A/N: This is part one of a 9 chapter dump because I've been updating on AO3 but not on here.

Chapter 2 - Impossible to Hide

Naru was watching as Mai left his office, ready to perform her usual duties to make tea for their guest so that they might feel more comfortable while expressing their concerns. Mai had appeared anxious by his questioning, and Naru could tell she was hiding something. Something that he was determined to find out. With that thought in his mind, Naru stood and made his way out of his office as well.

Upon entering their sitting area, he found the client already occupying the couch, waiting patiently to start her interview. "You must be Mrs. Koiya," Naru greets as he sits down in one of the single chairs across from her. "Welcome to Shibuya Psychic Research."

"Yes, thank you. My name is Arika Koiya, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm hoping you might be able to help me, I believe my house to be haunted," she replies, looking thoroughly nervous, looking up from her hands where she had been fiddling with them.

"The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Koiya. My name is Kazuya Shibuya and I'm the director here at SPR. What is it about your house that makes you believe it to be haunted?" he asks, barely registering out the corner of his eye as Lin takes his place beside him with his laptop, ready to take note of the client's request.

Mai also made her way into the room, returning from the kitchen with four steaming cups of tea for each of them. As she places a cup in front of the nervous client, the older woman sends her a small, grateful smile. Mai returns the smile, giving the woman reassurance as she sat beside her to listen. The client took a sip of her tea before starting. "My husband, Shinta, and I have heard strange knocking noises on our windows and bedroom door during the night. It prevents us from getting much sleep until it eventually stops, usually around midnight."

It seemed pretty mild so far, as far as Naru was concerned, but he could tell by the way she started wringing her hands, she was far from done. "When we wake most mornings, we find our kitchen and living room have been messed up. Cutlery has been thrown across the room, the couch turned upside down and some of our heavier furniture has even been moved around," she continues, her voice getting shakier by the minute as she spoke. "Some of our maids have hand-print shaped bruises on their arms and legs, but they have no idea how they got them. Whatever the bruises mean is nothing compared to the worst part."

"And that would be?" Mai prods her gently, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder as she noticed them start to shake.

"Two of our maids," the woman sobs. "They went to sleep, but never woke up. They're dead."

Mai pulled the woman into a hug as she began to cry heavily at the memory. Over the woman's shoulder, Mai was giving him a look and Naru knew that look very well. His very sympathetic girlfriend was pleading with him to take the case, she wanted terribly to be able to solve the case and help the poor woman who was clearly in distress. Naru sighed, never being able to deny her. "Very well, Mrs Koiya, we will take your case."

The woman pulled away from Mai to look back towards him, her eyes showing her surprise even as tears still leaked from them. "You will?" she asks, her voice slightly rough from her crying.

"Yes, there are a few things that we will require before we arrive," Naru says, explaining the usual spiel he gave to clients he had accepted cases from. "We require rooms for sleeping. If the full team is able to make it, it makes nine adults and a child. We will also require a room to set up our equipment. The more power sockets available, the better, though we always bring multiple power boards just in case. Hopefully, we shall arrive sometime tomorrow morning, the earlier, the better so that we can begin as soon as possible."

"Thank you very much Mr. Shibuya," the client says, dipping into a small seated bow in gratitude. "Though, is it safe for a child to some with you?"

"It will be fine," Naru assures her, before pointing towards Lin. "His father is a capable protector and both of his parents are team members, it is quite normal for him to join us."

"If you're sure, then I shall leave you to prepare here while I myself prepare the rooms you have asked for," she says before standing carefully, Mai at her side to assist her.

Mai walked her to the door, and after giving a final farewell and wishes for safe travels, Mai was closing the door back up. She made her way back over to the coffee table and retrieved the empty tea cups, appearing to not notice as Naru followed her every move with his eyes. "Is everything alright?" Lin asks, noticing the way Naru was watching Mai.

"I'm worried about her," Naru replies softly. "She hasn't been well the last few days and has been off in her own little world frequently."

