That's when she knew the pain. Not the pain that threatened to take her life. But the pain of being alone. Alone with no one that cares about you. people just go one with their lives not caring for someone. why should they? they don't know that person, why should they even care? loneliness Manika felt in her heart. she wanted to escape it, she wanted to escape it all.

No one would hear her, no one would come to help, no one would care. They were to busy saving Masako. why should they care about someone who they thought didn't need any help?

thousands needles prickled at her skin, they stabbed her skin like a thousand sharp knifes, being jabbed into her. she felt like her body was being polled apart. she felt death all around her, death lingered at every corner and threatened To take her down with it. The pain surrounded her body saying the it would squeeze the very life out of her. That it would chock her with its pain and sent of death. It would not let her escape its grasp untill the very end, untill she feels like she can not go on any longer, until she too wants to end it all right there and now. The pain squeezed and tugged at her. It pulled her and its grasp warned her that if she wasn't careful that it will take her. It must have been what she felt. Mankia felt all these years. The pain, the loneliness in her heart. That no one would come and she was all alone in this big house. The pain that threatened her in any way possible. tears escaped her eyes as she yelled in pain. Then she heard a voice.

"Mai whats going on? why are you yelling?" a voice that didn't sound recognizable, but she knew who it was.

"please." she pleaded in a breathless voice.

"Mai whats wrong." he couldn't see her pain, he couldn't tell that she was in pain. why? she kicked and tugged at the blanket and bit down onto it, in order to ease the pain a bit, but nothing worked.

"Naru." she said in a voice that no longer sounded like her's. A cry for help, in pain. Naru leaned down close to her and saw her tears.

"please." she said once again. Her voice sounded like it was fading. like a life, a soul that was dying, and thats when he knew something was wrong. thats when he knew he might lose her.

"hang in there Mai! come on, you can get though this."

"Naru." she grabbed his arm. Her body hot as coals, and she was really sweating.

"make this stop." she fanilly said. she dropped her hand from his and lay there as if she was dead. Mai felt like this before, she saw this in her dream. It didn't look like she was alive but she was and she was barley breathing, which made it even more difficult to tell if the person was really alive. This was how it was for her when she was a little kid. Every night she would feel this unescapable pain. Her parents tried to find a way to stop this, but no one knew what was the matter and when they thought all hope was lost a voice came. That's when Manika was created. This is how Manika most have felt all these years. And when her parents just left her in this house like she was a stray dog, and took Mai with them thats when she really felt true pain.

"Mai please wake up don't leave me." he sounded worried and paniking. Mai wasn't moving. she truley looked like she was dead. Naru felt her palse. It was slow, real slow. He put his head near her chest to hear her heartbeat. It was barely heard, and pounded so sowley. Naru lifted his head and looked at her worried.

"Mai please, be alright. dont leave me alone." he watched her and waited untill she would open her eyes.

"why did Naru suddently dicide to leave us?" bouason asked lin.

"he thought it wouldn't be save to leave Mai all alone." lin explained.

"he just suddenly left as if he had remembered something truly important to him." John added.

"we are here." said Ayako. they all stopped talking and fixed their eyes at the door that was supposed to lead them to Masako. Ayako slowly opened the door. when she opened it everyone was supried, by the sent of flowers and how bright the room was. The fragment of plants and flowers caught them off guirde. Thinking for a death room like this, it would look more like...will death. But with all the bright colors and how cozy it might have felt. This wasn't at all what they expected.

"hum, is this the right room, Ayoka." Monk said looking at her. This time she did not give him a glar or any sign that she was annoyed. she masked a seruse look as if doing something that could totaly change her future.

"Mai said that there was a hidden door somewhere here. everyone spread around and look around. tell me if you find something." everyone nodded. they all ceperated themselves from each other. They all started looking for that secrete door, which they thought was in the room at the time.

"Mai." a gentle voice called out her name.

"who is it?who is the person who keeps calling out my name over and over again?" Mai said in her dream. she was surrounded in white. suddenly a bright white light appeared in front of her. soon a woman was seen in front of her.

"Mai." she smiled at her.

"yes."

"go back, you do not belong here"

"but why, go where? back to that place, where l felt the pain, where l was lonly and."

"Mai you got to go back. there is someone waiting for you there."

