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Innocent Rain	By : saxonjesus Category: +. to F > D. Gray Man Views: 3947 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
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Chapter List
- 21
- 22
- 23
Chapter 22�Return to Innocence

October 13, 2013�The Dark Order,
Allen�s Ark

�� Lenalee had cried
herself to sleep, and Allen had stayed up holding her, until her sobs had
turned into shudders and then into the rhythmic breaths of sleep. He couldn�t
look away from her still form, her face still shining with tears. She was the
most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and her beauty had only been enhanced by
the addition of the flowing stigmata that still graced both their foreheads. He
couldn�t control the urge to kiss it, so he didn�t resist, pressing his lips
softly to her silky skin. She sighed and nuzzled into his shirt, a small smile
finally reaching her lips. Allen wished that he could always make Lenalee
smile. His chest swelled, and he had to resist another urge to kiss her.

�� I wish I could tell you� he thought to
himself. He felt Sebastian give him a sympathetic smile in the back of his
head. Thinking back to the bartender in the pub, he wondered if the old man had
been right. Is it worth her pain? He
shook his head sadly and laid Lenalee�s head onto his pillow and covered her
with the blanket.

�� Sighing, he lay
down next to her and pulling her close, whispered in her ear the one thing he
could never say to her while she was awake, �I love you, Lenalee.�

---

October 14, 2013�The Dark Order, Main Branch

�� No matter what
anyone said, Lolek was determined to be depressed today. It didn�t matter that
Miranda was sitting next to him, too closely for his heart not to flutter when
he stared at her. Today was one of the two days he was allowed to be depressed.
Lolek was of the mind that everyone got at least one day. The death day of a
lover, the day a marriage broke off, the birthday of a child who died� Those
were all prime examples, but Lolek felt none of them compared to his day.
October the fourteen happened to be his birthday. That wasn�t what made him
depressed. No, his depression came from the fact that Lolle was, for the first
time, not with him for it. And she never would be. Not anymore.

�� Miranda didn�t
speak next to him, for which he was thankful, but
other people walked morosely through the side street of the Ark, talking in
hushed voices about trivial things like meals or friendships. None of those
mattered on this day, because the only thing that could even remotely hold his
attention was dead and had been for nearly a year now.

�� She had had hair
as perfectly blond as his, eyes of the purest blue. She had matched his skin
tone, his height, even his speech patterns. They had fit together, like two
pieces of a puzzle, like cops and donuts, like coffee and cake. Amanda had once
called them Pea One and Pea Two, seeing as they had come from the same pod and
all. Darcy hadn�t been better, calling him a pea and Lolle a carrot. No one had
ever thought of them as two people, not even them. They had simply been
together, one, and nothing could change that.

�� Except
death.

�� Lolek, will you
please tell me what you�re sulking about?� Miranda asked softly, placing a
soft, petite hand atop his broad one.

�� It�s my
birthday,� he answered in a hushed tone, not looking into the woman�s
beautiful, sensuous brown eyes.

�� Miranda�s hand
squeezed his lightly, tenderly. �I know that,� she said simply.

�� Her lack of
reaction forced Lolek to look at her, and when he did, he saw quiet
understanding in her eyes. Grateful for not having to voice it, he flipped his
hand over and laced his fingers with hers. A light blush worked its way up to
her cheeks.

�� Well, I got you
something,� she said, averting her eyes. Lolek found himself missing her gaze
immediately. Damn, he had it bad.

�� You didn�t have
to,� he said softly as Miranda reached into the pocket of her Exorcist jacket.
She produced a small box wrapped in a deep green paper. He took it gently from
her grasp, sending her a grateful look.

�� Inside was a watch, and Lolek felt his throat tighten. Lolle had
always gotten him watches for his birthday. He always broke them, though. This
watch, however, was of a much better quality than any his sister had purchased.
He gazed at the Rolex unbelievingly.

�� I�m going to
break it,� he said sadly, taking it from its packaging.

�� Miranda squeezed
their linked hands. �Then I�ll fix it.� Softer, she added, �look
on the back.�

�� Engraved in small,
looping cursive was a tiny message: Now
you won�t have to ask me for the �time� anymore. Love, M. Lolek felt his
throat tighten further and pushed the feeling back, unwilling to cry in front
of this beautiful woman.

�� Thank you,� he
breathed, unable to make a sound with his throat was so tight. There was an
uncomfortable lump in it, making his eyes water. He blinked several times until
the incriminating tears subsided.

�� Leaning over,
Miranda shyly kissed his cheek, her face lit like a beacon. �I know today is a
sad day for you, but it will get better,� she said, and something in her tone
implied a promise. Looking into her eyes, Lolek saw a well of grief there that
he had never before noticed. It looked irrevocably wrong, seeping there in her
eyes, and he wanted to take it away, draw it into himself.

