Summary: Darkness Left Behind Sequel. Two years had passed after the monster case in which Mai dare to kiss Naru out of impulse and their relationship has never been better. Now, because of two persistent woman who insisted on marrying them off, Naru decides to take a new case in hope to avoid their wedding plans, but what will happen when the case at the Inn became more than they bargain for?

AN: This is the sequel of Darkness Left Behind, if you haven't read it yet, then I recommend you to do so, otherwise you may not understand this story. Now, this is the full version of the preview I give you on chapter 11, from Darkness Left Behind. As usual, my English grammar is not so good, so be warned. I hope you like this story as much as the previous one. Thanks for reading.

Behind The Darkness

Chapter One: New Life, New Plans, New Case

"Hum, Naru this is..." Mai Taniyama said to the tall slender men in black next to her. The pressing feeling of danger was hard to ignore and her instinct said loud and clear they needed to go out of there as soon as possible.

"How bad is it? Can you tell?" Oliver Davis asked the young petite woman next to him while holding her hand for dear life. He can see why she had become so restless. He as well, was feeling anxious.

"Does wanting to run away counts as very bad?" She asked him back, trying to swallow her panic and holding his hand tighter. The events unfolding in front of them were serious indeed.

"Yes. Can we make it out without notice?" He asked already looking for a way out. Their current situation required that much. They needed to get out one way or another before real hell get loose over them.

"We can always try, right?" She said moving slowly with him by her side, one step at the time. Little by little they almost reached the door. Now that their only way out was so close, perhaps they could really make it.

"Should we run for it?" Naru asked her, while looking at the door with intensity. He was really temped to burst the thing to pieces. Safety was a priority he was willing to embrace no matter the consequences.

"Yeah...perhaps it's our best option now. They will soon focus on us. We need to hurry." She said while getting ready for a dash and just when they give the first step, a deep penetrating voice on their back was heard, freezing the young couple in the act.

"And just where the two of you are going? There is no escape from this you Maru couple! Come back here you pair of cowards." Said Madoka Mori with a humorous teasing voice. Both Naru and Mai sighed in resignation to the coming agony.

They were very close to escape from Madoka's and Ayako's grasp which were looking at wedding dresses magazines in search for theirs, but failed miserably at the very end. Two years had passed after the monster case they worked on. The case in which Mai had dared to kiss Naru for the first time out of impulse. Many things had happened to all of them on that time, both good and bad, but for Mai Taniyama and Oliver Davis, there was no worst thing in the world than an obsessed pair of women with wedding plans, for a no so willing couple with different plans of their own.

It wasn't that they didn't want to marry. Both of them agree there will be a time when they will fully embrace the idea, but for now they were just too young to give the huge step to a deeper relationship. Mai still have years of studies ahead of her to properly get a degree on the field and a better understanding of his world and Naru had a lot of investigations half-done that needed his attention. He usually travel back to England twice a year for a month or two, then come back for more research material, but they all knew he came back for her, which make her exceedingly happy. Research was only the excuse he used for the BSPR.

"Come one Madoka, we already talk about this… it's too early for a wedding! You too Ayako, there is no way we will have a double wedding in seven months. I love looking at wedding dresses with you two, because Ayako deserve the best one for her wedding, but we are out of the question for now." Mai said trying to give her voice a more commanding tone, which failed to convince the two woman in front of her. Ayako even laughed at her without any reservation. Naru just closed his eyes and pressed the bridge of his nose. Mai was many things, but never an authoritative person, the job was usually his.

"That's nonsense, Mai. You should tie your man as soon as possible. Handsome men with international status are hard to keep with so many woman blindly falling for them. They can also run on you when you less expect it." Said Ayako pointing at Naru. At the accusation he only sighed. His relationship with his assistant was more than enough to keep him busy for a lifetime.

When on cases, she was still a danger magnet despise all the training to hide her aura. It seems spirits were attracted to her for more than just her blinding soul. Outside cases, she was still clumsy when you less expect it and he had to rescue her a few times. Winter was specially dangerous for her, when she could trip all over the city and give herself a variety of colorful bruises. He learned the first time she sprained her ankle last winter, he should never let her alone when snowing. He sighed again when his memory replayed such incident and he internally shivers.

"While is true that been too handsome can be a hassle with the opposite sex, I have no interest in woman who only love appearances. There is no need to upset Mai for something that will never happen. Now, let me explain to you both one thing, one more time. This is an office, a place for business, not your personal reception for wedding plans. If you don't have any work to do, please leave. My personal life is not at your disposal, either." He said in a freezing tone. Mai was always impressed with Naru's authority, even with Madoka. A shame she didn't care for that. Sorry Naru, that won't work on her. She sadly thought. Madoka was a very powerful adversary, especially for him. After all, she teaches him everything he knows about ghost hunting.

"No can do Noll, Luella herself give me this special job. She wants lots of cute little psychic grandsons as soon as possible, don't be mean and make her dream a reality." Madoka said smiling happily. Naru looked at Mai for a second and was pleased to see her blushing deep red. At least something good came from all that rubbish. He always like it when she blushed.

