Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt.
Ritsuke rubs the back of his neck. It had only been two hours since Sayuri had got back from the latest case only to arrive at her home in shambles. The local police couldn't figure out how the burglar got in. No set of fingerprints were found. No sign of breaking and entering.
What was worse was the state of Sayuri's office.
When he and Tsubaki got to come in and look around, they both felt their heart drop to their stomach at the sight of the office.
Lin had arrived with Sayuri and Sho, much to the detective's surprise.
Tsubaki comes back in the room where he, Lin, and Sho were waiting.
"How's she doing?" Ritsuke looks up, asking the pretty blonde.
Tsubaki frowns, shaking her head, "she's devastated."
"I can't blame her," Ritsuke looks to see the familiar brunette walking in after talking to the police one last time. Any once of color was gone from her pretty face. Sayuri never felt so violated. Her home had been vandalized with nothing expensive taking. The only thing that was taking was something precious to her.
She had only got a glimpse of the house when she walk in. Everything look like the vandal or vandals were looking for something. She breath a sigh of relief that Sho's room was left untouched. Her heart had shattered when she came across the state of her office.
Luckily, her editor had shown up when Ritsuke and Tsubaki came over to the house. She was thankful that the detective let her editor see what was already done. Katsuro was a sweetheart, thankful that he took the matter seriously and called up the office. Her deadline was pushed until next October. No writer's deadline was ever extended that far. That was until Katsuro email the photos of the crime scene as proof.
She had copies, from all of her books. It wasn't like nothing was completely destroy. Important documents were kept safe, far away from the house. Everything else...
It was just that someone had the nerve to walk into her home and destroy her life.
A part of her is thankful that they weren't home.
Just moments before, Lin had seen Sayuri go from being embarrassed to down right heartbroken. Anger burned down inside him to whoever wanted to cause harm to her. He saw the state her office was in. He saw her dreams shattered on the floor then burnt to a crisp.
"Sho, sweetie, why don't you, me, and Ritsuke get this place clean up for Sayuri, alright?" Tsubaki coos to the eight year old. The poor boy was also upset over the ordeal but he was more worried about his guardian. He too saw the room.
"Okay," Sho whispers to Tsubaki, going to start in the kitchen first.
Sayuri cross her arms, leaving the living room without a word. Ritsuke moves to follow her but Lin holds up a hand. A moment passes between the two men as Ritsuke nods, letting Lin go after Sayuri. The stoic Chinese man finds her standing in her office.
Sayuri hugs herself, feeling a chill from the broken window. Whoever was at fault knew this was an important room to her. Her laptop was in pieces on what was left of her desk. The whole thing look to be dowse in something. Whoever it was, they kept the fire under control, putting it out the moment things look to be destroyed. Her bookshelf had been hacked, with her wastebasket charred and black inside from papers getting burned.
The whole room look horrendous.
"They weren't after anything," Sayuri muses, mostly out loud to herself, "yet they knew to destroy this room. Gawd, people are monsters."
The tears came quickly as she buries her face into her hands. The vandals got her where it hurt the most. Sayuri just couldn't get a break. The last time something like this happen, her mother had burnt her first story right in front of her. It was a horrible deed and that was when she cut off her mother from her life forever.
She had an idea who was behind it but no evidence to support that it was Noriko.
Once again, her mother found a way to break her down into pieces.
"Sayuri," Lin walks up to her as the young woman continues to sob.
"Just give me a few minutes, okay? Can't a woman cry in peace?" Her face lifts up to tears running down her face.
"You're hurting,"
"Just leave me alone...please," Sayuri reaches up to push him away, "just let me wallow in my own self pity for a few minutes."
"It's not pity," Lin grabs her wrists, "someone purposely hurt you. They hit you where it hurts most. It makes me furious to see someone try to destroy what you created."
Sayuri glances up, watching as the Chinese man pulls her into his arms. Lin felt her stiffen, taken aback that he was trying to comfort her. Lin holds her, trying to get her to relax.
"You can cry on my shoulder."
"You don't look like the kind of guy who would let me," she snaps at him.
"Sayuri..." His voice lowers, "I'm trying to help. Why won't you let go of your pride and-
"Because I'm used to doing everything alone!" Sayuri pushes against his chest, "I'm used to doing everything for myself, by myself! Don't you get it? I never really had anyone to help me out when I needed most! I was always alone for such a long time that I got used to it."
