Fatal Fury Fan Fiction ❯ Fatal Fury - The Vengeful Spirits ❯ Chapter Ten - Hearts Entwined ( Chapter 11 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

 

 

All characters are the property of SNK/Playmore. I don't own them, the video games or the anime. “Mad About You” is written by Paula Jean Brown, James Whelan, and Mitchel Young Evans, and was originally the copyright of IRS Records. I'm posting this fic for free, and make no money off of it.

 

NOTE: This is one of those chapters where I reference my other Fatal Fury fanfics quite a bit. So you may want to check those out for context, if you haven't already done so. Yeah, I'm blowing my own horn. But I'm still high on the positive reviews.

 

Also, thanks again to fic writer RenkonNairu. You influenced a small part of this chapter, as well (you'll probably spot it when you come to it).

Chapter Ten: Hearts Entwined

 

Joe Higashi did not consider himself skilled in relationship matters. He knew plenty about women, or liked to think he did, and knew even more about how to pick them up. But he also knew his limitations, and knew that he was just a player, albeit a very good one, but a player nonetheless. He was no stranger to the opposite sex, but he had yet to be in a serious, committed relationship that lasted longer than a month or two. At this point in his life, he was still young, and just interested in having fun before he settled down.

But despite his lack of experience in actual monogamous relationships, Joe could tell that something was wrong. Usually when he sparred with Andy Bogard, their matches could go on for quite a while, and more often than not ended with Joe getting knocked on his ass by his friend. Now, however, Joe had just knocked Andy down for the third time in under ten minutes.

The blond man sat on the canvas of the ring, making no move to get up. After a moment, Joe walked over to him and extended his hand. “Andy, you feeling okay tonight?” He asked. “I can't remember the last time I've beaten you this easily.”

Andy's blue eyes looked far away as he accepted the kickboxer's hand and was pulled to his feet. “I'm fine,” he said. “I think maybe I should just stick to basic exercises for now.” He stepped out of the ring, made his way over to another part of the gym, and started to rhythmically hammer one of the heavy punching bags with the palms of his hands. Andy's jaw was clenched, his brow furrowed in determination, as if there was nothing in the world at that moment but him and the bag.

After watching him for several minutes, Joe made his way over to Andy's side. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Joe asked his friend.

Andy stopped hitting the bag, grabbed a towel from the rack sitting alongside it, and took a moment to wipe his face off. “Sure,” he said.

The two of them sat down on one of the empty benches, and for a moment, Joe looked down at the floor. Then he cleared his throat. “Andy, you know how I feel about Mai,” he said. “I try to put up with her for your sake, since it's obvious she's not going anywhere. That's why no one is more surprised than me when I say that today, I'm on her side.”

Andy said nothing, so Joe continued: “I mean, lying to her to keep her out of a potential fight... that was pretty messed up. Ever since that whole thing with the Armor of Mars... I dunno, I always figured that when stuff like this happened, the four of us... you, me, Terry and Mai... would always fight it as a team. My own personal feelings about your girlfriend aside, she's good in a fight.”

Andy nodded slowly. “You're right,” he said. “But this is like nothing she's ever faced. The God of War nearly killed all of us, but... he was still no Geese Howard. There's only one Geese Howard, and you and I both know what he's like.”

Joe thought back for a minute to his earlier conversation with Mai in the library. “Andy, I don't know why Lily's death upsets you so much. It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But... Mai is a big girl. And hopefully you remember that she is a trained ninja. I mean, you both had the same sensei. I think she knew what she was signing up for that night in the dojo when she said she was coming with us. And if she doesn't, maybe you should tell her.”

Andy said nothing, he simply resumed staring at the floor. After a moment, he felt Joe's hand on his shoulder.

“I was an only child, Andy,” said Joe, his voice suddenly very serious, a tone that Andy was not used to hearing in him. He turned his head slightly to face his friend. “You and Terry... well, you've become like the brothers I never had.” He shrugged, then. “Which I guess would make Mai the annoying little sister I never had. What I'm trying to say is that... I really like being part of a team. It feels almost like a family. I hope that you can fix this.”

“Me too,” said Andy, and flashed a weak smile. Joe gave him a pat on his shoulder, then rose and walked out of the gym. Andy sat there for a long time, lost in thought, before he got up and resumed exercising.

Mai Shiranui found a stool in a relatively empty expanse of the bar and took her seat. She turned slightly, and looked out over the tables in the hotel's restaurant. The only face she saw that she recognized was Terry's friend Kim Kaphwan, who was eating dinner with his wife and two sons.

Here for the tournament, no doubt, she thought. He looks recovered from his last fight. And my God, his boys have grown! I don't think it's even been a year since I saw them last. Mai would normally love an opportunity to chat with them, if only for an excuse to hold one of Kim's boys, but they were eating dinner, and also she didn't feel like socializing right now.

She turned back towards the bar and picked up a drink menu. Music was playing from speakers in the restaurant's ceiling, and as Mai glanced over the menu, she half-listened to the song being piped in:

 

I'm mad about you
You're mad about me babe
Couple of fools run wild aren't we
Pushing the day into the nighttime
Somewhere between the two
We start to see

Mad about you (I'm mad about you)
Lost in your eyes (Reason aside)
Mad about love (Mad about you)
You and I

Something 'bout you
Right here beside me
Touches the touched part of me like I can't believe
Pushing the night into the daytime
Watching the sky's first light
While the city sleeps...

 

Mai found herself swaying almost dreamlike to the music. Usually, she would feel like getting up and dancing to a song like this, but tonight, it reminded her too much of Andy. Yes, she was angry at him for lying to her, but more than that, she was scared. Andy had finally been starting to really let her into his world, and now it felt like he was slipping away from her again. She still didn't know his real feelings, had never known them. What if he slipped too far away, and this time, she didn't get him back?

Mai took a deep, calming breath. Calm down, girl, she told herself. You know that you love him. Your love will see you through. Now, more than ever, you have to believe that.

“Have you made up your mind, miss?” Mai's thoughts were interrupted by the bartender's question.

Mai glanced quickly over the wines available, saw that they did not seem to have any sake. Not that she was expecting them to. “Do you have any pink wines?” She asked the bartender. “I'll take a glass of whatever you have open, if it's under five bucks.”

“Right away, miss,” the bartender said with a nod. He produced a half-empty bottle of rosé from a fridge under the bar, pulled out the stopper, and started to pour. Mai glanced at the label on the bottle, and noticed a familiar figure on it.

Isn't that... She thought to herself. She looked closer at the man on the label. Yes, thick black hair and beard, square jaw, red cape about his shoulders... after Germany, Mai would always recognize Laurence Blood instantly.

“You're kidding,” she said out loud. “That's where he went after his boss died?”

“It's just booze, Princess,” Mai heard Mary Ryan's voice behind her. “You don't need to be that attached to it.” The detective stepped up to the bar and took the stool next to Mai. “It all comes out the same in the end.”

“Yeah, I know,” Mai explained as she accepted the full glass from the bartender. “I was just thinking out loud about what a small world this is, that's all.”

“That's what they say,” Mary said with a nod.

The bartender's gaze continued to linger on Mai, or rather a certain part of her, until Mary rapped her fist on the bar, making him jump. “Yes, what can I get you, miss?” He asked quickly.

