Thank you everyone for reviewing! I hope you are liking the revisions to "The Higurashi Case"! Also, take a look at my other ongoing GH story "The Kinoshita Case"! Also, I do not own Ghost Hunt or it's characters. That is Fuyumi Ono's honor.

Enjoy


Mai's POV:

I continued to move around the hedge corner, unable to stop myself. Even though I desperately wanted to close my eyes, run away, scream or at least do something, I couldn't. Something was controlling my body.

'I don't want to go near that fountain… someone... anyone! Help! Please!'

I finally rounded the corner. My terrified eyes instantly finding the familiar fountain. The feeling of dread swelled in the pit of my stomach, weighing me down like a lead weight as my feet continued to press forward. 'Stop! Please!'

My heart rate began to increase with every step I took towards the morbidly beautiful statue. The sound around me faded, the rustling of the breeze through the trees or the sound of the dirt crunching beneath my shoes fading into just a ringing in my ears. Through the high pitched ringing I heard only a heartbeat. My feet stopped at the edge of the fountain. The cement border tapping just at my knees.

The mute wind continued to whip around me as I stared through my flourishing hair at the tormented woman, something about her made the concrete woman seem alive. As I stood fixed at the edge of the fountain ensorcelled by the ominous life I saw beyond her crying face, I felt a delicate and cold hand at the exposed nape of my neckl. The hand roughly pushed against my neck, sending my head hurling down towards the water.

My head was forced under the warm shallow water, almost hitting my forehead on the bottom. The water reached past my shoulders, to the tops of my arms. I panicked as I dropped to my knees, scraping them against the concrete before collapsing on the rough dirt. My chest falling down hard onto the fountain, the sharp inner edge pushing into me painfully. Pressing my palms to the fountain I pushed with all my might against the rough surface, trying to wrench my submerged head from out of the water. I unconsciously grunt, exhaling bubbles to billow up from my mouth and nose to the surface.

My lungs began to burn as the ice-like hand continued to hold my head under the water with an iron grip. I open my eyes to see the water clear and the stone wall I was bent over is the only thing I can see. I turn my head to the side to see a woman lying on her stomach on the bottom of the fountain, her head turned towards me and eyes lay closed.

Her black hair floated around her face, giving me only glimpses of her features. From what I could see, she wore a white dress that was now see through. Her pale skin was smooth, as her arms and feet rested against the cement as if she were weighed down. Something shining beside her head caught my eye. The shining object was tethered to her, floating in the water. For a moment, the object turned towards me, the shining stopping just long enough to see a rose pendant.

'It's the woman from my dream.. No. That means I'm going to die.. No!'

Her black eyes flicked open and a creepy smile slowly etched itself onto her face. He lifted herself up on her hands. With her arms and legs bent outward sinisterly in a spider like form. She began to crawl towards me, her black eyes peering angrily and intently at me. Her hair swirled around her, creating a dark halo that was nearing me.

I began to hysterically trash around, unconsciously screaming only to choke on the water that rushed into my throat and lungs. I desperately flung my hand back and groped for the hand on the back of my neck. Attempting to pull it away from me as I pinched my eyes closed trying to focus. I reach up to my neck to grab the ice hand only to have my hand rest on my neck.

'Wait, there's nothing there! I can feel it, but why can't I touch it? No! I'm going to die..!'

That's when I felt it. A slight tickling on my cheek. Then more tickling at my neck and chin as a long wisp of a softness caressed my temple where my own hair floated away from. Soon, the daylight that glowed through my closed eyelids darkened as I felt the heat of my face radiate back at me. I kept my eyes closed, and froze. Waiting. A few bubbles blew onto my lips, the origin only an inch from my face.

I open my eyes to see the two black eyes directly in front of me, black wispy hair hovered around us like a haze like cigar smoke in the sunlight.

That's when I saw out of my peripherals something red swirl around us with her black hair. More redness flowed in front of my eyes, I peeled my eyes from the black ones in front of me to focus on the redness that danced between us.

Blood.

I looked frantically around to see that the crimson liquid was swirling all around us. My fast glances around were stopped when I spotted a large slit on the woman's throat, the blood seeping out of it.

