Click! Chapter 11: - N A R U -, a ghost hunt fanfic

'Click'

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt – no copyright infringement is intended or will ever be; rest assured.

A/N: Yes, on with the story, I know you were waiting for this moment ever since the story started and now that moment has arrived; though I was dreading to write this chapter because it's like so difficult to write Naru in 1st person – I can write 3rd person but 1st person in Naru is a real challenge. Though I hope you all enjoy the chapter, I was really overwhelmed that you liked the last chapter, I did enjoy writing the heart-to-heart chat – I wish there had been such a scene in the manga or novels. Special thanks to 14AmyChan for reminding me with her PM and quickening the update process. Also thanks to the following guest reviewers:

bloodydeathgirl: Thank you so much for the review, in fact I enjoy reading long ones :D Thanks for the tea as well. I was amazed by the fact that people actually read my author notes but well, reading at night is fun and audacious at the same time, isn't it – good for you that no one woke up! I'm like the biggest nerd of the family and am not thought to be an entertaining person at all, not even my friends think that I'm hilarious...You're writing a novel?! Wow, I did start writing one but it kinda flopped in the middle so I left it at that and chores are stupid, I can empathize. As for your email id, I didn't get it maybe because FF filters it out. You can add me on Google Plus if you have that. Thanks again!

Guest:Thanks! I'm glad you found it perfect. Have a cookie and enjoy :)

Summary: "Story 11 - I had always lived according to certain parameters, a set of rules and with rationality ruling over all emotional responses, up to this point – now, I find myself breaking all boundaries of logic in one single moment, with one single word...for one single person." - Oliver Davis.

'NARU'

An hour consisted of 60 minutes.

One minute consisted of 60 seconds.

Each second consisted of approximately 9 192 631 770 oscillations.

And each moment that passed by was crucial, each moment that passed by consisted of incoherent thoughts reminding me of my own stupidity.

I had always lived according to certain parameters, a set of rules and with rationality ruling over all emotional responses, up to this point – now, I find myself breaking all boundaries of logic in one single moment, with one single word...for one single person.

I've been taught that time changes and it alters people too; I never believed that it could change me, not this drastically. I was born with a static personality, I was born with powers I never wanted, with everything that was advantageous, with everything that guaranteed success but it's all useless in reality.

You get all the extra attention and fawning if you're born with a good face or with a brain that can bring all humanity to your heels but apart from all those simpering looks at social gatherings, you're thought to be no more than a robot – all those pumpkins value you as long as you have something for them to gape at.

My name was supposed to be Oliver Davis – she gave me another identity.

Mai gave me another name.

She was different than the others.

And now she's kidnapped...

I stormed into my room, loudly slamming the door not even noticing that Lin was coming behind me, maybe on Martin's cue. I swiveled the chair and restrained myself from kicking something hard. She disappears and Takigawa calls me on gunpoint at the last minute to holler in the phone.

Damned fools.

I'm so mad – mad at Mai for being so careless, mad at Takigawa and the others for not protecting her but most of all I'm mad, livid at myself; I had not taken care of her like I was supposed to...I was responsible for this. I should have known this.

I had made another mistake.

"Naru," Lin's steady voice echoed around the room, the name he called me by rebounded against my ears. "It's not going to work, you'll only hurt yourself in the end. Psychometry is not the only option we have, remember."

I paced around the room, trying to sort the tangle of thoughts without letting my powers go haphazard, Lin loomed in the doorway, staring at me impassively but I knew that he was worried about Mai – I had seen him call Matsuzaki again and make reservations in the earliest flight to Japan.

"Noll, I'm worried about Mai-san too." His voice made me clench my teeth and look for the easiest way to let my anger out, if I'm angry I can't think properly. "But I'm not radiating murder, then why are you so hyped up?"

He knew why I was so hyped up – he just wants me to say it; I know Lin's game clearly and I'm not falling for it.

So I ignored his comments and concentrated on the silver surface of the key, rubbing it between my thumb and index finger but all that caught my attention was the untidy carving on the key surface and I felt myself being transported back into Martin's study where I had told him that I did not want any feelings for Mai, because this situation, this anxiety was something I wanted to isolate myself from.

