Hi everyone, I'm back…
It has been a while since I wrote a Ghost Hunt Fic… To tell you the truth I couldn't come up with a good Ghost Hunt fic.
Please read and then review. I hope you like it.
Chapter 1
The plan…
It has only been two months since Lin and Naru took Gene's body back to England, but a lot can happen during those times. Mai's music career is hitting off…
Houshou Takigawa heard her singing one day and she could sing. So he asked if she wanted to sing for his band. His former singer left for personal reasons and the band asked Houshou to find another singer, a female. But it wasn't easy for Houshou to find a good singer… Until he heard Mai when they went to a karaoke café.
One day the band got a gig at a restaurant and the regulars love them so the restaurant pays the band double the usual amount. So Mai doesn't really need the job at SPR… But she loves the people in the SPR so she told Naru he didn't have to pay her to work for him. But Naru, who has changed since he got back from England, said that he will still pay her. He even says thank you when she brings in his tea.
But lately Mai has been acting strange… Everyone, even Lin and Naru noticed it. Lin investigated what happened to Mai while he and Naru returned to England to bury Gene. When he discovered why Mai was acting strange and not her normal bubbly self he didn't tell Naru he just asked her about it… "Taniyama-san, can I talk to you for a moment please?" Lin asked as he poked his head out his door.
Mai's landlord sold the apartment complex and the new landlords didn't like an underage girl living by herself and contacted the orphanage and the laws have been changed because the landlord is a powerful man in politics… Mai has to find a husband or she will get taken back to the orphanage and away from SPR…
Mai got up from her desk and went over to him. Lin let her in his office, told her to sit down. "Taniyama-san, I know about your situation…" He whispered as he sat down. Mai's eyes widened in surprise. But she didn't say anything.
"Why didn't you come to us? We might be able to help. You only had to ask…" Lin said in the gentlest voice Mai heard coming from him.
"I didn't want to bother anyone. And adoption is no longer an option for me… I'm too independent. No one wants to adopt a sixteen year old, and the only option for me is to…" Mai couldn't finish the sentence.
"To what?" Lin prompted her.
"I have to get married. If I don't find a husband in thirty days, they will either find me a husband or they will put me back in to an orphanage…" Mai said.
"Do you want to get married?" Lin asked.
"Someday, when I'm older and wiser… But not at sixteen." Mai replied.
"And you defiantly don't want to go back to the orphanage…" Lin said.
"Naru is dating Madoka, which I still can't get my head around. Yasu is dating my best friend, … John is a priest so not him, Bou-san is like my big brother and I know he likes Ayako… I can't think of anyone else…" Mai was on the verge of tears. She was looking down at her lap where her hands crushing the edge of her skirt.
"What about me…?" Lin asked after a minute of silence. Mai's head sot up and she couldn't believe what he just said…
"What about you what?" She asked politely, so she didn't offend him.
"Marry me. We just have to pretend to be happy in love until you turn eighteen and then we get divorced." Lin explained. Lin didn't want to lose Mai, he had grown quiet fond of her
"What will we tell the others?" Mai wasn't saying yes just yet…
"We won't tell them just yet… I have a day off tomorrow and didn't you say when you walked in to work this morning that you have a doctor's appointment for a check-up in tomorrow morning?"
Mai nodded in reply. "I will meet you at your doctors and we get married. We will tell the rest when we're ready." Lin went on explaining.
Mai thought it over and over in her head. "I am very fond of you Lin-san." She whispered in thought. "And I you, Taniyama-san." He replied.
"You will have to call me Mai…" She said. "And you will have to call me Koujo." He replied. Mai nodded her head. "Okay, I will marry you… Are you sure about this Lin-san?" She had to make sure.
"I'm positive. If you left SPR, nothing will be the same…"
"Tomorrow morning…" Mai said.
"Tomorrow morning, after your appointment." Lin confirmed. "You could try adopting me…" Mai suggested. "I'm only eleven years older than you… They won't buy it." Mai nodded and left the office. But just before she opened the door Lin asked, "Where will you sleep tonight?"
"Ayako's and then she is taking me to my appointment on the way to the hospital she works at. I just have to make sure that she or Bou-san are not there to pick me up again." Mai replied and then she left his office.