My eyes returned to the woman's, I could taste it. Iron. Salty. Hot.

I choked and blew out the rest of the air in my lungs. My throat burned as I stared wide eyed at the woman, my heart frantically drumming as pure fear washed over me.

Through the concoction of blood and water that curled around us, she crept closer even closer to me. A long, cold finger caressed my cheek tenderly. She felt like stone.

"Finally."

Naru'sPOV:

"Mai! Mai, where are you," I yell out. Panic had set in a while ago when I no longer saw her form or heard her footsteps and labored breathing. I had been running around this stupid maze all because Mai had to be stupid again.

"After she had that dream about her being in a hedge maze making her cry, she still comes running straight into it.." I sigh in defeat. This girl seriously was going to be the death of me.. Or herself. Or both. Whichever comes first.

Another sigh.

I paused for a moment, my feet stopping and I peered up at the clouded sun and listened.

Nothing.

No birds. No running water. No frogs or any other wildlife that may had been residing in the garden. Not even the sound of the wind in the hedges, which were rustling in response to a very obvious physical breeze.

I started briskly walking down the pathway, slowly picking up speed until I was in a full run. As I sped through the maze, I started to near a fork in the hedges, only two ways to go.

"Turn left."

A voice, male and familiar echoed throughout my mind. Without hesitation I obeyed the voice and continued to run, taking a left at the fork.

"Left." Again, I obeyed. For some reason, I had instinctively listened to the voice again.

One name rang through my mind as the name and voice finally clicked.

'Gene.' I could mentally see a hazy male form nod his head with a grim frown on his lips.

"Turn right."

Gene led me through the maze for about five minutes, playing telepathic GPS until I heard the thrashing of water.

My speed quickened as my heart rate matched my pace. Panic fully surging through my veins.

I broke out into a full out sprint. I could feel the sweat cling to my body underneath my clothes and at my hairline as I rounded a hedge to see Mai bent over the edge of a big fountain, thrashing around like a maniac.

The glared as I vaguely noticed the odd feeling the macabre statue above her gave off, but brushed it off as I ran towards my assistant, I noticed her legs kicking on the ground and her back wrenching upwards as if she were struggling to pull herself out of the water. One arm was in the water pushing on the bottom, but her other arm was on the fountain's edge trying to push herself away and to the side.

Then her body went still. Her face was turned, her eyes open and wide as she stared at the empty waters to her side. Then her eyes gracefully fell shut.

I ran behind her and dived my hands under the warm water, grabbing onto her shoulders. As I grabbed her shoulders, my thumb landed on the back of her neck. I quickly noted that unlike the rest of the warm summer water, the back of her neck was freezing cold. I quickly filed that observation away and pulled. My eyes widened when she didn't even so much as budge. As I stared down at her limp body, thinking of a logical solution a strong gust of cold air blew me backwards, away from Mai. My side hit the hard, unforgiving ground and I rolled on the series of randomly placed hard stones on the packed dirt.

I quickly rose and ran back to Mai, wrapping my arms tightly around her thin waist. I groaned as I pulled with all my strength, feeling her pelvis dig into my arm. After a few seconds, Mai and I went soaring backwards. I pulled Mai down and into my arms, and curled my body around her small frame. The water from her head and shoulders immediately drenched my chest, neck and chin.

We tumbled and rolled to a stop on the cool earth. My body still encased around hers as we lay on our sides. I opened my eyes to see that I had burrowed my face into her warm, wet hair. I look up to see the sun had once again revealed itself as the fountain loomed innocently in the middle of the maze.

I quickly sit up and looked down at Mai who laid unmoving on my arm. My brow furrowed.

"Mai." No movement.

Then realization hit.

I hurriedly moved to my knees and turned her on her back. I rested my head on her chest, ear to her heart listening intently.

The faintest of heartbeats, almost non-existent lethargically thumped through her wet, thin clothing and against my ear. A feeling of dread dropped in the bottom of my stomach, instantly making me feel sick.

