When hearts Collide

I do not own D. Grayman or any of it’s associated characters, nor do I own any songs used within this fic. I do not make any money off of these works of fiction, they are for entertainment only.

~Enjoy the Silence~
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can't you understand
Oh my little girl

All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm

Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable

All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm

Enjoy the silence

Enjoy the Silence - Depeche Mode


The dreams came while on a mission. Not the best time for them, but Aleia had always been able to hide them well enough. It was growing closer to spring and that was the worst time of year for her. Spring was when her world had shattered.

Mission thirteen. Lucky number.

She did her best to stay focused and though it caused no issues while they worked, Kanda could see her distraction. For nearly three days, she’d hardly said a word, no matter how rude he’d been. Being that it was unlike her, he found he didn’t like it in the least.

He tossed her a plum he'd picked up from a vendor as they stopped for a short rest. He knew that she liked them, yet, she'd wandered past the man not even noticing him.

"Oi" he said in his gruff manner, "Eat."

She wordlessly caught the plum and lifted it in silent thanks. He watched her carefully, the way she ate it. Juice clinging to her lush lower lip, making her fingers gleam. And all the while her eyes were cast to that far off place, where he couldn't follow.

He nodded to Roland to scout just ahead, cursing the fact that they were down to only a single medic once again. No one, it seemed wanted to work with him for very long. Likely because he wouldn't coddle them. So he'd left a Finder to fend for themselves once or twice.... tch.

He waited until Roland was out of ear shot and spoke, "You look like hell".

She turned to face him then. "Sorry. Guess we call can't roll out of bed looking Kanda perfect." Then she fell silent again. The most words she'd spoken in days lay between them.

He noticed the small trickle of juice on her chin and leaned forward, using his thumb to wipe it away. He hated untidiness, of any kind. She knew that... so then....

He sucked the juice from his thumb, studying her. "You aren't ok."

That was when he noticed them. The faint purple smudged beneath her eyes. They seemed to lengthen and darken as the days went by. He assumed it was due to sleeping outside on hard, sometimes damp earth.

But he had become aware, during his night watches that her sleep was strained and she often woke with a start. Oh, she made no noise, other than a small pained gasp, but his keen eyes were honed by details. Something was troubling her.

Not that he cared, not that is was any of his business of course, but while on mission, he needed her head in the game or she would become just another burden.\

"Kanda Sir!" Roland called, "The town is just over this rise."

Wordlessly he held his hand out to her, somewhat surprised when she took it, allowing him to pull her easily to her feet.

He walked to where Roland was waiting.

He glanced up the road, glad to see that a town was within view. They could take refuge in an inn tonight. He glanced to the side, taking in her pale profile. She didn’t seem thrilled by the thought, in fact, she was staring at the road as if in a daze.

He tched in irritation. “Oi!”

She glanced up after the barest of moments, seeming to realize that they were still stopped on the worn road. She blinked at him across the distance in question.

“Hurry up idiot!” he snapped at her, “Or I will leave you behind”.

Roland blinked, “Kanda sir, that isn’t a thing you should say.” he gently admonished.

Kanda didn’t even acknowledge him, keeping his dark gaze locked on the usually vibrant medic, “If you are going to be this weak on missions, you should stay at headquarters.”

When he had made such comments before it had always met with fire and anger. Today, however she merely shuffled past him towards the town.

Kanda considered himself a strong person, prided himself on it and oddly enough he knew she felt the same way. Why then, did she look so....defeated?

Aleia felt his words like a twisted blade in her chest, perhaps because they mirrored her own. If she had been stronger, maybe her life would have been different. If she had been stronger, maybe… they…

Flashes of images flew through her mind.

Laughing faces, warm hugs, summer nights spent drinking and singing.

Battlefields. Grueling work, same smiling faces.

Blood. Agonized screams, expressions frozen in the horrors of death.

Black stars. The impossible.

Dust.

Aloneness.

The shattering of a world.

She bit the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood, said nothing and continued into town. Kanda was a cold, heartless bastard. Like he could ever comprehend what she was feeling. Of course he couldn’t, that would mean that someone else would have to mean something to him. He couldn't even care that much for himself.

Roland and Kanda glanced at each other for a moment before following her down.

