Hey, hey! Here is the next installment of the story! It might be a bit extreme for some people, there are some suggested moments in the chapter that deals with violence.

Hope you all enjoy it!

Mai and Tommy had been setting up cameras all morning, and when Naru had asked her to make tea, she was happy for the new task. The only part that she despised was waiting for the water to boil.

She sighed and leaned heavily against the counter. This case was starting to stress her out, and on top of that, her adoptive parents were going to be leaving soon. She regretted arguing with them, but she knew it needed to happen for them to understand. Ayako was the most stubborn out of the two of them, but Monk could be persuaded.

The tea kettle whistled and Mai promptly took it off the flame and poured the hot water into the teapot she had sitting next to the tray of cups. Naru crept into the kitchen whilst she was completing said task and stood behind her off to the side.

"Coming to check up on me now, Naru?" It wasn't like he was that silent.

He moved closer to her. "You hadn't come back after a few minutes. The others were getting apprehensive."

"You can just say you were worried. It isn't a crime to love someone." She said, her eyebrows coming together in annoyance.

He sighed. "It is not easy for me to express emotions. That includes anyone else's."

Mai looked at him. "I get it Naru, really I do. I just want you to be honest about how you feel. You can stand to speak up, say what's on your mind, complain a little," She poured the steeped tea into the cups and rinsed the pot out. "I care about how you feel and I wouldn't want to make you feel any other way but secure and loved. It's important to me." She smiled fully at him and handed him his cup.

He watched her, his head tilted a bit, and his eyes squinted in an observable curiosity.

"You are an interesting person, Mai." He took a sip and smiled softly towards her. She could just make out some mirth inside his eyes.

A bright flush swept across Mai's face and she started stuttering. The tray in her hands wobbled a bit.

He smirked at the display, happy that he achieved the reaction he was looking for. Setting his cup on the tray, he then took it from her hands. "Let's go."

"Okay, so we still don't know much about this woman though," Adrian said ruffling his hair. He was the main researcher next to Madoka and Lin. "Why is she haunting this place? What exactly happened?"

Sans Tommy who was getting dinner, they had all gathered into the base for a run-through of the current status concerning their research.

His sister walked over and patted his shoulder. "Try not to worry, we'll figure it out soon enough."

"Kelly's right," Madoka said smiling. "As far as we know, she committed suicide, but usually there's a reason someone does that. There's a motive. So, what would typically make someone even contemplate that?"

"Something sad," Mai said after taking a sip of tea. "Or maybe something that she is guilty of?"

Madoka looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"Well, maybe she did something that she regrets?"

Madoka nodded. "That might be true! Maybe we're looking at it from the wrong angle." She looked at Adrian.

Adrian nodded to Mai. "I haven't even considered a criminal intent. So, maybe we should be looking into the crimes committed in the area."

"Would you want to come to the library to assist me?" Madoka had her purse firmly strapped around her and the car keys in hand.

Adrian got up. "Let's go!"

The two left and Lin watched as they made their way through the house.

Mai sighed. "Alright, Naru! What's next?"

Naru looked at her. "Lin, were there any fluctuations in the temperature throughout the house?"

"One room had a few changes, but other than that nothing significant."

Naru wrote a few things down in his notebook. "Mai, Kelly, what about you two? Notice any new feelings or seen anything unusual?"

Mai looked over to Kelly. "You're a medium!?" After Kelly's nod and bashful smile, Mai's eyes brightened. "That's amazing! I had no idea!"

Naru cleared his throat, and Mai sunk in embarrassment. "I haven't felt anything different than what I've told you."

Kelly looked around the room. "As far as I can gather, there are three spirits that are in the house and around the property. Two of them are holding onto immense sadness and the other has sadness, but is also overcome with anger." She put a hand up to her head. "It's such a hate that it almost completely overcomes the presence of the other two."

Writing a few things down and then clicking his pen, Naru puzzled his face and placed a hand to his chin. "We still have no explanation for the sadness or the anger." He then looked to Mai. "We need more information aside from research. We're only getting so far."

"I hear ya loud and clear!" Lin got up and wheeled a monitor over to the couch as Mai began laying down. "Hook me up, Lin!"

Naru grit his teeth as multiple electrodes were applied over Mai's head and to her pulse points. From the day he started noticing her dreams were connected to their cases, Naru had always dreaded her abilities. After realizing that her dreams were more than normal, he knew that she would eventually experience an individual's death anytime, anywhere. And when it finally happened during a case, he wanted to punch himself for not thinking about her abilities and what they were finding out about the case they were on. He should have sent her with Madoka to leave every night and then come back for the day.

"We will be monitoring you and saving the data so Martin can look over them when we finish the case. After you wake up you need to write down and document what occurred in the dream. That way we can use the context to determine when your brainwaves change according to the setting." Lin gave her a brief explanation of what everything would be doing.

She gave him a thumbs up. "Got it!" She snuggled her shoulder blades under her and leaned her head over to one side. She had just closed her eyes when she felt a hand slip into hers. Sleep was quick to take her consciousness away from her body.

Mai woke to the center of the backyard. This time, the yard looked flush and well-kept. She assumed that she was around the same time that she was last time.

Picking herself up off the ground, she began walking towards the back door. As she approached the door, she could hear yelling coming from inside the manor. She hesitated to open the door, and just then, it flew open. A man stormed out of the house, irritation, and anger on his face. He looked around the backyard before focusing on the bar that was set up outside.

Another set of footsteps followed him, and Jocelyn Adams stood in front of Mai. Because her eyes didn't focus on Mai, despite her presence in front of her, Mai assumed she couldn't see her this time around.

Jocelyn marched her way over to her husband. "Do you know how long I had to rock that child?! You make so much noise, do you even consider the fact that the baby is sleeping?"