Lin heard Naru call out, "Mai, tea." And Mai replied, "coming up you workaholic narcissist." Lin chuckled at her. He poked his head out his door a second time and asked, "May I have some too, please?" Mai smiled pleasantly at him and nodded before going in to the kitchen.
The next day Ayako dropped Mai off to her doctors. "Do you want me or Houshou to pick you up afterward?" Ayako asked. "No thank you, I will walk home, it's such a beautiful day, but thank you." Mai replied with a smile as she opened the door and undid her seat belt.
"Alright, let me know how you get on and if you need a lift home, call me or Houshou." Ayako said. "I will, and thank you for the lift." Mai got out of the car.
"Miss Taniyama-san, you are a normal healthy sixteen year old, there is nothing wrong with you. Except for the scares and bruises on you…" The doctor said as she led Mai out of her office.
"Oh, those are from my job." Mai replied. Mai has so many scares from the cases they took over the years. "We have a medical doctor on the team." Mai added.
"Good. I guess I can't make you change your mind about changing to a less dangerous job…" The doctor replied. Mai smiled and shook her head and said, "The SPR team are my family…" She said. Just then at the corner of her eye, Mai saw Lin's car stop just outside the doctors. Lin got out of the car and waited for her.
"Thank you, doctor." Mai said with a smile. The doctor pulled out a contact card and gave it to her. "Call me if you need anything." The doctor said. "Thank you." Mai left the doctors and walked up to Lin.
"Ready?" He asked. Mai nodded. They got in to the car. And drove off.
"I went to your landlord and tried to convince him to let the others adopt you by telling him about them but he said you already did that." Lin said as they stopped at a red light. "I think he is up to something." Mai said in suspicious tone.
"I got that feeling from the whole family… That's why I got the papers ready, all you need to do is sign them. I told your guardian and she has given you permission to marry."
"She is lucky to get rid of me, one less mouth to feed." Mai said. Lin couldn't say anything. He knew that there was nothing he could say to make her feel better. Wait there is…
"SPR is your family." He whispered. It worked she smiled at him.
Before Mai knew, she and Lin exchanged rings and he gave her the gentlest kiss… Mai couldn't believe it, she is sixteen years old and married. She looked at the ring that was on a chain around her neck and then Lin's ring caught her eyes. "Can we go back to my apartment?" Mai asked. Lin nodded.
"The band is playing tomorrow tonight, do you want to come?" Mai asked.
"What time?" Lin asked. He was interested in Mai singing.
"Seven o'clock. I'll be singing my own songs tonight."
"You wrote your own songs?" Lin asked in surprise. Mai nodded, "With Bou-san's help." She added.
Lin dropped Mai off at her apartment and then went back to this apartment that he shares with Naru. Naru was in the living room going over some old case files. Naru looked up when Lin walked through the door.
"Where have you been?" Naru asked. Lin told him that he would only be a couple of hourse "I had to do a few things…" Lin replied as he sat down. "Actually, I figured out why Taniyama-san was acting strange…" Lin said and Naru put the papers down on to the table and motioned for him to go on.
Lin explained why Mai was acting strange… "What are we going to do about it?" Naru asked when Lin finished explaining. "I already did." Lin whispered. "What did you do?" Naru asked.
"Tan- Mai and I got married today."
"WHAT?"
"It was the only way… Mai's landlord is tight with a member of the government… When she turns eighteen we will get an annulment."
"I could have gone to my parents…" Naru said.
"Noll, your parents would have frightened her… You know what your mother is like…" Naru shuddered at the thought of his mother. Don't get him, Naru loves his parents, but his mother will hug you to death and fret over you… His father is like a normal father should be… Caring, strong, kind and a strong believer in discipline, he doesn't believe in hitting children. He just needs to talk to you in a firm voice and that's it.
"And she only had thirty days… And now she doesn't have to quiet SPR and go in to an orphanage." Lin added.
Naru sighed and nodded, "If you hurt her…" Naru growled.
"I won't hurt her. Just don't tell the others." Lin pleaded. Lin couldn't help but feel uneasy... Naru was forming a plan to embarrass him and Mai...
"Not my place to tell." Naru replied as he gathered his files and stood up. "I'm going to the office. I supposed you are going to Mai's…" Naru stated.
"I only came back to get a few clothes."
"Are you going to live there?"
"We haven't sorted that out."
"If the landlord is planning something, than she should live here." Naru suggested. Lin stood up and said, "Are you sure?"