I've never felt furious in my life; not when people used to admire Gene over me, not when Martin and Luella enforced Lin and Madoka upon me like I was a grenade to be stopped from explosion, not when Mai called me a murderer, not when she took her stand in that cave and shouted her thoughts about me in an attempt to make a point, not even when Mai indirectly admitted that she was infatuated with Gene, not me.

I've felt impatience, anger, hatred but not fury.

Mai keeps on making exceptions.

"Lin," I sounded impatient to my own ears, though I know that Lin will never be intimidated. "Leave. As if its not obvious, I'm in the middle of something. I'll be fine."

I'll be fine – health wasn't something that I could bother with at the moment, not when I knew that every second I wasted was ultimately going to hurt Mai. She was kidnapped – nobody knew where she was, in what condition she was or even who she was kidnapped by; I should have known that she couldn't stay away from danger even if her own life depended on it.

"Of course you'll be fine." I sensed the sarcasm in the words that he threw at me. "Physically you'll be fine but emotionally this method will worsen your temper, if that's even possible."

The only problem with Lin is that he doesn't mind his own business, not even when I'm perfectly capable of making my decisions and creating my choices. What exactly was the point of making futile comments - instead of standing there in the doorway; he could be of some real use in locating Mai.

And he thinks I'm an idiot...ironic really.

"Whatever do you mean?"

He moved away from the door and walked towards me, an eyebrow raised, with disagreement in his eyes and mouth turned into a frown.

"You do know what I'm talking about, don't you?" He frowned, arms crossed with his challenging stance in place. "Noll, if Psychometry works then you'll be transported into Mai-san's present as well as her future; what if you confront something in her future that you don't want to see? How will that help you to maintain your composure?"

I raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"For example another man in her future or her wedding day – you do understand me don't you?"

. . . . . .

I know his game, I reminded myself, I know what Lin's playing at and I can't let this stop my mind from processing rationally. It doesn't concern me; her wedding or - or another man in her future, I just want to make sure she's safe and out of harm's way – that is my only responsibility. I need to get a grip on myself and function on logic because it was the only way out of this situation. What happens to her in the future isn't my concern, it can't be my concern – I can't claim any feeling for her because she doesn't feel anything for me in the least, why should I waste my energy over harboring emotions.

But then what did the key mean?

I could worry about that later – but first I have to find where Mai is.

"Lin," I had to get moving on this, time was ticking by as I stood there trying to avoid Lin's cross-questioning. "Call Julian and tell him that I want him to track a cellphone, without delay. Now."

I've never wanted favors from douche bags like my cousins but the situation is dire and only Julian can help at the moment, he specializes in tracking techniques and on numerous occasions he had tracked Gene's cell phone when the stupid medium wandered away from his destination randomly.

"Let's be clear." A smirk upturned Lin's mouth; he knows that I'm not on feasible terms with either Julian Davis or Richard Davis and he finds this amusing. "You want me to call Julian Davis and ask him to stalk Mai's cell phone so that you can find her? Did I get it right, Noll?"

"Don't ask Julian," I glared at Lin, not finding anything funny at all. "Tell him to do it, blackmail him with anything at all, corner him. Just do it. I want her location in fifteen, no – ten minutes to the maximum."

Lin nodded apprehensively, the former smirk wiped off his face and I know he's concerned about Mai's disappearance, he's always been concerned about Mai – he even questioned my decision to leave Japan just because he didn't want to hurt Mai, it was his idea that Madoka should continue running SPR in Japan.

"And," My threat halted him from going out. "No need to tell Julian who's cellphone I want tracked, if I even hear that you've been spewing rumors like you've been doing lately...the consequences will be painful to say the least."

To emphasize the point, I used PK to let a pencil hover in mid-air right before his face and then snapped it into two clean pieces, without moving my hands, letting him know his fate if he so much as speaks one word more than what I've told him.

In response, Lin's mouth flattened into a line and he proceeded to walk out of the room but turned on his shoulder to face me for a split second.

"What will you do next, Naru?" Each word was emphatically enunciated, as if he was taunting me with his words. "To what extent will you go...for that girl?"

He slammed the door shut but the loud snap wasn't what echoed around the room, it was his words and his question that ricocheted in my mind, followed by unformed thoughts and my own subconscious mocking me. I don't know the answer to his question, I don't know what boundaries I'll be breaking next or how I'll find her, how I will manage to make this work but I do know one thing.

One thing that isn't obscured, one thing that is a fact, a stolid fact.

I'll do whatever it takes to find her...

