Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt nor any of the characters- I just like to make them do random things for my own amusement.

With that being said, read and review? :3

Rated T: Because I never rate anything besides a T or M.

"Talking" - 'Thoughts'

Story: Homebound

Family

(Now) A two-shot

'CLICK'

Takigawa slouched in his wornout chair, a quite large bundle squirming in his arms. "Hey now Hana, be careful. You know how your Mom reacts when you get hurt. You've been sick for the last few days. Just let me cuddle, will ya?" He smiled down at his four-year old girl. His fingers dancing across the bundles covered feet.

"Da! Stawp tickeling my fweet!" Hana giggled, as she tried to escape her father's arms. "I'll call Mom on yew!"

Takigawa eyes grew large, his face twisting in mock horror. "Oh no! Don't call your mother! She will smack me with a frying pan!" He laughed, watching Hana peek out at him and stick out her tongue. continuing to tickle his daughter to tears, he never heard the door quietly shut and soft padding of footsteps approaching.

"Who said I would use a frying pan? It didn't work last time." A gentle voice whispered above the two sitting in the chair.

"Mai!"

"Mommmm!"

Laughing, Mai leaned down and kissed her husband on the cheek. Leaning towards her rambunctious daughter, she kissed the blanketed girl as well.

"That's because you hit like a girl." Takigawa snickered, as he let his daughter escape his well made prison. "Plus, you wouldn't want to teach Hana how to be violent, would you? She's more like you, after all!" He wiggled his eyebrows at the two.

"Mummy's not vi-ol-ant!"

"Violent, hun. And no! I am not!"

Laughing, Mai picked her daughter up and touched her forehead against Hana's. "How you feeling little one? Has your father been feeding you right?"

"HEY!"

"Ywes Mummy! Daddy let me eat chocolate!" Hana smiled up at her mother, her brown eyes glistening with happiness.

"Oh did he now?" Turning towards Takigawa, Mai lifted an eyebrow up at her husband. "Chocolate, really?"

"I made her other stuff too!" Takigawa cried out at the injustice.

Mai nodded in mock sadness, "I see. Other stuff! The horror!" Laughing, the daughter and mom strolled out of the room into their little family kitchen.

Takigawa smiled. He couldn't believe how his life had changed for the better after marrying Mai. Everything seemed to just click.

smiling mischievously, Takigawa grabbed his camera and followed the two.

'CLICK!'

"Takigawa!"

"Daddy! YAY! AGAIN!"

The two parents stepped away from the small bed, their hands intertwined and twin smiles gracing their faces. "Do you think she will be happy?" Mai voiced her concerns.

"Of course. What little girl wouldn't want another sibling? I think she will be ecstatic to know that she will be having a little baby brother or sister." Takigawa murmured, his fingers tightening slightly in reassurance.

"I- I just think... well, I heard that some children feel like they are being abandoned... or think that they won't be loved once the other child comes along. I don't want Hana to feel that way. Ever."

Sighing, Takigawa grabbed his wife and pulled her into a hug. "Hana loves being around other children, I think she will be happy."

"I hope so too."

'CLICK'

"Don't you dare wake her up with that flash, or I will get the frying pan."

"Mummy! When is wittle broffer comming?"

"Little and brother, hun. And he should be here in a few months." Mai smiled, patting her rather large belly. "He just needs to stay for a bit longer, okay?"

"Okay! Hey Mummy?" Hana asked, her little body bouncing on her heels. "Can we go to the park?"

Mai smiled, placing her feet down from where they were resting before her daughter came sprinting into the room. "Of course baby. Why don't you go get your Father and we can all go together?"

"Okay!"

Giggling as her daughter all but bounced out the door towards Takigawa's office, Mai stood up and moved to gather the coats.

"Mummmy!"

Looking up, she couldn't help but to smile as she watched the two loves of her life walk in. Hana was practically dancing on her father's shoulders in excitement.

"Hey now! If you want to keep being up there, ya got to settle down. Okay?" Takigawa smirked, his hands holding his daughter steady on his shoulders.

"Okay! Wets go!"

"Let's, hun."

'CLICK'

"Hey! That's my job!"

"YAY CAMERA!"

Hana bounced away, her feet carrying her towards the large slide in the park. It was huge and red. But her Mummy wouldn't let her go down it until she turned five. 'I am now!'

Takigawa and Mai sat back on the bench beside the slide and watched as their little girl all but run up the stairs to get to the slide before another boy did.

"She is really energetic." Takigawa smiled as Hana slid down the slide with a loud laugh.

"Yeah, I hope this one is just as good as her, though."

Takigawa nodded, his eyes continuing to watch for anything out of the particular.

"Hey... is that... is that John?"

Mai turned towards the direction her husband was looking, her jaw dropping. "I- I think it is!"

Waving her hands around frantically in happiness, Mai raised her voice. "JOHN! JOHN!"

The two parents waited with bated breath as the older male turned around at his name. His blonde hair, the same length, and eyes of light skies. His eyes widened. "MAI?! TAKIGAWA?!"

