Edited Sept. 2, 2008

A/N: I blame this on finding Charmed online and then having a marathon of watching it while ignoring homework, maybe now that it's out of my head I'll be able to think clearly… not likely but it's good to hope. I'll be editing this later, too tired to now. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: If I owned there would be randomness… well at least a more lot of it.

:-:-:-:

Mai was not in a good mood, just after leaving the office a car had splashed puddle water on her and Naru had told her of the things in puddle water a few weeks ago which had made her lose her lunch. As she walked to her train she felt someone watching her, turning she saw a man with sandy blonde hair and brown eyes looking at her. She would have just brushed it off, but something about him made her not, call it her intuition kicking in. She allowed her feet to keep walking without thinking, and she was standing in front of him after a few moments.

"Good afternoon." She greeted.

"Um.. Hello." He said in English.

"Oh, do you not know Japanese?"

"Ah… I'm Leo, um, do you know … get to Shibuya?" He asked in broken Japanese.

"Shibuya? You here." Mai tried to reply in just as broken English.

Leo smiled in reply; it reminded Mai of her dream Naru for some reason.

"Ah, I'm Mai." She finally remembered to introduce herself, causing him to smile again.

Mai looked around for someone who would know English better than herself, she thought of Naru. Grabbing Leo's hand, Mai started to run back to the office, she knew Naru would still be in and the man needed help to get to where he needed to be. Once they reached the building, Leo pulled Mai to a stop as he held his side trying to catch his breath.

"You're a fast one huh." He said in English, drawing a confused look from Mai making him laugh again.

After a moment Leo was composed enough to follow Mai into the building. Upon reaching the SPR offices he raised an eyebrow at the girl, who shrugged in reply and opened the door. Walking into the office Leo let out a whistle as he admired the planning and the view. Naru opened his door, walking out to see Mai and not Leo as the man was standing behind a screen trying to figure out what it was doing there.

"Did you miss your train and need a ride home now?" Naru asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.



Leo hearing Naru popped his head up from behind the screen and said, "Hello, I'm Leo."

"… Mai why is there a man there?" Naru said with even more annoyance seeping out of his voice, he had a feeling this would lead to a headache.

"He's a tourist and was lost and I don't know English well enough to help him so I thought… you know… maybe you would?" She said with a shy smile.

"…" Yep this was definitely going to be a headache.

"I'm Kazuya Shibuya, you've already met Mai, and you are Leo. What hotel are you staying at? I'll get you back to it." Naru said in English to Leo who had developed a slight smirk. That headache was getting bigger. Naru turned to Mai and in Japanese said, "If you didn't miss the last train I would suggest you get out of here before you do."

Mai huffed at him and turned back to the door, but just as her hand hit the knob Leo grabbed her arm.

"I'm not at a hotel… just thought I'd visit Japan today and am pretty happy that I did since I saw some unsavory people watching Mai here and I don't know what could have happened if she had gotten on that train. I was going to leave her with you, but if you are going to just send her away I guess I'll have to take her to safety." Leo said in a serious tone to Naru as he started to glow, making Mai glow also and they just disappeared.

Naru stood there for a beat, headache forgotten. He would not be able to do much if anything happened to the one who caused his headaches. Lin came out of his office and looked at the boy.

"Are you okay?"

"They disappeared…" Naru whispered and then said, "Lin we have to find Mai."

:-:-:-:

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Mai and Leo appeared in the attic of an old house. Mai just looked around and then at Leo who smiled at her.

"Um… me… ah…" She then gave up trying to speak in English and started to say in Japanese, "Where the hell are we? One minute we were in SPR and the next… whose house is this? I mean this is just not normal, though I'm not what most would consider normal anyways but this is not even normal for me." She was getting louder, making Leo wince as he knew what would happen next, and it did.