It's been half an hour ever since I ordered Lin to gather some information that I needed and he's not out of his study yet.

"Oliver," Luella's admonishing voice was starting to irritate me. "Sit down, you've been pacing the halls for the past fifteen minutes, why don't you take a seat and think of some other way to find Miss Taniyama."

Needless to say – I didn't reply.

"Noll, I have the tickets for the earliest flight to Japan – it leaves in about two hours." Lin exited his study hurriedly and held out the pieces of paper but I was concentrating on the key, the Psychometric visions were simple snippets that made no sense and were consequently of no help. Maybe it was due to the lack of concentration I was giving it; and how could I concentrate when two nagging women were probing upon things that I didn't want to tell them. "We'll leave when you're done packing."

Forget about packing anything, do I look like I care about packing?

"Hn. Did you call Julian? Has he called back yet with any information?" I was done sitting around and waiting for Lin to come back with information of some essence. And here Madoka and Luella were constantly telling me to calm down and relax – as if they don't understand the situation clearly; Mai was in danger and of all the experiences I had with that idiot she has almost no sense of protecting herself. I did ask Takigawa to teach her a self-defense and Madoka was in Japan for four months after my departure; she did say that she had trained Mai in the paranormal and had taught her how to control her powers.

"What!?" Luella suddenly shrieked from her place in the corner with Madoka, their constant giggles and shrieks were annoying really and weren't helping my mind to function as I want it to. "You called Julian?! Of all the good people in England!"

Why does it bother her so much, who else was supposed to track Mai's cell-phone?

"Well if you have someone else who can trace cell-phones in double the speed, I'd like to talk to them."

Luella clearly looked upset and Madoka's face which had previously been shining because of God knows what, suddenly turned ashen as if she had suddenly confronted some bad premonition.

"Still – Noll, you asked him to track Mai-chan's phone? Anybody – ahem, could have done it." Luella coughed in the middle of the sentence while her tilted frown indicated some mischief gone wrong. "I thought that you'd ask someone else – after all you and Julian or even Richard for that matter were...ahem...never really that close, can you even trust them?"

"I didn't tell him that I was tracking Mai's phone; he won't lie. I know that he wants to live a bit longer."

Both of them just laughed nervously.

Now that I think about it, their behavior was slightly suspicious – what with their constant laughing it appeared as if neither of them have any concern for Mai, it seems like me, Martin and Lin were the only ones who were radiating tension.

"Have you both done something?" I couldn't help but shoot them an accusatory glare, although I know that both of them can't do anything just sitting in England, I don't want either Mai or Luella to meet each other. "Don't tell me you both are involved."

Madoka feigned indignation while Luella dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief.

"Young men these days," Luella sighed, eyes cast heavenward. "No sense of respect or obligation towards their withering parents."

If only someone could make them keep quiet while I think.

I remember how the crowds used to gather around Gene and watch his antics – unlike me, he was quite popular and the girls were all over him, I was isolated and perhaps at that time I thought I liked the silence around me. Perhaps I wanted to be this way. I didn't want human contact and even if I did want all the applause sometimes, the feeling never got out of hand – I chose to be a shadow, I chose to remain behind him, I chose to put up barriers high enough so that I remained this way because this way I couldn't hurt anyone, this way I couldn't loose to myself.

This way I would be safe, this way I could not loose control nor hurt anybody.

And I never regretted my choices until the day Mai confessed to me – it made me think, would Mai have fallen for me if she knew that I was not my brother, she was so unlike me, I could have reciprocated her confession but I've lived with doubts and I told her the truth, letting her know that she could never force some romantic gesture out of me.

I was not Eugene Davis, I was not the considerate person from her dreams...I let her know that I was the darker half, I let her know that all her compassion would be wasted on me and when she understood, she did what everyone else did; she didn't stop me. At least that's what I thought until I saw the key and the carving.

I'm not sure what to think now...she's confused me once again. Though Martin says it's obvious I like her; I've always trusted Martin's judgment but his comment made me uneasy – it's easy for another person to launch a verdict but don't they know that I can't let this go on; if she comes close to me she'll get hurt in the end, this is how the world works, this is what always happened and I'm not foolish enough to hurt her just by listening to my irrational side.

I don't need her to come close to me; I just want to keep her safe and observe from a distance without letting her know, without letting my own mind know. It was the best way; the most beneficial way for all.

