Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the novels/anime/manga, nor do I own the movie, "Dark Water". If I did, I would be constantly hiding from my editors (and be responsible for more than a few phobias of children in yellow raincoats).

Epilogue: Return to Me

It was one of those dreams.

Humming quietly in the darkness, a soft light emanated from Mai's soul, just as it did from the spirit moving towards her with a familiar smile.

"Long time no see."

The last time had been in England, during a visit to his brother. Using her as a messenger and relying on long forgotten instincts, the twins could now communicate directly, but Gene still came to her in dreams when he could. Lin's theory that their connection was strengthened by her proximity to Naru gained more weight in the dark duo's absence; no matter how many cases Mai took part in, the only time the deceased twin appeared to assist her was when she was at his living brother's side.

"If you're here, does that mean...?"

Her boyfriend hadn't been kidding when he'd said he was unsure about how long it might be before he could return. The life the ghost hunter had envisaged before travelling to Japan was considerably different from the freedom he enjoyed under the name Shibuya Kazuya.

While his accomplishments had earned the teenage genius an honorary doctorate by the time he was fifteen, Naru had also been accepted into Cambridge, the sudden loss of his brother temporarily derailing his plan to complete the additional degree. He hadn't even studied any course work before leaving England, and if not for Mai's encouragement he might have abandoned the qualification altogether.

Naru expected to finish the course at the end of the year, but was coming back to run S.P.R. over the holidays.

That workaholic.

Not that she was complaining – working or not, Mai couldn't wait to see him.

"...That your idiot scientist isn't far away?" Gene finished for her with a grin, "Probably."

Looking at his boyish smile, it was hard to believe that she had once suspected her ghostly guide of tormenting his murderer. Sasaki Cho, now nothing more than a few long forgotten paragraphs in a sea of newspaper articles, had definitely been haunted by something. Though Mai hated to ask, she had. Gene was well aware of the dangers of lingering spirits, so he didn't hold her doubts against her. Fortunately, the only thing that plagued Cho was a guilty conscience.

"Do you think you'll ever be able to pass on?"

The question was on her lips before she had time to think better of it.

"I don't know." Gene shrugged, staring distractedly into the darkness, "Maybe."

He'd told her that he could see the way out, but no matter what he tried, the exit was always out of reach. Mai had never shared her suspicions aloud, but surely she couldn't be the only one who wondered if the twins psychic connection had something to do with Gene's predicament. Though that same bond might be a blessing in disguise, if it served to keep the ghost sane.

"I think you will," The brunette confided, "Someday."

Acknowledging her sentiment with a thankful, but somehow heavy smile, Gene changed the subject.

"I hear your training has been productive."

Mai nodded enthusiastically, the affection she felt for her friends and teachers flooding her soft features. One way or another, each of S.P.R.'s members had contributed to her new found level of control. Be it instructing her personally or spending hours researching, time and time again they went out of their way to provide her with invaluable resources and skills.

A few months after Gene's body had finally been put to rest, Lin relocated to Japan (much to the delight of Naru's strawberry blonde stand in), intent on teaching Mai how to escape visions when needed. While it wasn't always a given that the techniques would work, she'd lost count of the times they had likely kept her out of hospital.

"According to Naru, I'm still as reckless as ever, though." Mai laughed, wondering how many times Gene had been on the receiving end of his brother's concern for her well being. It was a foregone conclusion that Lin and Modoka had.

"Said the pot to the kettle..." Gene muttered, confusing the brunette.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It means that our idiot scientist doesn't have a leg to stand on." The spirit scoffed, "He'd go to hell and back if it meant keeping those he cares for safe."

...True story.

While the list of people Naru allowed himself to care for might be considerably shorter than hers, Mai knew that he wouldn't think twice about putting his life of the line for the few that made the cut. She remembered the mass of requests he'd received during her stay with his family, and the hollow expression that inevitably followed. Even his charismatic, larger than life adoptive parents (who insisted she call them Martin and Luella, instead of by what his mother referred to as "stuffy titles"), seemed subdued in silent acceptance.