Her voice broke during that rant, causing Lin feel something for the young woman. She was always alone. Her mother never gave her the time of day only if it benefit herself. Her father wasn't even concerned. The only people she ever had in her life was Ritsuke and Sho.
"You're not alone anymore," Lin brushes hair out of Sayuri's face, "you got us. You don't have to do anything alone anymore."
Sayuri falls into his chest, sobbing. Lin wraps his arms around her, holding her as close as possible. His dark gaze looks around the room.
"It will be okay," Lin whispers in her ear, "I'll get it fix. We'll make sure this never happens again."
Sad, grey eyes look up at him, puzzled and touched.
His long fingers touched her face, wiping away the last tears on her face. Sayuri shivers, not sure from the cold or from the touch. It was like electricity. It was like that day he got into her head. He was only one who did. "I don't want to see you hurt again," He whispers, unsure as to what he was doing.
"Lin..." her bottom lips trembles, "why...why are you being so nice to me?"
Lin doesn't answer her. Sayuri takes a step back from the look in his eyes. It was unnerving, causing her to feel jittery. His hands grab her arms, pulling her back to him. His hand touches her chin, leaning forward to where their foreheads touched.
Sayuri felt her eyes close halfway, suddenly feeling the tingling sensation again. It was stronger this time. She didn't' want to pull away. It felt...
Warm. Comforting. Powerful.
His thumb brushes at the edge of her lips before Lin leans down.
It was like a major electric shock. Sayuri felt her body jolt unconsciously as his lips touched hers. Her hands grab a hold of his shirt, leaning on him as her legs nearly give out. Lin never felt his sensation before with any woman he had ever kissed. It was like their psychic energies were merging, reacting to each other in a very passionate, chaotic way.
Sayuri thought she saw explosions, not fireworks going off in her head. Bright purple and blue sparks going off, tingling from her brain to her fingertips to the bottom of her feet. Her hands clenched handfuls of his shirt.
His hand brushes away from her face to her hair, taking a handful of it as he makes the kiss deeper. Sayuri doesn't seem to mind as she reacts just as hungrily as he is.
A bright spark, flash comes between them making them back off.
"W-wow," Sayuri backs away, tripping over debris. Lin moves forward, pulling her eay and back into his arms.
"All you can say?"
"At the moment, yes," Sayuri gulps, "I think I was just electrocuted."
"Mm, is that a bad or good thing?"
"Would you think I'm crazy if I told you that I enjoyed it and that I would love to do it again?" Her fact flushed, staring up into his eyes.
"No," Lin smirks, touching her cheek, "I don't think you're crazy for thinking that."
Sayuri couldn't look away from the gaze in his eyes. Now she knew how Red Riding Hood felt facing the Wolf, only her wolf was much more...
"Uh, Sayuri?" Tsubaki's voice makes the couple turn to look at the doorway as the blonde woman appears, "I think something is wrong with your electric. I think we just had a surge or...am I interrupting anything?"
"I'll have a look at it," Lin answers Tsubaki, "Sayuri should go rest. She had a long day."
"But I-" Sayuri closes her mouth when Lin turns to look back at her, "Okay...just wake me up if you need anything."
Tsubaki nods, glancing at Lin momentarily with a smirk before leaving the doorway. Sayuri blinks, watching the blonde woman leave before Lin touches her shoulder. He presses a tender kiss on her temple before picking her up. She doesn't complained as he carried her up to her bedroom.
"Rest a while," he brushes his lips across hers briefly, "if we absolutely need you, we'll come get you."
"Alright," Sayuri felt her eyes get heavy the moment her head hit the pillow. Lin pulls the blanket up around her body. Her eyes finally close in sleep. He waits until her breathing is steady in sleep before leaving the room.
"Protect this home, Kyo...I don't want to see her hurt again," the Chinese man whispers into the silent room.
He closes the door as a faint sensation of peace overwhelms the room.
Days later, Sayuri was stuck on her couch. Mai, Tsubaki, and Ayako decided to all come over on their day off to keep the novelist company. According to Lin, she had to be off her feet. And the house was still a mess, at least to her.
The group had come over earlier that day and help clean up. It took at least two days to get everything organized again. Lin promised her that he would get her another laptop while Tsubaki and Ritsuke promise to redecorate her office. Her heart warmed at the kindness her friends were all giving her.
"I think the boys did a fine job," Ayako brings everyone steaming hot cups of coco from the kitchen.
"Never knew Takigawa was such a good floor cleaner," Sayuri peers over her couch, "I could eat off those floors."
