A/N: Hello! It's me again and I'm back with another alternate universe! This one's a little different, though. I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.

Language Key:

((Chinese in double brackets))

[English in brackets]

Japanese in regular text.

Chapter One:

A slushy mix of rain and snow covered the sidewalk, concealing whatever ice might also be on the surface. Icy rain fell from the blackened skies. It stung the faces of anyone unfortunate to be walking about in it. Koujo Lin just happened to be one of those unfortunate. As he pulled his coat up further, he almost regretted turning down Luella Davis's invitation to join them for dinner. Almost.

Had he been the same person he'd been four years ago, he wouldn't have even considered it. His twenty year old self would've scoffed at the idea of entering their home, much less sitting at their dinner table. But that was before he worked with them, before he saw them as people and not just the Brits and their adopted Japanese children.

He knew, of course, that it was an honor to be sought out by the Davis family. He and his family had moved to England and started working with the Society of Paranormal Research as soon as he'd graduated high school. It was a little over a year after that when Professor Davis approached him with a problem he'd needed help solving.

The problem had been his recently adopted son, who had some unusual abilities. None of the usual techniques had worked to keep his abilities under control and the professor was desperate for new ideas. Despite his reluctance, Lin agreed to use his expertise to help the boy.

It was a rocky start as the Davis boy, Oliver, was as excited to work together as he was. He wanted to learn, but he didn't have any respect for Lin until he witnessed what he was capable of and how much he knew. And he didn't trust him for some time still. Lin didn't blame him for it, though. He'd heard stories of what Oliver and his twin had been through before the Davis couple found them.

His twin, Eugene, was another story. He was friendly as soon as they'd been introduced. He was also eager to learn anything Lin was willing to teach him. This was how Lin found himself a teacher of two students.

Three years in and he still wasn't sure if he was the best choice. He never had been good with kids - not even when he was one. Luckily, these kids were wise and mature beyond their years. Or maybe not so lucky for them. It was another sign of how they'd been forced to grow up faster than they should've.

Lin had never thought about it much - not until he witnessed the process himself. His step-sister had been a normal kid up until a year ago. She was a little wiser and older than kids her age, he supposed. Her upbringing hadn't been the greatest, though her mother had tried. She always tried to do what she thought would be the best for the two of them. But life, as always, got in the way.

The accident was, as most accidents are, completely unexpected. His step-mother, step-sister, and sister had all been in the car at the time. His step-sister was the only one to survive. She'd been in the hospital for weeks afterwards. She hardly spoke during that time.

Once she came home, she put more of an effort in appearing fine. He knew, however, that she was far from that. But she did what she did best - put everyone else's needs above her own. She took over the household during the times neither he nor his father could make it out of bed. She offered a shoulder for the rare occasion when he couldn't take it anymore, all while silent tears fell from her own eyes. And she'd only been thirteen at the time.

She was the reason he'd turned down Mrs. Davis's invitation. The only reason he wasn't taking refuge in the the warmth of Davis's guest room. If he'd accepted the offer, she wouldn't have blamed him. She tolerated this cold weather about as well as he did. And she knew he had his own designated space in the Davis home - for rest after late training or a long case. He tried to avoid needing it for the past year, though.

He pushed away all thoughts of the safe, happy home as he made it to his house. His eyes roamed over the overflowing bin of recycle-able glass. The disdain he felt at the sight never reached the surface as he walked past. He paused at the door, his ears straining for any signs of life within the small townhouse. As usual, he couldn't hear anything over one neighbor's television and another one's little dog. Sighing, he slid his key into the lock.

The house was quiet - silent except for the whir of the heater and the bubbly sound from the kettle. Walking through the entryway and the living room, his eyes carefully swept over the dark spaces. The place was clean, as it always was when he came home. Any evidence of if ever being anything else had been thoroughly scrubbed away.

He continued toward the kitchen, the only light spilling from that room. He entered it to find his step-sister at the table. Her forehead was supported by her left hand while her right hand twirled a pencil into her long, chestnut hair. Her red-rimmed, doe-like eyes were hazy as they stared down the homework laying in front of her. He doubted her thoughts were anywhere near the trigonometric equations she was supposed to be figuring.

