Ok, thanks to my Three reviewers. I appreciate your advice but , not to be rude...

Keep it to yourself.

The first chapter was rushed because I had been toying with the idea for a long time, but never really had anything behind it, like plot and details and such. It was rushed, and a bit sloppier than usual because I was in a hurry to do it because my mom was getting on my case about my homework which she refused to believe was completed. Please do not take offense to this as it is just the way I am. I often get hyper, like I was in the first chapter, and I often get serious, like I am now. I hope you review. Once again, I hope you do not take this into offense. And also, once more:

Please keep your advice to yourself. I appreciate it, but I feel insulted at the same time, as I'm sure you feel insulted that I have just written this.

In any case, this is enough gibber jabbing. Time to start the story.

But first...

Legal Crap: I will always and forever refer to the always overrated "Disclaimer" as legal crap because that is exactly what it is. We all know I do not own Ghost hunt. If you don't own Ghost Hunt, then neither do I.

Also, a mistake. The spoiler was from Volume 5, not 6. My apologies. And by the way, if I make any obvious spelling mistakes here, it's because it's 2am and I'm sleepy. Or because I have bad grammar, but I prefer the first choice.

Beating Hearts

chapter two:

Zakuro

Mai opened the door to her small apartment and entered into the warmth. She closed the door behind her, and locked it. She turned around, unbuttoning her coat and putting it on the hook that was by the door. Her brown eyes gazed over the stillness of her apartment.

"I'm home," she called out, but she knew no one would answer. Mai sighed and trekked to the back of the apartment to the even smaller bedroom. She was thinking about what had happened earlier, when Takigawa had saved her. Mai had berated herself all the way home, thinking about how careless she had been. She could've been killed.

And Zakuro wouldn't like that. He said he'd never let her go.

Mai shivered. Not because of the lack of warmth in her apartment, for it was rather warm, but because of the feeling she had when she was with Zakuro. He made her feel safe, and loved, and fearful. When he was angry, or even when he was happy, (always, he was so unpredictable) it scared her. All of the scars she had acquired over the months. She never even suspected that he was like that. Just like how no one suspected that...

No, Mai thought, as she shook her head, happy thoughts, happy thoughts...

Mai entered her bathroom and flicked on the light. The small space instantly filled will abnormal brightness, due to the painted yellow walls. Mai squinched her eyes, and then slowly opened them, letting her eyes adjust to the new light. She turned on her shower. Mai held out her hand to feel the water to see if it was the right temperature. When she was satisfied, she brought her hand back, and shook off the water, then she quickly took off her clothes and stepped into the shower, closing the curtain behind her. Mai, with much build up anticipation, let out a slow, heavy breath as she let the warm water beat down against her skin. She ducked her head beneath the shower head to drench her hair, then she pulled back , spitting out the water that had trailed down into her open mouth. Reaching out her hand to the wall of the shower, Mai leaned on her straightened arm, as if to hold herself up. She was panting for some unknown reason. She held her head up, and peered around for her mango smelling soap. Once she found it, she picked it up and lathered it in her wash cloth.

I should've taken a bath, Mai thought and she cleaned up. Baths are soooo much more soothing...

Mai was in her pajama's, even though it was close to five thirty. She had no intentions of leaving anyway. It's not like she could, anyway...

The phone rang just as Mai sat down on her couch. She groaned as she reached for it. Whoever it was on the other line had better have a good reason for calling her. She wanted nothing more than to take a nap, wake up, eat her dinner, do her homework, and then go to bed. What she did just about everyday.

"Hello?" she asked. There was silence on the other end. Mai's eyes widened and her breath caught in her throat. It was him. It had to be him. He was the only one who made her heart speed up the way it did, other than Naru, but it was for a completely different reason...

"I called earlier. You didn't answer." said a male voice. Mai forced herself to breath. It was Zakuro. If she hesitated in speaking to him, something was bound to happen and that something was never good.

"I was in the shower," she said, her voice filled with uncertainty. Zakuro paused before saying anything. He knew she would be in the shower, she would never leave him without a word. Never, never...

"That's no excuse. You should've picked it up." he said in a firm tone. Mai's blood ran cold. His voice, his voice, it was getting that sound. That certain sound that scared her senseless. Feeling as though she was losing her composure (Zakuro HATES that) she grabbed a couch pillow, and gripped it tightly. The fabric pressing into her skin, and rubbing across the softness made her flesh burn, but she did little more than wince.

"I didn't hear it ring, I'm sorry." she said. Zakuro's voice was deeper, as if he didn't want anyone to hear what he said next.

