Author Notes and Disclaimers: I don't own the characters (anything really…) from the show Ghost Hunt.

Chapter 13. A gift to my reviewers! Merry CHRISTmas!

"You won't find them…" Shibuya said weakly.

Kouta looked around dangerously unstable. He raised his hand to strike him again, but Shibuya wouldn't flinch. He only stood there against a tree where he fought to keep conscious, staring coldly almost mockingly. Kouta cried out in anguish.

"You ruined what was left of my life. Don't you think telling me where the tapes are would be compensation enough? He asked.

"If you hadn't hit us, at the very least I would have humored you." He replied.

Kouta glanced back at their car at the start of the grove. He watched cars pass by, too afraid of the upcoming storm to try and stop to help them. He smiled, growing desperate.

"What about the girl? Don't you think she might need to go to the hospital? If you don't hurry up she could die." He said.

"If she dies out here then it won't matter if you get the cameras or not. I'll kill you."

Kouta laughed, pointing his gun to Shibuya's face, "And how do you plan on doing that?" he asked.

Shibuya stared at the gun, concentrating, yet trying to resist the urge to do anything that would cause him to use up anymore energy. He was weak from the accident, weaker from the growing chill. He looked again to the car, wondering about Mai. He said nothing, tried to think of something to do, but he could come to no conclusion.

"I knew she'd be the end of me." He though with a smile.

"First, I want to go and make sure she's okay. If she is, I'll tell you."

"And if not?" Kouta bargained.

"Didn't I just tell you what I was going to do if she wasn't?"

Kouta glared, edgy and irritated. He took another glance at the accident and motioned him to walk with his gun, "Go… and don't get smart with me or I'll give you a real reason to complain."

Shibuya struggled to stand up right and started to walk back to the car. He craved revenge so much his heart began to give out, drowning in his own violent desires. When they returned to the car the road had hidden under the snow in horror. The van seemed to have been filled with air and then popped, each angle curved and crooked. Each shard of glass its own mirror. He almost lost his breath at the thought of Mai being inside.

The snow fall was getting heavier and heavier now. It was almost too much for him to bear but he held on until he could get to the van's front seat and pry the door open.

"Mai…? Mai!" his energy spiked suddenly, seeing blood, but not her body. He looked around for a trace of her before he turned again to Kouta. "What did you do with her?"

"What are you going on about?"

"What the hell did you do to her?" Shibuya shouted, "I promised you wouldn't hurt her. I promised she'd be okay."

"Listen kid, I used her as much as I could. Once I had you here that was the last time I needed her. If she's gone, it's not my problem." Kouta said, growing nervous again. "Now, tell me where those camera's are—"

Shibuya went towards him, furiously. His eyes were cold, heartless, but he stopped suddenly, being pulled back.

"Cut it out, she's fine." Mai said cheerfully. She took Shibuya's hand childishly and put it against her cheek. "And this is what it's like… to feel."

Shibuya stared as if he'd seen a ghost, "You're possessing her."

Mai smiled and walked past him, allowing her arm to stay linked to his until the last moment. She turned then to Kouta who pointed his gun at her unsteadily.

"You must be my donor. And also, my murderer, right? I should call you… what did she say…?" Mai rubbed her nose, thinking.

"Listen, I don't know how you got out of that van alive and I don't care. Get over there and find those cameras or I'm going to—"

"Father!" Mai said excitedly. "You're my father. I'm not sure why but I have to ask you once before I can leave. Why did you do it? What was wrong with me?"

Kouta stared, horrified and looked then to Shibuya who sat in the snow, tired. He smiled.

"What's going on?" he asked him.

"It's exactly what you think." He said coldly.

"Impossible!" Kouta pushed his hair back quickly and pointed the gun again, "You want to know huh? Well it doesn't really matter; you're not getting out of here alive anyway."

"Father, it was you wasn't it? I know your touch, it was colder, larger, and I could hear you yelling. Please, just tell me. I promise we'll keep it our secret, right Naru? You won't tell either, right?"

Shibuya frowned, "She even tells the spirits about my nickname." He grumbled.

Kouta laughed to himself. He put the gun to his side for a moment to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "This is ridiculous… fine, Harumi, I killed you. There was no way around it. Your mother made me. I told her I didn't want children and the first time I let it go. I did, even though she had twins. Do you understand the torment of the cries at night, the screams for reasons that are incomprehensible? Then you came. She was doing it on purpose, so I had to show her she couldn't get away with disobeying me." He said, "It turned out to be a good plan too at first. You see, the boys couldn't live without you so they decided to go kill themselves out here in these groves. The only problem was that Chiaki survived and it's costing me more to keep him alive than it did for all three of you in the first place."

"So I was in the way…" Mai asked, despondently.

"Let's just say you should have never existed."

"So when you're in the way, bothering someone, tormenting them, or disrespectful. When you're hurting someone, eating away at their peace, you shouldn't exist. I shouldn't have existed." Mai rubbed her face with her scarf, painfully taking it all in. "I'm so sorry…"

"You should be. Now you're in the way again! If you want to be of use go find those cameras!" he shouted anxiously.

"I'll do you one better!" Mai said, uncovering her face to reveal a dazzling smile. "I'll take away your pain. You'll never feel a damn thing again… as if you ever did before…"

Kouta stared in terror, his face suddenly filled with dread. He put his hand to his heart and clenched his teeth in fright, dropping his gun.

"St—stop it Harumi… stop it."

"I want you to feel just one more thing before you die. It's the same thing I felt: your love. It's incredible, isn't it? It's overwhelmingly agonizing, but don't worry, it doesn't last long. Soon you'll feel nothing at all."

Kouta flinched, once and then again. He stared up at Mai who smiled tenderly at him despite the blood that dripped down past his blue lips. With something that resembled a breath he turned over and became still.

Naru himself was still now. He watched snow cover the ground only to be pushed down my Mai's fluffy black boots. She bent down, letting her scarf tickle his neck as she watched him.

"Are you done then?" he asked.

"I'm sorry. I guess I was more angry than I thought. I won't cause anymore problems, I promise."

"You don't even understand what that means…" Shibuya said.

"I've been here a while you know. I may not have any experiences, but there are two things that I've had with me as long as I can remember… hatred," she paused sadly and then smiled again, "and love."

Shibuya glanced at her. He opened his mouth to speak but she pressed her lips against his, gracefully. In that moment among the cold he almost forgot she wasn't Mai. His heart raced then slowed, frigid and emotionless. When she pulled away she smiled at him with a warm blush.

"She's so lucky…"

"That's enough. Leave him alone Harumi."

As she looked away, Shibuya whirled around to face the familiar voice. It was his own face, his own blood, lifeless yet vibrant. He smiled and Shibuya smiled back.

"I heard you were hanging around, but you stopped visiting me, Gene." He said.

His brother smiled and held his hand out to help the both of them up. He turned then to the groves, "I got bored with your attitude. Besides, Mai's cute. You'd do the same thing if you were in my shoes… plus, I wanted to make you jealous." He said.

"Jealous of us?" Mai asked.

She inhaled slowly and at once, she fainted, resting in Shibuya's arms. Shibuya waited for her to wake up, and when she didn't he sighed disappointment and admiration.

Gene chuckled and nodded "Of course Harumi, jealous of us."

"Did it work?" she asked, excited. "Well, it's too late now. I'm about to leave. Come on Gene."

"Actually…"

Harumi frowned slightly. She took his hand so not to lose him. Her pink cheeks grew pinker still as her eyes watered, "You're not coming?"

"No, but you won't go alone. Just wait and Hiroki will go too."

"What about…" Harumi looked to Mai and Shibuya.

"Don't worry, they'll be okay. They always are."

"Gene!" Shibuya called. He waited until Gene turned to him, "Stay away from Mai."

They both smirked through snow that drizzled rain and sleet. He looked away again, "That's the thanks I get for helping her?" He turned to Harumi again and disappeared within the sea of white.