53. It's hard to see Kururi like this, even if she is the least outgoing between her and her sister. He never thought he'd have to see her-either of them-so vulnerable, confined to a hospital bed with an oxygen mask and a machine that beeps calmly in the silence. At least the doc says she's stable now, and her chances of recovery are looking better. Neither of her siblings say a word, Mairu standing holding Mai's hand, Izaya brooding in one of the chairs and staring out the window.

"The man who did this clearly wants my attention."

Shizuo growls to himself. Who is this Yadogiri asshole anyway? And what'd Izaya do to piss him off so bad it warranted an attempt on the lives of his sisters and probably his assistant and his roommate? Hell, if the bastard had a problem with Izaya, why not just deal with him and leave everyone else out of it?

Mai suddenly turns and kisses Mairu's forehead, then pulls her hand out of her grasp, and steps toward the door. She briefly meets his eyes to ask if he's coming, then continues into the hall. Shizuo looks back long enough to see Mairu sit beside her brother and put her arm around him, then follows Mai into the hall. She's walking at a fast pace, picking up speed until the reach the elevator where she frantically and repeatedly jabs at the button to head down. "Mai?" She ignores him, her breath coming in unsteady gasps and her eyes wide with panic. "Hey, Mai."

She recoils when he puts his hand over her shoulder, jerking away so quickly one might've thought he hit her. There's no mystery in her eyes anymore. All he sees now is a scared and confused woman suddenly at the end of her rope. "Are you okay?" Dumb question.

The elevator door opens and she ducks inside. "I can't do it."

"What?" He follows her.

"You don't know what it's like." She says in a harsh whisper, raising a hand to cover her mouth. "It's not like sharing a death with an unrelated someone who died a long time ago. It's dying side by side with someone you know and love, only you're the one feeling the fear and pain they suffered. I can't go through Kururi's! She's just a little girl! I can't, I can't…." Her head shakes from side to side. "I can't do it."

"Mai…."

"I don't want to." She shakes her head. "I'm scared."

He doesn't know what to say, so he gathers her in his arms, threading his fingers through her hair and kissing the top of her head. The tension in her body slowly eases as she returns the embrace. "It hasn't come to that yet." He manages. "If she made it to the hospital, and the doc said there's a chance she'll be okay, right? Don't worry." She turns her face toward him and he brushes her bangs out of her eyes, trying his best to smile and reassure her. "It'll be all right."

She inhales, closing her eyes, and lets it all out, relaxing and leaning her head against him, mentally and physically exhausted from crying all day.

"It's okay, Mai."

"Why tell me this?"

"Because you and I are of like minds when Mai-chan's involved." Izaya's mouth twists in his usual grin. "Neither of us want to see her come to any harm. Right, Shizu-chan?"

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: If I may direct your attention to the picture box, you may have noticed I've uploaded cover art! I don't know if it's there yet, or how long it takes to show up, but it should be there soon.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.