AN: Sorry for the late update I have had computer issues and after a review I lost interest in writing because I was offended. Let me say I am writing in American. So I will be using Lin's name as Lin Koujo. Even this site has his name as Lin K. I do not want to have to end this story over something like that. --- ON A HAPPY NOTE: Thank you all for reading my story. I am very grateful. Please enjoy the next chapter.

Disclaimers: I do not own Ghost Hunt.

Never What it Seems

Day 2 Continued

"Mai-chan did you hear that?" John questioned as he rose from his kneeling position. Mai had been standing to the side clip board in hand when a scream pierced the air.

"We should check it out" Mai said as she started to run from the room. Mai was usually blind when it came to danger and had a tendency of getting into danger herself. What caused the problem was that Mai cared far more than others would.

"Mai.." John began before giving up he knew Mai would not listen she was concerned about what was going on. He was as well. Running from the room he had been left in which was on the first floor he ran up the stairs following Mai. It took him a bit he finally was able to catch up with her in time to see Naru, Lin, and Aya run out of base. Mai could hear Monk down the hall chanting in the direction the scream had come from.

Aya ran at Lin's side toward her charge's scream her eyes were focused as she suddenly threw her arm out a white light seemed to detach itself from her arm and head in the direction. Mai's eyes grew round with wonder. That was her shiki. She thought. Lin looked to Aya from the corner of his eye. She looks paler than before. He thought as he felt his sense match hers. As they rounded the corner Aya gasped and called out to her charge. Shina was leaning against the wall a gash in her arm. Aya moved to stand in front of Shina until she knew the situation. Feeling her shiki assuring her that all was over Aya sighed in relief.

"Shina look at me" Aya ordered as she turned the girl's face to her. She could clearly see that her charge was scared out of her mind. Ayako was at Aya's side applying pressure to Shina's arm. The wound was not as deep as it appeared, but it did need to be bandaged. Together Ayako and Aya helped to Shina to stand up. Looking down at Shina, Aya felt her shiki return to her as it wrapped itself around her arm. Mai gasped in surprise. It looked like a small Chinese dragon. Aya turned to Mai and looked down to what had caught the girl's attention. How can this girl see my shiki? Aya thought silently.

"You can see it?" She asked softly. Mai nodded unable to speak. The creature was beautiful. Aya just smiled in reaction to the awed girl. "Please let's keep this quiet for now. My shiki will make their appearance shortly." Aya whispered. Mai smiled nodding her head as she ran off after Ayako and Shina. Aya remained in the hall. Her eyes were closed and as soon as she heard the sound of footsteps leading away from her, she leaned against the wall her head down. She counted her breathes as she tried to bring her breathing back under control. She had no intentions of summoning her shiki yet. She was not ready for it.

"Are you ill, Aya?" She heard a deep voice say close to her. Aya's head jerked up in surprise her violet eyes wide with unease.

"Lin? I thought you had left." She said as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I was going to when I noticed how pale you were." He stated as if it were obvious moving close to her he placed his hand to her forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever." He stated as he looked down at her. She seemed troubled. Suddenly his hands were pushed away and moved past him.

"Thank you Koujo-san, but I am fine." She said her voice devoid of emotion. Lin watched her as she left. Since when did things get so difficult between us? Lin thought. He and Aya had worked many cases together and eventually had become friends. Yet, things were different now. Could one night really change everything? Letting out a small sigh Lin returned to the base.

Later that evening after dinner was served Shina told everyone what had scared her.

"There was a man standing outside the door when I came out. At first I really thought he was human that is until I passed through him. I had every intention of coming straight back to base Aya I did. Its just I knew you would not be feeling well later and I wanted to get your medicine tea. I was just about to call out to alert you through your shiki when I felt a pain slice through my arm. It was horrible. I don't know how he did it, but I know it was him. He smiled at the blood and then disappeared. That is all I remember honestly." Shina cried out. Aya moved and sat by her side rubbing the girl's back.

"I know Shina, I know. Please just calm down. Mai-chan dear could you get her some tea I believe it will calm her nerves." Aya said. She looked to Lin and Naru where they sat near the sitting area, but apart. Lin looked up at her as he finished typing what Shina had gone through and everyone's involvement. Aya was holding the young girl as if she would break. He knew that she had always been good with kids, but this…this had more of a motherly feel to it.

