Tori: Thanks to all reviews, and the PM's from others.
Mai: Apparently this is the final chapter, so thank you all to reviewers who have stayed with us since the beginning.
Mei: Thanks for all the support; Tori wouldn't have finished it without all you fantastic people.
Tori: I do not own Ghost Hunt, only Mei, Lin's shiki, Nollene and Takeo, who may be returning in the next story.
Mai; Thank you once again, and enjoy the final chapter of Going Back.
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After Lin had killed the demon, Mai had instantly felt better.
But, hearing Lin say her mother's name with such anguish brought her attention to the massive gaps in her memory once more.
She could hardly remember her mother, who had died when she was in middle school. Her father had died even earlier, when she was about five or six. Not to mention her most recent dream.
'Who is Maya? I remember dreaming about her in the hospital as well, and someone warning us to be careful. Was that my mother? And the man who replied to her, was that my dad? But where does Lin come into all this?"
Mai huffed slightly as she lifted one of the monitors into the back of the van.
Even though Lin was injured, he was rolling up the cords, and placing them in the plastic container that held them all.
John and Yasu were carrying the monitors also, because they had gotten a telling-off from Naru about using the cords as weapons.
Yasu had a pretty spectacular welt on his leg from where John had whipped him.
Naru was inside the van, stacking the cameras in their correct places. Madoka was passing him the cameras, while Ayako and Monk packed up the microphones. Masako and Nollene were dragging everyone's bags to their respective cars.
Mai was slightly concerned that Lin was still driving, but it didn't seem to worry Naru, so she relaxed slightly.
"Are you intending to stand there all day, Mai? Or are you going to get in the van?"
Mai jumped slightly at Naru's voice, before turning to him.
"Sorry, just lost in thought."
Naru raised his eyebrows in understanding, before holding the door open for Mai to climb in.
Mai sighed, remembering the three-hour trip over here sitting between Naru and Lin, and climbed in, Naru following and shutting the door behind him.
Mai waved out the window as Monk's car pulled out, followed by Yasu's car.
Lin checked the tyres and that the boot door was shut completely, before hauling himself in. Mai had noticed that he'd changed into a t-shirt after he was injured, and the dark grey of the shirt looked odd against his slacks.
"Have we got everything this time, Oliver?"
Lin asked innocently, ignoring the death glare that Naru was sending his way.
"Yes." He ground out.
Mai sighed.
"Can you two not argue if I'm in the middle?"
Lin smiled slightly, shaking his head and controlling the laughter that wanted to burst forth.
"Sorry, Taniyama-san. I'll try not to."
Naru smirked at Mai.
"No promises."
Mai elbowed him in the ribs before folding her arms and glaring at him.
"And no being snarky either."
Lin raised his eyebrow and spared Mai a glance.
"Definitely no promises." He replied.
Mai was going to elbow him in the ribs as well, but Lin bet her to it.
"No distracting the driver, Taniyama-san."
Mai huffed and folded her arms again, slouching in her seat.
"How can you two sit in still and in silence for three hours? Are you even human?"
Lin sniggered at that, and Naru sighed his I-can't-believe-that-she-asked-that sigh.
"I am definitely human. Lin however, I'm not too sure about."
Lin sighed.
"Of course I'm human. If I was a demon I would've eaten you by now."
"How about we play '20 questions'?"
Lin and Naru groaned simultaneously.
"I hate that game. Nollene always made us play it on long road-trips to cases."
"At least it was Nollene and not some random girl who tried to chat you up."
Naru and Mai both turned to look at Lin.
"When was this?" Naru asked, eyebrows raised.
Lin sighed, and thumped his head against the head-rest.
"In England, before the case when you had Laryngitis. You know, when Nollene and Mei went clubbing and we got dragged along?"
Naru winced.
"Oh, then."
Lin's hands tightened on the steering wheel.
"She was at least 10 years my junior; she was drunk as hell and had obviously gotten in on a fake I.D. I was enjoying my dark corner of silence." He griped.
Mai and Naru exchanged a quick glance, before Mai broke eye contact, stifling laughter.
Naru hid a smile with his hand, but Lin caught the action.
"Laugh it up, Naru. I have a good story about what happened to you that night."
Naru lost the smile.
"You wouldn't."
Lin gave him a saccharine smile.
"You're right, I wouldn't. But Nollene might."
Naru bit his lip.
"You think she would?"
Lin nodded.
"I know she would, just to annoy you."
Mai rolled her eyes.
"What happened to Naru?"
Lin smirked.
"Well, while I was being chatted up by Miss-Underage-Slut, Naru was…."
"ALRIGHT! She doesn't have to know!" Naru snapped, glaring at Lin.
"Hey! NO fighting while I'm in the middle!"
Lin chuckled quietly.
Mai pursed her lips.
"What's your favourite colour? I'm not taking black for an answer either."
Naru and Lin exchanged long suffering glances, and Mai caught them.
"I have to sit in between you two for three hours on a hard seat. Humour me."
Naru sighed.
"Blue."
Mai pounced.
"What kind of blue? Like a navy blue, or a sky blue, or a midnight blue, or electric blue, or a pastel blue?"
Naru blinked, and Lin shook as he tried to stop a snigger.
"Um…Midnight blue, I guess."
Lin sniggered quietly.
"Someone obviously does art."
Mai smiled at him.
"Yep. How did you know?"
Lin looked at her.
"Only an artist would need a specific answer on someone's favourite colour, Taniyama-san."
Mai deflated slightly, before looking at Lin.