Three women ran into the room and looked at Leo and then at Mai. They all started talking at once, and Mai was completely confused and lost as they yelled at Leo. She did not know why they were yelling at him, but she knew they should not be doing it. So she ran to the door and slammed it, causing all of them to look at her. Leo smiled at her as one of the women walked to a podium with a book on it and started to say some words. As the woman read the words Mai felt something inside of her make a clicking sound and she could understand what the woman was saying.



"-And now let the understanding flow as we try to understand." The woman finished her incantation.

"Um, hi I'm name is Mai Taniyama, you can call me Mai." Mai said in perfect English, which would have shocked her if it was not for the fact that the others were not shocked at all.

"Hello Mai, it is nice to meet you. I'm Phoebe and this is my sister Piper and the one standing over there is my sister Pru, and contrary to the way she is looking at Leo right now she doesn't bite… too often." Pru glared at Phoebe who gave a 'what?' look back.

"Sorry Mai, but Leo thought that you would be safer here and brought you to us to protect." Pru was glaring at him again. "So right now we are going to keep you safe until we figure out what Leo is trying to protect you from." Piper said as she pulled Leo out of the attic, leaving three people who did not know what to say behind.

"Um, is it possible for me to call someone…" Mai trailed off.

"Oh, you need to call your parents and let them know where you are, right?" Phoebe tried to help.

"No, but thank you. I need to call my school and let them know that I'll be missing for a few days… How long do you think I'll be here? And where is here exactly?" Mai said.

"Ah, I have no idea how long it will be… kinda depends on who's after you and all. But anyways, you are in the beautiful city of San Francisco." Phoebe said, as Pru gave a disgusted sigh and left the attic and Mai blinked, a few times, unbelievingly at Phoebe.

:-:-:-:

The next morning found a very tired, irritated, and headache ridded Naru sitting at his desk while he tried to find a way to find Mai. All the physic research, paranormal research, supernatural research, time-travel research, history, myths, legends, and quacks had not turned up anything useful. Lin was in his own office faring better only because he did not have a headache.

Sighing, Naru turned to his phone figuring that he would have to call in the useless people Mai called friends if he wanted to get anywhere with this. As his hand reached for the receiver, it rang. Naru just about jumped out of his chair, but quickly regained his composure and answered the damned device before it rang a second time.

"Hello."

"Naru? Oh good, I figured I should call and let you know that apparently I'll be missing work for a few days… least I think it's only for a few days." Mai said in perfect English.

"Mai? When did you learn English? Where are you? What do you mean you're going to be gone?" Naru demanded in quick succession.



Mai reverted back to Japanese and replied, "Well, apparently I'm in America and something is trying to kill and eat me so some nice people are trying to protect me from this evil thing and they helped my English by… exposing me to it."

"… Where exactly are you? I'm going to come over there and bring you back and kill whatever is trying to kill you." Naru was pissed.

"San Francisco, oops, I wasn't supposed to tell-" She hung up.

Naru placed the receiver back in it cradle.

"Lin, get us tickets to San Francisco now. Mai just called and that's where she is so we're going to bring her back."

:-:-:-:

Back in California…

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to tell him where I am, it just kinda slipped out and I know he'll be here soon." Mai said in a very apologetic voice to an upset Pru and Leo.

"Wait, did you tell him whose house you're in?" Piper asked before the two decided what to do to Mai.

"No, so he still won't find me." Mai smiled at her savior.

"Whatever" Pru said, "Why don't you go and get some sleep, I know that you didn't sleep last night and I think you should before you do something really stupid."

"Ok… Thank you." Mai said as she went to the room that they had said she could sleep in.

"So what is after her?" Pru cornered Leo.

"Well… it might not be something after her so much as I need to talk with someone only she can talk to… and I don't even know if she knows who she's talking to and then there's the fact that there might be something else that is after her and if it gets her then the other person is kinda killed too." Leo replied in his own round-about way.

"This is annoying." Pru said to Leo.

