I am actually very happy with this story. While it is definitely not my best, and never going to be my best, it is still the longest one-shot I've every done (not to mention practically my first), and my first posted D. Gray-man fan-fiction ever. Feel free to give advice so I can make my future stories better. (By the way, the word count is 2,217!)

Also, I'm sorry that some things do not make sense. Here's the explanation: Lenalee, by pure chance, escaped from the Order and came across the Noah's countryside home. David and Jasdero are also two separate people, but they still can morph together. Better?

Note to the critical: If you don't like the pairing, then don't read. It's not a popular pairing, I understand that, but really. There is no need to go out and say, I don't like your story because it doesn't have LaviLenalee in it! Sheesh.

She had come to them dressed like a princess, with pretty laced up boots, a sky-blue dress that went down to her knees and an expression that resembled a beggar's. Her hair had been so long that it had fallen down to her ankles, so greasy and filthy that it had looked more like their doormat than the stuff that grew from the top of her head. And the eyes had been so wide that they seemed to envelope her face, pleading and greedy for attention and love.

"Please," she had whispered, her lips white as chalk. "Please let me stay."

Road had immediately taken a liking to her, taking her into the bathroom and washing all the dirt and grime off of her. She begged with the Earl and Lulu Bell to please let her stay, she's so adorable. The Earl had finally consented, and for a while, they lived peacefully, the four of them in that little house on top of the hill.

---

Two years later, Skin arrived holding himself up high, clad in black and pride the shade of gray. His eyes were the same shade of gold that Road's eyes were, only with a steel edge to them that made the Akuma at the doorway look away.

She was afraid of him at first. He was so huge, all muscle and angry stares, and she shied away from him whenever he looked at her.

It was two weeks after he had arrived that she realized he wasn't actually so bad, when he had held out his hand and silently offered her a lollipop while they waited for the Earl and Road to come home.

"You," he had grunted, "Your name's Lenalee?" He glanced down at her once, and she saw that beneath the hardened exterior there was a human man with a human heart. So she nodded and smiled back at him as kind as she could, slightly surprised when his cheeks reddened. He struggled with himself for a little while before speaking again. "You're seven years old." She nodded again. "Too young to be living with monsters," he had muttered under his breath, so low that she had barely caught the sound.

She had almost asked him what he had meant when Road and the Earl arrived back, and by then it was too late to ask.

---

After two long, summer months filled with ice cream and sitting on the porch swinging her legs back and forth, Tyki and Cyril came along, tall and loping brothers filled with composure.

She was never scared of them, mainly because Cyril had always came along with her in her little adventures in the countryside. He had entertained her, acting like the father she never remembered and never wished to remember when he was around.

Tyki was never scary in the slightest to her, although she had never seen him really be social, either reading or sleeping or out on an assignment the Earl had assigned to him. When he was around people, however, he seemed to have a charm his elder brother lacked in amount, always enchanting and polite and beautiful.

"Angels," she proclaimed one day, with Tyki and Skin sitting by her side. All three were staring at the sunset, watching the brilliant red flash in the sky.

Tyki smiled faintly and looked at her. She always loved the way he looked at her, like she was a woman and not a child. "What about angels Lenalee?"

"They exist," she responded promptly and firmly.

Skin grinned. "Really? Where are they?"

She leaped off the porch and spun around, pointing at the two of them. "You! And Road, Earl-sama, Lulu bell, and Cyril too."

Tyki chuckled. "I'm not sure if we're really angels, Lenalee. I'd say we were more on the demonic side than angelic."

"Of course you aren't. Demon's wouldn't take in someone like me any day." She nodded solemnly, and then skipped off towards the sunset, not feeling the amused stares at her retreating back.

---

And then she met David.

She was thirteen, starting to wear the pretty Victorian dresses that Road provided her and her hair snipped short because Road said that it looked cuter. Everyone in the house had agreed, even Lulu bell, who hardly thought anything was cute. Cyril, of course, had doted on her for days after that, grinning at how cute she was. Tyki had called him a pervert and then dodged Cyril's shoe sailing for his forehead.

She had escaped from the adoration into the flower field outside of their home. She gazed in wonder at the sunflowers growing as tall as four feet. Gently, she touched the silky petals, golden as the sun.

"What're you doing out here?"

She almost jumped right out of the dress, though thankfully she didn't. Road had bound the dress much too tightly to be leapt out of. She spun around.

The person who had spoken was a boy, perhaps only a year or so older than her. His black hair was messy and obviously uncared for, but his eyes shone brightly and with a mischievous flair. His clothes were not of high quality—on the contrary. The rags he wore below his waist were filled with holes and covered in dirt.

The boy grinned at her devilishly. "Hey. I scared you, didn't I." It wasn't a question.

She then narrowed her eyes. "What're you doing out here? This is the Camelot's property. You could get in huge trouble for even being on their land."

He laughed. "I know that." He hopped down from the ledge he had been sitting on and landed right in front of her. "The question is, even though you said that I could get in trouble for being here, why are you here when you could get in trouble?"

"Because I live with them," Lenalee responded, lifting her head proudly.

The boy paused, just for a second, before his mouth split into a large grin. "Really."

"Really."

Suddenly, he turned and started walking away.

She was puzzled beyond comprehension, as well as infuriated. It was not proper to start a conversation then suddenly start walking away as if you were some sort of madman. "Where are you going?" she called after him.

"You'll see," he called back over his shoulder. "Don't miss me too much."