Smiling, Takigawa and Mai both waved the man over. Extremely happy to see an old face. "John! Hey man! How have you been? When did you get back? Last month you said you weren't coming back to Japan until around Christmas time! It's nice to see you!" Takigawa stood up, bringing the younger man in for a hug. "Damn, it's been so long! Is that the girl you were talking about?" Takigawa pointedly looked down at the little girl hidden behind the Priest's legs.

John laughed, his eyes dancing with mirth. "I am good, yes this is the little Misses and I thought I was going to be back at Christmas, but plans change." He shrugged, as he gently put his hands on the little girls head. "Jessie dear, come and say Hi. These two are both my old friends, would you like to meet them? They are nice and have a daughter your age."

Jessie stepped out from behind John, her bright blue eyes shyly watching the two in front of her. "h-hi." She greeted the couple- having said that she pulled on John's coat sleeve. "C-can I go play?" She asked softly.

John smiled, his dimples appearing deeper. "Of course. Go play- I will be right here if you need me."

Jessie scrambled away, having wanted to play on the slide with the other little girl.

John sighed, his eyes worriedly tracking her as she ran across the gravel.

"She is adorable. Too shy, but if she hangs out with our little girl she's bound to break that habit." Mai spoke for the first time, coming out of her shocked state.

John nodded, his eyes glancing down at her round stomach. "Seven months, yeah? You are looking quite beautiful- as always."

"Hey now! That's my wife!"

Mai laughed, her hands gently rubbing the large mound. "Yes. Seven months and he's quite the big one too. Always moving around and making it hard to sleep." Smiling fondly, she rubbed her stomach over the spot were she felt him kicking.

John gently grasped her hands, his eyes watching hers carefully. "You are doing good? The baby too?"

Mai smiled, teeth shinning brightly. "Of course! We both are growing!"

The three laughed as they continued to make small talk, while watching the two girls laugh and hold hands together.

"We should do this again." It was Mai who broke the comforting silence.

The other two nodded, thinking that it would be really nice.

"I ran into Yasuhara-san the other day." John admitted, his eyes taking a sheen like look to them. "I was thinking that it would be nice to see everyone again. It almost feels like forever since I saw all of you in person- together."

Mai and Takigawa looked at each other, having both thought the same thing, but with how everyone grew apart... it almost seemed impossible now.

"Yeah. Those days sure were great. Everyone laughing, running around with ghosts on their tails." Mai laughed softly, her eyes sad. "It's sad that everyone decided to stop trying."

The two males turned fully towards their female companion. Takigawa grabbed his wife's hand, holding it gently. "Hey now. We did try, but... things happen... people move on." He muttered, kissing Mai's head. "We could try again? See if anyone would be willing to meet up for dinner or something?"

John nodded, his eyes narrowed in thought. "Yes. Yasuhara-san said he would like to catch up. Perhaps he wouldn't mind all of us getting together? He could probably find everyone else and see if they wanted to, as well."

Having come up with a plan, the family of three (now four) walked back home (after getting John's new number and a slumber party date set, of course).

'CLICK'

Takigawa gently set down the camera, his hands brushing away the few strands left astray from his wifes bun. "Hey, sweetie, it's time to wake up. The baby sitter should be here in ten and you said you wanted to change before the dinner with everyone."

Mai blinked away the sleep, her eyes slightly moistened from old memories left behind. Smiling up gratefully at her husband, she held out her hands to be helped up.

"Thanks." Kissing Takigawa on the cheek, Mai wobbled up to their bedroom for a new change of clothes.

Shaking his head in fondness, Takigawa briefly wondered if this meeting will be good or not. He didn't want to think that everyone simply wanted to meet up just to have a go at them, but everyone left on bad terms. He could only hope that this little reunion will be good for all those gathered. He knew his wife missed everyone and sometimes still cried over them- 'so if anything... it will give her closure and I will be there no matter what.'

"I'm ready."

'Ding'

"Keiko is here."

"This is the right place?"

"Yes, Mai. It is. It has been for the last five times you have asked." Takigawa winked.

Lightly slapping her husband on the arm, Mai pouted. "It's just... well... I guess, I thought..." Sighing, Mai gently tapped her finger against her lips in thought. "I thought that everyone would want to meet at a... well... less expensive place." She made a grand gesture at the tall building in front of them.

"You know Naru-bou would have thrown a fit if it was at any other place." Takigawa snorted, his eyes watching his wife closely.

"Well, I guess." Puffing out a breath of frustration, Mai pulled on Takigawa's arm to get him moving. "We'll be late if we stand out here any longer. And you know Naru, he would say something sarcastic."

Laughing, Takigawa gently pulled his wife towards the greeters. Having already been told the table was under SPR and in a secluded room.

The waitress smiled tightly at the two standing in front of her, having already escorted them to the room that was privately selected for their group. "You may go in now."