“Know how to make a Blue Mary?” Mary asked him.

When the bartender shook his head, Mary motioned him closer with her finger. She then leaned across the bar, and whispered in his ear, too low for Mai to hear what was being said.

After a moment, the bartender raised his eyebrows. “You're sure, miss? Some of those things don't sound like they mix.”

“Did I stutter?” Mary asked as she fixed him with her flawless poker face.

The bartender blushed and shook his head. “You... you're the customer, miss. I'll have it ready in a sec.”

“What is a Blue Mary?” Mai asked as the bartender worked, genuinely curious. “I've never heard of that one.”

Mary shrugged. “Long story.”

Mai raised her hand slightly, indicating the full wine glass. “I have nowhere to be.”

So Mary explained the origins of the drink to Mai, the same way she'd explained it to Terry that night in the Pao Pao. By the time Mary was finished, the bartender had set the brimming martini glass down in front of her.

“This stays between you and me,” Mary explained to the bartender. “Your tip depends on it. Anyone else asks about this drink, you've never heard of it. Got it?”

“Yes, ma'am,” the bartender said with a nod, and then moved down towards the other end of the bar, glad to be getting away from the two women.

Mary raised the glass to her lips, and Mai couldn't help but emit a small squeak as she saw the liquid change colors. “Do... do you mind if I take a sip?” She asked Mary.

Mary made that attempt at a smirk that she liked to make, and slid the glass towards Mai. “If you can name even one ingredient in there, your next round is on me,” she said.

Mai took a small sip from the glass, swirled the liquid in her mouth... and found that she couldn't think of a single thing that might be in it. First it was sweet, then it was bitter, then sweet again as she pushed it to the back of her throat (only now with a bit of spice). Hints of raspberry were just as quickly replaced by hints of marshmallow, which themselves were replaced by hints of orange peel, then juniper berry, then licorice. First, they were distinct, separate, then suddenly Mai tasted them all at once. Finally, the last lingering drop of the elixir on her tongue went back to raspberry.

Mai shook her head. “I admit defeat,” she said, and slid the glass back towards Mary, whose smirk had gotten bigger.

“Don't feel bad,” Mary told her as she took the glass back. “No one's ever been able to guess anything.” She raised her glass in Mai's direction. “But here's to trying.”

Mai clinked her glass against Mary's, then swirled the wine in it and took a sip. Wow, she thought. That's actually really good. Of course, it's not good enough to stop me from challenging Blood to a rematch if I ever see him again.

“Must be some really good wine,” said Mary, noticing the look on Mai's face.

“It's a long story,” said Mai.

“I have nowhere to be,” Mary fired back.

So Mai wound up telling her all about the trip she and Andy had taken to Germany, back when Krauser was alive. When Mai was done, Mary shook her head. “If I ever needed to be rescued, I don't know if I could live with myself after that,” she remarked.

“Well, getting captured wasn't pleasant,” Mai said. “But I kind of liked the rescue. I had read about it all the time in my romance novels, the woman being rescued by the man she loves after he's beaten her captors to a pulp, then he carries her off in his arms. I don't know if I'd ever want to do it again, but it was nice to experience that just once in my life.”

“I'll take your word for it,” Mary said with a shrug.

“Some other nice things came out of it, though,” Mai continued. “Andy and I have known each other a long time, and I've known since High School that I was in love with him. But I could never figure out what his own feelings were, if he only saw me as a childhood pal or something more than that. His rescuing me helped him to realize that he likes me as more than a friend.”

“Hm,” Mary said with a nod, clearly losing interest in the conversation.

“Of course,” Mai added quickly, having picked up on what Mary was into. “Another perk was that it eventually helped me to see that I was getting out of practice.”

That caught Mary's attention. “How so?” The blond woman asked.

“Well,” Mai explained. “There was a period where Andy was gone for a year, first to come here and fight Geese, and then off on a training journey. While he was away, I stuck to my exercise routines pretty religiously. When Andy got back, I spent too much time following him around, and not enough time on training. I think it showed in Germany. I lost to Blood too quickly. My fault, I made a stupid beginner's mistake. Had I been more focused, I'd have heard him sneaking up behind me before he got close enough to grab me.

“And then later on, Andy and I had go to China on a completely different matter, and I got in another fight there that definitely could have, and should have gone a lot better for me. But Germany is where the problem started. Since Andy and I got back to Japan, though, I've managed to get back into my old training routines, and stick to them, and today I noticed a difference. I think it's actually helped my relationship with Andy, too. On the days when he's at the Shiranui dojo, he and I usually practice together, which is easy. We've both studied the same arts since we were kids.”

“Where is Romeo, anyway?” Mary asked her. “The way his brother described it, I thought you two were joined at the hip. Haven't seen much of that since I met you.”

Mai took a sip of wine. “We're having a fight,” she said simply.

Mary chose to keep her opinions on relationships to herself, and instead she merely said: “I see.”

Mai shrugged. “It's funny. Several months ago, Andy and I were involved in something that... had a big effect on both of us.”

Mary nodded. “The Dead Sea Incident? I heard about it.”

“What you might not have heard,” Mai went on, “is that we lost someone close to all of us, especially to Terry. It... made Andy want to act more like what he called 'a real boyfriend' around me. He's been doing really well, which is no surprise, he's always been extremely dedicated when he fixes his mind on a goal. I told him recently that I felt like we've been a real couple these last few months. And real couples fight sometimes. So I guess we were overdue for one.”

Mary nodded, and sipped her cocktail.

“Something about having to come back here and face Geese Howard again has really gotten to him,” Mai went on. “He didn't want me to come here with him, and he's refusing to tell me what's bothering him. Then today, he lied to me to try and keep me from going with them to the mansion. That's why we're fighting. When he's ready, though, I'm sure he'll tell me what's wrong. It doesn't matter how big the problem is, if the love we have is real, I believe that love will see us through.”

Mary snorted at that. “I really don't get you, Princess,” she said.

“You can call me Mai, you know,” the ninja girl said, her brow furrowed in annoyance. “Don't be so afraid to try using first names.”

“What's the point?” Asked Mary. “People know that I'm talking to them, regardless of whether I use their first name or not.”

“First names are personal,” Mai pointed out. “Could it be you avoid them because you don't want to get attached?”

Mary sat up a little. “How the hell could you know anything about me? We just met yesterday.”

Mai sipped her wine. “I've seen it before. Andy was the same way, when I first met him, always trying to control his emotions, keep people from getting in. I feel like his brother has also been doing a lot of that lately, ever since what happened in the Dead Sea. You have that in common with Terry. Maybe that's why he likes you.” Mai took another sip of wine and thought: I've had this conversation before, haven't I? Though last time, it was a bit more pleasant.

Mary gazed at her for a moment, keeping her green eyes neutral. “He does not like me.”

Mai shook her head, gave the blond woman a smirk. “I think he does. I can see it in his eyes when he talks to you, or talks about you. Plus I watched you two sparring last night for a little bit. I saw how you looked at each other, then. I've always been good at reading people.”

“I'm a detective, Princess,” Mary said defensively. “I can read people, too. And I can tell you that Terry Bogard definitely does not like me.”

