Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt

AT: Thoughts are italicized

Telepathy conversations italicized

I hope everyone is enjoying reading this story so far. I'm working hard on getting the chapters up as soon as I can. As always R&R.

Price OF Life

4) Promises

SPR:

The door to the SPR office slowly opened as Lin and Naru entered, taking their long coats off and hanging them up on the coat rack.

"Naru it's Monday, any word on Mai?" Lin wondered as Naru glared at the Chinese man before grabbing the map from the coffee table and slamming the door to his office behind him. "It's been two days and no one has seen or heard from Mai and all he thinks about is finding Gene," Lin sighed as he turned to look at Mai's empty desk. "Mai you need to come in today, I don't know how much more I can take of Naru without his tea," Lin smirked as he entered his office.

End SPR:

Mai winced in pain moving her hands from the sides of her body to her chest. Upon opening her eyes she was shocked to find herself in a hospital room, lying on a bed. Mai then noticed the I.V. that was going into her arm along with other wires coming out from different parts of her body.

"Beep, Beep, Beep," a steady beeping noise caught Mai's attention. "Oh that's just great I'm plugged into a heart monitor, Ayako and Monk are going to flip if they find out about this." Mai sighed while scanning the room. Mai's hospital bed was centered in the middle of the room, and to her left her own private bathroom and privacy door. On the far wall of the room to her right a big bay window and under the window a long sofa that looked as if it had been slept on.

"I know Madoka I'll make an appearance tonight," Kana hissed hanging up her phone before entering Mai's room. Mai glanced over at the slow opening door with a puzzled look on her face.

"Oh Mai your finally awake," Kana noticed as she sat done on the edge of the bed.

"Kana how did I end up here?" Mai asked as she sat up propping a pillow behind her.

"You had passed out at the lake, and Yun called a medevac helicopter to bring you to a private hospital here in Tokyo," Kana informed as Mai sighed.

"Gene," Mai gasped out almost falling off the hospital bed. "Is he ok?" Mai asked as Kana looked at her with a smile and a nod as Mai calmed herself down with a sigh of relief.

"Gees, you would think these nurses would be a little nicer considering I'm a patient here," Gene's voice mumbled as he and Yun entered the room as Kana and Mai laughed.

"Mai you're awake," Yun announced as she ran to Mai's bedside giving the girl a hug. Gene shot his eyes over to the hospital bed where he saw Mai and Yun hugging. Looking at the way Gene was watching Mai, Kana stood up from her seat on the bed and pulled on Yun's arm ushering her to the door.

"Mai the doctor stated that once you were awake you could leave," Kana indicated as she and Yun left the room closing the door behind them.

The room was silent for several minutes neither knowing what to say to the other, until Gene broke the silence. "Mai I wanted to thank you for everything," Gene stated as he put his hand on top of hers causing Mai to flush a light pink color.

"Gene you don't have to thank me I'm just glad I was able to help," Mai assured with a smile as Gene smiled back.

"Which brings me to my next question, how?" Gene wondered as Mai shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know how either, but I felt something when I kissed you," Mai whispered as she turned even redder.

"It might have something to do with the blue light that happened to engulf us both," Gene indicated as Mai nodded.

"That's another possibility," She mentioned as her hand rested on her chin thinking.

"Mai I know that look, something else happened to you while in that dream before you saw me didn't it?" Gene asked as Mai looked at him with her eyes wide open in shock. "Bingo," Gene laughed.

"Hey, that's not fair you couldn't have known that, you said that just to see my reaction," Mai exclaimed as Gene laughed.

"Well it worked," Gene replied teasingly as Mai just sighed.

"There was this ghostly figure that appeared before me, I couldn't make out if it was male or female but it was kind of creepy," Mai paused to catch her breath. "It then put its hand on my chest and told me that my heart was now unlocked and I would be able to save you," Mai concluded leaving out the whole breaking a taboo speech and the price she would have to pay for breaking it (she didn't think Gene needed to know that information or if he did he'd be mad at her).

"If that's the case Mai, In the future I'd avoid any other creepy ghosts in your dreams. I'm not going to be their anymore to help you out," Gene indicated as Mai then realized that she wouldn't see Gene in her dreams anymore.

"How am I going to get through my dreams now?" Mai wondered to herself as she turned her gaze to look out the window. Mai then noticed a black feather falling, swaying back and forth with the wind as it vanished.

"Mai you sure your well enough to leave?" Gene asked worriedly as Mai turned back to face Gene and nodded with a smile.

"Gene can we keep my involvement with your return a secret?" Mai asked as Gene gave her a puzzling look. "I don't want to be on the receiving end of Naru's fury if he finds out that I even know you, or knew you were alive, or that you were even in my dreams for that matter," Mai added as Gene sighed.

"Idiot scientist." "I understand," Gene nodded. "If it makes you feel better your secrets safe with me, and I'll make sure to let Kana and Yun know as well," Gene assured as Mai smiled in return.

The door opened seconds later as several nurse's swarmed in and begun removing the IV and heart monitors along with anything else hooked up to Mai. An hour later as it was now 11 am, Mai was finally discharged from the hospital. Mai met up with Yun, Kana, and Gene in the main lobby of the hospital.

"Mai, Gene spoke to us and we promise to keep quiet," Kana mentioned in Mai's head as Mai smiled up at Kana.

"For the time being it looks like where going to have to be strangers," Yun interrupted their moment as Mai quickly glance over at Yun with a not so surprised look on her face.

"Will I ever see you all again?" Mai asked as silence engulfed the lobby of the hospital for a minute before Kana, Yun, and Gene burst out laughing.

"Mai you worry too much," Yun indicated as she put a reassuring hand on Mai's shoulder.

"It will be sooner than you think," Kana winked as Mai smiled in return watching the two females exit through the main lobby doors.

"Mai it might be a little longer for me to show myself," Gene informed as he looked down still in his hospital gown. "I hope they don't plan on keeping me here to long," Gene mumbled as Mai nodded in understanding as a slight giggle escaped from her mouth.

"I didn't think it was going to be so soon anyway," Mai thought "I'm just glad you're getting better now," Mai indicated as a smile appeared on her face.

"Well then until next time," Gene stated as he pulled Mai into his arms for a hug. The two stayed like that for several minutes before Mai made her way to the exit.

"Be safe Mai," Gene called out after her as Mai turned and gave him a reassuring smile before she exited the hospital.