Hello once again! Here's chapter 5

Eek, it's been a while, hasn't it? Well, this is a chapter many people have been asking about. Many questions wil be answered in this one :D

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and read!

Disclaimer – I would never own Ghost Hunt. I would, of course, borrow the characters for a non-profiting fanfiction and mess around with their lives. That I can do. So enjoy the story.

Chapter 5 – With Your Whole Heart

Mai smiled at the last customer, before sighing and resting her head on the counter. It was their lunch break now, and Mai was grateful. She was really hungry, despite having eaten less then two hours ago, and she really had to use the toilet. Again.

Mai watched from her rested position as Megumi flipped the sign to 'Be back at:' and moved the little clock to show 1:30, before smiling at Mai.

"Well, ready for lunch?"

"Yes, thank you Ouraka-san," Mai answered, and lifted her head before stretching. Mai felt like her clothes were becoming too small for her, and though she knew the reason, it was hard to explain why she had to go get a whole new wardrobe.

"So what do you feel like?" Megumi asked, pulling out of the small snack-sized fridge a couple of containers of food.

"Eggs," Mai answered quickly, and then noticed the knowing look on Megumi's face. A small grimace crossed her face.

"So you--" Mai started, but was cut off by Megumi.

"Yes, I do. It wasn't hard to figure out after the first couple of weeks. I've been pregnant before also, you know. Anyways, I was waiting for you to say something about it, but you are a stubborn one."

"I'm sorry Ouraka-san," Mai said quickly, but was once again interrupted.

"Don't be, Mai-chan. I don't know the circumstances, and I don't know the reason. Maybe you would like to share? It helps, you know."

So over scrambled eggs and sandwiches, Mai shared the past couple of months to her, though very vaguely in some areas. She didn't mention much about what her last job did, or what her last boss was like. She also vaguely mentioned the rape – more out of her own peace of mind then anyone else's benefit – and then said of when she found out she was expecting.

"I panicked. I didn't think my friends would understand. One of them, the one who found me, she would. But she would do what the others wanted. They would want me to get rid of the baby," Mai sniffed, and bit into a piece of a pickled radish. Though she was crying, she still ate; partly for comfort, partly because crying made her hungry, and partly to distract herself.

"Mai-chan, you know this isn't true. If they are as good of friends as you know they are, they will support you."

"No they won't! They don't even know my parents are dead! They didn't know I lived in one of the worst neighborhoods in Tokyo! They don't know anything about me!" Mai felt a pair of arms enclose her, and a soft, soothing shushing noise follow.

"Mai-chan, you're being irrational. I know you're a smart girl. They may have been upset at finding out you kept secrets, but they were your second family. They will love you no matter if you were an orphan, or where you lived."

"They won't love me anymore," Mai gave a loud sob, "now that I ran away without leaving them any reason why!"

"But that can be fixed too, Mai-chan. Just give them a call, and let them know you're alright."

"Why? Then they will demand that I come back! They will want to know why!"

"I'll help you, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," Mai gave a last big sniff, before finishing the last of the picked radishes.

"Well, we better get back to work. Then, we go get you some clothes that will fit you better, and get you in to see a doctor," Megumi said, helping Mai to her feet. They cleaned up – Mai most of all, having tear streaks and radish juice all over her cheeks and mouth – and reopened the store. Then they proceeded to finish the work day early, so they could get what they needed done.

John was finishing filing away a case that they had just been on when the phone rang. Setting the file down, he picked up the phone, and greeted the person on the other end.

"Hello, you've reached Shibuya Psychic Research, how may I help you?"

"John?" A hauntingly familiar voice drifted through the earpiece, and John almost dropped the phone.

"Mai?!"

This caught the occupants of the room's attention instantly. Takigawa and the Miko almost tripped each other getting to his desk, and Masako came just as fast, though more gracefully.

