Chapter 33

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When I awoke Mai was still fast asleep in my arms. I smiled lightly as I looked at her and kissed her temple gently. She stirred slightly. I waited until she was back asleep before carefully getting up. I wrapped the blanket around her then went into the kitchen to start breakfast. Once the food was ready, I wondered if I should wake Mai up. I decided it would be best that I did wake her. She hadn't eaten since some time yesterday. I went over to where she was led on the sofa and gently called her name. After a few times of doing so, I heard her let out a groan.

"Mai, it's time for breakfast." I said to her. She turned to face me and cracked an eye open.

"Tell me what we're having and I'll consider it." She replied cheekily. I was a little surprised by her response considering she hardly spoke yesterday with the events that occurred. I decided not to comment on it though. Maybe she was feeling better after resting or something. I told Mai what I had made before she decided to go back asleep. I felt slightly irritated as I had gone to the trouble of making breakfast only for it to be wasted.

"No...I just don't want that right now. Sorry..." Mai apologized as she scrunched up her nose a bit. I let out a sigh.

"Mai, you need to eat something." I told her. She turned away from me. I frowned at that. "Mai?" She sighed and rolled back over to look at me. She stared at me for a few moments as if debating on something. Her mouth opened for a moment then she closed it again. I reached over and pushed some of her hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Mai, I wish you'd tell me what's wrong." I murmured.

"What's...wrong...?" She questioned, pulling herself up in a sitting position.

"Something is obviously wrong, you're just not yourself at all and that bothers me." I explained. Mai automatically averted her gaze from me. "Please, Mai, I'm begging you to tell me what's wrong."

"I want..." Mai started but paused with tears in her eyes. "I want to tell you...but I just don't know how to or where to start..."

"You can tell me anything." I assured.

"I know that..." She replied, staring directly into my eyes for the first time in a while; I held one of her hands. "I-I've never told anyone before, Naru, so it's hard." She continued. I was confused. If she hadn't told anyone how does he know Mai's big secret? I decided to ask her just that. "Kei... He found out. I didn't tell him..."

"How?" I asked. Mai tilted her head down so her bangs were covering her eyes.

"He wouldn't believe me when I said it wasn't what he was accusing it of being." She whispered vaguely.

"Which was what?" I questioned. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I'll...try and tell you everything, okay?"

I nodded and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Mai sighed heavily before beginning.

"When...I was nine years old, my mom got remarried to this hateful man. But the strange thing...was... was that he was only that way towards me... He actually did love my mom; he never h-hit her like he always did to me..." I could feel my expression darken as she spoke, her words chilling me to the bone. "I would always have bruises, but...but I always made up an excuse for them like...like I walked into a door or I fell over when I was playing. I didn't want anybody to know that I was a bad girl so my step-dad hit me...at least that's what he told me every time he beat me, that I was bad and needed to be punished or I would bring shame to my mom..." Mai tightened the grip on my hand as tears begin to fill her eyes.

"M-My bruises would be so bad sometimes though that Mama wouldn't believe it was just because of my clumsiness... But she just thought it was s-some kids at school doing it... She never accused that man of doing it!"

"So how did Kei find out?" I asked in an effort to try and get her to calm herself a little.

"Kei," She started off again after she wiped her eyes and sniffed. "knew it wasn't the kids at school from the beginning since we were always together there...so he did kind of suspect my step-dad, especially since I had told him I hated that man once before. Kei...accidentally saw my step-dad being rough with me one day. He confronted me about it afterwards. I tried to tell him that he was wrong, but he knew I was lying. I had to beg and plead him not to say anything to anyone though..."

"Why? Mai, you should have said something, you should have screamed it out to the world what was happening."

She shook her head and brought her knees up to her chest. "I couldn't..." She whispered.

"Why not?" I asked.

"He told me I couldn't tell anyone..." Mai let out a strangled whimper. "He said I didn't want to know what he'd do if I did. I didn't know what he'd do, but I couldn't let him hurt Kei or my mom...or anyone else." I wrapped Mai's hand into my own. Why does she always have to care so much about everyone else? Doesn't she know that no one wants to see her hurt either?

"Once Kei had found out we spent a lot more time together... Whether it just be outside or at his house. I didn't really want to go home and he didn't want to see me hurt anymore so...it worked out good. But Kei had to move away two years after that..." She told me quietly, moving around a bit so she could clutch my arm and curl around me.

"What happened then?" I asked.

"Not long after that...my mom got really sick...she was always in the hospital." I could feel my shirt become wet more and more from her tears leaking out. "My step-dad hit me more because he said it was my fault!" I gently rubbed her arm as she continued to speak. "A little over half a year later my mom died... I was left with him! My mom or Kei wasn't there anymore..." I dreaded her answer, but I asked what happened next. "He... He became even worse than before...he never had to worry if my mom would see then. He kept trying to control my every move, telling me what I could and couldn't do. He became so strict; any time I wouldn't do as he said or even if I was a few minutes late from coming home from school, he would beat me..."

My mood was becoming even darker than before with every word she uttered. I felt like ripping this man apart one little piece at a time with my PK in payment for everything he put Mai through. Mai sniffed again before she gave a bitter laugh.

"A few times he even told me I was supposed to marry his very rich friend's son when I turned sixteen." I gritted my teeth in anger at this, I was furious! Mai pulled away from me to wipe her eyes. "A year after my mom died, he just left. I came home from school one day and all of his things were just gone. I don't know where he is, why he left, or even if he's still alive... But I'm just glad he's gone."