�� You talk like you
know,� he said softly. Miranda�s lips tilted up in a smile, and she shook her
head, keeping silent.

�� Everyone here
knows loss,� she said vaguely, standing up and walking off. Lolek gazed at her
receding figure, wondering just how much she had suffered. Somehow, the notion
did not sit well with him. He didn�t want Miranda hurting, especially like he
did.

�� Lolle, he thought to his deceased twin. What do I do?

�� There was no
response.

�� There would never
be one again.

�� Fastening on the
fancy watch, Lolek felt a tiny tendril of happiness snake into his system.
Perhaps, even with Lolle gone, he could persevere. As long as
Miranda was there. Lolek shook his head. He really did have it bad.

---

�� Darcy was not a god.
A sex god, maybe, but not an I�m-gonna-heal-all-your-ills-with-mah-magics god. He did not know
how to console the inconsolable. Wrapping his bare arms around his girlfriend,
he felt none of her usual responses, none of the melting, none of the smile. It
hurt. She hadn�t said a word since the funeral, which was a bad sign. Even at
her most serious, Amanda was much like Lavi�always chattering, always moving.
Her stillness was ominous, and it pushed him to the very limits of his sanity.

�� He�d known Amanda
since he had come to the Order at age nineteen. At some point in the last two
years, something had changed. There were feelings, that was
obvious. Even more obvious was the sex factor. Still, it seemed like she hadn�t changed at all. She remained
sunny and cheerful. Seeing her like this, so lost, so still, was very painful.

�� She�s gone,�
Amanda whispered, and Darcy flinched at the sudden noise. In his arms, Amanda
stiffened. He maneuvered himself so he was in front of her, and he saw great,
crocodile-sized tears leaking like liquid diamonds from her eyes.

�� Thank God she�s finally crying, he
thought. He pulled her forward, but she put her hands on his chest, resisting
the contact. Darcy lifted an eyebrow, but then their eyes met.

�� Amanda�s eyes were
possibly the scariest, saddest thing he�d ever seen. Their cobalt was now
shining with the lake of tears she had yet to shed, and they were framed with
long, dark lashes. They looked like tiny, dripping swimming pools. Only sad.

�� Darcy was not an
eloquent man. He had no idea what to say. Thankfully, Amanda saved him from
that.

�� She�s gone,
Darcy, she�s really gone,� she said in that same shocked whisper. �I don�t
know� w-w-what am I supposed to� to do?�

�� You live,� he
said, finally finding something to say. He pulled her to his chest again, and
this time, she didn�t resist. �You live so that she won�t have died in vain.�

�� She didn�t
d-d-die for m-me, Darcy,� Amanda stammered, seeming as if she was still holding
back emotion. It wouldn�t surprise Darcy if she was.

�� I know, babe, but
if you die just �cause she did, then how will that
help?� He rubbed little circles on her back. Really, this whole consoling thing
wasn�t so bad.

�� Amanda crumpled
into him, sobbing so hard her body shook his with their force. He held her a bit
tighter, imagining himself as an anchor. He cut off that thought. That sounded
ridiculous. He whispered tiny, sweet things into her ear as she just sobbed and
sobbed and sobbed, breaking and shaking and quaking.

�� It�s okay, Amanda, cry all you want. I know Artemis told you
not to mourn, but sometimes, you just need to cry�� Darcy muttered. Amanda
stiffened, cutting his words off.

�� She wouldn�t want
this,� she said urgently, placing her trembling hands on his shoulders. Darcy
was struck by just how gorgeous Amanda was, even with red, swollen eyes, tear
tracks, and snot running down her face.

�� No, love, but it�s okay to feel it,� Darcy said, petting the back of her
head as if she were a cat.

�� No, it�s not!�
Amanda exclaimed, pushing herself away. The accompanying gust of air blew into
Darcy�s very sopping chest, and he shivered a bit.

�� It�s okay to��
Darcy insisted.

�� It�s not!� Amanda
reiterated in a scream, pulling away from him completely and jumping off the
bed. She ran to the door, but Darcy got there at the same time, and he pulled
her into a tight hug. �Let me go!�

�� No! Just shut up,
Amanda, and let yourself grieve!�

�� She doesn�t want
me to!�

�� Well, do it
anyway! It wouldn�t be the first time!�

�� Amanda deflated
against him. �I don�t want to,� she said in a small voice. �But I�m going to
get that fucktard.� Her eyes shone with a steely
glint, which was concerning, but it was better than the flatness of the past
few weeks.

�� Can I help?�
Darcy asked, and Amanda�s bright smile told him she would be alright. He was
glad. He was really bad with tears.