"Well as interesting as Leo made that sound… I have to go to work." Phoebe said as she left and Piper followed. Leo orbed out while Pru decided to calm herself by cleaning the entire house.

:-:-:-:

Mai looked around herself, 'Didn't I just leave everyone for bed?'

As she looked at the house she realized that she was in a dream. The house looked different and it was night, she could tell that something was there but she did not know what it was. Looking at the attic she 

went into it and started to look at the book of spells that the sisters used. Flipping it open, she read the first page "The Book of Shadows… interesting name, kinda reminds me of something Naru would be interested in, where is he?'

As she said that dream Naru appeared and smiled at her as she smiled back, it had become their greeting. He looked at her and walked towards her, only to stop a few feet away from her. Mai thought it was odd that he did not come further, almost as if something was holding him back, so she left the book and walked toward him. As she did so the book emitted a light and he was pushed further from her.

'Naru what's happening?' Mai asked with a bit of panic coming into her voice.

'It's ok Mai, nothing is hurting me. The book just doesn't realize that I'm not harmful.' He smiled at her and said, 'I think that I will have to go for right now… I'll be-'

He was cut off as another 'Naru' appeared in the dream.

'Who are you and what do you want with Mai?' The new Naru said with venom coming out of his voice.

'What do you mean? I'm Naru.' The first Naru replied.

'No you are not. I know Naru and you are not him.' The second Naru said.

'So you are not saying that you're Naru?'

'I have never said that I was. Mai has never said that I am actually Naru, she knows that I am… just in her dreams.'

'Whatever, Mai it was nice to meet you and all but this guy is what I wanted so sorry. That book is pretty smart after all, too bad that it doesn't know who to protect.' The first 'Naru' said as he morphed into a man that stood very tall with jet black hair and unnaturally red eyes. Mai gasped at the man.

The real dream Naru looked at him and said, 'Leave Mai out of this. I'll fight you and when I'm done I don't care if I survive, so long as Mai stays safe so you had better prepare yourself demon… or are you something else?'

'Does it really matter? I'm going to bring you away now. Too bad for you that the whitelighter didn't figure out how to contact you before.'

Dream Naru turned to Mai and said, 'Call Leo and see if you can't get him here.'

'Wha- Leo? How do I call Leo? I mean do I just say Leo? Or do I need to think Leo? How do I do it?'

'No need to worry since you already did.' Leo said as he appeared.

'What the hell? How'd you get into my dream?' Mai asked, rather surprised.



'This isn't just a dream Mai. You're in the astral plane and since we're in the Charmed ones' house this blacklighter shouldn't be a problem for me to handle, except he just got away.' Leo said as the guy fazed out of the house.

'What astral plane? And who are the charmed ones? And wha-'

'Mai, don't worry. I think you'll be safe now and I think Leo wants to talk with me so go back and wake up. I promise to see you soon. Oh and call Naru when you wake up to let him know where you are before he tears San Francisco apart.' Dream Naru said as Mai felt herself being taken back to her room and waking up.

:-:-:-:

After waking, Mai ran downstairs to the phone and dialed the number for SPR. After about the fourth ring Naru answered.

"This had better be Mai."

"Naru, how'd you know?"

"I'm on a cell that I had the office number forwarded to and you would be the only one to call that number right now since I am in San Francisco looking for you. Now where are you? I want an address this time and not a block that has over hundred people in it." Naru said, and Mai could tell he was very angry.

"Oh. Um, just a minute and I'll find out the address…" Mai rummaged through the drawer under the phone looking for recent mail. After finding a letter she told Naru the address.

"I'll be there within the hour so don't you even think of running away." Naru said before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Phoebe asked as she walked in the door to see Mai looking at the phone with an angry expression on her face. "And I have to say that you look cute when you're angry."

"That was the narcissist jerk that-" and here Mai reverted back to Japanese for a few minutes while Phoebe laughed.