Roland had taken a liking to the woman, she was brash and blunt and countered Kanda’s ice with bright fire. He had dreaded the missions they had gone on, because of the two bad tempered people being in such close proximity. However, the two seemed able to read one another on most days and the in-fighting had become a great sport he loved to watch. At least until she didn’t fight back. Had Kanda gone too far?

He wanted to approach her, to ask her. However, as kind as she was to him, he hadn’t failed to notice that any interaction was closely monitored by the Japanese exorcist unless they were in the thick of battle. He scratched his cheek. Was it possible? Could Aleia like Kanda? If that was the case he could imagine why she felt so miserable lately.

Not that Kanda was wholey bad. He wasn't, but he carried a darkness that often made Akuma seem lighthearted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aleia sank up to her shoulders in the hot water of her bath, sighing as the heat soothed tension that had gathered along her back. Her hair floated in blood red tendrils around her. It was safe here. No one was around. No one to hear. No one to see.

She buried her face in her hands and wept for beloved memories. Her tears trailing down her cheeks to plop into the water around her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kanda felt no guilt in what he was doing. His team was just that, his. And he felt it was his duty to make sure that they had nothing to slow them down. At least thats what he told himself. He eased the door open and stepped inside soundlessly. From the bathroom door, he saw a light and the soft sounds of moving water. Aleia was bathing. His ears found and isolated one sound, soft and painful.

Tears.

Had he made her cry? The idea was almost laughable to him, he had said far worse to her and gotten equal measure. What was the matter with her? Did seeing the slaughter of Akuma effect her this way? He had allowed none of them to be hurt.

From the door came the shaky sob of her voice, “Michael, Ricky, Andy…everyone… I’m …so…sorry.”

He set down the burden he had been carrying and left then. This was not something he could do anything about. He wondered then if it had been different, would he have cared enough to try? Without a backward glance he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

No, she would not accept his comfort, even if he knew how to give it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Aleia had cried herself out, she rose and left her now cool bath, stepping into the room while toweling her hair. When she glanced up the first thing she noticed was a steaming bowl of stew on her bedside table. And with it, in the air, the faintest scent of green tea and coriander.

“Kanda?” she asked quietly, touching the rim of the earthenware bowl, “Can’t be.”

Late that night as she dozed she became aware of the door opening quietly, a tall figure with long hair stood in the doorway and she sighed and dropped her head to the pillow.

She said nothing as he crossed the room. This was not new to them.

Kanda barely stifled a yawn as he propped Mugen against the wall and lifted the blankets. He barely contained a smirk when she scooted over slightly to allow him more room. He slid into the bed beside her and curled against her back.

His nose pressing into her hair he sighed gently, his arm draping over her waist.

"Like this room better too?" she mumbled into the pillow referring to his excuse he often gave back at the Order.

"Hn."

But she was grateful for his presence, the way his callused hand smoothed over her arm, only once.

An unspoken comfort and a feeling of safety.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another day of nothing. No Akuma, no Innocence. They would be returning to headquarters soon. He would have liked to have continued on for another mission but Komui had mentioned something about new details and a promised reprieve for Aleia. Whatever that meant. He sure as hell wasn't twisting her arm and making her stay.

She had hardly said anything to him today, granted he'd left her room at dawn to dress and prepare for the day.

Aleia. What was her problem lately? He shouldn't have cared that she was reserved and withdrawn but he found the he did. With a soft sigh, he pushed away from the ledge and settled Mugen against the wall. He would have plenty of time to mull over useless things later, for now, he should sleep.

But he found himself rising from his bed late that night to go and look in on her. Once again he slid in beside her. He told himself it had everything to do with the fact that she had whimpered in her sleep and nothing to do with the fact that her scent and nearness calmed him.

She once more said nothing as his warmth settled against her back. She merely closed her eyes again and let sleep take her far away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The trip to headquarters was quiet and uneventful. They left the platform on the train station and went directly back. Aleia giving a small wave to the others as she cut for the medical wing.

Kanda entered Komui's office and blinked at the lack of mess on the floor. Komui sat behind his large desk...working. Quietly. Not a coffee mug in sight.

Kanda acted swiftly, unsheathing Mugen and levelling the glittering blade at the space between Komui's eyes.

"Kanda! What are you doing?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"What? K..Komui! Who else you damn fool?!"

"Komui never works so diligently, his office is a mess and he is never without his pink rabbit coffee mug. Who. Are. You?"

He touched the point of the blade to the patch of worry bunched skin.

