Warning! Violence, blood, graphic gore, a tidbit of OOCness, angst, dark theme, swearing, failed attempts at humor, MaixNaru

Disclaimer! Sadly I do not own Ghost Hunt or any of the characters in it. If I did Mai wouldn't be so naïve and Naru wouldn't be such a narcissist. Neither do I own the Song Still Doll from Vampire Knight

Authors Note! Sorry to say but I still have no internet what so ever and its absolutely frustrating to find a good one. I am sincerely sorry for how long its taken to get this out to all of you but on top of having no internet and looking for a proper company I've been trying to find a job. TT-TT It's a serious pain to find one! Just so all of you know all through out my story I'm going to try and avoid calling people in the facility "crazy", "mentally ill" or anything else that could be considered insulting when I'm writing in third person since I don't like being rude or mean. On top of that I truly do believe that people who are "unstable" are simply misunderstood. Anyways i don't know when the next chapters will get to you but I will try to get them out as soon as I can. Thank you all sooo much for everything, especially the reviews. I hope you all will enjoy the up and coming chapters of this story as well as this chapter. So without further ado I'll let you get on to the second part of the Mad Hatter Arc.

Bou-Monk

Hōshō- pronounced Ho-u-sho-u

Miko-priestess usually a shrine priestess

Shiki/Shikigami-spirits under an onmyouji command

Dream

Spirit speak

Flashback

"Blah" character talking

'Blah' character thoughts

Gone But Never Forgotten

Chapter 7- Mad Hatter Part 2: Welcome to the tea party

Mai woke slowly from what she soon realized, thankfully, was a dreamless sleep. One of the few dreamless ones she'd had lately since Yukori's case. Her head lolled to the side as sleep still held her and she gave a sleepy smile to the Chinese man who slept next to her bed. Getting up slowly she sat up in bed and looked towards where a dim glow was filling up the dark room. The monitors were on and rolling but Mai's attention was on the person who sat, more like slouched, infront of them. Naru's back was to her and he was somewhat slouched in his seat but Mai could tell even from where she sat that he was asleep. Slowly, Mai got off the bed without making a sound and made her way over to Naru and the monitors. What she saw made her breath catch slightly in awe for Naru was anything but what she had imagined he looked like when he slept. Mai had thought he would scowl or frown in his sleep but that wasn't true at all. His face was angelic and serene as he slept, dead to the world around him. Without thinking Mai picked up his fallen jacket and put it back over him before moving a lock of hair out his face lovingly. She looked at him a moment, fondly, before something in one of the monitors caught her attention. She looked into it and what she saw made her freeze in terror. As her mind registered what she was thinking her mouth acted on its own accord as she said quietly, hardly a whisper,

"Naru…"

A moment later fingers entwined with her own and she could feel him standing beside her as he said with his usual calm demeanor, "Lin wake up and get the others."

Mai heard Lin's footsteps but she couldn't look away from the sight on the screen, hardly even registering Naru's hands in her own making this a huge out of character gesture from him. All that kept her from screaming in terror though was Naru's firm words as he said,

"Breath, Mai. Deep breaths. Use that brain of yours, if you have one. Come on, Mai. Snap out of it. Baka, shouldn't you be used to this stuff? I told you to stay in bed, usuratonkachi."

Mai smiled gratefully at John as he handed her some tea. She watched as the vapors rose from it, waiting for it to cool off some. On either side of her sat Bou and Ayako while Naru sat across from her. Lin was at the monitors while John left the room to check out area where Mai and Naru had caught the scene on camera. When Mai had looked at the monitor she'd seen more than she had expected to. The girl that was there in the monitor screen matched the description of Alice from Alice in Wonderland except one thing. This Alice had been covered in blood, stained in it, and she had been looking in the camera smiling. Behind her was a message, a message that said,

'Welcome back, Mai-chan'

Mai didn't understand how this could be if she didn't ever remember coming but everytime she thought that, the scene from the diner would playback in her head. However, it wasn't just that since she would also get the sense of recognition she had felt with the older woman. It unnerved Mai to a point where she didn't want to be at the facility at all. She wanted to tuck tail and just go home and Mai never liked leaving a job finished. Her musings were cut shot when Naru's firm voice addressed her,

"Mai, are you sure you've never been here before?"

