A/N Well, it looks like Mary Frances isn't really Mary Frances after all. Decided to do another double update this week since these chapters go together. Please be kind and review!

Chapter 24- Goodbye

"It's why he never called her Mary Frances. He knew who she really was," the chevalier thought as he quickly made the three miles in a very fast walk. It was taking all his restraint to keep him from using his powers to arrive there immediately.

The closed hurricane fence was easily jumped over, even with the burden of the cello case on his shoulder. Jumping fences- even if they were 10 feet high and framed with razor wire, were nothing to this chevalier. He never looked to see the sign posted on the fence in his eagerness for answers, nor did he see the wreath hanging with white flowers.

He then began to wonder at the quietness of the lot. There was not a soul in sight or the movement of anything, save the occasional piece of trash that blew by in the wind. It was odd because Hagi knew this was a weekday and any thriving business would be open today.

He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he came to the back of the shop and found the garage doors all closed. He could sense the presence of a number of people inside the building along with that oh so familiar presence of the girl. Luckily, a door at the back of the shop was partly opened. He slipped inside and stayed to the shadows, knowing that the raw emotion the girl was holding back was keeping her from sensing his arrival.

The mechanic he remembered as Gary was standing next to a car he had been working on with tears on his face and more in his eyes. Jack, now sporting completely black, spiked hair was standing near the girl, trying to comfort her without embracing her. She stood in silence, wearing a black, sleeveless shirt and black jeans with leather boots as a single tear rolled down her cheek and she sniffed back more.

Everyone was in black, even the small, balding man that stood in front of everyone. He was speaking about some legal matters regarding the buildings, but Hagi noticed the one person he was looking for was missing.

The lawyer then stated, "The matter of the shop and the lot, as well as the towing company: the money from Calvin Green's life insurance policy has paid them off. The buildings, cars and all contained are all distributed in his will."

He then pulled out a crisp sheet of paper from the briefcase at his side and began to read, "I Calvin Green, being of sound mind…"

The voice went on in the background as the girl now looked up at the lawyer and seemed to be numb. Hagi could see the look in her eye and sensed the raw emotion underneath. She was scared. It was at this point, he began to understand- she's only 15 years old. She pretends to be older, but she's really just a child.

She had been a daughter of a reformed prostitute. She was a truck driver that fixed cars. Now she was a complete mystery. He didn't even know her name now. He did know her age and thought about what she must have faced. When she was 13, she had to face the world by herself and then lost her only companion in that same year.

He was brought back to the current situation as the lawyer cleared his throat and announced, "To my faithful master mechanic, Gary Charleston, I leave the auto shop. He is the only person that has the knowledge to run it and the necessary capabilities to fix anything that comes in there."

"The house, I leave to my son Calvin Green Junior plus any of the money that is left over from paying off the buildings and all the bills. To my only son, I also leave the towing business and the lot with the working cars and trucks."

The lawyer paused as his brow furrowed and he looked up briefly to the group in front of him. Calvin Green was a very smart man. He was certain that any business he started was very self-sustaining. The insurance policy was a very generous amount and he knew that his family and his employees would be well cared for.

He finished with the last bit that had him puzzled as the person named had no last name, just this nickname, "Lastly, to my adopted daughter, Girlie, I leave to you the truck that I gave you and the business you started. There is an account that holds the money from this business. My lawyer will give you this information and a last letter to you. I also leave to you all the non-working cars, trucks, bikes, and any other item from the lot that no longer works. Run your business, Girlie."

The girl gave a watery smile and turned to the office, exiting the room quickly. It was obvious she was about to break down. Jack followed her as the lawyer finished with well wishes as he left the shop.

Hagi decided it was time to leave. He would get no answers here as he knew the mechanics that worked there had been hired in the past year… Stopping mid-step, Hagi turned and looked back at the shop and recalled that Gary was the mechanic that helped the girl fix up that shiny, black rig that sat in its customary space on the lot. He had been there when she and Mary Frances left The Center.

~0~

The girl held the envelope in her hand loosely as she made her way back to her apartment. She took a different way home, letting tears fall from her eyes. Her arms went around herself, offering comfort to herself and feeling quite alone. The man she thought of as a father was now dead and she had to face the future all alone again.

Lulu was nice, but she would have to go back to Virginia. Now she'd have to go back to Okinawa for god knows how long. At least she had Kai, the twins, and Riku. Her lip twitched into nearly a smile for a moment as she thought of Dr. Mui. She didn't know why, but the sweet words she had told her that day brought her comfort.