"Mai,"

She startled as he placed his coat on the back of a chair. Surprise colored her features before she wordlessly got up and prepared two cups of tea. Just as silently, Lin sat down at the table. He watched her as she bustled about the small kitchen. His eyes took in her tiny frame - too thin for a girl her age, he felt. Guilt flooded through him as she handed him a mug with a smile, though gratitude fell from his lips. He wasn't cut out to be her step-brother.

"((Have you eaten dinner yet?))" she asked as she gathered up her homework. The homework, he saw, was already completed and probably had been for awhile.

"((Not yet, no,))"

She pulled a plate of some sort of vegetable pasta medley out of the fridge and put it in the microwave. "((How was work?))"

"((Productive,))" If this conversation had been with any other person he would've ended it there, but he'd put up with pointless small talk for her. She deserved that much. Actually, she deserved more, but this was all he could give her. "((How were your lessons with Maa Maa this afternoon?))"

"((Productive,))" she threw back at him with another smile. "((Maa Maa says I'm progressing well. I might even catch up to you soon.))"

Her teasing challenge had the effect she'd been undoubtedly going for as the corner of his lips ticked up. "((I look forward to seeing that happen.))"

His paternal grandmother had taken to teaching Mai the same ancient Chinese practices that she had taught Lin and his sister growing up. He would easily admit that she was the best teacher - unfortunately, she wouldn't take over his students. Even if there wasn't a language barrier, they didn't have a single drop of Chinese blood and were therefore unworthy of being taught in her mind.

Although Mai was also half Japanese, her mother's heritage was enough to overlook that little fact. At least, that's what Maa Maa claimed every time their relatives questioned why she'd taken the girl under her wing. Lin was just grateful that the family accepted her.

Her mother's family had abandoned them. Her father's family had supposedly died out. This family was all she had left. Well, this sad excuse for a family, anyway.

Pulling another plate out of the cabinet, Mai set it in front of him. She then proceeded to set up two sets of silverware and napkins. He said nothing as he took in the setting placements.

"((Baa Baa turned in just shortly before you came home,))" she explained carefully as she spooned more than half of the medley onto his plate. The smile was tight on her face. "((He said he wasn't feeling well.))"

"Hmm,"

Lin's thoughts immediately went to the overflowing recycling bin. He wondered, not for the first time, what she came home to everyday. He had only recently become aware of his father's after work habit. How long it had been going on, he didn't know. Between working late nights and Mai taking care of it all on her own (probably in some misguided attempt to keep him from worrying), he'd been in the dark.

As they ate, their usual silence fell upon them. Lin watched her turn in on herself again. Her eyes glazed over as she chewed on her thoughts. He wanted to pull her out, but didn't know where to start.

He missed the days where the kitchen was filled with noise. He missed listening to Mai and his sister, Wen, as they unloaded their day on one another. He missed the variety of their emotions playing out on their faces. He missed their happiness.

Wen would've caught on to whatever was going on a lot earlier. She would've been able to talk to Mai without fear of losing her or hurting her in some way. She always knew what to say. He wished she could've taught him that skill.

Instead, all he could do was sit across from her and eat quietly. He, just as quietly, stood up with her when they were finished. He wordlessly handed her his empty dishes when she reached for them, following her to the sink.

"((I'll do the dishes. You can go ahead and get ready for bed. You worked hard today,))" She was smiling again as she waved him off.

He took in her tired eyes and her thin, sagging frame. He wanted to argue with her, to ask her about how hard she'd worked that day. No fourteen year old should have had to shoulder such a heavy burden.

All he did, however, was let out a small sigh, "((Don't stay up too late. You need your rest.))"

"((I won't!))" Her smile was still bright, despite everything. "((I'll turn in as soon as I finish the dishes.))"

"Mm," He turned to leave, grabbing his coat. He paused, the damp fabric crushed beneath his fingers. The kitchen was filled with the sound of running water and clinking dishes.