After just a few minutes Mai returned with a cup of tea for Shina and for the others which Aya refused. She was content to watch Shina. Suddenly Ayako looked up her attention focused on Aya.

"Are you ill?" She questioned her mahogany eyes sharp. Aya looked up as if startled.

"No…I am not sick any longer. My body is still weak, because of it however so I use Chinese herbs to regain my strength." She said quietly. Her voice shook as she spoke of her weakness almost as if the discussion made her uneasy. She looked to Naru and then to Madoka. "I assure you that this will not be a problem. I am still more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Oh no dear that will not be a problem at all you should know that by now. I know you are able to teach others a thing or two." Madoka said with a bright smile. She had seen Aya in action before. Her and her shiki always seemed to be in sync together. It was pretty amazing to see. Looking down at her watch she noticed that it was time for the guests to start coming in to be interviewed. As if on que there was a knock at the door. Mai rushed to answer it with a smile on her face. Two people were ushered into the room, a young man with dirty blonde hair and a young woman around his age with dark brown hair.

"Would you happen to be Mr. And Mrs. Daichi?" Madoka asked with a tilt of her head.

"Um…yes," replied the man. Naru was seated in an arm chair while the couple was seated at the couch. Once seeing to the two being seated Mai ran off to fix tea. Over all what happened with the Daichi's and with the following couples that arrived was similar to what Mrs. Takahiro had described to the group earlier.

"Oh man that was a rush. I can't believe twenty people have had weird experiences yet are still wanting to stay here. Do they get a thrill out of being scared?" Monk complained as he leaned back in his chair arms spread wide. "I mean come on. If someone close to me got sick for some mysterious reason I would be out of here."

Mai tried not to laugh at the dramatic comments made by Monk. He had always hated having to listen to all the accounts of others, but what he hated more was having to scribe it. Luckily there was Lin for that, who always had a knack for typing faster than the others could manage.

"Well I believe that is it for the day. Once we have our dinner I believe it would be wise for all of us to seek our beds. Come morning we will have a lot to do." Naru said with a snap of his folder. His cold eyes were focused on the group, as Lin continued to work on his computer.

"Wooho, food!" Monk yelled as he jumped out of the chair seemingly revived from the lifeless few hours they had all endured. Without waiting he was already out the door followed by a yelling Ayako, which was reminding him to act like an adult. John smiled sheepishly as he, Mai, and Masako went after them. Madoka just shook her head as she watched them. Smiling she looked back to Aya to see that Shina had run after them. Aya was smiling back at her.

"You have a good group with you Madoka. That is the first time I have seen Shina actually wanting to interact with others." Looking over to Naru Aya added. "I can see now why Shibuya Psychic Research is highly recommended in the paranormal world."

Naru looked to Aya stunned to find out that SPR was well known by others. He usually tired to keep a low profile to ensure people did not find out that he was Dr. Oliver Davis. While his team knew the truth now, he still preferred that the general public not discover the truth. He did not have the time to become a celebrity as well as a ghost hunter. Shaking her head Aya stood slowly and walked out of the room hand in hand with Madoka, while Madoka talked about the different cases that Naru and his team had solved. Aya smiled as she listened, but something was bothering Naru it was almost as if something was not being told. He would have to watch Aya carefully while she seemed to have unique skills if she worked with bother his teacher and his assistant he still did not trust her. She seemed too guarded. Looking to Lin he noticed that he had stopped typing and was watching the door in which the two had exited.

"Lin." Naru said bluntly. Jerked out of his thoughts Lin looked up at Naru.
"Yes Naru?" He said quietly as he returned to his computer to finish up the work that he was doing.

"Never mind it is not important." Naru said as he uncrossed his arms. If there was more to Lin and Aya, Lin would have told him before. Naru hated for things to be kept from him. Hitting save Lin rose from his chair and looked down at his charge that was in deep thought.

"Naru shall we join the others for dinner." Lin said as he held his hand out to the door. With a nod Naru and Lin exited base and headed for the dining hall.