“Maybe you can't see it because you're reading him with your eyes,” said Mai. “Try reading him with your heart.” She shrugged. “Or it's entirely possible that you just don't want to see it. Because I think you like him too.”

Mary snorted again. “See, this is why I don't get you. You're a ninja. You know that we live violent, dangerous lives where friends, family, lovers... any one of them could die at any minute. I don't see how anyone could live a life like that and still believe in all this hopeless romantic shit.”

“I don't see how people with lives like ours couldn't believe in it,” Mai said, and took another sip of her wine.

Mary eyed her suspiciously. “What are you talking about?”

“You're right, Mary,” Mai explained. “I am a hopeless romantic. But that's because I need to believe in love. I need to believe in it because our lives are so violent. If all we had to live for was fighting, then I wouldn't want to live. Because you wouldn't really be living. You'd only be existing. Surviving. There's no meaning to a life like that. It's the bonds of love that give my life meaning, to know that I'm fighting for something more than just myself. So I choose to fight with love in my heart, and the hope that maybe one day, I can have a peaceful life with the man that I want to marry.”

Mai glanced over at Mary, saw that the blond woman was slowly running her hand up and down the sleeve of her green jacket, a faraway look in her eyes. “What if you lose him before that happens?” Mary said softly. “Was knowing him worth the pain that you're left with?” For a moment, Mai saw a small gleam in the corner of Mary's eye. Then the detective composed herself again, downed the rest of her drink, and tapped the empty glass against the bar. “Can I get another?” She shouted to the bartender.

Mai was silent until the bartender had set another cocktail in front of Mary. Then, the kunoichi turned and said: “You were in love once. With the man who gave you that jacket.”

Mary stared at her suspiciously. “Who told you?”

“No one,” Mai answered. “Like I said, I'm good at reading people with my heart.”

Mary picked up her drink and sipped it. “Well, you're right. But what does it matter now? He's gone, and I'm still here. And that's the way it is.”

“To answer your question from earlier,” Mai said. “Yes, I could lose Andy or anyone else in my life at any moment. And yes, it would hurt to lose them. It would probably hurt more than I can imagine. But it would still be worth it, to know that they touched my life in some way while they were here. Not a day goes by that I don't miss my grandfather. But I try to remember all the happy times I had with him, and everything that he taught me. As long as you remember those things, the people you love are never really gone. They'll always be a part of you. I would only regret the things I never said to them while they were still here. I would never regret having known them.”

The detective had been drinking her second Blue Mary a little faster than the first, as it was already half gone. “Maybe that's another reason Terry feels something for you,” said Mai after a long silence. “He knows what you're going through.”

Mary turned suddenly. “It was Lily, right? I saw her picture in Terry's file. When I first met him, I... recited off to him most of what I read in the file, but I chose to leave her name out. I didn't know why at the time, maybe I felt some sympathy for him without even realizing it. But there was another girl, too. I saw her picture in his wallet. She wasn't in the file. Is she the one you mentioned earlier?”

Mai nodded. “It's not my place to say any more. I love gossip as much as the next girl, but even I consider that off limits. If you want to know the whole story, you should ask Terry.”

“Maybe I will.” Mary finished her drink and got up from her seat.

“Was he one in a million?” Mai asked her suddenly.

“What?” Mary said, confused.

“The man who gave you your jacket,” said Mai. “Was he one in a million?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“A very simple one.”

Mary's green eyes once more took on that look like she was somewhere else. After a moment, she softly answered: “His name was Butch. And he was one in a billion.”

Mai nodded. “I have just one more question, and you don't have to answer it now. Do you think Butch would have wanted you to live, or simply exist?”

Mary stood there for a long while, not speaking. Then, she found her wallet, and dropped some money on the bar. “It... was nice talking to you, Mai,” she said absently.

“You too, Mary. I hope you find what you're looking for. I mean that.” Mai raised her glass as the blond woman walked away, in the direction of the elevators. After she was gone from sight, Mai motioned to the bartender for a refill.

After his workout was finished, Andy went up to his and Mai's room and knocked on the door. He got no answer, so he knew it was safe to go in. He grabbed a shower, then put on a clean pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He left the room after getting dressed, with no clear idea of where he was going, and soon found himself on the roof of the hotel again.

The railing he stood in front of this time gave him a view of the beach. It was evening, and the sun would be setting soon. The sunlight sparkled on the waves, but the tranquility of the scene was lost on Andy. He found himself thinking only about Mai.

He thought about what happened earlier in the Hughes Mansion. He had been so hell-bent on getting to Mai, he had lost focus on his own opponent, and had nearly paid for that with his life. Which made it all the more ironic that Mai had saved him. Not only that, but she hadn't even needed his help in the first place.

He remembered what Joe had said downstairs: Mai is a big girl... a trained ninja... you both had the same sensei. Andy nodded to himself, recalling that Mai had trained with Hanzo even longer than Andy had. Suddenly, the younger Bogard found himself feeling very stupid, that he'd spent so much time lately worrying about her.

So he thought of something else: that feeling that had come over him after Mai had knocked Billy unconscious. How his gaze couldn't help but linger on her for a few seconds after that, noting the calculating look on her face as she'd scanned the room for her next target.

Mai usually gave him that feeling, when he saw her fight. Andy remembered Jerusalem, their battle with Panni and Hauer. How he had watched, mesmerized, unable to take his eyes off Mai as the kunoichi had defeated Panni with her Super Deadly Ninja Bee attack. Her grace, her precision, the way her long red hair whipped in the breeze created by her psychokinetic flames, the way that her eyes, her face had come alive with the thrill of battle. In that moment, Mai had never looked more beautiful. It was one of the reasons Andy had felt the uncontrollable urge to kiss her after their opponents had been dealt with.

When he and Mai had begun sparring together again after Andy had taken back his old room in Hanzo's dojo, Mai had beaten him rather easily the first few times they had practiced, because Andy usually found himself distracted by her: how she moved, the way she wielded her fans with the poise and sensuality of a dancer, combined with the accuracy of an assassin; the way her large, perky breasts would bounce ever so slightly beneath the flimsy fabric of her uniform every time her feet hit the tatami mats; the way the tails on the back of her outfit just barely covered her shapely, thong-clad backside.

Andy found that he always needed to use more focus than usual when sparring with Mai. He was aware that as a kunoichi, Mai had learned to use sensuality to distract her opponents. But what Andy felt when he saw her fight... he didn't think that was mere distraction. It was something else, a warmer feeling deep inside of him. Could it be...?

He turned away from the railing and went back downstairs. He had no idea what was compelling him, but he soon found himself outside the door to Terry's room. He stood there for several minutes, hesitating, before he finally knocked.

Terry opened the door wearing only his jeans and a white tank top, having shed his cap and his jacket. He looked surprised to see Andy, but he lost that look rather quickly. “Andy, can we spar another night?” He asked. “I'm not trying to pussy out on you, I'm just... really not in the mood right now.”

“I didn't come here for that,” said Andy. “I was hoping that I could talk to you.”

For a moment, Terry's eyes came open. It wasn't like Andy to come to him for advice. “Sure,” he finally managed to say. “Come on in.”