Mai hesitated as she looked at Naru helplessly and shrugged her shoulders in an obvious meaning of, 'I don't know'. Naru sighed heavily before he nodded his head in understanding and switched his attention to the rest of the team.

"Ayako, John. I want both of you to start checking out the patients and seeing if anything is out of the ordinary with them or the area."

Naru looked at Mai and for a second she thought she saw him hesitate when his gaze switched to her. However, without missing a beat he asked her,

"How are you?"

Mai was a little surprised by his inquiry but she said after a moment, "Better."

She winced slightly as her throat throbbed; her voice was low and barely above a whisper but loud enough so that they could all hear her clearly. He nodded at her answer and said,

"Good. You and Takigawa-san will be checking out the cameras and tape recorders."

Mai glared at his back, not really surprised at his words. It was typical that he wasn't really worried about her well being but her ability to work. Exhaling heavily through her nose she got up from her seat and placed her now cold tea on the table there before following Bou out with a clipboard and pen. Mai was surprised that unlike yesterday the white halls were filled with people both young and old and all of them had something in common. They all had sometime of instability that made it necessary for them to have to stay here in this facility. Mai stayed close to Bou as they walked down the hall and she looked at the patients passing them by in the hall. Amazed at the fact some of them looked completely ordinary. When they came upon the first camera they were in a huge room that had a wooden fireplace and various seating arrangements from couches to sofas, loveseats, armchairs, and a few metal folding chairs. Mai checked the temperature of the room just as an extra precaution while Bou checked the camera's positions. Mai spotted the tape recorder not too far and went over to get it when a girl a few years younger grabbed her wrist roughly. Mai's head snapped towards the girl and her cinnamon eyes met deep stormy grey eyes that looked a little far away. The girl had cropped ebony black hair and porcelain skin that made her look both beautiful yet strange at the same time. They both just looked at each other for some time, just standing there before the girl said in a soft reverent voice,

"You shouldn't be here. The girl wants you here but she doesn't. She doesn't want anyone knowing and she will kill you to make sure her secret doesn't come out. Beware of the woman, watch for the girl. Becareful, Mai-chan."

At the sound of her name coming from the girls lips Mai ripped her wrist from the girls grasp and stumbled back. She watched in a daze as the girl smiled the same warm crazed smile the Alice girl had in the video. As she started walking away a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder making her jump and yelp in surprise. She whirled around to face whoever it was and saw Bou giving her an amused look but she could see the worry behind his eyes. Mai gave him an apologetic look before she said softly,

"Sorry you startled me."

Bou frowned as he looked over her head at the girl who was now exiting the room and asked, "What was that all about?"

Mai shifted uncomfortably before she said, "Nothing don't worry about it. Let me get the tape in the recorder and put the new one in."

With that said she slipped out from under his hand and grabbed the tape recorder, slipping out the old tape and putting in the new one as she slipped the old one into her pocket. She placed the tape recorder back behind the flower vase and turned to face Bou who nodded before they left the huge room to the next point of interest. Mai looked over at Bou and asked softly,

"What are the points of interest?"

Bou gave her a thoughtful look before he said, "Well in the west wing the points of interest are the lounge room we were just in, patient room 206, the main room, your room-"

Mai stopped him when he said that and squeaked out, "My room!"

Bou winced as he just barely stopped himself from slapping his hand over his mouth and said, "I wasn't suppose to tell you that."

Mai glared at him as she growled out, or at least tried to but the pain in her throat made it sound hoarse, "And why am I in a room that had activity?"

Bou put his hands up infront of himself as though to protect himself as he said, "Now Mai-chan it wasn't my choice. It was all Naru's idea. He felt that it would be better to both keep an eye on you and see if being closer to activity would affect your dreams at all."

Mai took a few deep breaths to calm herself down before she growled out, "Continue naming the points of activity."