---

October 18, 2013�The Dark Order,
Allen�s Ark

�� Vikram�s mouth
went very, very dry. Emiko wasn�t dressing as a girl today. She had her hair tied
back in a neat ponytail, and she wore a pair of pants that looked like they
belonged to Allen. They were nothing special, just a simple pair of jeans, but
Vikram could not bring himself to look away. Emiko never wore jeans.

�� She was standing
in his doorway, looking at him as he stared blatantly at her. She took a step
forward, and his heart skipped a beat. Why?
He thought, why
am I reacting this way? Why do I want �to�?

�� Vikram,
it�s incredibly rude to stare,� Emiko was leaning down at his suddenly rigid
form on the bed. �You have something you want to say?� She continued sounding
offended.

�� I�I�
no?� What could he say? He didn�t understand why he was staring any more
than Emiko did. He couldn�t understand why seeing his childhood friend dressed
like this made him want to� made him want to� he
couldn�t make himself think it.

�� Vikram, what is
wrong with you? Do you really hate me dressing like this that much?� She
sounded pained. Vikram didn�t want her to be upset.

�� No! I�I like it,�
he stuttered, and Emiko�s eyebrows rose impossibly high. It made Vikram�s
stomach flip uncomfortably.

�� Really?
You really do?� she smiled brightly, �How much?� She was leaning even closer
now, and he couldn�t stop himself. He kissed her. No, that wasn�t the proper
term. They kissed each other. It
didn�t last long, because Vikram soon realized what he was doing and, clamping
a hand to his mouth, ran from the room. Sprinting down the hallway, he headed
to the only person he thought could understand.

��

---

October 18, 2013�The Dark Order, Yuu�s
room

�� His lover�s
stomach growled. Lavi looked up. Yuu looked annoyed�that wasn�t unusual�and
snapped the book he was reading closed.

�� Hungry,� Yuu
grunted, standing up gracefully. Looking over at Lavi, he added, �want anything?�

�� It was testament
to how much Yuu had healed that he was able to say anything that implied
caring. Or liking, as it were. Lavi grinned at the
thought without meaning to.

�� Spit it out if
you want something,�

�� I want toast!�
Lavi requested immediately. �And jam!� Yuu rolled his eyes, but his lips
twitched just slightly, and Lavi knew he was repressing a smile. �Oh� and I�d
like some butter, too.�

�� Eh?� Yuu looked
confused. �You hate butter.�

�� Never mind, you
just gave me some!� Lavi said. Yuu looked infuriated.

�� That�s the
seventh time you�ve said that!� He yelled, unconsciously raising his voice.
�What the hell are you trying to say?�

�� Your voice�it
sounds like butter,� Lavi said quietly. Yuu�s mouth slammed shut with a loud
click of teeth.

�� My� voice sounds
like� butter?� Yuu repeated, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

�� Yeah, you know,
rich and creamy?� Lavi replied. �Yuu
still looked utterly lost.

�� Do you� associate
food to anyone else�s voice?� He asked carefully. Lavi wasn�t exactly sure why
his lover had asked, so he answered quickly.

�� Yeah!
Allen�s voice is like a pineapple.�

�� Yuu scoffed. �A pineapple? Why?�

�� It� just is. Of course,
not all of them are food; Lenalee�s voice is like a rain shower next to a
rainbow!�

�� What is your
voice?�

�� An
apple!� Lavi exclaimed.

�� An
apple?� Yuu repeated in disbelief.

�� Yuu, you are so
unimaginative,� Lavi said, shaking his head.

�� Suddenly, the door
burst open, admitting a distraught-looking Vikram. Both Yuu and Lavi looked at
each other as the Indian man collapsed at the redhead�s feet, put his head on Lavi�s
lap, and proceeded to cry.

�� Uhhhh, can� I� help you?� Lavi asked slowly, unsure how to
respond to the sudden invasion of his personal space.

�� I�m not
gay!�� Vikram wailed.

�� Yuu snorted. �What
makes you think that?� he asked, a hint of sarcasm that only Lavi could hear in
his voice.

�� I�m not!� Vikram
insisted loudly, and to Lavi�s horror, he noticed his pants were already wet
with Vikram�s tears.

�� Can I ask what
brought this on?� Lavi asked, patting the older man�s head awkwardly.

�� I-kissed-Emiko-and-I-liked-it-but-I-can�t-like-it-because-I�m-not-gay!�
Vikram sobbed, blurting it all out at once. Lavi shared another look with Yuu,
who looked dangerously close to laughing again. They both were thinking it:
denial.

�� Er, could you repeat that, a bit more slowly, so you can
understand it?� Lavi asked.

�� I� I-I-I kissed�
Emiko� and�and I think I may have wanted to, because she was there� and I was
there� and she was in Allen�s pants. And one of his shirts.
And�and�� the Indian man broke off, seemingly unable to speak more.

�� And?�
Lavi prompted.

