A/n: Hello everyone, I'm new to and this is my first Ghost Hunt fic ever! So please go easy on me. Also, there will be a little ooc-ness from the characters so please forgive me. Also, please can you check out my new original story on fictionpress . com its entitled Stolen Hearts by Kittenev! Please check it out! That's all I needed to say.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ghost Hunt.

To the Fic!

Chapter One

Mai stood out in front of the white building that had once been like a home to her. She found herself almost giggling at that thought. It wasn't a home, but a work place. She had been hired part-time, investigating haunted homes and such.

Mostly though, on a regular day all she did was clean and make tea. It had been a good job, but she had to remember that it had just been a job. If Mai even began to think of it in any other light, she wouldn't be able to go inside after so long away.

It had been almost six years now since she had quit and ran away from this place. Shibuya Psychic Research or SPR for short, that's where she was at the moment. When she had turned her back on this very place those many years ago, Mai was absolutely positive no humanly force could make her come back.

But that was just the problem, the reason why she had shown was not human. It was spiritual… If it had only affected her, she wouldn't be here right now. But this, whatever it was, was trying to hurt her son and she was not going to stand idly by while that happened. Mai thought back to the previous night. She wouldn't be here now if it weren't for what had happened.

Mai was putting away the recently cleaned dishes into the cabinets. Being handed another dish from a small boy next to her, she smiled softly and ruffled his hair before placing the dish in with the others and closing the glass paned cabinet door.

"How about we watch a movie before bedtime?" Mai asked the boy, already knowing what the answer would be of course. He nodded eagerly at the proposition of a movie.

"Yeah!" He answered excitedly. Mai laughed and rested her hands on her hips. It never failed, a movie always sparked some kind of response from him. About to move to go to the other room, Mai froze at the all too familiar rapping sound coming from all around them.

Instinctively, she held the boy closer to her for some sort of protection. However, she could give no more protection than any other person. The rapping increased and the pictures on the walls began to shake. It was getting worse, had been for the last few months.

"Oka-san…"Her son asked visibly frightened from the sounds he had been hearing every so often. It had never been this bad before. He gripped onto his mother harder, trying to hide himself in her arms. She kneeled to allow herself to wrap her arms fully around him.

"Shh, it's all right. Remember what I said? It will all be over soon." Mai tried to encourage him. Listening to his mother's words, the small terrified boy hesitantly nodded and hid his face in her neck. She squeezed him reassuringly and shut her eyes tight as she heard the sound of breaking glass all around her.

The cabinets had broken and showered glass around them. The rapping sounds continued and grew louder every minute. Before too long, the sound was booming throughout the house. Pictures fell off the walls and the dishes in the broken cabinet flew out, some onto the floor and some…hit Mai directly.

The pain was sharp and brief from each hit, but she didn't dare let go of her son. Just as she predicted, the attack only lasted for a few minutes before suddenly the rapping stopped and all else fell calm.

Shakily pulling back, Mai looked through pained eyes to see her son crying harshly. There was a small cut on his cheek and it was then that she had decided that it was enough.

"Keitaro, I love you so much." Her whispered as she pulled him into her arms again. Usually it only attacked her alone, but increasingly these days it was going after her son. She wouldn't let this continue.

That's why she was here now. Her son was in danger by the spirit or spirits that were haunting their house. She hadn't come here first. Mai had searched for others in the paranormal field, however none could figure out what was wrong. Some even doubted that her house was haunted due to the lack of attacks once another person arrived to research the home.

Mai had now exhausted all other options. This was the last spot. She would have moved before she'd come here again, but she couldn't afford it. And so, Mai took one last deep breath before she began to walk the familiar stairs leading to the familiar door of the SPR.

There was only one reason why she hadn't wanted to come. She didn't want to see him, have never wanted to see him again. Because when all was said and done, he was the one that had done this to her. Her hand gently touched her flat abdomen recalling how five years prior it was swollen from her pregnancy.

"Naru…" She whispered as she closed her eyes in memory. Naru was the cause of all of this, the entire reason why she had left in the beginning. Mai stopped in front of the door that she knew all to well.

A sudden nauseous feeling gnawed at her stomach. Mai didn't want to go in, but she owed it to her son to keep him safe. Taking hold of the handle, Mai bit her lip as she entered the office she never thought she would ever see or step foot in again.

A teary smile tugged at her lips as she saw none other than Houshou Takigawa laid back on one of the couches in the room with his eyes closed perhaps asleep. He hadn't changed much at all, still with his bleach hair cut at his neck, his brown eyes, and tall athletic build.

Glazing around, Mai nearly laughed out loud but restrained herself from doing so. It looked exactly the same as before, however her old desk was empty and looked to be gathering dust. Seeing that there was no one else in the room, Yasuhara was probably making the others tea, filing away, or researching. Or perhaps, he had quit.

She didn't know and couldn't even begin to guess. She hadn't kept in contact with anyone from her old life. Glancing over to Lin's office, she listened carefully and smiled a bit as she heard the familiar key strokes coming from his office. He hadn't changed either. It was strangely comforting to know that everything was nearly the same as she had left it.

Mai, though, had changed quite a bit. She had grown into a full fledged woman with curves and such. Her hair had grown out also; it was down to her shoulders now. When she had left, she had nearly cut all of it off. Mai had looked so strange around that time.

She hadn't had an idea why she had done it, but it seemed like she had been making a clean break. Some people cut their hair after a break up, maybe that's why Mai had cut hers too. It was a break up in a sense, although they had never been together…except for that one night…

Clearing her throat to get Bou-san's attention, Mai pushed those horrible memories to the back of her mind. She was here for a purpose. She couldn't let her silly emotions get in the way. This was for her son… This was for Keitaro. Mai couldn't let him get hurt, because of these spirits she had ignored for so long.

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, Takigawa sat up in a flash before whirling around to see the person that had caught him napping. Mai watched with slight amusement in her eyes, perhaps he thought she was Naru or Lin-san because his grin was nervous and slightly guilty. At the sight of her, he blinked rapidly to dispel the last bits of sleep from his eyes.

"Uh, hi. Can I help you?" He asked as he stood from his seat. Mai set gentle eyes upon him. He didn't recognize her. He would, though. As soon as she opened her mouth, he would know it was her, because despite her change in appearance and personality her voice had remained relatively the same.

Mai almost didn't want to open her mouth. She wanted to savor the moment that she was a complete stranger to him. Because she knew, after this he'd alert the others to her presence and surely she'd seen Naru again.

She had prepared herself for this. She had spent hours trying to think of what it was going to be like seeing her old friends again after so long. But, no matter how hard she tried, she could never fully prepare herself for facing Naru and that's what scared her at that moment. But she couldn't back away; she had already come too far. Mai had to stay…for her son…

"There are spirits haunting my house. I need everyone's help." Mai said nearly choked from the emotion that was welling up in her heart the longer she stared at the person that she had once been a father figure to her. At the sound of her voice, Takigawa's eyes widened in realization and it wasn't a split second after that that he had her in a bear hug.

"MAI! I can't believe you're back! You've grown up so pretty! I missed you so much! We all missed you so much!" He shouted as he squeezed her tightly.

Mai accepted the hug and loosely wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest, closing her eyes as her relished the old feeling of being hugged by him. The only thing that alerted her that the others had heard Takigawa's exclamation was the sound of two doors opening.

Opening her eyes, Mai pulled back from the hug and took a step back in just case. Peering to the right, she saw Lin-san's usually stoic face shocked by her sudden appearance. She bowed respectively to him and clenched her hands into determined fists as she looked to her left.

Yasuhara was there, staring wide eyed at her. A small smile tugged at her lips; however it immediately died away as her eyes connected with Naru. He had changed a bit. He had grown up to be a very handsome young man.

His hair was the same raven color as it was before as were his eyes the same dark blue. He had grown taller too and his features were more defined. The pain in her heart increased the longer she stared and so because of that she turned her attention back to Takigawa.

"I'm sorry, but you're wrong. I'm not back." Mai told him. The instant she said it, his eyes clouded with sadness and confusion. She wanted to take back the words. She didn't want to see that look on his face anymore. He had been such a close friend and even after so many years without contact, she still did not like to see him hurt.

"Then why are you here, Mai?" Naru asked. Mai chanced a glance at him and found that surprisingly he looked livid. Though most others would not notice it, she could see the tension in his shoulders and the slight clenching of his jaw.

He was angry. Was it from seeing her? Was he remembering that dreaded night too? Mai didn't know or try to guess. She had never been able to figure out what was going on in that mind of his.

Staying strong, Mai answered him. Her heart was beating so fast and so brokenly. Even after what had happened, she still loved him… It wasn't fair; she didn't want to love him anymore.

"I have a case for you to solve. There has been poltergeisting at my home. I want you to exorcise the spirit or spirits doing it. Will you take my case, Shibuya-san," She paused, thinking for a moment before speaking again. "Or do you prefer Davis-san?" Mai finished.

She wasn't going to call him Naru. She wasn't going to get close to him again. They'd stay acquaintances; their past with each other would be erased. Mai couldn't afford another heart break…

There were strange looks thrown between herself and Naru at her statement. Mai had figured as much. In the time that she had known Naru she had only once or twice around the time when they had met called him anything else beside 'Naru'.

They had to understand though, that she had changed over the course of the last few years. She was not the person she had been before. Naru didn't react to her cold behavior and thought for a moment before answering.

"Fine, we'll take the case." Naru said, though if someone looked closely enough they could see the slight narrow of his eyes. He was thinking about something, Mai could tell. She just didn't know what.

Bowing low in respect, Mai took out a piece of paper and a pen from her purse and wrote her address and phone number on it before handing it to Yasuhara who was still getting over his shock it seemed.

"Thank you. Please come by sometime this week. Around 3:00pm would be preferable." Mai informed him. Looking at her wrist watch, Mai sighed and turned to leave. "I have to go now. I hope to see you all soon. Good bye-" Mai tried to say only to be interrupted by Bou-san who grabbed onto her arm with his phone flipped open in his other hand.

"Mai, don't go yet! I was just about to call Ayako and everyone!" He pleaded. Mai gave him a tender smile and gently removed his hand from her wrist. Giving him a short hug, Mai stepped toward the door again.

"I already told you. I didn't come back. I only came here to ask that you take on my case. I will see you again soon. Right now, I have to head back." She reasoned with him. All she received was a crestfallen expression from him. A smile tugged at her lips suddenly.

"Good bye, Bou-san." And with those last words, she left the office. She giggled softly at the loud excited "She called me Bou-san again!" that came from the office behind her.

Once she left the building however, all her strength and determination disappeared. Her shoulders slumped and she had a hard time getting to her car. Once there, Mai rested back against the seat and let the tears she had held back until now flow freely down her face.

That had been harder than she had expected. But she couldn't regret it. It was done and over with now. There was no taking it back. Choking back a strangled sob, Mai reached for her phone and called her home. After about three rings, she was greeted by the babysitter who immediately gave the phone to Keitaro when Mai asked.

"Oka-san? Is that you?" The five year old asked. Fresh tears welled up in Mai's eyes at hearing her precious son's voice. She hadn't seen him in a day; it had taken that long to drive here from her home. Wiping away her silly tears, Mai held the phone closer to her ear.

"Yeah, it's oka-san. How are you? Oka-san misses you!" Mai choked out as silent tears streamed down her face. There was shuffling on the other end before her son spoke again.

"I'm fine! I miss you lots! When are you coming home, oka-san?" He whined wanting his mother to come back home already. Mai laughed a little, but even to her hearing it sounded forced.

"I'm coming home right now. I will there in a few hours." She told him. She smiled a bit at the excited yell that came from the other line. "So, tell me Kei-chan, what are you doing right now?" They talked for a bit more until Mai regained the strength to stop crying and start her car.

Saying her farewell, Mai began the long drive back to her home hoping and praying that the SPR could help them. She didn't know what she would do if they couldn't make the attacks stop…

Naru sat in his office, completely silent. The meeting held over Mai's case had ended about an hour ago and now everyone besides Lin and himself had gone home. He couldn't figure it out, what Mai had been thinking by coming back. He knew the reason why she had left.

He had specifically done what he knew was going to drive her away. Though, if anyone asked the reason he would brush the question off completely. No one could know that it was planned by him. No one could know what had happened or what he had said that night.

He stood, suddenly feeling the need to. If there had been another way, he would have simply done that rather than make her leave. Naru had tried to make sense of other ways and weighed the pros and cons carefully before he came to his final decision.

Every case Mai was hurt in some way. Progressively so, it even seemed. After four years of investigating together, the worst had happened. The last case they had been on together with Lin and the rest had ended almost in entire ruin.

The case had been solved, but during that Mai had been possessed by an angry spirit. That spirit had tried to make Mai kill herself by cutting her wrists. Thankfully, they had found her just in time although, the scars on her wrists still remained. That had been the last nail in the coffin. Mai could no longer do cases, he decided by himself. He would not allow her to put herself into danger any longer.

Naru wouldn't admit it to anyone, although Lin had already found out, that he at some point had fallen for the stupid girl. He usually didn't allow himself such attachment, but somehow she had wiggled her way into his heart and refused to be vacated.

He worried for her and that's why he had decided that she was too at risk on cases. The plan that Naru had devised had gone horribly wrong, however during the middle. Late one night, he had sent Lin home and confronted Mai. Naru stopped in mid pace, remembering that fateful night all too well.

Lin had just gone home and it was late, near midnight. Usually Mai would have gone also, but he had asked her to stay this night. He couldn't take her getting hurt anymore. He didn't want to see her wake from anymore terrifying dreams of being killed or tortured. He knew what was best and planned to make Mai understand. That was why he was standing in front of her, while she shifted from one foot to the other from nerves.

"Mai, there is something I need to discuss with you." Naru started. He planned all the dialogue down to the last comment from her as well as him. It would make her leave. He was sure. A blush arose on her cheeks and Naru couldn't stop himself from staring at it feeling as his own heart began to speed. He loved her, there was no doubt.

"There's something I want to talk to you about too." She admitted, fidgeting slightly. Naru froze at the reply, not expecting that. He realized then just what was happening. They were all alone in the middle of the night. His pulse raced at that thought not thinking of that before.

He hadn't realized just how this would affect him. Naru had to get out of this situation. He was not prepared correctly. He needed to leave and plan it more thoroughly. Naru needed to go…

He was frozen as she gazed up at him with those warm brown eyes she had. And that's where his mistakes had begun. He should have walked away and gone home, but he didn't and that's why his plan fell apart before his eyes.

"Naru, for a long time now…I-I've loved you…" She stuttered as her blush became more prominent. His control snapped at the confession and he couldn't stop himself from leaning down and kissing her.-

A knock at his door, brought him from his thoughts to reality. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed shakily. He had been remembering that night a lot lately and each time it got worse. Another knock sounded and he composed himself.

"Come in." Naru said emotionlessly. The door was opened a second later and Lin came in silently, shutting the door behind him. He knew of course, what had happened that night. He had found out somehow.

Lin looked up at him expectantly and Naru shrugged him off, sitting back down in his chair. He should be doing research on the case right now, not remembering things from the past.

"Can you handle this?" Lin asked suddenly. Naru looked up at him as if to ask 'handle what'. The other shook his head in disapproval and waited for his response. Naru knew what he was talking about.

He didn't know the answer though. He could handle the case. There wasn't a case he couldn't handle. But, Naru truly had no idea if he could handle Mai. After so long apart and after that night, Naru wouldn't know what to say to her.

"The case shouldn't be too difficult to solve." He finally answered. Lin was silent for a moment before he nodded and walked back out of the room knowing the true meaning of those words.

It was the case that was easy. Mai was the thing that was going to be difficult. He didn't know what he was going to do. He would have to face her again within the week. Seeing her today had shaken him quite badly.

He hadn't expected her to ever show her face around here again. It had been difficult to look her in the eyes and even harder to hear her refer to him as if he were a stranger. Naru couldn't blame her though. He deserved much worse for what he had done…

That's the end of this chapter. Thank you for reading! I really hope you liked it. So, please review if you want to read more. I can't update unless you review!

Please review. Please can you check out my new original story on fictionpress . com its entitled Stolen Hearts by Kittenev! Please check it out!

Until next time, bye!