Bou nodded in understanding before he continued speaking, "In the east wing the points of interest are the director's office, patient's rooms 402 and 537 as well as the record room."

Mai sighed just as Naru's voice came over their walkie-talkie, "Takigawa-san, Mai I just want you guys to take the patient room 206 then head straight over to the director's office as well as the record room. Ayako will take the rest of the room."

Bou lifted the walkie-talkie to his lips as he replied, "Roger, Naru. We're at room 206 now."

Mai opened the door and shivered at the blast of cold air that blew past her just as child-like laughter reached her ears and she froze in the doorway of the room. Bou looked at her quizzically and she asked softly,

"Did you just hear that?"

Bou shook his head with a frown and Mai instantly felt her heart pick up speed at his answer before she took a step into the freezing room and instantly Naru's voice came over the walkie-talkie.

"Mai don't move. Bou the temperature in the room just dropped twenty degrees. There's something in there with both of you."

Bou stepped beside Mai who had frozen in her spot when Naru had instructed her to not move. Bou began to chant something under his breath and suddenly the temperature in the room began to elevate and once again childish laughter echoed in Mai's ears but a wave of sadness washed through her before everything returned to normal. Mai didn't move from her spot though and Bou looked at her worriedly before she clenched her eyes shut trying to fight the wave of sadness that washed through her. Taking a deep breath she opened her eyes and smiled reassuringly at Bou as she said,

"I'm fine…Just…I'm fine."

Bou looked at her uncertainly as he said, 'Maybe you should go back to the room, Mai-chan. You don't look so good."

Mai shook her head as her smile became more reassuring and she said, "No, really. I'm fine now."

With a reluctant nod Bou gave in and he headed over to the camera while Mai exchanged the tapes in the recorder before facing Bou who had just finished readjusting the camera. He ran a hand through his hair before he sighed heavily and said,

"Alright lets head up to the director's office."

Mai followed behind him as they walked towards the east wing and Mai looked at all the patients. Some were staring into space, mumbling to themselves and wildly throwing their hands about as though there was something there. Mai felt her heart go out to them but then she noticed the few that seemed completely ordinary and she was reminded of the girl who had spoke to her earlier in the lounge area. Mai looked back infront of her when she and Bou passed two pairs of double doors, letting her know they were now in the east wing. She looked up at the ceiling that had a Victorian design on it and without thinking she said softly,

"1,200 sq. meters."

Bou looked at her with both surprise puzzlement as he asked, "How did you know that?"

Mai looked at him clearly shocked before she shook her head and said, "I don't know. It just popped into my head when I looked at the ceiling."

Bou looked at her a little uncertainly and asked, "Are you sure you've never been here before?"

Mai looked at him and shook her head uncertainly as she said, "Truthfully I don't know anymore Bou."

Bou smiled at her warmly and patted her head as he said, "Well don't worry about it too much, Mai-chan."

They walked up a flight of stairs and turned left, the patter strangely familiar to Mai as she began to take the lead. Her eyebrows furrowed as she walked faster towards a room down the hall until she reached the door and stretched her hand for the doorknob.

"I don't want to die…I don't want to die…"

Mai froze as her hand touched the doorknob and the voice echoed in her ears. It was soft, scared and child-like. The words were eerily like the words the creature and his victims said in the labyrinth case.

"I didn't want to die, Mai-chan…Why was it me? I don't want to die…Help me!"

Mai let go of the doorknob as though it had burned her and stumbled back a few inches as she looked at the door weirdly. Bou jogged up to her side and asked,

"What was that about?"

Mai shook her head slowly as she said softly, "I…I don't know…I could've sworn…"

"Mai-chan maybe it would be best that you—"

Mai shook her head fiercely as she scowled at him and said, "I'm staying here. Let's just get this over with."

With that said she snatched the room door open and as she entered it only to freeze when she saw that he camera was facing the doorway. Mai looked over at Bou just as he came in after her and Naru's voice came over the walkie-talkie as he asked,

"Did anyone move the camera before?"

Mai glared at the camera as she hissed out softly, "Wouldn't you know that since you're infront of the monitors?"