�� And he was really
hot!� Vikram exclaimed, blushing. �But I�m not gay, so I don�t understand why I
wanted to�to�� Vikram lowered his voice. ��Kiss her,� he finished softly, as if
admitting it was akin to admitting defeat.

�� Vikram,� Lavi
said firmly, putting his hands on the older man�s shoulders, �you are in
denial, so stop molesting my crotch.� He pushed the other man up.

�� Vikram looked
horrified. �I�m�I�m not, guys! I�m really not! I don�t� I�m not� I couldn�t
possibly be��

�� Listen, Vikram.
You just said you wanted to kiss Emiko. Emiko is a man. You are a man. Normally, when one man wants to kiss another man, he is gay,� Lavi
explained slowly, as if talking to the very, very dull.

�� I � er, like girls, though,� Vikram said quietly, sounding as
if he was trying to convince himself.

�� You just said
Emiko was dressed as a guy today,� Lavi said slowly. �Have you ever felt that
way toward a girl?�

�� I� yes,� Vikram insisted.

�� Was it Emiko dressed as a girl?� Lavi asked
suspiciously.

�� No!� Vikram shouted, his startled blush
betraying his firm words.

�� Sorry, Yuu-chan,�
Lavi said, looking apologetically up at his lover. �I really don�t wanna do this.� Leaning down, he kissed Vikram full on the
mouth. The older man gasped against his lips, but Lavi held on until his lover
pulled him away. Clinging to Yuu and trying not to throw up�though he was
making gagging noises�he looked for Vikram�s reaction.

�� Vikram�s eyes were
wide and surprised, but the rest of his face was slack. It was that quality one
had after a particularly good kiss. Lavi was proud of himself. Until he heard
Yuu�s voice growling menacingly in his ear.

�� If you ever do
that again, rabbit, I will kill you.�

�� Lavi gulped.

�� Gomen, Yuu,� he whimpered against his lover�s
chest, hugging him tightly. Vikram slowly pulled himself up from the bed, hand
covering his mouth, and walked from the room. �I had to do something for him to
confirm it. He� can I please go brush my teeth?�

�� Yuu snorted. �I am
not forgiving you for that.� His stomach rumbled again. �And I still want
food.�

�� How
about an apple?� Lavi asked, and Yuu sat next to him on the bed.

�� I hate apples,�
he said.

---

October 18, 2013�The Dark Order,
Allen�s Ark

�� Lolek!�
Lenalee yelled, trying to sound cross but failing utterly. �Next time, tell me
when your birthday is!�

�� Well, I didn�t
tell you anything because I didn�t want to celebrate it,� Lolek said, looking
away from her.

�� Lolek!�
Lenalee exclaimed again, grabbing the man�s wrist as he walked away. �I know it
hurts that your sister isn�t here anymore, but you can�t let it get you down
forever!�

�� How would you
know? I�ve never seen you��

�� Just because I
don�t show it doesn�t mean I didn�t care! Komui�s birthday was hard for me,
too, and it must be doubly so for you because Lolle�� Lenalee�s heart wrenched
as Lolek flinched at his sister�s name, ��was your twin!� When she finished, a
pearly tear was falling from Lolek�s astoundingly blue eye.

�� He deflated, his
arm going slack in Lenalee�s grip. �Do what you want,� he conceded, and Lenalee
let him go.

�� You need to
celebrate, or else you�ll never be happy,� she called after him. She saw him
shake his head before turning a corner, leaving Lenalee�s sight.

�� Sighing sadly,
Lenalee headed toward the door to the Dark Order�s Headquarters, hoping the
chef would bake her a cake
if she asked for one. Enlisting the help of most of the soldiers, she set up a
party. She smiled to herself. During the end of the war 114 years ago, there
hadn�t been time for anything like this, and she had missed such festivities.

�� Now all that was
left to do was gather party-goers. Heading over toward the Science Department,
she quickly ensured a large attendance. The Finders, too, wanted something to
celebrate, so they quickly agreed to Lenalee�s idea, saying it had been a long
time since Lolek had enjoyed himself.

�� By six o�clock not
even Lolek could keep away from the loud conversation and plethora of food.
Surprisingly, Miranda dragged him in, an aggrieved look on her normally shy
face. She seemed to be yelling at him.

�� Come on Lolek!
It�s not like a little social activity is going to kill you, and Lenalee went
to sooo much trouble for you! She even begged the
chef. She prostrated herself on the floor and bowed down to him just for you�well, for your cake�so you should at
least do her the honor of showing your face.� Lenalee had to suppress a giggle
at Lolek�s horrified expression.

�� Happy Birthday,
Lolek!� Amanda screamed from across the room, running over and jumping on him.

�� Get off of me!�

�� Aww, Lolek�s a bit grumpy. Don�t worry, Lolek, it�s your
party, you can cry if you want to!� She giggled, her arms still clasped in an
iron hold around his neck.