“Thanks,” Andy entered the room and sat down in one of the chairs over by the desk. For a few moments, Terry just watched as Andy sat there, wringing his hands together nervously.

“You hungry?” Terry finally asked, trying to ease the tension. “I was thinking of ordering some pizza.”

Andy shook his head. “I'm not hungry, but thanks,” he said. “Terry, I really feel guilty asking you this question, but I don't know who else to ask.” Terry simply nodded, so Andy went on: “How... how do you know if you love someone?”

To Andy's surprise, the elder Bogard started to laugh. “Really? You mean you haven't figured out you're in love with Mai?” It had not been the reaction Andy was expecting, so he said nothing. “Andy,” Terry continued with a shake of his head. “I think it's obvious to everyone but you. I've seen how you look at her when she isn't looking at you. And don't take this the wrong way, Andy, I think she's a great person, but you and I both know she can be pretty tenacious. I can name plenty of guys who would run for the hills if their girlfriend was as clingy, or as chatty as Mai. But you've always stood by her and put up with it, usually without saying a word. And today... well, lying to her like that wasn't cool, and although this doesn't excuse what you did, I know why you did it.”

Andy nodded. “Yeah. I was afraid something would happen to her.”

Terry shook his head. “Well, you wouldn't have done that if you didn't feel something for her. I can see why you might be confused by what you're feeling, Andy. Dad was killed before we were old enough for him to give us 'the talk,' and I'm going to assume that none of the adults in Mai's household ever gave you the talk either, when you were growing up in Japan?”

Andy actually found himself chuckling a little, once more amazed at his brother's insight. “No, they didn't,” he affirmed.

“Andy, being in love is not something you know, because it isn't a thought.” Terry tapped two fingers against his own breastbone. “It's a feeling that comes from in here. A feeling they give you that no other person does. But that feeling is different for everyone. I can tell you how Lily and Sulia made me feel, but I can't tell you what that should feel like for you, because I've never seen Mai as anything except a friend. And a potential sister-in-law. You've gotta look inside yourself, bro. How does she make you feel? And is there anyone else in the world who makes you feel the same way?”

Andy didn't respond. Instead, he found himself thinking about Mai. He remembered high school with her, how she could turn every boy's head after puberty had started to bestow its gifts upon her, but she'd only had eyes for Andy. He remembered how she would sit in the cafeteria or at recess while another boy hit on her, that crafty smile on her lips, treating it almost like a game, waiting for just the right moment to shoot them down with her trademark: “But... you're not as cute as Andy.” Part of him found it embarrassing, but he realized now that deep inside, it had also made him feel special. Which was why he chose to feel embarrassed.

I'm the only man she's ever had eyes for. And honestly, I don't think I've ever looked at another woman the way I've looked at her.

He remembered the night he had been practicing his katas by the pond (he must have been about sixteen), when he heard a noise and went to investigate. He'd seen Mai swimming naked in the pond, and despite every fiber of his being telling him it was wrong, he could not stop looking at her. He remembered Mai's revelation to him years later that she knew he was peeping on him, which was why she had never said anything. He wondered now if that was why Mai had spent so much time that night standing knee deep in the shallows, turning slowly around while repeatedly pouring buckets of water over herself.

He remembered his seventeenth birthday, when Mai cooked him spaghetti and natto for dinner, even though she didn't touch a single bite of it, and instead had cooked something different for her and Hanzo. He remembered how that made him want to try and cook for her a few weeks later, though he somehow managed to dirty every dish in the kitchen making just one batch of sweet bean buns, and he'd also burned the buns until they were black all the way through. But he also remembered how Mai's eyes had lit up like a Christmas tree because he had tried to make dessert for her, and how she had helped him clean up afterwards.

He remembered that day on the raft when he had gotten back to Japan, how Mai had angrily confronted him. Despite how furious she was at him, she had still looked so bewitching (and Andy could swear that her bust size had increased by another inch or two in the year he'd been gone). He remembered Germany, the hot anger surging through his veins as Laurence Blood calmly stated he'd punished Mai for overstepping her bounds, how Andy had beaten him so viciously because he was afraid of what that might have meant, and finally the relief that washed over him when Mai dropped into his arms, and Andy saw that she was all right.

He remembered the first time he had ever seen Mai sleep, how peaceful and angelic she looked. How it had helped him see a new side of her, a side that he'd wanted to see more of. He remembered his realization, then, that Mai was more than just his friend.

He remembered how their relationship had been in the last eight months, how sometimes when he was training at the Yamada dojo, Mai would surprise him by showing up with bento boxes she had made, and the two would have a picnic after Andy was done practicing for the day. How sometimes, after a hard day of practice at the Shiranui dojo, Mai would sit behind him on the couch in the reading room, massaging his neck and shoulders while she talked about her day. She gave an extremely good massage, so Andy usually only heard half of what she said, but he realized now that he just liked listening to her voice in his ear. That relaxed him more than her touch.

Some nights, they had lain side by side on a blanket in the courtyard and watched the stars. Mai loved stargazing, and had some knowledge of the constellations. She pointed several of them out to Andy, and Andy always thought they never looked like their names, but again, he just loved to hear the enthusiasm in Mai's voice.

He remembered the night of Hanzo's burial, holding Mai as she finally allowed herself to express her grief, Mai telling him afterwards the reason she had said it wasn't fair, Andy being amazed that she could still care so much about others despite her own loss. He realized now that although he missed Hanzo as well, the main reason he had been so sad was because Mai had been so sad.

He also realized, thinking back over everything Mai had done for him, that he didn't like having her there to do these things. He simply liked having her there. Maybe that was why he left the dojo three years ago without saying goodbye. He knew if he had said goodbye to her, Mai would have asked to come with him, and even then, just as now, he had been afraid of something happening to her. Because he liked having her there. That feeling she gave him...

Andy started, then, as the realization struck him like a fist. I love her, he thought. I love Mai Shiranui. It felt a little strange for him to be using those words together in a sentence, but even more than that, it felt right.

He didn't know how long he'd been sitting there, remembering. But Terry finally snapped him out of his reverie. “I'm no mind-reader, Andy,” he said. “But judging by the look on your face, I think you may have answered your own question.”

Andy smiled. “Yeah... yeah, I think I have.”

“Then why are you still here?” Terry jerked his thumb at the door. “She's out there, man. Go find her. Tell her how you feel.”

“Right.” Andy nodded and rose from the chair. “Thanks, Terry.”

“Anytime,” the elder Bogard said. Andy was almost to the door when Terry called after him: “Andy, despite what's happened to me, don't ever think that you can't talk to me about these things. I don't begrudge you what you have with Mai. And I never will.”

Andy nodded as he opened the door. “Thanks again!” He said on his way out.

As he made his way towards the elevator, Andy found himself passing Mary Ryan, who was going the opposite direction as him. “How's it hanging, Romeo?” She asked with a nod as she breezed past him.

“Um... good,” Andy responded. Then, still high on his own revelation, he actually found himself asking: “How are you?”

“Ask me again tomorrow,” said Mary as she continued down the hall towards Terry's room, never breaking stride. Andy paused for a moment, staring quizzically after her. Then he shrugged, remembering he had pressing business of his own, and continued on towards the elevator.

