I'm quite sad to say that no one guessed the right cause as to the comas. The most common one seemed to be the little boy and while he may be behind it it wasn't him who caused him. Although the answers in the chapter I just have to say one thing. The poem/song at the start of the story was there for a reason guys. lol

Chapter 4

Mai felt really warm as she fell from her dreams into a semi-aware state. A feeling of safety overtook her and she felt the need to go back to sleep before restless voices caught her attention.

"We can't hold off much longer. It's been twelve hours since we found her and she won't wake up even with all of our help. Whatever is causing these comas has gotten her. Oliver, she needs the hospital!"

Was that Madoka? Why was she sounding so angry? And who was Oliver? Why do I even care? This has nothing to do with me? She thought sleepily and snuggled back into her pillow and quilt.

"Fine, tell Lin to start the van. I'll bring her down," was that Naru? Why did he sound so unhappy?

Something warm touched her forehead before she felt a sigh by her ear and her body being lifted up by warm arms.

What's Naru doing? Mai thought panicking. Put me down! But he neither heard her voice nor felt her struggle.

Back to sleep little girl, a soothing voice muttered and groggily Mai's awareness shut down as her eyes became heavier and heavier.

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

"Naru what's going on?" Mai questioned her boss worriedly at the blankness around her, so unlike her other dreams she was used to filled with terrifying images most of the time.

"You got caught," Naru said quietly as he looked away into the distance, but at what Mai couldn't tell. His face for once wasn't the happy jovial face she was used to from her dream Naru, but more like the real one than anything else. No laughter was hidden in his eyes and no smile ready to quirk up the corners of his lips.

"By who?" Mai wondered if it was Keigo behind this ordeal. After all he had pushed her down the stairs despite what Naru and Lin said. What did they know, they weren't in her mind when it happened. So they can't possibly tell me I didn't see something that I did, she thought determinately.

"The Sandman. He wanders that inn for people who do not call it home and puts them into a deep slumber. For those who die in that coma, their souls are forfeit to the sandman to do with as he pleases. You were unlucky enough to fall asleep without a charm to ward him off," Naru explained patiently.

"The sandman?" Mai exclaimed sceptically, "But isn't that just folklore? How long have I been out anyway?" she asked with a slight dread. She'd only just become aware again. She could have been out for months.

"Ten days so no need to worry that much. Your friends have been visiting you a lot. Even I've visited up a couple of times," Naru smiled gently for the first time since she'd seen him and she felt a small blush grace her teeth.

"Why are you so different from the real Naru?" Mai asked suddenly the question which had been bothering her for the last while, "Here in my dreams, you're so nice to me but out there you're so…" Mai trailed off trying to find the appropriate word.

"Cold and frozen," Naru suggested with a small smile and Mai had the grace to look embarrassed.

"Mai, I'm different from the outside Naru in more ways than you know. I'll never be like Noll… er Naru," Naru said, covering over the different pronunciation quickly.

"Noll," Mai tried the word on her tongue while Naru looked at her in slight distress. "Why did you say that?" Mai looked at him with a sudden sharpness in her eye, "Why did you say that name differently? And who was Oliver that Madoka was speaking to?" Mai asked suddenly and Naru backed off with a harassed expression on his face.

"You're asking questions you shouldn't be Mai. This information is not meant for you," he warned.

"And is it not the whole point of these dreams to find out information that I should never need to know about. I have a right to know Naru. I know that you're lying to me out there but I don't know about what. I want to know!" Mai said, prowling around him like a big cat ready to kill its prey, "I have a right to know!"

"I can't tell you Mai. I would but it would be unfair to Naru. Now let's get you out of here. I think I can get you awake again," Naru said with a wide grin, quickly changing topics to distract her, "Just listen for a few seconds!"

Listen to what? She wondered but nevertheless did as she was told. At first there was silence but as she shut her eyes and focused she became aware of a beeping noise that sounded too much like a heart monitor for her liking.

Then she heard dull murmurs that turned into voices.

"She'll be fine, besides look at her brainwave activity, it's increased," a bright cheery voice sang, "I bet you she's listening to what we're saying right now!"

"Come on Mai, focus now and feel your surrounding. The crispiness of the sheets, the weight of your body. The light being shone in your eye. The oxygen mask stuck to your face and the needle in your arm," As Mai focused she could feel all these things and more. The smell of disinfectant, the humming of the machines, the coolness on her face compared to the rest of her body. The need for water to run down her throat and the hand holding her own.

"Mai," Naru's voice was further away, "Open your eyes,"

She tried to do it but her eyes were clamped shut. Focusing again, she put all her strength and need into opening them.

At first everything was blurry and muddled before she realised that they were only halfway open.

Mai, Naru's voice was ever fainter, my name is Gene, not Naru.

She opened her eyes fully and blinked them once, then twice.

"Gene," she muttered to herself as she stared at the doorway to see the man, leaning casually against it staring at her whom she had seen only seconds ago. His eyes widened slightly as he registered what she had said before she turned her head slightly to see who was holding her hand.

"Mai?" the voice sounded shocked, surprised, and happy. All of these things the monk portrayed as he squeezed her hand tightly with a smile.

His skin was pale and dark shadows suggested many sleepless nights. He smiled at her before leaving the room quickly leaving her alone with Naru who made no move to come near her. A blonde nurse came in soon after to check the machines before leaving again.

"I called Ayako and the others," Takigawa came back in and dragged the chair closer to her, "They were already heading over here so you just have to wait a few, ok?" Bou-san blabbered on, not realising that she wasn't listening.

"Bou-san," she said croakily before he gave her a glass of water. She lifted it shakily to her mouth and drank happily before handing it back to him, "What's been going on?"

The monk's face lost some joy before he mustered a smile, "I came back to the base to find Madoka in a panic at ten at night. She said you'd been missing for around two hours so we began searching. After an hour we found you in the plant conservatory asleep. We tried waking you up but you wouldn't budge. Kimi said you were in a coma but Naru over there insisted that you were simply dreaming," Mai stared at him for a second before glancing at her boss who didn't seem to be listening to their conversation as he stared moodily out of the hospital window. "After twelve hours we had no choice but to submit you to hospital after Madoka ordered Naru. Since then there's been no more paranormal events so we could only wait uselessly around,"

"Mai!" two squeals were let out at the same time as Ayako and Madoka came running into her room, nearly pouncing on her in desperation to hug her.

Escaping for breath she was surprised to see John comforting Masako who was crying. Mai stared in shock, Masako was crying over her? Lin had wondered in, as quiet as ever when he sat in a chair in the corner out of the way.

Mai turned her head to see Naru turned back in from the window to see the team reunited. She gave him a small smile before turning back to her friends to listen to them exclaiming how happy they were.

Answer: The Sandman. Thanks to all who tried lol

Anyway can't stand not writing da fairytales so after the next 1 or 2 chaps I swear da tales start. (smiles manically evil) =)