A/N: I couldn't give this idea up either. :) Takes place before and during episode sixteen and also uses some of the lines. I don't own anything. Please R&R!

Edit: Okay, since I read what actually happened during this time, this fic is now officially AU. It's just my version of what happened. :D

I awoke at once from deep thought to shrill screams echoing from the other side of the school. Ice cold sweat drenched my forehead almost immediately. I knew that voice. Mai…

"Somebody help me! Help me!"

Her screams penetrated the walls with ear-shattering terror, but so suddenly they stopped. They stopped too quickly for whatever ordeal was going on to be resolved. I stood from the chair I had been sitting in, nearly knocking it over, and hastened out the door towards the now-nonexistent noise. What was going on?

"Naru! Hey, Naru, where are you going?" Lin called behind me, turning swiftly to the clattering chair where I had just been. I paid him no mind. I was already gone. Something was wrong and I wanted to find out what – before something terrible could happen.

The school's hallways were too silent for comfort. My footsteps pounding the floor were barely reassuring. A strong odor suddenly hit me, wafting out from a door nearby. The door led into the room I had told Mai to retrieve the one of the tapes from. I reached to open it, but it wouldn't budge. Lin had already caught up to me. I was struggling to regain my composure.

"What's going on?" he asked, confused at my incessant will to open the seemingly locked door. There were no locks in this school…

"Mai's in there, but it won't open. She was screaming for help only moments ago." I stepped back to show him he could do his work. Within seconds the door was blown open and with a sharp jolt, I saw Mai on the floor. A river of formalin surrounded her and her flashlight lay broken in pieces where she had dropped it.

"What in the world–?" Ayako and Takigawa appeared behind us, along with Yasuhara, seeing the damage to the room and Mai collapsed on the ground. I stood at the doorway silently while Takigawa leaned next to Mai and scooped her up like some rag doll left behind by a young child. The jealous tugging pulled at my heartstrings again, but I knew there were more important things to deal with. With Mai limp in his arms, he turned swiftly to Yasuhara.

"The nurse's office? Where is it?"

Realizing the urgency of the situation, Yasuhara nodded once and led him off in the direction of the office. For a few brief seconds I stood at the door of the room, watching everyone follow the young man. Sharp daggers of realization hit me with resounding force. If I had not sent her into that room, she would be safe. If I had only been a bit more cautious, she would be jabbering away with Yasuhara or poking fun at Ayako with Takigawa… not unconscious in his arms, barely breathing.

I shooed those thoughts away. My coworkers had yet to notice my absence. I followed in their footsteps and caught up with them before I was missed.

The hush among us was nearly unbearable. Ever so faintly, I could hear Mai talking next to me, laughing, pretending not to notice the distant gleam I kept so knowingly in my eyes. My way of comforting myself was pretending that this hadn't happened. I was listening to my mind's figure, just not showing it. I cared, just didn't make it clear. I…

"Naru? Where are you going?" A deep voice interrupted my thoughts. Lin was standing outside the nurse's office I had passed without noticing.

"Ah…" I searched for an excuse, not wanting to admit I had been too caught up in my thoughts… about Mai… to notice everyone had already entered the room. "I was going to get Hara-san and John. I'm sure they'll want to know."

Lin looked at me with piercing dark eyes. He could always read what I was actually thinking, but said nothing of it. "I'll get them," he finally replied. "They can come here while I watch over base."

I nodded once to show him I was fine with that idea and exchanged spots with him, entering the sterile-smelling room with slight distaste, hiding my concern. In the second bed, Mai already was tucked under the thin while sheets, with the two adults and the high-schooler surrounding her.

"Give the girl some fresh air. She needs it." I made my entrance to see Ayako scowl.

"What was she even doing to end up like this? Alone in this school at night?" Ayako complained, but the three had stepped back as I instructed and made themselves comfortable on the adjacent bed.

"Ayako, a cold cloth for Mai," I replied, deepening the glower on her face. Takigawa snickered slightly when she could do nothing but obey. I sat with my back facing them and Ayako swore at my attitude. Mai's gentle breathing was the only sound that enveloped the room and cooled our heated tempers. Glancing discreetly over my shoulder at Mai, I couldn't help but tense slightly. If she wasn't okay…

"Mai-san!" a young man's voice gasped from the doorway. Masako and John had finally arrived, gazing with wide eyes at Mai still out cold on the cot. "Is she all right?"

