Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt
A/N: 20th chapter of AA! Woot! I am on a roll! Thank you guys for reading so far! And a big thank you to my beta for helping me. Also this story was originally going to be 25 chapters but as I plot out the...well...plot, it might be more then that. Enjoy!
The fall to the bottom wasn't far. Lin lands on his feet, glancing around. It was fairly dark, with the feeling of dampness in the air. Lin clicks on the mini flashlight that he always kept in his back pocket.
"Sho!"
His voice echoes off the walls. His dark eyes tried to look in the dark, realizing the walls of the bottom of the well were pressing forward. He finds himself surprise at the sight of a tunnel. Lin realize in the research that was done that there was no mention of tunnel. But then again, the past on the place was very vague.
The top of his head barely brush the ceiling. It was cool, damp, and looked like the tunnel had not been used in years.
"Sho!" He shouts again, leaving echoes vibrating all around him.
This was new. This was different. Yes, he had encounter many a case where a child on the scene was possessed by a spirit. He lost count over the years how many times he had to help them. It was only different now because of the relationship he had with the boy.
Sho was Sayuri's cousin, who was her ward...her son.
This was her baby and if anything happens to Sho...
Lin was going to get an ass kicking if he showed up without the boy. His eyes close momentarily, breathing a faint pray. He had to find Sho, safe and unharmed. He quietly punishes himself, and thus wouldn't regret having Sayuri beat him to a pulp.
"Sho!"
The light from the small flashlight didn't give enough light ahead. Lin shouldn't panic yet and the tunnel seem to go a long ways. With most tunnels, there is usually a end. Lin does find it, seeing that the top of the hatch was open. Sunlight pours down into the tunnel, with Lin climbing up the ladder.
When finally out, Lin notices that he was back at the house.
Sho was waiting for him, sitting on the lowest stoop. Chocolate brown eyes look up as the Chinese man approaches him. Dark grey eyes look serious as Lin kneels down to Sho's level. Sho knew he be in trouble but it was for a good reason. He was willing to take any punishment.
"I'm sorry," Sho immediately speaks before Lin could say anything, "I really am. I didn't mean to run off like that. But Takao needed me."
"Takao...the spirit..." Lin grabs a hold of the boy gently, "are you alright? Are you hurt? Did he hurt you?"
"I'm fine, and no he didn't," Sho frowns, "he's so sad...and lonely. All he wants is to see his mother again. Lin, we have to help him. He's all alone and scared."
Sincerity and worry are in the voice of the eight year old. It touches Lin's soul. All the boy wanted was to help the poor spirit of the boy move on so he can be reunited with his mother.
"Please Lin," tears didn't want to form but they did, "we have to help him! He's so scared!"
"Did Takao tell you want happened?"
"He kinda showed me," Sho stares down at his shoes, "it was kinda hazy but I couldn't blame him. Takao was scared. He just wanted to get away."
"Get away? From what or who?"
"Who," Sho frowns, "I think somebody hurt him. Really bad and that...I want to help him. I told Takao I would! I promised him and I'm going to keep it."
"Sho," Lin places his hands on the boy's shoulders, "I want you to listen. Sometimes you can get a spirit to crossover. Maybe this time, Takao will. But I'm letting you know. Not ever case has a happy ending."
"I know that," Sho continues to look as serious as possible, "Kyo's one of those. I can't help him but I can help Takao."
"How about we go inside the house and you can everyone what happen, alright?" Lin stands up, "I want to help Takao too but we need to fill everyone else in."
"Okay!" Sho gets up quickly.
"Sho?"
"Yes, Lin?"
"You need to tell Sayuri that you wander off without me," Lin gives him a look. A look that his dad had only given to him once or twice. Sho stops moving, looking in the man's eyes.
"Yes, sir." Sho walks inside, with Lin on his heels.
Sho found everyone back at base. Everyone turns around to see Sho and Lin walk into the room. Sayuri turns, smiling before making a face. Sho freezes, noticing that he look like he had fallen into the dirt. He looks back up, trying his best to grin at Sayuri. Lin finally notice the state that Sho was in. All the man had cared about was finding Sho alive and well.
"What are earth happened?" Sayuri moves forward
"Are you alright?" She kneels down, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
"I'm okay."
"You!" Sayuri stands up, pointing a finger at Lin, "What did you let him do? Fall down into a hole or something?"
"Actually it was a well," Sho speaks up.
"WHAT?"
Dangerous grey eyes turn on Lin.
Normally, the Chinese man had nothing to fear. Only once had he accidentally upset a mother before. He came out of the hospital with a broken arm, a dislocated hip, and a minor concussion.
"It was my fault!" Sho speaks up before Sayuri could do any damage to Lin, "I met a ghost!"