"((Ne, Koujo,))"

He turned again, looking up from the coat. Mai's back was to him, her soapy hands resting on the edge of the sink. "((Yes, Mai?))"

"((Thank you,))" she spoke in a small voice, "((for coming home to eat dinner with me.))"

"((Of course,))" He swallowed the strong emotions that threatened to break free. "((Thank you for being here when I come home.))"

"((Of course,))" Mai grinned before returning to her work. Lin smiled, watching her for a moment before finally leaving the kitchen.

Awhile later, he laid in bed and waited. It wasn't until after he heard the light footsteps and the click of a door that he allowed himself to drift off. He welcomed the dark, dreamless space. Unconsciousness had become a safe haven of sorts. It was the one place he didn't have to worry.

Hours later, worry was at the forefront of his mind as he woke with a start. His entire body was sticky with sweat. His heart raced as he tried to remember the nightmare that caused such a reaction. All he could remember was searching and searching and coming up short. With a sigh, he pushed the nightmare from his mind and regulated his breathing.

He could hear footsteps going back and forth outside his door. A frantic energy could be felt from their creator. He heard a loud thud followed by a quiet shushing towards the offending objects.

"((Can you keep it down? I have a splitting headache,))" his father could be heard grumbling after.

"((Sorry,))" was the sheepish, whispered reply.

Clenching his teeth, Lin had to work harder at regulating his breathing. Once he was managed to get himself under control, he joined the early morning fray. The door to Mai's room was open, revealing a frazzled Mai attempting to pull her trainers on her feet in a hurry. She gave him a breathy greeting just as she succeeded.

He followed her into the kitchen where his father was already seated. He was slumped over his mug, probably using the caffeine latent liquid to nurse his hangover. Mai slid into her coat and grabbed a piece of jam toast.

"((Bye,))" she waved with the toast in hand, slinging her schoolbag over her shoulder.

Lin frowned at her pitiful breakfast, but chose not to comment on it. "((See you.))"

She gave him a grin before disappearing into the other room. He listened for the sound of the door closing, surprised to hear a knock instead. Curious, he shot down the same path Mai had just gone, meeting her as she opened the door.

Sparkling, blue eyes smiled kindly down at the brunette as she choked down the last of her toast. The older gentleman seemed amused, as he usually did when meeting Mai. "[Ah, hello, Miss Lin.]"

"[Hello, Professor Davis]" Mai returned his smile, wiping the crumbs from her mouth. She always had liked the Davis family. "[Is everything okay?]"

"[Actually, I was coming to see if everything was okay with you]" the man explained, meeting Lin's gaze with a friendly nod. "[I noticed your bus had taken off without you.]"

"[Eh?! Again?]" Mai's eyes widened before her shoulders dropped. "Stupid McRogers keeps coming earlier and earlier."

"[If it's alright with you, we can give you a ride]" Davis chuckled. "[Your school isn't far from the boys' school.]"

"[Please, sir]" Mai bit at her lip. "[I'd really appreciate it.]"

"Come on, Mai!" a loud, jovial voice called from the sidewalk. Martin Davis stepped aside to reveal an eager Eugene waving as Oliver stood beside him, scowling at the frozen ground.

Mai's eyes were alight with true joy upon seeing the twins. She started to leave, but suddenly stopped herself. Throwing her tiny arms around his waist, she caught him off guard. Cautiously, almost afraid to break her, his arms wrapped around her shaking shoulders. She held on tight to him as if she was afraid she wouldn't get to see him again.

"((I'll see you when I get home, okay?))" he spoke softly, unsure of what he was supposed to do.

"((Yeah,))" she breathed, letting go. "((I'll see you then.))"

He watched as she rushed down the slushy pavement. She slid only once, just as she reached the sidewalk. Both boys caught her arms before her butt could land on the cold, unforgiving ground. Although he couldn't hear it, Lin could tell from the stern look on his face that Oliver was lecturing her on her reckless act. For her part, Mai had somehow managed to look contrite while still smiling up at the unamused teen.