When she arrived home, she opted to pull out a cigarette as she read the letter. It was a banking statement for an account. She set that on the concrete under her knee to keep it in place. She then pulled out the letter and read:

Hey Girlie,

By now, I'm certain that you are planning on going back with "your half-brother." You should be with your family as I know you can't be more than 16 years old. Don't worry, your secret's safe. I told Gary to watch over your baby (the truck) while you're gone.

I know you are really pissed off right now and you have every right to be pissed off. He left you to fend for yourself and you ended up getting hurt. But you gotta give him a change, girl. After all, he IS your father.

Yeah, I know, you wanna deny that, but you can't fool this old man. I could feel that vibe coming off him. He may not be 100% about you yet, but he still feels the need to protect you. Don't roll your eyes and don't give me your smart-ass mouth! I know he had to have fucked you over royally to be so far on your shit list, but let me tell you- you need him and he needs you.

I tell you, Girlie, you have been a bigger pain in the ass than my own son, but I still love you like you were my own. For once, listen to me and let your old man look after you. You fuck up too much when you do things on your own.

Your business will still run while you're gone. Jack says that he'll sell the parts and do all the other stuff, but he's gonna ship them. That's why you see his name on the account, too. As for Jack and you, I want you guys to cool it until you are 18- REALLY 18! If you are still interested in each other, he needs to ask your old man and then you guys can plan to have kids.

She snorted and was about to say something, but her eyes caught the rest.

For once, act like a lady! Stop scoffing at the idea of marriage! I know how he reacts to you and I can hear it in your voice when you talk to him. There's something there and he really likes you- even if you are a total bitch sometimes.

You will always be the most amazing person I have ever met. Please do as I say for once and BE GOOD! I hope I'll see you on the other side someday, but not anytime soon. Let that old man of your take care of you and stop insulting him!

Love,

Daddy Green

She thought she'd cry after reading that farewell letter, but instead, she was laughing. He knew her so well. He scolded her every time she made a face or was about to say something- and he wasn't even here.

The horrible weight then returned as she felt a cold chill wash over her. She was alone again. Her eyes scanned over the letter again and again and tears seemed to be stuck in her eyes. She couldn't even cry.

Lulu noticed the return of the princess and peeked out the window onto the heavily shaded porch. The woman shivered and Lulu could sense the despair coming off her. She looked down sadly and then her head came back up. The kettle was still on the stove since she had warmed a bag of blood in the heated water earlier. She discovered it tasted better warmed. Hurrying through the preparations of Mary Frances' favorite tea, Lulu gave a cheerful smile as she rushed to the bedroom and rummaged through the clothes carefully.

"Ah-ha!" she cried triumphantly as she found a white, long sleeved shirt that was torn in many places and frayed in others. It displayed a fading red dragon on the front- Mary Frances' favorite shirt. She hurried back to the kitchen to retrieve the tea and then headed to the porch.

Mary Frances sat there, looking out into the small flower bed below. She gave a heavy sigh as Lulu donned her hood and brought the shirt and set the tea beside her. "Mr. David called. He says Hagi eliminated all the chiropterans on his side."

Mary Frances nodded absently as she finished her cigarette and pitched it. She then pulled the long sleeved shirt over herself and took a sip of her tea- perfect. Too bad the conversation was on Lurch and The Red Shield.

Her hands shook as she tried to relax and not start sobbing like a damn girl. Choosing her usual method of relaxing, she pulled out another of her long cigarettes and lit up. She took a long drag before she asked, "So, if he's done over there where is he?"

Lulu looked down and responded, "I'm sure he's already here."

She smirked as she flicked an ash. "Good," she muttered. At Lulu's expression on confusion, she explained, "He's not coming back. That means I frightened him off- or pissed him off. I don't care which. He's gone and that's the end of it." She took another long drag and then exhaled a puff of smoke that was carried off by a breeze that blew through the porch.

Lulu didn't argue. She knew Hagi would be back whether Mary Frances wanted him back or not. She then asked, "How was the funeral?"

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and then responded, "Like any other funeral." She leaned forward with the cigarette still dangling from her mouth as she spoke (yep, that's the image for this story), "I wish you were coming with me, Lulu. Can't Lurch stay with the CIA and you come back to Okinawa?"

She laughed and answered, "Lewis is cool with just about everyone, but I think his boss would be totally pissed that I was replaced by someone that rarely talks."

