AN: Wow, here it is! The third and final chapter. This one is much longer than the others, and I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned out. This chapter is slightly more Mai-centric. Thank you to all of the sweethearts who followed and favorited this story- it means a lot to hear that people enjoy my writing. I had a lot of fun while writing this fanfic, and I hope you had just as much fun reading it! Until next time, sweethearts.

-Marie Graham

Stage 3: Happiness

"Would Mai Taniyama please come down to the front office for an early dismissal?" The intercom asked over the meaningless chatter of the high school classroom. Keiko and Michiru looked at their best friend in confusion, and were met with the same expression. Mai hadn't had an early dismissal since she worked for Naru- who she now knew to be Dr. Oliver Davis, the esteemed professor of parapsychology. She sometimes helped out John with his cases- maybe he needed her. It was odd, though, as he usually waited until after the school day ended to ask for her assistance.

Mentally shrugging, she collected her belongings, and turned in her worksheet at the front of the classroom with the promise to finish it the next day. Once she got down to the office, she looked around for John, but with no luck. There was nobody in the office besides her and the new secretary. Mai glanced questioningly towards aforementioned secretary.

She shrugged, stating, "Yeah, some guy came in here and said he would be waiting for you outside. He's pretty handsome, mhm. You should go check out there," she pointed her perfectly manicured nails towards the parking lot. "But he didn't say he was related to you, so be careful, kid."

Mai was about to ask what he looked like- hey, she couldn't just assume that it was John- but the secretary was already on the phone with one of her friends. She stalked outside, muttering about the obvious unprofessionalism, and searched for John's face. And it was kinda weird how that secretary called John 'handsome', she thought. Cute? Yes. Adorable, of course! But not handsome. That's more Naru's style. Her face scrunched up in annoyance at the memory of her former boss' extreme case of narcissism, but relaxed when she heard somebody calling her name. It was strange, however- she couldn't quite identify the voice, but it wasn't John's.

She tried to pin it to a face, but was frozen as the voice whispered in her ear, "I sincerely hope you didn't lose more brain cells while I was gone, Mai. I thought that at least you of all people would be able to recognize my voice. I guess I overestimated you." Mai turned around with a shriek, and ended up face to face with Oliver Davis. His eyes captivated hers- and she instantly thought back to the day she first met him. She could easily recall the way he scared she and her friends. Michiru and Keiko were instantly all over his pretty face, but she noticed something they didn't- his eyes weren't smiling. But now they were, and she couldn't look away. It was very reminiscent of Gene, only better, because he was Naru. She was in love with the man standing directly in front of her, and it couldn't have been more clear that she would never love anyone else. As she stared into his cobalt eyes, he spoke once more. "You know, Mai, I believe you still owe me an answer."

She was startled out of her reverie by his words, and cocked her head in a request for clarification. An answer to what, exactly? Nothing remains to be said. You broke my heart, idiot. "What is there for me to answer? I told you I liked you, and then you insinuated that I was in love with your dead twin brother." She huffed and turned away, very ready to go back and finish her classwork.

But she stopped when Naru chuckled. "'Insinuated'? That's a big word. Are you sure you know what it means?" When Mai spun around with a death glare on her face, he grabbed her arms to keep her from hitting him, and continued to speak. "If I recall correctly, Mai, I didn't insinuate anything. I did ask you a question, however. And now I want you to answer it. Me? Or Gene?"

Her features fell as he repeated that dangerous phrase, the very phrase that tore her apart. "Naru..." She didn't understand- did he come back to Japan just to get an answer from her? He really shouldn't care that much about her feelings towards him. Unless... "Naru, do you like me?" His reaction was priceless- his jaw dropped like a child getting caught sneaking down late at night for more food. "Ha! I was so right! You like me, you like me," she sang, dancing around his taller figure.

"Mai, just answer the question," he growled as soon as he regained his composure. He wrapped his arms around her moving form, and pulled her close to him. "Me, Mai? Or Gene?"