My own pulse accelerated as I moved my hand to her slightly opened lips. No moving air. Rising on my knees and leaning over her, with one fist clutching the other, my hands rested on her breast bone. I began pressing down in short quick bursts, counting silently in my head. Swiftly moving a hand under her head and one under her chin, tilting her head up I pressed my lips roughly to hers. I quickly noted the faint taste of blood on her lips, but didn't pay it any attention and blew all the air out of my lungs and into hers. Watching her chest rise and fall with my breaths pushing into her. When I removed my mouth from her's, I looked at her lips expecting to see blood thinking she was injured or coughing blood, but there was no trace of the red liquid. Deciding that it wasn't a pressing matter right now, I pushed it to the back of my mind.

I moved my hands back to her breast plate and began pressing my fist down onto her.

"Come on.. Come on.." I absently murmur in frustration as I look at her face, peaceful and still. The feeling of dread beginning to spread to through the rest of my body.

"Come on, Mai," I almost threaten through my teeth as I move back to her lips, my eyes glaring down at her closed eyelids, giving her all the life I had left in my lungs.

"Damnit.." I spit out as I repeat the compressions on her chest. "Damnit, Mai! Come on.." I repeat, my eyes glaring down at her jumping chest under my hands.

I once again cover her mouth with mine as my hands cradled her head, ignoring the slight fatigue my body was beginning to feel.

The feeling of dread now beginning to transform into anger. I was too transfixed on the dying girl beneath me to notice the pebbles and rocks around us begin to shake then slowly lift into the air. The air around us suddenly becoming like electricity as the uncontrollable wave of anger flowed out of me.

I had never been one for feelings. Not in dealing with them, discussing them, and certainly not in feeling them. Unfortunately, this backfired at me when I couldn't even begin to describe what it was I was feeling now as my assistant lay limp beneath me as I performed CPR on her.

Anger.. Betrayal.. Sadness.. No.. not just sadness. Heartache. The sort of heartache that made you sick to your stomach, knocked the air out of your lungs, and made your physical heart palpitate and throb in such an excruciating way that made you think that you needed to go to the hospital.

The sort of heartache I had felt when I found out about my brother's death.

As I continued the compressions, the overwhelming emotions intensified. I felt the wind around us pick up and ground beneath us shake. The electricity that danced in the air started to become visible, little shocks lighting up around us. I heard a deep groan beneath us in the earth and saw out of my peripherals the earth open up and cave in on itself.

"Mai," I bark out as I move my lips to her's once more, noticing that they were growing colder each time I pressed mine to them. Even to me, my voice sounded strained and a little desperate.

I could feel the ache in my heart begin to dig deeper, almost as if my physical heart was being carved into. That's when I felt it. The lightest suction on my lips that were still pressed into her's. I hadn't noticed I had closed my eyes until opened them to see her eyebrows twitch. A new feeling filled me, pushing all the negative ones away in an instant, but the deep heartache remained as a reminder of her mostly lifeless body. This new feeling was lighter, and had simultaneously filled me with more energy while causing the earthly debris that had been levitating around us to fall back to the ground and dissipate the wind and electricity that encircled us.

Hope was a powerful stimulant to someone with excessive PK. Noted.

With my hand still underneath her head, I swiftly moved my ear to her chest again and heard a heartbeat much louder than the one from before. As I listened to the sweet sound that had quickly become music to my ears, a small and hoarse gasp came from Mai. I realized that this was my favorite song, her heartbeat being the bass, her voice and breath playing the melody, and Mai as the composer.

She struggled with inhaling and I quickly closed my lips onto hers and forced more air into her again. I felt her greedily take in my breath as I gladly gave all I had into her lungs. I moved my mouth away from her's and watched in relief and slight exhaustion as she coughed and gasped.

"Breathe slowly. In.. out.. In… out," I advise, my voice not as gentle as I wanted it to be. When she gasped again I snapped, "slowly, Mai."

As she finally began leveling her breathing out I gently swiped a bead of my sweat that had dropped from my cheek to hers with my thumb. Moving my gaze back to her eyelids I watched intently as her eyes fluttered open to stare hazily at me. After a beat of us staring at each other, both panting, she gave a weak smile.

"Naru.." her nickname for me escapes from between her lips softly, her voice a little raspy. And I can't help but to enjoy the fact that the first word she says after such an ordeal is my name.

