A/C - Thank you for the reviews!

Chapter 8 - Trying Not to Miss You

No one bought my explanation even though it was, still technically, the truth. I had seen a flurry of ghosts shoot around the vehicle before the glass shattered. I didn't extend that truth to include the creature or the girl. Besides, I still couldn't make out what that horrible thing was doing here.

After they heped us to our feet, the team asked me questions over and over until Naru had thought of more important things to talk about.

"There was no activity inside during the session at all?" He looked to his right hand man, Lin.

The Chinese man nodded. "Nothing unusual happened. No temperature drops, or anomalies on the cameras." Lin said.

Masako added, "I felt no presence of spirits or demons during the session either. Usually when we conduct such se'ances, there will be an immediate flood of spirits. That was not the case here. All I sensed was static."

Naru looked back up at the structure, his brows dropped. "It's not ghosts, or poltergeist. Nothing has happened inside, only on the outside. Miki had said most of those who disappear do so in the woods. We saw that with the missing security guards." Naru said.

"What about that girl we found shoved into the vents?" Bou-san asked, clearly still disturbed about that horrific ordeal.

"Her cause of death is still unknown. It could be that she got lost and then dragged here. Possibly to keep us off the property during the investigation. We can't rule out anything because we don't have that information." Naru said.

I listened, feeling uneasy about withholding information. I could tell Naru was frustrated, not only with the case but with the fact that he was aware I knew more than I was letting on.

"Yasu did mention the daughter who got lost in the woods around the same time the original family died." Masko said.

Naru narrowed his eyes. "Yes, that is true. We haven't find out the whereabouts of the daughter, and the reasoning behind her disappearance."

They were so close to the truth - so close, yet not close enough. I knew they would figure it out once they found out a cult was involved. In fact, I wouldn't put it past Naru not to be considering that now.

The team discussed things a little bit more before we heard Miki's car start to pull up the driveway. We all looked in the direction of the oncoming vehicle, but it was Naru that said. "I think that's enough excitement for one day. Let's pack up and go back to the hotel."

"What about the window?" Ayako asked, looking at the extent of damage done to the cargo window.

"Leave it," Naru said. "We'll exchange it in town." He didn't elaborate anymore as he stalked off towards the prison.

A dismissal, I realized. Everyone else started to move out and I stayed put by the SUV since that's the only place I was allowed.

"Hello," The middle-aged man greeted me as he exited his car. "I just wanted to come down and see how your case is going."

"Fine," I said, not taking my eyes off him. "We're just leaving for the day."

He looked towards the shattered glass and I added, "Just some technical difficulties."

"Ah," he said. "I couldn't help but notice the ladder was also dismantled on the second cell block. Did anyone get hurt? Some of these structures can be dodgy at times."

"It must have happened when we weren't here," I lied, cooly. That's what Naru would have wanted - to keep Miki as far away from the case as possible. "We'll be sure to keep that in mind when inside."

I couldn't help but feel the tension in the air. It was different than the tension between Naru and myself. This was unnerving and I suddenly wished I had something to do. Instead, I stared awkwardly at the ground.

Miki had continued staring at me. "So what kind of special abilities do you have?"

To lie, or not to lie…

I remembered Gene's warning, 'I don't trust him.'

"I'm in charge of the administration and camera work." I smiled, nervously. "You know, behind the scenes stuff. It's not very exciting, or interesting."

"Every job is needed," he said. "Look at me, I'm a maintenance man for an unused property! We all have a place."

Lamely, I said. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

There was another awkward silence and I desperately wished to be doing something, anything, else inside the prison. I felt Miki staring at me while I kept my eyes somewhere else. I sucked at that and ended up just staring back at him.

"I'm sorry about what happened to that girl." I decided to say after a while of searching his blank stare. "It must have been a shock."

Miki dropped his eyebrows in confusion. "Which girl?"

Which girl?

That very odd. Did he think I meant another girl?

"The one the police found on the property."

"Oh," he suddenly looked like he was about to get sick. "Yes, that girl. It is tragic. I hope they find whoever is responsible."

"Did you think I meant a different girl?" I asked, very bluntly.

