Chapter 6

Mai had enough awareness to realize she was in a hospital. The lulling beep of the nearby machinery and the combined stinging smells of antiseptic and cleanser were pretty familiar to her senses. She was also aware of the persistent pain that hammered against her temple, the searing pain in her side and the throbbing sensation in her foot-which she could tell was elevated and most likely casted if that was the case. She tried to dispel the lingering sleep from her eyes. For a second, Mai thought to her nightmares before realizing whatever sedative she had in her system must be responsible for their disappearance. This was temporary and Mai's breath hitched as she comprehended this rather depressing thought.

How did I get here? What happened?! She thought desperately. Her mind drew a huge blank and she shifted without thought. Her body protested the movement and Mai gasped at the bolt of pain that shuddered through her body. Mai realized how dry her throat and mouth were, the gasp drawing a bout of hacking coughs from her cracked lips. She moaned pitifully through it. The coughs rattling her body and sending wave after wave of pain through her abused limbs and torso. It felt like ages before a small cup was held to her lips and cool water slid greedily down her throat, dripping messily down her chin and onto her hospital gown.

"Thank you." Mai's voice was wispy, barely there as the coughing fit exhausted her. Her eyes remained closed as she focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. She ignored the worried stare she was sure the nurse was piercing her with as she fought to catch her breath. She could feel herself slipping back to sleep, too tired to even open her eyes and thank the nurse for the much needed drink.

Naru placed the nearly empty Styrofoam cup of water on the table next to the hospital bed, his tense muscles relaxing as he watched the girl before him fall back to sleep.

Woman he corrected himself wordlessly. In this time away, Mai had aged just as he had. She was just slightly taller if he remembered correctly, but still petite- maybe 5'2" if she stretched the truth. She had grown her chestnut tresses out and they were curled around her thinner, matured face in knots that would not be easy to get out. She still had laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, but they were noticeable only after noting the dark bags under her eyes and the worry lines that heavily lined her forehead.

He allowed his body to fall quietly back into the chair next to the bed. Naru breathed easier now, after three days on heavy sedatives to help her body heal, Mai was finally sleeping naturally. He watched her chest rise and fall slowly. It was strange how much this reminded him of their time together at SPR. His stupid assistant was always getting herself in trouble. He scoffed at the realization that this time was no different. With no one in the room to judge him, he smirked fondly at the woman before him.

Naru glanced absently at the clock on the wall. He had sent Lin to investigate Mai's new place of residence as listed on the ID they had found in the small clutch at the bottom of the bag she had been carrying with her. Most of the contents, now muddy and torn, were textbooks. Naru ignored the strange sense of pride the felt realizing that Mai was attending college classes. The textbooks obviously belonged to someone majoring in a psychological field, which made him wonder just what her plans might be.

She was probably on her way to class and wasn't paying attention as usual. He thought with a sense of relief. It was good to know some people never change- Mai in particular. He put the thought aside to analyze later.

It was another hour before Lin showed up. A bag of takeout food hung from his arm absently. Naru noticed immediately that Lin seemed somewhat depressed-which was unusual for the tall man. Despite what some might think, Lin was a serious, but emotionally stable individual most of the time. Something had upset him greatly to get this somber of a response. Naru glanced at Mai as he turned to Lin, preparing himself for the report to come. Mai had been asleep for two hours at this point and he wanted answers before she woke up- which there was no telling when that could be.

"Oliver," Lin's deep voice shattered the silence, the note of hesitance in his voice lingering in the air. What he needed to say was not going to be positively received by the young man before him. Mai had definitely changed in their time away. This was a thought that bothered him greatly since he knew how chipper and friendly the petite brunette had always been. The neighbors she had now-well the one who hadn't answered the door with a knife, had opened the door just open wide enough for Lin to see the lines of cocaine set neatly upon the table among a mess of beer cans, cigarette butts, empty pizza boxes, and what was most likely a bong-had mentioned that Mai was reserved and rarely home. She minded her own business, which, the man noted, was best if you wanted to live without trouble in this neighborhood. This was a strange enough comment in regards to Taniyama that Lin thought maybe they were talking about different people. He would have searched elsewhere for answers if the last part of the conversation hadn't solidified Lin's belief that this indeed was Mai's place of residence.

"That girl has sick nightmares or something with all the screaming you hear through the walls. Screaming's pretty common around here though. Nightmares too, I guess." he had shrugged before grinning, "I offered her something to help once, but she politely declined." The neighbor motioned to the drugs on the table. It took all of Lin's self-control not to grimace at the thought that Mai had been offered illegal substances. In retrospect, it probably happened more than once by the look of the place.

His mind went back to the problem at hand. Mai had nightmares. Bad nightmares. This was Mai's current residence. He had thanked the man, firmly declining the beer he tried to thrust into his hands before he shut the door.

Naru watched Lin slowly pull the components of their lunch out of the bag, a sinking feeling filling his gut unbidden. As he walked towards the silent guardian he came to an abrupt stop as a blood-curling scream rang out from the bed behind him. He turned to see Mai flailing, her eyes screwed shut.

Naru flew to her side, his free hand reaching over the bedrail to page the nurse as he tried to hold Mai still. His gut wretched at the scream that pierced his ears so close to him, wincing involuntarily at the shrill sound. He had been so wrong to think in two years nothing had changed.

Author's Note: Finally a new chapter! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review! I hope you enjoyed this- and have a great weekend!