This is a mistake, Mary told herself as she stood outside the door to Terry's room. You shouldn't be here. This won't end well. But then that smaller voice inside of her (the one that hadn't wanted her to get off of Terry last evening) said that she really had nowhere else to be, and it also kept reminding her of the last thing Mai had said.

I really hate that voice right now, Mary thought. All it's gonna do is cause me more pain. Yet, for some reason, Mary couldn't stop herself from finally knocking on the door.

“You forget something, Andy?” She heard a voice on the other end. Then the door opened and Terry Bogard's eyes opened wide in surprise. “Mary! What... what are you...”

“I need to talk to you, Terry,” she said. “Can I come in?”

No, Terry thought. That would not be a good idea. “Um, sure,” he said.

Mary entered the room, took off her jacket, and sat down on his bed with the garment stretched across her lap. She sat there looking at it for a very long time, while Terry stood there and tried to look at something else, something that wasn't the swell of her breasts straining against the fabric of her crop top.

Finally, Mary looked up at him and spoke: “I'm sure you've figured out that this jacket is special to me.”

Terry said nothing. He simply nodded. So Mary went on: “The man who gave me this... he wasn't just my Sambo teacher. He was also my lover.”

Terry's mind connected the dots quickly. Mary had mentioned her Sambo teacher before, mainly how he was killed in action along with her father. Terry kept his mouth shut. Something told him that Mary didn't want sympathy right now.

“It probably doesn't surprise you that growing up,” she said, “I was never what you'd call a girly-girl. I lost my mother when I was too young to remember her. So I was raised by men. My martial arts training started when I was six. All my friends were guys. I never got into any of the things most teenage girls get into: shopping, makeup, kissing boys, slumber parties... none of them interested me. When I got my first period, I didn't feel like a 'real woman.' I was just pissed because I got a splitting headache that made me miss Kobojutsu practice. When my dad asked me what I wanted for sweet sixteen, I told him I wanted permission to go on a training journey that summer.”

Terry noticed she was rambling, something she normally never did. “Are you drunk?” He asked her. Because if you are, that would be a great excuse to kick you out.

“No,” she said defensively. “I'm not sober, because I had a couple of Blue Marys earlier, but I'm in control. What I'm trying to say is that, as you can imagine, I was the last person to believe in something like love at first sight. I thought it was sappy, romantic drivel. Which is why I was absolutely shocked the night... that it happened to me.”

She looked back down at the jacket again, running her hand over it as she spoke. “My friends were throwing me a party. It was for two reasons. First, I was turning twenty. And second, I was graduating the academy, becoming a police officer. My father put in an appearance at the party. He had just been given his assignment at the Secret Service, and dragged his rookie partner along with him. It's funny. Butch was originally supposed to go on a date with someone else, but she stood him up right before he went off duty, so my father invited him to my party without telling me. As soon as our eyes met... there was a connection. We talked for hours, almost until sunrise. I knew I was neglecting the other guests, but I didn't care. I felt like I had known Butch my entire life, like I could tell him anything.

“At one point, we were outside, on the terrace, and I started to shiver. Butch took off his jacket... this one right here, and told me to put it on. I tried to give it back to him at the end of the party, and he said it was his birthday present to me, and also that it looked better on me.

“The days and nights I spent with him... it felt like before Butch, I had never really been living, until he came along and showed me how. That year was easily the best year of my life. And then he was killed along with my father. My world was in pieces. I felt like I needed to get as far away as I could, so I accepted the first transfer out of the DC Metro area that I could get. It was shortly after I moved here to South Town that I lucked into the invention of the Blue Mary. I drank plenty of them, hoping that if I drank enough, I could wash away the pain. It didn't work.”

Mary paused for a moment and looked down at the jacket as tears ran silently down her cheeks. Terry, ignoring the voice from earlier, found himself sitting down next to her on the bed and placing his hand on her shoulder. Mary did not shrug away from it. She sat there and just let the tears fall, not sobbing or making any other noise.

Finally, she rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands, drying them with her gloves. Then she continued: “Eventually, I realized I needed to make a choice. I could either drink myself to death, or I could find something else to fill the void that Butch had left. I chose the latter, and threw myself into my job. It became my world. I devoted all my waking moments to being the best cop I could be. I became the youngest woman in the history of the South Town PD to be promoted off of patrol and to detective. I don't know if it's ever been enough, but it's been my reason for living. I haven't wanted to get close to another man, since it hurt too much to lose Butch.”

She was silent, then, as if she had finished. Terry's hand was still on her shoulder, and she did not seem to be showing any discomfort from his touch. Finally, Terry spoke: “Mary, I am sorry about what happened to you. But... why are you telling me this?”

Mary turned to look at him, and placed her own hand on his knee. “Because unlike most of the people I know, you understand what it's like to lose someone that important. Like I said earlier, Terry, I know about Lily. I never said anything because I was afraid to bring back old memories for you. And I recently realized that the reason I even cared in the first place... is because I like you. I didn't want to. I've tried not to. I've done everything I can to silence that small voice inside of me, but I can't deny that I'm falling for you. You've awoken old feelings in me that I forgot I could have, feelings I've tried to bury ever since Butch died. But like him, you're bringing those feelings out so easily. Which is also why... I'm a little scared. Because I don't want my heart to break again.”

Terry placed his other hand on Mary's knee, and for a moment he looked down at the floor. Mary could tell by the way he was blinking rapidly that he was debating something, but she chose to keep quiet. Finally, Terry looked her in her green eyes.

“I'm scared, too, Mary,” he said. “Lily is not the only love that I've lost.”

“The girl with the purple hair,” Mary said softly. “I saw her picture fall out of your wallet the other night in the Pao Pao. Who was she?”

“Her name was Sulia,” Terry explained. “She came to us for help. She was the reason that my friends and I searched for the Armor of Mars. She wanted to save her brother Laocorn from the armor's evil influence. I promised her that I would. But we weren't able to stop him from obtaining and assembling all the pieces of the armor...”

“He found the last piece in the Dead Sea,” said Mary, her detective's mind connecting the dots, as usual.

Terry nodded, looked down at the floor again. “Me, Andy, Mai, Joe... we threw everything we had at him, but it barely slowed him down. He shrugged off our attacks like they were nothing. We were wounded, tired, running out of energy. What happened next... it's hard to explain. Sulia shared some sort of unspoken bond with her brother, because they were twins. Something extrasensory, like telepathy or telekinesis.”

“I've heard of this phenomenon,” said Mary. “Identical or fraternal twins forming a connection in the womb, one that they carry for the rest of their lives. It came up in one of my cases.”

“Right,” Terry went on, though Mary noticed his eyes were starting to shine with unshed tears. “In this case, when Sulia was hurt, Laocorn was able to feel her pain, and vice versa. For some reason, this link was strengthened by the armor. Sulia used this to stop him. She... stabbed herself through the heart to weaken her brother enough for me to knock him loose from the armor. It worked, and I was able to do it, but it was all for nothing. Laocorn himself was killed shortly after by the God of War. Not only did I fail to keep my promise, but I failed, for the second time, to protect the woman I loved.

