((Thank you. YOU know who you are. Still don't own ghost hunt. Dirty stuff ahead-I think the term is lemon. You are warned. Please review it so I know if I'm totally butchering it.))

The night had passed without incident and Oliver was happy to see the family looking much more relaxed the next morning than they had been when he was there before. It seemed that without Mr. Hines around the children were allowed to be children and enjoy themselves. This revelation led Oliver to have more sinister worries about the cause of the trouble in the home but he'd kept those to himself for the time being. As he watched the young family seemed to be at peace despite knowing they were being watched and studied by "ghost hunters".

Ada Hines seemed to take an instant liking to Mai and had taken her by the hand to show her all over the house as soon as the two had met this morning. Oliver had noticed the relief that flooded Mai's face when she saw Ada and hoped that meant that girl was the one his brother had shown her.

Oliver disliked thinking of his brother and Mai at the same time. He was unreasonably jealous of the connection the two shared and deeply troubled by the fact that Gene had yet to pass on. What kept him tied to this plane? Taking out a small pocket mirror he tried once more to contact his dead twin. He knew the chance of having Gene appear to him were low, but he hoped that having Mai close would increase his odds.

After a few minutes of intense staring he was rewarded when he own 21 year old face wavered a bit and he was seeing his own face from years ago. No, not his face he thought ruefully, Gene's. When he frowned his brother's voice whispered in his mind.

"What's all this then Noll?"

"What are you doing showing up in Mai's dreams after three years!" He hissed out loud, unsure of how if Gene would be able hear him otherwise." Gene raised his brows and then smiled slyly.

"Jealousy doesn't suite you younger brother"

"That's not an answer"

"You have to help the little girl Noll. You've got to save her."

"So you just show up and upset Mai to tell her to save a stranger? She's been through enough Eugene!" The mirror Gene shrugged. "Do you know what happened to her?"

Another small shrug from Gene. "Not my fault you idiot scientist."

"And I suppose it's mine?"

"Didn't say that either."

If we help her will you pass on?" At this Eugene only gave a small, sad smile.

"She's the key Noll."

Eugene's face started to waver a bit and as he started to fade Oliver yelled, "Wait! Please. Gene. I.." A sad smile from Gene.

"Don't thinks so much Oliver. And say thank you."

'And say thank you,' What did that mean Oliver wondered as his own face replaced his brother's in the mirror. For the past few days nothing had really made sense to him. He sat back his chair and closed his eyes in frustration. As he rubbed the bridge of his nose he heard the soft tinkling of china on china and opened his eyes to see a cup of tea placed in front of him.

"What's this for?" He said as he focused his sight to see who'd brought him the tea. He was surprised; albeit pleasantly, to see Mai watching him. She was half sitting on the desk her arms crossed over her breasts and a smirk upon her lips.

"it's customary to say 'Thank you' when someone brings you Tea Naru. I knew it was a fluke." He reached out and brought the cup to his face, inhaling the warm steam deeply and savoring the heat for a moment. As he took a sip he closed his eyes for a moment and allowed himself to enjoy the flavors. When he opened his eyes Mai's smirk had morphed into a full smile and he thought that she really had grown into a beautiful woman.

"What was a fluke?" He asked before taking another sit. She rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms and brought a hand to her lips and she giggled softly.

"Never mind. I know you said this house was experiencing major activity just a week ago, but I don't know if anything still here. Do you think it could have been a passing spirit? I mean I've seen the damage but there isn't even a heavy feeling here now."

"I don't know. The father, David Hines was here when we were here last. I think whatever is going with this family is connected to him."

"Could he be cursed?"

"If we're lucky that's it?" Oliver watched as Mai gasped at what he'd said. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Naru! what an awful thing to say! What if it's a death curse!" Mai yelled at him.

He said and looked at her wearily. "Reserve your judgement till you've met the man Mai. The man I met last week terrorized his family. Not even his children were allowed to breath without his say so. I think whatever is going on here has to do with the fact that he's a very bad person Mai."

"You've changed so much Naru." When he didn't dispute it she continued. "One moment you're so sweet and gentle with me, the next you're talking about a man possibly dying and not even being bothered by it. The Naru I knew wasn't the emotional person but he knew right from wrong and hand morals. I might not have agreed with you all the time that but I always respected you."

"And now? Do you respect me still Mai? I think David Hines is hurting is family some how. I think the people in this house aren't safe if he's around them. Isn't that a moral stance Mai? " He stood up and looked down at her. In her eyes he didn't see the revulsion he'd feared but something else. He placed his forehead to hers and lowered his voice. "What about now Mai? Do you hate the man I've become?"

"No," A quiet whisper, "I.." she trailed off when he brought a hand to her face and smoothed his thumb over her cheeks. He hoped she wouldn't cry again. He couldn't take it if she did. She'd cried far too many tears for him and he wanted that to stop. He wondered if he could be the type of man who could make a woman smile. He wondered how to make her smile.