"Huh?" Sayuri let go of the Lin's tie, turning to her cousin, "you met a ghost?"
"Yes, his name is Takao. He was the same age of me when he died. I think...I think something bad happened to him. I was in the well, in the tunnel because that's where he remember being alive. Takao was running from someone. Someone mean and wanting to hurt him. We gotta help him!"
Sayuri felt her heart melt.
"Please? I promised him. Wouldn't you want to help too? He's all alone and all he wants is to be with his mom again."
Chocolate brown eyes stare right into her soul.
Warm tears form in her eyes but never fall.
"Naru?" Lin stares at the dark haired boy who just walk in as Sho was explaining what had happened.
"We'll help Takao crossover," Naru speaks, walking up to Sho, "as you said, you made him a promise, correct?"
"Yes I did. I don't back down on my promises," Sho huffs, ready to do whatever it took to help his new ghost friend.
"And we wouldn't want you too," Naru ruffles his hair.
"Thank you!" Sho nearly hugs the dark haired boy when Sayuri stops him.
"Oh no you don't. Before you go ghost hunting anymore, you need to get clean up, mister." Sayuri holds Sho by the back of his jacket, making a face.
"But do I have to?" Sho pouts.
"Sho...listen to Sayuri," Lin speaks up.
"Fine," Sho makes a face.
"I'll go help ya clean up," Mai takes the boy's hand into hers, "don't worry Sayuri. I'll get him clean up in no time. You can help down here."
"Thanks Mai," Sayuri plants a kiss on Sho's dirty cheek, "You're a pain but you're my pain."
"Love ya too," Sho makes face as Mai shepherds him to go get clean up. Everyone leaves, going back to their posts or whichever they were doing. Sayuri turns around to see Lin about to head out back to the cottage.
"Lin?"
Lin turns around to see the brunette standing there with one hand brushing her arm. Her eyes look away, looking apologetic.
"I'm sorry about my behavior but...it had me worried. Sorry if I didn't believe you couldn't watch Sho. I...he's..."
"Sayuri," A hand touches her cheek, "the last thing I want to do to you is to have Sho hurt. Eight year old boys are naturally curious, especially ones like Sho who like help ghost boys find their mothers."
"I know," she was chewing on her lip, acting nervous, "I just...he's...I wouldn't want you to think I'm being a horrible guardian or that..."
"Quit being so hard on yourself."
Nobody spoke. Nobody said a word at the interaction. Naru was completely stunned as Lin remove his hand from her cheek after she walked away to help Father John with something. Sho had return downstairs with Mai to notice the odd behavior. Everyone was acting weird except for Lin and Sayuri.
Mai was the first to speak, pointing and whispering. "No way. Please tell me that I'm just imagining things. Is Lin actually... showing care?"
"That's odd," Monk whispers, "he usually doesn't...what happened to him?"
Naru sighs, rubbing his temple irritably. "Sayuri happened." He looks up, "Well, to be honest, I kind of anticipated this. However, right now isn't the time. We have a case on our hands."
Sho overheard Naru.
"We're really gonna help him?" He exclaims, skipping over to Naru and clutching the older boy's sleeve.
"Of course we are," Naru looks down, "while Takao was in your body, do you remember anything that might give us a clue?"
"The tunnel."
Naru nods, "Right. Alright, we'll head down and inspect the tunnel. See if it branches off or if we find any evidence."
Sayuri and John come back with flashlights and compasses. Sho walks over to Sayuri, staring up at her.
"Are you mad at me?"
Sayuri sighs, "Yes and no. What you did was reckless and terrified me..." She kneels down, gripping his shoulders tenderly. "I was so scared I had lost you. I can't lose you, Sho. You're my baby and I love you. Yet, you're doing a good thing by helping Takao crossover. And I know that Kyo is looking out for you too."
Sho frowns, "I'm sorry...I didn't think...I'm sorry for making you worry. But I just wanted to help Takao...the least I can do since we can't help Kyo."
She ruffles his hair, "I understand. Now when we go down there, I want you sticking close to either Takigawa or myself."
"Or me!" Mai exclaims.
"Okay," Sho hugs Sayuri before taking her hand. Sayuri smiles as Naru gathers them all together. The owners of the home clearly didn't know about the tunnel underneath their land so the group had nothing to go on. "Try not to get lost," Naru states, "we'll have radios on us. If you get confuse, don't try and find your way out. We'll come find you. Just try and stick together."
Everyone was separated into pairs, except whoever Sho was stuck with.
"Man, this tunnel is creepy." Monk laughs as he looks at Sho, "Brave little man we got here."
"Yeah," Sho blushes.
"What was the last thing you remember?"
"Running down the tunnel...then somehow slipping. I couldn't get my footing then..." Sho pauses, "something bad is here. Something keeping Takao here."