"The things guys do out of compassion," Ayako sits down next to her.
"You think Sho is alright? I told him I take him to go play with this friends," Sayuri frowns.
"Relax," Mai stands over the coffee table, glaring at her, "the boys took him. And I think it leaves time for some male bonding."
"I'm surprised Lin was the first to speak up," Tsubaki muses from the overstuff chair, "though it is very nice of him to bond with Sho."
"Yeah it is," Sayuri stares down into her cup, poking at a marshmallow. Since the day he kissed her, Lin never seem to leave her side. The only time she didn't see him was when he was working or doing errands. Her heart fluttered that the Chinese man had the same attraction towards her as she did to him. His kisses were gentle yet packed a punched. It made her wonder why Lin found her so irresistible in the first place.
"Is something going on between you and Lin?" Mai asks innocently.
Every eye of her female friends turn and stare at her. Sayuri wanted to escape but she had a limp. And she knew Tsubaki and Mai would tackled her.
"N-nothing, why are you asking?" Sayuri glances up to see three disapproving looks.
Tsubaki sighs, "fine...I'll break the ice then. They kissed."
"WHAT?" Both Ayako and Mai stare at Sayuri.
"Lin...kissed you? As in on the lips?" Ayako points to her own.
Sayuri nods, "yeah, it was on the lips."
"And?"
"It was like being electrocuted. It was mind numbing, heart throbbing, toes curling sorta kiss," she felt her mouth twitched into a smile, "and gawd, I didn't disapprove. Though he caught me off guard and-"
"So...what does it mean then?" Tsubaki smirks.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Are you two...dating? Together? A couple? You know, you usually don't share a kiss with a guy like that and not get together." The blonde woman looked like a Cheshire Cat, with her mouth in a wide grin.
"I...I don't know. I mean, I like him...a lot...and...it's...I don't know! I never felt this way about anyone, ever!" Sayuri groans, setting down her cup.
"Okay, I'm sorry!" Tsubaki climbs over Ayako to wrap her arms around the older girl, "I didn't mean to confused you."
"It's not you," Sayuri sniffles, "It's him! I don't understand him yet I do. I...he's a riddle, enigma! He's...he's...frustration and quiet and he does things and I don't ask! And...and..."
"You find that incredibly sexy and romantic and sweet?"
"With a cheery on top, Ayako." Sayuri sighs, leaning her head on Tsubaki's shoulder, "boys are confusing."
"Yes they are," Mai walks over, planting herself on the small space next to Sayuri, giving the girl a hug.
"Christmas is coming up soon," Tsubaki sits up, glancing at the calendar, "crap! What am I going to get Ritsuke?"
"You mean your hot, sexy Japanese detective?" Sayuri, Ayako, and Mai all smirk at her.
"Yeah, he's mine and no one else's," Tsubaki pouts.
"Have you two kissed yet?" Sayuri asks.
The blonde woman freezes, turning redder then Ayako's hair. Tsubaki fiddles with her fingers, looking at her feet rather then her friend's faces, "no..."
"You two haven't kissed yet?" Sayuri's eyes widen in surprised.
"Do you want to kiss him?" Mai asks Tsubaki.
"Yes, very much so," Tsubaki lets out a giggle, "I just get so nervous cause...I think...he may be the one."
"You got to be," Mai stands up, "I mean, the way you two look at each other and everything, you're meant to be together. It's like Romeo and Juliet!"
"Uh Mai, do you know Shakespeare at all?" Sayuri and Ayako sweatdrop.
"When you two kiss, it be because you two are ready for it," Sayuri smiles sweetly at the blonde, "besides, I think he's just as nervous as you are."
"What am I going to do with you two?" Ayako sighs.
"Speaking of boys," all three girls turned on Ayako now, "what's going on between you and Takigawa?"
"Yeah, Ayako, what's going on between you and Monk?" Mai gives a sneaky smile at the older woman who flinches, blushes, looks away.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Ayako grumbles, "that idiot...he's just that. My idiot."
"Yep, and?"
"He's not all that cute."
"Bull," Sayuri throws a marshmallow at her, "you're just as obvious as Mai is about Naru!"
"Now, wait a minute! Don't drag me into this!"
The conversation about boys resulted into a marshmallow fight with Tsubaki being the winner. When the boys got back with Sho, the girls were up trying to clean marshmallow off of the floor and furniture. Sayuri picks up one, making a face before catching Lin's eyes.