The tall girl rose to her feet and headed into the apartment with her tea in hand. She pitched the spent cigarette and waited for Lulu to follow her inside. She grabbed the fax papers off the table and headed for her room, calling back, "We leave for Virginia in two days. I'll be spending tomorrow night at Jack's. If Lurch isn't back by then, he gets to find his own way to Virginia."

She was going to deliver a beat up old clunker to a man in Virginia. He was one of those guys that collected classic cars and knew how to fix them up. He was paying her $!5,000 to buy it and have it delivered to him.

She gave a look at the fax in her hand. It was beaten and torn as it had been in her possession since she had last been in Okinawa. Knowing what it contained, she smirked.

~0~

The Okamura's were back in Vietnam, waiting to question the doctor that had sent them the information. They had to contact Dr. Julia about the situation. Even though the child born at the hospital was dead, the case still continued. They had found a possible father… and it was someone they knew. Mao just didn't understand what had happened to the first fax they sent.

The problem was that since no one really kept records of who came and went, they had nothing to go on… until now.

A doctor that had been adamant that the background of the mother and child should at least be discovered, had contacted them with something she had found. It seems the hospital kept video surveillance of the area since they had some nurses that were stealing supplies in 2007. Ever since then, they kept the surveillance system going.

They had to do it under the guise of working as the cleaning crew, but they obtained the videos in question. The doctor made certain to make the storage room where the old videos were archived were part of the rooms these particular janitors cleaned.

Mao was pacing the room as she spoke to Dr. Julia. She ran a hand through her hair as she took a breath. She then said, "This is really gonna suck for Saya. Not only has Hagi been proven the father of Mary Frances, but now… this."

She glanced at the surveillance footage of the front desk, just a few meters from room 602. The date and time stamp were 03/23/2020 20:24. Mao related what she was seeing to Dr. Julia over the phone as Okamura sat in the hotel chair and ran a hand through his hair.

He had seen this four times now and still hated to believe it. He was watching a guilty man walk across the screen and it brought back painful memories. He murmured, knowing his wife wouldn't hear, "When she sees this, she'll kill him."

He recalled a day in 2018, when Mao had done the same.

She came home.

As always, she placed her designer purse on the hook.

She came into the room and removed her clothing and took off to the bathroom.

He rose to his feet with a heavy heart and dragged himself to the bathroom door. Turning the knob, he could hear her humming as she stepped into the steaming water. She was trying to wash away the smell, but he knew.

He sat on the toilet and let a tear fall from his eye. He wanted to yell… to scream… to tear her cheating ass apart. He couldn't do anything but cry. He had known for a few months now. Kai couldn't hide anything well- not now or ever.

He broke into silent sobs. He hated her and he loved her. That was the extent of their relationship. It wasn't long after they came back from the US in 2007 that he realized he couldn't live without her.

Finally, he dried his face and cleared his throat. "How long?" he asked.

"How long for what?" she asked sweetly.

"You and Kai," he elaborated. "How long were you going to hide this from me?"

She fell to her knees and let the shower drench her head as shocked tears leaked from her eyes. Why deny it now? The secret was out. She found Kai in a moment of weakness for both of them and now it was time to pay the fiddler.

She continued to ask herself several questions as she turned off the shower and grabbed a towel. Why did she continue the affair? She knew Kai would never want her in the way she wanted him, but she had learned to love Okamura- in a way.

She was now completely out of the shower and standing before him in nothing more than a towel. Looking contrite, she informed him, "I really don't know why it happened, but I've never been so sorry." She took a deep breath as tears fell and said, "Kai was drowning his sorrows at a bar and you and I had a fight… I just don't know…"

She turned and pressed her forehead to the wall and grumbled, "It was so stupid! He never stopped talking about Carrie and then about Saya…"

Her scruffy looking husband only nodded and then he turned his sad brown eyes to her and asked, "Is it over?"

She hiccoughed as she tried to keep back a sob. His tears were her undoing. She fell into his embrace and cried, "It was over last week. She found out and… a-a-and she kicked me out of her house. K-K-Kai wouldn't even look at me."

"So where were you?" he asked.

"Getting hammered," she admitted. "But all I could think of… was you. How hurt you'd be that I did this."

They never spoke of it again and the affair ended as abruptly as it began. He and Mao had a silent understanding that there would never be a repeat of the situation.

Mao didn't yell at him for once when he reached for a smoke. The tall man passed across the screen, wearing nearly all black and carrying a large cello case on his back, the same metal design as Hagi's.

"Julia," Mao said, "when I first saw this, I nearly threw up." Her eyes cut to her husband for a moment and her voice became soft. "He goes into room 602 at 8:24 pm and comes back out in 30 minutes."