She giggled, breathless from dancing around so much. "You, of course, you idiot scientist. It was always you. I don't know why you ever thought it would be Gene. I mean, he's dead! Isn't that, like, necrophilia or something?" Naru winced as he recalled that Madoka had said nearly the exact same thing. Mai calmed down as she stood in his arms. "Naru," she started softly, leaning her head against his chest, "why didn't you give me a chance to tell you that before you left?"

Naru remained silent, choosing instead to pull her even tighter against him. A few minutes passed before he finally spoke, releasing the tension he had so carefully held in for 6 months. "I... I was scared. I didn't want to hear you choose him instead of me, and so I decided to not hear you at all. It wasn't until Madoka hit me that I realized how idiotic that was of me." He sighed. In that breath was the fear he had let go, and in the next breath in was the love he had been so desperate to find.

Mai was in shock. The eternally stoic Narcissistic Naru-chan, scared? That was definitely not something she was expecting to hear. She wasn't expecting an answer at all, in fact. To have him admit to being afraid was an act of immeasurable trust, with the knowledge that she was not going to leave him. He had placed his faith in her heart, and that action filled her with incredible joy. She smiled, and gently placed her small hands on each side of his face. "Naru, thank you." She leaned in, and pressed her lips against his. She felt him tense underneath her hands, but as she remained where she was, he relaxed, and then gradually started to respond. Mai smiled into the kiss, and eventually pulled away. That innocent kiss, so sweet and perfect, had changed everything. His smirk after it ended was filled with love instead of superiority, and that look was all she needed to start again with a much more prominent sense of urgency.

Naru felt even more elated than he had been on the way back to Tokyo. As much as he hated being wrong, for once in his life he was grateful to have been so. And for the first time since Gene was killed, Naru smiled. Not a slight one, like he had given Mai once before, but a full on smile, with teeth showing.

The entire SPR family was gathered once more outside of Naru's office. Everything was the same, but for one small detail. This time, their cold boss had joined in the conversation, and not to tell them to be quiet or leave. He had sat down and was talking comfortably with the irregulars, his arm around Mai's shoulders. Naru was quickly caught up on all that had happened since he left- Takigawa had adopted Mai, Mai and Masako were somehow great friends, and Ayako and Takigawa were now dating. It was familiar and (somewhat) safe, with Yasuhara flirting with Takigawa, Takigawa freaking out, and Ayako hitting Takigawa in the head with her purse. Currently, everyone was listening to Lin telling the story of Naru's emotional distress while he was in England.

"And now he's back, and my whole family is back together again," Mai finished for him, grateful to Madoka and Lin for bringing him back to her. She paused, with her fingers resting on her chin, and seemed to have a revelation. "That's it! I knew that sounded familiar!" Her smile was aimed towards Naru with a teasing edge to it. "Hey Naru, remember when we were in the sewer and you explained how you knew I was feeling better again? You said I was depressed, and then I got angry, until I was finally happy again? Well, that's exactly what you went though!" She started giggling, and fell across his lap, sprawled on top of the couch. He looked contemplative at her clever observation, and nodded.

"Hm. I suppose you're correct, Mai. I must have subconsciously mimicked your behavior. You've rubbed off on me. I need to go check if my IQ has lowered any since I've been around you." He flicked her forehead gently, and smiled down at her.

"Naru-bou, I expect you to treat my daughter with all the love and respect she deserves, you got it?" Takigawa threatened with a spark in his expression. He didn't want him to break his jou-chan's heart again, even though it was highly unlikely for that to happen, considering they have everything sorted out now.

"Of course, Takigawa-san. I wouldn't even dream of mistreating her. It would mean you killing me, and then I would have to deal with Gene's nagging all the time. So I think I'd prefer being with Mai." The monk was evidently pleased with this answer, and he sat back in his chair.

Naru looked at the clock, and stood up, pushing Mai off of his lap. "I'm sorry to leave this delightful conversation so soon, but I really must get back to work on the request forms to make this an official branch of the original SPR." He went into his office, and just before he shut himself in, he smirked. "Oh, and Mai?"

"Yes, Naru? What do you need?" She asked, standing up from her position on the couch.

"Tea."

And in that instant, as Mai ranted about how much of an insensitive jerk he was and how you can't just order your girlfriend around like that, Naru, Oliver Davis finally understood the Cycle of Mai.