"No, no," he shook his head. "I didn't hear you properly. I'm getting old, and my hearing is giving me away."

Miki laughed but it didn't sound jolly. It sounded nervous, like he made a blunder and was now trying to cover it up. I decided to continue this for what it was: a chance to get some answers.

"I heard about a young girl who also died on this property," I pitched my voice low enough so it wouldn't carry around us. "It was awful the way she was murdered."

Normally, I wasn't the type to be cruel like this. But the anger from my fight with Naru gave my voice an extra edge.

Immediately, Miki's snapped his head in my direction, eyes wide. "Where did you hear that? There's been no such stories of another girl."

"Hasn't there?" I eyed him and his reactions were no longer calculated, like before. Instead, he seemed more withdrawn. "I thought you said that a young girl went missing on the property."

"Yes," he clarified. "She went missing. There was no such talk about her being found dead on the property, let alone what you suggested of foul play."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I must have my facts confused." I bowed my head to him and Miki didn't take his eyes off me.

It was Masako that saved me when she stepped out of the building and Miki decided that returning to his car was far more important that talking to me any longer. He didn't say anything as he took his leave.

We both watched him retreat, then she turned to me and placed a firm hand on my arm. I hadn't noticed that I was shaking until I felt her steadying touch. I glanced at Masako, meeting her dark grey stare. It was welcoming, friendly - comforting and I let out a steadying breath as she lead me to the entrance of the prison to help load the equipment.

^.^

Back in town, Naru exchanged the SUV for another one, to which he agreed to pay for all the damages on the last one. We stayed outside to help unload and reload the equipment into the new vehicle. It was John, Bou-san, Yasu and myself that did the work of said task.

"I can't believe we didn't contact anything," Bou-san said. "I can't help but feel like we may have opened some kind of portal. Ouija boards always make me nervous."

"You didn't open a portal. There's already something weird about this area." Yasu said. He dusted off this hands as he finished placing the last set of monitors into the back seat of the new rental SUV. "By the way, I hear you had quite the day."

Yasu looked at me. "I can't give you an explanation other than it was the most scariest thing I have ever experienced." That was the truth,iIt had been a long time since I had encountered such tremendous paranormal energy.

Bou-san said softly, "You said you saw ghosts?"

I nodded tightly, trying not to recall those faces. Hoping they wouldn't press the topic, I asked, "And nothing happened inside at all?"

"Not a damn thing. I'm no longer convinced that we are dealing with a spirit here. This is something else." Bou-san said, closing the doors to the SUV when the last of the equipment was safely inside.

"Aye, I agree." John chipped in, "During my blessing, I couldn't help but have a strange sensation that outside of the prison was far more dangerous than inside. Haven't you felt that the entire time we've been here?" John asked Bou-san and I.

Bou-san's hazel eyes narrowed. "I have. I'm almost convinced the land is cursed or something. Like that case at your school, Yasu."

I was starting to get a headache again. They were so close to the truth - asking the same questions I had and I couldn't tell them. Not yet.

John said, "We're lucky Lin made these for extra protection. I don't know how well they are working but I wouldn't want something that evil following us back here."

Bou-san shivered. "I don't want to know what happens if we stopped doing the cleansing - not willing to find out either."

"Let me see what it looks like again," Yasu leaned forward into Bou-san. The blonde-haired musician held it up for him to see.

I politely took my leave at that point, heading back towards the hotel lobby. Maybe now would be a good time to try and get some rest since it has now been an extra long day with no sleep. It also meant that I could maybe see Gene, hopefully he had some answers about what happened.

As I walked into the room, Masako was sitting on her bed. She was wearing a loose fitting shirt and pants that usually meant she was relaxing, or ready for bed.

I strode to my futon and plopped down into it, covering my eyes with my arm. I heard the shower in the bathroom, which meant Ayako would be an hour at least. I could probably catch some sleep in that time, wake up, shower, and then head to bed. I settled into my pillows but felt a weight at the end of my mattress.

Slowly opened my eyes to see Masako sitting there.

"What's up?" I lowered my arm to lean on my elbow.