She started slightly when Naru's voice came over the walkie-talkie after some static, "Well Mai if we had been looking at the monitors the whole time we wouldn't have needed to ask now would we?"

Mai glared at the camera furiously as she pouted before whirling around towards a desk as Bou repositioned the camera. She spotted a few papers on the desk and was instantly drawn to it as she picked them up to read. Instantly she recognized them as printed out newspaper clippings and her eyes were drawn to the picture on it. In the picture was a teenage girl with a bright smile, pretty blue eyes and long somewhat wavy blonde hair in a powder blue dress that looked startling similar to the girl Mai had seen in the monitor. She took out her phone and snapped a few pictures of the papers before putting them back the way she found them. She turned back just in time for Bou to finish and she said to him as he looked at her,

"There's no tape recorder here so we should move on to the record room."

Bou looked at her strangely before nodding his head and she followed him out but not before taking one last backward glance at the papers on the desk. She followed him back down the stairs but instead of getting off on the floor they had originally been on he continued down the steps. Mai had a flash of déjà vu and grabbed Bou's arm fearfully and he looked at her, flashing a comforting smile as he asked,

"You alright?"

She smiled shakily as she said, "Yeah just a sense of déjà vu that's all."

He nodded his head before looking infront of him again and then they were down in the basement. Mai shrank closer to him as he muttered,

"Why is it always the basement? And why the hell is it always so damn creepy?"

Mai snorted rudely but said nothing as she looked around until they reached a door that had the label 'Record Room'. Mai entered the room first and looked around, instantly spotting the camera but she felt as though she was being pulled into another direction as Bou entered the room and went straight over to the camera. She took in the whole room as she stood beside the doorway, there were boxes and cabinets filled with files of past patients as well as a few current ones. They were all set up as though it was a maze and Mai could feel an insistent tug in the back of her mind towards the back of the room. Without thinking she began to move forward and went down a twisting path of cabinets before she ended up infront of a single one. She reached for the top drawer and pulled it open, reaching for the middle and pulling out a thick folder. Mai felt as though she was working on autopilot as she went through all these motions when a soft child-like voice whispered in her ear,

"Open it, Mai-chan."

Without truly thinking about it Mai did exactly that and she opened the folder to look at the contents. Inside was the same picture of the girl who looked like Alice and suddenly a scene began to play just like in the diner except this time it was only voices.

"Its not fair! I was supposed to be her! I was suppose to have the part of Alice! It was suppose to be me!"

"What are you doing? Put that down!"

"No! Its my part Yue and I wont have you stealing it!"

"Please! Stop! Get away from me!"

"This is the only way! If I can't have the part then neither will you! They told me I had to! They told me I could get the part this way!"

"Get away from me with that! Stop waving it around! Stop, stop! NO!"

Suddenly, there was a sharp crack and then a dull thud that sounded like a body hitting the ground. There was a soft whimper when the first female voice cried out,

"Who's there?"

There was another whimper before two pairs of running feet were heard but the second female voice wasn't finished talking as she whispered weakly, "You wont get away with this…I swear…"

Then there was nothing and suddenly Mai was once again falling into the darkness that encircled her.

I opened my eyes and found myself in the usual midnight colored dreamscape with the different colored orbs. I watched them for a moment before a familiar voice called my name and I turned to the welcoming sight of Gene. I smiled warmly at him and hugged him tight before I stepped away and asked,

"Gene…I don't understand what's going on. Have I been here before? To this place? Why is my mother now here also? Why do I feel like everything I remember is suddenly a lie?"

Gene held up his hands to stop my barrage of questions but I noticed the sudden sadness in both his eyes and smile. In that moment I knew he couldn't tell me everything I wanted to know, couldn't or wouldn't. Sometimes I doubted Gene told me everything he could tell me, sometimes I believed he was with holding things and not because of rules but because he simply wouldn't tell me. I don't like to doubt Gene especially not after everything we've been through but that was just the way I felt sometimes and it disturbed me deeply. I was brought out of my thoughts when Gene began to speak,

"I cant answer all of your questions and I know that doesn't put you at ease but that's just how this works, Mai. I'm sorry. I can only answer a few then we have to keep going on with the job you have."

