Chapter Twenty Two

Once is common, but Twice is for a Visit.

Mai winced as she popped a joint in her neck. There had been a slight temperature change in Naru's room shortly after he left the base. 'Left' being a nicer term. More like forced. The difference in temperaturehoever, hadn't lasted long. Mai thought nothing of it. However, She had gotten the feeling that her ears were burning… weird.

She rubbed the back of her neck gently as she took of her headphones and glanced at the monitors again. It was six in the morning and the others would be getting up soon. Hopefully, Naru was still fast asleep. He deserved all of the sleep he got.

The door to the base turned and Lin walked into the room. He looked like he had gotten a good nights rest. Lin was almost startled to see her.

"Taniyama-san? What are you doing up so early?" His eyes widened "Don't tell me Noll woke you up to replace him!"

Mai laughed and covered her mouth in a very Masako-like manner quickly. She removed her hand as her giggles began to vanish.

"No of course not. I was already awake."

Lin expression went from irritation to confusion. "He went to bed late. What were you doing up?"

Mai shrugged. "Couldn't sleep."

Lin watched her for a minute before walking over and sitting in the chair next to her. "Did something strange happen while we were asleep?"

Mai shook her head. "The temperature in your room dropped a few degrees at one point, but that was it."

Lin furrowed his brows. "Our room?"

Before Mai could say anything, Lin had picked up the spare headphones and placed them on top of his head. He rewound the recordings to the time that Naru had left the base. He raised a brow when he saw Naru tumbling out o the base door. To the left of him, Mai blushed a bright pink. Maybe she could delete the footage when nobody was watching…

Lin continued to watch Naru through the monitors as he walked to their bedroom. Mai turned away just in time to unknowingly skip around Naru's confused face. Lin raised an eyebrow. Just what happened to the two of them?

The Naru on the screen turned into the shared bedroom and from that point Lin switched to the audio. None of the people from SPR had cameras put in there room for privacy reasons. Although Naru did want to put one in each room…Mai's included. Of course he insisted it was for safety reasons only…..

Lin listened to the foot steps of his charge as he changed his clothing. They paused as he changed direction and walked to his bed. Slight creasing of the bed was heard and then Lin heard his own voice in English

"You do realize that I'm not asleep right?"

An annoyed huff was heard and Lin could just remember the look on his boss's face.

"I was in fact, I just thought that coming in and making noise in the middle of the night might be a little disrupting."

A scoff came from his own mouth as Lin also turned in his bed.

"I woke up about half an hour ago when I got a phone call from someone. Also, did you say that you were going to bed at eleven?"

Lin heard Naru sigh and he smirked. He was so going to lecture him next time.

"Yes, but who would watch the monitors?"

Lin rolled his eyes, forgetting that he had done that in the video as well.

"That's why Professor Davis bought you new cameras with recording systems on them. You can't use that excuse anymore."

Lin waited a moment to listen for the words that he knew were to come.

"You said that who would watch the monitors? Does that mean that you woke someone else from sleeping?"

An irritated sigh was heard as well as the squeaking of a bed. Lin tensed. This was the part that he was really after.

The audio began to get glitchy and the omnyoji strained to hear.

"You better protect her Shibuya-san."

Lin tensed as everything went quiet. The voice was one of a young child, probably a boy. The heat detector in the room had recoded that at this point in time the temperature went down. After a few moments, it went up. Lin took the headphones off and placed them next to Mai's undone English homework. He ignored it for the time being as he raised his hand to his chin.

"But who is he talking about…..?"

Mai looked up from a page of the homework she was working on. "What is who talking about?"

Lin paused his mussing as he turned to his coworker. "It seems that there was a ghost in Noll and my room last night. However, we were both sleeping so we did not hear it. The camera caught it though."

Mai tilted her head. "Oh sorry. I didn't know." When Lin shook his head in a dismissing and forgiving act, Mai spoke again. "Can I listen to it?