How many times had he witnessed the unthinkable for the sake of people he'd never met? How often had his powers been able to save the victims before it was too late? Naru's closed features quietly screamed with the knowledge that he couldn't help all of them, and Mai wondered how she'd ever been blind enough to think her boss cold hearted.

"Take care." Gene yawned, ruffling her hair affectionately before he began to fade, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Just like always." Mai grinned, causing the spirit to falter.

"On second thought, don't do anything Lin wouldn't do." He amended, disappearing from sight as the brunette awoke to blink groggily at her ceiling with a huff.

"Spoilsport."

Dragging herself from the comfort of her bed with an satisfying stretch, Mai shrugged on some clothes and trundled sleepily in the direction of the kitchen. Anticipating company, she filled and boiled the kettle, smiling softly at the sound of a knock on her front door.

Thanks for the heads up, Gene.

While she wasn't surprised to have visitors, the brunette was surprised by the crushing hug that greeted her. She'd barely managed to squeak out a hurried "Good morning" before being enveloped by an enthusiastic Luella Davis. Chuckling affectionately at his wife's tendency to overwhelm the young woman, the Professor didn't bother to hide his mirth when their son interceded on Mai's behalf.

"Mother, let her go before she suffocates." Naru protested impatiently, "She needs all the brain cells she has left."

Mai huffed at the insult, but his mother rounded on him instantly, letting the brunette go in the process.

"Oliver!" Luella scolded, missing the words mouthed past her with a smirk as she began to rant about the proper way to treat a lady.

"You're welcome."

Stunned, Mai realised Naru had anticipated his mother's response, and wondered how many of his previous insults towards S.P.R.'s members (and occasionally clients) had been utilised solely to garner a faster response or distraction. She wouldn't put it past him.

Mai swore Naru's smirk grew wider at the direction of her thoughts, and she ignored his increasingly smug demeanour in favour of the Professor.

"Would you like to come in?" She invited in English, proud of how much she had improved since they first met, "I've made a fresh pot of tea."

"You knew we were coming?" Cocking an eyebrow, the older man was more curious than surprised.

"Not exactly, but..." Mai trailed off hesitantly, her tone alerting Naru to the troubled glance she stole in his direction. He was aware of her discomfort when it came to discussing Gene in front of his parents, and her silent plea for guidance did not go unnoticed.

"You had a dream." Naru provided, somehow managing to answer his father and put Mai at ease in the same breath. Glad for once of his cryptic nature, the brunette nodded, relieved until he strode towards her with an assessing gaze.

"It's okay!" She stalled, falling back on her native tongue at Naru's thrum inducing proximity. It had been so long, and excitement reigned noisily in her chest as she met his unwavering blue eyes.

I'll tell you about it later, I promise.

"I'm fine, really."

Her quiet assurance rang of sincerity, and Naru allowed himself to relax. Though the change was subtle, it did not escape his mother's notice. His swift departure from her side had long since alerted Luella's curiosity, and the knowing look she shot the young couple made Mai's cheeks tingle with heat.

"You mentioned tea?" The older woman reminded, eyes twinkling gleefully. Grateful for the save, Mai jumped at the opportunity to divert attention away from herself.

"Y-yes! Come in and make yourselves at home," She invited, ushering her guests towards the lounge room, "I'll be right back."

Escaping into the kitchen, Mai placed four matching tea cups next to the freshly brewed pot and took a moment to calm herself before returning.

He's back!

Her heart sang on a continuous loop, reminding the flushed brunette that her lover was merely a wall away. Attempting to cool her face with her hands, she inwardly hissed at the rejoicing organ.

That's so not helping.

A once considered remarkably rare chuckle alerted her to the presence behind her, though his expression was surprisingly more affectionate than smug. Before she had time to dwell on any renewed cause for embarrassment, Naru wrapped his arms around her, effectively silencing all unnecessary thought.

...I'm home.