“Like you, I had to make a choice. I had already hit the bottle once before, after I lost to Krauser, and didn't look forward to doing that again. So instead, I decided to devote myself completely to fighting. Since then, it's the only thing that's made me feel complete. When we met, I told you that the mayor was trying to cut out the city's heart with his street fighting ban. That was only a half-truth. The whole truth is, he was cutting out my heart, too.”

To Terry's surprise, Mary actually leaned in then, rested her head against his shoulder. “Terry...” she said softly. “Do you think it ever stops hurting?”

Terry looked down at her for a moment, then put an arm around her and said: “I don't know, Mary. Some days, I'm able to not think about it. Other days, I think about it a lot.”

Mary sat up then, and turned to look at him. “I know the feeling. Sulia... sounds like a noble woman. She gave her life to save the people she loved.”

Terry nodded. “Doesn't make it any easier, though. I mean, Butch died doing his duty. I don't know if that makes it any easier for you.”

Mary shook her head. “No, it never did.”

For a long moment, the two gazed into each others' eyes, each now seeing and acknowledging the connection. Then, for reasons he could not explain, Terry leaned in, pressed his lips firmly against Mary's, and kissed her tenderly. Her lips were everything he had imagined they would be, but after a moment, he realized what he was doing and forced himself to pull away. Their eyes met again, and Terry saw the shock on her face.

“I'm sorry, Mary,” he said, moving his gaze to the floor. “I... shouldn't have done that. If... if you want to leave, then go. I won't stop you.”

Mary placed her hand on his cheek and turned his head to face her. For a long moment her green eyes remained fixed on him, studying him. Then she looked down at her jacket. Then her head tilted up towards the ceiling, her eyes shut, her brow furrowed as if deep in thought. Then she opened her eyes and nodded, like she had silently made up her mind about something. “I think it's time for bed, Terry,” she said. “Can I use your bathroom?”

Terry nodded. “Yeah, sure.”

Mary rose from the bed, and a few moments later, Terry Bogard heard the bathroom door shut. He took off his tank top and lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. What the fuck were you thinking, Terry? He berated himself. Do you want her to die? Because that's exactly what will happen if you let her get too close. You are stupid, you know that? Think with your damn head, not with your heart or your balls. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

A few minutes later, Terry heard a click over by the door. Satisfied that Mary was gone, he put his hands behind his head and shut his eyes.

“Asleep already, Bogard?” He heard a familiar voice speak. “I expected a god-slayer to have more stamina than this.”

Terry sat up on the bed, his blue eyes widening as he saw Mary Ryan standing in the doorway to the bathroom, wearing only a lacy blue bra and panties. Her hands rested on the luscious curve of her hips, and her face wore a look of slight annoyance.

Terry blinked rapidly in confusion. “Mary... what... what are you... you said you were leaving.”

Mary shook her head and walked closer to the bed. Terry tried his best to look her in the eyes, and not at the sensuous movements of her long legs, her curvy hips. “I never said I was leaving, Terry,” she said as she reached the foot of the bed. “I said it was time for bed.”

Terry studied her face for a moment. Her mouth was neutral as always, but her green eyes had that faraway look he'd seen in them before, only this time with a new light to them. “Mary... are you absolutely sure you're thinking straight?” He asked. “I don't want you to do anything you'll regret.”

“I would only regret it if I left,” Mary said firmly. “I had a chance to do some thinking before I came up here. Terry, for a long time I've been determined not to get close to anyone. Until now I've never had any problems. A man might catch my eye, but I'm able to push him out of my head like that..” She snapped her fingers for emphasis. “...and never think of him again. But despite all my efforts, and believe me I've tried, I haven't been able to get you out of my head since I met you.

“These past two years, I might as well have been dead myself. I've just been going through the motions of life, doing nothing more than merely existing. Just for tonight, I want to remember what it feels like to live... and I want to feel that with you.”

She crawled onto the bed and lay down on her side next to Terry, head propped up on her elbow. She reached out to him with her other hand, but Terry gently grabbed her wrist.

“Mary, I really like you, too,” he said. “I think you are an amazing, beautiful woman, and any man would be damn lucky to have you. That's exactly why I can't do this. I can't let myself get close to you or any other woman, because... I'm cursed.”

Mary shrugged out of Terry's grip and leaned in closer, placing her hand against his chest. Terry couldn't help but notice that for a fighter, Mary's hand was surprisingly soft. “Terry, you've had a string of bad luck. That doesn't mean you're cursed. I don't believe in curses. And even if I did, I would need to believe they can be broken.” Her green eyes took on a look that was almost pleading. “Please... just let me have this night. I'll only go as far as you want.”

God, she's incredible, Terry thought. His voice of reason might have said something, then, but Terry didn't hear it. Instead he put his hand over Mary's, lightly caressing her fingers, then leaned back against the bed's headboard. He felt Mary curl up alongside him, felt the warmth of her body, her breasts pushing against him through the lacy fabric of her bra.

For a long time, they just lay there. Then Mary heard Terry say her name. She looked up, and saw him gazing down at her. “I think I'm falling for you, too,” Terry told her, then leaned in and kissed her again, more firmly this time.

Mary climbed on top of him, and returned the kiss, her lips working against Terry's with a hunger that had been denied for too long. Both her hands were on his chest now, fingertips lightly caressing his firm pecs. Terry's own need completely overrode any other doubts screaming for his attention. He found that he didn't want to stop kissing her, didn't want to stop his arms from snaking around her back, didn't want to stop his fingers from moving towards the fastener on her bra...

Mai stood by the railing on the outdoor patio adjacent to the bar of their hotel, sipping her second glass of wine and enjoying the sunset. Or trying to enjoy it, anyway. Behind her, she could hear the groans of pain from the latest man who'd come over to hit on her.

Mai cast a brief glance over her shoulder, saw the man slinking off between the tables, doubled over and clutching his groin. Mai smirked and slipped her fan back down into her cleavage, then turned and resumed watching the bright band of red out over the water as the sun slipped lower.

“Excuse me,” she then heard a familiar voice say. She turned her head again and saw Andy Bogard making his way through the patio tables with what appeared to be a rocks glass in his hand, containing three ice cubes and a measure of dark amber liquid. A double, by the looks of it. Their eyes met across the patio, and Mai gave him a polite nod, then turned back towards the sunset.

It was not long before she heard Andy shuffle up to her side, though she did not turn to look at him. “Hey, Mai,” he heard her say. “Do... do you mind if I join you?”

Mai shrugged, not taking her eyes off the water. “It's a free country,” she said.

Andy took up a position next to her, took a small sip from the glass in his hand before setting it down on the flat marble railing. For a moment, he found himself lost for words, as he usually was when he first saw Mai. This evening, she was wearing a strapless little black dress and red jacket. She looks beautiful, as always, he thought. So beautiful. But now, he felt as if he were looking at her with new eyes, eyes that could see her total beauty, inside as well as out.

Ordinarily, Mai found his appreciative looks flattering. But since she was still mad at him, she folded her arms in front of her chest, preventing him from staring at her cleavage, and then gestured at his drink. “I didn't know they served apple juice at this bar,” she said, with more ice in her voice than she meant to.

“Oh, um...” Andy picked up his glass and studied it a moment. “I think it's... um... actually a single malt? I'm not sure. I don't have much experience ordering drinks from bars. I told the bartender that and asked them to pour me whatever they thought I might like.”

