A/N: Okay. First and foremost, this story is COMPLETE. And I cry every time I read it so you will need tissues. Again, this was originally a role play with Zelda so half the credit to her! I hope you enjoy this and try not to cry too hard. I'll post a chapter a day.
Here's chapter two!
Chapter Three
The next morning, Mai woke up feeling horrible. Her bones hurt…her muscles hurt…and she didn't want to move at all. She groaned.
"Mai," Naru whispered. He was already dressed, and he had been trying to wake Mai for the ten minutes. When she finally started to wake, he brushed her bangs out of her face.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"N-Naru…it hurts…" Mai groaned, curling into a ball.
"What hurts?" He said, worried. Naru sat next to Mai and gently pulled her against him.
"E-Everything…and I feel…sick," Mai moaned, snuggling against him.
Sighing, Naru just held Mai, quietly. He waited a few moments before whispering.
"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?"
Mai shook her head an spoke in a small, pathetic voice. "No…just hold me please."
Shifting closer, Naru nodded his head. "Alright."
It was a couple of hours later that Naru's phone rang. Mai groaned, but shifted away from him so he could answer it.
With a sigh, Oliver answered his phone. He cringed when he heard his mother's loud voice on the line.
"Mother," he hissed in English. "Not so loud." He gave Mai an apologetic look.
Mai tried to smile and turned away, burying her body in the covers and making a caccoon.
"Noll! How are you. Lin said he left you on your own for a week so I'm checking on you. Any luck finding Gene? What about your co workers. How are they?" she asked.
"Everything's fine." he murmured softly. "I haven't made much progress yet…" He then looked at the lump of sheets next to him.
Mai peeked at him from her sheets. She whispered, "Who are you talking to?"
She stared up at him with big, curious brown eyes.
"Noll? Was that a girl's voice I heard? Isn't it like…eight in the morning?" Luella asked, feeling a little suspicious and excited.
"It's my assistant." Naru said quickly. He held his hand over the phone as he said to Mai.
"It's my mother."
Mai nodded and winced. She groaned, burying herself again. She closed her eyes.
"Noll…is she okay? I thought I heard her groan in pain," Luella asked worriedly.
Naru sighed. "She's ill."
Luella frowned, straightening up. "Is it serious? Or just a flue? Do you need anything?"
She remembered Lin mentioning the assistant Noll had hired on a whim…for seemingly no reason.
Oliver wouldn't tell his mother… not yet. "No. She just needs someone to help her right now is all."
Luella smiled. "She must be special to you. I don't even remember you helping Gene when he was sick…"
Naru's eye twitched, and he didn't respond immediately.
"Think whatever you like."
Luella almost squealed. "So you do like her! Oh how exciting! I can still be a grandmother! What is she like? Her name…it's Mai right? What does she look like?"
He hung up.
Sighing, Naru turned his phone off before pulling Mai back up and holding her in his arms.
Luella made a noise and looked at Martin. "He hung up on me!"
Martin chuckled. "I take it he really likes her then."
Luella smiled. "Maybe! But I wonder…something in his voice when he said she was ill….Martin! You don't think she's pregnant do you?!"
He choked on his tea. That could very well be possible. Noll was at that age where… he might like to experiment. And if this girl was ill… Oh lord…
"I'll call him a little later, and we'll have a little talk."
Mai opened one eye. The room was dark except for one lamp near Naru. She noticed he was reading. She still didn't feel one hundred percent, but she did feel better.
"I'm sorry," Mai whispered, "I ruined our vacation…"
Setting down his reading, Naru raised a brow. "No. You didn't ruin anything."
He closed his book and set it on the bedside table. "Are you feeling any better?"
"A little…I still feel weak though. Do you think…was this my cancer?" Mai asked softly, her gut twisting.
Why did this have to happen to her? What had she done in a past life?
"Likely," Oliver sighed, reaching out to pull Mai back into his arms."
Mai sighed. "Naru…how much time do you think I have? They ran some tests but…they haven't told me any details yet."
Mai but her lip. "Will…would you come with me when I go speak with my doctors?"
Frowning, Naru pressed Mai into his chest. "I think you have a while Mai… I'm sure you do. And, I'll come with you. I want to be here and do anything I can every step of the way."
Mai's eyes watered. "There is so much I wanted to do…now I won't be able to…"
And she would never tell Naru that what she wanted most was to get married and one day be a mother. And she never would have that.
Running a hand through her hair, Naru glanced down at her. He then tilted her chin up and met her eyes.
"I'm sure you could still do these things." He had a feeling she wanted to be a wife, at the very least.
Mai wiped her eyes. "I'd never ask that of you…I think it would hurt more if I did. I don't want to hurt you, Naru…"
She sniffled.
"Like I said, it would hurt me most if I missed out on any opportunity with you." His head dipped down, and his lips touched hers.
"Mai," he murmured softly, "Marry me?"
Mai's eyes watered. "R-really? I mean…do you really want to? And your parents…what will you tell them?"
Oliver's lips turned up. "If I didn't want to, I wouldn't have asked. But, when my parents ask, I'll tell them I just fell in love, and couldn't wait any longer to express those feelings."
Mai bit her lip. "Could your parents be there with us? And could we spend a weekend with them before? I'd like them to get to know me and see us together…"
"That can be arranged." Naru whispered. "I'll call when we return to Tokyo in a couple of days."
