The Noah Within

Disclaimer: how ever much I would love it, I do not own -Man.

Chapter 1: And so he fell.

It was a warm summers afternoon and Allen was walking in the soft spring wind. He had just returned from a successful mission with Lenalee and Lavi (Kanda was too busy on his own mission). It hadn't been a very hard mission, they were sent to a small town at the coasts in Northern Ireland, and as they had finished early they decided to stay a while.

During the mission Allen found himself spacing out again. He had seen a girl earlier that day and he didn't know why but he could tell that she was different.

FLASHBACK

"Hay, sorry for bumping into you," the girl apologized as she got up from the ground where she had fallen. She looked both shy and embarrassed as Allen picked himself up.

"It's ok you don't need to say sorry, I was the one who wasn't paying attention anyway," Allen replied with a reassuring voice.

"My name's Allen, pleased to meet you," Allen said as he and the girl started to walk in the same direction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Allen, my name's Charlie, I live here by myself so if you ever need a place to stay for a while I would welcome the company," Charlie replied while looking down at the ground and tugging at her sleeves.

Allen had so many questions that he wanted to ask her, but just as fate calls an Akuma appeared in front of them with a grin so wide it looked almost like it was a smile of regret. Before Allen even had a chance to tell Charlie to move, she was standing on the Akuma's head laughing a laugh which could make anyone suspicious. There was a gleam in her eyes as she looked over the landscape with so much glee she felt that she was on top of the world. Without another thought Allen sliced the Akuma in two and caught Charlie as she fell.

Allen was just about to ask Charlie some serious questions as Lavi marched in on them and dragged Allen towards their mission. Allen would find out what was up with that girl and why she acted so strange in the face of danger.

CURRENT TIME CHARLIE'S POV.

'It has been so long since anyone came to visit me. I wonder if that boy will take up my offer and come stay the night.' That's all I could think of as I sat on a hay bail looking over the town of Larne and its Harbor. I had a hard time. I lived all alone in a small town called Magheramorne. My mother had died two years ago and after her death my father had left to find work in America. I had decided to continue my studies in Belfast so I stayed at home. It really was a good place for me, I had always lived in the countryside so I was happy on my privet lane. I have the most amazing view over the whole of Larne and Magheramorne from my hill and best of all there is no noise. I often sit in my house and play my violin but I also go out with my dog into one of the many fields that surround my house. The view is so idilic that I have often used it as a base for my artwork. Slowly I let my eyes close as the wind blows through my short brown hair whistling in my ears as if telling me to hum along. Ever since I finished school and started to live on my own I have grown more and more lonesome. The only times that I leave my house is when I come to sit outside or when I get the train into Larne to do my shopping. It is sometimes strange how much noise can go through your head when there is no sound to be heard.

GENERAL POV

Allen was still thinking about Charlie, he really wanted to go visit her and ask her some questions, but first he would have to convince the others to stay there.

"Hay Lenalee, Lavi, I was thinking," Allen started not really knowing how to formulate his question, "I have a... friend yes a friend, who lives here and I was thinking we could go stay with her for a while." Allen was relieved to have said it even though he was getting skeptical looks from Lavi but before there could be any disagreement Lenalee's face lit up with joy.

"That sounds like a really good idea Allen, why don't we get her a gift for letting us stay and then you can show us where to go." She said it as a statement but was glad when she got a nod of approval from Lavi.

'Well that was easier that I had feared' Allen thought as Lenalee dragged Lavi into the closest clothes shop.

HALF AN HOUR LATER AND WITH A MASSIVE BAG OF NEW CLOTHES.

Allen and co sat on a train going to Magheramorne. He was glad that he had seen where Charlie lived or he would be in trouble. When they got off at the station Allen started to lead the others up a road which curved its way up around a limestone quarry. The wind carried Lenalee's now shoulder length hair and made her smile. The trees over head swayed and the birds sung their soft melodies. The slowly setting sun lit through the trees like a candle in a window and the leaves swayed as if to an unheard melody changing colors with the suns rays.

