I'll do a quick run over of how this fic is setup, and such. This fic takes place just after Lucy leaves Kouta.

Fine, fine. The little voice in my head finally remembered to remind me about disclaimers, so, I don't own Elfen Lied. But I do own the basic plot of this story. I'm only putting one of these, so...

Renewal

Chapter 1: Decisions

He followed her silently. She was the woman he had been following originally to kill, under orders from the lab. They had promised him freedom. He knew better. But before, he hadn't cared. Now, he had a reason. What he had just seen. That was enough to convince him that Lucy didn't need to die for him to be free. No… he had another way. He laughed to himself, speeding ahead towards the soldiers stationed on the bridge.

He was young, only about twelve. He'd long ago lost track of exact age. But what he did know what that he'd seen far more than any thirteen year old should have. He'd seen shootings, killings, and he'd even come across back-alley rapes in his time. His silver hair glistened in the moonlight. Two slight bumps could be seen protruding from within the hood he was wearing to cover himself.

It wasn't long until he was at the bridge. "She'll be here in less than a minute, be ready," he said, nodding to the gunmen. They nodded back. He leaped with an unseen force high above their ranks, and landed behind them. He chuckled. "And now, to play the waiting game," he mumbled.

"Hachi, she's coming," said the person nearest the unknown man, whose name was apparently Hachi. Yes, that was his name. He remembered now. It'd been a long time since anyone had called him by anything other than "Number 8".

He shrugged, turning away. "You handle it," he said, walking over, and taking a position against the wall. Hachi smiled. Everything was gonna go perfectly. Oh yes, both he and Lucy would get freedom. The gunman gulped, and then turned back. The woman was closer now. The commander's voice rang out. "Ready... FIRE!" he called out. The men opened fire. Hachi sighed. It was useless. The only shots they were getting through were those that she was being to lazy to block. A few hit her torso, but none were lethal. One even managed to snap off her only remaining horn. The woman lazily reached out with her vectors, and killed a few guards.

The man unsheathed two of the eight blades strapped to his back. Using the blunt of one blade to slightly adjust the hat on his head, he walked forward, and stared at the guards. "It just isn't your lucky day," he said to them, smirking. He rushed through their ranks, cutting through them in a whir of metal, blood, and flesh.

Lucy seemed to question the man's actions. "Why?" she asked simply. "Don't like 'em, simple as that," he said, smiling confidently, while cutting down another guard who was approaching from the rear. Lucy shrugged, killing off another guard. "I suppose you're going to kill me now?" she asked, "please, hurry, while I'm doubtless." The man chuckled, flicking blood off his blades, and sheathing them on his back. "Why do you desire death? Have you no reason to live?" the man asked simply. He could feel her vector pressing against his back, eager to tear him in half. "I have no desire to live. My purpose is fulfilled..." she said sadly.

He frowned. "Nonsense," he said, "I saw you with that boy. Kouta, I believe his name was. I may not be as old as you, Lucy, but I'm by no means innocent." He pointed to the bumps protruding from his hat. She growled. "Don't you dare bring him into this. I hurt him enough already. He'll never forgive me," she said. He sighed. "Lucy, Lucy, Lucy..." he said disappointedly, "can't you see it? Kouta wants you. Perhaps you should give him a chance to tell you whether or not he wants you gone? If there's one thing I hate, it's to see a perfectly good love go to waste." She growled, attempting to speak, but he cut her off. "Lucy, I've been watching you guys for a long time… If you don't go back to him, he'll never get over it. He feels emotions for you he does for no one else. Not his cousin. Not Nana. Not Mayu. The person he loves is Lucy..." he said, looking up at her with a knowing look in his eyes, "if you've any sense, you'll go to him. I saw the incident not to long ago. You looked happy. I can't say I've ever seen a happy Lucy."

