Chapter25 – What 's Happening?

Naru POV

I was walking towards base to check on the others; when I was about to open the door, I heard that all too familiar scream. I raced back towards our room and banged open the door. Mai isn't in the room, which leaves the bathroom. I walk in to find Mai against the wall on the opposite side of the tub. She was curled up into a ball, as much she could without squeezing the babies, shaking and wearing nothing. I grabbed a towel and managed to wrap it around her as the others come in. "Mai, what happened?" I ask her.

She looks up and launches into my arms, thankfully without crushing the babies. "When I moved the curtain aside, th-there was b-blood all over the tub and the walls; the tub was filled with the b-blood," she answered with a whimper.

I start to rock her in my arms and whisper comforting words in her ears while the others slowly make their way out of the room to give us some privacy. When she finally calmed down; I pull her back a little to look into her eyes and say, "Are you okay now?"

She nods her head, but does nothing else. "I shouldn't have left you alone," I whisper.

"It's not your fault Naru; we should've known that the ghost would find a way to get to me, they always do," she admits with a reassuring smile.

"I suppose you're right, but now I have an even bigger reason not to let you out of my sight," I respond with my signature smirk crossing my face. "Come on, let's go to base."

Mai POV

When we got back to base, Naru sat me on the couch and wrapped his arms around me. Ayako started fussing over me and Bou-san had to grab onto her to sit her onto the other couch. "How are you feeling Mai?" he asks me with concern lacing his voice.

"I'm feeling okay, I suppose it just gave me a big scare, that's all; a really big scare," I answer with the same reassuring smile I gave Naru.

"If you're sure; then Naru, What do we do now?" Bou-san turns his attention back to Naru.

"I'm not sure; this was unexpected because this building wasn't supposed to be haunted," he replies, his hands on his chin in his thinking pose.

"I shall go and make some tea for you Mai, to help you feel better," says Masako in order to break the silence.

"What about us?" complains Bou-san.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Ayako would you like some tea?" Masako asks Ayako.

"Yes please," she answers, knowing exactly what Masako was doing,

"Again, what about us?" asks Bou-san again.

"Are you pregnant?" she asks him.

He shakes his head.

"Are you aching in places that shouldn't ache?"

He shakes his again.

"Have you just been scared half to death by a ghost?"

He shakes his head yet again.

"Then you don't need tea to make you feel better at this moment," she smirks and leaves the room for the kitchen.

"That is so not fair," whines Bou-san.

"Oh, stop you're complaining, she'll still make tea for everyone; she was just playing with you, stupid monk," chastises Ayako.

This makes me giggle; it's been a while since Ayako called Bou-san 'stupid monk'.

"Ahhhhhhhh."

"Mai, Ayako, you stay here; Takigawa, you stay with them," Naru orders before rushing out of the room with everyone else with the exception of those he said had to stay.

We all knew that scream came from Masako, and quite frankly; I was worried about her. Two of us affected within one hour; what are the odds of that. "Ahhhhhhhh." Wait, make that three in one hour.

I look over at Ayako who was being rocked back and forth in Bou-san's arms. "What happened?" I ask him moving over to rub Ayako's arms.

"I'm not sure, she looked over at the window and screamed all of a sudden," he answers, worry etching his tone.

Not a few moments later, the rest of the team come back; Masako unconscious in John's arms. "What happened in here?" Naru asks when he sees Ayako in Bou-san's arms and he must have heard her scream.

"Bou-san said she looked at the window and suddenly screamed," I answer when he sits down beside me. "What about Masako?"

"We found her unconscious on the kitchen floor, but she is unharmed," he answers and looks at Masako.

"What are the odds that all three of us got attacked in one hour?" I whisper to him worriedly.

"I don't know," he whispers back. "It's a good thing Madoka isn't here or we'd most likely have four in one hour."

"It looks like this ghosts also targets women to frighten," Lin mentions, joining the conversation.

"Ayako," Naru starts and turns to face her. "What did you see outside the window?"

"There was a man out there and he was covered in blood; then he pointed at our stomachs," she answers shakily.

"You mean our babies, Ayako?" I ask her.

She only nods her head and leans further into Bou-san. "Maybe the ghost is after the babies," Bou-san suggests.

"That doesn't make any sense, because I'm pretty sure Masako isn't pregnant," I answer while thinking of any other possibilities.

"Uhhh," sounds John while looking at anything but any of us.

"John?" Naru asks him suspiciously.

"I have to disagree Mai-san; Masako is pregnant," he whispers and looks down at his feet.

"No way, I thought the two of you would at least be married before having any children," Yasu admits in shock.

"So did we, but it was kind of spur of the moment sort of thing if you know what I mean," John answers while still keeping his eyes glued to the floor.

"I'm not sure if I should be very excited because I'm happy for you or shocked that all three of us are pregnant at the same time; even if it's at different stages," I mutter, more to myself than the others.

"I couldn't say it better myself," agrees Ayako now that she has calmed down some from the scare.

"In that case," starts Naru. "Bou-san may be right; the ghost might be after the babies."

I know I've said this millions of times before, but I'M SOOOOO SOOORRYY. I said at the beginning of the year that I would update as much as I can and even when I do get the chance, I feel it isn't enough. Thank the lord and everything holy for the holidays, even though I'm not religious; I thank the father in the sky anyway. As I have told wolfmonk, year 12 and my mother have been the bane of my existence; if it isn't assignments, it's housework and vice versa. Luckily for me, my mum works on the holidays as well which gives me the opportunity to update.

I also promised wolfmonk that I would update all my stories with at least two chaps each these holidays and hopefully I can. I'll be working hard to do it as next week I'll be spending three days at my bestie's house with a bunch of the girls for a two night movie marathon and mum is taking me shopping for formal. Hardcore stuff going on next week; movie marathon, shopping spree and epic typing. Man I love the holidays when nothing important is happening.

Let operation 'Double Epic Awesome Typing on Holidays' (DEATH) commence. LOL.

Seza, over and out.