Takigawa waved the girl off, having already known that Mai would get a little cold feet before walking in. "We know, you may leave. Thank you."

Huffing, the waitress stomped away- hissing furiously under her breath about manners, arrogant people, and rich people.

"What's her problem?"

"Probably had to wait on Naru." Mai smirked, her eyes dancing with mirth. "Do you suppose he asked her to make tea and then promptly told her it tasted like shit?"

Takigawa's eyes widened, but before he could stop it- a loud laugh escaped him. "Oh, I bet."

Pulling Mai closer to him, he gently turned her head up towards his. "You ready, love?"

With a determined look and a small nod, the two pulled themselves away and into the room.

The music was soft and unsurprisingly that of a piano. It floated around the orange walls, bouncing off and onto the chandelier. It's soft glow made the room comfortable, relaxing, and if not a bit oppressing.

The two could have probably heard a pin drop (if they had a pin on them) within the deafening silence that smothered the room as soon as they walked in. There were six people already seated at the low table in the center of the room. All varying slightly in age.

Madoka smiled, and with a surprised gasp and a little awkward wobble towards the couple they were both pulled into the strong woman's arms.

"Oh dear! Look at you two! How have you two been? What have you been up to? I heard you both married! CONGRATS! MAI!? IS THAT A BABY BUMP I SEE?!"

Lin stood up, his once hard eyes now gentle. A small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It's nice to see you, Takigawa, Mai." He gently took Madoka into his arms, having pried her hands away from Mai's belly bump.

Takigawa laughed, his shoulders shaking. Oh how he wished he had his camera on him. Mai's face was still priceless.

"Nice to see you as well, Lin- Madoka." He nodded to the two, after having awkwardly given Lin a hand shake.

"Yes, we are seven months pregnant... but I am not the only one carrying?" Mai smiled, pointedly looking down at Madoka's midsection.

Madoka laughed, her hands rubbing her own belly bump. "Only five months for us."

Having both steered the two pregnant women to seats, Lin and Takigawa sat down beside their lovers. It was silent for a few seconds before Oliver himself, congratulated the married couple.

"Congratulations. I hope the baby turns out to be more like his father- after all, from what I remember Mai, you were quite the clutz."

"HEY!"

Takigawa laughed, "You should see our daughter, Hana, she is just like her mother!"

Madoka gasped, yet again. "You have a daughter?! How old is she?! When did you have her?! Why didn't you tell us?!"

Mai smiled sadly down at her drink, having grabbed the glass of water in front of her to help her nervous hands (that liked to wander, much to Takigawa's amusement). She had yet to look at the others in the room, in fear that she would see disgust or hate on their faces. She did see John, though- when she walked in and had smiled at him.

"I had her a few months after SPR was torn down to the ground. She is five now, quite the energetic one." Mai drank down her glass of water, not wanting to say more for now. 'When did I become afraid of what other's thought of me?'

"Congratulations, you two. You both seem really happy." It was a another male's voice, though it was slightly deeper from what Mai could remember. Smiling up at Yasuhara, Mai thanked him.

"Thanks, it's been quite a long run, but it has been rewarding. I have three people whom I love and can call my own little family." She watched as Yasuhara flinched slightly, and then looked down.

"I'm sorry." Yasuhara finally broke, he bowed his head at the two. "I feel horrible for how I treated you two and I hope you can forgive me. I was trying my hardest to move on and well... I guess I got caught up in everything. It doesn't help any that I didn't keep in contact with you, but I really hope we can continue to be friends after this."

"I'm sorry too." Ayako whispered, her eyes watching the two sadly. "I got carried away with everything and in doing so I missed the opportunity to be a part of your family. I hope you can forgive me as well."

'That's right... because they are apart of my family still.' Mai thought happily, as tears fell down her cheeks. "Thank you guys. I love you and miss you all. It's been too long and even though I can not, in good consciousness, forgive you for saying hurtful words... I can still say I hope we can continue to do this."

"That it has been." Masako spoke from the doorway. Having walked in and taken off her scarf, craftily wrapped around her head- she couldn't believe that everyone was here before her.

"I also apologise for what I said to you, Mai. It wasn't true. I just... I well..." Masako blushed, her eyes darting to the corner. "I just was sad that everything fell apart."

Mai smiled, pushing herself up from her sitting position (with the help from Takigawa, "Hey! Be careful!") She walked over and grabbed the medium in a hug. "Hey, no feelings hurt. Let's just forget that day ever happened and lets eat some food. I'm starving!"

Everyone laughed as they pursued the menu for something to eat.

"So what are you naming your baby?"

"What are you doing now?"

"Are you still a Priest?"

"Any lovers?"

"How is England treating you?"

"Are you guys finally getting married?"

"You mean you still having asked her yet?"

"I have a young charge named Jessie... I think I am going to adopt her."

"Are you going with Chinese names or Japanese?"

"Hana really enjoys playing with Jessie."

"The Church still is running good."

"I want to reopen SPR for good, this time."

'CLICK'

"What?!"