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Chapter 16 – Epilogue

The airplane landed smoothly on the black tarmac of the runway. It had arrived exactly on time and two people watched from an observatory window as the passengers disembarked from the plane they had been on for numerous hours.

To the two men, only three of the hundreds of passengers were important. They were quickly spotted even though they blended in perfectly with all the travel-weary passengers and tourists and Lin's eyes brightened but Naru's stayed dull. Not much could get Naru out of his sunken depression, not even Madoka and his parents' arrival made him feel better or interested in his surroundings. He just viewed the world differently now, a life without Mai seemed incomplete now.

All he knew was that early that morning, Lin had come storming in, tossed clothes at him and told him to hurry and get up. It had taken ten minutes as he got ready for him to remember that he was to go to the airport. Actually, he was implied that he had a choice in the matter, Naru thought disgusted, he was forced to go. If he had had his way he would have… have what? Stayed in the recluse library like he had for the last month? He doubted that he would have? At first the silence had been a blessing for him to sort out his thoughts but then it had seemed to press down on him.

Nothing seemed to interest him anymore.

To people on the outside it seemed that Naru was no longer with them. When they called his name, he no longer answered, when he glanced at them his eyes stayed dull and no recognition flashed through them. He no longer responded to taunts of any kind and even Lin couldn't get a word out of him.

Even a hug from his mother didn't bring him out of his head and as she stared into her son's lifeless eyes something within her heart shattered. It wasn't right for a parent to see their child so broken. It wasn't meant to be that way.

"Noll," she stared at him speculatively before glancing back at Martin for reassurance, "Are you listening to me?"

No reply.

She wrapped her arm comfortingly around his shoulder as they departed from the airport, "When's the memorial service?" she asked Lin.

Due to the fact that Mai's body had been missing there had been a large scale search but nothing had been revealed. The search had gone on for a week but had eventually been called off. Due to the fact that there was no body no funeral service could take place.

"Tomorrow morning," Lin replied gruffly as he gestured everyone to get in the car.

Naru sat in the front seat of the car staring at his window reflection while ignoring everyone's attempts to speak to him.

"You really are quite a mess Noll," a softer voice said in his head.

"What do you expect? Me to be happy and smiling?" his voice held a sneer but his face stayed impassive as usual.

"No but you could at least let your grief out instead of bottling it up. If you don't watch it, mum will send you back to that Psychiatrist Linda," Gene smiled in the reflection before saying sarcastically, "You know the one you love so much, who insisted you needed fluffy toy animals as a child instead of disturbing ghost stories!" Naru scowled at the thought of that overly bright enthusiastic women who he very much disliked.

The car practically stopped as Lin noticed the first emotion to cross Naru's face in a while, severe annoyance, before it receded again.

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Lin brought them back to the house they had been living in for the last few years and brought in everyone's suitcases.

As they entered the house Naru immediately went to his room and shut the door firmly behind him in a gesture that obviously meant do not disturb me.

"Has he been this way since that girl's death?" Martin asked anxiously staring after his son. Out of the two twins, Gene had always been the more sociable one but Naru would always have been polite enough to stay for ten minutes before going about his business, he never brushed off company so rudely before.

"Pretty much," Lin sighed as he took a drink of tea that Madoka had made, "Ever since we found him under the debris he hasn't really spoken much. Only to convey that we wouldn't find her body. He hasn't said what happened before we found him though," Lin sighed helplessly, "I don't know what's running through his head anymore,"

"It's ok Koujo," Masako smiled gently as she sat down beside him and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Lin tell me about this Taniyama Mai," Luella said quietly, "I think I would have liked her!"

Naru smiled as he slid down the wall beside his door. There was no doubt about it, he thought, if mum and Mai had met, they would have been as thick as thieves.

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"Naru," Luella called rapping at his door before entering, "Here's your freshly ironed white shirt," she held it out to him and he wordlessly took it from her and put it on.

Luella walked to the door before pausing, "Naru," she stopped and decided against it before heading out the door. If he wanted to talk about it, he would.

A sigh escaped from behind her, "What is it mother?" the voice sounded emotionless and she turned to stare at her son who was shrugging on his black jacket.

"Where's your engagement ring?" she spoke softly and watched him freeze before he stared at her with grief flickering through his eyes.

"Naru," Luella walked to her son, "It's ok to let it out you know. From what Lin told me about Mai she wouldn't have wanted you to cut yourself off from everybody," she gave him a brief hug before walking into the guest room they were staying in and closed the door so she could get changed.

"Another employee funeral to attend," Martin said fixing his tie as he came out of the ensuite looking incredibly uncomfortable in his funeral attire.

"Not just an employee dear. She would have been our daughter-in-law given the chance," Luella paused, figuring that her chance of ever having grandchildren was looking bleak now and she wondered how many more losses the family would have to take before everything would work out in the end.