Mai watched as Mr. Adams poured himself a drink of amber liquid and toss it back down his throat. This interaction, however, Mai noted. She was not aware that they had a child.

Mr. Adams chucked the glass cup against the cement of the patio. The sound made Mai jolt, and Jocelyn did as well.

He approached his wife anger blazing in his eyes. "I didn't ask to have a child, you wanted to keep the bloody thing, it's your problem!" He turned around and grabbed the bottle of whiskey he was pouring from. Pressing the opening to his lips he took a few gulps. "You have no idea how annoying that thing is, crying up there! I wish it would just stop!"

Worry snuck into Mai's heart. She didn't trust this man, and from the looks of it, Jocelyn looked afraid of him too.

"What are you saying? That is your son! You need to learn how to love him!"

"You do not get to force me to love anyone, especially someone I didn't want." He took another gulp. "You should have gotten rid of it."

Jocelyn looked horrified, and Mai felt immense sympathy hit her.

"Don't say that, you wanted him as much as I did."

"I wanted you! Not the responsibilities of a child! I told you I didn't want a baby."

Jocelyn was about to reply when a baby's cry from the upstairs window interrupted them. Mr. Adams looked up to the window and sighed.

"I can't take this anymore." Finishing off the bottle, he made his way to the back door.

"Just leave him alone, I'll handle it from now on." Jocelyn followed after him, but when he walked into the house, he slammed the back door shut and locked it. Surprised, Jocelyn ran to the door and began yanking on the handle. "Carl!"

Mai's stomach dropped, and she walked closer to the door. She had to remind herself that she couldn't alter the past, whatsoever, and had to watch as everything played out.

Because of her cries, the baby started to cry harder. "Carl! Open this door this instant!"

Nothing but Jocelyn and the baby's cries could be heard. Mai closed her eyes and placed her hands over her ears, but plugging her ears did nothing to filter out the pained sounds coming from mother and child.

A tense shift passed and Jocelyn looked up to the window, and it was then Mai noticed that there was no more crying, just some slight cooing. The cooing continued for a while and then crying quickly followed.

A thought struck Mai of how familiar the noises sounded – like she had heard it before. And just then, she realized she had. In the house yesterday when she was in that room, some cries sounded exactly like the ones she was hearing now. The only difference was that as soon as they started, they stopped with a sickening crunch. She didn't expect to hear the same noise now, but the cries stopped for a moment, and again a snapping noise followed, just like what she had heard originally.

Mai held a trembling hand up to her mouth. She was not aware of what exactly caused the noise, but now that she had an idea of what happened, it felt like she swallowed lead.

Jocelyn began throwing her body against the door, at the same time, screaming her husband's name. Tears poured from her eyes, and her fists began bleeding and bruising.

Mai couldn't watch anymore. She wanted to leave. Focusing on her body in the base, she followed her tether to herself back to the room and into her body.

Wiggling her fingers and toes, she confirmed that she was indeed in her body, and found that someone was holding her hand in a light grip. She could feel her body and mind reconnect to each other, and the side effect of doing so was a headache starting right behind her eyes.

Groaning, she alerted the others to her awakening.

"Mai, you're up!" She knew it was Madoka's voice, but her eyes were just starting to open. She tried to sit up, and thankfully an arm swept underneath her and held her to a warm body. She looked over to see her boyfriend looking at her with concern.

"I'm alright," She said, a tired smile upon her lips. She felt more lucid but decided to keep her head on Naru's chest, relishing in his warmth. "I have new information."

After the words were said, Naru looked to Lin, and he handed over Naru's notebook. But Mai was more focused on the uncomfortable feeling of the electrodes still attached to her head. She looked towards Lin and he smiled at her look and nodded.

"I'll remove these for you,"

"Were you able to get good data?" Mai asked smiling up at him.

He chuckled slightly while removing the electrodes on her forehead. "I'm sure we got plenty."

"What did you see, Mai?" Madoka had moved in closer to her. Kelly and Adrian were watching her as well, although due to their lack of reference they had tight looks of worry.

"Jocelyn and Carl had a baby," She said closing her eyes trying to wipe away her headache and the noises of the cries she was forced to hear. Scribbling could be heard next to her and she watched as Naru was writing down information. She watched him for a bit until he looked at her waiting for her to continue.

"I was watching them talk outside in the backyard. Apparently, Carl didn't want a baby and was getting frustrated with it crying all the time." Mai swallowed a hollow cry. "While they were arguing, the baby started crying. Carl went into the house first and Jocelyn followed him, but he shut the door and locked it. A few minutes go by, and the crying stopped for a moment. Only for a moment, and then a sickening snapping noise, and then nothing." Her breath started to come out a bit faster and she could feel the slight residual emotion of fear lacing through her body. "Jocelyn screamed and cried, tried to get back in, but it was too late-" Madoka put her hand on Mai's.

"My God, that's enough." She stood up and looked at Naru. "Did you get all that?"

Naru nodded. "We are going to need you to write this down." He was slightly saddened by the past they had not heard of but, the fact that she had witnessed it, bothered him more.

"Yes, I know." Mai looked away from him and stared at the floor.

The sound of the base door opening made the group turn their heads just in time to see Tommy shuffling uncomfortably as he read the room. "So, not sure if this is a great time, but I've got dinner."

Kelly sighed. "No, Tommy, not good timing at all."

Alright! Another chapter completed! I apologize if the dreams made some people uncomfortable! I hope my disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter was enough of a buffer.

Hope everyone is doing alright and staying healthy! Thank you all for the reviews in the last chapter! I know I have been AFK for a while (understatement), but I appreciate all of your perseverance! Let me know how that chapter was or how you are doing!

Cheers!