Lin chuckles, causing Naru to frown at him in irritation. "For a genius, you can be so ignorant sometimes," Lin comments affectionately. "Think about a conversation we had a couple of years ago when I said the same things about Madoka. It turned out there was something she was afraid to tell me and it took her almost a whole month to spill."

Naru furrowed his brow as he thought back. "The only conversation I can recall was when Madoka had been hiding that she was…oh," a light bulb went off in his brain at the realisation. "You don't really think it's that do you?"

"I don't know," Lin shrugs, standing from the couch. "I just recognise the situation from my experience. I could be wrong and maybe it's something else, but the only way you'll know for sure is if you ask?"

"I've tried, just this morning before the client arrived," Naru reveals, a sigh of frustration falling from his lips.

"Then try harder," Lin suggests. "She's stubborn, but eventually, Mai usually tells you anything."

Naru sighs again, thinking about how to go about it. Was it true though, could Mai really be pregnant and just too afraid to tell him?

Mai was standing around in the kitchen, her mind occupied by the client and her suffering. Her heart was going out to the poor woman and also, she cried inside at the knowledge that those maids had lost their life over this haunting. She hopes they can solve the case, and quickly, before anyone else got seriously hurt or worse.

As she thought about the dangers, her hand went towards her belly, thinking about the life that was growing inside her. This was her position when Naru walked into the kitchen, his quick eyes not failing to notice the position of her hand. Mai turned towards the entryway of the kitchen, jumping in surprise upon seeing Naru standing there with a frown on his face. "Na-Naru, is something the matter?" she asks nervously. "You're frowning."

"What's making you so afraid to tell me?" he asks, not beating around the bush.

It was Mai's turn to frown, her mind not realising what he was talking about. "What are you talking about Naru?"

Naru scoffs, both at himself for taking so long to realise, and also at Mai for being oblivious right now. "I'm not an idiot Mai," he says. "Though I didn't notice until Lin pointed it out, but it all makes sense now. The vomiting in the morning, your craving for chocolate at almost all hours of the day, that faraway look in yours eyes that tells me you're hiding something. When I tried asking you about it this morning, you were relieved when the client saved you from answering. So is it true? Are you pregnant?"

His slightly irate tone and increasing volume as he spoke set her off, the tears streaking down her face. The sudden waterworks have Naru's eyes widening in surprise. He moves closer to her swiftly and wraps his arms gently around her waist, pushing her head softly to be against his chest. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry," he whispers into her hair.

"No I'm sorry for not telling you sooner," she mumbles into his chest. "I just wasn't sure how to tell you. Plus, I didn't want you to take me off the cases."

The last part was spoken more quietly that he had to strain to hear it, but when he realised what she was saying, he sighed. "Mai, while I would prefer you to be out of the danger that our cases usually present, it's up to you if you want to come along on cases. On one condition."

"Which is?" she asks, her head now leaning away from his body at the realisation that she had no reason to have been so hesitant.

"That when you reach your third trimester, you sit back from cases," he explains. "That far into your pregnancy would be pushing it, you would not be as nimble or able at that point."

Mai smiles up at him, remembering the conversation she had had with the girls, "Ayako said something similar. But I promise, I'll take some leave from cases at that point."

"Good," he says, his mind more at ease. "Just, while on cases for the time being, please don't go running off like you usually do. I can't protect you when you do that, and you always seem to get hurt. If you can't think about your own safety, at least think of the baby's."

"I understand, Naru," she huffs, agreeing only because she knew he was right about her penchant for running off.

Another weight lifted from his shoulders, he pulls her back into him. "You know I love you no matter what, right?" he says to her softly. "You didn't need to be so afraid to tell me."

"I know," is her reply.

He then pulls her into a tender kiss, not being able to control himself now that the necessary parts had been addressed. His beautiful girlfriend was pregnant with his child. While the timing and circumstances were terrible, he was beyond happy at the news.

He pulled away from her after a few moments, smiling down at the blissed look on her face. "Alright," he chuckles. "Give the others a call, see who can make it tomorrow."

She gives him an exaggerated salute and a playful "Yes, sir," before making her way from the kitchen.

Naru shook his head at her childishness as he watched her leave.