"Whatever we decide to do on a future is a decision we made on our own, take that in mind. I will not be forced to do as you please." He said sitting on his usual armchair while Mai sat on the couch in front of him.

"You hear that, Ayako? Oh, poor Mai… you should look for another boyfriend. Such a heartless man. To think he has to be forced to marry you..." Madoka said with fake tears that didn't show on her eyes. If Naru wasn't already on a bad mood, Mai would have laughed.

For Naru however, never in his life he wished for a new case as in that moment. Ghost and haunted houses were his best friend right now and so when the door of the office open, revealing a pair of strangers, he was already set on accepting their case even if it was a simple one. Anything was better than face two equally persistent woman set on marry them off without any consideration for their opinions. They were already lucky enough with Yasuhara's absence, otherwise he would have joined them.

"Oh, welcome. Please come in and take a seat." Mai said standing up to escort the newcomers to the coach in front of Naru. It was a good thing Madoka and Ayako make their mess of magazines on her desk and she was glad to have a distraction to their earlier discussion. As much as she loved both Ayako and Madoka, her wedding plans always scare her. A few minutes later Lin was ready to type any kind of information their new clients were wiling to disclose. Mai was giving them cups of warm tea, which the pair accepted with gratitude.

"Hum, is this Shibuya Psychic Research?" Asked the middle age woman with hesitation. Even if the reddish browned girl with a kind and warm smile had genuinely welcome them, she was a little nervous about coming to a place that deals with ghosts. She always feared for people to make fun of her for seeking help from groups of investigators of supernatural occurrences. Although, she needed help from professionals, she hoped for serious people who could understand the problems they faced without calling them crazy or judge them.

"Yes, my name is Kazuya Shibuya and I'm in charge of the company. We do research on all kind of paranormal phenomena. May I ask what brings you here? Are you the victims of a haunting?" Naru asked to the apparent couple. The woman assented still wondering if she had made the right choice. The men in front of her looked too young to be in charge of a company. There were three other adults on the room, she was kind of asking herself why would he be in charge.

"My name is Kaori Iwasaki and this is my husband, Shouhei Iwasaki. We had recently brought an old four stories mansion just outside the city and loved the peacefully scenery and the beauty of the mansion. The location was just perfect, near a big lake and surrounded by breath-taking nature on all sides. Because we have been dreaming on having our own homely Inn for those who travel the country in search for relaxation away from the noise of the city, the mansion was everything we were looking for. Even the price was attractive, so we didn't think twice on buying it. " Kaori said, still remembering the enthusiasm they share when the property became theirs.

"However, a year after we own the mansion and make it a successful Inn, things begins to change. The Inn had twenty rooms and in many of them our clients complained of freezing temperatures even when in summer. Doors and windows open or closed on their own, objects moved from one place to another, the lights turn off and on their own, a few clients swear they saw shadows or have the sensation of being watched or hear crying and whispers when no one is close." Finished Shouhei, while taking her wife hand. He also hoped those people to be real professional who could help them with their persistent problem. It wasn't only for their clients sake, but also for their family and those who worked for them.

Naru took a few notes of the information the Iwasaki family give on his black notebook. Previously he has wished for a case no matter if it was a simple one, but apparently, the only thing simple on that case was the obvious haunting those people were experiencing. He gives Mai a glance, sometimes they could use telepathy on each other the same way he could with Gene. The process wasn't always successful because Mai was still having problems receiving his thoughts, he never got problem receiving hers.

"Mai, do you sense anything coming from them?" He tries asking her and he knew his message had been heard loud and clear. It was always amusing to see her reaction when he got through her, she always gets startle with surprise first, then got mad at him for scaring her.

"Geez Naru, don't scare me like that! You will give me a heart attack one of these days." She replies, giving him a hard look.

"There would be no need for you to be scare if you learn how to feel my touch on your mind before I actually send something to you." He said in the arrogant way she hated so much.

"Why you jerk... I swear, sometimes I wonder why I actually fall for you." She said quietly humping at him. She knew he was teasing her, but she couldn't avoid falling for his tricks anyways.

"Focus Mai, what are your impressions on this couple?" He asked again more serious now.

"There is nothing odd about them, but I have the felling there is more to their story than what they said." She said giving a look to the couple sat in front of him.

"Good, I was thinking the same." He said and focus on them. Asking Mai for impressions while deciding to take new cases, had become a habit of his. Her instincts were sharper than before and they usually guide him on the right path, except when danger was involved. She always seems to run head on to any kind of dangerous situation without fail.

"Did something happens before the paranormal activity began? Maybe someone dies on an accident or of natural causes, for example?" Naru asked the couple and he felt he had hit a nerve there.