"We'll find that out, now, won't we?" Takigawa responded lightly, daring another glimpse at Mai's unmoving form. It didn't make any of us feel any better about this case. The two came slowly and regretfully into the room, glancing around anxiously. John sat himself on the bed quietly and Masako made herself comfortable in the corner between the wall and the head of the bed.

Peace resumed in the nurse's office. Blocked off from the talking behind me, I began to think long and hard. Not just about the case, but everything. Everything this day had amounted to, everything in the past, the events leading up to this very moment in time. Before everyone had met, these accidents didn't happen. We had gone in, solved the case, and got out. Simple as that. And since I had asked Mai to join SPR, she seemed to bring her disaster-prone aura with her. Giving a short breath that I refused to admit was laughter, I knew only one thing.

Mai had changed my life.

And just when I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, making Mai's cheery voice speak to me again, everyone had turned to look at Mai as well. Just barely, her lips moved to hiss nearly muted words.

"She's talking… but what's she saying?" Yasuhara whispered quizzically. That was exactly what we all were about to figure out. At the corners of her eyes, tears were visibly forming. She breathed deeper, slowly gathering her strength back.

"Sakauchi-kun…"

My stomach knotted.

"I'm sorry…" she breathed again. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you…" A single tear ran down her pale cheek, but still no one spoke. Everyone watched Mai breathlessly as she cried for the young boy. I stood and turned swiftly, towering over her figure. Whether I couldn't stand her being in anymore pain or if I wanted to end the slight aching inside my own heart, I couldn't comprehend.

"Mai! Mai!" I spoke bluntly, directly, and I knew I was receiving harsh looks from the others. Softening my tone a bit, I asked as she opened her eyes, "Are you awake?"

Mai didn't notice the stupidity of that question. She sat bolt upright, gasping loudly. I swung my body back to not collide heads with her, desperately restraining myself from rolling my eyes at her own foolishness. Almost immediately she paid for the quick response. Her face grew ashen and her head spun.

"I feel sick…" she moaned, falling back onto the small pillow. And within me, my emotions exploded, seeing the weak state see was in, realizing where my decision had led her fate… grasping the fact I could have killed her.

Declining those feelings from showing, I snapped back at her, "That's 'cause you suddenly moved, moron." I sat back down on the bed, knowing the words were brutally chosen. What else was I supposed to say? I honestly could not make sense of the thoughts beating each other down in my mind, wanting to be dwelled upon first.

Ayako placed the cold cloth over Mai's forehead and demanded to know the reason she had ended up this way. This was the last thing I needed to hear. I already knew my mistake had injured her and hearing it enforced was much less than comforting.

"Well, because of the videotape," Mai muttered shyly. A rush of guilt overcame me again and Ayako snorted derisively. I heard her next few sentences with ear-piercing force. Trying to tune her out came of no use.

"What? Hey, Naru, what were you thinking, making her get something like that on her own?"

Hadn't we already gone over this? Just minutes before Ayako had said the same thing, berating me for my naïve thinking. I didn't respond, making her sigh sharply, exasperated, and continue to nag.

"Sheesh. I wonder if he's even listening."

Distancing myself was doing no good. I was always listening, contrary to Ayako's belief. At least I wasn't always talking, unlike others here. Again, it got me thinking even harder. So maybe I didn't listen all the time… but that was because the ideas proposed were, most of the time, wrong. I couldn't help that.

Mai's voice grew steadily stronger as she explained what had happened to her in the room, before I had heard her screaming and sensed something wrong. Blame pent up within my chest pounded against my rib cage to get out, to burst out into the open and beg forgiveness. There was no way I was going to lose my self control and surrender my image for the second time that hour. I stood from the bed again, unsure of what might happen if I stayed any longer.

"If you're not hurt, then there's no problem. Let's get back to work," I grinded out, my eyes avoiding Mai's wounded expression. "Matsuzaki-san, please stay with her." The silence lasted for one gratifying second longer, but everyone followed my orders. I turned out the door and breathed deeply. I had kept my persona. Mai was okay. Everything was normal…

…then why did I still feel so empty? I walked back towards the previously locked room, slinking down the hallways. I still needed that tape and I was sure no one else would go in there tonight. I pressed the plastic button and pulled out the tape.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep my eyes from the shattered flashlight and formalin pooling on the tile floor. Since when had I felt regret so strongly? Mai was safe, probably whining to Ayako about arrogant I was.