Martin came out of his room with a few folders in his hand and motioned for me to follow him, halting my internal monologue. Once I had reached the hallway, he handed one of the files to me and leaned in, whispering conspiratorially.

"I don't know what's going on," He kept his voice low enough for only me to hear. "But, one of the private jets that belongs to the Davis family had been taken to Japan, it's landing back today anytime so I'm going to the main estate."

I didn't understand what he meant so I raised an eyebrow to which he patiently sighed and squeezed my shoulder.

"Son, don't you get it?" He frowned and then his glance found the silver key in my hand to which he smirked. "I think I just might know where they've taken your girl. I think the Davis children have been up to something big – who else could fly a jet to Japan?"

Davis – jet – Japan, the words formed an unlinked train of new thoughts in my mind and I understood what Martin is hinting at.

Had the Davis family behind Mai's abduction?

"I don't think so." Impossible, out of question – these people didn't even know me then how could they know of my life at Japan – how could they know of Mai.

Unless Lin and Madoka had been...

Shit.

"Of course you don't," Martin's smirk widened by an inch. "But the Davis family knows you more than you think they do. Consider it a fact, if you will. It's a mistake to underestimate your opponent but the bigger mistake is underestimating your friend."

Damn that Lin. Traitor, hypocrite. I'll deal with him later.

Yes, later...

I nodded and then turned to see Lin, his hand outstretched with a phone resting on his palm, he beckoned for me to pick it up.

"Julian-san is on the line," He handed the phone to me. "He has located the number."

"Good. Lin, you should start packing up for departure and make sure all documents needed are ready." I paused, trying to absorb all the information that Martin has just revealed to me and then something of a plan occurred to me so I covered the phone's speaker with one hand. "And Lin, I need someone – call Hathaway at BSPR to track the cell-phones of Emmy, Richard and Julian; if they're all in the same location then inform me."

Lin was surprised at my second demand but quietly complied to it while I held the phone to my ear, listening to the call's static before Julian's voice came over the line; something that I was not very happy to hear.

"Ah, Noll – how wonderful to chat with you again!"

I pinched my nose-bridge, trying to make it clear that I was in no mood at all to chit chat with idiots like him.

"Get to the point." I snapped in the phone. "Have you found out where she is? Did you trace the cell?"

"So it's a 'she' then, eh Noll? Lin wouldn't tell me who you were tracking." He cackled amused, which compelled me to snap his neck into two without remorse or guilt. "Never thought you'd be the stalking type. Young love does strange things – "

I narrowed my eyes at nothing in particular, more furious than previously – why do I have to be stuck with people who think and talk like single-celled organisms?

"Julian Davis." I pronounced each word clearly, ominously. "If you won't tell me where you located the coordinates then I'll -"

Before I could complete the threat, Julian chuckled and the rustling of pages could be heard in the background.

"Okay, okay, relax – though I never knew you could play jokes like this."

Whatever did that idiotic man mean? When have I ever joked with a one-minded person like him?

"I mean, come on Noll – it took me ten minutes to get the location right and I must say that I was surprised. The cell-phone is located somewhere in your house. If you wanted to play April Fool's with me you could have at least hid the phone in a better place than your own house."

What the - ? Did he have a death wish?

"What exactly do you mean, Julian?" My eyes had fractionally widened as my gaze unconsciously found a mirror in the hallway. "You must have got the coordinates wrong. It has to be a damned mistake."

I could sense that I had provoked him by challenging his tracking ability.

"Listen, Oliver." His words were menacing, angry. "I played your game right, this was your idea of a joke wasn't it because the coordinates all locate at your house, if I say its your house then it is your house. No other place – and next time you think its funny to play a prank on me and have me working my head off like I'm some personal servant – think again, I just might tell Aunt Luella about - "

I had already hung up on him, trying to analyze all data. Incredibly, her cell-phone was at my house, the Davis jet was in Japan and landing back today, Madoka and Luella had been behaving incongruously, Martin thinks the Davis children are behind this and Mai is missing.

At the end of it all, Mai is missing.

A large crack marred the screen of Lin's phone.

Speaking of Lin he held out some white pages that he thrust in my hands, motioning for Madoka to join him.

"Noll," His words were laced with surprise and with one look I knew that Martin's doubts were correct. "How did you know that Emmy, Janet, Julian and Richard were in the same location? They're in London, but their coordinates signal that they're traveling."

