I do Not own the Anime/Manga Ghost Hunt, or its characters.

Set before the team learns about Naru's PK.

"Nothing so far," Monk sighed as he answered his walkie-talkie. We had taken to walking around the fourth floor, inspecting the class rooms after the failed attempt in the principal's office. Almost two hours have passed since we started, and there wasn't even so much as a drop in air temperature.

"Come back to Base, then." The disappointment and irritation in Naru's voice was easily heard, even over the static.

We shared a look before he shrugged and led us back to Base. I was beginning to think we'd be stuck in this waiting game until we were old and grey. As we walked down the fourth floor corridor, I looked out the windows lining it. Each step brought us closer to the staircase and each second the clouds came closer and darker until -

BOOM!

Thunder erupted above our heads and the lights flickered out. Howling wind shook the glass in their frames as snow came gushing down from the sky, and I could swear to God that it sounded like someone crying out in fear and pain. After the first moment of fright, Ayako began walking ahead of us. Monk shrugged again as we shared another look. We picked up our pace to catch up with her, but something caught my eye - outside, by the pond.

Red.

I stopped when I was above the pond, and put my hands over the glass, peering into the darkness and snow. It looked like someone was wearing a red jacket. The temperature around me was quickly dropping, and I wondered vaguely if we'd need the to start up the school's heating system. But, all the teachers were in their own rooms and Naru had said they wouldn't leave Base until we got back. Did something happen?

"JOHN, LOOK OUT!"

I twisted around, heart suddenly in my throat, and came face to face with that hound. It was much, much larger than it had been last time - how was that even possible?! I tried to step back, but was trapped against the window. I could feel my legs shaking, and my hand shot into my pocket - I was so stupid; how could I have been so stupid?! - and it snarled, crouching lower.

Just as I freed the holy water from my jeans - I could hear Monk and Ayako chanting, could feel the energy in the very air - it launched itself at me!

I threw my arms up to shield my face, dropping the holy water. I felt the glass crack and shatter under the weight and momentum. It dissipated into nothingness, but it was too late. I twisted, falling through open air as snow stung my cheeks, to see the ground hurtling upwards to meet me. I could hear my heart beating, could feel the tears fill my eyes, but I wasn't afraid.

Then, I slammed into the ice cold water of the green pond.

It was so cold, it burned and ate right through my clothes. I felt like I had just been hit by a mac truck, but I forced my arms and legs to move and tried to go in the direction I thought was up. Weeds of some sort lined the bottom, darker than the green water. I tried to kick, to propel myself upwards - already my lungs ached - but they latched onto my legs. At first, I thought I was just tangled but no. Two more weeds shot upwards and tied themselves to my wrists and keeping me pinned.

Fighting back panic, I struggled and twisted, trying - and failing miserably - to break free.

I really need to work out more often, The thought was slightly hysterical.

Suddenly, my vision was filled by long black hair that was a mess of tangles and twigs and a red jacket, torn and crusted with muck. Two brown eyes stared into mine, her lips twisted into a sick, wide grin. She cupped my face with he hands, setting fire to the burning cold, and looked deep into my eyes. I could feel something scratching in my mind, sending white hot agony behind my eyes. It felt like someone was inside my head, uprooting everything and throwing it all about...searching.

My lungs began to burn.

And then it stopped.

I blinked away the white that had blurred away my vision, and she looked different. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail, the jacket a brighter color. No longer was she smiling; she looked on the verge of tears. But I couldn't...It was getting hard to focus. My vision was darkening, my heart galloping my chest.

And then I was float.

Her arms wrapped around me, warm - actual, solid warmth and flesh. She pulled us up through the water, the air leaving my lungs without my consent, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked to be a skull.

We broke the surface of the water and she hauled me up onto the wall. Her voice was soft, and so very musical. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, John. I-I didn't know that you...that you and I are so much alike. I'm sorry."

I forced my head to move, to look at her, but she was gone.

Somehow, it was warmer up here - I was soaked clean through and heaving giant breaths. Snow swirled in the air, sticking to my cheeks and clothing, but the howling wind had stopped. The air was calm, sad even. Nausea rolled in my gut and I coughed up what had to be pints of water. I didn't even have the strength to finish pulling myself out of the water - my legs floated in the water.

