Emersion 13

Mai's POV

Naru is clearly not paying attention to me, no matter how many times I try to get his attention, which was eight by the way. I even called him an egotistical, narcissistic jerk and he still ignores me. At this point I am getting angry. Seriously, does he have a one track mind or what?!

"Yes Mai, what are you over there muttering about me for?"

"I was going to ask you if you noticed the Beast tried to attack you first but was harmed by his own actions."

"Of course I noticed what do you take me for? I, unlike you, have this amazing ability called observation."

"Ok Idiot Scientist, how many times did I try to get your attention while you were in deep thought?"

"You tried to get my attention nine times if you include the time you called me an egotistical, narcissistic jerk." Smirking he started to approach me like a hungry tiger would stalk prey and he had a slightly evil looking glint in his eyes.

General POV

Stuttering Mai asked "Nnnaruu what are you doing?"

Naru pins Mai to the wall behind her as he closes the space between the two of them he states "Hmm, I have to punish you Mai for calling me names now don't I?"

Mai, looking like the cornered animal that Naru always teases her about, cannot fully comprehend what he is saying at the moment due to the proximity of his beautiful blue eyes.

Naru, not sure where he wants to take their position now that he is this close, decides to lean in close to said girl.

Putting his lips close enough to her ear that they brush as he is speaking he says "Mai Tea" Grinning at the shiver that runs through his assistant he turns and leaves to find Gene at least that is what he is telling himself as he is leaving. If he was truly honest with himself he would admit that he was fighting back the urge to kiss his petite assistant, especially with that dazed look she is wearing at the moment.

Mai having a hard time breathing and face so red she is slightly light headed from her bosses antics. It took her a few minutes to comprehend what he had said that had given her chills. However, once she did process the command all the others heard in their rooms were "YOU JERK!"

Having heard her finally catch on Naru let out a sigh and kept on his current course to find his brother, whom he hoped was waiting in the room they were using to sleep in.

Gene on the other hand was currently giggling like a mad man at the thoughts he kept seeing run through his twins head. Seriously he was more affected by Mai then he let on, he wasn't even blocking his thoughts at the moment and Gene had seen all the possibilities that had played out in Noll's head when contemplating the best form of punishment for Mai. Some made even the perverted medium blush. That says a lot considering that he always thought that Noll was the primmer of the two of them.

Mai's reaction to Noll's punishment made his brother extremely happy and he could feel it rolling off him through their connection. Gene could also feel the original reason he was searching for him and the topic he wanted to discuss. At this point he figured it was best to tell his brother he was down the hall going in to theater seventeen.

Noll was slightly confused by his brother going in to theater seventeen but headed in that direction never less. On his way he sent Mai a text telling her to leave his tea at base. Smirking he knew this was going to piss Mai off that he demanded tea then told her to leave it in base.

Noll's POV

I was curious as to what my brother could be doing in theater seventeen. Going the door I called to him in my mind.

"What is wrong Gene"

"I'm not sure, there is something in this area that is dark and toxic but I can't tell exactly where it is coming from just that something puts me ill at ease."

"Do you think it could be coming from the projector room for this theater?"

"Possibly it is very faint but I can only feel it here."

My phone went off, without even looking at the text I knew it would be an angry Mai telling me off about the tea.

Gene chuckled "It's late I'm going to bed unlike you I like my sleep and don't expect me up before nine. You kept me up this late you can at least let me sleep in."

Back at base

Mai was waiting for Naru to come back since they were taking first shift watching the monitors. She could feel Lin's Shiki in the room with her it wasn't clear but she could feel it pushing on her senses.

Turning as the door to base opened she was surprised to see it was Madoka and not Naru that walked in.

Giving Madoka a questioning look she asked "Is something wrong?"

Madoka smiled "No just sitting with you till the twins finish whatever they are doing."

Mai's look turned sour "So you were sent here to babysit me huh?"

"He is just worried about you being kidnapped again. You have already disappeared once on this case and he cares about you even if you don't see it."

Shaking her head Mai replied "He cares about tea and making fun of me. He had you come watch me because of pride nothing more."

Sighing, Madoka had an internal debate on telling Mai about all the times Noll had called just to ask how Mai was doing while he was away in England. She had promised him that she would not tell Mai. At first he had called and asked in a roundabout fashion until Madoka had caught on to why he was really calling on a weekly basis. Although Noll denied that was the reason he was calling she knew better and eventually he told her that he was calling to check on Mai. However his phrasing had made her shake her head in frustration. Noll had said he was of course calling to check on Mai because it would be too troublesome to train a new assistant. Madoka finally decided that it would be best if she let the two work it out on their own. Lin kept telling her to leave it alone but what is the fun in that seriously.

Mai realizing that their conversation was ending decided to change the subject. "Are you going back to England after this case?"

Madoka replied "I am staying in Japan for the time being. However, it will be on leave from SPR."

Mai gave her a look that said why.

Madoka continued "My father is ill and I am going to stay here close to my family. They are saying that it does not look good, I'm worried about him but at this point if he could just be out of pain, I would be happy."

Mai knew what Madoka meant she had seen her mother suffer at the end and it was a bitter sweet happiness when she passed.