It was such a simple sentiment, yet she could feel the unspoken words reverberate through every fibre of her being. His warmth enveloped her in an sense of belonging so strong, it was overwhelming. In all her life, Mai had never felt so safe.

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed as they held each other, but either it was not as long as she thought, or Martin and Luella had given up on their tea being hot the moment their son disappeared after her.

Reluctantly preparing to pull away, Mai teased softly, "I thought you just stopped your mother from 'suffocating' me?"

She felt him smirk against her hair and nuzzle even closer.

"...Only annoyed she got there first."

Giggling, she wriggled in his hold so she could kiss him, resting against his forehead as Naru looked to the door with a sigh.

"Shall we?"

Mai smiled, slipping away from him to check if the tea pot was still hot. By some miracle, it was.

"Of course." She replied cheekily, handing him the cups to carry, "I'm not stupid enough to come between you and a cup of tea."

Before he had a chance to retaliate, she was out the door and within sight of his parents. She would spend the next hour paying for the crime in stolen touches that would have been considered indecent if anyone actually caught him in the act, but somehow Mai found it hard to mind.

-x-

An unexpected wave of nostalgia assailed him at the sight of S.P.R.'s front door. Once, the unobtrusive office had been nothing more than a few empty rooms, intended only as a means to an end. Over time, it became so much more.

Freedom, if he had to ascribe a word to it. He had left England to find his brother, and somehow found himself.

Fingers lingering briefly on the door handle, Naru wondered how much had changed in his absence. Hopefully Madoka hadn't spoiled S.P.R.'s misfits too much, there was no telling how long it might take to get them back in order, if ever. They had long since built up an immunity to his thorny disposition and unless the situation was truly dire, nothing short of a lethal glare was even considered worthy of acknowledgement.

As if aware of his thoughts, Mai gave the hand still laced with hers a playful squeeze.

"They've missed you."

How anyone aside from his parents and the young woman beside him managed such a feat was occasionally beyond him, but he believed her nonetheless. He wondered if they would be surprised to discover that he felt the same. Truthfully, Naru had not missed the cacophony that typically followed S.P.R.'s irregular members, but his thoughts more often than not strayed towards them; sometimes imagining how they might have reacted in certain situations, or simply finding those around him lacking in comparison.

Most of all, the renowned psychometrist had missed simply being 'Naru', without the connotations of being 'Oliver Davis'. Looking back, he wondered how much of his reluctance to reveal himself was driven by the fear of losing such a sanctuary. For once, he knew that whatever drew these people to him had nothing to do with his name.

There was of course the odd chance that all of them were simply masochists, but Naru conceded it was unlikely. Except for possibly Takigawa – his second occupation as a bassist clearly served to provide the cowboy-esque man with a following of groupies, yet the only woman to hold his interest made it her business to physically reprimand him at every foreseeable chance.

Even now, he could hear the monk and miko's affectionate bickering filter through into the otherwise peaceful hallway, peppered with feigned dramatics and off kilter humour. Unable to resist the opportunity to get a rise out of Mai, he made a point of savouring the muted volume while it lasted.

She didn't disappoint.

It was only after elbowing him in the ribs that she recalled the presence of his parents behind them, panic stiffening her spine as he fought to conceal his amusement. They knew him well enough to assume he deserved it, so she need not worry.

Fully aware of how well she knew him, Naru opened the door before his beloved brunette might be tempted to strangle him.

"Yo, Naru-bou!" Takigawa called, announcing his arrival to those of the group who had yet to turn at the sound of the door, "Long time no see."

While his mother and Madoka greeted each other with their usual levels of childlike enthusiasm, Lin gravitated towards his father. Even though his former guardian no longer needed to report back to the Professor, the two shared a long standing mutual respect and often enjoyed discussing various phenomenon they encountered.

Over time, small changes to the layout and furniture in the office had made the space more to Madoka's taste, but it was only natural that her flair flourish in his absence. Naru didn't dislike it, but the silent reminder of how long he had been gone ate at him. While Mai's nickname for him was hardly without basis, that didn't make him immune to insecurity. At times, his high self expectations actually made it worse.

