Recap
"What good will that do? They couldn't find him thirty years ago. How would they find him now?" Monk asks.
"Which is exactly why, we'll be following the children while they look for him. We can look in all the places they don't." Naru explains.
"Now that is brilliant, why didn't I think of that." Monk grins, finally thinking they were making progress to find Mai, but the worry was still there.
"Let's hurry."
Inside the Church
"Time to play a little game. When I say go, I want you to find our friend Mai who's hiding somewhere, kay?" Monk spoke with a big smile to all the children gathered. "Sound like fun?"
"Yeah!" all the children responded to Monk.
"Great! Ready, Go!" Monk clapped and all the children scattered.
The search had begun again, but this time with a little help from the children of the church. The hunt began inside the church first. However, the children kept getting distracted.
One jumped right onto Monk's back. "Whoa, easy there, it's hide and seek, not wrestling." he smiled, but the little ones continued to giggle in happiness and excitement.
20 Minutes Later
"Man these kids are either sweethearts or are out of control. You alright there John?" Monk asks looking at the blonde man who had just been spun into a tizzy by some of the children.
"Yeah, I think they just get excited when new people come to visit. And though they seem happy, I think many of them are very lonely since they haven't seen their parents in so long." John spoke, looking down sadly.
"I suppose your right-Hold on, what are you getting at?" Monk looks at the shorter man. "Are some of these kids gonna start thinking that I'm their dad?!"
Click.
Looking over, Monk spots Naru and Lin entering the room they stood in. "Don't worry, we're working, honestly." Monk stopped speaking just as one of the children ran forward and looked in a random little cupboard.
Shaking his head, Good try kid, but way too obvious. He thought, then stopped. A realization donning on him. Pulling John out the room, he leads him around some of the children.
"If you watch closely, the kids will only look in places that are easily accessible to them." Monk stops entirely. "Hey, John, did you notice? None of them are looking up."
He had stopped in the big cathedral area, where prayers and mass are held. John immediately looks up as well, the answer donning on him as well. "Since they're all so small, none of them consider above them to be a hiding place."
"What I'm really concerned about is outside the church." John says. Monk gasps looking to the blonde-haired man. Immediately racing out to the entrance of the church.
Once outside, they look around. "Man, she could be anywhere out here."
"How much do you bet she climbed up a tree?" John asks. "I'm going to check this side of the church."
Nodding, Monk went the opposite way.
Not going very far, John suddenly calls out, "Mai!"
"What? Did you find her already?" Monk calls to John, racing over to him.
John was staring up a tree. Mai, clearly hiding up the tree he was looking up. Running forward, Monk looks up, almost sagging in relief, "We've been looking for you." he says, moving to start climbing the tree.
Climbing the tree carefully, he brings Mai down. "Poor thing, you must have been freezing your tail off." Monk slides his jacket off, throwing over Possessed Mai's shoulders to warm her cold, shivering body.
Eyes watering, the tears started to gather again, Monk panics for a moment just as Naru along with Lin, Ayako, and Masako walk forward. A happy look strikes Possessed Mai, throwing off the jacket, she launches forward. A full-on hugging grasp upon Lin.
"Aw! I swear, what does Lin have that I don't. I mean, I'm a nice guy right?" Monk gripes picking up his jacket and looking to John without expecting an answer.
Grinning happily, and making humming noises, Possessed Mai cuddles closely to Lin. Naru steps forward, slightly bending over, "Hello Kenji. That man is not your dad. Your real dad is up in heaven and he wants you to be with him. You won't have to play hide and seek ever again." Naru gives Possessed Mai a strong look. "Kenji, where are you hiding?"
Looking down first, then looking up, Possessed Mai stares at the church. Naru follows where she stares, breathing oddly for a moment, "He;s right there." He speaks, pointing to the spot.
"My god." Ayako gasps.
"No way." Masako whispers.
"How did he get up there?" John voices the question everyone was thinking about.
Left in awe, everyone stares. Some in sadness, some in pity, others in surprise. Releasing Lin from her grasp, Possessed Mai walks toward Naru.
Looking at her, Naru doesn't blink as the girl smiles, "Thank you, sir." Is all the Possessed Mai says before her eyes flicker shut and she starts to fall to the ground.
Gasping, Monk lunges forward to catch the unconscious Mai.
Time Skip
Slowly opening her eyes, Mai looks around, the room was brighten. This time instead of darkness, she could feel herself underneath a blanket, warm, and cozy. And most of all, the familiar scent of peppermint tea surrounding her.
Turning her, she spots Lin, "Oh, hey there."
Lin smiles, and nods.
Wiping her eyes slightly, "I guess Kenji's father made it just in time for Christmas, right Lin?"
"Yes, I believe so." Lin agrees, looking out the window, his own mind full of odd thoughts, but most of all, a feeling of forgiveness laces over him.
End of A Silent Christmas Episode.