�� Lenalee saw the
chef emerge from the kitchen carrying a very large, chocolate cake.

�� How come his is
chocolate?� Amanda pouted loudly, finally letting the man go.

�� Shut up, Amanda,
not all of us are born on days dedicated to pie!�
Lolek shot back. �Besides, I thought chocolate was your favorite kind, why are
you complaining?�

�� Because
I never get it!� Amanda whined, but then her pouting face morphed into a
sly grin. �Hey, Lolek, you know what time it is?�

�� No.� Lolek�s face
turned comically horrified. �No, Amanda, you�no!�

�� Oh, yes, it�s
birthday spankin� time,� Amanda countered with a
malicious, anticipatory grin. Lolek blanched albino pale.

�� Not again! Wasn�t
it bad enough last year?� Lolek asked desperately,
gulping. Amanda�s grin grew, if possible, wider. Raising an arm and making to
move so Lolek�s back was to her, she giggled. But then she stopped.

�� Well, if you
don�t want spankin�,� she began evilly, �how �bout a
big, sloppy birthday kiss?�

�� Lolek paled
further, turning the color of the buildings in Allen�s Ark. Lenalee heard a
muttered, �what�s going on?� from Allen, and when she glanced over, she saw
him, Lavi, and Kanda-kun walking in, looking somewhat confused.

�� I don�t want a
kiss from you!� Lolek exclaimed, and
Lenalee turned back in time to see Miranda walk up and give him a kiss right on
the lips. Lolek�s eyes widened in surprise, and he gave out a muffled cry.

�� Oh,
oh, ooooh! When did this happen?� Amanda said, wagging her eyebrows suggestively.

�� Funny story,
that,� Lolek said breathlessly as Miranda pulled back, blushing and apologizing
profusely in a horrified whisper.

�� Oh? Do tell!�
Amanda implored. The soldiers all gave out a cheer of encouragement.

�� Well, you see, on
the tenth, after everyone was drunk� well, you all know that Miranda got
ridiculously smashed, right?�

�� Everyone laughed
at the amusing memory and replied affirmatively.

�� Well, I took her
back to her room, and when we got there, she wobbles and then just throws herself on me. I mean, I had been
supporting her a lot, but she just mauled
me. We both fell down, so we tried to get back up. Well�� Lolek blushed
mightily, ��you all know how it is when you�re drunk. It�s impossible to have
good coordination, so Miranda almost fell over again. I caught her�thank God,
because in her condition, she probably would�ve killed herself.�

�� There was more
laughter among the crowd, and Lolek continued. �So, I tell her good night, and
she just jumps up and kisses me. And
I mean kisses me. Full-out,
open-mouthed, tongue action kissing.�

�� Cheers erupted
from the soldiers, and Lenalee blushed. It had been a long while since Miranda
had been so forward, though, and she couldn�t help but feel glad that the older
woman seemed to be returning to her previous self, her true self.

�� Then, she pulls
back and slurs out, �I loves ya, Lolek!� in an
outrageous German accent that I could barely understand. And my mother was
German. Well, I was about to respond, and then she collapses on me! She passed
out on my chest! It was hilarious.�

�� Miranda blushed.
�Did I really say that?� She asked, her eyes almost
comically wide and her voice horrified.

�� You don�t
remember?� Lolek asked, grabbing Miranda around the shoulder and holding her in
place as she tried to run off. Miranda shook her head, still wearing that
horrified expression. Lolek chuckled. �That�s okay, Miranda, but you have to
remember that I loves you, too.�

�� Miranda
nodded mutely, seemingly unable to say anything else. Lenalee watched as
Lolek slowly leaned down and kissed her forehead and then her cheek before
bringing his lips tenderly to the German woman�s.

�� It was beautiful
and sweet, and Lenalee felt her chest clench in a strange emotion she couldn�t
identify. Tears came to her eyes, and when she looked over at Allen, he was
wearing a pained expression. It disappeared a moment later, and Allen walked up
to the center of the room.

�� I�ve got a great
story for you guys!� He said, smiling widely. Lenalee�s stomach flipped. She
loved it when Allen smiled like that. It was so free, so innocent, so� happy. �So, it was me, Lenalee, Kanda, Lavi, Miranda, and
Krory�Krory was another Exorcist in our time�and we were just sitting around
when Komui walks in. And he comes up and hugs Lenalee like usual and then says,
�hey, guys! Guess what? I just built another Komurin!�
And then the wall to the cafeteria exploded, and the robot grabs Kanda and
starts shaking him, waving him here and there. So, he draws Mugen, and there
was a bright flash of awesome blue light and an explosion as Komui yelled,
�NOOO, NOT MY KOMURIN!� He started crying, and Lenalee just scoffed and said,
�geez, Gege,
you�re going to kill someone!� and she hits him with her clipboard!

