First fan fiction. I appreciate your support and opinions, even if they are harsh :)

Warning: eventual Poker Pair

I also do not own D. Gray-Man or its characters.

Chapter 1

Prologue: Deceptive Origins

Neah Walker slid the sword out of the woman's body, watching as it slumped to the ground. She began to cough up blood and it was obvious that she was mortally wounded. Yet as her eyes began to glaze over, a triumphant smile touched her lips. Neah didn't like the secret he saw present in her fiery orbs.

"You're dying. What could possibly be making you smile?" he disdainfully.

"I am dying in the place of one I love. I wouldn't have it any other way," she explained."This is by choice, and not because of the war."

"You are a fool. He would have killed you himself, would have ended this world and everything in it." The dying woman chuckled sadly.

"I know. Isn't it ironic that I, an Exorcist, fell in love with him? That I would gladly die in his place?" Tears began to run down her face with the taint of bitterness."You must find me pitiful. I fight Akuma for twenty-five years. I fell in love with their creator, someone who has tried to kill me on countless occasions. And yet here I am, still in love with him."

Neah ignored her words. He had other business."You have kept a secret from the Millennium Earl. That is why he wanted you dead."

"What is your point?"the woman asked wearily, weakening as the blood flooded out of her body.

"What did you do with the child?"

The Exorcist smiled, eyes full of pride."She is safe, an adult now and far from the reach of the Earl, or the Black Order for that matter."

Neah scowled but did not pursue a more elaborate explanation. The woman obviously had hidden the child and would never give anyone her location, or name. Instead he just lifted up his blood-soaked sword and prepared to kill her.

For Mana, Neah thought. He brought down the blade. The woman's eyes were prepared, and were in fact goading him. Every flash as the metal came down made her eyes glaze over even more and he was sure that her heart would stop beating before he even cut into that vulnerable flesh.

His blade never pierced her. A sharp barrier rammed into Neah and knocked him back with tremendous force. Several parts of his body were sliced open by the impact, his spine hit the wall with a sickening CRACK!

The singular weak point in a Noah was that very bone. Break the spine and it temporarily halted all regeneration abilities for a good twelve hours.

Neah forced his head up to watch the scene before him unfold, somewhat surprised that he could.

The Earl knelt down by the woman, gently cradling her against his body. And despite the gore and the age marks, she was the most beautiful woman Neah had ever seen. Especially with the serene expression she wore in death. Despite the Earl's never-ending smile, the tears running down his face were pure mourning.

Slowly the Earl stood up. And he spoke.

"You killed your family. You tried to kill Road. You even tried to kill me." With each word he took a step towards Neah's immobile body. "However, your biggest mistake was killing her."

Finally the Earl was upon him. His eyes burned with anger, hatred, and vengeance.

"For your crimes against the Noah's and myself, I see no alternative other than to kill you."

Neah's fingers tightened around the sword's hilt. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Millennium Earl."

He used the last of his strength to block the blow sent his way. But even that was too slow.

::+::+::+: ϒ :+::+::+::

A young man in his late teens stumbled across the alleyway in which Neah was dying in. He quickly ran to his friend, long red-brown hair escaping from the ponytail to frame his face. The young man collapsed to his knees in front of Neah, hands gently lifting up the Noah's face. Noah-gold eyes flickered up to meet sterling silver.

"Neah!" the teenager cried. The Noah lifted his head up weakly in an attempt to make more of the person in front of him. He studied the face before him, taking a moment to recognize him.

"...Bookman's Apprentice," he realized. The young man stared at the fourteenth Noah with deep concern. "Are you here to record my death?"

The Apprentice shook his head. "You're my friend."

The Noah snorted and then grimaced. "I thought that Bookman don't have any friends." He paused then decided to hell with it. "So, what alias are you carrying today?"

Those silver eyes began to tremble as he realized that Neah was closer to death than he had realized. The man never gave in so easily. There was too much at stake for Neah to just give up.

"Dorian. Dorian Gray," he whispered in a voice full of kindness. Neah couldn't help but smile.

"Well, Dorian Gray, can I trust you with my most important mission?"

"Anything," the young man replied. By now he was holding his friend's body against his own, a small tear running down his face.

"Watch over Mana for me."

The Apprentice blinked at him incredulously before laughing. Neah stared at him in weak confusion until his 'friend' had stopped.

"I can do better than that," he told Neah, joy and sadness mingling in his silver eyes. "I can make it so that you can watch over Mana yourself."

Neah's eyes widened in surprise.

"How?" he asked, noticing a twinkle in those orbs that matched the gem glinting at the young man's throat.

"Simple. I become your host." At Neah's speechlessness, the Apprentice gained a fiery passion in his voice. "Let me hold your memories. I will protect them from the others until you are ready to awaken."

Neah hesitated. "You promise?"

"On my apprenticeship as a Bookman, I swear that I will keep you safe."