AN: hey... so... this is my very first story EVER! there might be plot holes and crap, you know, OOC and all that stuff... but bear with me, I just whipped this up so I could figure out how to submit a story... Enjoy!

Disclaimer: -man is property of Hoshino...

Someday…

It wasn't supposed to happen. Allen didn't mean to see her again after just a few months, ironically in another desolate forest. Although, he could never tell himself he regretted it. The cursed boy- no, he was a man, now, after all that had happened- couldn't deny even to himself that he was happy to see her. Even when he knew she was probably on a mission, maybe even on orders to bring him back.

"Allen…," Lenalee barely whispered, "You're…"

"Hello, Lenalee," his words were accompanied by that sad, gentle smile.

She didn't speak another word. She just slowly walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck. After another moment, Allen's arms were around her waist. They inhaled each others' scents and soaked in the warmth of the embrace. Lenalee buried her face in the crook of his neck, and he rested his lips atop her head. He'd grown a lot, the female exorcist realized. Had it truly been less than a year since he left her screaming for him in front of a shattered gate?

Basking in her presence, the sad clown reflected on that time. Despite knowing it was the best thing he could do back then, Allen wished he never had to leave her. Or the others… A pang of longing spread through him, but for now Lenalee was more than enough. Even if just for a single minute, it was enough. He was so exhausted from the constant wandering, defeating Akuma, then running before he was traced there by the Earl, or Apocryphos, or the Order…

"We've missed you so much," Lenalee whispered after what was probably minutes, but felt like seconds. Still, they clung to each other. Lenalee had begun to gently kiss his neck and the side of his face. He really had grown, she couldn't reach above his cheek even on the tip of her toes.

"I've missed you, too. All of you… but mostly you," he tightened his arms around her, and she returned the gesture.

"Come home," Lenalee pleaded, sounding as tired as Allen felt.

"I can't."

She sighed, "I know." Allen felt a growing wetness on his shoulder, and understood the girl was crying.

"My world… is being destroyed… piece by piece," the sobbing continued quietly, "Everyone… they're slowly leaving one way or another, Allen."

"I know. Someday… after this war is over… Someday, I'll come home, and everyone can live again, together," came the reply, "I promise…"

"And at that time," she began slowly, "When you return to us, will you also live together with everyone?"

The implications were clear. Lenalee was asking whether her fellow exorcist intended to come back alive, after defeating the Earl. And she knew it would be him to kill that devil. No one else was stronger enough in body or soul. Even if his soul was tearing itself apart, his mind being consumed by the Fourteenth. Neah.

Allen didn't answer for a long time, "I will fight as hard as I can to live," he finally said, "I'll do my best to survive." Wasn't that what he'd done his whole life? Since before Mana, hadn't Allen always fought to live, even when he had no reason to, when he went by the occasional call of 'Red'?

Lenalee closed her eyes. The tears had stopped, and were drying on her face and Allen's now slightly damp shirt.

"Then I'll fight, too."

Allen smiled, "Yeah. I know you will." He let her go after a long time that felt short. Amethyst eyes met silvery-blue ones as he debated what to do now. He didn't want to fight her now. Even so, of course she couldn't just let him walk away, Allen knew he was a 'Noah' to the Order now, and Lenalee would have instructions to take him, probably dead or alive, back to the Vatican-

"Go," Lenalee broke the silence. Then she looked away, "I'll say I didn't find anything."

"But, Lenalee-"

"Go!"

Allen hesitated, then pressed a kiss to her forehead and softly breathed, "I love you, Lenalee…"

"… I love you, too."

Then Allen was gone. Lenalee took a moment to compose herself, then sped off in the other direction. She didn't know when she'd see him again, but the girl knew she would. He promised.

Someday…

~The End~
Hey... not sure if the linebreak thingy worked... and by the way, if you really hate AllenxLenalee(why would you do that?) you can think of it as 'family love' or 'friendship love'. Um... Is this where I ask for reviews and promise virtual cookies? :D