'Only an idiot like her would smile after practically dying.' I think while trying to suppress both an eye roll and a smile.

I sat back on my knees, my hand never slipping out from under her drenched head and sighed while closing my eyes and running my free hand through my hair, sweat now leaving a few trails from my hairline down my face. The summer heat definitely wasn't helping. I opened my eyes to see her breathing not as heavy and her eyes closed.

A shot of panic ran through me. Even though she was clearly breathing, seeing her eyes once again closed reminded me of when she was just barely considered alive just a few moments ago.

"Mai," I call, my voice still as emotionless as I try to keep it everyday. I took much pride in my ability to void myself of as many emotions as I could. However, just like my job and the rest of my life (which revolved around my job), Mai made being emotionless difficult.

At the sound of me saying her name, her eyes clicked open to stare at me. A new resurgence of life filled them, her cinnamon brown orbs looking almost back to normal. I could only manage to glare at her for making my heart race again after just having to resuscitate her.

The fear and panic.. and hope I felt for her were familiar yet foreign to me. I couldn't quite understand why these specific emotions presented themselves. I have never had the pleasure of having to perform CPR on a living person nor have to constantly save an accident prone girl at least once on every case we investigated on. Was it because this silly girl forced me into these virgin situations for me, simply my inexperience in the art of playing the hero? Or was it the girl herself?

Something told me that I already knew the answer, and I did. But what that meant was a completely different discussion I will continue later alone of course, and when Mai was safely out of harm's way.

"Can you stand," I ask bluntly. She nodded and moved to sit up, but paused when I motioned for her to stop. I offered my hand while my other hand moved to her shoulder. She stared at my outstretched hand before taking it, her free hand grabbed onto the front of my shirt.

We slowly stand up. She was having a hard time standing due to lack of oxygen to her brain so I snaked the arm that was on her shoulder around her waist to support her weight. I looked down and smirked as her cheeks adorned a light rosy color. Though my smirk didn't last long, falling from my face when I felt her shiver, despite the summer air and sun.

I swiftly swiped my jacket off and wrapped it around her fragile, wet frame. My small assistant gazed up at me and smiled.

"Thank you, Naru." The nickname she had given me ringing in my ears. I studied her face as she took in our surroundings.

"Um, Naru? Why is the ground cracked," she asked as she pointed to the deep slit in the earth in front of us. I unconsciously squeezed her hand gently, forgetting that it was still in mine.

My PK wasn't a secret anymore which made Mai worry and fuss about me using it as much if not more than my parents and Lin. On several occasions my two assistants had joined forces to scold me for using it even a little.

I quickly released her small hand as I ignored her question bluntly.

"Are you hurt anywhere," I evade her question as I look over her body. When my eyes return to her's she is wearing her classic blush, but with a frown.

"Don't avoid my question, Naru."

"I'm not avoiding your question, Mai. Your health is simply more of a priority than some crack in the ground. In case, you have forgotten, you weren't breathing just a minute ago and were about to die."

Her eyes widen, her blush deepening. She then glanced down at our feet.

"I'm not hurt anywhere.."

"Good. Let's head back then. Can you walk on your own, or do you need help," I take the opportunity to tease her, knowing it would inevitably cheer her up. As I finish my question, I give a small squeeze with my arm around her waist, pressing her ever so tighter against my side. Her small body emanating a heat that warmed not just my side, but somehow reached through the rest of my body, making me hyper aware of her.

"Uh- oh um, I can walk.. fine, thanks," she stammered as she gave a nervous smile and chuckle before moving away from me with her hands gripping my jacket tighter around her.

I smirk and walk ahead of her, "very well. Let's go."

...


As we walked through the maze, she walked so close to my side that her shoulder would bump into me with almost every step. A small, almost insignificant action however it still fueled my ego as a man that much more.

I sighed. "I am an award winning scientist and doctor and yet here I am getting an ego boost from my assistant who is sticking close to my side, knowing I'd protect her. She was just attacked and almost died, I don't blame her.. However, I must admit, for such a bull-headed girl to actually rely on me does stroke my ego more than I'd imagined.." I silently muse at this pleasant feeling, exploring into the possible reasons why.