"Did… did something happen between you and Naru?" She asked, almost shyly. I was instantly pulled back into the memory of this conversation from nearly five years ago during the Urado case. It felt so similar - Masako asking about Naru and I because she was jealous. Her and I both had a crush on him in those days. However, that time, she had left upset and was taken by Urado.

Somehow, this felt different. She wasn't asking me out of jealousy but out of actual concern. I almost didn't know how to answer. It had been a long, long, time since I had a friend to talk to about this kind of stuff.

I leaned up a little more. "Is it that obvious?"

Masako nodded. "You two have always been like this. Either you're going at one another's throats, or you're very in-tune with each other."

We were definitely going at one another's throats this time around - trying to see who would break first. So far both of us had kept our cool, even though I had felt so close to snapping in the car. I probably would have if we weren't interrupted. In fact, I would dare say that even Naru was close to loosing his cool too.

"What happened?" Masako asked. Her voice was very gentle and coaxing.

"Things got heated in the SUV," I said, slowly. "He knows about the cutting, possibly about the depression. I kind of lashed out at him."

Masako had already known about the depression and she may have suspected the cutting since she had noticed my bloodied shirt. If she did know, she never mentioned anything. However, Masako was very in-tune with people and hiding it from the clairvoyant was harder said than done.

"I don't think he's angry," said Masako.

"Me either." I sighed. "Which makes it even worst because then I start to... never mind."

"Do you still love him?" she asked, bluntly.

The question left me speechless and I hesitated on my answer. It was a dangerous question because I wasn't even supposed to have any kind of emotions for Naru. It was wrong because I was with Lucien and this was all temporary.

I don't know when I had started feeling attracted to him again, or when this thing between us started. All I knew was that whatever was broken between Naru and I was starting to heal itself. I didn't know if it was because Naru was allowing me the opportunity to vent out my frustrations, or if it was because of those lingering looks he constantly gave me.

It didn't matter because when this was all said and done, Naru was going to leave again.

This was all so wrong. Why did I even have to care about him?

He was your first love, Lucien had told me once before.

"Masako," I groaned. "I have a boyfriend."

"You can love two people."

"I love Lucien." I declared, trying to get her off my back about the subject. "And I only love him."

"Have you told him that?"

"Why does it matter? Why do you keep pushing?"

Masako was about the only other person I would have this conversation with. I was starting to feel that anger bubble up, it wasn't as intense as it was with Naru but it was certainly there.

"Why is it so hard for you to admit things to yourself?" Her tone was edged. "If you feel something for him, you should be honest with yourself. I want to be your friend and tell you the hard truth when you need it, and also be there when you want to talk -"

"You can't just push that onto someone," I snapped. "You can't expect me to magically trust you when you were the one absent for four years. It doesn't work like that."

The words just came out and I was mad enough to say them. I clenched my jaw tightly as I stared at Masako, who stared back with a narrowed gaze. "Your feelings matter, Mai. You should be able to discuss them, free of judgement, shame or guilt."

"I can't love him," the air hissed out of my teeth. "I can't because this is all just temporary. By the end of this, he'll be in England again and I'll be back in Tokyo. I just have to deal with it until then."

She knew I was dodging the real problem here. Masako stood up and walked over to her bed.

I felt so embarrassed with myself. Anytime someone tried to have a real conversation with me I just lashed out at them like a child. That's what I did to Naru, flawlessly. And now I was doing it to Masako.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say those things." I sat up. "It's just... anything to do with him I get so angry and mad at everything. I felt so angry when he left, and when I told him I liked him he made me feel so stupid. I was angry at that too."

Masako sat down on her bed. "I'm sorry I pushed too hard."

Her voice was sad and I tried not to feel like such a jerk by resisting her friendship. I knew Masako was more of a pushy and blunt person. It was better to have someone like that in your life than someone who was mundane and say the things you wanted to hear. Masako pushed me to think clearly and not emotionally.

"You didn't push too hard. I'm just a mess."

"You're not a mess."

Feeling bad about the situation I asked, "What about you, do you feel anything for him? Back then, You liked him just as much as I did, how did you feel when he left?"

It was a long, drawn out moment before she finally answered.

