Chapter 2

Road woke up in a cell, a chain attached to her ankle. She shook her head, trying to remember what had happened. She'd gotten back and then... Why couldn't she remember?

Looking around, she saw a boy in her cell. He had white hair and looked intent on whatever he was holding.

Then she remembered. They were dead. They were all dead. And he had killed them.

She scrambled backwards, drawing her knees to her chest.

"I see you're awake," he smiled. "Here."

She caught what he threw at her. It was a bread roll.

She looked at it for a moment before throwing it aside, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Now, now," Allen muttered, walking over to where she had discarded the bread, "we wouldn't want you going hungry. It's not good for your health. If you want, I could grab you something more appetizing." He smiled, offering her the bread once more.

She slapped it out of his hand, watching it roll across the ground. "Leave me alone."

He frowned.

"As you wish."

He turned and walked from the cell, kicking the roll towards her.

"Please eat."

Only when the sound of his footsteps disappeared, did she lift her head to properly examine her surroundings. Not good. The cell looked sturdy. She yanked at the chain a couple of times before giving up. There was no way she was going to break out of that.

For a while she just sat, unsure of what to do. She reached into her jacket pocket, hoping it was still there.

"No," she whispered. Her doll. It wasn't there. Tears streaked down her cheeks. After everything, she didn't have the one comfort she had always relied on. Lavi, Lenalee, Kanda, they were all gone. And now, she had lost the one thing she had had from her life outside the Order.

Road wasn't sure what time it was when she woke up, or how long she had been sleeping. She figured it didn't really matter. All that did matter was the painful gnawing in her stomach.

She couldn't help it. Her eyes kept being drawn to the roll, still lying by her feet. Picking it up, she looked at it, all reasons for not eating it suddenly not quite good enough.

Figuring whatever it did to her couldn't be worse than what she was already going through, she took a bite. The bread may have been stale, but it was still food.

Rather than allowing herself to mull over the deaths of her friends, she planned what she would do to Allen when she got out.

Hours later, he returned to her cell carrying a tray of food. He set it down in front of her, then moved to sit in the same corner as before, watching her intently.

Without looking at him, she took the food, eating it quickly. She pushed the tray back towards him.

Without meaning to, her hand strayed to the pocket where her doll should have been. She'd never expected it to be there. But as her hand once more clasped around empty space, she had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from whimpering.

"What's wrong? Did you lose something?" Allen asked.

Road looked up at him, anger consuming her. "What have I lost? Where do you get the right to ask that?"

"I..."

"Everything. I've lost everything." Her hands balled into fists. "Leave. Kill me. I don't care what you do, as long as I don't have to look at your face."

Road ignored him the next time he came into her cell. She ate her food and didn't move until after he had left. When his footsteps disappeared, she allowed herself to stretch her legs and walk around.

When the cramps had left her legs, she sat down again, hugging her knees close to her chest. There was nothing in this place to distract her from her own thoughts.

She could still remember the feel of Kanda's blood, sticky on her fingers. It had still been warm. And Lenalee... Oh god... She had ignored it till now but... she had kicked a booted leg... it hadn't been attached to anything.

Road could feel herself panicking. How could he do it? He seems so innocent. He looked so fragile. The kind of person you wanted to protect.

No, he didn't need protection. She clenched her fist, tears leaking from her eyes. They were dead. She was alive. Why? Why was she still alive?

Tyki frowned at him. "Why do you insist on keeping that girl alive?"

Allen smiled. "I don't know. It's kind of fun. Like having a puppy. She's a quick learner. I'll teach her all kinds of tricks soon."

Tyki shook his head. "Just remember to feed her. Humans need regular meals. I don't want to be the one to clean up the mess if you forget."