I knew it. They have done something that is inter-related to Mai's disappearance. Those good-for-nothing-dummies had done something drastic again, only God knows what.

Somehow the thought is unwelcome, unbelievable.

Luella swayed a little, her eyes hazy and unfocused and Madoka raced to her side.

"I feel a bit faint." She declared, clutching at her shawl tightly and leaned on Madoka. "I'm going up to my room to rest, please don't disturb me. Noll, I hope you find Mai-chan soon. Excuse me, Gentlemen."

When I studied the white sheet that Lin had secretly handed to me a minute ago, all the pieces stated falling into place and I knew that Luella wasn't feeling faint, she was sneaking out – something that she had done a lot in the past when her plots rounded on her. It's as clear as anything now that Luella and Madoka have done something again.

And this time, I'll make sure that their conspiracies halt forever.

"No Mother," I looked up from the papers I held and glared at Madoka to lead Luella to the nearest couch, not her room, not when she had to be questioned. "I need to ask you a few questions. Sit down."

"But Noll - "

"Quiet Madoka."

Lin gave me another apprehensive glance and I nodded at him to relay any other bit of info that I had wanted him to gather.

"Also." Lin's voice was tentative as he handed me another printed page. "Along with the coordinates of your cousins, Hathaway-san detected another number and when I matched it with the contacts of those we knew, I found out something – disturbing."

"Go on."

"The number was Father Brown's" His voice dropped another notch. "John Brown is in England – with the Davises."

At that exact moment, the door to the room was thrown open as Richard, Julian, Emmy and Janet Davis marched inside – laughing amongst themselves as if enjoying a private joke. All of them took turns at hugging and congratulating Luella and Madoka, nescient of the fact that I was standing there with Lin.

They had kidnapped Mai on my obsessive mother's orders and they think it's something to be happy about? I'll teach them a lesson and a good lesson will that be.

Oh yes...

"Well," My threatening voice rang out and seven wide eyes processed my personality, fear seeping in. "It looks like some people need to be taught not to interfere in the matters of others."

There was a sudden hush in the room as I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowed.

"Noll...we – "

Silence was heavy and it seemed as if even the sound of a pin dropping would cause a din.

"So," I smirked cruelly, an eyebrow raised in challenge as I processed their fear emanating like auras. "Does anyone have a last wish?"

It was late in the evening and rain had started with full force, pelting noisily against the glass windows – before me the seven plotters sat on a long couch, their heads bowed and impatiently waiting for me to say something. I gathered the white sheets from a nearby desk and readjusted my reading glasses, turning to face them.

"Last Sunday, Luella Davis called at the main Davis Estate and demanded to see Emmy and Richard Davis. At exactly 10:15 pm that day, both of the Davis children called the flight manager of the private jets that the family owns and threatened him with murder unless he allowed them to fly the plane to Tokyo." I was abruptly interrupted by Richard who shouted in indignation, his brow ceased.

"But we didn't really murder him, did we!? It was an empty threat Noll!"

I just glared at him while one of the chandeliers above his head rattled and flickered ominously – he quickly shut his mouth and bowed his head again like those of the other culprits.

"The next day, four Davis children were missing namely Richard, Emmy, Julian and Janet; though Emmy called at the Main Estate to inform her mother that she and the others were on a recreational trip to Japan. The matter was thus resolved or so it was thought. Two days later, on Tuesday, Luella again called Richard and they talked for twenty minutes and thirty seconds, the content is unknown - "

Luella thought it wise to interrupt me.

"But Noll! I meant it to be a surprise, I thought you'd be happy to see her! You kept looking so lost and brooding when you came back and you wouldn't drink tea and those visions kept coming back to you..."

"As I was saying, on exactly 10:30 am the next day, a Catholic priest and acquaintance of mine, John Brown missed an important visit to an orphanage – Father Toujo, another acquaintance – wasn't able to contact him, apparently he wasn't responding to his phone. On 12:30, the same day, Houshou Takigawa was contacted by Brown-san and told that Mai had been kidnapped. Surprisingly enough, Brown-san himself was not in Tokyo that day which led me to believe that either he had kidnapped Mai, which was impossible, or that he had been kidnapped alongside Mai. The latter of the theories seems more believable."