"No one die as far as we know. To be honest from the beginning there have been a few odd things, but nothing serious, so we didn't pay them too much attention. We thought they were childish pranks when the lights turned on and off and when objects disappear from their original places to be found somewhere else. Some staff members bring children with them for a day or two on special occasions or circumstances as well as clients. We blamed the strong breeze when some rooms became colder than usual, specially on nights and clouded days. Things begin to escalate when our nice leave her twin kids with us. She needed to go oversea for work for a month and ask us if we could take care of them until her return. We loved the kids so we accept to take care of them in her absence, it was then that we really notice something was wrong. The kids always seem to talk to unseen people and the activity increased to the point of clients begin to notice that something was wrong. Suddenly, a few of them were locked down on their rooms and others were even pushed on the baths or halls. We closed the Inn with the excuse of renovations, but the true is that we got scared that a tragic could take place there." Shouhei said letting it all out. It was best to be completely honest with them.

"I see. Are the twins still there?" Naru asked. The case could take a different path if it was somehow related to the kids or the kids themselves were the reason of the haunting.

"I'm afraid, yes. My niece will be back in two weeks. Both of her parents died of illness years ago, so we are her only relative and we don't have anyone else to take care of them. That's why we decide to look for professional help. We don't want any kind of tragedy to take place, please help us. We can pay whatever amount you ask." Said Shouhei almost in desperation. They had never been able to have kids on their own and that's why their nephews were like sons to them.

"Mai, do you want to go to a haunted Inn, outside the city? Is summer, after all." He internally asked her a second time.

"Yeah, they need our help and haunted Inns sound like fun in comparison with what is waiting for us here." She replies giving Madoka and Ayako a side look. The wedding magazines remained her of what was waiting for them once the couple leaved.

"Agree. I will help you pack tonight, then." Mai furiously blushed.

"No, you will not!" She replies flushing even more.

"We will accept your case. Expect us to arrive tomorrow at noon. We need two rooms for us and an extra one for the equipment we will use and set as base. Leave the address and contact with my assistant." Naru said finally closing his notebook.

"Oh, thank you so much. We will prepare your accommodations right away. Thanks for agree to help us." Kaori said standing and bowing to him. She was so relive that someone was willing to help them. She gave the information needed to the kind girl and set off with high hopes.

"I guess I will be calling Housho for the coming case, right?" Asked Ayako to the narcissist.

"Yes, Mai contact Father Brown and Miss Hara as well and Mai..." He said standing. "I need tea." He added. Geez, just how many cups he need in less than an hour? He just drink one! She thought.

"I hear that, idiot." He smirked. When she was upset, she was no different from an open book to him.

"Yeah, yeah, I will prepare more tea for you, your highness." She said going back to the kitchenette. Madoka was watching them while the couple was disclosing their haunting experience and she was sure that those two could use telepathy on each other and she smiled at this. They had come to know each other rather well and even if Noll sometimes acted cold, she knew he was fervently in loved with the petite girl and she also knew they were closer than they seem to others. Oh Luella, I'm sure this will end well. They are so perfect for each other, if only Noll agrees to the double wedding, life would be perfect! She thought giggling like a silly girl. Lin looked at her and sighed. He recognized that giggling and he was sure she was even more determined to marry Mai and Noll than never before. Good luck Noll, I'm sure you will need it.

A little extra in the daily lives of Naru and Mai long before to their new case:

"Hum Naru, we don't really have to do this." She said while deeply blushing.

"Yes, this is a necessity you can't avoid." He said looking at her with amusement.

"But its kind of embarrassing or more like humiliating." She said nervously.

"I don't mind, why you? I even let you set the rules." He said avoiding the flying pillow thrown on his direction.

"You are really enjoying this right? I hate you!" She said pouting.

"Empty words don't have effect on me and there will be a prize at the end." He said giving her a deeper look.

"Can I just take the prize?" She asked shyly. A kiss was always worthy.

"You have to win first." He said smirking. Mai looked at Yuki, one of Lin's familiars and internally asked for help but the white fox only snort at her. She should have known better than to seek help from his guardian.

"Come on Naru, there is no way a common girl like me can beat a genius like you at shogi. I hate strategy games the most." She said frustratingly looking at the shogi board in front of her at the table. She was already losing big time.

"You say I could choose a traditional game on game night, so I did. Last time it was your pick, now is mine." He said slightly smiling and that makes it for her.

"OK, I give up. You win!" She said raising her hand in surrounded.

"You sure took your time, come here, I'm willing to give you a consolation prize as well." He said and pull her closer when she got near, then he moved his head up to meet her lips. She was standing while he was sitting on a chair next to her small table and he kissed her like that until both of them were out of breath.

"I need to go now. It's getting late." He said to her still holding her.

"I like it more when I lose." She said blushing.

"So do I." And after giving her another kiss, he was off in the cold night, Yuki followed him outside and she was off to bed to dream with handsome narcissists.

This is the scene I imagine from the avatar above. I know they are not them, yet I could picture Mai and Naru like that on a tender moment. What do you think, could you imagine them as such too?

AN: Please review when done reading. Updating may take a little time, because I had other stories I'm working on. Still, I will post another chapter as soon as it gets done. Thanks for reading. See you soon.