"Oh Kanda! You are back." Lenalee's voice sang out from the door, a tray with a single cup of coffee set upon it. "What have you done to make him angry now ni-san?"

She stepped around the japanese man to set the mug on Komui's desk before straightening up and hugging the tray ot her chest.

"Lenalee" Kanda said in greeting.

Lenalee glanced around the room and smiled, "Becca has sure changed your work ethic ni-san. Now that you have been trained properly perhaps we should move her to Reever. He has been getting behind."

Kanda would have missed the slight pinch between Komui's eyes had he not been looking at him.

"She stays here." Komui said firmly.

Lenalee smiled at her brother, "Ah...ni-san. Could you have feelings?"

Komui went red, "Of course not! Lenalee!" he stammered, "I just like to know where everything is now."

Lenalee smiled wisely before turning back to Kanda, "Allen and Lavi are back form missions too, they will want to see you."

"Tch. I'm too busy to play with BeanSprout and that stupid rabbit."

"Kaandaaa."

"Lenalee is right Kanda" Komui added, "You should see them. Besides it will be at least two days before you leave again."

Kanda's eyes went slightly wider, "Two. Days. What the hell is going on that I can't leave now?"

Komui steepled his fingers beneath his chin, "I made a promise to Aleia."

"What?"

"A. Promise. Considering how you feel about those who don't keep them I didn't think you would mind."

"What promise?"

"That is private. There is something she needs to take care of."

"Komui...."

"So you have time to see your friends don't you?"

Kanda slammed his hand to the desk, "Give me the details and I will go without her."

Lenalee sighed, "Kanda, that isn't how teams are supposed to work."

"Details. She can catch up later. I never asked to be part of a team... I do fine alone."

Komui gave a long suffering sigh," I will give you the details tomorrow. For tonight you will stay here and you will see your friends."

Kanda grit his teeth together, from the corner of his eye he saw Lenalee slip from the room. No doubt to rally the retards.

"Too much time alone....Kanda.... It's not good. For anyone." Komui said softly.

Kanda pushed away from the desk, "I don't care about that."

He slammed the door to Komui's office loudly muttering about meddling idiots.

"He is quite the angry one" came a soft feminine voice from the tall shelves nearby. Komui's assistant stepped out of the shadowy stacks to lean her hip against his desk.

Komui sighed, "But did you notice?"

Becca arched her brow, "What?"

"He said she can catch up later."

At that Komui smiled brightly at his lovely assistant.

"So you will allow him to leave without her?"

Komui smiled and nodded, "Yes. I don't think it will take her long to catch up to him at all."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Yu-chan!" Lavi sang out from the table they had congregated at. The red head waved his hand wildly, not caring that Kanda was likely going to snap his arm off given half the chance.

"Shut up stupid rabbit."

Lavi sweatdropped, and then grinned, "Yu-chan, you always say such nice things to me. You must have really missed me! And Allen too!"

The white haired exorcist paused in his eating to glance up. "Hello BaKanda."

"Moyashi."

"My name is Allen."

Lenalee chuckled coming to the table with a large tray. Aleia was with her. Thirteen parfaits and one bowl of lychee fruit and green tea ice cream were balanced between them.

"Don't you guys ever get tired of having the same arguments everytime you see each other. In three years you might learn to say something else." Lenalee asked.

Aleia passed out the desserts to everyone. Placing ten of the sweets in front of Allen, before she moved to sit across from Kanda. She set the fruit and green tea ice cream before him.

Allen watched this exchange with mild interest. Kanda hated sweets. But he didn't seem inclined to correct his team medic or glare her into a puddle of sorry goo either.

"Er... Aleia" Lavi said quietly, "Kanda doesn't like sweet things."

She smiled at him, "I know."

Kanda said nothing, preferring to take his role of the ice prince to his usual levels. He did however, lift the silver spoon from the tabletop. No one said a word as he took a small bite.

With nothing else to say, the others turned to their own goodies. Amazed that Kanda quietly ate the more subtle dessert Aleia had given him, Allen ate more slowly than usual.

Finally Kanda pushed the bowl aside. "Where are you going?" he asked her bluntly.

She looked up, spoon at her lips, "Eh?"

He glared impatiently at her from across the table. "Don't play with me. Komui says you have something to take care of outside of headquarters. Where are you going?"

She flushed and put the spoon down, "That is personal Kanda."

"It's interfering with our mission."