"He's in the hospital right now," Emmy mumbled, her head bowed in shame. "Richard hit him a bit too hard so we admitted him to the hospital nearest to your house."

"The first sensible thing you folks did." Martin grumbled, he had been observing the scene with a frown in place and arms crossed, glaring resolutely at Luella. "Luella – this has gone far too much for me to ignore."

Luella winced.

"The next day, at 11:20, Takigawa called me and notified me of Mai's absence." I shot another glare towards the seven of them and then stood up. "Needless to say, I asked Lin to take out the call lists for the last week of Luella and Madoka since they had been behaving oddly this morning. Lin then asked Julian to track Mai's cell-phone without telling him who it belonged to, Julian did what I asked and thought it was a joke on my part. It was stupid of him, to say the least."

I paused and then lazily took a sip out of a tea-cup on the desk next to me. The taste was strangely dreadful and I was reminded me of the perfect mixture that Mai used to brew back in Japan – it was one of the things that I can't forget, the taste was better than the poison Lin used to call 'tea'.

"Julian revealed that Mai's cellphone was somewhere in my house. Then, I asked a fellow colleague, Alan Hathaway to track your cell-phones and he found out that you were all in the same location, traveling. He observed Brown-san's number along with yours but he lost Brown-san's coordinate once you were near enough our house, that must have happened when you dropped him at the hospital. His coordinate was separated from yours and I came to know that you didn't have Mai's coordinate with yours, which meant that you must have dropped her at our house before you again went to the Main Estate to meet your family and then dropped Brown-san on his way."

I raised an eyebrow and cast another glare towards them.

"Did I get it all right?"

All seven heads nodded solemnly in synchronization and I smirked again.

"Now tell me," I had been patiently waiting for this moment ever since I solved the 'mystery'. "Where is Mai?"

Nobody replied – this silence was more stifling than the others that had prevailed over the room and it did nothing to calm my temper

"I'll ask once more - " I tapped the table with a finger as I waited for them to answer. "Where is Mai?"

Janet was the first one to look up, her eyes hooded.

"She's..." Janet quietly spoke. "She's down in the...basement. She's asleep."

They had no other place to keep her in other than the basement? Had they no idea that she was afraid of the dark and had always been habitual to shout or even loudly shriek when alone in the dark?

Fools...

And to think she could even sleep under such circumstances. The idiot.

"I'm going to the basement," At my words, all seven of them rose hastily but I directed another scathing glare which made them all resume their previous positions. "And none of you are supposed to leave, I'm not done with any of you."

This didn't please them; that much was obvious in their expressions but I didn't care – my assistant, Taniyama Mai was in my house's basement (asleep as usual) when I had been pacing the halls for at least two hours. The relief had been almost surprising and then I had gathered enough patience to explain the whole case to the culprits as well as Lin and Martin, otherwise I would have left it known to my mind alone and firstly looked for Mai.

And to think, she landed in the basement like a damsel in distress. Pathetic really.

Though Martin was still angry when I was leaving, his lecture echoing in the room.

"You all should be thanking God that Noll didn't chew your heads off," I pursed my lips at the statement, not looking back at the audience my father was addressing. "Do you know how worried he got when his friend told him that Mai had gone missing. I am ashamed of you all, you should have seen Noll's face when he heard that she got kidnapped, I was afraid that he would brawl or throw up tantrums but that boy has a lot more common sense than the lot of you!"

Brawl? Tantrum?

I'd have done that if I hadn't figured out where she was in fifteen minutes.

They were saved. Period.

The basement of the mansion had always been an isolated place that was rarely visited by any of us – it used to be Gene's hideout after he had done some mischief but eventually even the stupid medium had grown out of childish habits...after that, the basement was never bothered with. Luella had obviously chosen a good place to keep Mai at, though when she was going to tell me – I don't know. It was better that I had already worked things out before my obsessively morbid mother had taken events her way.

That would have been unforgivable...and unforgettable.

I did not know what to expect when I would see her – ten months are enough to change a person but I don't like the idea of Mai changing, ever; her temperament, compassion, childlike attitude and naivety make her what she is – they make her one of those very, very few people that I just might refer to as friends. She refers to all of us as her family; which is against work ethics but its the thing that keeps the team together - I never thought Lin would adjust keeping in mind his rather petulant grudges towards the Japanese, I never really thought even I could come to work with a mismatched group like them but the only reason they put up with me and Lin and vice verse was because Mai insisted on it.