"Hey Naru, do you actually know where you're going?" Mai's annoyed voice broke me from my thoughts. I look down at her to see he was watching me. Her big cinnamon colored eyes intently looking at me with such skepticism.

Snort.

"Of course I do, Mai. Unlike you, I have impeccable memory," I smirk down at her before looking forward. My smirk only growing when I heard a huff of annoyance, but she seemed to move closer to me.

We continued to walk in silence, before I became curious.

"So what happened," I inquired, my eyes sliding down to her. A quick flash of fear shone through her eyes then she blinked and it was gone, a more frustrated look on her expressions.

"I'm not really sure myself. Something was forcing my feet to walk through the maze, pulling me to the fountain. Then something pushed me into the water by my neck; and then there was the woman from my dream. She was in the water crawling towards me," Mai explained quietly, fear filled tears in her eyes. Her grip on my jacket that covered her shoulders tightened as she lightly shook underneath it.

I looked back forward after she seemed to straighten and shake off the feeling.

"Finally." I glanced back down at her, silently questioning her. She looked up, noted my look and explained.

"The woman. She didn't exactly say it. But I heard her voice. She said, "finally" and then I blacked out."

Mai's POV:

I finished talking, still staring up at my stoic boss and rescuer. Naru was silent and looked ahead so I delved into my own musings.

'Why this fountain? It obviously must have a significant tie to the hauntings. Maybe it holds memories for the spirit? Maybe just like in my dream, it was where the woman and the child died… But why do they resemble the statue?'

I suddenly felt Naru's hand wrap around my bicep and forced us to pick up our pace. I look at him wondering why we've suddenly sped up. I was about to ask him when I felt a shiver run up my spine. My eyes widened as my mouth hung open. I slowly close my mouth and focus back on Naru. He was looking straight ahead, a determined and slightly annoyed look on his face.

'How could I not feel this before?'

We continue to walk through the maze. I turn around and sighed in relief, no longer able to see the fountain. Turning back around I blinked when a few drops of water plopped onto my head and shoulders. I looked up and suddenly noticed how the once sunny, clear sky was now covered by dark clouds that threatened to open up and rain down on us at any moment. Making the vibrant, green grass look dull and dead.

'How had I not noticed that either? What's wrong with me?! Jeez Mai, you really need to start focusing more.'

As we walked, I could feel a heavy presence behind us. I kept turning around to see a small black shadow peeking out from behind a bush, then it would dart back and disappear.

"Naru, somethings following us," I whispered knowing he would hear me, more droplets of water began to slowly drizzle onto us. His eyes stayed fastened to the path ahead of us, "I know. Whatever you do, stay close and remain calm."

"Ah-" I yell out as I tripped over something and began to fall forward. Instead of hitting the cold, hard ground, Naru's large hand tightened on my arm as his other shot out to stretch across my chest, his hand resting on my other bicep. I blushed when I looked up, through the rain to see Naru glaring down on me.

"Watch where you're going. You're too clumsy to not be paying attention," Naru said in his monotone voice. I huff, straightening as his arms dropping to his sides. I look down at the source of my fall to see a thick tree root lying on the ground behind me.

"It's not my fault! That root wasn't there before!"

Before the narcissist could retort a high pitched giggle rang through the quickly thickening summer rain. I froze in place as Naru glanced behind us.

I suddenly felt something wrap tightly around my ankle. Looking down I see the root I had tripped over earlier, circling my ankle like a snake.

"What the-" I said as I furrowed my eyebrows when I bent down and tried to unwrap it, but it didn't let go.

Naru looked down at the constricting root and reached out to unwrap it. Before he could even touch it, the plant yanked on my ankle. Hard. Naru's jacket fell off me as I fell onto my side. With a scream I was being dragged away from Naru and back towards the fountain. The force of the root's pull and the sheer speed caused my skirt and shirt to be pushed up, exposing my pale, soft skin to the rough and moist dirt that was quickly becoming mud that made up the pathway.

"Naru!" I screamed as I was pulled at a quick speed down the path towards the fountain.