Mai had to bite her lip to stop from smiling. Even when I'm mad at him, he still manages to be adorable. “Andy, you should never tell a bartender that. I'm sure he poured you a glass of the 40-year-old, which costs a lot more than the regular.”

He scrutinized the glass again. “Well, I guess that explains why it was so expensive. But, like I said, I'm not used to drinking in bars. It's been a long time.”

Mai raised an eyebrow. “When did you ever go a bar?”

“Remember when I was fourteen?” Andy explained. “Master Hanzo starting sending me away to train at the Yamada dojo over the summers. The summer I turned sixteen, I went out with Master Jubei to a local bar he frequented in Hida and wound up joining him in one of his very long sake toasts. The last thing I remember about that night was Jubei-sensei reading off the name of every fallen member of his old platoon in the Imperial Japanese Army, and us having to take a sake shot after each name was called. When I woke up the next morning, I swore I'd never drink again.”

Mai rolled her eyes. “You know, I've known Master Jubei my whole life, and I could never figure out why he and grandfather were such dear friends.”

“Opposites attract?” Andy suggested.

“I guess so,” Mai said dryly, then fell silent again and continued to look at the setting sun, creating a palpable tension that seemed to hang in the air between them. Andy picked his glass up and took a large sip, lowering the amount of liquid in it considerably. “That's the good stuff you're drinking, Andy,” Mai told him, once again avoiding eye contact. “You may want to slow down and savor it.”

“Well,” said Andy. “The real reason I needed a drink tonight is because I need a little confidence.” He turned to look at her, placed his hand on her shoulder. “Mai, I... have some things I need to tell you. Important things.”

Mai finally turned to face him. There was a sense of urgency in his blue eyes, like there really was something he needed to say. “Okay, Andy,” she said with a nod. “I'm listening.”

“Well, first... I owe you an apology for lying to you. I wasn't... trying to hurt you, I was trying to do the opposite, but that doesn't change the fact that I did hurt you. I'm sorry, Mai.”

“That's a good start, Andy,” she said. “I accept your apology, but I'm still really mad at you about the way you've been acting. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

Andy sipped his drink again. “Yes. The second thing I wanted to say is, thank you for saving me from Billy earlier today.”

Mai shrugged. “Don't mention it. How many times have you saved me?”

Andy's brow furrowed, for a moment looking like he was losing his train of thought. “Just Germany, I think. And those assassins that came to the dojo. You handled most of them on your own, though...”

“Andy, shut up. That was rhetorical.” Andy fell silent, but Mai could still see his lips working, as if he were trying to find the right words to something. He really must have something important to say. I've never seen him this nervous, in all the years we've known each other. Mai reached over and took his hand in hers. “Andy, it's okay. You can tell me what's bothering you. Like I said in the hotel in Germany, you can tell me anything. I've always meant that.”

Andy nodded. “Okay. Um, anyway, I know that... things were good between us when we first got back to Japan after the Dead Sea Incident. Seeing Terry lose the woman he loved for a second time made me realize that I should stop taking you for granted, and try to act more like a boyfriend.”

Mai flinched for a moment. She had never met Lily, but Mai did remember Sulia. Though they hadn't know her very long, the gentle, golden-eyed girl had still managed to touch each of them in some way. For Mai, it had been finally having a friend that she could actually have real “girl talk” about the Bogards with, something she could never do with any of her girlfriends in Japan. Of course, she knew that paled in comparison to what Sulia had meant to Terry.

Andy took another sip of scotch, and continued. “It was easy when we first got back, because... we didn't find ourselves in any real danger. We lived, we worked, we practiced together. Sometimes, we went on dates, took walks through the forest, watched the stars. It felt like normal life. Then my past caught up to me, and you were attacked by those thugs shortly after your grandfather's burial, and I realized that I'd forgotten just how dangerous our lives could be.

“We've spent most of our lives studying the fighting arts. It's what we both know best. But when you live a life like that, it's... a good bet that you're always going to have enemies. No matter how much we might try to avoid it, it seems like we'll always find ourselves involved in situations like this. It made me think back again to when Terry lost Lily and Sulia, and I started to think about how I would feel if I ever lost you.

“That's why I've been acting the way that I have been ever since the night of your attack. Being back in South Town, with Geese Howard back from the dead... it reminded me of what Geese did to my father, and to Lily. You've never met Geese, so you have no idea how little the lives of others mean to him.”

“Andy,” Mai said softly. “You've never told me how Lily died. I only know that Geese killed her. I always felt like there was another reason it upset you so much, not just because your brother lost the woman he loved. Why, Andy? Why don't you ever talk about it?”

Andy looked away from her, then, out towards the sunset on the horizon. He took another sip from his drink and then blew a sharp breath out, but other than that, he did not respond. A minute went by, still he said nothing.

So Mai asked him again, a little less softly this time. “Please, Andy... I'm involved in this now, just as much as you and the others. I think I have a right to know the whole story. A right to know the type of man we're dealing with.”

Andy continued to look out over the water, his blue eyes a sea of turmoil. Several more minutes went by, the sun sank lower, and still he did not speak. Finally, Mai blew out an exasperated breath and reached for her wineglass. “Fine, Andy,” she huffed. “I'm going inside. Come find me when you're ready to start acting like you actually care about...”

“She was helping me, Terry, and Joe escape from Geese and his men,” Andy said suddenly, not looking at Mai, but keeping his gaze fixed out over the gulf. “The three of us fought in the King of Fighters tournament that year. It was towards the final rounds. Most of the other fighters had been eliminated. Terry and I were in the ring together. We didn't realize that Geese had set a trap: he was planning on having one of his men shoot Terry before our match ended. Joe spotted the sniper just in time, though, and took the bullet meant for my brother in the shoulder.

“We had to get Joe out of there, and to a hospital. Lily helped us escape. She killed the lights in the stadium, guided us past the armed guards, and to an escape route that she had secured for us: a rope ladder leading out of a window in the tournament stadium, and down the side of the building to the ground. She stayed behind, refusing to leave until the rest of us were safely outside.

“Before she could follow us out, though, Geese got to her first. He pushed her out that window with one of his attacks, she fell, and then she died in Terry's arms. I'll never forget what Geese did after that. He laughed at us from where he stood, laughed at us... and told Terry he could keep her body if he wanted. Now, this has always been just a feeling I had, but I think that the main reason Geese killed her was not because Lily betrayed him. The main reason he killed her... was because he knew how much her death would hurt Terry. That's the type of man we're dealing with, Mai.”

Mai saw that Andy's eyes were starting to shine in the fading light of the setting sun. “Oh, Andy.” She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head against his chest. “I... I really appreciate you sharing that with me. I know it was painful.”

Andy put one arm around her waist and used his other hand to stroke Mai's ponytail. After a few minutes, he spoke again: “It's okay, Mai. You do have a right to know. That night has been on my mind a lot lately, because Geese knows that you and I are together. In fact, I've been having a recurring dream over the last few weeks about Lily's death, except in the dream, it's not her that falls out the window, it's you.”

“You were having that dream in the dojo, the night that your shouting woke me up, weren't you?” Mai pointed out.