Why I employed her permanently even after knowing that she was an amateur and knew almost nothing about the paranormal – it wasn't an illogical decision; she was an orphan and her naivety was advantageous since I wouldn't have to worry about her falling for me and what not. Though when I told Lin, he simply muttered that she would be a burden and that I was employing her due to my own amusement – at that time I didn't believe him.

The darkness was beginning to thin out and from the winding staircase I could see a light in the distance; indicating that Mai was there, somewhere.

And when I did see her, unharmed, asleep and snoring, with the light from a yellow bulb splaying shadows across her serene face, I knew that I could never feel similar relief or content in my life ever.

I knew that I could never be the same again.

I didn't want to wake her up so I just made some space to sit, cross-legged beside the make-shift bed; observing the shadows dance across the walls of the basement and pondering upon all that had occurred lately and would occur after this. I'd explain the situation to Mai, maybe even...apologize on my mother's part, though I'm not so sure and then me, Lin, Mai and Father Brown can go back to Japan – though if I have some explaining to do to Mai, I'd rather obliterate my mother's overreaction and make some other pretext.

Trust Luella to ruin my reputation with her plots.

I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled; letting the relief and exhaustion out of my system – feeling some peace in the quietness of the basement. Silence had been my companion for as long as I could remember and it had never failed to calm me down; it had always made my brain work faster than that of others – so in the quiet environment I planned out what to do next.

Once she's woken up, I have some insignificant people to murder and some to injure and then I have to visit Father Brown at the hospital and apologize to him too, indirectly. Although, I'll make sure my retribution towards the Davises is as strong and evil as they had been in the conspiracy – in this way they'll remember to behave the next time.

Though when I'm finished with them, there won't be need for a next time.

My train of thoughts was promptly disrupted with Mai stirring and groaning in her sleep, craning my neck, I saw that she was squinting due to the bright light just above her head and was mumbling inaudibly.

"Mai," I called out, hoping that she'd wake up so I could quickly get over the apologizing part. "Mai, are you awake yet?"

She turned away from me, now growling in her sleep as if irritated by me. I quietly let a chuckle escape.

"Idiot narcissist." She muttered under her breath, tossing restlessly. "Can't let me sleep, always bossing around uselessly."

"Mai," I made sure she could not hear my quiet laugh. "Come on, wake up. Can you hear me?"

"Hmm..." One brown eye reluctantly fluttered open. "Hmm..."

I listened quietly as she groaned again and lifted herself so she was sitting instead of laying down, her brown bangs covered her eyes as she turned her face away from me as if she didn't want to see me.

Something was wrong.

The amusement was quickly fading.

"Na...ru."

Her behavior was odd, she hadn't spoken properly and she was as still a statue.

"Mai?"

"You're really mean you know," When she looked up, there was a strange, unnerving calm and serenity in her eyes, her mouth was twisted into a sickly sweet smile. "Maybe that's why I love you so much."

And she giggled quietly as if someone or something had possessed her, not saying anything.

Then, it dawned on me – there was something wrong with Mai; something that made her so peaceful, something that made her so quietly bold, something that made her sleep...

Mai was intoxicated.

In all my life I had never imagined I would be doing this – I was still reeling from the shock with anger quickly replacing the astonishment prevalent.

I was carrying Mai up the stairs and she was clinging to me without any mortification whatsoever on her part.

"Your hair's really soft you know," Her giggles were muffled by my shirt as she clutched it tightly. "And its really, really black."

"And you're an idiot," I retorted, my embarrassment planning out all types of ways to make Mai feel ashamed when the drink wore off. "Now shut up. You're heavy enough as it is."

She wasn't really heavy which led me to believe that Takigawa had been lying whenever he used to say that his arms ached from carrying Mai around when she confronted danger. I always suspected that he had brain damage.

"That's not very nice, Naru-chan." I could imagine that she was pouting as she said it. "All the things that you say are not very nice – stop being mean when you don't want to be. I thought that my key would teach you some sense but...no Naru is still the same idiotic narcissist."

The stairs were steep so I tightened my hold on her, cursing Luella all the while, knowing that those who had done this were not even going to find their fossils after I had finished dealing with them.

"Mai, can't you keep quiet?" I muttered to no one in particular. "Don't say things that you'll regret later."