"I thought you were suppose to be off your feet," he cross his arms, staring at her.
"I was the whole day," Sayuri shrugs her shoulders, "and I'm helping clean up the mess that I help make."
Lin doesn't stop staring at her, "Sayuri..."
"Oh stop it," she smirks, walking closer to him, "the least you can do is let me take out the trash. If you don't, I'll kiss you in front of our friends. A big one right on the lips."
"You're insane," he whispers, growling at her.
"I know but you pick me," she brushes a quick kiss on his cheek before getting the trash bag handed to her by Tsubaki.
"You sure you don't want me to-" Monk asks her as Sayuri puts on her boots and coat.
"Relax, let me do something! I'll go crazy if I don't," Sayuri adjusts her scarf, "boys, help yourselves. I think Mai overdid it and plenty of leftovers in the fridge. Sayuri takes the bag outside, closing the sliding door. The warm sounds of her friend's voices makes her heart swell. A faint snow had laid last night, making Sayuri wish for more.
The trashcans were more just ways from the house. Sayuri sighs, mumbling that men couldn't do anything right but she takes the bag over to where the huddle of cans were at. The only sound she could hear was the sound of snow crunching under her boots and the faint wind.
Sayuri drops the bag into a can, closing it with a loud clang.
It was after this she hears the click.
Her body froze to the spot as the sound of another pair of footsteps walk slowly towards her. A silver gun is pointed at her as her uncle, Sho's father, aims it for the back of her head.
"Hello Sayuri."
"Hello Uncle Ren," she moves her hands to where he could see them, "it's been a while."
"Don't do anything stupid," the man tells her, walking closer.
"Not when your son is in the house," she keeps her voice calm. The sound of the sliding door opening catches her ears. Ren turns the gun to whoever walked outside. Sayuri moves a little.
"Don't...don't shoot. I'll make them go away. Just...don't shoot." Sayuri looks at him before turning to see it was Mai who had walked outside.
"Hey Sayuri, is-"
"I'm fine," she cuts her off, "I'll be in. Go back inside Mai."
"Sayuri..." Mai looks at her, puzzled.
"Mai, go back inside and keep warm. Why don't you make sure that Sho is alright?" Sayuri wasn't sure how to tell Mai that something was wrong. She didn't know how without Ren getting trigger happy. The brunette girl nods, walking back inside. The moment the door is shut, Sayuri turns to Ren slowly.
"There? See? No problem," Sayuri keeps her arms up, "so what is it that you want?"
"I want Sho," Ren's eyes flashed, "your bitch of a mother promised me that she would get me out of trouble if I trashed your house. Told me to do a nice mess of your office. But when I got back with proof, she changed her mind. That bitch! That cold hearted bitch! She convince Fumi to have her get out of jail while I go rot. I got out of there in time. I just want my son and I want to leave now."
"Ren," her lips tremble, "he's safe with me. If you get him on the run with you, all that's going to happen is Sho is going to get hurt. You wouldn't want that, do you?"
"Stop it!" Sayuri stares down the barrel, "you're doing the exact same thing your mother pulled on me! That manipulative bitch! You're just like her, Sayuri! Mama's little girl to grow up to be a hard cold criminal who works the system! Don't you know how many people she walked free after they've done horrible things to others?"
"I do know," Sayuri closes her eyes for a second, "which is why I cut her out of my life."
"Well she figured if she could get rid of that novel business of yours, you come crawling back to her," Ren laughs.
"Over my dead body," Sayuri hears the wind pick up, rustling the trees and bushes.
Ren cocks the gun again, "I want my son...now."
"Kinda hard to not cause a scene when they're so many people in my house right now," Sayuri tells him.
"Do it anyways! I'll be waiting outside," Ren pushes her, poking the gun at her back now. Sayuri takes a breath, feeling her chest tighten. The moment she got to the door, Ren hides in the shadow as Sayuri walks inside.
"Sho, come here," Sayuri calls to him which makes Mai look up as well.
"Sayuri? Are you okay? You don't look good," Sho walks over timidly.
"I'll be okay," she manages her best smile.
"Is Kyo okay?"
"Y-yeah, he's fine," her eyes close, forgetting that she had her samurai angel out in the backyard. Would Kyo help her? Would Kyo stop Ren? He was Sho's father after all.
