I don't own Ghost Hunt. (you know the drill.)

Some spoilers past the anime, based on the manga.

Spirits walk between us

A Reunion

November 18th

Tokyo

The young woman hurried through the train station, purposeful strides moving her forward. Soon she was on the street, walking so quickly she was anxious she would fall any moment.

But she did not fall. She had always been clumsy, but since she had started wearing heels for this job last year, she made sure that she would not fall anymore. She was not going to fall when there was no one to catch her.

She shivered, her breath steaming in the cool evening air as she stopped at the bus stop. She hadn't worn a thicker jacket as she could not find it when she left her apartment that morning: she had been late, and in a hurry.

She smiled wanly, gazing at the traffic passing on the busy street. How was it that she was even late now? She'd never been a prompt person, though she thought she was getting better as she matured. Her current boss at the office seemed a lot more understanding about her tardiness than her last one had been. Though she wouldn't have this job if it weren't for him: he probably never would have fired her if he hadn't left the country to return to England...

She shook her head to herself, shaking away the thoughts and memories of the past. She boarded the bus as it arrived, taking an open seat and rubbing her glove-less hands together as she warmed. Watching the streets, she pressed the signal and stood, making her way to the front. When the bus came to a halt again she hopped off, hurrying into a lively section of Shibuya where she had promised to meet her friends.

...

"Mai-chan! Over here!" Takigawa called, waving over the clusters of pedestrians on the sidewalk, and she hurried toward them, a huge smile growing on her face.

"Bou-san, John-san!" She said happily, self-conscious in her pencil skirt and heels that showed that she hadn't had time to go home and change after her job. "And Yasuhara-san!"

"Mai-san, it's good to see you." John said, grinning. "It's been too long!"

It had been too long. She had seen Takigawa on occasion, and often Ayako with him, but the group had started drifting apart. It had been a natural progression after SPR was closed, but Mai's heart sank every time she thought about the family she had once gained so easily now she was losing again. Just as quickly as they had reasons to come together, now there were better reasons to stay apart. "Ayako and Masako are coming too, right?" Mai said, smiling ear-to-ear, missing the glance that John gave to the monk.

"Jou-chan, where are your gloves?" Takigawa said, frowning as he took her hands in his. "Your hands are freezing."

She giggled but looked embarrassed. "Oh, you know how forgetful I can be, Bou-san..."

"At least you remembered a scarf." He sighed. "Let's get to the restaurant and warm you up."

"What about Ayako and Masako?" Mai protested.

"Matsuzaki-san and Hara-san did not want to wait outside in the cold and are already waiting for us. Let's get going, shall we?" Yasuhara said, smiling.

"I'm so happy this reunion is finally happening. We haven't all been together in so long!" Mai said. As they stepped inside the restaurant she let out a small sigh and released the tension in her shoulders she hadn't realized she had been carrying. She hadn't been aware of how cold she had been until she was properly greeted with warmth. Her black stockings and heels did nothing to keep the chill away. Like Bou-san had said... at least she had remembered her scarf.

"This place is fancy." Mai noted, internally cringing as she thought of her bank account. Who had chosen the location? Probably Ayako.

"Party of four?" A hostess asked politely. She wore a graceful and modest dark kimono, a dark leaf pattern forming delicately along the bottom. Her hair was pulled back elegantly and masterfully. It was barely noticeably streaked with the grays of age that did not show on her beautiful face. "I'm sorry but it would be about a forty-five minute wait."

"Actually, we're under the Yasuhara reservation. Several of us should have already arrived." Yasuhara said amicably. The woman nodded quickly and gestured for them to follow her. With ease she guided them through the small corridors, the laughing of the guests audible from inside the partitions and screens. She finally stopped, slid open the door, and motioned for them to enter.

"Aha, there they are." Yasuhara said, and the host ducked away, bowing gracefully.

Mai furrowed her eyebrows, realizing that the table in front of which they stood had more than Masako and Ayako sitting at it. Three figures turned to face the newcomers.