Before Julia could respond, she said something else, "And that's not the only time! There's at least 7 more occasions that are on video. He never signs the visitor's log and each time, it's 30 minutes and he's gone."

Julia sighed in exasperation and asked, "Are you sure it's him?"

In the next image, it shows the chevalier leaving, his eyes focused ahead of him. There was no mistaking it. "Yes, it's him."

"How many more lovers and daughters is he keeping under wraps?" Okamura asked from the chair.

When Julia hung up with Mao, she was nearly in tears. How in the world was she going to explain this to Hagi? They had found out that he was the father of yet another child. That meant his memory was blocked, but what would cause him to do this at regular intervals? According to the fax Mao sent, he visited every other year on March 23rd around 8:30 in the evening. She knew that was because visiting hours ended at 9pm, but the date. What was so important about March 23rd?

She wished she would have saved more of the ashes from the dead child. She didn't have enough to perform a DNA analysis to prove he was the father. But the footage didn't lie and the timing was right.

She lit a cigarette and spoke out loud, "Hagi what have you done?" The Okamuras were on this story in their spare time. This was not something they would lie about and they were just as broken up about this as she was. Telling Kai and the twins would just cause more turmoil and they didn't need that.

Hagi and Mary Frances would be back in a few days. If Mary Frances was upset about the news he was her father, how would she react to the thought that she had a dead half-sister in Vietnam he had abandoned as well?

~0~

The lone figure stood at the edge of the public park. Tonight was their last night in LA and Mary Frances was more than a block away, saying goodbye to Jack in her own way. He had not announced that he was back and knew Mary Frances… or whoever she was… didn't know he was back. He leapt to a tree as a couple came by, holding hands.

He would make his appearance tomorrow and they would all leave together. Gary had arranged for her to drive her rig along with him and Lulu to Virginia where she was to deliver some wrecked car to someone Hagi thought had a mental defect. Why would anyone pay so much for a junked car? Gary had someone arrange to pick up the truck and drive it back to LA.

As the sun just came above the horizon, he heard the conversation of the two as they came to the porch of his place.

~0~

The now black haired man came to the porch, following the object of his affection. She was leaned against the rail with her very short skirt revealing her long, beautiful legs. She had her ample bust pressed to the top rail, causing her cleavage to be even more revealed. When she leaned forward, the base of her butt cheeks were revealed to him. His breathing hitched as he thought about not seeing her again for who knows how long.

He blinked back tears as his eyes came to her face. She was looking off into the distance, the orange ember of her cigarette burned brilliantly as she sucked in a breath of smoke. Her eyes were so amazing, She was so amazing.

He came to her side and mentioned, "I'll miss you."

They both continued to stare at the rising sun as her mouth only opened to exhale smoke. Her eyes became narrower, as if she was trying to see something off in the distance.

"MF," he said as he turned her to himself and pressed a very passionate kiss to her mouth. His tongue caressed her lips. She responded in kind by grabbing the back of his head and pressing her tongue into his mouth.

They kissed for a while as their hands moved all over each other. Just as he was beginning to feel a bit warm, she pulled away. "I have to go."

He ran a hand through his hair and argued, "No. I won't let you go like this. I want you to tell me what you feel about me."

She blinked as she looked at him. "Look Jack," she started, "I told you that I cannot love anyone. Sorry to burst your bubble, but I can't love you." She grabbed her bag as she watched his heart shatter.

As she came to the door, he slammed it shut with tears streaming down his face. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "I love you. I don't care who knows and I don't care what the fuck they think. I want to be with you- always. When you go to Okinawa in a couple of days, the first thing you'll find there is a letter from me. I will write everyday and I don't give a damn if you write back because I will never give up. I want you and only you. If I have to marry you, I'll do it."

She shook her head, overwhelmed by this sudden display. "Jack, you have to let this go- before you get hurt."

She patted his shoulder as she walked out the door and casually said, "It's just sex."

She was already walking away as he shouted after her, "It was never just sex- not for me. I swear to you MF, I will never stop. If I have to burn in hell for all eternity just to have you, then I will." His voice broke as he ended with, "I will always love only you, Mary Frances."

She kept her back to him as she continued on her way with tears streaming down her face. Only when she was around the corner, away from his line of vision, did she allow her shoulders to shake and her sobbing to commence.

A/N Oops! Looks like Hagi wasn't the only one stepping out, huh? Was Hagi stepping out at all? Only way to find out is to review. I type faster with reviews!