"I care about Mai as well, we all do… I don't want her to be harmed." Naru said. Well he's not heartless as people think…
"I'll go and pick her up." Lin raced out of the apartment. He drove to Mai's apartment in the SPR van and when he got there he knocked on the door. Mai answered it and pulled him in.
"What is it?" He asked when he saw the scared expression on his face. He knows that expression a lot.
"They are watching me… I can't stay here." She replied. Mai has had enough of it. She just wants to live her life in piece happiness. Lin pulled her in to his arms.
"I told Naru everything and he said that you could move in with us…" Mai didn't give it a second thought she nodded and raced in to her bedroom to pack.
"Anything I can do to help?" Lin asked. "There are boxes in the hallway wardrobe. Can you pack all of the photos for me and the kitchen stuff?" Mai called out.
Just as Lin put the last photo that he wrapped in new paper in the box with the rest of the photos, there was a knock on the door. "Do you want me to get that?" He called out. "Please!" Mai replied.
Lin opened the door to reveal Naru and Madoka. "I told her." Naru said. "We came over to see if we can help pack her things." Madoka said.
"Mai's in her bedroom." Lin stepped aside to let them in. Madoka raced down the hallway. "Mai?" Madoka called out. "In here." Came a reply.
"The kitchen stuff is next… What is she going to do about her furniture?" Lin asked.
"You don't have much furniture in your apartment so take it with you…" Naru said.
"That's because I'm mostly staying in your apartment." Lin commented. "Luckily she doesn't have a lot of things. It won't take long to pack." Lin added.
It didn't take them long to pack. Naru packed the boxes in his car and the furniture went in to the van. Lin led the way back to his and Naru's apartment. "Naru lives in the apartment next to me." Lin said as soon they reached the apartment. "Whoa! The complex is huge." Mai observed. Her mouth was open.
"The apartments are big so there is only four apartments. We can unpack your things… And then we will talk." Lin said and Mai nodded in reply. After the packing was done Lin and Mai sat on the kitchen table with a pot of coffee between them.
"Your guardian does care for you. She just has too much on her plate… I had to convince her that we were in love, otherwise she wouldn't have signed the form… I agreed to let her come and see you every now and then."
"Do we-?" Mai was embarrassed to ask the question…
"Do we what?" Lin knew what she wanted to ask but he needed to hear it from her. He doesn't want Mai to feel uncomfortable about asking him these sort of questions.
"Are we going to sleep in the same room?" Mai asked.
"No. But if you have a nightmare, all you have to do come in to my room… If you're upset, I'll be here." Lin replied. Like a real husband. Mai thought with a smile of gratitude.
Mai was making dinner that night when Naru came in. "There is a man outside saying that he is a friend of Mai's, but something seems off with him…" He said.
"Is he bald at the top of his head?" Mai asked turning to face him. "Yes, with glasses and a huge belly." Naru replied.
"It's my landlord. What is he doing here?" Mai asked going to the door. "Mai…" Lin called out when she turned to look at him he pointed to her and then his ring. Mai nodded and took the ring off the chain that was around her neck and placed the ring on her ring finger and then answered the door.
"Hishato-san, what are you doing here?" Mai asked in a fake friendly voice.
"I heard that you got married today…" Hishato said. Lin took that as his cue to step up behind Mai and wrap his arms around her waist. "Evening sir, how can we help you?" Lin said in a polite voice.
"I came by to see how everything is." Spying more like it… To see if my marriage is a fake or not. Mai thought angrily.
"We have guests over for dinner tonight." Mai said to get rid of him.
"On your wedding night?" The man asked.
"We have work tomorrow so we don't really have the time, and to tell you the truth we didn't feel like going on holiday..." Lin said.
"Of course." Hishato. "Well, have a pleasant evening." Hishato said after a minute of silence.
When he left Lin sent one of his Shiki's to follow the man. "He is just sitting in his car watching the building". The Shiki reported. "He is watching the building." Lin reported to Mai and Naru. "What do you want me to do to him?" The Shiki asked. "Nothing, just watch him. Let me know when he moves."
Just then Madoka came in, she gave Naru a kiss and then turned to Mai and Lin. "How is dinner going?" Mai came out of her thoughts and replied. "Nearly ready, have a seat all of you." She said with a smile.
