A/N:- Hiya! So I'm back with chapter 22! Yay! Half of this is kinda last chapter from Naru's perspective and doesn't contain talking, but I think it's good anyway! Anyway, onto my thanks and then I have a super special announcement! So...

JigokuTenshi834 thank you for reviewing chapters 1 and 7! (I hope you have or are enjoying reading this! I didn't hear from you after chapter 7!)

lici910 thank you for your review! (Yep, Naru is human and not a robot like we all thought! Glad you think I did a great job!)

Celestial Star12 thank you for your review! (I'm glad you thought it was sweet! Hopefully this too is so sweet the ants would love it! Giggle!)

Alexkitkat thank you for your review! (Umm...hm, not sure what to say! I know we discussed it but...um...yeah... Here is more anyway!)

thearistocrat thank you for your review! (Glad you liked it! You're welcome!)

Naruisawesome thank you for your review! (He did need to! No worries about that and here is the next chapter!)

xSapphirexRosesxFanx thank you for your review! (Yep definitely! Glad you thought it was cute! I hope this is just as cute! Here is the update!) and finally...

seshomaru94 thank you for your review! (I'm glad you thought this had 7x the cuteness! Also I'm glad you loved it and I made you happy! Hopefully this also makes you happy!) Thanks also got to anyone who favorited or alerted! It means a lot, it really does bringing me onto my super special announcement!

Last chapter we hit the magical 100th review! Although I know that every reviewer counts and I am really grateful to all who do review I would like to say a massive thank you to Celestial Star12 who was the person who hit this amazing number!

THANK YOU CELESTIAL STAR12 FOR BEING THE 100TH REVIEWER!

Obviously on this momentous occasion I am dedicating this chapter solely to her! So, here is chapter 22 for you Celestial Star12!

Disclaimer:- I own the plot and Nolie, nothing more!

Naru's POV

I had sent Gene or Kit or whatever you want to call him up the hill with his girlfriend and the priest. I was really struggling with the fact that Gene had returned. 'It just doesn't make sense. I know I should be grateful, but this is just so…argh, I can't think!'

I felt Mai's warm arms wrap around me and heard her murmur something about air to me. I looked at her about to object when she continued trying to persuade me with stuff about how the remaining people in the base can look after it for a while. 'I guess my brain does feel a bit scrambled right now and maybe some air would do me good.' I took her offered hand, muttered to the others about going outside and left the base with Mai.

We sat for a while in silence watching the sun set. 'I used to like watching the sun set with Gene. There used to be a hill behind our house that we would sit for hours on in the summer just to watch the sun sink in the sky.' Mai started asking if everything was okay even though she could clearly see it wasn't. I wasn't going to break that easily. I bit out a remark about being fine and hoped she would leave it. She didn't though, not that I expected her to. Mai instead insisted I do something to let out my emotions. I tried the line about being fine again, she wouldn't buy it though and called me a liar in that roundabout way of hers.

It was too much, having someone see through my carefully constructed barriers and I couldn't hold it in any longer. I muttered out a 'why', mainly to myself, Mai seemed to catch it though and gently asked me to elaborate. I was trying not to cry at this point, but her gentle tone and comfort finally made me break. I finally asked the question that had been bugging me in my head out loud about why Gene had come back, allowing my pent up tears to roll down my face. Mai held me, running her fingers through my hair in a soothing manner. I have to admit it felt quite good to be comforted like that. She murmured calming words to me about how lucky I was to get this kind of chance and to make the most of it as she has done with me.

We fell silent after that, my head slipping into her lap as she continued fussing with my hair. She was obviously just allowing me to let it out without making a massive deal out of it. She had said she understood how I felt. I guess she would what with her parents and all. Mai rubbed my back gently when I started hiccupping and suggested we go get tea. I asked to stay out a little longer, draping my coat around her so she wouldn't get too cold since she was already shivering slightly. Ever concerned about others she asked if I would be alright without it. I lied to her and said I'd be fine.

The mood seemed kinda tense after my little outburst so I decided to lighten it with a rare joke at my expense saying the others would go nuts if they found out about this. She tried to say that she wasn't going to be like Mother, but I refuted her claim pointing out the many times she herself has embarrassed me. She admitted that I was right on that and swore that this would remain a secret between us whilst getting up and dusting herself off, insisting we go get tea now.

I got up and followed after her, taking a seat at the table when we reached the kitchen. She had already put the kettle on and was now wetting some tissue. Mai held the damp tissue out to me and when I didn't take it mumbled something about evidence. When I still didn't take it from her she leaned towards me and started gently wiping my cheeks with it. I allowed her as it wasn't like when Mother scrubbed my cheek with a tissue, it was loving and comforting.

We stared at each other for a moment not noticing the kettle had finished before I pulled her into a deep kiss mainly to silently thank her for being there for me. She broke away after a little while mumbling something about tea before she busied herself with preparing our beverages. I had never actually watched her make tea before, I found it to be quite fascinating the way she measured and timed things to make them just right.