"Oh, we were just getting ready to order without you!" Madoka laughed. "What took you so long? Come on, everyone, sit down."

Mai felt the blood slip from her face as she met his dark eyes. He sat between Madoka and Lin, their faces barely registered in her shocked mind. All she could see was him.

"Naru," she whispered. "Naru?"

...

If not for two facts: that he had heard her whisper his name and that he had known she would inevitably show up—he might not have immediately recognized her. She was still the same Mai, but somehow inexplicably different. Her hair cropped and framed her face the same as he remembered it (though obviously trimmed and well-maintained, something she hadn't been particular about when she was sixteen), the same large brown eyes were staring at him with an incredulous look he was all too familiar with, and she was as thin and petite as ever. Yet she had never looked quite like this: a short black skirt under a trim jacket, a black scarf tucked neatly around her neck. Somehow he had imagined her looking the same as she always had on all of their cases, but that had been a foolish thought. He had met her three years ago, and she was nineteen now, he rationalized. Of course she would look different. Of course she wouldn't wear the same clothes.

He immediately noticed that she was taller—quite a bit taller, as the top of her head reached Takigawa's chin, and if he remembered correctly (which he knew he did), before she would have reached the tall monk's shoulder. Then he noticed that she was wearing heels, and he smirked. Not that tall, he thought.

"Mai, stop gaping at me. You look like a fish with your mouth open." He said, his gaze falling to her lips. Her mouth was only slightly parted, and it closed quickly.

"I was not gaping." She said briskly.

"No one else is staring." Naru said dryly.

"I'm surprised to see you! After all who wouldn't be? You've been gone two years and you never made any indication that you'd be coming back..." Mai trailed off as she realized the scene she was making, and the man just smirked at her. She fumed.

John and Takigawa laughed, Yasuhara smiling as he slipped off his shoes to step onto the tatami. Ayako giggled behind a manicured hand, and Masako also looked amused. Madoka had a warm smile on her face and even the corners of Lin's mouth twitched with a smile. The children, bickering just like old times.

"Let me take your coat, Mai-chan." Takigawa said, removing his shoes as well, and Mai stepped out of her heels, relishing the feeling of her feet in their natural state.

"Thank you, Bou-san." She said, smiling tenderly as he took her jacket. The monk glanced toward Naru, who was watching with apparent disinterest, and winked. Naru quickly averted his eyes to the tableware.

Yasuhara sat at the empty seat next to Masako; John sat across from Madoka, which left two seats remaining: directly across the table from Lin and Naru. Takigawa followed Mai to her seat, who promptly chose the cushion across from Lin.

As the final joining members of the party sat down, drinks were set on the table around the guests quickly, along with several small plates of appetizers. Madoka picked up her small cup of sake and cleared her throat. "A toast, just a simple toast," she said, her eyes twinkling, "to welcome Lin and Naru back to Japan."

They raised their cups as she spoke. Mai raised her eyes to meet Naru's across the table, a blush forming on her cheeks when she realized his dark eyes were upon hers. She quickly averted her gaze, looking instead at the stoic Lin, who nodded with appreciation to Madoka.

"There is nothing as fortunate as being together." John said, smiling, though his expression was nostalgic.

"We're honored to be here to welcome you," Masako said.

"Welcome back." Takigawa said, grinning. "It's good to see you again."

Lin quirked a small smile, lifting his glass toward his old acquaintances. "We are pleased to be here."

Naru said nothing, and with murmured agreement they all drank.

...

It was almost like old times, though they had never drunk so much before. In fact, they had never drunk alcohol at any gathering before, as a good portion of them had been underage. But they had all grown older, and even though Masako and Mai were still below the legal limit, they were poured sake like everyone else.

"Is this a formal announcement, then?" Yasuhara joked. "The return of SPR?"

"You could say that." Lin said.

"Then you're here to continue where you left off?" Ayako asked. "I mean..."

"SPR will re-open tomorrow." Naru said shortly. He knew Mai was staring at him with surprise, even as he nodded, glancing at Lin. "I hope I can be as presumptuous to say that I look forward to working with you all again."

"You mean you look forward to bossing us all around," Takigawa laughed, and even Naru smiled slightly at that.

"Of course. We'll be glad to offer our services." John said, and then flushed quickly as he realized he'd spoken for everyone. "I mean, I..." He didn't need to worry, as everyone—save Mai—quickly voiced their agreement. Mai, on the other hand, found her own opportunity to examine the tableware, not knowing how she fit into that statement.

The conversation drifted from the topic, and Naru made sure to listen to Madoka's conversation, fully aware that Mai had been watching him uneasily, and only did he turn when he was sure she had looked away.

They talked and laughed, Takigawa and Yasuhara laughing, persuading John to have a second cup of sake. Surprisingly, after the second it was easy to convince him to have a third.

Masako, Ayako, and Mai got along with each other much better than they had when they had all first met; even though they might tease Ayako, she was like the oldest sister of the two younger girls, looking after them and giving advice. The three talked and laughed, recounting stories and giggling with each other. Mai hadn't seen Masako in a very long time, and was eager to catch up with her news.

Madoka was the same as ever, though perhaps a little more curious about what Mai had been up to in the past two years, as the two hadn't seen each other even once outside of SPR. Even Lin joked wryly, grinning slyly at Takigawa with a shared joke. Only Naru remained very quiet, sipping his sake, watching and listening to the conversations around him.

"Masako-chan, tell me tell me, what's Tokyo University like?" Mai said eagerly, her chopsticks poised with a piece of sashimi between them.

"Matsuzaki-san, how is work at the hospital these days?" Yasuhara said, taking a sip of his sake.

"Takigawa-san, is it true that you, Matsuzaki-san and John-san still work together for exorcisms?" Lin inquired.

"The hospital is busy as always, but it's good to be kept busy. You'll be graduating from school this spring, isn't that right, Yasuhara-san? What will you do after that?"

"I hardly have any free time, with the show still continuing." Masako said. "Though I think that this will be the last year for the show."

"Yes," the monk laughed. "We occasionally band up again. Sometimes even Mai and Yasuhara come along."

Naru's ears seemed to twitch at these words, and Madoka watched him from the corner of her eyes.

"No way!" Mai said, shocked. "You'll quit the show?"

"I'll become an honest man and make an honest living for the woman I love." Yasuhara said seriously, pushing his glasses upwards on the bridge of his nose, the lenses glinting from the light.

The table had become quiet enough to hear these two exclamations, and they all laughed together as the door slid open and more food was brought in.

...

They had been together for several hours already. Almost everyone seemed to have had enough sake to be slightly tipsy, though Takigawa and Yasuhara were somewhat past that and you wouldn't know Lin or Naru to have drank anything but water from their demeanors. Masako was into her second cup, the medium blushing at Yasuhara's jokes. Mai stood carefully and excused herself, slipping into her heels and ducking out of the room, teetering ever so slightly at her unexpected unsteadiness, but quickly righting herself and walking confidently once more.

When she returned from the washroom she was surprised to see Naru exit the dinner room and approach her.

She didn't know how to act around him anymore. She tried to avoid his gaze but once his dark eyes found hers it was impossible to look away. He stopped several paces from her, hands in his pockets, standing casually in his formal black clothes.

"Mai." He said, watching her. She felt uncomfortable under his gaze, though at the same time she hoped he wouldn't look away.

His jet-black hair still covered his forehead with silky strands, the style the same as he had worn it two years ago. His eyes, set in a slightly matured face, were the same mysterious eyes she remembered.

"You look a little different, Naru." She said, smiling up at him. "But you're looking good." As she said this she blushed fiercely, and added quickly, "I mean, that's not what I meant. I'm glad to see you're doing well."

He smiled wanly. "I'm also glad to see you're doing well, Mai." A slight chuckle escaped his lips and he smirked. "Though it is quite impressive that you can walk in a straight line in those heels. I don't remember you having such coordination and it would be a shame for you to fall and knock some of your lingering intelligence from your head."

She bristled. "Yeah, you're the same old Naru, all right." She grumbled, continuing down the hall. "Exactly how I remembered. I don't know how I could expect anything different."

"Mai," he called after her, and she turned, questioning.

"Yes?" She said warily, knowing all too well what he was going to say.

"Would you be able to come by the office this week?"

She looked at him silently and finally nodded. "Sure. Um, when..?"

Naru shrugged. "We'll be there the regular hours. Anytime you're free." She nodded, and began to blush when he smiled slightly again. "Thank you, Mai." He turned and continued down the hall, leaving her staring at his turned back.

Did he just... Why did he just thank me?

Mai sat down at her seat between John and Takigawa once more, feeling slightly dazed at the unexpected expression of appreciation from her former boss. When he returned he gave no inclination that they had spoken, and she watched as he was immediately pulled into a serious conversation about mizuko with Lin and Takigawa.

"I should be going." Mai was the first to excuse herself that night. "I have classes tomorrow morning, so I can't be out too late."

John stood quickly. "I'll go with you, Mai-san. We take the same transfer at Akasaka."

Mai giggled and nodded, knowing that he probably felt guilty about three cups of sake and wanted to leave before he was on his fourth. "I'll make sure you get on the right train, John-san."

The priest flushed slightly and the table laughed. "Don't worry, we'll carry on without you!" Takigawa laughed, his cheeks flushed as he lifted his cup.

As Mai stepped once more into her shoes, she raised her eyes to glance at Naru. He watched her, his gaze level and blank, and she wished that just for once she knew what was crossing through his mind.

...

"That was fun, wasn't it?" John remarked, grinning foolishly. They were standing on the train, watching the lights in the tunnel and the marks on the sign light up with each stop.

"Yeah, it was." Mai said quietly, gazing at her reflection, wondering why something didn't look quite right. She looked up at John suddenly, finally able to speak on her suspicions. "John-san, everyone else knew that they were going to be there. Everyone knew Lin and Naru had come back to Japan."

John looked away, guiltily. "I assume you can only wonder why didn't we tell you. Isn't that right?" She lowered her eyes, and the priest continued, sighing slightly. "Takigawa-san said... he said he was afraid you wouldn't come, if we told you."

She looked up, surprised. From John's phrasing she immediately knew it was not Bou-san who was worried. "He? Naru said that?"

...

"Okay, guys, we'll see you later!" Madoka said merrily, waving as Ayako helped a swaying Takigawa down the hall, the monk laughing heartily and the miko grumbling under her breath.

"Thank you for your hospitality." Masako said, bowing. With a blush she allowed Yasuhara to escort her from the room.

"We'll see you guys soon." Yasuhara said, grinning.

Naru bent, picking up a forgotten black scarf from where it had slipped onto his shoes. He gazed at it for a moment and shook his head, allowing a small smile to cross his lips.

...

Mai slipped into her apartment quietly, closing the door behind her carefully as to not make a sound. She knew it wouldn't matter—either her roommate would be home and would hear her, or she wouldn't be—but she still went through the pretenses. When she had removed her coat and shoes and there was still no sight of the girl she shared the space with, she found herself releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd held and crossed the small kitchen to enter her bedroom.

Several minutes later, she was washed and in a comfortable long-sleeved shirt and pajama shorts, standing in the tiny bathroom in a pair of colorful mis-matching socks, brushing her teeth. When she was finished, she yawned and hurried to her futon, sliding under the cool comforter with a both a smile and a shudder.

Once comfortable, she found herself wide-eyed and staring toward the window, the small space between the slats of the blinds just large enough to allow her to see light from the city outside.

"What are you doing here, Naru?" She found herself whispering, and sighed, closing her eyes and wishing for a sleep that could not come quick enough.

...

hello and thank you for reading! This is my first submission. I would love any feedback, comments, questions. please feel free to shoot me a PM or review, whatever :)

until next time!