Lin nodded and rewound the audio to the point where he had just finished talking. He handed the set to Mai as she scooted a bit closer and put her homework down. She listened intently and shock shown in her eyes. She looked up at Lin.

"How did he get in there without me noticing? He was right next to Naru!" She hissed.

Lin noticed that her face went from startled to angry in mere seconds.

"I don't know Taniyama-san. Don't over think it. It's not your fault. In reality, I would have done the same in your position."

Mai shook her head. "No it was foolish." She set down the headset short of a slam and started to walk to the base door.

"Taniyama-san! It's quite alright! Don't go out of the base by yourself."

Mai continued to walk to the door. As she opened the door, she turned to Lin.

"I'm making tea, want some?"

"Taniyama-san! Please don't-!"

"I'm making tea Lin-san." Mai whispered. "Want some?"

Lin pinched the bridge of his brow. "No thank you."

Mai left the base feeling upset, frustrated, and slightly guilty. It wasn't Lin's fault she didn't catch her own mistake. It was entirely hers.

Her mistake put Naru in danger.

Lin watched Mai carefully as she headed toward the kitchen. He knew that she was not mad at him, but at herself. Naru had done this so many times in the past that Lin was able to recognize the same expression on Mai's face.

Her pride as ghost hunter was what caused Mai to be upset. Normally, she didn't care for such things, but when it came to Naru, she was unforgiving. She had over looked a small mistake and she was blaming herself for it when in reality, Lin was to blame.

If Lin hadn't been so tired and unaware of his surroundings, then he would have been able to sense the spirit in the room even while he was asleep.

Lin continuously followed Mai with his eyes. Even if she was mad at herself, he would not let her get hurt. Mai was one of the first people to knock down his shield just as Madoka and Naru had done before.

Mai walked to the kitchen and came back without a hitch.

Mai bowed deeply as she entered the base. Lin sighed silently in what was to come.

"I'm terribly sorry if I seemed snappy earlier. I should not have taken my frustration out on you, when it really was me who I was mad at. Please forgive me."

Lin shook his head. "Taniyama-san, there is no reason to apologize. As I said before, it is not your fault."

Mai smiled. "Thank you. By the way, I totally ignored you. I made you tea anyway."

Lin shook his head and sighed is disbelief as he took a hand on the teacup. "Only you Taniyama-san. Only you."

Mai huffed "What is that supposed to mean!?"

Lin just chuckled and went back to monitoring the screens.

The light streamed in through the window in the bedroom. Naru groaned and turned away from the blinding light. When that didn't work, He lifted one of his pillows and placed it over his head. This blocked out the rest of the sunlight.

Wait… sunlight?

Naru sat upright in his bed in record time. There shouldn't be sunlight this early. Naru blinked as he remembered the events of last night, or rather morning. He glanced at the clock. It was only twelve thirty…..

WAIT , Twelve thirty!?

Naru jumped out of his bed and ran to his suit case. He jumped into the shower and quickly washed his hair and body. In a timer faster than Mai ever had, he got his clothing on and walked quickly out of his room.

He rounded the last corner and walked into the base.

Inside was his team. Nobody had noticed him enter. All were doing tasks, proving the reliable team that they were.

Yasu was standing next to Lin reading something off a sheet of paper, no doubt information. Mai was sitting at the monitors, headphones on and alternated between looking at the monitors and doing her English homework. Masako was sitting on the couch with John with a serious expression on her face. A newspaper was in her hand. It was a slight yellow color. John nodded; his expression had lost its usual nervousness. Monk was absent from the group, probably out getting lunch or searching the house.

Mai looked up at Naru when she noticed movement from the corner of her eye.

"Hey Naru, did you get some good sleep?"

Naru nodded and everyone turned to him. Even Lin had a slightly concerned look that only he noticed.

"What about you Mai? Surely you went to bed."

Mai rolled her eyes and turned back to her work. "Naru I have been in here the whole time except to make tea. Of course not. Duh."

Naru twitched. "Lin, how long have you been awake?"