"It's about time you visited us instead of just kidnapping Mai." Matsuzaki accused, a smile tugging at her lips as she examined her perfectly manicured nails in a show of annoyance, "Though I suppose I could find it in my heart to forgive you."

"How generous of you," Naru smirked, surprised to find himself pulled into the group's familiar rhythm as if he'd never left, "but you're mistaken. I'm not visiting."

Everyone bar his parents, Lin and Madoka collectively held their breath, eyes trained on him for even the slightest hint as to what his words might mean. Truthfully, he had not intended on revealing his news in such a manner, but he supposed now was as good a time as any.

"If..." John ventured cautiously, "If you're not visiting does that mean..."

"You're staying?!" Mai burst out, too shocked and impatient to allow the priest to finish. The smirk on her boyfriend's face softened into a small, but genuine smile.

"...Really?" She pressed, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks in a cocktail of uncertainty, hope and happiness.

"Yes."

Simple, to the point and left no room for argument. Without warning, Mai's small form collided recklessly into his own, causing him to stumble backwards as her arms wound tightly around his torso.

"Jerk!" If not for the feel of her upturned lips against his shirt, Naru might have been confused by the insult. Though she persisted in scolding him, infectious laughter laced her conflicting irritation.

"You could have said something..."

True, he could have, but Mai had known of his plans to graduate early – just not this early. Surpassing expectations had always been his speciality.

Idly stroking her hair as she collected herself, Naru shifted his attention to the rest of S.P.R.'s members. Only so many potential explanations for his announcement could be evaluated without further information, and they were itching to satisfy their curiosity.

"...Mai, I thought you said this guy hadn't even officially started the course before he left." The brunette's brother figure prompted, eyes locked with their black-clad leader, even if the question had been aimed elsewhere.

"That's correct." Naru answered, familiar with the monk's preferred method of interrogation. For the most part Takigawa could be considered one of the more approachable, easy going members of their group, but the carefree man was far more astute than he appeared. He wondered how long it had taken the monk to work out that defusing questions through Mai was practically guaranteed to get results. Either Mai would know the answer, or she was an effective weapon to turn on their boss in order to obtain one.

"So you finished a three year course in what, half the time?"

"It could have been sooner," Naru criticised, as irritated at the numerous hoops he'd been required to jump through as he was grateful that the University allowed it, "but they required persuading."

The group fell silent as they imagined what that might have entailed.

"...Surely you didn't bribe them."

The remark was so stupid that he snapped back without thinking.

"Of course not."

Who do you think I am?

His glare was met with two remarkably smug troublemakers, and Naru bit back an urge to groan. They knew exactly who he was.

"Well glaring at them mustn't have worked," Yasuhara added, merrily pouring fuel on the fire, "otherwise you'd have been back much earlier."

Refusing to take the bait, Naru ignored them. No longer hiding her damp face amongst his clothes, Mai leaned up to whisper consiprationally in his ear.

"See? I told you they missed you."

"Lucky me."

His dry tone was met with a ripple of warmth.

"It's good to have you back, big boss." Yasuhara grinned, holding out a hand for him to shake. He griped it firmly, having always liked the resourceful researcher.

"So, what happens now?" Hara mused through an ever present kimono sleeve, turning her gaze towards the woman who had led them for well over a year, "Will you also be staying, Mori-san?"

"For now at least, though I'll probably end up bouncing back and forth depending on where I can be of the most use."

To Naru's surprise, the look Mai shot his mentor at her answer was nothing short of wicked.

"Oh, I'm sure you'll be needed."

Did his amicable girlfriend actually have something over the queen of manipulation? Surely he hadn't just seen Lin blush.

Raising an eyebrow in the older man's direction earned him a silent warning, though the overly sweet (and entirely fake) reply Madoka gave Mai seemed infinitely more threatening.

"Is that so?"