"It isn't. You know that standard procedure is a minimum of two days downtime between missions unless it's an emergency."

"I never take two days and you don't either." he snapped at her. Ah, how well they knew one another.

"This time is different." her voice was softer now, tinged with sadness.

"Why?"

She glared at him, "Since when do you care Kanda?" she asked in a biting tone.

He stiffened, "I don't. I just want to get the hell out of here."

She rose from her seat, pushing her nearly untouched parfait to Allen, "Then don't ask me. Go on. Leave."

Then she turned and left without a backward glance to the table.

Lavi and Lenalee watched her go with sad, shocked eyes. "Kanda.... shouldn't you...."

"Shut up". He stood so fast his chair scraped and left the room.

Allen sighed and finished Aleia's parfait, "It's that time you know?"

Lavi went red, "What....why the hell do you know about that time for her?"

Lenalee smacked him lightly on the back of the head, "Not THAT time. Its the time of year that she lost her old team. Komui said she asked for a day to visit them."

They all stared at the table, scarred by years of use by exorcists. Some alive, some not. Some were remembered and missed, others sadly had all but been forgotten as new people came to the Order.

Lavi looked over to Kanda's vacated seat, "Yu sure is a bastard when he wants to be."

Lenalee sighed, "But in this case.... he really didn't know."

Lavi sniffed, "Don't think it would have made any difference if he had."

Allen shook his head, "But he did ask her, didn't he? If it didn't matter... why would he do that?"

The three sat pondering that odd question for a long time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since returning to the Order Kanda had often found himself drawn to Aleia's room. To the solace her personal space offered. She never asked why, never complained, simply left the door unlatched for him.

Tonight however that door was locked to him and for some reason that rubbed him the wrong way altogether.

He returned to his room, staring at his Lotus blossom and sulked.

Kanda left at dawn the next day. He didn't bother to tell Aleia where he was headed, Komui had briefed her anyway. Besides, she was already gone. He'd been by her room.

An hour before him no less. He tch'd and jumped into the small boat in the canal and barked at Roland to get them moving.

He stared straight ahead, irritated that he wondered where she was. It didn’t matter anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aleia knelt near the neat row of stones. Her small hands brushing dust away and then cleaning the names with loving fingertips. She spit her cluster of flowers into four and gently laid them in place.

Leaning back on her heels, she stared at the sky above. Gray, the threat of more rain. Fitting.

“Well guys” she said quietly, “It has been a while. I have been doing a lot lately. Trying to move on, to make amends. I joined the Dark Order, helping to heal the exorcists who fight the demons. Who knows? One day I hope that Kanda catches the one that killed you all. If anyone could stop it, he could.

He’s a real pain in the ass most days. Socially retarded, arrogant, stick up his ass, no sense of humor. No conversation skills, mister high and mighty look at my lovely hair….ooooh”

She forced herself to calm and chuckled, “Sorry. Guess I still get pissed off pretty easy. I miss you guys. More than I ever thought I could. The loneliness, the hurt, it doesn’t go away… it just….”

Tears spilled over her cheeks, “Keeps growing. But I promise…. After all I have learned. We will get them. I swear it.”

She rose then, wiped the tears from her face and glanced at her watch. She’d been with them for nearly two hours. “I always did lose track of time with you guys.” She said with a soft smile. She touched her fingertips to her lips and then touched each stone in turn. “I’ll come back again next year. I love you.”

Then she bid her boys farewell and pulled her coat tighter around her as she hurried to the canal network.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The storm broke into full fury as she made her way towards the town where she would meet up with Kanda and Roland. She grimaced against the pelting rain and the whipping winds. It lashed at her with such force that her skin stung and her eyes slitted.

“Damn you Kanda…” she groused. Even though it wasn’t his fault that the heavens had opened up on her while she had been walking on the tree lined road. It just made her feel better to blame him for something…anything.

“We could have been at the Order, leaving in the morning. Damn impatient jerk.” At least she could see the town now. Thank heavens. She was chilled, wanted a hot bath, warm fire. And a stiff drink. She deserved it.

The muted yellow light of the windows stood out in stark contrast to the deep purples, blues and blacks that saturated the surrounding area.

She was so involved in her tirade that she failed to notice danger until it was on top of her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kanda sat near the window, his dinner untouched before him. Roland was speaking to headquarters through the golems. The door suddenly burst wide and a wild eyed man stumbled in.

