I do not own D.gray-man or the lyrics from Phantom of the Opera.

Child of the Wilderness

Allen was roaming the streets of the town, his face hollow as he walked. His mind was muddled. Mana had died. Mana. The man who had taken him in despite his deformed arm, the man who had been a father to him when his own had abandoned him, that man was now lying in the cold ground. He couldn't bare it. Allen felt a drop of water hit him on the cheek. Looking around he realized he was near a stage. A woman with long black hair was about to start singing as people were gathering to hear.

She took in a deep breath before she began with a soft, melancholy voice:

Child of the wilderness
Born into emptiness
Learn to be lonely

Allen's eyes never left the woman as she sang. Why did it feel as though she were speaking to him?

Learn to find your way in darkness
Who will be there for you,
comfort and care for you?


It was true. He had no one. Mana was dead and he was alone in the world. Allen was a child that was rejected by others. The only times he seemed to fit in were when he worked as a clown with Mana. He was a freak.

Learn to be lonely
Learn to be your one companion
Never dreamed out in the world
There are arms to hold you

Allen's blue-gray eyes began to water as he continued listening to the woman singing. The tears poured forth as she sang the last lines. She was right. He didn't have the right to dream of a family, of someone to comfort him, and a place to call home. The young boy wanted to be able to say "I'm home" to someone warm and caring.

You've always known
Your heart was on its own
So laugh in your loneliness

He began to laugh. He had to accept it. Loneliness was in his future. He began to slowly walk away from the songstress, but her voice carried over even as he moved away.

Child of the wilderness
Learn to be lonely
Learn how to love life that is lived alone
Learn to be lonely
life can be lived
life can be loved
Alone.

Allen arrived at Mana's grave. He slumped down against and continued to cry. He didn't want to be alone. Why did Mana leave him? Suddenly, a gust of wind blew along.

"Konbanwa," called out a voice. The youth lifted his head from his arms to look at the source of the voice. It was a fat looking man with huge teeth and a devilish grin.

"Do you want to bring back Mana Walker?" he asked in that odd voice.

Without much thought Allen stood up and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yes! Bring back Mana. I don't want to be alone."

A black skeleton appeared close to him. It looked like a child's model toy, but much larger. "Just call out to him and his soul will come," he instructed.

Allen yelled at the top of his lungs; lightening struck the skeleton, bringing to life. The blue-eyed youth looked at it hopefully. The events that followed were a nightmare, he was attacked by Mana. His arm had activated and had killed him. 'Why? Why did it all have to be this way' he thought.

He didn't know how long he sat there beside the grave. His once brown haired was white, and on his left eye was a painful looking cut that led to pentacle on his forehead. After an eternity a man with red hair and a strange mask came to him.

"Oi! OI! Baka moyashi get up!"

It was at this moment that Allen woke up. He opened his sleepy eyes only to stare at the face of a rather grumpy samurai. "Kanda," he said, his voice laced with sleep, "what's going on?"

"We're here. Get your things."

"Hai."

The two exorcists walked off the train and began their long walk to the Order. Allen rubbed his eyes and began to wonder why he dreamt of his past. He had just finished a particularly painful mission in Lithuania with Kanda and both had been badly wounded, a new Noah had been spotted in the area. It had delayed their return home, but Komui was relieved that his exorcists has survived the encounter. Kanda had healed faster as always, but he had waited for Allen to heal before leaving. It was during this mission that Allen noticed the tattoo on Kanda's chest. He knew from Lavi that it had some special connection to Kanda's healing ability, but nothing more.

"Ne, Kanda," Allen asked his companion. "How did you get that tattoo on your chest?"

Kanda turned to look at Allen with a glare. "None of your business, baka."

The mission had taken nearly 5 months to complete and in that time, he and Kanda had worked out some of their differences but much still lay ahead.

The sky overhead had begun to cloud. It would be many hours before they reached the Order headquarters. Rain began to pour down in thick curtains and the two boys had taken refuge in a nearby cabin.

After settling into the abandoned place Kanda plopped himself down on one of the couches, while Allen sat near the fireplace.

"My father placed this curse on me when I was child. I was sickly and my family didn't expect me to live. He traded his life so that I could live; a lotus and tattoo are proof of that. My life is tied to these things, that's why I can heal. When the flower wilts, my life will end." Kanda had said this almost as though he were talking to the air, but the sad look that crossed his sapphire eyes indicated how deeply it had hurt to be thus cursed and blessed.

Allen sat quietly for a moment, contemplating what the Japanese teen had said to him. He let out a low chuckle.

"What's with laugh, you idiot" asked a very annoyed Kanda.

After the British boy stopped laughing he managed to reply, "We're alike." Allen took a deep breathe before telling Kanda about his past. The dream had made it all the more clear to him. The samurai simply listened, no signs of judgment visible on his face.

When Allen finished talking, the sound of the rain had become steady.

Kanda look outside and then at the younger exorcist. "We'd better get some sleep, beansprout. We need to make it back early."

Allen had not expected anything from the older man, but knew that he understood. He climbed onto one of the other couches and promptly fell asleep again.

The next day, they both arrived at the Order a few hours after sun rise.

Lenalee had been waiting for them at the gate. She ran at both as soon as she spotted their outlines. The Chinese girl jumped at them and embraced her comrades.

"Welcome home you two!" she said in her ever cheerful voice.

Allen simply smiled and looked over her to the tower, knowing that his friends were waiting inside.

"I'm home."

AN: I've been so busy with school I needed an outlet and something NOT related to science or history. Please R&R!