"[Thank you for taking her, sir,"]"

"[There's nothing to thank me for]" His boss shook his head fondly as he, too, watched the children on the sidewalk. "[But if you really want to thank me, bring her over to the house more. I think it's good for all the kids. And Luella and I love having you guys.]"

Lin assured the older gentleman that he would do just that. He also believed it was good for them to be around one another. For Mai, especially, as she didn't have any other friends her age. And the twins had grown particularly fond of her over the past few months - even Oliver. This fact, of course, was evident as the trio walked towards the the Davis's house. Each boy still held onto her arms with one of their own.

After his boss left, taking Mai with him, Lin returned to the monotonous tasks of the day. He got ready and left for work with his father, ignoring his grumbling all the while. He worked hard once reaching the Cambridge campus, spending his time filing and reviewing old cases. Then, he left with the professor to start his second job of training the twins.

The whole day had been mundane, but for some reason he was eager to get home. His stomach twisted in knots as he thought of Mai. Her strange actions that morning had him worrying that there was something going on. Was there something going on at school? She hadn't mentioned any of her classmates in months. Or was it the situation at home? Was it the stress of his father's drinking habit that had her more on edge? Lin was going to talk to him about it as soon as he could - it wasn't fair for Mai to have to deal with his selfishness.

He left the Davis house as soon as his work was done. Luella must've sensed that something was off, because she didn't bother inviting him for dinner. She did, however, repeat her husband's plea of bringing Mai over sometime. Once again, he agreed to do so at a later point.

He walked as fast as he could while not slipping on the hidden ice. The air, though drier, was still sharp. It burned in his lungs. His breath came out in puffs of steam. Coming up on his house, his eyes roamed the now empty recycling bin. His pace quickened as he made his way to the door. Not even pausing to listen, he slid his key in the lock - only for the door to pop open from that act alone.

Lin blinked as the knots in his stomach tightened and grew. Mai never forgot to lock the door. She'd lived alone with her mother for so long that it was something she did without a thought. Forgetting to do so must've meant something was very wrong.

Cautiously, he entered the home. His eyes swept over the entryway, finding nothing amiss. There was no sign of struggle in that area. He continued into the living room. His thoughts ran through every possibility as he stumbled into the dark room. He waited for his eyes to adjust. But as he waited, his foot connected with an object. The object made a loud, clattering sound as it fell - the sound only growing as it hit more glass objects along the floor.

Irritated, Lin reached for the light switch. A loud groan came from the room's only occupant. A useless lump lay on the couch; dozens of bottles sat empty around him. Choosing to ignore him, Lin continued his search.

He entered the kitchen first, disappointed but not entirely disheartened to find it empty. There was still the possibility that she was somewhere in the house. He forged on and into the hallway, passing the empty bathroom. He walked up to her bedroom, still open and exactly as she had left it that morning.

He tore into the room. He pulled down the bed covers of both beds. Looked under each bed. Checked in the closet. When that proved fruitless, he went and did the same in the other two bedrooms. The end result was the same.

Frantic now, he marched into the living room. He kicked over a few more bottles, but he didn't care. His eyes glared down at his father. "((Where's Mai?))"

The man's gaze wavered as he tried to meet Lin's. His grey eyes were bloodshot and glassy. His words were slurred. "((How the hell should I know? Maybe she's at your Maa Maa's.))"

She wasn't supposed to have any lessons that day. But she might've gone over simply to avoid having to deal with this. Lin's glare never softened as he pulled his phone out to call Maa Maa. She answered on the first ring.

"((Something's wrong,))" The elderly lady's deadpan voice sent a chill down his spine.

His grandmother was known for her scary, accurate predictions. She knew of things that had yet to happen. No one ever knew how she knew these things, they just knew to take her word seriously. Everything she'd predicted so far had come to fruition.

"((Is Mai with you?))" he asked, though he feared the answer.

"((She is not with us anymore,))" There was a hint of sadness in her words now. Lin stopped breathing. All the blood left his face. "((You won't find her here as she had to go some place far away.))"