Lin averted his eyes to the sheet of paper Yasu had just handed him. "Since six."

Naru watched in irritation as Mai shot Lin a glare. "Mai, Lin could have watched the monitors while you got some sleep. Do not say that you had no chance to sleep."

Mai glared at him. "You were the one that was so concerned about making sure that the monitors were watched while they had RECORDING SYTEMS! I found that little tad bit when Lin rewound some footage."

Naru ignored her obvious insult. "Go get some sleep."

Mai glared some more. "No! I'm staying here." She pouted.

Naru turned his twitch into a glare. "Mai. You have not slept in almost twenty four hours. Go get some rest."

Mai smirked and turned away from him. "Nope~!" She then began working on page thirty five of fifty pages of her English homework.

Naru twitched. He gritted his teeth slightly. "Whatever. You are free to do as you wish."

Mai's smirk became bigger as Naru dropped the subject.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team watched gawking, besides Lin and John. Lin looked bored, as if this happened everyday. John was smiling slightly. 'Was Naru caring about Mai's wellbeing? Maybe he had begun to realize it' John thought to himself.

Mai stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go find Monk. Anyone know where he went?" She asked.

Masako stopped her gawking and turned to her best friend. "I believe that he went to go get lunch for all of us."

Mai pouted. "Really? That sucks because I'm bored."

Naru turned away from Lin. "Then go to bed. It will give you something to do."

Mai glared at him. "But I can't! Plus, I'll be alone."

Naru rolled his eyes. "Use your brain Mai. You can sleep on the couch in the base."

"But I want to sleep in my room!"

"I told you that you are not to be alone while on this case, or have you already forgotten that?"

Mai glared at him. "I did not forget! I'm going to get my pillow! Jeez, why do you have to be such a jerk Naru!?"

With that, she stormed out of the base. Naru was going to follow her, had he not been stopped by someone's hand. Lin leaned down and whispered in his ear.

"Taniyama-san was very worried about you this morning. It's in her best interests if you are well and healthy. You can ignore me, or believe, that is your decision. Taniyama-san cares for you Noll."

Naru studied the Chinese man for any sign that he was lying. With a sigh, Lin let go of his charge's arm. Then Naru did something that shocked the whole group.

He bowed his head slightly in respect at Lin, before leaving the room.

Everyone was silent as Yasu turned to Lin. "What the heck did you tell big boss?!"

The rest of the group waited for an answer until Lin's lips curved slightly upward.

"Isn't that something that you want to know? To bad I'm not going to tell you."

Masako and Yasu immediately sulked and Yasu dropped into the nearest chair.

"Mean, Mean Lin-san~!" Yasuhara pouted.

Mai walked down the halls, her feet stomping the ground hard.

"Where does he get off talking to me like that?!" she huffed.

She turned the corner and almost walked straight into a bookcase. Mai blinked. Her vison had started to get cloudy, but she instead ignored it.

"Why the heck would someone put a bookcase in the middle of a hallway?!" Mai hissed.

"So that everyone could read the books Mai. What do you think its for?"

Mai whirled around to face her boss that always seemed to pop in on her. "You know what? I think-"

Mai stumbled slightly, causing Naru to take a step forward. Mai shook her head trying to clear the decrease of her sight.

"Mai are you alright?"

Mai stumbled again and clutched her head. "Something's wrong." She mumbled. Her head felt light and her eyes were swimming. The world was beginning to blur as she tried to focus her sight.

"I can't hear you Mai. Speak up." Naru said. His face was pinched with worry. He took another step forward, almost two feet from her.

Mai would have answered him, that is, if the floor and darkness hadn't rushed up to meet her. She felt the pull of a spirit before it was completely black.

"MAI!"

An: I thought you guys deserved this, so I worked by butt off to provide it for you! Please Review!

Also, just out of curiosity, Who do you think is the ghost? XD

Not much to say….. I'll try to update on Monday!

-WhisperToTheWolves