Turning to lie on my stomach one hand trailed above my head, the other held my skirt down at least below my underwear as I watched Naru race after me. Another scream of pain rippled through my throat as a sharp rock dug into and up my entire stomach as I slid over it. I was thankful that it had begun raining. I would take being dragged through cold mud than cold and rough dirt any day. Though there were still rocks and sticks that raked my skin as I was being dragged, it would have been much worse if the ground were dry.

I glance over my shoulder and squinted through the now torrential downpour from the heavens. 'It's taking me back to the fountain!'

As the root turned a corner I flung my hands into the rough, sharp evergreen hedge and grabbed onto anything that would hold me. My wet and muddy hands and forearms were dragged through the rough trees. All the branches slipped through my grasp until finally I stretched a little farther into the hedge and my hands came into contact with a thick, sturdy branch with lots of smaller branches so I could wedge my hands between the tiny branches.

I clung onto the branch for dear life, the rest of the evergreen needles prickled at my face.

I look up to see Naru turn the corner, his eyes instantly on me. I groan as the root tugs viciously on my ankle, causing my hand to slide down the the branch, the needles and rough bark cutting and hooking onto the skin of my palms.

Naru runs to me and I let go of the branch with one of my hands to reach out to him. I feel my hand slide further down the branch and I plead, "hurry!" His fingers just barely grace the tips of mine before the branch I was clutching gives out and breaks under the strain as the root once again tugs me back out of Naru's reach. I could hear him growl as he bounds after me and in a moment of desperation, I raised myself from my forearm then to my hand and lunged myself towards Naru. With my one hand supporting my weight on the ground, my other reached out to Naru. It was for a moment before my hand slipped over the mud and out from under me, but in that quick second, Naru grabbed a hold of my hand, his other hand grabbing my arm. I stopped, the branch still pulled on my ankle. I whimpered when I felt a "pop" originate from my ankle. Naru pulled me into his arms, and worked his way down my muddied body until he was at my ankle.

Kneeling, Naru grabbed the branch and in one swift move, he ripped it off my ankle. The branch looked as if it began to die. It started to wither away until it was just a mere twig.

I could feel the muscles in my stomach retract painfully every time I took a breath. I looked down to see that I was completely covered in mud. I drew air in with a hiss when I felt Naru press on my ankle.

"Might be sprained. Come on." He demanded as he grabbed my hands and helped me up. I whimpered quietly when I applied pressure to my injured ankle. With one hand I corrected my clothes, the wet, heavy material sticking to my stinging body. Still holding onto one of my hands he slung it over his shoulders while his other arm supported me against him as it wrapped around my waist and resting on my hip.

As quick as we could, we hobbled towards the house through the rain, albeit I had a huge stupid blush across my face.

Suddenly, a hissing sound echoed over the sound of the rain. Naru pulled me forwards when I had stopped. I heard rocks being kicked around and a the squishing sound of mud behind us and turned looked over my shoulder. I could feel my eyes widen as I called Naru's name.

An army of branches were slithering their ways towards us. And they were fast too. Naru glanced quickly behind us..

"Can you run on your ankle, Mai," he asked. I nodded and we began to run through the maze. Naru kept his arm around me as I limped. I looked back again to see even more branches. With all of them, it looked like one giant black mass chasing us. In a split second, I could have sworn I saw a face within the darkness of the branches and roots.

"Mai," Naru warned. I look forward to see the white gazebo, almost invisible through the rain. Relief washed over me when we closed in on it. The relief was replaced by panic and fear when the hedges started to curl around the opening to the gazebo, the entrance seeming to close right in front of our eyes. Through the loud sounds of the hissing from the branches, rain, and my panting I could hear Naru growl. Our footsteps becoming sluggish as the mud beneath us became more thicker, our feet rising out of it with loud suction noises.

We reached the hedge when it was just big enough to fit maybe a child. I felt Naru pick me up bridal style and hurl me through the small hole. I landed on my shoulder and slid through the unexpectedly deep mud. I looked back to see Naru jump through the tiny hole. My eyes widened when he grunted and was stopped in mid-air, and then dropped to the ground, a small shower of mud rained down on and around him from the impact. My eyes trail from his frustrated facial expression down his body to his ankle that was enveloped in the foliage.

