A/N: So busy!! I seriously need to barrow someone and make them lord over me with a stick...and everytime I stop writing, they need to maul me with it!! Then maybe I will actually get something done! ARG!

Naru began to silently and efficiently patch up Mai's cuts and lacerations. The wounds looked worse than they actually were due to the amount of blood that was present, which much to his relief Naru soon found after he started to disinfect and wipe clean the numerous cuts. "What happened?" Naru's voice was deceptively calm and Mai flinched. She knew that tone of voice; he was angry…

"I had a dream…" Mai said meekly, not liking the fact that Naru was giving her the 'are-you-stupid' look at her comment. "I was out in the garden…"

"The one we were at earlier today?" Naru questioned a little less harshly than he had before.

"Yes, the large garden with the pond. It was covered in black birds, crows or ravens I think. They were everywhere…" Naru watched as Mai's body tensed at the mention, she must have been pretty scared he concluded. It surprised him to no end the things that Mai could get into and pretend that she was not scared at all. She had foolishly sacrificed her self to a demon not too long ago...the memory was still fresh in his mind. How could the sight of mere birds make her so fearful after the last time?

"So then…" he let his words fade as realization hit. "These cuts…"

"Yeah…" Mai nodded shortly. "They started to attack me and I don't know why…but Gene pushed me into the pond and the birds didn't follow. That was when I woke up, though I would have liked to wake up sooner than I did! It felt like I was drowning…"

"Gene was there?" Naru spoke softly, almost too quietly for Mai to hear. She tensed again but for a totally different reason. It was not necessary to say that he was there or to say what he had done, but she forgot to hold her tongue…stupid, stupid, stupid…

"Nmm…" Mai responded just as quietly. "He told me it was dangerous there…he told me to leave…but I didn't, and then I got hurt…" Mai looked away, not wanting to face Naru. What was he thinking? What was he feeling? "He said that something changed, but he didn't know what. He said that many spirits were gathering, yet he didn't know why."

Naru was silent for a moment, apparently in thought before he spoke, "anything else?"

Mai reluctantly thought back through the dream…"the ravens" she paused. The thought sent chills up her spine, "they only saw me…even with Gene right there…they never saw him, never gave him any consideration. Every last one of them was trained on me…" Mai finished up in a whisper.

Naru could see that the dream had left Mai frightened and shaken. He decided he shouldn't press the matter. They could look into it in the morning when everyone was present to give input. "There." He stated dully as he finished patching up the wounds, "now get some rest, we are going to have a long day tomorrow."

"Ha!" Mai laughed sarcastically, "You can't be serious! There is no way I can sleep after seeing that. I can still feel the sensations…" she muttered under her breath, "it's creepy…"

"Hnnn…" Naru smirked slightly, out of her line of sight. "Afraid?"

"Of course I am afraid you idiot!" Mai huffed and scooted to the other side of the futon and grabbed a pillow to her chest. If she couldn't get her way she might as well pout and be cute. Maybe Naru would step up if she used tactics like that…

Naru's smirk widened, "well you don't have to be. I will be right here with you all night. There is nothing to be scared of. I will protect you."

In a matter of seconds, Mai's face turned beat red and she instinctively buried herself within the futon. She was sure Naru was making some infuriating expression…but Mai didn't want to see. She was tired, hurt, and scared…she didn't need to add being incredibly embarrassed to the list…even though she was.

Mai's blush deepened when she felt a weight close to her on the futon. Lights were turned off and the weight settled down under the covers, Mai went stiff…Naru was right next to her. 'What…what in the world!?' Mai's mind was racing a mile a minute…

"Does it hurt?" a soft voice filtered through the air. It was gentle and calm, calming Mai instantly. Her body relaxed and she rested properly on the futon.

"…not much anymore…I think the medicine kicked in…" Mai admonished shyly.

"Good…" Naru spoke barely above a whisper. "Don't let it bother you…sleep…I'm right here…" Mai could feel Naru's body heat. It was warm and comfortable, her mind wanted to shut off instantly due to the conditions…though her stubborn will was preventing her in doing so. "Don't think. Just go to sleep…"

"Hmm…" Mai mumbled before she let her eyes drift shut. For the second time that day, Mai feel asleep under circumstances that she was sure she would not be able to…and she sleep soundly the entire night…

A/N: Arg...like I said...someone with a stick! See this could have been added to the chapter before...and then it would have been longer...BUT NOOOOOO! I can't do anything the easy way! Hope you enjoyed it anyway! Thanks for reading!