Someone rushed past the door. Long red hair whipped out of my view. Reaching the entrance I stepped out, seeing Ayako run the other way.

"Matsuzaki-san," I called calmly behind her, making her stop in her tracks and turn around hastily. Fire flashed in her eyes and I could tell she was eager to get somewhere. "Where are you going? I asked you to stay with Mai," I warned, walking forward. Ayako didn't hesitate or flinch or even get angry as I had expected.

"Mai's the one who told me to leave. She had another dream. She says John and Yasuhara-san are in danger. The spirit moved to the printing room!" She turned on her heel and continued to sprint down the hallway and out of sight. I stared at the space she had just been standing, but suddenly everything hit me at once.

What did she mean they were in danger? Everyone was always in danger when ghost hunting, it came with the job – especially when Mai was anywhere near. But why-?

There was a startling slam from the hallway I had just taken. The ground shook slightly and another ear-piercing scream echoed. An iron fist clenched my heart. Not again. I wasn't going to let her get hurt again…

The tape slipped from my fingers and I took off sprinting down the corridor, back to where I had come from. I hoped that Mai was still okay, that she was still fighting… possibly for her life. I ran fasters, but soon noticed all was quiet. Had everything been fixed? Or had Mai already given up. I shook my head roughly. That wasn't like her. She was brave and headstrong and fought until the end.

I stopped abruptly in my tracks, less worried now. Since when had I thought about Mai like that? She was my hired assistant and nothing more. Nothing. And everything was fine, I decided; silence had lasted too long to doubt that. I turned slowly from the nurse's office, releasing all the tension from my shoulders. I had nothing to worry about…

"No!"

Damn.

I reached the door in one stride, throwing it open. I expected to see Mai cornered by some creature, backed against a wall, and doing everything she could to save herself until someone came for help. But what I actually saw was… nothing. Literally. The beds were gone, the room smelled like dust, and I could only hear a slight scritchscritch against the walls. And it was then I noticed the floor had fallen in.

"Mai!" I called out, seeing her standing on the floor below, shaken and terrified. Her playful brown eyes widened in relief.

"Naru!" she cried. She looked so pretty, even now…

Whoa, where had that come from? I just needed to get her out before anything worse could happen. The building was already unstable, how much worse could it get?

"This is…" I began, then changed my direction. "What happened?"

"I don't know," she gasped, locking her gaze with my own. "There was a big noise, and when I thought it shook, it jus—" I leaned down nearer her level and held out my hand for her to grab. The longer she talked, the more likely it was she would be injured. She looked absolutely petrified and rushed to grab my hand to pull herself out. When both her hands were clasped over mine, I felt a warm rush crawl up my spine. I quickly shook it off, and braced myself, looking straight into her eyes.

She gave a comforted smile and I knew she trusted me. It was in the smile… it was all in her smile. Suppose Mai's thoughts were deeper than I assumed. And maybe my feelings were stronger than I let myself believe. What if too many things were being left unsaid? What if…?

A sound like breaking glass reached our ears and Mai gasped, her hands still over mine. We looked up in shock at see the ceiling slowly peeling away and threatening to crush us. My eyes narrowed. Mai's shrill voice shrieked my name, in hopes that would actually do something. It was then the ceiling caved.

Thinking quickly, I shoved myself from the higher level, bringing Mai down with me. Covering her small body from the weight of the ceiling, I fell a little too awkwardly and heard her give a pained gasp, eyes fluttering closed. I swore under my breath and ducked my head closer, waiting for the impact. The ceiling landed with aching force, but I managed to keep conscious. Footsteps stormed down the hallway. Everyone had heard the crashes and Mai's screams… finally. Mai's shallow breathing began to reverse back to normal and I knew she would be okay. Another wave of thankfulness swept through me.

Had I been the only one truly worried? Had I been the only one brave enough to risk my own life, the only one crazy enough to rescue her from killing herself in this process? Was I the one who cared the most about Mai?

But something about Mai just… made everything different. Easier. Happier. Brighter.

Maybe… maybe it was something more. Maybe… maybe I…

A/N: Haha, fill in the blank! Do you honestly think even Naru would finish that sentence? Well, you'll never find out, will you:) Please review and tell me anything you loved, hated, or anything in between. Thanks for reading!