Mai gave Madoka a heartfelt smile "I understand, I felt the same way when my mom died it was hard at the end watching her die but in the end I was happy that she wasn't in pain anymore. (I believe Mai's mom died in an accident but for the purpose of my story she dies from an illness.) She looked so peaceful after she was gone. They called the school to let me know she was gone and when I arrived at the hospital she looked so serene like all her problems had melted away and she was at peace."

Madoka gave Mai a hug "I don't know how you dealt with that at such a young age. I am 28 and I'm having a hard time accepting the fact that my father is dying. I am so frustrated that I can't do anything for the one person that supported me my whole life.

Mai patted her as she left all her frustrations out in the open "I didn't say it was easy seeing my mom pass away. It was a living hell watching her go through the illness without being able to help her and relieve the pain. I watched her become a shell of the person I knew her to be. I will never forget the pain of losing her but I can now remember the relief of her passing knowing that she was no longer hurting."

Madoka wiped the tears that unconsciously started falling from her face and gave Mai a slight grin. The light in her previously vacant eyes coming back slowly "Thanks Mai, I feel silly laying all my problems out before a highschooler but you are wise beyond your years."

Mai feeling quite somber gave Madoka a one arm hug and turned back to the monitors.

A few minutes passed and the base door opened to revile Naru walking in holding a black notebook in hand.

Madoka rose from the chair and turned to Mai "Thank you again Mai, I will let you know how things turn out."

Mai gave Madoka a hug and told her "Keep your head up and sleep well"

Naru did not miss this exchange but chose to question Mai after Madoka was out hearing range.

Whatever that was about, he had never seen his mentor look like she did just then. Concern crossing his face he decided he would get it out of Mai before the night was over.

Mai had turned back to monitors obviously still upset about his antics earlier in the night.

Naru's POV

Clearing my throat "What is wrong with Madoka?"

Glancing at me Mai replied "If she wants to tell you she will but it is not my place to tell you what is going on in her personal life."

Floored that Mai sounded so serious I decide to change tactics and approach her from a different angle. "Well then what is wrong with you? You look like you are about to cry and have possibly been crying. Did you have a dream again?"

Giving me a look that said I was hopeless "Not everything has to do with work all the time you jerk!"

Great now I have made her mad "Then what happened to upset you and put you in such a somber mood?"

She looked at me shocked that I would care. I'm not inhuman I know that people have feelings, hell I even have them on occasion.

She looked back at the monitors and I thought she wasn't going to tell me what was on her mind when she suddenly started talking.

"I was telling Madoka about my Mom's death and the days leading up to her death."

I realized then that Madoka had told Mai about her father "She told you the reason she will be taking a leave of absence from SPR."

Nodding Mai looked as if she was going to cry. Her voice broke "Yeah and when we were talking it brought up memories from my past. But just like I told Madoka I was happy when my mom passed away just because she wasn't in pain anymore. However I still hurt when she passed because my mom was gone. The last person in my family had died and I was all alone in the world. Madoka is lucky at least she has her mom and siblings, they will be there to lean on and support each other. I had never felt so alone as I did the night I came home from the hospital after my mom died. I didn't know what I would do, where I would go."

I sat there and listened as Mai told me things I never knew about her. I knew she was an orphan but I never imagined it affected her like this. She was always the sunshine in a dark day when my brother was thought to be dead she was the refreshing wind that swept the dark clouds from my mind. Frowning slightly "I had no idea that you were dealing with this loneliness, you always seem to be so happy and cheerful I never thought that you had such a hard time coping with being alone. You're not alone anymore, I won't let you be alone Mai."

She turn toward me and gave me a sunny smile that I had fallen in love with and could take a person's breath away. "I know I'm not alone anymore." She stood and made her way to my chair grasping me she hugged me like I was the last anchor to reality. "That's what I love about you the most Naru, you see a problem and you have to find a solution. Thanks to you I feel like I have a family again, SPR is the family I didn't get to have growing up. That is why I was so sad when you left but you came back to me."

"I will always come back to you Mai, for some reason I can't seem to live without your tea anymore."

Chuckling she replied "I am going to let that comment slide since you have sat here and patiently let me be all emotional on you." Then she did something that took me totally off guard she brushed her lips across mine before standing up and stretching.

Mai's POV

I knew I had caught him off guard when his eyes widened and his breath hitched with brush of my lips on his.

Mentally I congratulated myself on throwing him off his game. I decided that I should make myself scarce till he regained his brain function.

It would be a good time to get him his beloved tea.

"I'll be back in a minute; I am going to make you the precious tea you can't live without."

Naru didn't acknowledge me as I slipped out of base. Thankfully Lin's Shiki followed me to the kitchen or I would never have heard the end of it from the whole team about how I was always so reckless.

Shivering in the kitchen I absent mindedly thought man it sure is cold in here. I waited for the kettle to boil when I heard his voice. Crap I knew something like this would happen. Turning around to face my attacker I knew that I could not defend myself. Great I hope Naru sees this on camera looking up I realize the camera is not on. Wonderful I am going to go missing and no one will know. Taking my chances I scream at the top of my lungs and take off in a run for the door however futile it is. Making it almost through the door I feel my attacker hit me from behind and my world goes black.

AN: I know this was a fluffy chapter however the next chapter will be the end of the case. You know the drill. Read and Review!Thank you to Treelow955 for proof reading this chapter, your AWESOME!