Kanda was on his feet.

“Monsters! There are monsters in the woods, chasing a woman!”

Kanda grabbed him by the collar and dragged him close, “What does she look like?” he growled.

The man shook his head, “I…I did…didn’t see. I…j..j..just….I just…”

Kanda glowered at him, “Ran.”

The man nodded, collapsing at Kanda’s feet. Kanda swore and dashed from the inn and into the rainy night.

The sounds of Akuma firing and the flash of their rounds were just ahead at the edge of town.

Aleia.

Aleia was due to arrive.

She was not a fighter.

She was a healer.

She was alone!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aleia panted for breath, her side aching with the force of the blow she’d just taken. She had managed to evade the direct hits of the Akuma weapons. She knew the virus within was lethal. However, the flying debris and shockwaves of those blasts tossed her like a child’s toy.

She had barely managed to choke out a scream for the man in farmer’s clothing to run. If he was smart he would run for the liveliest place. An inn or tavern. Either way there was a fifty percent chance of Kanda or Roland hearing him.

If he was fast, she might survive this.

But time was passing and help was nowhere to be seen. She was running out of energy. Bleeding from multiple wounds, exhausted from dodging.

Odds were she wouldn’t see the dawn.

Strangely she was ok with that. For all the mistakes she had made in her life, she supposed this was no less than she deserved. She had never been able to forgive herself and if this is what making amends meant….

She was ok with that.

A flash of light blinded her and she sprang left without thought. She just had to wait until someone came to help, someone who could save the town.

She was thrown hard against the fat bole of a tree. Starbursts rose up in her vision and a strange dull buzzing began in her ears.

She forced herself to her feet, wobbled and then sank like a stone.

She was vaguely aware of a distant voice cursing and then a solid weight against her middle.

Then the world went dark.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kanda caught her weight on his shoulder with a muttered curse. She was a chilled, limp weight against his back as he leapt upwards, Mugen shining and slashed the Akuma in half. He used the left half of the creature to fling them both upwards and away before he spun and dispatched the second demon.

He landed on his feet in the miring mud, his knees only bending slightly under the added weight. He glanced to the woman slung over his shoulder. The side of her face visible to him was covered with blood.

Her heartbeat, when he strained to hear it, was sluggish, faint.

Kanda didn’t like the strange sinking feeling in his stomach or the tightening in his chest that came with the pitiful sound.

He tightened his grip on her, feeling the soft swell of her breasts crush against his shoulder blade.

“Damn you woman” he muttered and dashed back towards the inn, "don't you die on me...."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Roland had the medical supplies out and ready in the room they had deemed to be Kanda’s. Of all the times to leave with only a single medic!

The Finder looked up in shock as the samurai kicked open the door with a tattered woman on his back.

“Kanda. Sir, on the bed.”

Kanda shook his head and kicked open the bathroom door. “She’s too bloody I can’t see the damage.”

Roland pressed past him to turn on the shower and Kanda stepped under it, clothing and all to watch the red water spiral down the drain. The cloying metallic scent of blood heavy in his nostrils.

Roland reached to brush her hair aside, unleashing another bout of crimson water. “I think this will do” he said quietly.

He turned off the taps and gathered several large towels to wrap her in as Kanda lowered her with a gentleness that the Finder was hard pressed to believe he was capable of. “We will need to get her clothes off her.” Roland urged.

Kanda covered her swiftly in towels and they stripped her tattered garments from her.

As they were wrapping her in the soft fluffy linens, she moaned. Roland looked down, seeing that he had pressed against a large bruise on her ribcage. He looked up to see Kanda glaring at him and swiftly moved his hand.

Her eyes cracked open minutely and Kanda wondered if she was even conscious. She looked terrible. Bruised and bleeding. All the things she would not have been had he waited for her.

“Alive?” he asked softly, his fingertips brushing her hair from her eyes.

Her eyes fluttered closed, “late” she whispered to him. He scowled at her but she didn’t see it.

They moved her to the bed, settling her as gently as possible. Roland knew enough about first aid to do stitches and wrap wounds. Aleia had taught him a great deal and he had seen a good number of missions himself.

They both fervently hoped she would not need anything further.

Kanda said nothing as Roland worked. The bulky man bent over the small pale form of the woman. His large, freckled hands working with slow grace as he stitched torn flesh together.