Mai stiffens, eyes widening as she covers her mouth and staggers. Naru places a hand on her back, the other on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he says softly.
"I...smell blood."
Sho looks up, staring down the dark tunnel. A faded image of a sad boy is straight ahead.
"Takao..."
Sayuri smell what Mai smelled, holding her hand to mouth and nose. She touches Sho's shoulder, seeing the little boy fading in and out.
"Help..."
John shudders as the boy's helpless voice echoes around them.
"Takao..." Sayuri speaks up, "we're here...are we close? Can you tell us what happened?"
"Tried... to get... away... He caught me..."
"Who caught you?"
"Takao, you gotta tell us," Sho walks closer to the ghost boy, "don't be scared, we can help you..."
The shadows along the wall and floor of the tunnel started to morph as Sho got closer to the ghost. "Sho!" Lin lunges forward, wrapping an arm around the waist of the small boy and jerking backwards just as another spirit appears. It flickers, eyes red and demonic as Takao screams and vanishes.
The demon stares, glaring at the group.
"STAY AWAY!"
A large shockwave sends the group flying down the tunnel as the demon takes form as a shadow man.
"Takao!" Sho screams, trying to break free from Lin's protective grasp.
"What did you do to that poor child?" Sayuri shouts.
John springs forward, Holy Water ready as he begins to say his prayer. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word of God -"
He was cut off, flying hard into the ceiling. Monk manages to catch the blond priest before he could hit the ground.
"I won't be easily defeated, priest!"
"Who are you!" Naru demands, eyes flickering. "Why did you harm him?"
"His whore of a mother turned on me. He was the shell of her. How dare she use me and love him more? I'm the one who gave her everything she wanted!"
Mai's eyes widen, "N-No way... h-his own stepfather?"
"You bastard!" Sayuri growls. "How dare you kill something so innocent! You better burn in hell for that!"
"Not as long as I take someone with me. You're first, bitch!"
A long, shadowy like hand grabs Sayuri by her ankles.
"No!" Lin snarls.
Sayuri screams, getting slammed down hard onto the floor. She reaches out, feeling herself get dragged into darkness. Her friends were becoming distant rapidly.
Kyo...please...hear me out! Wherever you are! Help us!
She feels herself be released a moment later, hearing the spirit hiss madly in agony. She scrambles to her feet, ignoring the blood and dirt covering her knees and forearms as she tries to run back in the direction of her friends. Her long brown hair whips around her frame as she dares to look back.
A warm, light blue light illuminates the tunnel as soft, glowing wings appear out of the back of the samurai who had his hand around the neck of the shadow man.
Angry grey eyes stare into red.
Never touch my kin again.
Please...please...have mercy... The demon begs, terrify of the angel that stood before him.
"Kyo!"
The samurai raises the sword up, wanting to plunge it into the belly of the demon. His eyes glance up momentarily to see Takao's shaken spirit cowering in the corner. The sword stops just above the chest of the shadow man.
"Father, if you please... purify Takao."
John nods weakly, "R-Right..."
Kyo holds up Takao's stepfather by his neck before throwing him against the other wall. He holds out his hand to the boy, kneeling down to his level. Takao reaches out, taking Kyo's hand. Immediately he began to glow with a warm light, all fear fading from his face. He sent a look at Sho.
"Thank you. Maybe one day, we can play together!"
Sho smiles, "Yeah! One day, we will."
Sayuri wraps her arms around Sho, "tell your mother we say hi, Takao."
"I will..."
Takao closes his eyes, and fades away.
Kyo faintly smiles, turning to the group. The samurai walks up to Sayuri and Sho before kneeling down to look the boy in the eye.
That was a very brave thing you did for Takao...I'm proud of you.
Sho sniffles, tears sliding down his face. "Y-Yeah..."
Kyo reaches out and touches Sho's face, not saying a word. It felt like air brushing at his cheek as Sho tries to wipe his eyes.
The spirit of the step father tries to get back up off his feet in the corner, obviously weakened by the samurai. A large, gaping black hole appears on the wall behind the spirit. Large, black streaks reach out and grabbed the spirit. The man gives a howl as it starts to pull him towards the opening.
"No! Please! I don't deserve it! Please!"
"Murder is a sin. It's time you paid for your crimes." John whispers.
Kyo blocks the view with his wings as the spirit is pulled into the gaping hole. The hole vanishes instantly as it came. Sayuri collapses, leaning against the wall with her legs angled out in relief. She opens her eyes, feeling hands on her legs and rolling up her jeans. Her face burns to see Lin wordlessly attending to her wounds.
"You know, I was going to take care of-" She closes her mouth by the look he gave her.
