A/N: I...okay, no message today. Just get to reading! Anyways, what happened to all my regulars? :( Special thanks to Minato-kun Luver, xSapphirexRosesxFan and YunaNeko who've been reviewing since, like, forever! :D You mean a lot, sirs/ma'ams! This one's for you!

Disclaimer: I don't own GH.

Mai's POV:

"What the stick people?" I mumbled, the words almost incoherent.

"Thank god." I heard Martin say, sighing with relief.

"Bou-san's anything BUT skinny, Mai." Yasu grinned, patting my head. I chuckled softly, only for it to be turned into a coughing fit. Right away, I felt someone shove a glass of cold liquid into my hands with haste. Grateful, I nodded my thanks and gulped it down; it was water, as I suspected.

"T-Thanks." I managed to say, after the water sloshed down my parched throat.

"Oh, Mai. What happened?" Emi whispered, clutching my free hand and gazing at me with worry and concern.

"I...had a dream. Vision, you could call it." I replied, still quiet. Everybody was silent, waiting for me to continue; and so I did.

"There was a girl running, and a voice sneering at her. At the end, she met up with Seika...and he said that they had matters to 'discuss'." I explained, my body trembling. Almost right after I had finished speaking, I felt someone's warm arms wrap around me comfortingly, rocking my body back and forth against their muscular chest.

"It's alright, Mai. We're here for you." Gene murmured, his voice soothing my jumpy nerves.

"I was so scared, Gene. The voices, they were so familiar. Seika seems...so evil!" I cried into his sleeve, unable to stop the onslaught of tears.

"I know, Mai, I know. You're safe now." He tightened his grip, pulling me firmly against his defined chest.

"Do we have any leads?" I heard Luella ask desperately, probably to Naru.

"We do, but we needed Mai." He replied, his voice sounding tight. "I don't think she's in any condition to fight off demons."

"I have to go to the bathroom." Emi excused herself, before hurrying out of the room. Although, something about her actions and facial expression made me wonder.

Emi's POV (Been a while, eh?):

I hurried down the dark, foreboding hallway in haste. If even one person suspected my actions, they would've caught me.

While Mai was out, Naru had explained his plan. Apparently, he and Lin had traced the strongest surges of power back to one of the rooms farthest from the base, and he wanted Mai to go in and see what she could find. I wasn't risking my sister's life, hell no.

Discreetly, I bounded up the stairs with my head in the clouds. I knew that this wasn't safe, and when it was all over Mai would broke my ass into a hell of a lot of pieces, but it had to be done. It was hurting ME seeing Mai so...broken. Upset.

"Where is it..." I muttered to myself, searching the rooms.

"Looking for something?" A male voice asked, sounding amused.

"Yup, this room that- wait." I turned, to come face-to-face with Gene, who was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Er...hi?" I replied tentatively, smiling hesitantly. He came forward again, invading my little personal bubble, and smacked my head.

"WHAT THE HELL!" I shrieked, angered. He smirked, before crossing his arms and staring at me with his eyes blazing. An emotion I couldn't place churned within the dark-blue crevices, pulling me to him like a siren's song.

"Why are you risking your life, Em?", he asked, sounding upset. Taking a few moments, I thought of an explanation.

"Well, my life isn't as important as Mai's. Plus she's my sister, and I don't like seeing her in pain." I answered honestly, unable to think of a good lie. Abruptly, Gene grabbed my upper arms and pulled me against him.

"DON'T say that. You are a human, and you are worth just as much as Mai. Both of you have a lot of people that love you. Only difference is that Mai has Naru, and you have ME." He told me fiercely, his eyes burning. Then he realized what he said. So did I.

"Um..." I mumbled, blushing. Then, I was kissing him.

It was as if a burning desire inside of me was being fed, only to add fuel to the concoction.

After what seemed like an eternity of love, safety and comfort, we broke apart for air. Breathing heavily, I stared up at him through my eyelashes.

"Ready to go back?" He asked, his voice thick with lust and desire. I giggled, before nodding and letting him entwine our fingers.

"Going somewhere, lovebirds?" A lazy voice asked, echoing through the hallways. Pausing, I stared at Gene in fright and watch his face contort with anger and worry.

"Go." He pushed me forward slightly, indicating that I should run.

"No! I'm not leaving you behind!" I all but screamed, angered. I wasn't running from a fight. I wasn't leaving him behind. I wasn't going to be a coward!

"Em, listen. You don't know how to control your powers. For all we know you can KILL yourself! GO, I'll be FINE." He yelled, this time shoving me with force. I stumbled forward, unable to gt my legs to work properly, and then I heard faint snarling. Growling. Footfalls.

"EM, GO!" Gene shouted again, this time sounding frustrated with me.

"NO WAIT DO YOU HEAR THAT?" I yelled back this time, causing him to stop screaming like a banshee and listen attentively. Then we both heard it; prominent snarling and growling. Definitely footballs.

"Shit." Gene swore, grabbing my hand and tugging me to his side.

"Stay at my side." He instructed, before turning back in the direction of the snarling. Of the growling. Of the- okay, wait. I think you get the idea.

"No escape for my pretty, little niece and her boyfriend!" The voice- Seika?- laughed.

"Em, do you think you can bring forth your powers?" Gene asked me urgently, giving me a pleading look. Nodding, not wanting to disappoint him, I concentrated long and hard. I thought of pikachu. I thought of lightning. I thought of sparks. Still, nothing. That's when I heard Gene cry out a warning and something heavy hit my side, sending me tumbling towards the floor. Crying out, I felt as if the right side of my body was being engulfed in flames. Searing pain spread throughout my body, and that's when I blacked out, vaguely aware of Gene's body falling as well.

Mai's POV:

I'd been talking with Yasu when I felt as if someone was cooking me over an open fire. Crying out in pain, aware of everyone's pleads and cries, I fell to the floor with my body twitching.

"Mai!" Everyone was yelling, again and again. Slowly their words morphed into strangled noises, pitched and broken. High and low. Whimpering, I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by walls of white-hot flames, each lick dancing with exotic feel.

"Where am I?" I whispered to myself.

"You're time is running out, young one." Someone's voice called out, sounding sickly sweet.

"What are you talking about?" I shouted, pissed.

"You'll find out." The voice crooned, before everything around me went black. I lost all sense of logic, and found myself drifting away...away...away.

A/N: Not much to say, 'cept I hope you review. AND AW! Emi and Gene had their first kiss :D