The rest of their trip was spent in the sun. Mai had tanned, and seemed to have a healthy glow. She had almost forgotten how sick she was.
Now they were back home, Mai and Naru were at her apartment. Mai glanced at him.
"Will you call them now? I'd like to meet them!" Mai said, excited to meet the people who raised Oliver.
"Alright," he sighed. At least Mai was eager. "Just be prepared. Mother is usually very loud."
He sat down, and held the phone to his ear after dialing his mother's number. When she picked up, Naru sighed. He might as well get it all out quickly.
"Mother, just listen for a moment. I would like you and father to know that… I have met someone I care deeply about, and… I wish to marry her, soon. But, before we take such actions, she would like to meet you both. Perhaps we could come to England?"
Luella's eyes widened. They were getting married.
"Martin! Noll said they will be getting married!"
Martin's eye brows rose. Married? Already?
"Am I going to be grandmother!?" She asked excitedly.
Martin choked on his tea. "Lu! I told you I'd speak with him!"
"No," Oliver sighed, pinching his nose. God, she really wanted him to have kids.
"Let me speak to him," Martin said, moving to his wife.
Luella glared at her husband. "He says he loves her. Don't ruin this or so help me—"
Martin sighed and took the phone. "Noll, isn't that moving a bit fast? I'm sure you care for her but I don't want you to do something you'll regret."
Naru sighed again. "Father, I know what it looks like, and that I may seem rash, but, I am sure this is what I want, and I could never regret this decision."
He glanced at Mai and took her hand.
Martin's lips twitched. "This wouldn't happen to be that girl you hired as an assistant?"
Lin had told him about her. How she didn't take any of Noll's crap. And how she wasn't hung up on his looks.
"I'll book you both a flight to England. I trust you'll wait to marry? Give it some time? Then again you are impatient…"
"You know me well. I would like to marry her within the next few months." He nodded when Mai looked at him, "When will we be coming?"
"I'll try for next weekend. How long will you stay? Until you marry?" Martin asked, beginning to book the flight.
Luella was bouncing in excitement, already flying through wedding websites on her laptop.
"I suppose so. But, what about Gene? I still haven't found him."
Martin sighed. "I'll do what I should have done to begin with. I'll hire a private investigator. I'll get the flight details sent to you soon."
Mai frowned and when Naru hung up, she spoke. "What about my doctor's appointments?"
"I can handle that," Naru said. "You have one within the next week. I can get your medical information then and call a few doctors in London."
Mai nodded. "Okay…thank you Naru."
A little over a week and Mai found herself on a plane with Naru and Lin heading for England. Lin had been surprised to learn of their choice to marry but didn't contest it.
He only said it was about time.
The plane landed smoothly and Mai's heart was pounding. Her mind was split. Part of her was nervous. The other part was about what she had been told. She had a year at the most, and that was with treatment. She was told to consider the treatment options but she hadn't told Naru of her thoughts yet. They told her she would become unable to have children if she did it. And it broke Mai's heart. She still wanted a chance to be a mother…if she did the treatment and lived…she wouldn't know what to do. Adoption was an option but she really wanted to see a baby that looked like her…and Naru.
Luella squealed gleefully when she saw her son get off the plane with his assistant.
"Noll! And Mai! Oh! Mai! It's so nice finally meet you dear!" She pulled the small girl into a hug, only to have Oliver put a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't squeeze her to death."
Luella backed away and scolded her son. "Let me hug my future daughter! I never thought I'd see this day! My son! OLIVER! Getting married!"
Mai blushed as Noll rolled his eyes. Martin smiled and stepped forward.
"Hello, Mai. It's nice to meet you," he said kindly,
Oliver watched his father introduce himself to Mai, and then took her arm. "I assume we will be going to the house?"
Luella nodded. "Yes! I also bought a lot of bridal magazines, Mai."
Mai nodded, her cheeks a little red.
Luella was looking between her son and Mai, envisioning the children they would have. After collecting their bags and arriving to the house, Naru lead Mai up to his room. He showed her inside and took her bags. Mai looked around. It definitely looked like a room Naru would use. She ran a hand over his bed.
"Will we be sharing a room?" She asked, trying not to think about her future.
Naru shrugged. "There shouldn't be an issue with it. After all, we are engaged."
Mai nodded. "Can I lay down? I feel really tired."
She took a seat on the bed and looked up at him.
Nodding, Naru moved around her and pulled the sheets back. "I'll wake you when it's time for dinner, alright?"
Mai nodded. "Okay…when is my next appointment?"
She was scared to go. She knew they would ask her about what she wants to do…the treatments…
"Three weeks," Oliver said, helping her get situated.
Mai nodded, still a little distant. She was scared. She didn't know how to feel. And she was scared of telling Naru of what had been going through her mind.
He was already marrying her…
Mai all tucked in, Naru leaned over her and kissed her gently. "I'll be back in a little while. Call me if you need something."
Mai nodded. "Okay…"
She closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly.
Walking down to the living room, Naru sighed as he sat down on the couch. He was so very tired, but couldn't quite sleep. He got up a few moments later and searched the bookshelf for something to read.
A/N: Review if you'd like!