"Just shut up and don't move." Lin smirks.
Sayuri rolls her eyes, trying to hide her blushing face. Kyo raises an eyebrow, staring at the two curiously.
"Lin...Kyo is giving you a funny look," Sho looks between the samurai and the Chinese man.
Lin doesn't even reply, simply finishing and then picking her up in his arms like that of a princess. Monk makes a face as well, while Mai giggles hysterically into her hands.
"Lin, you don't have to carry me," Sayuri tries to hide that her blushing face.
Kyo looks at Sho as the two share a chuckle before the samurai vanishes.
"Would you put me down?" Sayuri was now annoyed since Lin had even carried up her up out of the tunnel, "I can walk on my own."
"Oh boy, she's going to kill him," Monk comments.
Lin simply continues to carry her, not saying a word.
"Ugh, stop it with the silent prince charming act already! It's pissing me off!" Sayuri growls.
Sho covers his mouth after letting out a chuckle. Mai pokes him to which gets them both started. Sayuri felt a vein throbbing as she turns her head at them, "this isn't funny."
"I think it's rather amusing." Monk laughs. "Especially since Lin isn't even cowering from you."
"Quit it..." Sayuri hangs her head, trying to cover her blushing face with her hair.
"Aw but it's cute."
"Mai, I swear..."
Lin rolls his eyes, "If you don't mind, I think those without much room to speak should keep quiet."
He sends a scary look towards Monk and Mai, who both turned pink and immediately look away, Mai fidgeting and avoiding the general area that Naru was in.
Sho walks up to Lin, looking up at Sayuri, "if you did walk, you be complaining about how much your legs hurt."
"No, I wouldn't."
"Yeah, you would."
Sayuri sighs, "Look, I'm not a child."
"No, but you bruised the tissue underneath. You're going to have a minor limp for at least three days. If you put strain on your injuries, then you'll be out of commission, and therefore useless. Stop whining and be quiet. Your pride isn't important."
Sayuri gives Lin a death glare before she just sighs, "fine..."
He smirks, "Good girl."
Then, much to everyone's surprise, he placed a quick kiss to her temple.
Sayuri's entire body turned a shade of red that they never thought they see on her.
"Huh. Red brings out her eyes." John pointed out, completely oblivious.
"No it does not!" Sayuri turns, glaring at the priest.
"You should get rid of the brown, Sayuri," Sho speaks up, "I always like your red hair."
"Well, I don't."
"I like her as a brunette. We look like sisters then." Mai points out.
"Thank you..."
"Though to see you with red hair would be amusing," Ayako smirks evilly.
"Just get a wig," Monk snorts.
Sayuri bares her teeth at him, "That's it! No more video game privileges with Sho!"
Monk looks crushed, "But...but... who else am I gonna play with?"
"A twenty-five-year-old grown man playing video games with an eight-year-old?" Ayako sweatdrops, "Why doesn't this surprise me?"
Sayuri's cell phone rings, causing the young woman to jump. She forgot she left it in her pocket.
She squirms in Lin's arms, managing to unearth it.
"Hello?"
"Sayuri? Oh thank God I got a hold of you!" Tsubaki was on the other line, sounding winded.
Sayuri sighs, "What's up?"
"Ritsuke and I..."
"Oh gawd, are you pregnant?"
"What? No! We have a case for you!"
"Oh thank gawd," Sayuri gets looks from everyone, "what?"
"Um, why are you asking Tsubaki if she's gonna be a mommy?" Sho asks, eyes wide.
"I'll tell you later," Sayuri winces as she uncovers the phone, "so what's the case?"
"There's an old cement factory on the outskirts of town. A lot of rumors of teenagers who sneak out there late at night keep saying they found blood in one of the rooms. Ritsuke thought it might be a crime scene, but when we went to investigate..."
"And it's not blood...okay, we'll take it. Make sure to get the file to Naru and Lin."
"Don't worry I-"
The phone gets taken away from Tsubaki as Ritsuke is on the line now, "Sayuri? You need to come home, now!"
"Why? What's wrong?"
"Well...your house got broken into."
Sayuri pales, "What?"
"Yeah, I ended up getting contacted by one of your neighbors. I haven't been inside but what the local police say it's the did a nice job. Especially to your office."
"I...I need to get home, now!" Sayuri exclaims.
"What's wrong?" Lin asks her.
"Someone broke into my house!"
Lin stops moving but he still held her.
"Lin...put me down. Sho and I gotta leave."
"No, I'm going with you." Lin says at once.
Naru nods in agreement, "He should. He can protect you."
"Okay, fine." Sayuri tells Ritsuke that she be on her way with Lin and Sho in tow. The moment they got to the vehicle all Sayuri could think about is just how much was destroy. She could only hope.