"You have to answer the questions as well, Lin."
Lin sighed, before relenting.
"Storm-cloud grey."
Mai blinked.
"Did you take art when you were at school?"
Naru leaned closer, curious to his answer.
"I did."
Mai nodded.
"That's pretty cool. Next question; Favourite season?"
Naru frowned, thinking hard. Lin answered first.
"Autumn. The colours are always good to draw."
Mai blinked at him, surprised at his answer.
'Interesting. His favourite colour is grey, but he likes the colours in autumn. This is kinda confusing.'
"Winter. I like the snow." Naru answered finally.
Mai nodded, but was surprised when Lin asked her a question.
"What's your favourite colour and season?"
Mai thought hard.
"Green, like pine trees. I like spring, when all the cherry blossoms are in bloom."
Lin nodded, and Mai continued.
"Who's your favourite artist or band?"
"Gershwin."
"Para-natural."
Mai blinked, slightly stunned at the speed of their responses.
"That was fast. You should get together with Monk, Lin. He's a huge Para-natural fan."
"I bet he is." Lin muttered.
Mai frowned at Naru.
"Who's…Ger…Gre…"
"Gershwin?"
Mai nodded.
"George and Ira Gershwin are jazz musicians. Naru plays a lot of their music on piano."
Lin explained. Mai nodded, understanding, before frowning again.
"Naru plays piano?"
Naru covered his eyes with his hand, sinking slightly into the seat.
Mai reached down and squeezed his hand, slightly surprised when he returned the pressure.
"Just kiss her already, Oliver."
Mai blushed and, to her shock, Naru did too; a slight pink tinge colouring his cheeks.
"Shut up Lin." Naru muttered, still not letting go of Mai's hand.
Mai bit her lip, before asking Lin the question that had been plaguing her mind since she found out that Lin had her mother's name tattooed on his back.
"Lin?"
Lin spared her a quick glance.
"Yes?"
Mai paused, unsure on how to phrase this question.
"What was my mother like?"
Lin froze, and Mai was worried that it was a bit hard for Lin to talk about her. Lin seemed to be choosing his words carefully, before he spoke.
"She was…a lot like you, actually. You have her personality, but you take after your father in looks."
Mai blushed and looked down at her lap.
"Really?"
Lin nodded.
"She had this…tendency to help others less fortunate than herself. There was always someone different every night that she fed. She also was very patient with school students who had trouble with their homework."
Lin gave Mai a wry grin.
"I was never very good with Biology in school. She worked with the police in the Forensics department, helping identify killers and attackers. She was very good at her job."
Mai blinked.
"Cool. What else was she good at?"
The three hours flew by, as she asked Lin questions about her mother, and then pestered Naru and Lin about details of their own lives.
All too soon, they reached the office, where they said their goodbyes.
Mai surprised herself, and others, when she suddenly wrapped Lin in a tight hug.
There was a stunned silence, before Lin wrapped his arms around her, gently.
"Thank you, Lin. For telling me about my mother." Mai whispered.
She felt, rather than hear, Lin's quiet reply.
"You're welcome, Mai-san."
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Later, when Mai was back in the flat she shared with Masako and Ayako, she felt something heavy in her pocket.
She pulled a small envelope out of her pocket, and opened it, confused.
She pulled out a small piece of paper that was covered in Lin's elegant writing.
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Mai,
Your mother wanted me to give this to you on your eighteenth birthday, so sorry it's a little late. I've also added a picture that I found of your parents, from right after I came.
Every person should have something to remind them of their parents.
I'm sorry that I never told you this before, when we first met, but I didn't know how to explain it to you.
Don't worry about your lack of memory; it will come back someday.
Your mother would be proud that her daughter had grown to be someone as kind and patient as you.
So, Happy Eighteenth, and good luck with regaining your memories.
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Koujo R. Lin.
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P.S – If you tell ANYONE about this letter, you will become my shiki's next meal.
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P.P.S- Tell Sensei Kwan that you need wrist strengthening exercises. You only bruised my wrists instead of breaking them, when I woke you up on the case.
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P.P.P.S- Just a heads up, Ayako, Monk, Yasu and Nollene are taking bets on how long it will take for you and Naru to kiss. DON'T TELL THEM I TOLD YOU!
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Mai smiled at Lin's letter, before pulling out the other two objects in the envelope.
One was indeed a photograph, of two people with their arms around each other.
The woman was smiling, with her hair cut short, like Mai's, but a dark brown. Her eyes, though, were the same as Mai's.
The man was obviously her father, with the same hair colour, face shape and smile. He had crow's feet and laugh lines on his face, framing dark green eyes.
Mai traced a finger on his face thoughtfully, before tipping the last item out of the envelope.
A small, silver necklace pooled into her palm, with a dark blue stone attached to the end. On the back was a small engraving.
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-To my little dancer- A mother's protection is love.
-Jia
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Mai gently put on the necklace, feeling the stone rest just above her heart. A warm feeling spread throughout her body, and for a moment, she could feel arms around her. The feeling was gone as quick as it came.
Mai looked back at Lin's letter, in particular the last note he left her.
"Masako, can you come in here for a second?"
Masako walked in, and spotted the necklace right away. However, she was drawn to Mai's smile- the one that meant that there was going to be hell to pay.
"Yes?"
Mai raised an eyebrow at her, and pointed to the note.
"We have work to do."
Masako felt her lips stretch into a cat-like grin as she read the message. She turned to Mai.
"When do we start?"
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TO BE CONTINUED IN SEARCHING.
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