office like a sad ghost anyways, pandering for forgiveness. He had just sat in his chair and gave me a look one would give to a child whimpering over the fact that the dinosaur head didn't open big enough to bite the Lego man's head off.

"Alright, alright. Please involve me with your life more," he said, as though giving me permission rather than acquiescing to the plea that he needed to communicate his emotional needs better after we had any sort of confrontation. "And don't jump things on me."

"Jump things on you?"

"Like act like you're keeping it a secret and then land it on me out of the blue-surprise me, I guess I'm saying. It unsettles me and causes…" he waved a vague hand between us while not looking at me.

"Oh…so I can write the books?"

"I'm inferring you mean to ask if you can write about me?" He sighed and pinched his nose. "Fine. Not like you need my permission."

"True…"

He went back to whatever he was reading up on the computer and I watched him for a minute or so. Despite everything I had said, I had really hated the few days he was gone investigating some old house without me. Naru wasn't the only one having a hard time communicating their emotional needs.

But there wasn't much I can do about that now, right? It was what we both wanted…or, at least, I could take petty revenge on him for not having the same vulnerabilities as I did to spirits. Though we had agreed that it was only till I gained the proper training that I was taking a hiatus—but what I was about to throw on his desk would change that. I was hoping my show of displeasure at his setting an appointment up with a trainer for me would make him ask, but since he failed that test…

I pulled a plastic stick out of my pocket and dropped it next to his hand. Then ran.

I had made it out into the hallway before he let out an angry, "Mai Taniyama Davis!"

I cackled all the way down the street to the ice cream shop, where I planned on getting some chocolate deliciousness before heading back.

Perhaps my first response of super sperm to his question wasn't entirely a joke. But it wasn't like I had needed any fertility advice in the first place.