"I am what I am Mai. I'll never be Gene." He stilled when he said it. He'd given her all the power to slay him. He wasn't ever going to be Gene but for her he'd try to become something more.

Mai wasn't sure what she'd been expecting from Naru but this wasn't it. He looked at her from under half lidded eyes and she closed hers and leaned into him. When she felt his other arm slowly move around her waist. She listened to her blood pound inside of her veins and it drowned out all other sounds.

"You need to stop comparing yourself to Gene Naru. He's dead. You're not."

"I can't help it Mai. He's always going to be my brother. I used to think that he got all the good things in the genetic lottery. The easy smiles and personality. I got left with the rest." Mai pulled back slightly and looked at him to see if he was kidding. She'd never known Naru to be anything other than self-assured. This was not a Naru she was comfortable with. Seeing him vulnerable for a moment endeared him to her even more. Tangling her fingers in his hair she brought her face to hers and kissed him wildly. She felt the hand that had been resting on her hip grip her tightly and the other moved to her thigh. He lifted her in a quick motion so she was sitting on the desk and he was positioned between her legs. She broke the kiss to look at him and could see the emotions storm in his eyes for a moment before the iron clad control asserted it's self once more. She leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"It's a good think that I like the rest then, huh?" The relieved sigh he issued made her smile and she saw his shoulder loosen slightly as well. When he leaned back into to kiss her she placed two fingers to his lips and pushed him away. The smoldering look he gave her was one of the sexiest things she'd ever seen and he growled low in his throat. "Don't here, not now. We need to solve this case then we have a lot of talking to do. There's still so much you don't know." She felt a stab in her heart when he looked at her questioningly. 'What if he didn't want her when he knew', but Mai knew despite the tightness in her body she wasn't ready for the things he seemed to want from her.

"I never thought you would have to tell me to be professional." He was back to his confident, smirking self. She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment then laughed.

"Stranger things have happened. I'm going to go talk to Ada and her mother about the activity they've witnessed. I think they'll be more comfortable talking to me. Why don't you shower and get some rest since you pulled the night watch. Lin and I will hold down the fort." She placed a fluttering kiss on his cheek and left the base before her own self-control snapped.

When Mai left Oliver leaned forward against the desk and took several deep breaths to steady himself. He needed to get a grip. He was on a case. He'd never in all his years of investigating acted so unprofessional. As he stalked off towards the bathroom to take Mai's advice he thought about what Gene and Mai had both said to him. He thought about the kiss she'd started and the smile she'd graced him with. As he stripped and turned on the turned the knob to adjust his water temperature he wondered if it what it was about being close to her that left his hormones surging. He was glad she had been clad in slacks today because if she'd been in her one of her usual skirts he'd not have let her go so easily.

That would have been disastrous. Given what had happened to her he'd have to reign in his dominate personality. While Oliver was capable of being gentle he knew that the growing desire he felt for Mai would scare her if he didn't get a handle on it. He couldn't be his usual self and try to control everything when she did allow him to touch her. With what she'd been through it would most likely ruin everything. As he stepped under the warm water he wondered what could have happened had they not been on a case.

He imagined reaching out and unbuttoning her top to slide if from her shoulders and reach behind her to unclip the bra restraining her breasts. Once he'd freed them he'd run his fingers over her skin and slowly massage one while he kissed down her neck to the other.

He was full immersed in his fantasy now. He could feel her nipple come to a peak in his mouth and hear her gasp of surprised pleasure and he flicked her tongue over the hardened peak. She was unzipping his own pull over and yanking it over his head. As he moved his mouth to her other breasts she leaned back and used her legs to pull his hips to hers. He could feel her legs lock behind him as he chuckled and began to kiss down her stomach. As he reached the top button of her pants he looked up at her and was pleased to see she was intently watching his progress as she ran her fingers through his hair. She bit her lips as she undid the button and zipper and lowered her pants leaving her sitting there in a very small pair or panties.

As he pulled away from her body to kneel in from of her he gently messaged her through said small panties and was rewarded with a pleasured moan. As he felt the material growing damp he stood up to kiss her as he allowed her fingers to keep teasing. As his lips were about to meet hers she surprised him by pushing him back into the chair and straddling him. As she pressed her chest to his and straddled him he felt his own erection throbbing. Giving him a smile full of promise she got on her knees before him and pulled his own slacks off quickly. Watching her and she licked the inside of his thigh and then kissed from his abdomen down the base of his erect penis he swallowed hard grasping her intention. She ran the underside of her tongue down his length and then he felt her warm, most mouth slide over the head and down his shaft.

As he orgasmed Oliver leaned one arm against the shower stall to steady him. His vision cleared and he smirked as his he emptied the last of his semen into his hand and washed it down the drain. Feeling some of the tension leave his body he straightened his body and made quick work of cleaning himself. He quickly washed his hair and when he shut the water off he was no longer visibly aroused.

Toweling himself off he thought that perhaps he finally understood while people had such an interest in sex. He needed to research seduction methods for after this case was finished. As he dressed and headed towards his bed he hoped that his release would at lease allow him to think clearly for a little while.