It truly was a scene of beauty. Allen let his mind wonder off as they walked whereas Lavi was just complaining about everything. First it was too hot, then too cold. The sun blinded him and then the wind was too strong.

"How long is this road anyway?" The bookman asked as they reached a small church at the top of the road.

"Well this is the end of that road, but my friend lives up there," Allen smiled as he pointed to the top of a steep looking hill. Lavi's jaw nearly hit the floor as he looked up at where Allen was pointing, and then marched ahead grumbling curses under his breath. Allen and Lenalee just looked at each other and laughed as they followed suit.

15 MINS LATER.

They had finally reached the top of the hill when they heard music gliding through the air. It was a soft piece played on the violin. The tune was sad and filled with emotion, bringing all moods to the same thought, 'what has this girl been through?' The music stopped suddenly when Charlie say the three friends standing on the road. She ran down the stairs and opened the door.

"Come in, come in, sit down and have something to drink," she urged as the three looked at her in amazement. She couldn't help but shift uncomfortably as the excorcists stood looking at her as if she was speaking a different language, Allen seemed to notice this as he moved towards the nervous girl with Lavi and finally Lenalee following his move.

"Make yourselves at home," Charlie said politely, "what can I get you to drink?"

LATER THAT DAY

Lenalee and Lavi were sitting watching the TV while Allen had decided to grab something to eat. Charlie herself had taken her dog for a walk and before Allen could even realize what he was doing, he followed her. She stopped at her usual hay bails and threw a ball for her dog. Allen followed cautiously hoping not to be noticed and then he heard it, the silent sobbing that grew louder in his ears. The melody that broke through in her voice as she hummed was a strangely know yet unknown song. The winds grew stronger as her voice grew louder and he felt himself moving with no control over his legs. She turned round and looked at him, tears still flowing down her face as she urged him to sit next to her.

Allen was shocked as he heard a voice down in his soul.

"She's just like you, you know" the voice spoke in a smooth caring way. "She lost everything that she held dear and she is finally letting go."

"What do you mean 'letting go'?" Allen asked and was shocked when Charlie replied.

"He's trying to tell you that I'm letting the Noah in me take control," her voice was soft but harsh at the same time. Allen felt his world shrink, he had only known this girl for one day and she was already leaving him? He felt a sudden pain in his forehead and without meaning to, yelped in response. Charlie rushed to his side and held him close.

"It's ok," she hushed, "I know the pain you're going through. I understand that you are finding things hard at the moment. You have no real family and your friends look at you as if you are untrustworthy." He looked up at her with sad eyes. He knew that what she said was the truth, but was he really ready to become the fourteenth Noah?

The fourteenth had been talking to him for a while now, urging him to let go, but he had always resisted. The order had grown more and more suspicious of him and had started to interrogate him. The only things that were preventing the musician from taking over were his memories of his friends and Mana. He had been seeing the fourteenths memories for over a month now and he knew that he would not last much longer before he was forced to change.

"If it would help you I'm also going through the same problem, my Noah has been urging me to let it take control but I just haven't been able to say goodbye to those I needed the most." Charlie looked into Allen's face while remembering all of her old friends who had left her so alone and her family as they would hug her crying form and tell her it was ok. Everyone had left her on her own, her friends left and never contacted her, her father had just ignored her when her mother died, but somehow she couldn't help herself from crying when she saw the news reports of her old friends dying. Her eyes were filled with tears again and as the two teenagers looked at each other they knew what they had to do.

Pain flicked through Charlie's eyes, a pain that was already visible in Allen's, and blood started to flow from their foreheads. They held each other close as they closed their eyes and entered the transformation process together, no longer scared of what was going to happen because they were siblings now and they would always take care of each other.

Flame: hay everyone. Chapter over hope you enjoyed it.

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