I frowned at what he said but I nodded reluctantly so he continued to speak,

"You have been here before, you're memory of it was buried for a reason I cannot say. You're mother is also here to guide you and watch over you but she is also here to bring some things to light. I cannot answer your last question Mai as much as I wish I could. Just for now on be very careful when dealing with the supernatural and I want you to look something up called 'The Perfect Medium', alright?"

I looked at him taking in all that he said especially when he said my memory of this place was suppressed. It made me wonder what I knew and why it had happened. I felt like I was missing a huge piece of the puzzle, that I was forgetting something but I couldn't be sure what it was at the moment. I was just about to grasp it when Gene's voice penetrated my thoughts as he said,

"Mai we have to move on."

I looked at him sharply and saw the amused twinkle in his eyes that made me fight to keep a smile back as I said, "I don't find that funny at all. If you do not recall I was medically dead for twenty minutes."

I immediately wished I could take my words back when I saw his eyes dim for a moment before they brightened and he said, "Thank goodness for small miracles."

I nodded before I took the hand he offered and we began to walk in a seemingly random direction. However, long ago I had learned that it was never random and it was always precise. Soon I could hear it drifting through the air like a summer breeze slipping into a room and the melody along with the song were achingly familiar. I realized I did know the song. It was from my childhood, I vaguely remember that was I was much younger I had an intricately beautifully designed music box but I couldn't remember what happened to it. It had played this exact song that I could now hear surrounding me and I sung it without a thought as me and Gene walked.

Hi miss Alice

What kind of dreams

Do you see

With your eyes of glass?

Do they fascinate you?

Again

My heart is torn

And bleeding

I mend it but

My memories

Pierce the openings

I felt connected to the song in a way but I couldn't completely figure out why. I knew the waking dreams I had been having lately have actually been memories I'd have to be a real idiot not to figure that out. Memories that were being suppressed as Gene had said were now as the song said piercing through the openings and it felt like my heart was being torn in two. I couldn't hear the rest of the song since I could now hear sobbing over the music and as we continued to walk I could now see the outline of someone sitting at a long table that was there, the table was the same table I had met the Mad Hatter at. Without thinking I let go of Gene's hand and walked over to the person briskly to see the girl that matched Alice from 'Alice in Wonderland'. Her somewhat wavy blonde hair fell to her tailbone and she wore a pale powder blue dress, black head band, black polished shoes, white knee length stockings and she had bright blue eyes. I couldn't help but look at her astonished, there was something about her that struck a chord of recognition. The girl looked up at me but this time there was no blood on the girl's clothes or her head and tears trailed down her cheek to the ground. She got up as she looked from me to Gene before resting her gaze on me sorrowfully as she said,

"I'm sorry, Mai-chan. If I had known it would endanger you I wouldn't have gotten her to call. If I had known I would have been more careful. I'm sorry you don't remember, Mai-chan but you will."

I looked at her and suddenly I was hit by a wave of sadness as though I was loosing something. It felt similar to the wave of sadness that had hit me when I lost my mother and I couldn't help but ask,

"We were friends…weren't we?"

The girl gave me a sad smile as she said, "We could have been if it hadn't been for both my death and my illness."

I frowned at her words when suddenly Gene began to tug me back and I looked at him to see his sad smile directed towards me. I knew it was time for me to wake up and the girl obviously knew this also because she said,

"You should go now. I don't them to worry about you too much. I just wanted to say that but also…"

She seemed to hesitate before she said, "Becareful, Mai-chan. There is something dangerous after you, something more dangerous than this case or any other case you've faced before. You know what the danger is but your memory was suppressed. It wasn't me that was running down the hall. It wants you to believe that though."

She opened her mouth to say more but suddenly Gene was tugging me away more insistently. I realized that there was more to my power than what they were saying so as he tugged me along I asked him,

"Gene…Why are we suddenly rushing?"

Gene glanced back at me before he asked, "Haven't you ever noticed that you always abruptly woke up when you had these dreams?"