"I felt...betrayed." She said, softly. "It's a horrible thing to say because, unlike you, I knew who he really was. I knew he had an agenda and yet I still hoped he would stay."

The room became awkward again and Masako said, in a light and friendly tone, "I also knew when to back down when I wasn't a consideration for his affection."

I reeled back. "You think Naru liked me? Masako, he straight up told me I was in love with Gene, not him! To add salt to the wound, he rejected me a second time too."

Yeah, Naru was a jerk.

Masako remained utterly quiet. As if she knew about the rejections, and perhaps about all of these past encounters with the man in question. She was too quiet, I realized and took in a sharp breath.

"You haven't...talked to him about me, have you?"

"He asked about you." Masako said carefully. "Relax, I didn't say anything and told him that if he wanted to know how you're feeling then he should ask himself."

"He's unbelievable," I mumbled under my breath as Masako spoke again. Even though I said that, I couldn't help but feel..flattered that Naru had asked about me. He had so much pride to begin with, and just the thought of him asking for help on something was impossible.

"I think he's... confused. Naru lacks the kind of easy mannerisms that come naturally for most."

"Naru lacks the easy mannerisms to anything," I grumbled.

A slow smile. "I think he was really worried about you." She said, warily.

Worried enough that he asked Masako to see how I was feeling. There really was something wrong. If he was really worried, he would have asked himself but seeing as every time we were in the same room together I wanted to scream at him that was probably not going to happen. Masako was the next best person.

Masako said, "I'm telling you this, hopefully as your friend - and if not, as some mean bitch. I hope that, when the time comes, you can tell him what's wrong. I don't know what's happening between you two but I certainly know it'll make you feel better to just let it out. And not for his satisfaction either. You do this for you, and only you. I think you deserve peace, Mai."

You deserve peace. To finally face some of these demons head on and continue down a road of healing. Healing, not with aids or crutches but by burying my problems once they have been solved -to put them to rest.

I sighed and it came out as a shaky.

"I'll try."

I knew that I would try because what she was saying was true - even though I didn't want it to be. I had made amends with everyone on the team except for Lin and Naru. In order to truly move on maybe that's what I needed.

I wanted to lighten the mood. Plus, I did want to know if she was over Naru - maybe she could tell me how to get over him too. Help a girl out, and all.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say you're over the famous Oliver Davis."

"I suppose," she said. "I've found my attention to be elsewhere."

I grinned widely at the flush that covered Masako's face - why did she have to be so cute!

"Masako, who is it!" I wanted to know and it was a good way to distract myself from my own drama.

Masako didn't delve into it, which infuriated me but made me laugh all the same. Though, she did drop some interesting hints that I knew this, said, person. It made the list more easier to choose from.

Besides, I already knew she preferred her men tall, dark and handsome. So, out of all the people we both knew, there was only one other man who would fit that bill.

^.^

I tossed and turned in bed. It was still early, maybe nine, but I could no longer wait to ask Gene questions and I forced myself to sleep. I hoped that Gene would be waiting to see me on the other side, since I still couldn't pull my own consciousness from the real world. That was if he wanted to see me because I wanted to see him. I was excited to see Gene because the last encounter felt different. I was starting to enjoy his company again and felt like I was connecting with Gene on a different level.

In my heart, I think I had always known Gene was a different person than Naru.

It made me think about all those years ago, when Naru thought that I had confused my feelings for him with Gene. At first, it was absurd.

It was simpler to pretend it was Naru. I had always thought it could be the Naru that I could dream of, and fantasize about being with. Dream Naru was everything I wanted in real-life Naru, and I found myself deeply attracted to him. He was smart, handsome and even funny at times - though it was at the cost of my humiliation.

When I found out about Gene, I was confused. They were twins and I hadn't been dreaming of Naru. Instead, Gene had been showing me how to navigate my powers.

Back then, what Naru had said about me being in love with Gene, he was wrong.

I was never in love with Gene. I was never dreaming about Gene, I had been always dreaming about Naru.

A familiar sensation tingled in my spine as my thoughts shifted into a different kind of night substance.

Gene was standing in front of me.

I approached him.

"Are you hurt?" He said, referring to the incident in the SUV earlier today.

"I'm fine. But I did see something I want to ask you about."