�� So then, Kanda
falls to the ground because he was dizzy, and Krory comes up and tries to help
him up, and Kanda, being the grump he is, tried to take Krory�s hand off.
Obviously, Krory took that badly, and they ended up in a fist fight.� Allen
finished his story with a bow. He had previously told everyone about the Komurin adventures, so this story was met with general
amusement and appreciative laughs.

�� When was this?�
Lavi asked, sounding monumentally confused. He stared out into the distance,
his eye going unfocused. Lenalee recognized it as the expression he made when
he was concentrating on something that he couldn�t quite remember. It was
uncommon, but it had happened a handful of times. A
minute later, Lavi shook his head, looking disturbed. �I�ve never
not been able to remember. Are
you sure I was there, Allen?�

�� Allen�s expression
grew worried, and Miranda nodded. �Of course you were there, Lavi, that was
right after you came back with Bookman,� she said.

�� Allen looked
stricken. �No, Miranda,� he said hastily. �He definitely wasn�t there.�

�� But he was
sitting next to me,� the brunette insisted.

�� No, he wasn�t.
Remember, it was while he was gone,� Allen said, shooting her significant
looks.

�� Miranda looked
confused. �No, it was definitely after he got back, because he didn�t get back
until after� after Christmas.� Her voice shook, breaking on the last word.

�� I�m missing
something, right?� Lavi asked, looking imploringly over at Kanda-kun. The
latter of the two sighed and scoffed in his usual manner.

�� You weren�t
there,� Kanda-kun said finally. �Miranda is just getting the years mixed up.�

�� It was a lie�they
all knew it, but the agreement stated that they would never talk about it. Lavi
didn�t question Kanda-kun�s answer, but his look said that he wouldn�t forget
about it. After all, Lavi never forgot anything, even if it took him a while to
retrieve the information.

---

October 22, 2013�The Dark Order,
Allen�s Ark

�� Vikram, come back
here!� Emiko shouted after the Indian man�s retreating back.

�� No, I�m busy!�
Vikram yelled without turning around. Hastily, as if trying not to offend, he
added, �sorry!�

�� How can you be
busy?� Emiko questioned loudly, taking longer strides in order to catch up with
him. �There�s nothing to do here!�

�� I�m still busy!�
The man hollered, this time over his shoulder.

�� You�re lying to
me!�

�� No, I�m not!�

�� Yes, you are,
because you�re not looking me in the eye!� Emiko reasoned from a good five meters
away.

�� You�re right, I�m not, because I�m avoiding you!�

�� Why?� Emiko
questioned, dread pooling in her stomach.

�� I just need time
to think!� Vikram shouted almost desperately.

�� You make it sound
like we�re a couple!� Emiko exclaimed.

�� Vikram froze.
Quickly, Emiko ran up until she was at his side. Stepping in front of him, she
poked his chest. �What is wrong with
you?�

�� I�m confused,
just let me think,� Vikram said, almost moaning. He didn�t catch her gaze, and
there was a tiny hint of a blush on his cheeks.

�� Oh�� Emiko
blinked. �Think?�

�� My brain is
malfunctioning,� Vikram said, sounding miserable.

�� At least it�s not
your wardrobe,� Emiko quipped. Vikram looked her in the eyes for the first
time, silencing her.

�� I need a bit of
time,� he said finally, ripping his eyes from hers.

�� Oh, okay,� Emiko
replied, trying not to sound disappointed. She walked off quickly, hoping
Vikram wouldn�t see how much his rebuke had hurt her. Her small glimmer of hope
extinguished itself, and she tried not to cry as she ran�no, retreated�back to her room.

�� She didn�t make
it, though. Tama-chan was in front of her door, hand poised as if he was about
to knock. Panic filled her. She was about to break down, and she didn�t think
she could handle seeing anyone�Tama-chan especially�at the moment. The problem
was simple: when she cried, her voice deepened, and she couldn�t hide it.

�� Shaking his head,
Tama-chan seemed to think better of knocking on the door and turned. Emiko
quickly dove into the room on her left, hoping she wouldn�t interrupt whoever
was in here.

�� Emiko, what are
you�?� The person started, but then Tama-chan interrupted.

�� Emiko?
Is that you? I need to talk to you,� he said.

�� I�not right now, ne, Tama-chan?� She said, trying to keep
her voice high despite how horribly it was cracking and lowering against her
will.

�� You sound funny,
are you okay?� Tama-chan asked, sounding concerned.

�� Just� just fine,�
Emiko responded, her voice barely above a teary whisper.

�� Tama-chan sighed.
�Can you come out, please?�

�� Stepping out of
the room with a reluctant sigh, she was surprised when Tama-chan pulled her
into a body-encompassing hug. Emiko blinked.

�� Tama-chan?�
She asked in surprise. �What are you doing?�

�� I�m hugging you,
duh,� he replied into her hair.