I found that he was right and I had never really thought about it but he continued speaking, "Now that you're abilities are advancing you have to learn to control it better or else its going to be a real danger to you."

I shook my head not really understanding what he meant until he said,

"You fall asleep whenever your subconscious realizes that there's something important you need to figure but you can dream when you want now. All you have to do is will it but that in itself is dangerous since I haven't taught you how to do it yet so I'd advise against it at the moment. However, unlike before where you just woke up on your own now you have to make yourself wake up. That's why we have to hurry and get to your dreamscape so I can show you how."

I suddenly had a nauseating feeling at his words and I reluctantly asked, "What would happen if I didn't wake up before the time limit? What is the time limit?"

They could both begin to see the light orbs that meant my dreamscape was close before Gene said, "If you don't make the time limit you'll be stuck here and you'll be in a coma like state on the outside. The time limit…It'll feel like you're whole body it thrumming but when it stops that means you've missed it."

I felt my heart leap into my chest as I realized Gene was right, I could feel my body thrumming faintly and I knew I was calling this close as we arrived at my dreamscape. We faced each other and I looked at him with panicked eyes but his were calm as he said,

"Mai close your eyes and take a few deep breaths."

I did as I was told and I could instantly feel my mind slow and my body relax as my eyelids began to feel extremely heavy. I could hear Gene faintly as he spoke but it sounded a little far off as he said,

"Envision yourself laying down in your bed completely relaxed and asleep. Envision you opening your eyes and sitting up in bed…now feel it. Feel your eyes opening then you sitting up. You can do it, Mai. Mai remember to becareful and look up 'The Perfect Medium'."

I did as I was told and suddenly I felt as though everything around me was rushing past and I now understood why people jump when they have a dream they're falling. That theory about how when you have a dream that you're falling and you just suddenly feel as though you'd fallen on your bed its that you're soul was trying to separate from your body only it landed right back. Except for me my astral had landed in my body causing my own body to have that sensation as I woke.

Mai's body jumped and bounced off the bed as though she had fallen as her eyes snapped open, sitting up straight causing her head to bang against someone else's. They both yelped as they grabbed for their heads, she for her forehead and the other for their temple. She looked to see that it was Bou and she grinned sheepishly at him as she apologized,

"Sorry Bou. Didn't mean to crash land like that."

Bou grumbled darkly then before she realized slim feminine hands were running over her to see if there was anything wrong. Mai looked over at Ayako as the woman looked over her worriedly before she grabbed her hands with a small soft laugh.

"I'm fine, Ayako."

The red head looked at her uncertainly before leaning back and realizing that she was right and then Mai realized her throat didn't hurt anymore. She could talk regularly now and she had a feeling it had something to do with her recent dream and the girl in it. Mai looked around and saw that the whole group was in her room minus the ones who hadn't come along on this trip. John's eyes were also concerned as he stepped towards the side of her bed and asked,

"How are you feeling?"

Mai smiled warmly at him and she realized the words that slipped from her lips were the absolute truth, "I feel like a million bucks. Its been a while but I feel completely better."

Bou patter her head good-naturedly and said jokingly, "It probably helps that this time there was no life-threatening experience to your dream."

For a moment everyone froze at his words and the air got tense but soon Mai couldn't help the laugh that bubbled to her lips. Soon Bou and Ayako were also laughing lightly while John chuckled, Lin shook his head with a small smile and Naru rolled his eyes. Mai was amazed that they were suddenly able to laugh the whole thing off finally. She could still remember the days when it was like stepping on egg shells because the whole team was affected by her too close encounter with death. When Naru cleared his throat however the laughing stopped and their attention was on him as he held up a folder, looking straight at Mai expectantly. Mai instantly recognized the folder as the one that she had grabbed out of the file cabinet before she had the memory dream. Without thinking she reached out for the folder and Naru handed it to her as he gave her a strange look. She opened the folder and staring back at her was a color picture of the girl in her dream. Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind of two giggling girls running through these very halls but then it was gone and she flipped through the papers until she found her info.