"Naru," I exclaim as I scramble to my feet and stumble over to the hedge, the mud causing me to slide and fall in front of his trapped foot. I grabbed at his ankle and pulled, his hands partially covering mine and pulling as his other foot kicked into the bush.

When his ankle wouldn't budge I began to tear at the hedge itself. I pulled handfuls of twigs out of the solid wall of vegetation. Finally his leg popped out, almost hitting me with his knee.

We sat there as we panted. The rain still falling to the earth in buckets over us. I stare at the hole in the hedge as I slowed my heart rate, the adrenaline still pulsing through my veins.

Curiously I leaned towards the opening. I could feel Naru's eyes intently watching me. I looked through the hole to see the path, completely void of any of the roots or branches that were chasing us.

"Ah-" I yelped as I snapped away from the hole. A rat had popped through the hole at me, and landed in my lap. I froze, not wanting it to bite me. I heard a "tck" from beside me as Naru swiped the rat off my lap and onto the ground, where it scurried away into the rain.

"Th-thanks," I stutter before I closed my eyes and raised my face up towards the dark clouds above us. I smiled, letting the rain fall onto my face. Loudly exhaling a sigh of relief I turned my head down and laughed.

"That was close, huh?! I really should thank you, who knows what would have happened if I was brought back to that fountain!" I laughed again, reaching a muddy hand to scratch the back of my head as I opened my eyes to see Naru staring at me with an unreadable expression.

He sat with his knee bent upwards slightly, his clothes and hands covered in mud. Even though mud was in his raven hair and some on his face, but he still managed to look extremely handsome. I assumed I looked quite similar only I probably resembled a drenched cat rather than an effortless beauty.

Naru usually doesn't look at people when they say stupid or useless things that aren't pertaining to a case, like I had just done. But now he was staring intently at me, making me freeze under his gaze. He seemed to be entranced by something, like he was seeing me for the first time.

'Um.. was it something I said? Maybe I did something weird…?'

I began to blush when he wouldn't look away, but instead held eye contact with me.

Then without so much as a word or nod, he stood up. I squeaked and moved to stand up as well. We silently walked back towards the mansion. The gazebo giving us shelter from the rain for a moment as we passed through. We began to run as the rain started to beat down on us, the sound almost deafening.

We finally make it to the house. Naru quickly opens the back door and walks in with me practically on his back pushing him in. As we stand there soaked taking off our shoes, a few maids and butlers rush to us, towels in hand. After quickly drying off somewhat, I gratefully take more towels and thank the staff immensely as Naru begins to stalk through the house, no doubt to base before changing.

"Naru, I think that fountain holds memories for the spirit here," I say as I run up to him, slightly sliding when I tried to stop and earning a glare from my boss.

"Perhaps. We'll investigate that fountain further later after the rain has subsided. However, at the moment, we need Matsuzaki-san to take a look at your injures," Naru continued to walk, now on the enclosed engawa. Our journey to the base continued in a blanket of silence.

"...I'm sorry..." Naru murmured, his deep voice soft over the peaceful hum of the rain.

I look up at him and give him a questioning look as I tilted my head. He sighed as he continued to look ahead.

"For our earlier...disagreement." Naru didn't look down at me as I remembered our "disagreement."

"Oh! It's okay Naru. Really. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have said such mean things to you." I looked down, while feeling a bit guilty. I peeked up at him through my bangs, seeing his expression my head snaps up, my eyebrow twitching furiously.

'Why is he smirking? Why the HELL is he smirking right now?! The jerk! I'm trying to apologize and he's ju-"

"You finally learned your place, did you?"

I blanched and stopped in my tracks. Naru continued walking ahead.

"FINALLY?! What do you mean by that?!" I huffed as I ran to catch up to him.

"You finally learned not to quarrel with your boss," Naru says, his voice dripping with so much condescension I almost tackled him right then and there. Naru glanced down at me, the stupid smirk growing ever so slowly bigger. It looked like a half smirk half smile. Amusement clearly evident in his eyes.

I couldn't help but gape at him.