�� Er, why?�

�� Because
you�re about to cry. I bet it�s Vikram. What
did he do?�

�� Why was Tama-chan,
of all people, comforting her? �He� nothing. He d-did nothing. It�s��

�� Tama-chan held her
even closer. �It�s okay to cry, Emiko. He�s just being a jackass and a tease
because he doesn�t understand that he likes ya.�

�� He doesn�t like
me,� Emiko responded miserably, her voice dropping an octave.

�� Actually!�
She heard Lavi-kun�s voice from behind Tama-chan, and when she pulled back
enough to see, she saw Kanda-kun and Lavi-kun were next to the man who was
currently hugging her. �I beg to differ!�

�� Emiko stared
unbelievingly. �He doesn�t, though. He�s avoiding me now, and it�s all because
I kissed him the other day when I was dressed as a guy.�

�� So the kiss was
mutual, then? Well, that makes me feel a bit better. I still need mouthwash,
though��

�� Wait. Why were
you dressed as a guy?� Tama-chan interrupted.

�� Because I�m a
guy,� Emiko answered, point-blank.

�� So I wasn�t hearing things!� The Hungarian
man exclaimed. Emiko shook her head mutely. Suddenly, the world jumped as the
man picked her up, gripping her sides tightly, turning her from side to side as
if she were some kind of doll. �You are
rather stocky, I guess. And your voice does
seem to be very low right now. How do you keep such a high falsetto?�

�� Emiko hoped she
didn�t look as stricken as she felt. She didn�t want to talk about that. It
bordered on mentioning what had happened during those seven bad months, and she
had put those behind her. �Practice,� she said simply. Tama-chan nodded in
acceptance, putting her down on the ground again.

�� Sorry, just to
make sure�� he muttered, placing a hand on her very flat chest.

�� She screamed. �Get
off, you molester! I�m gonna tell Chu-chan!�

�� The tears from
earlier started running down her face, so she ran off to her room.

---

October 30, 2013�Xenia, Ohio, USA

�� Road cast her mind
around, trying to sense more Akuma. Shaking her head at Cyrah, they moved on,
travelling through one of her doors as usual. They had not seen any Akuma since
that day two weeks ago when Road had chosen her loyalties. It saddened her that
she could no longer be around Faith, but she knew it was necessary. She heard a
phone ring, and when she glanced over, Cyrah was pulling hers out.

�� Kabbah,� she said
curtly, answering her cell. Road listened to the tinny voice on the other line,
edging closer so she could hear better. It was a man�s voice, deep and rich.

�� Cyrah�we�re in Iraq now,� the voice
said. Road assumed he was a General as well, judging from the note of authority
in his tone.

�� Are you making
any progress?� Cyrah questioned, sounding dismissive. Road had been around her
long enough to know that that was just how she acted, though, and she thought
that perhaps the woman was concerned for the General on the phone.

�� That�s the thing,� the voice said, and
Cyrah raised an interested eyebrow. �They�re
gone. All of them.�

�� Here too,� Cyrah
said faintly. �For how long?�

�� At least a week and a half,� the other
General said, his tinny voice holding some subtle
emotion that Road could not place from such a distance.

�� Us
too. We should go back to the Order.�

�� Why? Perhaps we haven�t been looking in the
right places? Maybe they�re� migratory?� The General did not sound
convinced, and Road scoffed.

�� Migratory my
ass,� she muttered darkly to herself.

�� There have been
some� interesting developments,�
Cyrah said vaguely, and Road knew at once that she was being discussed.

�� What happened?� The General sounded
urgent now.

�� Just get back to
the Order, and I�ll explain,� Cyrah responded.

�� Cyrah, what�s wrong?� His tinny, alarmed
voice was starting to break up over the phone.

�� I�m going to need
you to trust me,� Cyrah said seriously.

�� You know I would always��

�� No, this time,
you won�t, but I need you to at least remember that I�m the most against this.�

�� That was the first
Road had heard of Cyrah�s opinion. As the General hung up a minute later, she
walked over, wondering how to broach the topic. But Cyrah was already on the
phone again.

�� Er, hello?� Came
a voice that sounded deliciously like Allen�s.

�� Walker.�

�� Yes?� Road could flutter to his voice
all day.

�� In ten minutes,
we will be outside the gates of the Dark Order. I need you and Lee there. No one else.�

�� General Kabbah, what�s this about?� Allen
sounded just as worried as the other General had.

�� There is a� situation that needs to be dealt with��
Road suppressed a sneeze, ��and only you and Lee will understand.�

�� Ten minutes, you say? Where the hell are
you? It says that you�re calling from Ohio. Do you need a ride in the Ark?�

�� Just be there,�
Cyrah said, flipping her phone shut. Rounding on Road, she added harshly,
�you.�

�� Road stood up
straighter, feeling very much as if she was under intense scrutiny.