"The girl?" said Gene.

"No, something else." I watch his eyebrows raise. "Is it possible that there is a demon on the land?"

Gene shook his head. "I haven't come across anything evil. The only evil thing is the curse. Perhaps, what you saw is connected to the curse. I don't know the details, but I can find out more. I called you here because I want to tell you what I found on that girl."

I listened as he continued. "Her name is Sara Ito, and was young, fourteen or fifteen, when she died. I found the location of her family's old home and am certain that's where the curse is being anchored."

"Anchored?" I still did not understand the meaning to some of these terms.

Gene nodded. "It means that the remains of the girl are there, possibly keeping the curse in place. I think if you can go there and remove the remnants, it might end the curse on the land."

What Gene was asking… was that even possible? What if Miki was waiting for us to go to that location. Or, if that old creature was there?

"Is it safe?"

"Yes," Gene said. "The cabin belonged to the Ito's, deep in the forest behind the prison. When I was looking for it I sensed some kind of protective barrier around it. If you happen to run into any kind of trouble, I suggest you go to the cabin."

"Go to the cabin, got it. Anything else I should know about?" I asked and became instantly distracted when Gene touched a loose strand of hair.

Something around us shifted, and I sensed we were no longer going to be talking about the case.

"You've changed." He said, looking at the longer brown lock. He let the hair slide through his pale fingers, then reached towards my jaw. Smooth skin touched me gently and I inhaled sharply. His long finger slide to the collar bone that jutted out of my skin.

A flush of embarrassment touch my cheeks as Gene beheld me, sadly, and I suddenly knew what he meant.

I had lost so much weight, and it was very noticeable how thin I was.

"Do you hate him?" Gene asked, his voice deep with some kind of emotion as he dropped his hand.

I opened my mouth to answer, then immediately closed it when I realized I didn't have an answer. I hated Naru when he left and didn't come back. I hated him when he decided to show up after four years of silence. I hated him when he refused to listen to my feelings.

But, did I hate him? Truly hate him?

My heart was pounding. I could never hate Naru, I realized.

He was dislikable at times, and at others completely difficult. Somehow I was still lost in him. There was something about Naru that stirred feelings in me that I didn't understand. Even Lucien couldn't make me feel the way Naru did, and I knew it was wrong. I shouldn't have feelings for another man when I was with someone else.

Yet, these feelings weren't new. I had always felt this way towards Naru.

"Oliver is just Oliver," I said after a long hesitation. Saying his name, his real name, was intimate in a different way - especially talking about it with Gene.

"My brother is pretty clueless when it comes to anything with woman." Gene huffed, he sounded exactly like Masako had this afternoon. "When we were young Noll was always stuck in his books, chasing some kind of theory. He used to tell me that I could date the girls and he would read. We were twelve? Thirteen?" Gene chuckled.

"We thought we had everything figured out. Oh, the dangers of overconfidence!"

I smiled, it was unlike Gene to talk in such a lighthearted way - largely because he was talking about his younger brother in such a… normal way. I enjoyed listening to him though.

"I wish you could have met me." Gene said, completely serious. "You might have liked me." Blue-grey eyes looked at me, shining. If you knew the twins, those blue-grey eyes were the only tell-tale sign that this was the older, sweeter brother.

"I do like you," I told him, confidently. Then, a little more quieter. "I like both of you."

I hadn't admitted that to anyone. Not even myself, I realized. The truth hit me hard and I flushed again.

Gene may not be alive, but Naru certainly was and he was completely untouchable. He had always been untouchable… and I was with Lucien, I shouldn't even be thinking about Naru that way. Yet, I found comfort in Lucien because he was the exact opposite of Naru. He kept me distracted from thinking about Naru.

Gene watched me, his hands at his sides now. "Noll is confused about his feelings for you, and he's an idiot. Don't give up on him yet."

I stared at him, completely caught off guard.

Was somehow able to talk to Naru? And what he was saying...Naru liked me too?

I tried not to think about it too much but my thoughts were tangled with Naru and Lucien. And Gene.

When Gene didn't immediately send me back to sleep we took the time to just sit and enjoy one another's company.

^.^