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"Today we are gathered to celebrate the life of Taniyama Mai. A close friend, a colleague and a good student," John said wiping away his tears as he stared at the crowd gathered on the cold day.

Everyone at SPR was there and seated in the front row along with Kimi and Kai. All of Mai's high school and University friends were there as well as neighbours and teachers.

She was kind, caring and selfless. Her smile was a blessing to see and freely given to everyone. She wasn't afraid to speak her mind and was truly one of God's children,"

Naru sat staring at the ex-priest and although he truly described her, his words didn't do her enough justice. It wasn't just her lips that smiled but her eyes as well.

"Naru," Gene spoke in his head like he had been doing so often over the last month, "This conversation has to be quick but go the lake," there was no further explanation to this statement and Naru knew he probably wouldn't get one.

Wondering what Gene was up to Naru stood up and walked out of the small packed chapel, not looking back.

Out in the cold air he paused before taking brisk purposeful strides to the park opposite, which if he remembered faintly had a lake which must be the one that Gene was talking about.

He walked into the centre of the park quickly. The lake was small and clear, and as he stood by the waterside staring at his reflection he saw Gene wink at him before disappearing.

What on earth was going on? Naru queried, surely if Gene wished to talk he wouldn't just vanish on him! But then his brother had always been weird like that, Naru reasoned slightly before turning away from the water to return to the chapel. If his brother wanted to speak to him, he could do it later.

"Naru," that voice calling his name almost had him tripping over his feet to turn around quickly enough.

Standing on the water's surface she smiled at him slightly, "The afterlife's not so bad Naru," she laughed at his shocked expression, "But soon after I realised there was something I left unsaid to you,"

He gazed at his fiancée in shock thinking that she was actually alive before he realised that in the light he could see through her. Mai was wearing the same clothes she'd died in. A pair of denim skinny jeans, green top with a purple jacket but he was relieved to see they weren't torn or bloodstained like they had been the last time he saw her.

For once in his life he was actually speechless.

"Naru, I don't like the way you've been acting towards everyone. I'm pretty sure you weren't brought up with bad manners," she said reprovingly and he almost laughed when she had that familiar stubborn expression on her face, "I don't like your attitude so as soon as we're done talking I want you to apologise to everyone. Are we clear?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly while she waited for his reply.

"Yeah, but it's just so hard," he smiled slightly as he noticed the tears running down her face before he himself was blinded by them.

"Well tough. Life's supposed to be hard Naru. And if you arrive before your time I'm kicking your ass," she said threatening him before allowing a smile to grace her face, "One last thing. I haven't said it to you in five years, I love you Naru but I still want you to move on. I'm not the only girl in the world. Meet someone new and try not to scare them away,"

"As if Mai and you didn't have to come back to say all that. I already knew it you idiot," he said staring at her impassively.

"Bah! You still make my blood boil," she yelled at him shaking her fist.

"What blood Mai?" Naru raised one of his eyebrows sceptically, "You're dead!"

"Why you jerk. Just you wait, I'll get you back for that," she muttered to herself something about haunting the damn narcissist before glancing behind him with a smile and bowed.

She walked towards him with a sad smile and before she stepped off the water to him she whispered goodbye. When her feet touched the ground she disappeared but Naru could swear that he could smell lavender.

He heard footsteps approaching him and he had no doubt in his mind who had followed him from the chapel.

"Was that Mai?" his mother asked staring uncertainly at him as he stepped away from the water yet again.

"Honestly mother, who else would it be? You're nearly as bad as she was," he said dryly as he walked past her and back up the embankment.

Luella smiled brightly as she watched her son's retreating back. So it was true, that girl could work miracles were Naru was concerned.

She turned to the lake and bowed back, "Thank you," she murmured and she could have sworn she heard laughter.

Whew, finally done. To confirm: mai is dead but Naru being moody was keeping her from moving on peacefully. Yet again not so good with sad scenes but hey, I can only improve from here on out.

I'd just like to thank everyone who has stuck with me while writing this story. Don't think I would have done it without you guys. Special thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter and made it possible for this story to be over 100 reviews. YAY

Oh before I forget thanks to girlX901, I'm getting help on the tarot cards thing. Sheesh it is so confusing. Apparently I'm after oracle tarot cards or such. So thank you. :)

I think thats about it. Oh wait, it's not. I'm thinking of a sequel and I have a chapter written in my notebook but I'm thinking of changing it so... don't be waiting for a sequel anytime soon but knowing me it could be published next week. God knows!

Well goodbye and now I can finally concentrate on my other fanfics. Oh!!!! I get to press the complete button for this story now. YAY I'm so excited. LOL :) BYE