If I can come up with a good story for this, I might just, but for now this part was plaguing my mind. With the motivation to make a full story of this, this could be one of the last chapters, if not the last. Ghost Hunt is not my creation, but this story uses its characters. Sorry if it seems OOC. This is my first after all. R/R! I want to see how I'm doing

Fusion
By lightning-storm

Mai stared in horror as the last of her and Naru's companions fell to the ground, wounded and exhausted. "Lin!" Naru called, and the Chinese man looked up momentarily, the briefest smile on his face. Naru's eyes flickered knowingly, a slight feeling of relief in his heart. Relief was quickly replaced by worry as Mai ran towards Lin. Instinctively, Naru grabbed her hand and yanked her beside him. "Stay back," he hissed, and Mai looked at him in surprise.

"But Lin!"

"Lin will be fine," he whispered calmly. The demon in front of them glowered cruelly as he looked at the demise in front of him.

"And then there were two." he whispered maniacally, blood-lust in his eyes. The demon placed its red eyes on the girl, a smirk on its grotesque face.

"Good bye." the demon said and Naru saw as it pointed it's finger at the girl beside him, blue light emitting from the tips. Naru's heart jumped for a moment before he pushed the girl he had worked with for the past three years away, all too willing to use his gift to protect her, despite it's limitations. The air around Naru began to sizzle and Lin looked at Naru weakly, a fearful expression in his eyes.

"Naru! No!" Mai cried and quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. Naru paused as a wicked scream emitted from the beast. A barrier had been erected, Lin's barrier. The creature froze for a second, as it was thrown on the ground, wounded and caged. He could hardly move.

"What have you done?" The creature growled, and Naru looked on impassively.

"Given you what you deserve."

With that the creature examined the barrier, looking for any part of weakness to exploit. He smirked as he found the limitations. Raging immensely, the demon gave a cry that could only come from hell. His body seemed to grow, and Naru and Mai stepped back as the cave began to warm. Though the creature was weakened, Naru knew Lin's power would not stop it for good. That being the case, he'd likely have to use his pk. Pk could kill him, but that was better then having the two most important people in his life pass away. Naru couldn't go through that again. He had never been the nicest person in the world, he was caulky, snide, arrogant,rude and logical. Though it wasn't like he didn't have a right to be such. After all, he was Oliver Davis, world known paranormal researcher and one of the most, if not the most powerful Pk intensive person on the planet. People should know and respect him as such.

As a child, Naru had always been a bit different. He rarely played, and hardly smiled. When he got angry enough fearful things began to occur, a knife flying across the room, or blanket dragging a member from their room. Once he and his parents realized what was happening, he quickly threw himself into research, searching for ways to deal with his extreme gifts. Out of necessity, he pushed many people away. Naru needed to nurse his power, and once he did, he needed to control it. If not, his strength could destroy himself and many around him. It became second nature to be alone, usually anyways. People like Mai made it impossible, and that had irritated him for sometime. Prior to her, he had been content with his quiet life, hiding himself behind his books and ignoring all the chaos around him. Still, when it came to his friends and loved ones, he was one of the fiercest supports and protectors out there. Though everyone thought he was cold and uncaring, Naru cared deeply for his friends and could hardly stand seeing anything happen to them. When it came to Mai and Lin, that care increased ten-fold.

Lin had been with Naru since he was a child, protecting him, training him to grow on his own. When all other's abandoned Naru because of his difficult temperament, Lin was one that had stuck with him and defended him to no end. As for Mai, With her bright smiles, work ethic, intuition, passion, uncanny love and empathy for seemingly everyone, she broke him. He knew he had a grown a strange sort of affection for the girl while they worked. In fact once he realized just what that strange affection was, he forced himself to push her away. After the hex situation, and even before, there were many times he had wanted to protect and support her, but he couldn't for fear of any consequences that would result if he became too attached. He was only to be in the area temporarily, and he had a power to keep a bay. He needed to be the quiet, detached, assertive, in control boss.

Once he realized his task was coming to close, he secretly contemplated Mai, unsure of how he felt leaving her behind. Once he found his brother and left for England, he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Naru heard a snap from the creature that had been incased. No time to dawdle, as the creature's power was becoming stronger. As foolish as it was, he had to use his Pk. He had to protect his loved ones.

Naru looked at Mai's pleading eyes, his heart beating faster than usual. He gave her a look, a look that showed how sorry he was and how much he cared for her. Just for a moment he allowed her to see into the deepest crescents of his soul. Naru placed his hand on her cheek softly and gave a half smile before lightly brushing her lips with his thumb. He wanted to give her a proper goodbye. His lips were just a hairs breadth away from her when he heard a loud snap. Lin's barrier was weakening. He saw as Mai's eyes widened in shock and realization and he quickly turned away. Mai grabbed his wrist tightly, attempting to divert him.

"No Naru! You can't," she cried, but he brusquely shook her off.

Mai POV

Mai saw as the man who she had once mistaken for Gene walk away, determination in his strides. Had he just attempted to kiss her? He had given her that look in his eyes, the look that said forgive me, but I have to go and lowered his face towards her own. Mai blushed prettily before a loud snap was heard and he turned away, intent obvious in his strides. Mai couldn't stop herself, she couldn't let him go. She knew what his power did to him and how easily he could die. His body wasn't strong enough handle that strength on it's own. Naru may have been tough, intelligent, powerful and strong, but he wasn't invincible! She had to help him. How?

Mai thought of all the memories she had with her 'family', Ayako, Monk, Masako, John, Yatsuhara, Lin, Madoka, Gene, Naru. Looking to extract any information of help, Mai thought of her gifts, her post cognitive and precognitive dreams, Kenji's possession, Masako cleansing her spirit. Mai remembered the terrifying experience with Urado and the day she transferred the key to Masako's hands. She remembered cleansing the school with the children on her own, but most off she remembered things that Naru, Gene and Lin had taught her.

Gene was a perfect medium. He was able to channel Naru's energy throughout his body and prevent Naru from collapsing. He could save them all if he was here. Mai wanted to call on Gene, to ask him to channel the powers, but she knew she couldn't. Gene had gone away. After Naru's return, Gene had helped them with three more cases before moving on. Mai had gained enough wisdom and strength to channel her gifts on her own, and having been buried in his family's plot, Gene was ready to move on. He had finally passed on into the afterlife, leaving her to deal with Naru on her own. Mai remembered the little things that Gene, Lin and Naru had taught her when it came to her powers, and she wondered, could she channel Naru's energy as well? For the second time within the last few minutes she grabbed Naru's arm, much to his chagrin.

"Mai." he snapped, "Let go!" He tried to shake her off again, but she wouldn't budge.

"No!" She held on him tighter, "I won't let you do this alone." Mai felt a sudden pressure encapsulate her body, and she knew Naru was doing this, pushing her to let go, but she would not do it, not this time. Mai wasn't sure if it her idea would work, but it was worth a shot.

"And what do you propose you can do about it?" he said coolly.

Mai looked him knowingly. She knew nothing about the wild power that flowed through him veins. Mai felt a slight pressure on her heart as she realized that he could be right, but she didn't care. She wouldn't let him do this alone, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. Naru wouldn't hurt her, she knew, not purposely. Despite his appearance, he cared too much. If anything, he would limit his power outsourcing to something he knew she could stand, provided that he agreed to it in the first place. She believed in him, but his decision to try and destroy the creature in his own was reckless. She lost enough people herself. All of her family was gone, taken by that beast. Alive, but barely, according to Naru anyways.

"I don't know," she shot back, tightening her grip on his arm. "But you can't do this!"

Naru frowned at her, a sad look in his eyes. "Enough," He said to no one in particular, and ripped his arm from her grasp as another crack went through the air. Mai's heart froze. She couldn't lose him too.

"Naru," she said fearfully, "Gene used to help you right" Naru paused, "He absorbed some of the power to protect you didn't he?"

Naru's head snapped up and he looked at her as if she grew another head.

"I don't need-"

Mai cut him off before he could continue his thought, her fist bound to her chest and a frightened look in her tear filled eyes. "Use me!" she exclaimed, "Use me the same way you used him." She paused for as second, "Allow me to buffer the blow."

Naru POV

Naru looked at her blankly. Was she serious? The pleading look on her face, suggested yes. He couldn't believe she had considered such a thing. Perhaps he had overestimated her intelligence after all, and that wasn't saying much.

"I want to help!" she cried out, "I know I can."

Naru stared dumbfounded. Just because she had a little power, Mai thought she could serve as a buffer from the effects of the Pk, such audacity. If anything, she would likely collapse. His power overwhelmed him, and Mai wasn't nearly as powerful. Naru scoffed at her. "I know you are an idiot, but this is beyond even your scope of idiocracy." Naru turned away coolly and returned to the task at hand, defeating the demon before it was able to break out of the cage that surrounded him. Naru could feel the tension behind him increase as he insulted her once again.

"How dare you say that about me! Do you think that just because I'm not as strong as you, I can't possibly be any help?"

Naru ignored her.

"Who do you think you are, deciding what I can or can not do, deciding my limits for me! What right do you have?"

Naru looked at her coldly, " I have every right." he hissed,"you are my charge."

Mai looked at him aghast. "Since when?"

"Since you joined my team." he smirked," the principle said so."

Mai sputtered, "The principle? That doesn't even make sense!"

Naru turned away slowly, blocking her presence from his thoughts.

"Oh!" she spit, "I don't think so." she placed her hand on his shoulder and forcefully pulled him towards herself, "Oliver Eugene Davis! You will not block me out this time."

That startled him, and caused him to stall momentarily. She never called him by his legal name. Naru turned a fraction towards her, a condescending glint in his eyes.

"I can, and I will." he said in a dismissive way, and Mai huffed at his response. Naru barely had time to blink before a small hand appeared out of his blind spot and slapped him clean on the cheek. This was quickly followed by a nervous stammer as the culprit looked at her hand as if it was an alien being.

"Anou…uh." She felt her blood grow cold as he gave her one of the most vicious look he could muster. Mai actually slapped him, she had the nerve to actually slap him, Shibuya Naru, no Professor Oliver Davis, leader of paranormal giants, her boss and sponsor. Mai stumbled back, looking as a deer caught in headlights as he approached her with a deadly lithe in his voice.

"Are you so eager to die?" He sneered, gripping her wrist as he did so. Mai remembered the last time he had done this. He had literally dragged her out of the office during the case at Yatsuharu's school. He had been livid, but that was nothing compared to now.

Mai cowered slightly, and Naru pushed her away. He would not tolerate her impudence, dangerous though this may be. Didn't she realize he was trying to spare her? How could she be so foolish?

"Are you!" he heard her shout, breaking his concentration, anger aligning her concerned voice, "Cause if you are, go right ahead! Exhaust your body and collapse, maybe even die, just like Gene!"

Naru froze, that was low even for him. How dare she bring up his dead twin so carelessly. "Forget about everyone else, Lin, Madoka, Masako, your parents…everyone who care a damn about you! Make everyone feel the same as you did! Make them break just like you."

Mai POV

The words felt like poison spewing from her lips. She was taking it too far, she knew that. She worded her phrases, thinking of things that might hurt him just a bit. She had to say it, no matter how cruel the words the words sounded. She felt a shiver as the temperature surrounding her dropped at least ten degrees and electricity projected from Naru's ki. He was pissed.

"That is enough." He glowered deafeningly, and turned his vicious stare towards her. "You think you can help?" he growled, "You with your new found abilities and miniscule powers, you think you can help, that you can somehow save me?" He laughed darkly. "How foolish can you be?" his next words stung her to no end, never had she seen him like this, "You gifts are nothing compared to my own, and they never will be! How could you possibly do anything, other than get yourself killed?"

Those words hurt, though they fought, Naru's jibes had always been more like teases, enough to annoy her here and there, but never tear her apart so fully. Mai began to doubt her idea, but somehow she knew. She couldn't back down. Mai stared at him with equal intensity, trying to think of a comeback, but coming up blank. How could she tell him that she knew he was wrong, that she knew she could successfully help with every fiber of her being. Naru smirked at her silence.

"I thought so."

He briskly turned around to continue his efforts.

"Na…Naru!" she screamed, finally finding her courage as he attempted to draw out his power, "You once told me to have faith in you. Now I'm asking you, no I'm begging you, have faith in me," she cried, tears brimming her eyes. "Believe in me like you've done so many times before!" She gasped, falling to her knees. "Believe in me like you did at the hex, Yatsuharu's school, and the elementary school." Her chest filled with sobs, Mai, grabbed his coat tail and looked at his face, expressing every fear,every concern and every doubt in her eyes. "Believe in me like you did when you first came back from England." She said with a final whisper, and Naru looked at her, a hesitant expression in his face.

A louder crack was heard behind them, and Naru and Mai snapped towards the enemy, there was no more time.

"How very touching," the creature mocked, "Too bad you won't live for long." With a final growl, the creature threw out its arms and shattered the barrier with a final crack and disappeared. Weak though he was, Lin attempted to help, but he found himself unable to do a thing. Putting up the barrier and sustaining it had been exhausting, and now the creature was gone. With the last bit of his energy, Lin pushed out his ki feeling for the creature. Finally he felt it, and tossed his shiki into the foes shoulder, causing it to materialize once again. Lin's eyes went heavy.

"What?" The demon screeched once it gained it's bearings, and Naru looked between Mai, Lin, and the monster, as if contemplating, a twinge of concern in his eyes. The ominiyagi had exhausted his strength and could no longer be of help. The others were long gone, and Mai was an amateur, but... A deep scowl creased Naru's' ever perfect face, and a growl emitted from his throat. Mai gasped as he lifted her from the ground and pulled her to his chest.

"Focus on my strength and how to direct it to vanquish the demon." he said plainly, gathering her arms between his own.

He had accepted her plea."Umhm." she whispered, relief washing over her.

"Hold on to me and don't let go." he emphasized, Mai blushing profusely had his words. "Feel the energy flow from my body to your's, sudden and powerful at first but slowly tapering off with a single goal." Naru said with finality and Mai swallowed as she grasped him tighter.

"Yes." she said, a cheerful lithe in her tone and Naru smirked as he firmly captured her hands with his own, "Direct your anger, fear, frustration, love and passion to channel that energy into destruction of the creature." He paused, and Mai hesitated momentarily, before standing erect, a definite determination in her stance. Naru saw as a vicious light cut through the shadows.

"Now!" he exclaimed and Mai focused on the creature in front of them, knowing of it's darkness. She thought of her loved ones and the kindness they had shown her, she thought of their warmth and what must be done to protect them. She thought of her hatred, and the awful crimes she had witness this creature commit in her dreams, she thought of how to prevent it from striking again, and last but not least, she thought of evil it had proudly proclaimed. She would not let this creature do it again.

Mai gasped as her thoughts fueled a power she could not define and the air began to cackle around her. It was warm. She thought, warm like when the roof fell down so long ago, warm like her landing in the manhole, warm like Naru's words when he freed her from Keiji's possession. Warn like the man beside her. The surrounding area became a void of white nothingness and Mai ran forward, not knowing where she was going, but knowing what she had to do, until she saw them, two little boys with black hair and deep blue eyes. Both looking exactly the same, but seemingly so different. The two boys reached their hand towards her and the slightly taller one stepped forward and merged with her body. Mai tensed as the spirit invaded her soul. The entire time and space continuum vibrated around her, and Mai looked on in awe as if her senses had been reborn. Mai grabbed the hand proffered to her and a searing energy flowed into her body, painful at first, but once there, comfortable and warm. Mai felt a tingling sensation in her mind as a myriad of emotions flowed through her subconscious, emotions such as love, justice, anger, strength, power, passion, kindness and sympathy. Was this how Naru felt when he first used his Pk? The energy wavered momentarily.

"Mai," she heard a chiding voice in her head, "focus." It was Naru. After all that bravado earlier, here she was, losing concentration. Mai remembered the horrible creature in front of them and all it had done, all she had felt. Righteous anger flowed through her being, and the white hot energy which flowed slowly, now flowed more freely. A new energy then began to move, flowing from the bottom of her belly, through her spine and into her arms. This energy was cool and controlled, adapting to the situation that had arose. Very different from the wild and untamed strength that her body now housed. This was her strength, the energy her body held in it's own. A circle of white hot energy and cool blue light appeared before her, intermixing and changing from pure white to a perfect shape of light and darkness. It was the epitome of life, the perfect balance that we strive for, the symbol of the Yin/Yang. Mai gasped as the energy danced in perfect unity, heat expanded outward, gaining strength as it did so. This was their strength, her and Naru's; this was the combination of their energy fused as one. Suddenly the ground begins to shift, and Mai notices as their invisible foe appears in perfect clarity.

"Release," Mai heard somewhere in the depths of her mind, and the energy propels ahead.

"Be gone. " both Naru and Mai said simultaneously. In one fair sweep, the energy dispelled, hitting it's target.

"No!" it howled, and Mai closed her eyes as a fiery heat emitted before her. The air smelled slightly of sulfur, and she let go of a breath she hadn't realized that she had held. As the energy dispersed from her finger, Mai felt her strength fall away.

"Na…ru…" she whispered as her knees buckled beneath her and she slipped from his grasp.

"Mai!" was the last thing she heard before strong arms encircled her. Her world went back.

Naru POV

He shouldn't have done it, he knew he shouldn't have channeled his energy into her body. She was not strong enough, even with him bracing the blow. He could hardly handle his strength on his own, and he was far more powerful than Mai. Why had he done it? Why had he went against all logic and allowed her to combine with him? Because she begged you? He heard the annoying voice in his head, because she didn't want you to pass out? Because she knew the toll it would take on your body? Such an idiotic fool, she had been, they had both been! And now look at her, ashen and pale beneath his grasp. This was Mai, his assistant, his friend and... his heart. This was the girl who had broken through his barriers and caused him to wake up and feel once again. Now look at her. Naru held her body close to his own, the Yin/Yang fresh in his mind. She had indeed buffered the damage of the Pk. Though he was tired, he did not feel that his body would give way at any minute, as he would have otherwise. At least, if his heart didn't give in first.

"Mai. You idiot," he said quietly, not realizing as the cave morphed, and revealed four familiars chained against the wall. Ayako, Monk, Masako and John came too, and saw as their employer and friend clutched their miracle worker to his body as if his life depended on it. If he had been a normal man, he may have even cried, but he was not normal, he was stoic, logical and controlled. It would take a miracle for a single tear to fall from his pale complexion, but a miracle this was.

Naru felt a tiny moisture at the corner of his eye, "Mai, You infuriating, ignoramus, impossible, stupid, defiant, warm, empathetic, compassionate, stubborn, kind, amazing, passionate and foolhardy slip of a girl." He clenched his teeth, the world around him disappearing into nothing as he lost himself in his grief. Naru was so focused on his predicament that he didn't notice when a slight stirring occurred within his arms, or when soft brown eyes fluttered beneath him. Naru felt a cool hand brush across his cheek, and his eyes snapped open to see his assistant smiling at him with tears in her eyes.

Naru's looked at her incredulously. She was okay. She had not been hurt. Without a second thought, Naru quickly captured her lips with his own. Everyone in the cave stared at the odd couple in surprise, but he didn't notice and frankly, right now, he didn't care. Mai's smooth, warm lips responded warmly, and Naru deepened the kiss just a tad. After a moment, he broke away from her, and Mai stared at him wide eyed before pulling him into a light embrace, a bright pink tone staining her cheeks as she did so.

Naru gladly melded into her form, the anxiety in his heart lessening just a bit. They lay in the intimate position for what seemed like forever when a feminine voice cut through the air.

"As touching as this is, and all," a high voice that could only be Mitsuzuki- San broke out, "can we get a little help here?"

Naru looked at her in irritation. How she dare interrupt them. He had half a mind to just let them suffer a little more, for her unwanted disturbance, but of course Mai would not have that.

"Ayako!" she cried, dropping her hands from his back. She twisted around and Naru lessened his grip as she slipped away and ran to them, or tried to at least. She hadn't gone more then three steps before her body gave way, and she plummeted to the ground. She may have recovered some of her strength, but she was still weak, and could hardly stand on her own.

Naru hissed at her as he pulled her into his arms again.

"Idiot!" he shouted, "You haven't yet recovered from the effect of Pk!"

"But…"

"Do you want to black out again?!" he screamed, sounding much like an anxious beau. Those in the group who had the strength to laugh did, including Lin, who had since woken from his ordeal. This resulted in a sharp glare to all of them.

Mai smiled as she attempted to walk on her own again. Somehow she made it to Lin and extracted a tool to help out her friend's. She stumbled towards them again with small success, Lin following close behind. Naru watched from afar as his friend's were freed from their bonds, and weakly reached out to their saviors, Lin weakening the chains with his gift. Although Naru had not overexerted himself this time, he couldn't use any Pk for at least another 12 hours. Not that he wanted to; they did interrupt his moment with Mai after all.

Naru saw as his precious companions slowly got up and pulled Mai into a light embrace, thanking her for everything she did. Some of them even kissed her cheek for more emphasis. Naru cleared his throat, and Mai looked towards him with a bright smile on her face. Leaving her 'family' behind she hurriedly grabbed his hand and pulled him towards their friends, eyes full of promises yet to unfold.

Yes, it was business per usual, as another case was concluded and resolved to a somewhat satisfying conclusion.

Naru felt a strange warmth as Mai paused momentarily and kissed him softly on the cheek. Well perhaps, he thought, not quite business as usual. Naru allowed a small smile to grace his face as he bent down to kiss her lightly on the lips, a soft look in his eyes. This would be Mai's gift, a simple change from here on out.

A new future was about to begin.

End

And there you have it. I could have had Naru tell Mai he loved her at the end of this chapter, but I feel like that would definitely be OOC! I see him pulling one of those Han Solo things, but instead of I know, it would be something like Of course you do. Well maybe "I know" works too. Lol. Please R/R and offer any feedback. I live for feedback! Adieu