"but l don't want to go back, l will feel the pain And l dont want to feel the pain."

"the sun will soon be out, you will no longer feel the pain, the pain only comes when its dark outside."

"then."

"Mai." she heard a voice but this time it wsn't the woman.

"Naru." she looked back at the woman and smile.

"l'll be going then, thank you." and soon she was gone from the dream that she escaped too. Mai she heard her name being called over and over again. and then suddenly the voice that was calling her name had stopped. Mai opened her eyes a little. Her vizone was blurry and when she looked up she knew who it was. Naru was staring at her. Mai sat up. she no longer felt the pain. The lingering scent of death wasn't around, pain didn't greet her at the corner. she was all right. she looked outside the window and saw the sun was barely up. and Naru, Naru was at her side, this whole time. she thought she was all alone, that no one would hear or feel her pain. but Naru he came back for her, and he stood by her side this whole time.

"Naru." she quitly said. she rubbed her head with her palm.

"were you here this whole time?" she rubbed her eyes untill she noticed Naru staring right at her. The way he looked at her was so different, so unusual then his usual cold look. He looked at her so sweetly. The way someone would look at the person they loved, but havent admitted it to that person. The way she looked at him. Mai was surprised at how he looked at her. Then so suddenly he took Mai's hand and pulled her close to him. He hugged her so tightly, yet so gently. Mai was surprised at his sudden reactions.

"l was so worried." he told her. Mai did not know how to react to to this, but the words sounded so nice, so sweet, as if beautiful music. His words were calming.

"l thought that this time, this time l might really lose you." Naru spoke in such a voice that was barely recognizable. Mai pulled back from him and looked at him. she saw something. tears, tears in his eyes. was Naru crying? for her? why? this wasn't the first time something like this has happened, yet this was one of the most dangerous cases they have ever gotten and it mostly involves Mai and her past. but why her, out of all the people he could have chosen it was her, why? why did he choose her? Bousan was a monk, Ayako was a pristess, John was a prist, Masako sensed spirits, osami helped a lot with research, and lin was his body guard. but she, who was she? she was nothing. she would often get into lots of trouble which involved everyone to rescuer her, often she would say and do stupid things. so why her? what did she have to offer? what was she useful for?

and here was Naru. crying in front of her, holding her in his arms. she has never seen him so...so varnible. He had never acted like this on other cases, so why now? sure he might have been the one to rescue her most of the time, but he had never acted so, what was the word, sweet towards her. why did he start acting like this now? he didnt have to act like this, but it was so nice to hear his voice, feel his touch and to know that he was next to her and might as well always will as long as she keeps on working with him; but what is something happened to her then. she didn't let that thought bring her down, she wasn't gonna think about this now.

becouse she couldn't say the words even think them. she had no right to think this because she knew he would never think of her the same she did. he belonged to some one else. often it would be written over his face, but at times like this, she wished so badly that he would be her's. that she would be the only person he really cared about. The only girl he saw, a girl more then just Mai Taniyama his coworker, but something more.

Those little things in life. coming to work and even getting bossed around by Naru at times made her feel so happy. The little things simple and plain, that most people wont notice in life, made Mai happy. Everyday since she has been working with Naru and the others she wanted it would be like this Always. That things would never change and remain the same, but things had to change, she was afraid of change. she didn't want things to change. even if Naru was not her's she just wanted things to stay the way they were. but she knew change would come very soon. she found herself tearing up and her voice sounded horshey.

"Naru why?" she wanted to hear his answer, maby she already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from him.

"because Mai, l was really worried for you. you dont know how it felt like staring back at you not knowing that you would ever wake up."

"but lm here Naru now. so you dont have to cry. lm so glad that you came." she tried to keep the tears from rolling down her checks, but they came out anyway. Naru so this and he petted her back to calm her down. Mai wanted things to stay like this, she wanted things to last like this forever. but she knew things wouldn't last forever. she knew that this was the last time she would be spending with Naru. she knew this and she had to perpair herself for the change, for what came after. but for right now she wanted to stay like this, for it to last, enjoy the moment. Because right now Naru was all her's.

Sorry that it took me a really long time to post this chapter. over the summer l went to visit my grandmother and were she lived they had no internet so l couldn't write then. when l came back l also couldn't find the time to write, guess l was so busy with school and everything.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter :)