Chapter 73

A/N: OMG I haven't updated since December? I am so so so very sorry about that. I have been having so much trouble with this chapter. I literally would open up the document, look at Yasuhara's name at the beginning and my mind would go completely and utterly blank.

I think part my problem is once I get closer to the end of a story I start getting nervous because I really don't want to say goodbye to those characters that I have created. But, once again I am exceptionally sorry that it has taken this long, and I hope that it won't take another 4 months before I post Chapter 74. (crossing fingers and whispering a sincere thank you to my muse for helping me through this chapter and asking her kindly to keep helping me in the future)

Yasuhara grumbled in annoyance as he drove along in the rental van around the curving highway. Sure he volunteered to help but that didn't mean he should be reduced to hard labor and chauffeuring around the 'premadonna of the paranormal's' equipment. But then again when that mechanical monstrosity first touched down he proverbially, and emotionally, headed for the hills. He ended up immediately volunteering his current services despite the fact that he really didn't want to be reduced to such menial tasks.

The silence in the van was killing him so he reached over and turned on the radio. The researcher rarely ever gave himself peace and solitude to think on his own. He didn't seek that kind of tranquility and inner reflection on purpose. If left to his thoughts he would probably drown in loneliness.

His unrequited feelings for multiple people would be able to crush his spirit if he let them. At least with Mai it had been easy. He had known she loved Naru from the start, and when he gave them time after their separation he still could see those emotions lingering in her eyes. That didn't stop him from taking her out a time or two, and despite his feelings he still had fun with her. So, at least he could fall back on their friendship.

There were other crushes he had over the years though that he had felt more heartbroken over. Hell, his flirtation with monk might have stemmed from his humorous side, but over the years he realized that humor had been laced with a modicum of truth he hadn't yet realized at the time. Yasuhara wasn't strictly straight. He had relationships over the past few years between both men and women, and he definitely found that he didn't have a preference between either.

He steers the vehicle around a sharp bend in the road and the hospital immediately came into sight. Even without his research he could tell that the building had been renovated a couple times over since its construction in 1971. The building was simply too modern looking. The visual didn't stop the chill from running across his spine. "And I'm not even on the grounds yet." He muttered aloud.

He nearly slammed on the breaks when he saw a couple of familiar figures loitering around two black vans sitting side by side in the parking lot. His eyes began bulging out of his head. 'What are they doing here?' He wondered to himself.

He pulled up the van in an empty spot beside the others and climbed out. Ayako saw him, but Monk had his back turned to him. He wrapped his arms around his waist in a back hug. "How's my boyfriend doing?" He asked teasingly.

Ayako of course found herself laughing in response when Monk jumped a foot away. "What- Whoa, what are you doing here, Yasuhara?"

"I could ask you the same question." He teases before pointing to the roof where the helicopter has landed. "I am with Masako. I'm assuming you are also here to investigate the maternity ward?"

Ayako arches an eyebrow. "No, we are investigating another part of the hospital. Something paranormal is going on in the maternity ward too?"

"Hmm. We should probably let Mai and Naru know. Sounds like this hospital has been withholding information from us." Yasuhara follows the two to the room that PRI is setting up in. He's immediately surprised by the extra unknown faces. Especially the one that seems to have his nose glued to the laptop screen. From what he can tell from his profile the guy is sheer geeky adorableness. But, the guy doesn't peel his eyes away from the computer screen for even a moment. So, Yasuhara briefly mourns the fact that he isn't able to get the full effect.

He glances around. "Wait, where's Mai and the big boss at?"

"They went across the street to grab something to eat. Mai had one of her dreams before we got here and it really shook her up." Gene comes around a corner and explains. He averts his eyes and directs them at a curvaceous, but fake looking, blonde nearby. Definitely not my type. Yasuhara thinks to himself. He is still more invested in the prospect of the delectable cutie looking up at him from his screen already. His profile is probably not even doing him justice.

As if the comment were a prelude to their entrance the two walk in. "Yasuhara, what are you doing here?" She glances down at the cutie. "I know I didn't call you. We already have a researcher for this investigation, although I am not going to turn away any information you might have."

"Researcher?" The cutie asks. This time when Yasuhara turns to look at him he nearly stumbles because he was most definitely accurate in his presumption that his profile didn't do him justice. From his sandy brownish blonde hair to the light dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose he was sheer adorableness. He was also pretty certain that he could get lost in those mossy green colored eyes.

Yasuhara not only forgets to introduce himself, he literally forgets the concept of speech in general. Luckily after Mai veils a chuckle she does the job for him. "Bennet Patterson this is Yasuhara Osamu. Yasuhara this is Bennet."

Bennet arches an eyebrow in adorable confusion. "You are the first person to work on the team they introduced by surname."

Yasuhara blinks for a couple seconds before he finally regains composure. "Personal preference. I mean you can call me Osamu if you like, but I might not answer right away simply because I'm not used to it."

Once they are done bantering back and forth a bit Mai takes the quick opportunity to introduce everyone else from BPR that are assisting them this time around. When Luella is introduced he turns on his full charm and lightly laughs when he teases that he can't call Naru big boss this time around since he is sure she is the one who rules the roost at home.

"So, let's get back to the reason you are here Yasuhara."

At that moment a notification pops up on his phone. So he sighs, excuses himself a moment and checks the screen.

Premaddona: Where are you at? I see the van, but you are not here.

He explains to her quickly where to find him and that she might want to come herself. Then he addresses his friends and the new acquaintances around him. "I'll explain as soon as she gets here. That way I won't have to do it more than once. Or at the very least I will have her assistance in doing so."

"Who are you referring to, Yasuhara?" Naru asks in confusion.

"Naru?" A voice that Naru wasn't sure he wanted to hear again utters. "Mai? I had hoped your team would be the one working with me this time around. But, I thought it would have been too great of a distance for you to travel."

Of course the whole team of BPR are awestruck to find Hara Masako in front of them. Well, that is aside from Luella, since she knew of the stunt that the medium had pulled on her son, and Olivia simply because it was difficult to impress the blonde.

Mai greets her friend with a hug and nods at the member of security that came in and took up residence just inside the doorway. He politely nods back but other than that his facial expression remains stoic momentarily reminding her of the lack of smiles she got from Naru not so long ago. "We weren't aware there was going to be another team working on this case."

Yasuhara cleared his throat. "Apparently there are two cases here. The one your team is working on, and the one in the maternity ward we are working on."

Mai becomes white as a ghost. "Maternity ward?" She glances at Naru. "Do you think that's why…?" Her words trail off and she doesn't finish her thought. She sighs. "Perhaps I should explain my most recent dream to you."

Once she is finished the others all sit and silence and absorb what she said. The women all look particularly ill and Atsuko and Ayako even rush out of the room cupping their hands over their mouths. It takes her a few moments to spur into action, but not long after Luella follows to check to make sure the two of them are doing okay.

"So, there are two cases, and while they didn't alert you of that fact at all they made me believe that I would have assistance on my side." Masako states in obvious annoyance.

Mai joins her in annoyance. "I think we need to speak to the hospital's chief of staff and sort out what he truly expects from us."

"I say we demand more funds due to this disrespect and lack of information. They seemed to throw out any sense of protocol regarding this. I imagine I could even get lawyers involved if it becomes necessary." Gene expresses.

"Let's wait until mother is back. She will want to relay these thoughts to her first. Not to mention I would love to see the medical staff shaking in his boots when my mother gives him her evil eye." Naru says calmly.

"They've been gone awhile. I'm going to go check on them." Mai announces. She briefly takes a moment to glare in Olivia's direction, then whispers in Masako's ear. "Do me a favor and watch her please. She totally wants Naru for herself."

Masako whispers back. "Wait, she is a present version of past me?"

Mai considers that for a second and grimaces her distaste for the accuracy of said suggestion. She whispers again. "I hate to say yes, but you know I also hate to lie. Although I do get the feeling that she is probably way worse."

Masako is shockingly not insulted. "Why do you think she might be worse?"

"Well, you didn't date her brother and toss him aside just because of a scar marring the beauty of his face."

This time Masako glances at Gene. "No, but he was never the twin I was interested in to begin with."

Mai shakes her head. "Initially I don't think it mattered to her which twin she got in her clutches. Although, she did also have sex with Naru after they had broke up."

Masako winces. "Oh, that means she has something to hold over you. Having had that experience with him when you can't say the same."

Mai blushes. "Um. Yeah, that's no longer accurate."

While they had been covertly whispering before Masako couldn't hold in her excitement for her friend. "Whoa! When did this happen?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

Mai hushes Masako and tells her that she will fill her in later. She also misses the opportunity to check on those three that went to the restroom, since in the next moment they come back into the room.

The hospital's chief of staff is supposedly not even on the premises today. They have to call him in so they can deal with him directly. Because they are not about to have this discussion on the phone. It's in exceptionally poor taste that he isn't even here to at least thank them for their assistance; not mention taking the opportunity to greet them in general. Even if to ask them in a disinterested tone how their trip was. That would definitely be better than nothing. But now they have that nothing trumped by having to wait to discuss something important with him.

They wait an hour before he arrives and when he does he most definitely looks annoyed. "I'm Dr. Ito Hiroshi. I was told you wanted to see me." He is surprisingly young to be chief of staff, but that doesn't excuse away his poor manners.

Luella steps up to the young doctor and first chews him out for not planning on being here to greet them as they arrived. Then she addresses the present issue at hand. "I got a notification sent directly to our office in London that you were needing our assistance on a case."

"I got a notification from the director of my televised series that you were interested in assigning us to a specific case here as well."

Naru stands up at his full height. "Ms. Hara was informed there would be another team working alongside her, but our team wasn't informed we would have assistance. Not to mention the fact that neither of us were informed there were two cases within this hospital."

The doctor's eyebrows wrinkle in confusion. "Two cases?" He pauses for a second. "Oh yes, I suppose there are. I do apologize about that. I didn't consider that the locations for each request were different."

"If you wish both teams to work both cases I expect you will pay our teams for both cases."

He frowns for a second but nods in agreement. "Yes that is only fair."

"We also desire monetary compensation for having to adjust our schedule due to this miscommunication." They weren't actually going to be adjusting their schedule, but he didn't need to know that.

He sighs but nods in agreement once again. "I'll draw up a proposal and get back with you soon."