Sorry about the wait! I've got 5 APs this year and it's really taking up my time. Also, I went back and read the last chapter, and it has so many typos. I really have to fix that. Maybe this one will be better?

Anyways, let's get to the chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt. If I did, I would probably have deadlines and stuff and keep up with the schedule I set for myself back in summer.

Instead of Naru, she crashed into Masako.

The medium let out an ear-piercing shriek and savagely tore into Mai's cheek with her wicked nails. Mai had the wind knocked out of her from falling on her back, and she was so bent on trying to breathe that she couldn't protest.

"Who's there?" Monk demanded from somewhere, and a fist came flying into Mai's peripheral vision. Mai opened her mouth to tell him that it was her, to stop, but she could barely gasp for air. However, a white hand suddenly caught Monk's hand and pushed it away and pulled her to her feet by the back of her shirt.

Masako and Monk stared. "Mai?"

"Judging by her facial structure, body frame, and voice - yes, this is Mai," Naru snapped irritably, releasing Mai and turning to face her. "The real question you two idiots should be asking a third is what she is doing here without Lin and Miss Matsuzaki."

"That was my next question," Monk grumbled, loud enough for Naru to hear, but he paid him no attention.

Naru snatched the book from Mai's hand and held it out of her reach. "And what is the meaning of this?"

Nothing gets past him, Mai thought detachedly. She had been so intent on crashing into Naru and receiving a confused but warm welcome that this reaction had her a little thrown off.

"I, um, got it from the library…" Mai trailed off at Naru's I-am-disgusted-with-this-answer look. It suddenly infuriated her.

"Look, you damn narcissist, not all of us function at one hundred percent all the time, okay? I have just lost my mind, gotten attacked by some freaking demon or something, and jumped into a pit that probably goes all the way to hell. Then I crash into Masako here and almost have my eyeballs gouged out."

She was panting now, and well aware she looked like a dog. Masako was going to laugh at her forever, but that was the least of her concerns right now. She was angry.

"I'm a little dizzy and a lot pissed off. Can you just shut up for one second and let me breathe?"

And then it was suddenly awkwardly quiet.

It occurred to Mai that she had never said anything so hateful to him before. In a way, she was glad because he had it coming, and he had no right to question her confession. The pent up emotion was now gone. She let out a few short breaths and tried to suck in some deep ones when, suddenly, footsteps pounded right into her.

"MAI!"

Mai was roughly yanked sideways by the arm into someone warm and comforting and…

Red-haired.

Ayako.

Oops.

Ayako pushed her away from herself and shook her. "YOU FOOL! IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU RUN AWAY LIKE THAT?" She was yelling and sobbing at the same time, fat tears that she didn't bother to wipe away dripping down her cheeks. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU!" she screeched. "YOU-I THOUGHT YOU-I THOUGHT-I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!"

She choked and gave Mai another half-hearted shake and swiped at a tear sloppily.

Mai looked down in shame. While Naru was cold and demeaning, Ayako was all fury from worry. "Sorry," she mumbled, trying to keep her own tears from rising.

Ayako burst into sobs and pulled her against her in a crushing hug. Mai was vaguely aware of the fact that Lin was telling Naru and the others what had happened in hushed tones. Everyone was giving them a wide berth.

"Mai," she whispered, voice cracking, tears falling in a steady stream and wetting her hair. "Mai, my baby." She pressed her lips to Mai's head and held her tighter.

Mai swallowed hard. What had she done? How could she have reduced Ayako - fiery, strong-willed, tough Ayako - to tears?

"I'm sorry, I didn't - didn't realize how far I'd gone and -"

Ayako laughed suddenly, bitterly. "You - sorry?"

The tears in Mai's eyes turned into ones of frustration. "Yes, and I didn't mean it, I would never have -"

"Shut up," Ayako whispered fiercely. "I'm the one who's sorry." A fresh wave of tears poured down her face and she gripped Mai closer.

"If only - if only I had been holding you better. If only I had - If only I had listened to you when you said there was a noise!" she burst out. Mai could hear her heartbeat throbbing against her ears. Now she understood why Ayako was crying so hard. Guilt was eating away at her, guilt that wouldn't be there in the first place if Mai hadn't completely lost her sanity.

"I brushed it off as nothing," Ayako continued, "and then- then you went totally still, and I thought you might be having a fit or something, and then - then you screamed so awfully and ran."

"It's okay, it's all right, Ayako, it's not your fault," Mai tried unsuccessfully. "Please."

"But it is. I thought- I thought, what if the last thing I said to you was dismissing your fears as nerves. What if you died and it was all my fault?" she wailed.

"Ayako, it wasn't, you -"

"Lin's shiki told us where you were. He tried opening the door but it was locked and you were shouting and I was so, so scared." A shudder ran through her body. "Lin got it open and the only thing we saw was you disappearing into that black hole."

"That was you guys? I thought it was the spirit or the demon or I would never have jumped," Mai said, but the older woman was inconsolable.

"It's not your fault," she whispered. "It's mine. Forgive me, Mai."

"What? No! I'm not forgiving someone who doesn't need to ask for it! That doesn't make any sense! What kind of logic is that?" Mai handed a handkerchief Monk had slipped discreetly into her hand. "Pull yourself together, old lady, because I have a new injury now. Masako here scratched half my face off."

Ayako stopped mid-swipe, handkerchief on her tear-stained cheek, eyes frozen on Mai's face, seeming to see the three livid scratches for the first time. Suddenly, her voice wasn't cracked anymore. "Masako!" she yelled.

"She bumped into me first!" the doll-faced medium screamed, her pretty features contorted.