"((Where -))" he choked out. The air forced it's way to his lungs as he tried to speak. "((Where is she?))"

"((I don't know - though I wish I did,))" Her tone had become pitying. She knew how much Mai meant to him, probably better than he did. "((I can promise you, however, that we will see her again. Just not for a long while.))"

"((I see. Thank you,))"

He stumbled forward, his knees hitting the back of the couch. His hands clenched into fists, his phone nearly crushed from the strength. He closed his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing. In. Out. In. Out.

Mai wasn't here. She wasn't at Maa Maa's either. While he wasn't going to entirely ignore his grandmother's words, he also wasn't just going to sit and do nothing. He just needed to think of the next step.

Several steps later, he still had nothing to show for it. Forty eight hours had passed with no sign of Mai. Volunteers had combed all the land surrounding her school, the last place she was seen. His father, who had sobered up immediately after realizing she really was missing, was out there with another rescue team.

He would've been out there, too. But Luella had forced him to take a break, going so far as to follow him into his home. She'd left him on the couch while she tended to the household things he'd been neglecting during his search - the things Mai usually took care of. Her sons had joined them, but they'd shot off into the house some time ago. Lin really didn't care what they were doing - he didn't have the energy to care about much of anything.

"[You haven't slept in days, dear. Rest. I'll wake you if we hear anything]"

Luella handed him a blanket from his own bed. Her blue, red rimmed eyes looked down at him in understanding. He nodded, though he wanted to fight back. He didn't want to rest. He wanted to find Mai.

But his tired body had other plans. His eyes fell shut as soon as his head hit the couch pillow. His mind refused to register the worried voices that spoke over him.

"Stop pushing yourself,"

"I need a better reading,"

"You've attempted several readings. I think this is as good as it's going to get,"

"It's not enough,"

"We know she's alive. We can get a sense of how she's feeling,"

"But not where she is,"

"Don't push yourself. Let's try again later,"

"Fine,"

Mai gasped as she collided with a body of cold water. Her fight or flight instincts kicked in as she began to sink down in the murky depths. She kicked her legs and flailed her arms in an attempt at swimming. Her eyes frantically searched her surroundings.

Darkness had fallen rather quickly. The suddenness of it, she surmised, must've messed with her head. Or perhaps she was suffering from a brain injury. The last thing she could remember was falling from a great height - it was entirely possible she was hallucinating due to some sort of damage. The brain is such a scientific mystery, after all.

These thoughts gave her enough cause to not trust her surroundings. Gone was her school building. In it's place were benches and street lamps across a grassy landscape. A paved walkway curved it's way through them. Familiar trees grew all throughout the area. Mai herself was wading in a deep pond.

Making her way to the edge of the pond, she pulled herself up on the grass. The wind cut through her wet clothes, bringing her attention to just how cold the water had been. She knew she couldn't stay in these clothes much longer. Though the slush had disappeared with the light and the school, the temperature was still frosty. She didn't want to catch hypothermia. What would Koujo think if she came home missing a few toes? Not to mention how Naru would scold her.

Fighting her sudden exhaustion and pounding head, she pushed herself to stand. She forced her feet to follow the paved path, hoping to find a building or civilization of some sort. The chill had her wrapping her arms around herself.

As she walked, a sense of deja-vu fell upon her. No, not deja-vu - nostalgia. She'd been here before. It was a park her mother had taken her to several years ago. If she looked closely at a sign to her right, she could make out the characters that spelled out warnings to not feed the ducks. The warnings her mother had not headed during their visit.

But that was impossible. The park was in Tokyo. And she was in Cambridge. There was no way she was thousands of miles from her home. Thousands of miles away from everyone she'd ever known, loved, and cared for.

She stood there, frozen. Her eyes read over the sign once, twice, three times. The park's address was engraved in Japanese at the bottom. Every sign pointing to what she feared.

"((No,))" she shook her head, her lips numb as they formed her cries. "((No. No.))"