Sho nods his head to that, putting on his coat and boots. Sayuri doesn't look at anyone else. The man in the backyard had a gun and all she could see was Ren using it on someone. Mai suddenly stands up, walking over. Sayuri's eyes widen, trying to not to make a sudden move as the teenage girl walks up to the door.
"Mai, no! Don't!"
The door flies open as Ren shoves Mai inside with the gun pointing at Sayuri then the others.
"Nobody move!" Ren points the gun at the one pointed at him, "That goes for you too, Detective!"
"I say you put that gun down now, Ren," Ritsuke didn't budge, glaring at the man, "you wouldn't want to put anything else on your rap sheet."
"And I say," Ren fires a shot into the ceiling, "nobody move!"
"You!" His gun points to Tsubaki, "get his gun! Now!"
Tsubaki does as she told. Green eyes stare into amber, gently taking the gun out of Ritsuke's hands. Tsubaki stares at Ren, taking the clip out of the gun. She even drops the bullets onto the floor. "Good girl," Ren laughs, "see detective? The pretty one listens."
Tsubaki glances at Ayako who would holding Mai and Masako, which they move away from the candles light on the counter. Naru and Lin had back off with Monk, Yasu, and John hiding them.
"Now...so nobody does anything stupid," Ren turns to Sho, "son, come with me."
"No," The boy stands his ground despite the gun being pointed at his family, "I'm not going with you! You abandon me. I'm not going with you. You're a crook!"
"You listen here," Ren moves forward, grabbing Sho by the collar of his shirt.
Sayuri moves, "Ren! Stop! He's just a kid!"
"He's my son! And I'll punish him the way I feel like it!" Ren slaps Sho across the face, knocking him down.
Mai goes to help Sho up, trying to comfort the boy. Ren gets even more angry at that, cocking the gun. Sayuri couldn't move face enough. Sho couldn't push Mai off of him in time when the gun goes off.
Time seemed to slow down as Lin, Naru, Monk, and Ritsuke rushed forward. They only stop as Ayako and Masako duck just in time for Tsubaki to put on a fire show. The fireball makes Ren get knock out of the sliding door. The man struggles to get away as the four men take off after him.
Sayuri turns to see that Sho was kneeling over Mai's motionless body.
"Mai!" Sho sniffles, "please wake up!"
"We got it!" Ayako shouts as she, Masako, John, and Tsubaki turn to Mai. Sayuri runs off after the boys who had cornered Ren near the edge of the forest. Naru was being held back by Lin and Monk.
Ritsuke had pulled out another pistol, pointing it at the man.
"You...bastard," Sayuri walks into the circle, "you better pray that she lives or else I'm going to fucking skin you alive."
"I just want my son back," Ren cocks his gun, "you don't get it. If I don't try to put my family back together, she'll ruined me!"
"As if my mother's word is as good as yours," Sayuri hisses at him, "just drop the gun and let Ritsuke handcuff. Though don't be surprise if those two gentlemen over there let that boy go. I think he like to rip your face off."
"You won't get me," Ren takes off into the woods.
"Should we go after him?" Ritsuke glances at the others after trying to take a couple of shots.
Sayuri walks forward, ready to go into the woods when Lin grabs a hold of her.
"No," he whispers in her ear, "there's something there...waiting for him."
They all stop as it got eerily quiet. They could hear Ren shouting in the distance before they could hear him screaming for help.
"HELP ME! IT'S AFTER ME! HELP ME! IT'S GOING TO-" The sound of ripping flesh is heard as Ren screams for his last breath. Sayuri buries her face into his chest, disgusted by the sound. Ritsuke sighs, putting the gun away.
Tsubaki comes running out, "we're getting Mai to the hospital!"
"Mai!" Sayuri leaves Lin, rushing inside as the paramedics had her wrap up to take her away through the door. Monk was holding Sho as Sayuri stops to check on her cousin, "go with Mai. I got him. Don't worry." The brunette nods, kissing Sho on the cheek.
"She's going to be okay, promise," Sayuri turns to get into the ambulance.
Ritsuke talks to the police with one of the officers stopping Sayuri, "woah, where do you think you're going?"
"She's my responsibility," she growls at him.
"Relax officer, never get in the way of a very angry mother," Ritsuke winks at Sayuri who jumps into the back with Mai. She takes Mai hands as she sees the blood. Her heart clinches tightly as the paramedics try to get her to the hospital quickly as possible.
Hang in there Mai! We need you baby, don't give up! Keep fighting for us, for Naru, for yourself!
The only thing Sayuri could do was pray.
Pray and hope.