"Are you defying me? Mai, you shouldn't do that. You know you shouldn't do that. It's poor decision making."

"I'm sorry." Mai said instantly. She was panicking on the inside now. She didn't want him to get mad. He was getting to that point where he would get mad, and no matter what she did or said, he would only get angrier, and angrier until he was pissed.

That...was the worst...

"Stupid. Let me finish speaking before you say anything. It's rude, very rude." he said. Mai nodded, then remembered they were not in person, and said " Yes."

"So you agree. You were being rude." he said, and she could just hear the smirk appear on his face. Mai gulped. She knew what would come next...and afterwards...

"Well, then you know you MUST be punished. You're already in timeout. That's why you are grounded for the week. Oh yes, the reason I called. You weren't supposed to leave today. But you left anyway," he said thoughtfully, "Where did you go?"

"I, uh, I went to work."

"What for?"

"Well, you wouldn't Want Na-Shibuya-san to get curious and come looking to see if everything is alright. Everything is alright by the way," she said, just as his breath quickened.

"No. Everything is not alright. You left today. For a good reason, but you didn't tell me. That's bad. You most certainly will be punished today."

"But, But, Zakuro! I only-"

"Do not argue with me." he said in an eerie calm voice. Mai froze. He was serious. She knew better than to argue with him. It was useless; he was like a GOD and she was like... like...

A Sacrifice.

"You will be punished Have your homework done by the time I get there, and be awake. You must be full of energy." he said. Mai's grip on the pillow loosened. He fear had hit such a peak that she felt numb all over.

"Yes..." she said with a sorrowful voice. "I'll be ready."

"Good."

"When will you be coming?"

"Don't worry about it, just be ready." he said. Mai blinked.

"But, you can't!" she said. He was playing this stupid game, again. The suspenseful one that always kept her guessing until he finally showed up. Most of the time she was ready, and he'd get angry at her for being to anxious (which she wasn't, obviously) and then everything would just get worse from there. So many scars, and she didn't ave any space left on her body for any more. But the emotional damage was forever building up. She knew it was coming soon. One day, just like her father. She knew she would go over the edge...

Figuratively...or physically?

"MAI!" Zakuro yelled. Mai was napped from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"You. Are. So. Gone." he said in a deadly tone, and then hung up. The phone slipped from her hands. She had obviously missed something rather important (it was ALWAYS important with Zakuro; it HAD to be) and now she was going to pay. A smile slowly played on her lips until she had the look of a deranged woman on her face.

"My Zakuro..." she said, and then hung up. She shook her head. She didn't want to be awake. Suddenly, she just wanted to leave. Get dressed and go, but it wouldn't matter. Zakuro would find her. He's everywhere. Always, here, there, somewhere, GOD! It was pitiful how scared he was that she would leave him like everyone else. She promised she'd stay, and she almost always kept her promise, but she was sure that this was one promise she could break.

She SHOULD break.

"I need to get out of here..." she said, and scrambled to get to her room.

Moments later, Mai emerged from her room fully dressed in a Skirt that came down to just above her knew, skimming her thighs, just loose enough to break into a run if need be, and a black shirt. She didn't have very many pants. She didn't like wearing them. And Zakuro didn't like seeing her in skirts. This fact made everything worse. Mai grabbed her coat and opened up the door and then froze. She took a step back as Zakuro stepped inside.

"You, were trying to leave...again, weren't you?" he said, softly, but the anger in his voice was evident. Mai shook her head vigorously.

"No, no I was just going to go-"

"Somewhere when I said you were on punishment!" he grabbed her wrist and squeezed. Mai winced.

"DAMMIT MAI!"

"I wasn't, I swear! I SWEAR-AH!" she exclaimed as a fist made it's way to her cheek. Mai would've fallen back on to the ground if he hadn't been holding her to tightly. Her other hand dropped her coat, and flew up to try an sooth the searing pain on her face.

"Why do you do this?" he demanded, jerking her too him. Mai began to cry.

"Because of you..." she said. And then he kissed her.

Thus ends another chapter.

Suspenseful, angsty, blah blah blah. I hate drama and yet I write it most of the time. Oh well. Please, do review. And I suppose some constructive criticism isn't so bad...it just makes me feel like less of a writer...but you may praise me all you want. Man, that sounds conceited...ok.

REVIEW PLEASE! FLAMES ACCEPTED! WILL BE USED TO COOK WITH!

also, i know Mai is a lil OOC but...well, i need to change the genre, now don't I? lol.