�� If this is a
trick, you will not escape alive.� Just the iron in her voice was enough to
insure that fact, and Road felt an involuntary shiver go up her spine, ending
at the base of her skull and making her shake slightly.

�� It�s not,� she
said, a bit more venom in her voice than there should have been. �No one even
knows why we�re fighting anymore.�

�� But you do?�

�� Of
course. I was there when this all began. I am called the First Child of
Noah for a reason, although that title is not technically true. I�ll explain
everything when we get there, but you should know that I am on your side in the
rest of this war. My brothers have gone too far. The Earl is drugging Faith,
Strength is killing with unnecessary brutality, and I can�t keep it all in
check anymore.�

�� Opening a door,
she stepped through, beckoning for the three Exorcists to follow. They did upon
seeing the Order�s gates on the other side, even though their faces showed a trepidation that Road assumed would always be there.
Looking up at the gates, Road felt another shiver run up her spine. She had
never seen inside these walls, and they gave off such an ominous,
Innocence-ridden aura that it hurt somewhere deep inside her.

�� Road?� Allen�s
voice was shocked, angry, and curious at the same time.

�� Hi,
Allen. Faith sent me�I know longer wish to follow the Earl�s ridiculous
quest.�

�� Allen relaxed
immediately, as did Lenalee, who was at his side.

�� You are with us,
then?� He asked uncertainly. Road nodded, and Allen smiled.

�� Road had not felt
so accepted since Tyki had died, ironically killed by the boy and Noah standing
in front of her. Running forward, she wrapped her arms around their necks,
pulling them into a close, familial hug. They returned it with equal vigor,
placing their arms around her slim form and pulling her closer.

�� WHAT THE FUCK?�
It was an exclamation from the same person whose tinny voice had spoken to
Cyrah.

�� Relax, Chu-chan,
she�s with us,� Allen said calmly, tightening his arms around Road
possessively, as one would do to a sister who had been lost a long time. Road�s
eyes prickled with tears at the unspoken gesture. Allen Walker and Lenalee Lee
would fight the entire Order to allow her presence here,
they would alienate their people just for her. Road felt warm for the first
time since Sarah had died. It was a tiny, glowing feeling, like someone had lit
a small candle in her chest. Her blood began to hurt, as did her forehead and
every inch of skin, but it was more akin to a buzz than actual pain, so she
ignored it.

�� I�m not here to
hurt your people. I want to help�I want to fight for Faith,� Road affirmed. The
�Chu-chan� person looked confused.

�� Cyrah, is this what you were talking about?� He asked, gesturing
helplessly at the Noah in front of him. Cyrah nodded gravely, coming to stand
next to Road in a way that implied support. Maya, the annoying Mexican Exorcist
that Road hated for her short-sightedness and self-centered personality, did
the same, surprising her. Flapping down, Innocence activated in a way that
prickled at Road�s ashen skin, Krista silently threatened the General to go
against them.

�� Chu-chan�s eyes widened as he noted Road�s alarming support,
but he kept his mouth shut. More Exorcists appeared on the scene, dashing out
of the main gates, Innocence ablaze. They stopped abruptly, some of them
falling over from pure shock, as they saw Road hugging their two most important
comrades.

�� She saw a shock of
red hair. She saw long, flowing black hair. She saw the Exorcist she had hurt
and broken, and she felt � horrible.
It was the first time since Sarah had died that she had ever felt remorse for
hurting another human being. It was there, undeniable, albeit somewhat belated.
But it was still there. She turned helplessly back to Allen, the pools of tears
in her eyes from earlier overflowing into little twin waterfalls of pain.
Looking into the pure, beautiful stigmata that seemed to have remained on their
foreheads, the fury, grief, and pain simply� disappeared. Disappeared
as if it had melted and then evaporated into nothing. Disappeared
as if it had never been there.

�� Pain so intense it
threatened to rip Road apart spread through her entire
body, and she felt Allen and Lenalee�s strong grips holding her up as she
thrashed and punched at the air, screaming all the while.

---

A/N: If DGM was German and people had definite articles. Allen would be
neuter: Das Allen. Lenalee would, naturally, be feminine: Die Lenalee. Emiko,
too, would be feminine, through no choice of her own: Die Emiko. Yuu would be
MASCULINE: Der Yuu. Or rather, to
anyone but Lavi, Der Kanda. Tyki would be Der Tyki.
Lavi, Der Lavi. And Vikram would be neuter� just
because. Seriously. He�d have no reason. Das Vikram. I
bet all the Germans reading this are pissed off at us, but lemme
tell you, WE LOVES YOU! German is a super-fun language. :D Also, Vikram totally
did have a crush on a girl, but it was so long ago that it doesn�t really count
anymore.
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