She handed me one of the steaming mugs she had made and sat close to me. I grabbed one of her hands, feeling the need for its comfort again. Somehow we ended up in another searing kiss, our tea forgotten for a while. We broke when we needed air and noticed that the temperature of our drinks had dropped dramatically. Mai was about to whisk them away and make fresh ones when I grabbed mine and downed it anyway. I have to say it was quite refreshing cold. She raised an eyebrow at me as though she thought I would never do that in a million years. I smirked at her, a silent challenge issued between us.

She reached for her own mug and put it to her lips, scrunching her face up as she did so. She took a deep breath, paused a moment then silently put the still full cup down in defeat. I picked it up and drank that one too. She made a 'hmph' noise and turned to make some more tea. I could tell she was annoyed at having lost to me at something else so I got up and wrapped my arms around her, murmuring in her ear that no matter whether she wins or loses to me at something I will still love her anyway and she is always a winner to me. Mai turned in my arms at that and kissed me again passionately. A wolf whistle and clapping sounded from the doorway and I looked to see that Gene and Nolie had returned. 'Damn it! Interrupted again! Will I ever get a decent amount of uninterrupted privacy with Mai?'

"Way to go Brother! Do it again while I go get a camera! We must get a picture of this!" Gene exclaimed after witnessing Mai and I's little scene. I sighed.

"Gene we are not here for your personal entertainment." I growled, breaking my embrace with Mai.

"Aww, Spoilsport!" He whined. Miss Gray, meanwhile, had been stood next to him blushing and looking like she wanted to drag Gene out of the room to give us the privacy we required.

"Just tell me what the two of you found out Gene." I barked, starting to lose my patience with his jovial attitude.

"We felt a very menacing presence on the hill and in the surrounding area." Magnolia filled in, obviously seeing I wasn't in the mood to be toyed with anymore by Gene.

"I see. Did you see anything?" I asked.

"Yeah, we saw you and Mai playing tonsil hockey…" Gene started before being swiftly smacked in the back of the head by his girlfriend.

"Ow! Nolie, what was that for?" He screeched, rubbing the spot where she'd hit him. Magnolia sighed and shook her head.

"For being a complete prat! Seriously Gene, we're trying to discuss a serious topic here and you only want to talk about things that are none of your concern. I think you need to apologise to your brother and his wife, I mean his girlfriend, for your rude comments." Nolie said, blushing at her mistake. Mai and I looked at each other with slight blushes colouring our cheeks at Miss Gray's slip up. Gene then broke the atmosphere that was starting to develop.

"You're right Nolie. I'm sorry Mai and Noll for my comments on your relationship. It was rude of me to make such jokes."

"That's okay Gene. As long as you didn't mean it." Mai forgave. 'It may be okay by you, but I think you're forgiving Gene too easily!' I decided to stay quiet on the matter.

"Anyway, no we didn't see anything, but the presence we felt was very strong and we both agree it belongs to Thomas White." Magnolia continued, answering my previous question.

"Hm, this is troubling. If he has been behind all of these incidents then we may just be facing one of our toughest spirits yet." I voiced, contemplating the information they'd just given me, well, that Magnolia had just given me. Gene was too busy focussing on my love life.

I decided that everyone could go to bed early as it had been a rather trying day and we needed all the rest we could get judging by the information we were gathering on the spiritual activity. Mai had decided to stay up for a while with me in case I needed anything. She probably also just wanted to spend some quality alone time with me as we always seem to keep being interrupted. Gene and Nolie had decided to stay overnight in the other living room and maybe pick up clean clothes and such from their homes tomorrow.

"Naru, I'm worried about this case." Mai's timid voice spoke. Given what we know I am too, mainly because as usual she seems to be the main target of this ghost. I decided that maybe just this once it would be best to try and relieve her fears.

"Mai, no matter what I will protect you so try not to worry okay." She didn't seem satisfied with my answer so I left the monitors to wrap her in as comforting a hug as I could manage. She relaxed a little so I allowed us to stay like that for a little while. I could feel Mai starting to drift off to sleep in my arms when a sudden burst of giggling from the next room woke her again. We looked at each other realizing the only people in the next room were Gene and Miss Gray. I allowed a sly look to cross my features as we both got up and darted as quietly as possible to the next room, grabbing a camera each as we left. 'Man I love revenge and Gene is going to wish he'd never made jokes about me!' I gently shoved the slightly open door further open and both Mai and I carefully peeped in.

The sight that greeted our eyes was one of Gene and Nolie kissing so passionately they were obviously completely oblivious to our presence in the room. Immediately we started snapping photos before I finally decided to clear my throat to announce we were there. I can honestly say I've never seen Gene turn redder than in that moment when he realized he was being watched.

"Oh…um…hey, Brother! Fancy seeing you here." He offered weakly.

"Fancy indeed." I smirked knowingly. " Sorry Nolie for intruding but I wish to remind you Gene of Mother's ground rules. No children until twenty-five and always use protection." Mai burst out laughing at the look on Gene's face as I said that before we both exited the room planning with each other what to do with the photos. 'I think I'll share these with Mother and Father and most definitely with Madoka! Oh yes! Revenge, as they say, is sweet!'

A/N:- Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!

Please read and review! See ya!