Hey everyone! OK this is my favorite chapter of this story so far, so I hope you all feel the same! Please enjoy!


Mai woke feeling well rested. For the first time in months. She had nightmares still, but they didn't plague her quite so severely. She opened her eyes to find herself in base. She remembered invading base yesterday, but not how she ended up on the sofa, under a blanket.

"You're up" Shibuya noted, still in the clothes he was wearing yesterday. Everyone else had wandered off to bed evidently.

"What time is it?" Mai asked, making her way over to the tea corner. The cups had been cleaned and put back already.

"It's six am" A groggy Yasuhara answered as he walked in. "Morning Mai-Chan, making tea?"

"Yes you can have tea moron" Mai rolled her eyes. Serving one up for him too. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty well for a haunted house" Yasu shrugged. "John was there to protect me after all"

"Well glad to hear it" Mai said, having zoned out a little.

She finished preparing tea, before taking one to Shibuya first, seeing as he was up all night.

"Shouldn't you get some rest?" Mai suggested. "Me and Yasu could take over watching the monitors while you sleep"

"It's OK, Father Brown and Takigawa are due to take over in an hour" Shibuya assured, noticing the guys start rolling out of bed.

"OK then, I will get breakfast started" Mai practically beamed. She handed Yasu his cup of tea and practically skipped down the hall.

She froze at the top of the stairs.

There was nothing there but residual fear. She sighed and quickly but carefully made her way to the kitchen.

"Morning Mai" John greeted as she walked in.

"Morning" Mai smiled. "Making pancakes for breakfast, if you fancy it"

"Sounds good, let me help"

~o0o~

Mai took a plate of pancakes up for Shibuya and herself. Everyone else was eating at the table downstairs, other then Lin who had just gone to bed an hour ago.

"Shibuya, I brought you something to eat" Mai called softly, watching as he took off his headphones.

"Thank you" Shibuya had to say it. She brought him fluffy pancakes with fresh fruit.

"Let me get you tea with that" Mai smiled, leaving the plate in front of him, and busying herself with preparing tea. "I'm sorry I fell asleep in here last night"

"It's fine" Shibuya assured, trying the pancakes. Perfection.

"John helped me with the pancakes" Mai admitted. "If it's good, I can't take all the credit"

"Why aren't you eating downstairs with everyone else?" Shibuya asked, not turning away from the monitors.

"I didn't think you should eat alone, especially since you are working on my case" Mai handed him a cup of tea. "If you wanted to ask anymore questions about the house, this would be a good time"

Shibuya was thoughtful for a second. "How long have you lived here?" he asked, making conversation but generally curious. He wanted to tell himself he was curious about the haunting, but he was a little curious about Mai. She was so different then all the people he knew.

"I lived in this house from the day I was born" Mai admitted. "My parents bought this house when my mother was pregnant with me"

Shibuya didn't want to comment on her parents. "I get the feeling it hasn't changed much since then"

Mai's eyes glazed over, but she smiled. "I couldn't bring myself to change anything about it" Mai muttered. "I know its a little old fashioned"

"Maybe, but that doesn't matter as long as you are happy with it" Shibuya found himself saying.

"I thought about changing things up, but it just always seemed like a daunting task" Mai sighed.

"Can I ask you a question Taniyama?" Shibuya looked at her this time. He could see her welling up, but the soft smile on her lips. Mai nodded. "Does looking at the house the way it is, make you happy?"

Mai paused for a moment. "I don't know"

"Maybe consider changing up mementos that invoke negative reactions" Shibuya remembered his brothers black shirt. He was not taking his own advice.

"Everything invokes a negative reaction sometimes" Mai almost laughed.

"Then make the house your own and keep the really important things" Shibuya's voice sounded softer.

"How much do you know about me Shibuya?" Mai bit her lip. She needed to know.

"Not a lot" Shibuya answered honestly. "I am working on assumptions"

"So you worked out its just me here, because my parents pasted away?" Mai sipped her tea to calm her. She was sure he knew. "That's why I don't let people into the other room. That was my parents room"

"I can understand that" Shibuya whispered.

Before Mai could ask what he meant, John and Monk interrupted to take their shift.

~o0o~

Mai couldn't stop thinking about their conversation. She wondered if he too was once an orphan. He seemed really accomplished at such a young age, so there had to be more to it.

Mai sighed, relaxing into the bath she had run for herself. She was still scared to be alone, but as she could hear the joyful chatter all around her home, she felt enough at ease to take a quick bath. A bubble bath. While it made her feel childish, a subconscious part of her found them comforting. She needed that right now.

The water was hot, and tinted her skin red. There was something life affirming about hot water against bare skin. Leaning back till her ears were submerged, Mai listened to the thump of her heartbeat echo in the water.

Leaning her head against the cool porcelain, Mai closed her eyes. She was so comfortable she could have fallen asleep. The kind of tiredness that accompanied relaxation, seeped into her shoulders, and down her spin.

*Drip*

Mai opened her eyes to check the faucet, but the room was dark. The light was on the outside of the bathroom, so it was possible someone switched it off by mistake.

*Drip*

A drop of water landed on Mai cheek. It was cold, and it dawned on her that the room was freezing too. Even the bath wasn't as hot as it had been a moment ago.

Mai wiped the the water off her face, but it smelt like copper on her wrist.

Looking up, the ceiling went on far further then normal, but Mai could only make out two red glowing dotes. So faint, that Mai wasn't sure if she was actually seeing it.

Then breathing, could... maybe be heard above her. Was she imagining it? Was she that scared to be alone, her subconscious was playing tricks?

"Die" A raspy voice chanted, and Mai was sure she heard it that time. Her body stiffened, and before she could scream, arms were on her.

Time slowed, and she felt nails dig into her shoulders, forcing her head under. Mai had gasped at its touch, not getting a good look, and instinctively held her breath as her head hit the bottom of the bath. She winced, but didn't cry out, as her body was pressed down.

She wanted to struggle, but this thing was stronger then she was. She felt adrenaline flood her, and knew better then to start flailing uselessly. She forced herself to calm down. She needed to get someone's attention. She needed a way to make enough noise that someone would notice her.

She could barely move, and ice cold hands locked her shoulders against the bottom of the bath. It was on her stomach too, and her legs. It felt like someone was kneeling on her. She could move her lower arms, and her left leg ever so slightly, but had no space to force herself up. So she hit against the bath, hurting her foot, knee and fist as she pounded.

Her lungs started to burn.

In her struggle, she accidentally got her foot around the plug chain, and yanked it.

She did not have long left.

Just as Mai was about to give up, and take a breath, the water drained around her, and she gasped in air. Drinking it in for a mere moment.

There were voices outside the bathroom, calling out to her. She took in a breath, letting oxygen fill her lungs.

And then she screamed.


Wow Mai can't catch a break huh? PLEASE REVIEW! I know I haven't been setting review targets, but trust me when I say, I priorities the stories that get a good response! If I got a lot of reviews, I would update ASAP! I am genuinely like this with all my stories :)
Speaking of reviews! I would just like to thank everyone who has been supporting me till now... I have gotten all misty eyed reading a lot of the wonderful things you all have to say, so thank you for giving me something to truly look forward to when writing. You guys mean the world to me! Also I know I don't reply to all the reviews, but if you just say that you would like me to, I absolutely will!