She let a tear escape from her eye. "Shut up..." she sobbed. The man smiled, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You'll see me again. I'll come to wherever you are soon. Hopefully, you'll follow your heart, not your head," he said, turning his back to her, "good luck, Lucy. You can ask me questions next time we meet. Until then, take care of yourself." He let out a smirk, giving a quick salute, and leaped over the edge of the bridge. When Lucy went to inspect, she saw him swimming along the currents. She had made up her mind. The man was right. Not normal... But he was right. She would go to Kouta's side…

Kouta sat at his home. He was looking out the window, thinking about her. Lucy. He wanted her back. He sighed as Lilium began to play on the music box. Hearing Lilium always made him think of Lucy, at least it did now. It had only been a day and a half since their last moments together. How he'd held her. How she'd writhed pleasantly and gripped him tighter. He wanted it all again.

He slammed his fist against the window pane. "Dammit Lucy..." he said, tears appearing in his eyes. Why had she gone off to kill herself? He'd wanted her to stay. He'd professed his love, and half forgiven her, even when he said he wouldn't.

Yuka's gaze fell upon Kouta. He was simply sitting there, crying. So this was how it was. She'd come to accept the fact that he loved Nyuu, even though she was gone, but this... she thought maybe he'd have gotten over it. "Dinner's ready..." she said softly as she turned, walking away.

Moments later, Kouta appeared, looking as if nothing had happened, at the dinner table. They began to eat their Soumen. Suddenly, Nana chimed up. "Ahhhhh... this is delicious!" she said loudly, proceeding to scoop down more and more Soumen. Mayu smiled widely, as did Yuka. "Is this your first time eating Soumen?" she asked. Nana nodded, "I didn't get a chance to before..." Kouta paid no mind to the comment. All went well, until suddenly, the dog began to bark loudly and hyperactively. "Could we possibly have visitors?" questioned Yuka as Kouta got up. "I'll go see..." he said, turning, and walking out towards the door.

Suddenly, the grandfather clock began to ring. "Huh…" he mumbled, "that never worked before." He started walking again.

Once there, he slid the door open. The sight that met him was one he was not prepared for. There stood Lucy, looking tired, bleeding from a few spots, and both of her horns broke off.

Without warning, she collapsed onto Kouta. He quickly held her up, looking into her broken eyes. "I couldn't help it..." she said, attempting meagerly to reach him, but failing. "I had to be with you again..." she said, tears cluttering in her eyes, "I... wanted to see you..." She pressed weakly against him, looking him straight in the eyes. "But I've caused you so much pain... I didn't know if you'd want me..." she said sadly. He smiled at her reassuringly. "I told you... I won't forgive you for that, but... I love you..." he said, pulling her up, getting some of the blood on him. He managed to pull her inside, where the others were astonished. "Nana, get some water, Yuka, get something to cover the wounds. Mayu, find some tweezers, it looks like she's got some bullets stuck in her," said Kouta desperately. They all rushed off, getting the items he had requested

Soon, they were back. "How's Nyuu?" asked Yuka. "In halfway decent shape, but we need to get the bullets out of there now," said Kouta, taking the tweezers. Though the thought of using his hands on the insides of another person disgusted him, he'd do it. He would do it for Lucy. He quickly reached in, securing the tweezers around the bullet, and pulling. He managed to pull it out, and set it down.

Soon enough, all the wounds with bullets still in them had had the bullets removed. This turned out to be a lot, since the only wounds without bullets were the ones that went all the way through her. "Nana, did you get the hot water?" questioned Kouta. She nodded, handing him a bucket of water that was hot, and would clean out her wounds. He poured the water on Lucy, and she let out a hiss as searing pain leaped through her body. "I know, I know, it'll be alright," he whispered softly. Somehow, she managed to get her vectors to reach out, wrapping their invisible selves around Kouta's neck lovingly, as if it offered comfort from the burning ache.

Next, Kouta began to use Gauze pads to cover the wounds. By this point, Lucy's shirt had been drenched, and was removed, as it had been useless in preventing the seeing of anything special anyway.

Kouta hastily covered the last wound. "Yuka, can you go get something to cover her with?" he asked. Yuka huffed. "I'm surprised you're not taking your time to ogle at her," she said, turning, and walking off to get a shirt. Once she had returned, Kouta carefully lifted Lucy, and placed her on his bed, where she fell into sleep, resting from her draping folds of exhaustion that had been set upon her in the previous day and a half