I didn't know what to do or say for a minute. "Mai, I swear to you if he is still alive you are and will be protected by SPR. Lin and I will do everything in our power to keep you safe. You'll never have to go through that again." I vowed solemnly.

Mai covered her mouth with her hand when she let out a sob. She slightly shook her head.

"Please don't tell the others about this..."

"Mai. I have to tell Lin. My parents will have to know and he's the one who sends them the reports." I explained. She shook her head more forcefully.

"No! They don't have to know about my step-dad! He has nothing to do with the case!" She cried as tears began to stream down her face again.

"I didn't say it is because of the case. The reason is because the trauma from those events may affect you when you are in the field on a case, much like you have been affected since you were abducted on this case."

"It's never happened before on a case and it's not going to happen again! I'll be fine in a day or two, I promise! Just please, Naru, don't make me regret telling you!" She practically screamed the last part. She had a sorrowful look on her face. I didn't know what to do. I knew I had a duty to report what Mai had told me to Lin in order for him to report it to my parents, but on the other hand I didn't want to betray Mai's trust in me even though I hadn't agreed not to tell yet. I heard her huff in disbelief after a few minutes of my silence.

"I can't believe you..." Mai said, looking away from me. I noticed her lip started to quiver and then she bit it as if to stop from crying again. I blinked.

"Can't believe what?"

"You're hesitating!" She exclaimed as she began to stand up. I put a hand on her arm to stop her.

"I'm sorry, Mai, I just don't know what to do for the best." I apologized.

"What's best is that you don't tell anyone whatsoever, Naru! Who knows what they'd say or do! This happened mostly because—ever since I figured out who Kei was—I've been remembering the past I tried so hard to forget. But I do not regret meeting Kei again." She kept blinking back her tears. "After my step-dad left...I didn't tell anyone...it was a month I tried living on my own before one of my teachers found out and asked me to live with her and her family. When I started high school I started living on my own again, and then I met you and everyone else."

Her tone started to anger me. I understood she was afraid and didn't want to have to remember the horrible things that were done to her in the past, but I was trying to help and also had a duty of care towards anyone I employed on behalf of SPR. Sure I didn't want to share around what she'd told me, but on the other hand if this nasty piece of work was still alive and there was the remotest chance he would come back for Mai, I wanted her to have as much protection from me and Lin and possibly the others as possible.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I know you have to report everything that happens on our cases. I don't care if you say I was kidnapped, I don't mind that, but do you really...have to report my behavior on it?"

"Mai, although I do have to report your behaviour on this case that isn't the only reason I have to tell Lin. I have to because as my parents are the heads of SPR they need to know about their employees backgrounds." I tried to explain again. Mai slightly shook her head as she began to chew on her nails; she stared straight ahead of her as she did so. I could just see the tears forming back in her eyes. I felt so bad. I didn't want to hurt her.

"Maybe...maybe it's better if I go home...and then we can talk more about this when I'm...feeling better..." She suggested after a while. She then made a move to stand up again. Yet again I stopped her. "Naru..." She slightly begged.

I shook my head solemnly. "You heard what the doctor said, Mai. You need to be with someone so they can keep an eye on you."

"...I don't need babysitting."

"I didn't say that, I said keep an eye on which is different." I stated. Mai averted her gaze from me to her lap.

"Naru, okay, look. I'm really sorry, but I just really don't think I need someone to 'keep an eye on me'... I know that's what the doctor said, but five years ago it was much worse than what happened yesterday and I had no one watching me then...so I think I'll be fine..." Mai admitted quietly. You could just tell she was tired and strained—physically, emotionally, and mentally. I yet again didn't know what to do. I just wanted to give up and give in to what she was saying. But I also didn't want her to leave with the way she is right now.

"Mai... I would just feel a lot better knowing you were here with me instead of alone by yourself." I confessed bluntly. That really made her pause. She glanced back up at me. "Please?" I added. She looked like she was thinking about it. Finally she sighed and sat back down.

"Fine…" She whispered.

"Mai, I know you don't want to stay here, but it really will make me feel better." I said. She lifted her legs up to her chest and nodded. She leaned her head against her hand. "Surely it's not that bad having to stay here."

Mai let out a small laugh. "No, it's not."

"So why do you look so upset?" I asked. Although I knew she was still probably still upset with me saying I had to tell Lin and my parents.

"...I'm just really tired and...my head is starting to hurt again..."

I nodded in understanding. "Why don't you lie down and rest a while then? I have some work I can do in my office so I'll only be down the hall if you need me." She eyed me warily when I said I had some work in the office. "It's only some notes from the case. Mostly details about the history of the ghost we encountered." I reassured.

Mai seemed to relax and then nodded. She laid down and closed her eyes. I stood up and kissed her forehead. I then went down the hall to my office. As I plopped down in my chair I sighed heavily. I just sat silently thinking over the situation. It was so complicated. What should I do? I still wasn't sure if I should tell Lin and my parents yet. If I did Mai would be angry and hurt, but she would at least have others looking out for her. If I didn't...well, who knows what would happen?

Although there is no saying that her step-dad will come back. Mai did say that he just left. My question though is why—why would he just leave? That didn't seem right to me, there had to be a reason for it. From the way Mai talked it seemed that, that man enjoyed torturing her. The very thought of it made me furious and my fists clenched in anger.

No matter what I'm going to protect Mai with everything I have from now on. I vow I will, no matter what.

Naruisawesome: Well...there you have it, the last chapter...

Treelow955: *cries* I-It's over!

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