Lin followed Mai in to the kitchen. "Naru, has this idea… Madoka and Naru stay the night and they pretend to be us… Fool Hishato in to thinking that it's you and me. And if he is there by morning I will ring the police."
Mai nodded. "There is a reason why I call Oliver Naru…" She joked. Lin chuckled. "But there is one more thing… You'll have to sleep with me in my room…" Lin pointed out.
Mai blushed. "Don't worry I will sleep on the floor." Lin added.
"Can you set the table, dinner is ready." Mai said to cover up her embarrassed expression.
Naru, Lin, Mai and Madoka ate their dinner. "Mai, this is delicious, where and when did you learn to cook?" Madoka asked. "My mother taught me at the beginning, but my school has a teaching class. This was my mother's favourite meal." Mai replied.
"Your mother liked Chinese food?" Lin asked. "My mother liked nearly every food from around the world. "Except, Snails, Frog legs, which is gross. But she liked croissants." Mai shivered.
Naru chuckled and gave a little grin. "Gene hated Snails and Frog legs as well. One time he ate a snail without even knowing what it was until I told him and he raced to the bathroom and threw up."
"That is the first time I heard you speak about him without someone else bringing him up." Mai stated. Naru ignored her. Madoka squeezed his hand and whispered, "We miss him too."
Naru nodded. "Besides, he's here right now, through me." Mai said with a smile. "Until he is able to contact you, I'm more than happy to pass on the messages. Even if I'm late for work because of it."
Naru chuckled. "Naru." Mai whispered. "Yes Mai?" He answered.
"He is not in any more pain… One of my friend's father said to me when his mother died, he said to me, 'Don't think of it as a goodbye, just say see you later.' Because we are going to die at some point aren't we?" Mai pointed out.
"It looks like you do have brain cells." Naru joked. "Humph!" Mai pouted.
After dinner Lin closed the curtains at the windows and then they went over some cases. They sorted out the files that sounded dangerous, it took them two hours to sort them between dangerous and not so dangerous… "I asked Hara-san and Brown-san to go and visit the houses that weren't dangerous and it turned out that they were just lost spirits, harmless spirits trying to get owner's attention." Naru explained.
"Maybe Gene will give me a heads up for one of the other cases." Mai said as she got up.
"Be at work on time tomorrow." Naru said. Mai frowned and said, "Most people say good night."
"Good night Mai." Madoka said with a friendly smile. Mai returned the smile. "Goodnight." Lin followed Mai to the bedroom and set up a bed for him on the ground. "Lin-san, there is plenty of room on the bed." Mai said as she took out her nightgown.
"Are you sure?" Lin asked hesitating.
Mai nodded. "I don't want to make you give up your bed for me."
"Alright." Lin said slowly and Mai went in to the joining bathroom and changed and brushed her teeth. Lin put on some track suit pants and was about to sleep topless but then he thought that it might embarrass Mai so he put on a shirt.
"Bathroom's all yours." Mai said as she came out. Lin had just put the shirt on over his head when she walked in. "It's alright Lin, I've seen a man's bare chest before." She said. Lin took f the shirt and went in to the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Mai was already in bed asleep when he came out. Lin gave a small smile and then turned off the light and crawled in to bed. It didn't take him long to fall asleep either.
It was in the middle of the night when Mai woke up panting and sweating, she gasping for breath… It woke Lin up. Lin sat up and said in a soothing voice, "It was just a nightmare… Just take slow easy breaths." He rubbed her back. Mai managed to get her breath back.
"What happened?" Lin asked when she calmed down.
"I was in a house and it was on fire, the smoke was so think, I couldn't see or breathe… Then I was drowning, someone was holding my head down in a bath tub full of water. And then someone had their hands around my throat choking me." She replied. And then as she thought about the nightmares she realised that what happened to her in those dreams might have actually really happened to somebody else. Mai started crying.
"They were just nightmares." Lin said again rubbing her back gently.
"Lin, they might have actually happened to somebody…My nightmares are usually based on real events… Those people were murdered. I feel helpless…" Mai said through sobs.
Lin couldn't say anything to make her feel better. He just pulled her down against his chest and pulled the covers over them. He held her through the rest of the night.
Please review and let me know what you think.
I'm sorry if this chapter dragged on and on…
I wonder how the rest of the gang will react when they find out that Lin and Mai are married…