Whatever compromising position the brunette had found them in must have been good, because trouble's advocate stepped in to alleviate the tension – or possibly make it worse. Sometimes it was hard to tell with Yasuhara.

"My dear Madoka, I cannot imagine a world where you are not needed." The bespectacled youth flattered shamelessly, "An exquisite woman such as yourself might even sway my heart from my beloved Bou-san..."

"Bishonen," Tagikawa groaned, slumping backwards on the couch to stare wearily at the ceiling, "Surely you could have found someone else to mess with by now."

"You an I both know, you'll always be my first." Yasuhara countered theatrically, clutching his heart, "No one can deny our bond!"

"I don't know how Haruka-chan puts up with you." The miko huffed, used to the routine, "What is the deal with you two, anyway? You keep saying you're not dating, but it sure looks as if you'd like to be."

Matsuzaki's bluntness proved effectively sobering, though Naru doubted the charcoal-haired youth would remain subdued for long. Like a duck bobbing instinctively on a pond, his jovial nature always found a way to the surface.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't tried," Yasuhara conceded with a grin, catching the redhead off guard with honesty, "but timing's important. Yamada-kun's death was pretty hard on her, after all."

"So, you missed the window and now you're flirt-buddies?"

Though Naru felt no need to add to the conversation, he didn't reprimand them for their lack of focus, either. Now that every waking moment of his life didn't exist solely to bring him closer to his brother's resting place, the crew's habit of treating the office like a coffee lounge irritated him far less than it used to. The young C.E.O. knew they could be trusted to take matters seriously when the occasion called for it, even if their ease with the supernatural sometimes led them to forget how dangerous a situation might be.

From across the room he felt his father's gaze, as full of pride as his mother's was of contentment. Aware that choosing the life before him came at a cost, he took a moment to join those he would once again leave behind, beyond thankful for their unwavering support.

"When I first met your team, I wasn't sure what to make of them," Martin confided when he approached, watching the rowdy group with no small amount of amusement, "they were so different from what I expected."

Luella nodded in silent agreement, smiling softly at her husband. She too, had been surprised at the nature of people their guarded son had amassed around him.

"To begin with, I was surprised that you wished to hire anyone at all, let alone people with such lively personalities. Though I realise now that it wasn't how spirited they are, but how relaxed you were around them."

Placing a firm, encouraging hand on Naru's shoulder, his father looked him in the eyes.

"You have good friends, Noll. Gene would be proud."

Leaning closer, he added in an ill-disguised whisper, "But make sure you visit, otherwise your mother may kill us both."

"Absolutely!" Luella chimed in, elbowing her husband cheekily in the ribs, "Madoka, you'd give me a hand, wouldn't you?"

"What are friends for?" The strawberry blonde laughed, looping arms with the sprightly older woman, "Come on, I'll take you shopping while you're here."

With command of the office relinquished to it's former C.E.O., the two women made arrangements to meet everyone for dinner and bid their goodbyes.

"Bring them all to visit sometime," Martin suggested, referring to the odd assortment of psychics and spiritualists collected around the coffee table, "I'm sure they'd love a tour of the head office."

Naru knew they would. Briefly, he contemplated what it would be like having them at his side at B.S.P.R. The group was sure to create a stir – Mai's reception once people discovered their relationship had certainly taken the adorable brunette off guard. Jealous fangirls (and the occasional fanboy), she'd expected, but to have complete strangers look at her in awe? Not so much.

It wasn't every day someone was bold enough to argue with 'The Oliver Davis', let alone make him smile. On the bright side, the ensuing chaos effectively scared off any potential suitors. Mai still claimed that he'd done it on purpose. His response to the accusation had been along the lines of, "So what if I did?"

Smirking at the memory, Naru watched his father follow the two enthusiastic women out the door. He'd only just sat down to discuss the most recent requests S.P.R. had received (Madoka sent him copies which he'd read during the flight), when the front door opened once more.

It was on the tip of his tongue to reprimand his mother for leaving something behind, when a girl with long, dark hair came into view. Her locks were pulled back into a neat ponytail that seemed to stress function over form, and though afraid, her eyes held a clear sense of determination.

Without another word, the once unruly group rearranged themselves for an interview; Mai greeting the potential client before disappearing into the kitchen to make some tea. By the time she returned, Lin was at his side with a laptop and a crisp, black notebook lay open in his lap, ready to receive the young woman's story.

"My name is Matsubara Ikuko," She began, answering that she was sixteen and in high school when asked. While she might not understand the relevance of such questions, their standard nature seemed to put the girl at ease. Her knuckles, once white as they protectively clutched a small backpack to her body, were gradually regaining colour.

"I don't remember much from when I was in kindergarten," Matsubara admitted shakily, "just that for a brief period, I lived with my mother."

On the way to visit a friend of hers, she'd recognised a nearby kindergarten and followed the pull of long forgotten memories to an old, decrepit, but familiar apartment building. Clearly no one had lived there in years, but when she found their old home (complete with both her and her mother's names written above the entrance) it seemed like the inside of the apartment hadn't aged a day.

"All of our furniture was still there," The dark-haired girl stammered, roughly swiping at an escaped tear, "even photographs of my mother and I, and fresh bedsheets."

Lived in, clean, exactly as she remembered it.

Mai ran a soothing hand over the young woman's back as she recounted how she'd seen her mother (who also didn't appear to have aged), been welcomed home and told how big she'd grown. At first she was confused and angry; apparently Matsubara's father refused to talk about her mother and the girl had been led to believe the woman had died.

"I didn't really understand at the time, but my parents were fighting for custody of me." The high schooler explained, "My mother and I meant the world to each other – she said that she could handle anything as long as we were together. It had been ten years since I last saw her, but she still had my glass from when I was little."

Since her father now had children with his new wife, Matsubara hoped that he would let her move back in with her mother, and had mentioned as such. That's when she felt it – something ominous behind her, yet when she turned around there was nothing there. The teenager hadn't known how to explain it, but it was like she recognised the feeling.

As one might recognise a person.

Naru didn't think the girl had noticed, but at one point she had unintentionally referred to the presence as a female entity. Perhaps there was more than age contributing to how few memories she retained from the time she'd spent with her mother. He would have to question the teenager further, but he wouldn't be surprised if her mind had blocked them in order to protect itself.

Wringing her hands at the memory and choking on her words, Matsubara relayed how her mother had apologised while her back was turned, saying that they couldn't be together.

"When I spun around to face her, she was gone."

Left alone in a pristine apartment, in an abandoned building.

If a lingering spirit was responsible for such an illusion, surely that would require a significant amount of energy. For a prank, it was fairly elaborate, and if not, why maintain one apartment and leave the rest of the building to rot? Even if it was a shrine of some kind, the ghost hunter found the situation highly unusual. There was always the option that she was simply lying, hallucinating or crazy, but experience told him that it was worth giving her the benefit of a doubt.

"I know you have no reason to believe me," The girl implored, reaching into her bag and drawing out an object wrapped protectively in cloth, "if I hadn't taken this with me, I wouldn't believe it myself."

Without the few stylised decorations on one side, it was just a small, clear drinking glass. It could have been purchased anywhere, or even taken from a cupboard at home to corroborate the girl's story, but she swore that it was the glass she had used as a child and that her mother's ghost had given it to her.

Even without brushing his fingertips across it's smooth surface, the powerful psychometrist was inclined to accept her claim. The glass was personalised enough for Matsubara to recognise it, but ultimately too inconvenient an object to rely upon as proof of her experience. Reality rarely proved convenient.

Clearing his mind and focusing on establishing a minimal connection, he read the deceptively innocent object.

A drenched, young girl calling for her mother.

Tiny, wet hands easing their grip on his throat.

Naru released the memento as visions of water, once dripping from the roof, became a violent cascade that surrounded him. To his great relief, S.P.R.'s crew no longer looked worried every time he used his powers, and took their cue from Lin as to how concerned they should be. Being unable to access the true scope of his abilities (without dying) was frustrating, but his renewed connection with Gene had opened up a realm of possibilities.

If the mirror acted as a conduit for their thoughts, could it also be used to transfer power?

For the time being, the twins kept their experiments small and secret. While they believed the potential benefits outweighed the risk, not even Gene would escape the backlash once the cat was out of the bag. Lin might not be able to give the spirit an earful, but Mai certainly could.

Mulling over the data he'd pulled from the glass, Naru pursued a new line of enquiry.

"Have you ever suffered from what you might consider an irrational fear?"

Matsubara blinked up at him, "...Is that important?"

He raised an eyebrow at her unusually protective response.

"Possibly."

Eyeing the ghost hunter suspiciously for a moment, she pushed aside her unease in favour of obtaining their assistance.

"It's not as bad as it used to be, but dripping sounds and running taps used to terrify me." The teenager replied, hesitating to finish her explanation, "I've never known why, but..."

Her troubled eyes glanced around the group of paranormal researchers, finding a mixture of worry, encouragement and thoughtful consideration for her plight in their expressions. Naru's fixed gaze held only one command, and she did her best to answer it.

Tell me.

"What I felt behind me, before I turned around..."

Her words had fallen behind, but her face spoke volumes.

"...It reminded you of that particular fear." Naru verbalised, more for the sake of Lin's notes than for actual confirmation.

"Yes. Only worse." She shuddered, hugging the bag on her lap and withdrawing into herself, "Much worse."

Bowing her head impulsively, Matsubara begged, "Please, save my mother! I can't bear the thought of her being trapped by that...thing."

Before accepting or denying her request, Naru exchanged a glance with his former guardian, who shared his train of thought.

"The location may present some minor difficulties, but provided we can get permission from the current land owners..." Lin offered, pleasantly surprised by the teenager's foresight when Matsubara revealed that she'd already obtained their consent. Her father wasn't especially high profile, but he knew the right people, it seemed. A little bit of digging around for information and sweet talking went a long way, provided the high schooler neglected to mention her mother.

All eyes turned to their leader, waiting for his verdict. Though no one would ever assume to put words in his mouth, Lin had begun making mental preparations and Mai's soft smile indicated she had a fair idea of how he would respond. Whether his compassionate brunette understood why he might choose one case over another was debatable, but unnecessary. Mai knew him, and that was enough.

Snapping the black note book neatly closed, Naru faced their client.

"We'll take your case."

-x-

Omake:

"Take care." Gene yawned, ruffling her hair affectionately before he began to fade, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"Does that include your brother?" Mai grinned, causing the spirit to blush and splutter indignantly.

"Mai!"

A/N: Please don't hurt me. I don't intend to write a continuation, I just like the idea that Ghost Hunt goes on forever. I may write a completely new story, but as much as I enjoy both Sweet Dreams and The Memory Remains, my perception of the characters has changed over time, and there are a lot of continuity issues. When I first started writing Sweet Dreams, the anime hadn't even finished coming out. I wrote it out of sheer obsession, because I had read every (yes, every) Ghost Hunt fanfic on this site and couldn't wait a whole week for a new episode.

Sad, isn't it...

I wasn't planning on sharing it online until my husband gave me an encouraging shove, though he did impose the rule that I could only go back and alter chapters I had already uploaded to correct spelling and grammar. (Otherwise it would somehow morph into an entirely different story, and I'd probably never finish it.) Whatever new information I received was worked into the story as I went along, so that's why there are discrepancies.

If you want to know the details of Matsubara's story, watch the movie "Dark Water" (the Japanese one directed by Hideo Nakata in 2002, not the 2005 remake staring Jennifer Connelly).

I have no idea how much the remake has in common with the original, but I'm willing to bet that they've focused on the horror over the story. If you've seen it and it didn't leave you sobbing, I rest my case.

Finally, I would just like to say thank you for sticking with me, even if there were times when I didn't update for a year. Your support is the reason this story exists.