Andy nodded. “Yes. I thought that in order to cope with it, I needed to act like my old self again, shut you back out and keep you from getting in. Geese has already taken so much from both me and Terry... our father, our first martial arts teacher, who was like a grandfather to us, the woman Terry loved. I've been shutting you out lately, because... I was afraid... afraid that Geese is going to take you, too. And I was prepared to do anything to stop that from happening. You're... very special to me, Mai. If Geese ever did anything to you, like what he did to Lily... I've never been as strong as Terry, not just in terms of fighting skill. If Geese killed you, it... would probably destroy me completely. ”

“Andy,” Mai said, her head still resting against him. “I know that you've always feared for me. That time you were in the hospital, after fighting Terry. I remember what you told me then.”

“You do?” Andy asked. “I only remember bits and pieces of that.”

Mai giggled just a little. “Because you were drugged, silly. But anyway, you said you'd always been attracted to me, even when we were growing up, but one of the reasons you tried to avoid getting to know me was because you didn't want to let me get too close, in case something should happen to you in your mission. You thought that you had no right to break my heart if you got killed trying to avenge your father.”

“That's true,” said Andy.

Mai raised her head then, gazed into his eyes. “Andy, it's natural to worry about the people that you care for. You worry because you care. But a relationship also takes respect. If you respect me, you'll let me make my own decisions about what I want. And what I want is you, and that includes everything that comes with you, even your past with Geese Howard. Yes, I'm a hopeless romantic, and I know that sometimes I can act like a love-struck fool, but I am still my own woman, Andy. You should know me well enough at this point to know that I'm more than capable of making my own choices, and I choose to fight alongside you. Your enemy is my enemy. My choice, no regrets. But you should know that I don't plan on ever getting myself killed, because I love you too damn much.”

A tear slid down Mai's cheek. Andy gently brushed it away with one finger. “Mai, it looks like there's a lot I need to be sorry for,” he said. “If I ever... ever gave you the impression that I don't respect you, you know that isn't...”

Mai silenced him by placing her finger on his lips. “You were scared, Andy. People panic and do dumb things when they're scared. But you're admitting that now, which is important. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry, too. For breaking my own promise yesterday, and for being so cold with you since we got here. I know I said I wasn't going to use trickery on you, anymore.”

Andy took her hand in his, and gently rubbed her knuckles. “I don't blame you. I'm sure I've really been frustrating you. You felt like you didn't have any other choice.” He kissed her hand, and then for a long while, the two of them held each other and looked out over the water as the sky grew darker. Finally, Andy asked her: “Mai, have you ever been afraid that something might happen to me?”

She nodded. “When you first left for America, I was. We never heard from you, and for a few months, it was eating me up inside, not knowing if you were alive or dead. Then Ojisama suggested that I listen to my heart, and my heart told me that you could take care of yourself. So after that, I stopped worrying. And I haven't worried since then.”

Andy turned to face her again. “That's exactly what I learned today,” he said. “When I saw you fighting in the mansion earlier, I realized that you can take care of yourself, too. I should have known that all along, I mean, we both studied the same arts. Mai, I've been such an idiot. I thought that in order to be a stronger fighter and get through this, I needed to shut out the people who matter, just like last time. But I'm not stronger without you. I'm stronger with you at my side. Like you once said, Mai, you and I are a team, and so I want to let you in completely. My fear of losing you was the only thing stopping me from doing that, but I don't want to be afraid anymore. I don't ever want to shut you out again, because...”

Mai's breath caught in her throat. Another solitary tear ran down her cheek. “Yes, Andy?” She managed to ask.

“Because... because...” Summoning all his nerve, Andy grabbed his drink, gulped the rest of it, and slammed the empty glass down on the railing. “Because I... I... love you, Mai.”

Suddenly, Mai felt as if she were light enough to fly. “Oh, Andy,” she whispered breathlessly. “You...”

“Yes, Mai. I love you,” Andy repeated more firmly, as he gazed into her large brown eyes. He cupped her chin gently in his fingers, raising her head slightly, then pressed his lips to hers. Mai eagerly returned the kiss, wrapping her arms around his back and pulling him close. To Mai, it felt like their first kiss by the pool in Jerusalem all over again, only a hundred-thousand times more passionate, because Andy had finally said the words she'd been longing to hear. For a few brief moments, the world around them faded away, leaving only the two of them and the heady feeling of their mouths dancing.

Andy felt a warmth settle over his body as he kissed the voluptuous ninja girl, but he couldn't tell if it was the scotch he'd just drank, or the intoxicating wine of her luscious red lips. He pulled her closer and it felt as if their bodies and souls were melting together.

Unfortunately, the moment didn't last as long as either one of them had wanted it to. The sound of the other bar patrons on the patio yelling at them to get a room brought their feet back down to the ground.

Reluctantly, Mai broke the kiss and turned to face the person sitting closest to them. “Excuse me!” She shouted, her face going red. “My boyfriend and I are having a huge breakthrough, here! You have no idea how rare this is for him, so stop ruining the mood!”

She started to reach into her dress for her fan, but then felt Andy's firm hand on her shoulder. “It's okay, Mai. They're right.” He leaned in close, then, and whispered in her ear. “I think we should continue this somewhere more private. Don't you?”

Mai turned back to face Andy, and saw him close one of his blue eyes in a wink. Her jaw dropped open. “Andy... are... are you saying... what I think you're...?”

He smiled warmly at her. “Yes, Mai. I'm ready.”

“You... you're sure?”

“I am. I want this. If... you still want it, I mean.”

Her heart began to beat faster. “Are you kidding? Like you even have to ask!” Mai gulped the last of her wine, and slammed her own empty glass down next to Andy's. “Okay, Andy, lead the way!”

After they made their way back inside, Andy dropped some money on the bar, then started towards the elevators with the beautiful kunoichi wrapped around his arm.

In a dimly-lit corner of the bar, a dark-haired man in sunglasses, dressed in a button-down white shirt and gray sport jacket sat at a table, swirling the wine in his glass as he watched Andy and Mai move across the lobby to the elevators, the two of them oblivious to everything but each other. After a moment, he leaned down and whispered into a small microphone hidden in the collar of his shirt: “The lovebirds are on their way up, sir. Looks like everyone is tucked in for the night.”

Geese Howard's voice spoke through the earpiece hidden in the man's right ear: “You checked the guest registry as I instructed?”

“Yes, sir,” he whispered into the mike. “As you surmised, they all booked rooms close to one another, on the same floor that the hotel reserved for combatants fighting in the tournament.”

“Hmmm...” The voice in the earpiece thought for a moment. “We'll have to forego the direct approach, then. Too many fighters in one place... too many random elements we can't control. And at this time, we're still deciphering the scrolls. Well, keep watching, Mr. Hopper, and if you think you see an opportunity, let me know immediately.”

“Understood, sir.” Hopper switched off the mike, then sat back in the chair and took a sip of wine, keeping his eyes on the elevator.

 

To be continued...

 

 

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Andy's memory of Lily's death is based off the subbed version of “Legend of the Hungry Wolf,” because honestly, what Geese says to Terry in the subbed version is so much more bad-ass than what he says in the English dub.