"YOU ARE SO ARROGANT! HOW COULD I NOT FIGHT WITH YOU! YOU ARE SUCH A-" I yell as Naru opens the door and when we walked into base.

"There you guys are! You guys were gone for more than two hours! Where were you," Bou-san worriedly interrupted me. I looked over at him, and noticed everyone staring at us.

"Why are you guys covered in mud?" John asked concerned. Naru ignored the sweet priest, passing him to walk up to Lin and the monitors and picked up a few files to look at.

"Yeah, what happened to you guys?" Ayako asked from her seat on the couch.

"Oh you know, just went out to do some gardening!" I laughed as I walked into the room, closing the door behind me.

"Matsuzaki-san, please tend to Mai's wounds," Naru ordered Ayako. She nodded and stood up to get a first aid kit, walking out of the base.

"Wait, Mai you're hurt?! Come sit down then," Bou-san ordered, putting a hand on my shoulder and steering my to sit on the couch.

"It's nothing too serious. Just some scrapes and bruises," I reassure with a wave of my hand.

"Yeah right. You could have all your bones broken and you'd still say that you're fine," the dirty blonde haired man sighed as he sat beside me, crossing his arms in a disappointed father type of way.

"Or she would simply just ask us if we were alright," a small voice called from behind us. The monk and I turned around surprised to see John smiling.

Bou-san's laugh boomed. "Hah! She would! She could be struck by lightning and still ask if anyone needs tea!"

"Shut up! I'm not that stupid," I huff as I cross my arms and turn my nose up and away from Bou-san.

"She could be lying on her deathbed and ask if anyone was tired and if they wanted to lay on the bed instead of her," Masako's quiet voice chimed from behind her beautiful blue kimono, the hint of a smile hiding behind the cloth.

"Not you too, Masako" I cried in horror and hung my head.

I felt a large arm wrap around my shoulder and pull me into his side.

"Aw, lighten up jou-chan! We're just teasing you about how good of a person you are! Unlike a certain narcissist we all know," Bou-san whispered the last sentence as he jabbed a thumb towards Naru.

"Now with him, if I were to be possessed then almost killed ten miles away, he would probably call me up and say that he was alright," Bou-san whispered.

I couldn't help the laugh that erupted from my mouth as Bou-san smiled at me. John simply gave a small laugh and Masako smiled.

"Alright, I'm back! What's so funny," Ayako asked, walking through the doorway and making her way towards us.

"Oh nothing! We were just laughing at your "purity,"" Bou-san slyly said, taking a sip of his water bottle.

"Want to rethink that," Ayako grabbed him by his collar, making a fist with her other hand. The first aid kit and me both sat forgotten on the couch.

"Why would I? It's a perfectly good question! Maybe that's why you can't perform an exorcism," the monk boldly smiled as he shrugged his shoulder.

"Is that so? Coming from the monk who's in a rock band doing god knows what to young girls all over the country," Ayako shook the man in her grasp.

"Um, please forgive me for interrupting your...uh...conversation, but Mai is still injured. I'd hate for her to get an infection," John gently said as he lifted a hand, looking like he wanted to stop them, but also not wanting to get hurt himself. Ayako gasped and looked to me as she dropped Bou-san.

"Sorry Mai!" Ayako moved in front of me as I waved my hands in front of me as I smiled.

"Oh, it's okay Ayako! I'm fine," I say. She gave me a disbelieving look as she snatched one of my muddied, scratched up hands and looked at my dirtied and shredded shirt, face and legs.

"See, what did we say," Bou-san chimed in a "I-Told-You-So" kind of tone, as I heard John give a small chuckle.

"I believe her ankle needs some tending to, as well as some scratches on her full front side," Naru informed Ayako while watching the monitors.

"Come on," Ayako said, motioning me to follow her. Standing up, I walked beside Ayako and as we reached the door to the base, it opened.


Leaving it at this for now! I've got to get back to writing my other stories! Make sure to check out my new NaruxMai oneshot, "Naru the Narcissist" It's Naru's thoughts on the nickname Mai had given him when she had first met him, and his thoughts on her.

Review and let me know what you think!

Ciao

-Nekothorn