Dinner was unusually quiet. All the guests that had gathered for dinner watched the group with unease. They knew who they were and were afraid of what it could mean, so the group at their dinner in silence. Mai noticed that Lin, Naru, and Aya ate a strict meal that was different from the others. Yet the three did not seem to care. She guessed that they were use to it. While they eat the group reviewed all the details in their minds. Yet none of them had any clue as to where to begin. After dinner the group broke away into two groups, male and female. As Naru passed Mai she could have sworn she heard him say "Sleep well." But that had to be her imagination Naru would never say something like that unless he wanted her to dream on the case. Grounding her teeth Mai figured that is what he wanted. Noticing she had fallen behind she started to run off. Just as she was moving she noticed that Lin and Aya had broken off from the group and were talking further down the hall. Moving a bit closer to the two onmyoji she tried to listen in however, she did not notice she was not the only one listening in.

Aya gasped as Lin grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the hall further from the group. No matter how hard she fought she could not get her wrist lose and she could feel the panic rising inside her. She hated having her wrists held tight and Lin should have known that.

"Lin please stop it your hurting me" she whimpered as she tried again to pull her wrist lose. Lin stopped where he was standing and turned to look down at her noticing the fear in her eyes and that he was holding her wrist tightly her dropped her wrist. Leaning against the wall he ran his hand through his black hair causing it to fall unrulely back over his right eye.

"What is going on here Aya?" Lin asked suddenly his eyes still trained on the ceiling.

"I am not sure what is going on here. I feel many different things." Aya answered honestly. She was referring to the case however it appeared that Lin was not.

"I don't mean about the cause Aya. Why are you not talking to me like you use to?" He questioned again this time he was looking down at her. He saw her visibly flinch as he spoke. Yet, she remained silent. He continued to look down at her and noticed a certain sadness sink into her eyes. "Aya is this about that night in China? I didn't mean to leave without telling you. I had to get back to England to Naru."

Aya looked up at him her eyes colder than he had ever seen them. She regarded him as if he had hurt her in some unreasonable way. She moved to leave, but Lin couldn't have that he had to know what was going on. He did the first thing that came to mind and grabbed her hand careful to not grab her wrist. Feeling his hand Aya turned back her eyes wide. "Talk to me Aya." Was all he said.

"Why, Lin? Why should I explain anything to you? You are the one that walked out. What was I to you? A one night stand? I have my pride Lin. I won't let you crush it again. A person can't walk away from something like that with no consequences. We were foolish. That is all. We are what we always were associates." She said as she pulled her hand away from his quickly. Tears had started to gather in the corners of her eyes and she would be damned if she let Lin see how much he effected her. Once free she ran. Ran from the past, ran from the memories, ran from the hurt expression Lin wore, and ran from the pain that ate away at her heart from the secret she held. Aya ran past Mai and the other that was watching and straight to her and her charge's room, which was separate from the others. Shina laid sleeping in her bed and Aya didn't care she ran straight to her bathroom and cried her heart out.

Lin leaned against the wall looking down at his hand. "A one night stand, huh?" He whispered softly as he drew his hand into a fist. The anger at that one statement bubbled inside him. How could she think that? He questioned himself. Shaking his head he punched the wall in front of him. He had screwed up and it was big this time. He had rushed out that night without a second thought. He had told no one, but instead had boarded a plane and had returned to England like nothing had ever happened. He couldn't imagine what Aya had thought. This was going to be a long case if he did not figure out how to fix this.

Mean while just down the hall Mai stood there stunned. Lin has a past. She thought. Turning she failed to notice the person standing behind her and ran straight into the black abyss. She leaned back ready to scream when a hand came down on her mouth. She looked up and saw Naru motioning for her to be quiet. She nodded dumbfounded and followed him a distance off towards the team's rooms. Once out of ear shot he uncovered her mouth.

"Naru…" She began.

"Don't Mai." Naru said harshly as he looked back the way they came. "Mai don't tell anyone what you heard alright?" Mai just looked up at him nodding. "Good now go to bed." He said as he turned and enter the men's room. Mai followed his actions and entered the girl's room. She hoped Lin would be alright. After getting ready for bed she lead in her bed and listened pretty soon she heard footsteps coming down the hall which was followed by the guy's room's door opening. After hearing that she knew Lin had returned to the group, she just wondered how much damage had been done to the two.

But what all those that were gathered in that hall way failed to notice was the ghostly outline of a man that stood there watching Aya and Lin. There was a glint in the man's eyes one that spoke of death. As everyone vacated the hall, his voice rang out in a chilling way.

"No more secrets. Women are the lying deaths of all."

AN: Sorry for the late update I was nervous doing this chapter and again thanks for all the great reviews. I am sorry if there are any grammar errors.