"Regret?" She threw back her head sloppily, laughing. "Oh come...on...the only thing...I re-regret is not telling you how much you meant to me, you baka."

Meant to her?

"What do you mean?" For the first time I was genuinely puzzled by her sentence, so much that I stopped ascending the stairs – listening to her soft breathing.

She hid her face in my shirt and I knew that this was going to be difficult – she wasn't herself so she couldn't possibly mean anything that she said seriously, could she?

"Narcissist." She grumbled. "Who the hell would fall for Gene when you were there all the time. I think -"

She waved her hand as if to make a declaration.

"I think that all the girls who liked Gene," She proudly raised her head as if making a patriotic point. "I think, they all were id-idiots! I mean why didn't they see you?!"

I shook my head internally – Mai didn't realize what she meant.

"Shut up, you'll regret saying anything like this to me after you're in your senses."

She gasped, pretending to be scandalized.

"No!" Her elongated, childish 'no' made me smirk. "I am in my senses! You're the one who's deaf and dumb...and...and blind!"

"Fine. Now shut up."

"See!" Her triumphant tone made me pause a bit, halting a bit before taking her straight to my room and sending someone to look after her. "See! You have to accept the fact that I love you...not...Gene..."

And by the end of the sentence she was already snoring peacefully, her arms lightly wound around my neck.

I sighed and proceeded to carry her to my room, we both passed the lounge (unfortunately) and the sight of me carrying Mai made all of them gasp, minus Lin who just smirked for the third time that day.

"Don't just stand there," I raised an eyebrow, shooting a glare. "Send someone to look after her."

The words forced everybody to spring into action.

I entered the room and lightly laid her down, making sure she wasn't disturbed – since the temperature had dropped after raining I decided to cover her with a sheet as well; it was bad enough that she was kidnapped by my own family, I didn't want her falling ill while she was here.

Making sure that everything was alright – I decided to finally eliminate the evil forces sitting in the lounge.

By the time I reached the lounge, all of them were nervously rubbing their hands and Martin and Lin were scowling and as soon as they processed my presence, they immediately stiffened but that did nothing to quell my anger.

They gave Mai something to drink?! Who gave them any right to do that?

"What have you given her to drink?" I demanded roughly and Richard's head instantly shot up.

"We were meaning to tell you Noll," He hastily replied taking in my anger. "She was shouting quite a bit too loudly so we gave her a serum to drink, it just gives the mind some peace and stops people from getting too hyped up. It will wear in an hour or two. Guaranteed."

"I see." My tone was icy as my knuckles unconsciously balled into fists, letting them know that I didn't 'see at all'. "So, where were we previously."

All of them looked up, alarmed at the dark expression that I'm sure flitted across my face as I glared at them, making sure that none of my powers got fueled unnecessarily.

"Noll – we're," Julian gulped noisily. "Really...really sorry, cousin. Honest."

I simply smirked and cracked my knuckles at which Luella, Madoka Lin and Martin fled from the lounge. I could deal with Luella later but at first, I had to deal with these wimps.

"Well," I let the smirk tilt into a dark frown. "I'm sure none of you have any right to living any longer. Isn't that right, cousins?"

I was simply frustrated, not furious – not after seeing Mai generally unharmed except of the serum that they've given her to drink. Not after seeing her safe, not after all my anxiety had been throw out of the window after her senseless, yet amusing remarks.

And now, I think I'm sure...

I don't know how I can be the same Oliver Davis after all this...not after breaking all the limits I had once set for myself, not after all the numerous emotional responses I exhibited today – it'll be difficult to live up to Oliver Davis.

All I know is that it's going to get interesting from this point onwards – extremely interesting.

A/N: OOC? I always thought that Naru would be less of 'in-the-past' guy, less of a monologuist and more of a living in the present person, I wrote this chapter along with that theory. Phew, boy, it was difficult and I don't know what to make of this chapter.

The one thing that most shocked me about the reviews was how people actually read MY author notes – I never thought anyone would pay attention to them . So when you all wished me luck and hugs and tea for my 'problems', I figured out that I'd made a public diary out of my author notes. Silly of me...but thanks for all of it, it's cheering me up besides fantasizing is the best distraction from life's idiocy. Thanks once more and review on this chapter.

P.S: Writing Naru killed my creative side completely, writing Mai may take a bit long...

-borntoflyhigh-