Name: Yue Kyung

Age: Twelve years of age

Date of Birth: January 15, 1998

Place of Birth: Hong Kong, China

Where she lived: Kyoto, Japan

Hair: Blonde, Wavy

Eyes: Blue

Illness: Multiple Personality Disorder (AKA MPD)

Mai would have read the rest of the file but the girls name caught her attention and she remembered the memory when the first female voice had said the name.

"She was killed…" Mai murmured as she traced the girls face in the picture before she remembered the pictures she had taken with her phone. She felt her phone still in her pocket and fished it out before looking through the pictures till she found the ones she was looking for. The headline of the first one was clear 'YOUNG GIRL IS KILLED IN MENTAL FACILITY NO SUSPECT' there was another one that clearly said 'SMALL CHILD PLAYING ALICE IN FACILITY PLAY IS FOUND DEAD' Mai closed her eyes as she tried to remember before handing Naru her phone as she said,

"On the director's desk were these papers. I thought it might prove helpful so I took pictures of them."

Naru flipped through the pictures before he said, "So you can be useful sometimes."

Her solemn attitude suddenly switched off and she glared heatedly at her boss but held her tongue knowing what she wanted to say would probably get her fired later. Instead she snorted rudely and lifted her nose into the air, looking away from him as Ayako and Bou laughed. Suddenly, Lin's voice drew her back into her solemn mood as he asked,

"Did you know her, Taniyama-san?"

She gave him a half-hearted smile as she said, "I'm never going to get you to call me by my first name, am I?"

Mai saw the slight turn of his lips upward but she could also see the expectancy in his gaze so she sighed and said, "Yes…I believe I did…When I was a young child. But my memories aren't uncovered totally. I don't know the whole story yet."

Lin nodded his head as though he had suspected as much before John asked, "What was your relationship with her?"

Mai looked at him before she said, "I'm not sure…She said we would have been friends if she hadn't died and if it hadn't been for her illness…We weren't quite acquaintances but we weren't quite friends however we liked playing together."

John nodded his head completely understanding as she ran a hand through her hair before she through the covers off of her and slipped out of bed. In an instant Ayako was by her side trying to push her back into bed and Naru asked sharply,

"Where do you think you're going?"

Mai huffed in annoyance and said, "I am getting out of bed. I feel perfectly fine so there is no need for me to stay in bed."

Almost half of the group excluding Lin and John looked at her as though she was stupid making her pout in annoyance. Folding her arms over her chest she glared at them and asked indignantly, "What?"

Bou and Ayako threw their hands into the air in exasperation as they turned around and headed towards the monitors while Naru just shook his head. He examined the files and pictures while Mai looked at Lin and John for an explanation as to why she had gotten that look. Suddenly, there was a scream and the whole gang sprang into action though Mai was the first one out the door. She reached the scene first, infront of her was a large long table that was set up as though there was a tea party and at the end of the table was a large top hat sitting in a chair. Next to it was a beat up stuffed rabbit with a dress coat on and at the other end of the table was a girl Mai recognized as the one who had warned her earlier that day. Mai's hand flew up to her mouth as she saw the blood trailing down the girls slit neck and she was sure that in one of the teapots would be a dead mouse, just like in her dream. In the girls hand was a white card and Mai watched as Naru took it from her hand read it, he looked up at her before showing it to the whole gang. In big bold letters it said clearly,

'WELCOME TO THE TEA PARTY'

~Owari~

A/N- And the fun truly begins from then on! I hope you guys enjoyed this chappie and I'm hoping to have some kind of internet some time this week so please be patient with my incompetence. Things begin to get interesting as Mai's memories begin to get uncovered and Mai confronts her mother about it in the next chappie. The mysterious Mad Hatter is revealed and the supposed 'Red Queen' plots Mai's demise as she finds the head director dead. Mai begins to wonder why Naru's been so protective of her and they try to put the restless spirits at rest. I have a lot going on for all of you in the next chapter so I hope you are all looking forward to it. I should be getting to all of your reviews when I have internet so please do not think I forgot about that. I thank all of you for reading my story and reviewing it. See you guys in the next chapter.