She scowled, a faint tinge of pink staining her cheeks. "I won't," she shouted, very unladylike. "Don't you dare think I will!"

She could still hear him laughing as she stormed back into the house, sunflower petals floating around her and covered in the scent of sunshine.

Two days later, she was introduced to the twins, both clad in odd designs of clothing and mischief. Lenalee, of course, was very surprised, but that changed when David promptly grinned and said, "Well. It looks like she was telling the truth." He looked her up and down and grinned wider. "She looks even more girly inside."

He got a square punch in the face for that little remark, complete with blood and several teeth falling out. After all, Skin hadn't just been giving her candy. He'd also been teaching her how to fight, and he was actually a pretty good teacher when he tried.

---

Lenalee never saw their house under attack before until two years after the twins came. Then exorcists invaded the angel's haven, exorcists only her age marked with white crosses and strange weapons that made so many strange noises when 'activated'.

Lenalee had only heard of exorcists, never seen them. She had gotten most of her information from Road, who had described one in particular who was called Allen Walker. His hair was as white as an old man's, his eyes silver-gray, and his face almost girlish. Not to mention that cursed eye of his that had that odd marking pasted on it. Lenalee had noticed that Road described Allen with underlying tones of affection, face turning dreamy within the middle of her speech.

It was rather disturbing, as Lenalee had never saw Road ever make those expressions before. Ever.

Then they showed up, blasting through the wall of the library in all their glamorous black and white. They were three boys in the pattern red, white, and black. It was almost like American patriotism.

Cyril and David took her to the back closet amidst the resounding chaos, tucking her there and whispering (or at least, Cyril was whispering) that it was going to be all right, just stay here and don't worry. Then Cyril turned into gray and black crosses and raced away. David remained, face twisted into some kind of tortured expression.

"It's alright David," Lenalee whispered herself. "Go. Jasdero needs you."

He then looked at her with that same face, and her gut twisted in shock. He looks so sad, she thought.

"Lenalee," he muttered. His face was starting to go pink. "Lenalee, I—"

"Yes?"

David struggled with himself for a bit more before finally speaking up forcefully. "I just wanted to say that…that even if we're defeated—not that it's going to happen though!" He said quickly, noticing her paling complexion. "But, even if we're defeated, I'll come back for you. I promise." Then he leaned forward and hugged her roughly, awkwardly, as if he didn't know how to hug someone. He probably didn't. "I really promise," he mumbled into her hair. Then he stood and ran off, leaving her blushing and sitting on the floor of the closet. After a few moments, Lenalee finally gained enough sense to shut the door.

It felt like eternity as she sat there, listening to the cries and explosions from the outside. She bit her lip as tears welled up, brushing them aside. This is no time for tears, she reproached to herself. Just believe for them. Believe in them.

Believe in David.

---

Lenalee awoke to a glassy white ceiling and a smiling boy above her, his white hair hanging above her head. White hair…

Allen Walker.

"Are you all right?" He asked. "They didn't hurt you, did they?"

She merely stared at him, confused. What was he talking about?

"Is she awake, Allen?" A voice echoed from the doorway. A voice that sounded very familiar. She managed to twist her head sideways, and saw a man with black hair and glasses fixed in the doorway. He looked so familiar that a wave of déjà vu hit her full force, making vomit rise in the back of her throat.

"Lenalee," the man whispered, coming closer. "Do you remember me?"

She stared. The déjà vu still lingered, but she just couldn't remember why he was so familiar. She shook her head slowly.

The man looked dumbstruck. "It's me, Komui. Big brother. Don't you remember?" His face was twisted into a pleading expression. Remember me, it said, remember me.

"Where…are they?" she rasped.

"'They'?" The two men looked bewildered.

"Road, Cyril, Tyki, Skin, Lulu Bell, Jasdero…" She then spoke the last name, placing particular emphasis on it. "David."

There was silence as they stared at her. Then Allen whispered, "She's talking about the Noah."

Lenalee's heart plummeted to her stomach. The way he had said their name…it sounded so final. As if—

"Where are they?" Her tone was sharp and laced with a fierce edge that surprised even her.

Allen shuffled to the side for her, and she struggled to sit up. She almost fell back down at the sight before her. Blood stained bodies covered in cloth all spread across on lab tables burned into her eyes, and she choked. Her eyes widened as they betrayed her, scanning across the room. The bulkiest one—Skin. Thin and long and loping—Tyki, Cyril and Lulu Bell. Plump and tall—the Earl. Blonde hair falling over the table edge—Jasdero. The tiniest body, the frailest, and the most endearing—Road. And the last one—

His hand had managed to escape the sheet's enclosure, flopping out uselessly on the table. Black fingernails were curled into his palm, encrusted with dried blood and wounds that would never heal.

The angels are dead, she thought numbly. God has forsaken them.

Lenalee staggered up from the bed—despite Komui and Allen attempting to force her back down—and limped over to his corpse, feet heavy from not using them. Hands trembling, she removed the sheet.

Dull golden eyes stared half-lidded at her, the black make-up making his gray skin even darker than before. His black hair was stiff with blood, some parts cut off by who knows what. His lips were parted slightly, just slightly to show the dried blood on the inside of his cheeks. The crosses on his forehead were the only things clean on him, standing out like a beacon.

She stared. Her lips parted in an 'o' of horror. And then she closed her mouth. He had kept his promise. He had come back to her, even as a corpse.

The angel had kept his promise.

And for the first time in eleven years, Lenalee allowed herself to cry.