"How is that relevant?" Ayako yelled back. She turned Mai's face to the side so she could see better in the soft glow of Naru's flashlight. She gently touched Mai's cheek, who winced when she saw the doctor's fingers come away red.

"There's blood on your shirt," Mai said regretfully. "Sorry."

Ayako responded with a bone-crunching hug. "Don't - don't ever apologize again, you idiot!" she scolded. Mai could hear the tears behind her words and hastily surrendered.

"All right, all right. Just…" The words caught in her throat and she wrapped her arms around Ayako and rested her head against her chest. "I love you, Ayako."

"I'm adopting you, Mai."

Mai let out an involuntary giggle until Ayako gave her a glare and a little shake. "I'm serious, you fool! I swear to God, as soon as we're through with this case, you're coming home with me."

Mai's heart thudded wildly. "Ayako, I'm 16, I'm fine. I already-"

"I don't care!"

Ayako's voice echoed through the hallway, and suddenly, everyone was staring at the two of them. Mai turned red and tried to look inconspicuous.

"What're you looking at?" Ayako snapped wearily at them. She wiped the last of her tears in indignation. "Why are we standing here? John must be getting worried."

Naru turned wordlessly and began to lead them back. Ayako and Mai trailed everyone.

"Mai, I'm sorry if that was too sudden. I just...you know. Anyways, what do you think?" Ayako asked.

"I, um, I couldn't possible -" Mai stammered. This was a situation she had always dreamed of when she was younger, some long lost uncle or grandparent coming to claim her, but the thought had faded away when she realized it wasn't happening. Now someone she loved was offering, and she didn't know what to do.

"It's not about can or couldn't," Ayako muttered irritably. "I can. For you, it's about will or wouldn't."

"I don't really think…" She trailed off and tried again. "I mean, I'm sure it's-"

"Mai, if you think you can't say no to my face, then suck it up. And if you think I can't handle a dismissal, then think again, little girl."

"That's not it! I just can't impose on you. It's a responsibility-"

"Is that a no, you're not a responsible, or yes, you are?"

"Um…"

"Mai," Ayako said, taking Mai's arm in her hand. "I know you're old enough. I know you can do make it yourself. You're capable, and you've made it this far, and I understand that. If you want to carry on like you have, that's fine, but…" She shook her hair away from her face. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's never too late to find your family. Everyone needs someone once in awhile."

Then Ayako suddenly shrugged, as if realizing Mai was too close to tears to speak. "Think on it, then," she said in an impossibly gentle voice. "I won't ask, don't worry." And she put her arm across Mai's shoulders and they walked back to base in silence.

John went pale on seeing Mai's cheek. In all honesty, it looked worse than it felt, and she told him so, but it didn't do much. It did look pretty awful. Masako's nails were wicked sharp, and three puffy scratches marred Mai's face. Monk crushed her in a hug and told her she was still his beautiful little girl.

WHACK!

"Ow!" Monk curled up into a ball and held his head where Ayako had hit him. "What was that for?"

"You sound like some creepy old man!"

"I'm not old, you old lady!"

"Who're you calling old?"

Naru stayed at his desk, reading the journal, and told them to shut up and make lunch. He did not ask for tea, and that was a little troubling for Mai. When Ayako left to change her blood-stained blouse, Mai realized that she also had blood on her own shirt. She sighed and got a hoodie from her backpack and went into the bathroom to change out of her soiled one.

She found a black hair ribbon in her pocket, and, distracted, began playing with it. She tried putting it in her hair, but it was too silky and wouldn't stay put. Finally, she slumped in defeat, knowing she could never achieve Masako's doll-like appearance. Maybe Naru-

No, Mai told herself strictly. Naru nothing. He doesn't like you, and he made it obvious enough after that silly confession. And you just ruined everything by snapping at him so harshly. Naru doesn't just not like you, he hates you!

Frustrated and disheartened, Mai stuffed the ribbon back in her pocket and finished washing her blood-soaked sleeve and draped it over an empty chair and laid down tiredly on the couch, her head on Monk's lap. Withing moments, she was asleep.

But even sleep could not bring her peace.

She was in a dark room, and she could barely see in the dim light. She squinted at the boy in front of her. "N-Naru?"

It was a surprise to see him in her dream. Only Gene could, right? What was Naru doing here? And why was he crouched on the floor like that?

"Don't," he groaned and half-turned to face her.

Mai gasped. His lips were cracked, and blood stained his mouth and cheek. One eye was purple and the other was bloodshot. His hands were tired in front of him. To see the calm and collected Master Narcissist like this made Mai's stomach churn with terror.

She leapt forward for him, to help him, but he twisted away from her and back so she could see him head-on. His shirt was torn at the shoulder and stained with red.

"Leave, please," he whispered desperately. Blood pulsed from the corner of his mouth. "Don't come looking."

"Naru!" Mai cried heedlessly, reaching for him again, but then she lost her footing, and everything turned black.

She shot up from Monk's warm lap. "NARU!" she yelled, looking around wildly. Where was he?

Monk frowned at her. "He went outside to think or something."

"No!" Mai cried. She ran to the front door and stuck her head out.

"NARU!" she screamed.

No one was there.

Mai turned back to find Lin and Monk standing behind her. Ayako and Masako and even John were all on their feet. "He's not there!" she said. "He's not there anymore!"

"Mai, speak coherently," Lin commanded. "What's wrong?"

"The house-" Mai managed, fear pushing her breath from her lungs. "It's killing him - he's hurt - he's - he's dying."

I always imagined Ayako making that offer. In my head, she always did end up adopting Mai. Let's see what Mai says in a few chapters, shall we?

For next time: Please let Naru be okay!