It was only when he asked Kanda to lift her so he could wrap her mid-section that the dark haired man moved. He lifted her slightly so that Roland could wrap the long pristine strips of linen around her. Roland tied it off and straightened.

“I think that will do it Kanda, sir” Roland said, “I know that head injuries are dangerous but I don’t know really how to treat them. I know that you shouldn’t let the person sleep but she’s knocked out cold. I have stitched a few cuts near her hairline, but she has a fair sized lump on her skull.”

The Finder was worn out. His hands shook as he straightened completely. No doubt he worried about his unexpected patient.

Kanda slid his hand through her damp hair, feeling the small protrusion. Damn hard headed woman. “I’ll watch her.”

Roland nodded gratefully, “Thank you. Please let me know if she wakes or starts to vomit or has a seizure.”

He placed some pills on the night table and a glass of water beside them. “If she wakes up these will help the pain.”

Kanda nodded his understanding. While Roland had tended her initially, he had changed out of his wet clothing. He watched as the Finder left the room and then turned his dark gaze to the woman so pale against his sheets.

She shivered and Kanda pulled the blankets firmly around her and sank to sit against the bed. He tilted his head back against the mattress and sighed, listening to the slightly more regular pattern of her breathing. If only he had waited, if only he'd been faster.

She could have died.

He stared into the fire for an unknown amount of time. His thoughts chasing themselves down dark corridors of his worry. A soft whimper drew him from his tangled thoughts and he turned to see her brow furled.

He moved closer to hover near her. “Oi. Are you in pain?”

She slowly opened her eyes, still cloudy from her blow. She nodded, tried to sit up and winced.

He frowned, “Idiot, don’t move.” He gathered the pills and the water. He set his fingertips against her lips. “Open” he commanded.

She scowled but opened her mouth and he dropped the tablets on her tongue, then slid an arm under her shoulders to help her drink.

“You are hot” he said, noting that she felt feverish. His large palm pressing against her brow, sliding to cup one flushed cheek.

She sighed and let him have her weight as he lowered her, “Thought…you’d never notice.”

He frowned, “Shut up retard, get some rest.”

She sighed in agreement.

It was very quiet for a long while and then she spoke in hushed tones. “Kanda?”

“Hn”

“I’m s…s…so cold.”

Kanda blinked when her teeth began to chatter and he strode to the door before bellowing down the hall for Roland.

The Finder was sleep mussed when he rushed into the hall. His hair stood on end and his eyes were wide but red-rimmed. “What is it Kanda sir?”

“She’s cold”.

Roland scratched his cheek, “Ah, well, she might be a bit feverish, the pills will help with that too.”

“I gave them to her already.”

Roland pondered his words for a moment. “Let me see her then.”

Both men stood over the shivering woman for long minutes. “Miss Aleia…” Roland said, “Do you know who I am?”

Her teeth chattered so hard she could barely answer, “R..rrrr.Roland.”

He nodded, “Good. And who is he?” he gestured to Kanda.

Her glassy eyes focused for a moment on Kanda. “Stick…ass”

Kanda glowered at the woman, though Roland gave a small smile. Clearly her faculties were working.

He nodded and stepped back to face Kanda. “Keep her warm. I think she will be fine. It is a normal reaction to the fever. She might babble a little. Pay no heed.”

With that he stifled a yawn behind his hand and left the room.

Kanda muttered about the uselessness of the man and then turned back to the woman before him. With a sigh, he removed his boots and lifted the blankets.

Sliding in beside her was a familiar thing for him. Even though he rarely slept beside women. Not that Kanda was unaware of women. He most certainly was. It was simply that he had never just slept beside one like this before, at least not as often as he did with her.

Lenalee certainly didn’t count. He recalled when she had first come to the order, small and afraid. How she had clung to him.

Aleia was not like that. And though the stoic exorcist was hard pressed to admit it, he did find the woman oddly intriguing.

He stared at the ceiling, feeling her snuggle into his side. When her shivers didn’t subside immediately, he placed on large hand at her hip at rolled her to her side, then pressed himself against her back.

He considered her carefully now, in light of her near miss. She was small. Of course he had known that, but she felt smaller here like this, wrapped in his arms. His head rested atop hers and her little feet slid up between his calves. One of his arms burrowed beneath the pillow to cradle their heads.

She smelled of medicines, faintly of blood, pale blossoms and green things. An odd scent. Not unpleasant. He had pulled the blanket up over them both and slung his arm over her, his hand rested near her face. She was all but cocooned by his warm form.

