Allen Walker could never forget the day she died. His Lenalee. It was the most terrible, and the most amazing of days. It was the day his wife had died... and the day his beloved son was born. It made his heart ache to think of, but he thought of it every time he looked at his little boy's face. Allen had named him Mana, in honor of the boy's grandfather. Little Mana was a ray of sunshine in Allen's depressing, soul-sucking life. Allen worked as an exorcist for his local church. It was a taxing job, seeing the corrupt and the disturbed, the possessed and the evil, and often failing to salvage them from their state. If there was something that kept him awake at night, it was the idea of all the souls he could not save.

Only his Mana could keep him from falling into a pit of misery. His Mana was turning 3 years old today. And Allen was going to try his best to grant the toddler's every wish. Leaning over Mana's crib, he softly stroked the boy's cheek. His deep violet eyes opened slowly. His mother's eyes.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Allen said softly.

"Papa..." Mana stretched his small arms up towards his father.

"Happy birthday, Mana," Allen said, taking the child into his arms. Allen kept him in an embrace, feeling the warmth of his only memory of his first and only love. It's been 3 years since you've left us, Lenalee, Allen thought. He's growing so fast, you wouldn't believe it.

Papa, I'm hungry," Mana said, interrupting Allen's thoughts.

"Right," Allen said, perking up considerably. "Right, and I have something very special made for you!" Lifting the giggling boy onto his shoulders, Allen skipped through their apartment and into their small kitchenette.

"Ta-da! Breakfast for two!"

Mana gasped. The biggest pile of chocolate chip pancakes he had ever seen sat on their small table- and that was impressive, considering both father and son ate like rabid wolves.

"Yummy!" The little boy yelled, gesturing to be put down into his high chair. When Allen obliged, he swung his feet and squealed with joy. Allen smiled warmly.

"Well, let's dig in!" Allen said, stacking a load of pancakes onto Mana's Winnie-the-Pooh plate.

Just then, Allen's cellphone rang. Allen carefully set the plate in front of Mana and scrambled for his phone. It was Chief Komui.

"Uh, hello?" Allen said, holding the phone between his ear and shoulder as he fixed himself a plate.

"Hello Allen, Komui here."

"Yes, hello, um, isn't today my-"

"I'm sorry to call you on your day off, Allen. But I'm afraid we've got something very important going on," Komui said.

"Oh... I see..." Allen said, feeling dread beginning to knot up in his stomach.

"I need you to come to the church ASAP. That's as soon as possible, please."

"Uh, yea, but... see, I scheduled this day off a few months ago, it's kind of important. Isn't there someone else who could-"

"Sorry Allen, but we need everyone here today. Anything else just has to wait," Komi said firmly.

"But-"

"I'll see you there," Komui said, then hung up. Allen huffed. He glanced at Mana, whose cheeks were covered in melted chocolate. What choice did he have?