"John! Hand me the phone!" Takigawa said swiftly, not even waiting for an answer before pulling it out of John's startled grip.

"Mai Taniyama, what were you thinking?!" Bou-san demanded, and he heard a whimper over the line, which brought his temper down quickly.

"I... I just wanted to let you all know... I was doing okay..." Mai stuttered, and Ayako took the phone from Takigawa. She turned on the speaker phone, and started talking.

"You're on speaker. Why did you leave, Mai?"

"I... I can't..." her voice got really soft, unintelligible, as though she were speaking to someone on her end. Then her voice came back louder.

"That isn't why I am calling."

"Young lady, you better explain yourself."

"Don't make me hang up." Mai threatened, making them still. She wouldn't... would she?

"Okay then. Why didn't you tell us about your parents?"

The line was silent, before her voice came back soft.

"I didn't want anyone's pity. I didn't want to be judged."

"We wouldn't pity or judge you, Mai-chan." Masako's soft voice said, "about anything."

"Masako-chan..."

"Mai. I think I know why you left. It's because of that man, isn't it? You didn't feel safe."

"Masako! Please... stop..."

"What is she talking about?" Takigawa asked Mai, and Mai whimpered again.

"Mai, if you don't tell them, then I will. I feel guilty for keeping it a secret this long. I feel guilty for keeping this a secret at all."

"A... alright..." Mai sighed, then took a deep breath.

"Bou-san. I appreciate the last few weeks I was there with you. For trying to protect me. But... you were too late."

"What do you—No... Mai... You don't mean..."

"Yes, Bou-san. You were a night too late."

"Takigawa, what are you talking about?"

"I walked Mai home every night before she left because there was a... a rapist on the loose."

"But... Mai, you were raped? Why didn't you tell us?" John asked, and Mai let out a rather soft, pitiful sound.

"I... I don't know..."

Ayako stepped in, and replied for Mai. "Most people feel ashamed when they're raped. They feel as though everyone will hate them for it. As though they will either look down on them, or not understand them. Is that close to the truth Mai?"

"Y-yes... How..?"

"My family all are doctors. We had rape victims many times enter our hospital."

"I… I didn't know…"

"It's alright. Are you going to be coming back?"

"I… I can't. Not yet."

"Why?"

There was a shuffling, before another voice came on the phone.

"Taniyama-san has other responsibilities that she needs to take care of now. When she is physically and emotionally stable enough to return, she will consider it. Do not judge her for this action, for when she comes to terms with the affects of what had transpired that night, that will be when she is ready to make the decision. Until then, if you wish to get a hold of her, please call this number."

The woman gave the room the number of the phone they were calling from, then continued talking.

"Taniyama-san has had a rough time since she left. So if she doesn't tell you everything you want to know, don't push her. She misses you all dearly. I am not sure exactly what you all do as an occupation, but whatever it was, Mai really misses it. If you wish to send anything in the future for Mai, leave it at my address. It's in the phone book under Ouraka, Megumi."

"Thank you Ouraka-san, for taking care of our Mai. Even though her previous boss won't admit it, he really does miss her here. We all do. Let her know we care about her, and we're not mad at her. We were just worried."

"Yes, I thought you all were, and that's why I pressed her to call. Like I said, she's emotionally unstable right now, so don't ask too much of her. Now, we need to attend to other matters, but feel free to call after four o'clock."

"Thank you very much Ouraka-san."

"Thank you, friends of Taniyama-san. For taking care of such a special woman."

The line went dead, and John pressed the speaker button, turning off their end of the phone.

"Masako-chan, you knew?"

"She begged me not to tell. I hated having this knowledge, having been the one to find her after it happened."

"Why didn't you call the police?" Ayako pressed, anger rising in her voice.

"I never dealt with something like that. I just did what made her calm down. That didn't involve telling anyone."

We got me maternity clothes today. I cried when I wore them.

Mai Taniyama

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Happy Readings!

ALT