So this is the second to last one-shot I will be doing in the umbrelle verse. I might do another one-shot series thingy if people are interested. Also, after this is completely finished, I'll put them all into one fic, probably (and boringly) called Umbrella Verse. So yes, sadly this is almost over guys, but hey, it's been fun, and there's still one left to go :D

Same as always, don't own, R&R etc blah blah.

Naru sat across from Mai in a small café not far from her apartment, sipping the green tea he had ordered. They had left Mai's apartment to get lunch after spending the morning lying on Mai's floor talking about nothing in particular and kissing. Hunger had driven them up, and they'd decided to go out for lunch, walking to the closest café.

"Ne, Naru," Mai started, catching his attention. She opened her mouth to say something; but shut it again and blushed, falling quiet. "Never mind." She mumbled. Naru raised a brow at her.

"What is it Mai?" he asked, amused at how she blushed so easily. Mai looked at him, biting her lip.

"I was wondering." She started again, breathing deeply before ploughing on. "I mean, I know you said you came back for me and all; that you shouldn't have left. But, well, why?" she stared at him earnestly, still red in the face, but forcing herself not to look down. Naru frowned, that was not what he was expecting, though he'd assumed he'd have to explain himself properly at some point, he just hadn't banked on it being this soon.

"Because I…" he trailed off, thinking deeply. Mai sat patiently, knowing he'd explain as soon as he had it all right in his head. Looking out the window, Naru returned his mind to when he left to return to England. "I certainly felt relieved and even happy to be going home," he said quietly, Mai could only just hear him. "but underneath, for reasons I wasn't sure of, I'd been sad. I realised soon after that, that I hadn't wanted to leave Japan, to leave you. But it was too late then, I'd left and there was nothing to be done about it, my parents wanted me home, and I couldn't bear to leave them so soon after returning. But during my time home I grew listless, spending more time daydreaming of days at SPR than doing my work. Eventually I learned to shove that all away, and I was once again able to continue with my work, but it wasn't the same. England just no longer held the appeal I remembered in my boyhood, especially with Gene gone. However, when my mother informed him of what was happening with You, I realised the mistake I'd made in leaving. So I took the next flight to Japan, and headed straight for you. The rest you know." He finished, his eyes had moved back to her at some point during his speech, but he hadn't even notice it happen. He sat, tense as a cat and waited for her reaction. He was never sure how she'd react to anything he said. When she stayed silent, contemplating he stood, walking around the table to stand next to her. He pulled the nearest chair to him and sat, so his knees where touching her thigh. Watching her face intently, he spoke once more. "It took me a month of being away from you for me to realise that I love you."

This made Mai look at him, startled. She'd figured after that morning that he felt something for her, but she'd never thought it would be love. She searched his face for any sign that he was lying, or at least stretching the truth, but she saw nothing to refute his claims. She felt something roll down her face, and lifted to touch it, she was surprised to find she was crying, but she wasn't sad. She watche3d, half dazed as Naru's face drew closer, and soon they were kissing. Sweet and filled with love, his lips captured hers, telling her everything that he'd been too scared or blind to.

It was nearing midnight and the two teenagers were once again sitting in Mai's apartment. After their time in the café, they'd gone to the nearest park and walked around for hours, talking about old times. Mai had enjoyed it immensely; Naru had laughed, a lot, at all the silly things she recounted from their earlier days of working together. Mai loved the sound of him laughing, properly, laughing. She'd never seen him so happy, or open. When she'd asked him, he said it was because he was happy. Happy he was able to be here without grim thoughts of finding his brothers body hanging over his head. Also being with Mai, finally; after all this time yearning, even if he didn't know he was doing it, it made him happier than he'd been in a long time. When the sun started to set they returned to Mai's place, eating a simple dinner and just enjoying being in each other's company. However, time was getting on, and Naru said he had to leave soon, though he didn't want to. But he'd only been back a day and them together for less than that, so he knew that it would be best if he went to his own home. If only for him to return early the next day, which Mai made him swear to do.

Naru looked at the apartment he'd occupied during his time in Japan. He'd been lucky, the owner of the apartment block had yet to lease it out to someone else, and it had taken barely any persuasion on Naru's part to get the place back. Lin had moved his things back in while Naru had gone to Mai, knowing that the teenager needed to see her, and not spend precious time setting up his small belongings. Upon entering his home, Naru noted that everything was in place how he'd left it, and reminded himself to thank Lin later. Shrugging off his coat and laying it on the back of the couch, he padded over to the kitchen to make tea. Despite the time, he was not tired, too much adrenaline from the day coursed through his veins. While the teakettle boiled, he changed into his pyjamas, a loose fitting shirt and pyjama bottoms. When it was finished, he brought his tea over to the lounge, and drank it while he read over the few cases he'd brought with him from England to go over. His mind quickly drifted back to Mai, and he wondered what she was doing at the moment.

Mai was lying in bed, dozing and smiling as she thought over the day she'd had. She couldn't believe Naru was back, and that he came back for her! He said he loved her! She was giddy; to put it mildly, and soon found herself giggling when she pictured what the others would say when they found out. Thoughts of the others sobered her like cold water to the face. She knew they'd been worried about her this past month, especially with the way she'd behaved. She'd just been so depressed. Her only love had left her, without any real warning, leaving her desolate and alone. She had slowly closed herself off to them, and ignored their attempts to talk and to help, which she knew had hurt them. An image of Masako flashed through her mind, and she recalled what her medium friend had said to her. Anger flooded through her, firing into her veins as she clenched her fists. Some friend! She thought to herself. Saying such terrible things. Tears pricked at her eyes when she remembered the last thing she'd said to her, but then something clicked. In her memory, she paid more attention to what Masako was doing, instead of what she was saying. In her mind's eye she could see such guilt pass through her, even before the words were out of her mouth. Mai had been to out of it to really understand anything other than the words themselves. But now that she was calm, she could hear the way Masako had said it, how she sounded weak as she spoke, like the words hurt her. Not as much as they hurt Mai, but saying them had cost the medium something too. Mai turned it around in her head, her anger slowly ebbing away. When she thought of why the medium had come to her house, and what had resulted after, she realised something. Masako had said it only to get a reaction. All of it was to get Mai to react, to DO something, no matter what that something was. She understood now, Masako had been so desperate to see her friend show some form of life she risked Mai hating her just to bring her back to reality. New appreciation for her friend grew in her heart, but was overtaken as the rest of the day and night played through her mind. Naru was once again the centre of her attention, and she fell asleep like that, dreaming of her narcissistic ex (maybe)-boss. Just as he fell asleep, dreaming of his ex (though not if he got his way)-assistant.

Resounding quietly in both Mai and Naru's rooms, came the quiet, content voice of Gene.

Finally.