Like this, as they were now, her appeal was more than apparent. Her caustic tongue firmly behind her teeth, her eyes not glaring daggers at him.

He sighed, figuring he should sleep as best he could. Close as they were if there were any issues in the night it would wake him.

He closed his eyes.

“Kanda?”

Long minutes later he heard her, soft and faint in the red glow of the fireplace.

“Hn”.

She felt more than heard it, “You are …so warm. I didn’t…think…”

Whatever she wanted to say was lost as sleep overtook her. Her breath came in soft sighs and she relaxed into him. Her lush backside pressing into his groin.

Tch. Women were troublesome.

Her small hand pulled his larger one to her chest.

Kanda stared over her shoulder at their linked hands. He should have pulled away, told himself to do so. But for all his discipline, all his training…he could not form his resolve to do so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, the pop of the log on the fire as it split and fell to embers woke him. He glanced to the grate to see the fire was dying. He got up and tossed a few more logs into the glowing space and dusted his hands off.

He looked to the bed, to see she had turned. Her face now visible to him. There was slight swelling and some bruising on her jaw. It wasn’t terribly bad, he was glad of that.

He ran his hand over his face, finding he was still tired. With no more thought he crossed the room and layed down with her again. His arm snaked under the pillow and her head rolled onto his bicep. Perfect fit. Her face pressed to his throat, he settled in for the remainder of the night.

Little hands, clumsy from sleep pressed against his chest. One thigh slid slightly between his own. A knee brushed his awakening arousal. He shifted his leg to stop that. Her lips moved against his throat in a way that made him take notice. Kanda threw his arm over her to still her and huffed into her hair.

The impatient sound making her still and then her breathing evened once again. Her innocent murmurings against his skin no longer present.

Kanda prided himself on keeping people away, holding everyone at a distance. Oddly enough, he found he didn't mind her nearness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hour just before dawn was the worst of the night. Kanda had already risen and was dressed. He needed to contact Komui. They would be delayed just long enough for her to heal, and today, he would find a doctor to see her.

The first thing he noticed was the hitch in her breath, followed by the soft whimpers that slowly gained volume until they were sobs that ripped themselves from her throat. She flailed out, swinging at some unknown attacker.

“Give them back! Please…stop. Give them back!” She lurched upwards and collided with Kanda’s chest.

The Japanese man pushed her back to the bed, pinning her with his weight, trying to be mindful of her injuries. Not wanting her to aggravate them more.

She struggled, her cries and curses muffled by his chest and shoulder.

“Be still!” he barked into her ear, “There is nothing to harm you.”

She stilled, opening her eyes. “Kanda?”

“Here. You are safe.” His voice was softer now.

“They were gone. All of them….” her voice was a broken whisper and suddenly Kanda understood her lethargy over the last few weeks. The circles beneath her eyes.

“And I am not.” Softer still.

Her pressing hands clutched at his shirt and he drew back to meet her gaze. Allowed her to see for herself that she was awake and he was before her.

Those leaf green eyes were shining with tears, her lashes spiky clumps from the moisture. For a moment, Kanda swore he saw relief there. And then she did something he could not have foreseen.

Aleia leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Her fingers splayed across his chest. His arm tightened around her, holding her to him of it's own accord.

Kanda was startled into stillness. Her lips were hot and satiny against his own. A chaste brush of flesh, yet wanton in it's own way. It was all he could do not to plunder her mouth.

She pulled back slightly but he followed, a second press of lips and then it was done.

“I am calling Komui” he said softly to her, “Roland should have briefed him on everything last night, he will want an update. Then I am going to find a doctor. I want you to remain here.”

She blinked up at him, head still reeling from the fact that she had kissed Kanda. That he had kissed her back. Well, sort of.

If the chaste press of lips did indeed count. She was sure it might, but the cobwebs made it difficult to be certain.

His words seemed to penetrate her mind. “I am a doctor.”

He smirked and rose, “I know that brilliance. I need another to check on you.”

“Kanda...”

He pointed at the bed imperiously, “Shut up. You look like hell. Sleep.”

Aleia watched his broad back vanish from the door. “Kanda…”

There was no arguing. The stubborn man would get his way. All she could so now was lay here, breathing his scent which clung to the linens, clung to her and enjoy the silence of the early morning.

They had kissed.