:-:-:-:

Naru looked at the house that stood with the numbers that Mai had given him on it; it was not what he was really expecting. Walking to the door with Lin he rang the bell and waited. Opening the door was… Mai, a cute and breathless from running to the door Mai. She looked at him and Lin and then in English, with pronunciation that Naru could not fault her with, she greeted them.

"Good morning Naru and Lin. It's great to see you, come in and meet some interesting people."

As he entered the house, Naru could feel power. Looking at Lin, he could tell the other man felt it as well. Naru watched Mia carefully as she led them into the living room where there were three women.



"Hey, this is Naru and Lin-san." Mai introduced her boss and friend to the women and then introduced the sisters.

"These are Pru, Piper, and Phoebe. They're sisters and get this, they're witches too." Mai said with her eyes lighting up.

"Nice to meet you. So what form of Wicca do you practice?" Naru addressed the sisters.

"Ah, well the ass-kicking form." Phoebe said.

"Phoebe" Piper said with warning in her voice, "Uh, it's nice to meet you too…"

"Yeah well, you're going to take our little friend away now, right?" Pru asked.

Naru gave them a fake smile that did not fool one of the woman, Mai included, and replied, "I am here to collect my assistant and find out what was trying to harm her so that I can make certain she stays safe."

"Yeah, whatever you say Noll." A voice that sounded eerily familiar said.

Naru, Lin, Mai, and everyone else turned to see Leo standing in the doorway with a Naru look alike, except he was smiling. Mai was blinking, as were the sisters. Naru and Lin stared.

"Am I dreaming?" Naru whispered, Mai would have missed it expect for the fact that she was standing close enough.

"No you're not. Leo what did you do to him? I thought that he was only supposed to appear in my dreams, I mean that is what my imagination is for, right?" Mai asked with a very confused look.

"Mai, if I only appeared in your dreams for the rest of your life I would be happy. But apparently I'm needed elsewhere as well and will have to go to being able to only make appearances every once in awhile." The Naru look alike said.

"Gene?" Naru asked.

"Yes Noll, it's me." Was the reply.

"How? I thought you were dead, I saw it happen and have been-"

"trying to find me for the past year and a bit. I know." Gene finished for Naru, Mai had her mouth hanging open and Lin looked like he didn't know what to do. The sisters and Leo were allowing them to talk without interruption.

"Naru, I've been trying to help Mai. Ever since the first time we met her I've been drawn to her."

"What do you mean the first time we met her?"



"I was trying to contact, ever since I died I've been trying to contact you so that you could find me and then I could pass over. But no matter how hard I tried I couldn't find a way to let you know. While doing this, I have been helping Mai and the ghosts that you have come across in your search for me… there is this council of elders that saw this and decided to offer me a job."

"What do you mean a job? Not to state the obvious, but you're dead."

"Yeah but this is a job that only the dead can do. I've become a whitelighter, like Leo."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I have an increase in the number of powers I have and I will be going around the world helping people. I will also get to see you and Mai and our parents every so often, so it will be less like I'm dead."

"…"

"Oh stop being an idiot. As it is you have some explaining to do with Mai and I need to return her to Japan now, since no one wants to kill her right now and it's safe for her to go home." Gene said to his brother.

"Um, what is your name really?" Mai asked as she went to stand beside him so that they could orb to Japan.

"Eugene Davis, the man who fell in love when it was too late. And don't you forget that Noll or I'll have to steal her from you."

Mai was still in shock, but the sisters still made her say a proper good-bye and thank you to them before she and Gene orbed out. Naru sighed and left, with Lin right behind. Life was going to get better now, though the source of his headaches was going to make them worse before making them better.

:-:-:-:

A/N: Sucky ending… I'll try to fix that when I edit, or I'll do another part to it. Let me know what you think of it, if I should stop writing now or if you actually liked it. I will take it all, expect for people who just want to hate me because that's not nice. But please let me know what you think of it, loves

Edited (I've come up with a second part so now I'll just have to write it, smiles)