A moment later, I heard a bang. Glancing over, I saw two strong beams of light. Mai voice was high pitched, sobs wracking her words, "There's no way he's still alive! Not from a fall like that!"

The beams slowed and I gave a half hearted wave.

"JOHN!" Monk, Ayako, and Mai shouted. They all bolted towards me; Monk slipping on some ice. It was Lin who hauled me the rest of the way out of the water. Blackness danced across my vision, the snow shimmering.

-X-

"Even if I wanted to go to the hospital - which, I don't - we can't leave. That storm is all but a white out. We'd crash on that gravel, winding road that leads out of here." I had been forcibly changed by Lin, Monk and Naru. They dried me off, dressed me in the warmest clothes they could and wrapped me in several thick quilts. I was currently sitting on my futon, curled up in a shivering ball. It was the first time I had seen Lin worried for anyone other than Naru, and I could tell Naru was just as concerned.

That was just plain freaky.

"You have frost bite!" Ayako shouted from her place by the door, hands on her hips. "You probably have hypothermia!"

"Blue lips and frost bite are two different things," I shot back.

"Your fingertips are blue!" She threw her arms in the air.

"I'm fine," I repeated as firmly as I could; my teeth were trying their hardest to chatter.

She scowled, crossing her arms angrily. "I don't know how you survived that fall with nothing more than a few scratches and bruises, but getting sick is a real possibility, Father John. Really sick. Do you want to wind up in the hospital?"

"Isn't that where you want to take me anyway?" I growled, having finally lost my patience. They looked at me in shock - even Lin, who never shows anything. Ever. Maybe I had been too nice in the past. Maybe I had been too soft and let others walk over me. But not now. Not when I was needed. I turned my attention to Naru, "She spoke to me. She was there - in the water."

His eyes narrowed in thought, and I tried to suppress the shivers that were shaking my shoulders. "What did she say, exactly?"

I looked up and away, going back in my memory. I blinked in surprise. I knew what I had heard -it had been plain as day when she had said it - but it didn't make it any easier to believe. Nor how it was she had gotten my name, had known about our similar past without asking me. "She knew my name. She said she was sorry. That...we were the same."

"How'd she know your name?" Monk asked, eyes widening.

"What did she look like?" Mai asked, almost at the same time.

"I think it would be best for him to go through the entire ordeal, rather than us just ask random questions." Naru interrupted, sounding as Naru-like as ever.

I bit the inside of my cheek; this wasn't going to be pleasant.

-X-

"And do you know why she said that?" Naru asked, a notebook under his palm, a pen in his fingers.

"Said what?" I asked warily. It was almost midnight and exhaustion had sank deep into my bones. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and sleep for the next three years, and then some. By this point, I was beyond caring about anything.

"That she was sorry," Lin specified.

"She had her hound shove me through a closed window and into a pond," I deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. "That seems self explanatory."

"And what about her saying that you were the same?" Monk asked lowly, eyes tracing over my face.

I scrubbed my hands over my own eyes, which were itching with tiredness. Couldn't this wait til later? I sighed heavily, "I don't know."

"I don't appreciate being lied to." Naru said sharply.

I gave him a withering glare. "And what reason would I have to lie?"

His eyes narrowed and I met them straight on, not flinching, not wavering, not fearing. Naru looked away first, having not found what he had intended to. He made an agitated noise that could have meant anything, gathered his stuff and got up. "Bed rest for the rest of today and tomorrow. If you develop anything worse than a slight fever, or if Monk thinks your coughs get too bad, you will be going to the hospital."

He swept out of the room, Lin on his tail, and leaving all of us in different mind sets.

The thing of it was, you could have me take a lie detector's test and I would pass. You could take me to a shrink and they'd tell you I was in great health. You could take me to a doctor's office and they wouldn't question the scars because they wouldn't be able to see them. I was taught what to say, how to say it and knew why I had to.

But it was hard to remember all the lies after a while.

Each scar had a story. Each nameless encounter, a sick feeling. Each story had a meaning. Each meaning was woven in lies. Lies to protect them, lies to protect me, lies to stop the pain and guilt.

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