Author's note: I apologize profusely for the hiatus between chapters. Work ended up being an absolute bear to deal with, and I kept getting hung up on this chapter, with mini writers' blocks.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of "D. Gray-man" or its characters. It all belongs to the brilliant Katsura Hoshino-sensei. I'm just playing in the sandbox of this beautiful and complex world.

Warnings: Some language, mild shounen-ai, and some flashbacks to the beginning of the story series. And, uh, not a whole hell of a lot of action; mostly exposition and story-building.

"Cleanse the soul and wash away the pain, baptized by the song that you're singing."
-- Neil Diamond, "Canta Libre"

"Canta Libre"
Part Three: Banshee

"Peter, stop fidgeting!"

"I can't help it, Papa, I'm worried about Sis!"

"Well, stop that. She's fine. You know your Dad's with her."

"Yeah, but the Grand Generals scared the hell out of me when I was down there!"

"Watch your language, Peter, you know your Dad would box your ears if he heard you talk like that. And don't worry, he won't let them intimidate Mandy any more than necessary."

The boy pouted and gave his father a thoroughly disgusted "you're-not-listening-to-me!" look.

Lavi heaved a sigh and ruffled Peter's auburn hair. "You need a distraction, don't you? Let's see what we can do."

The lounge door opened and Kanda and Sven came in, both looking tired and annoyed. Kanda in particular looked really put out. Sven just looked exhausted.

Kanda didn't even give Lavi and Peter the slightest greeting as he passed them. Peter kind of shrank back, as if putting his father between himself and the sour-faced General. Sven, on the other hand, nodded respectfully at Lavi and took a seat on one of the sofas, propped up his feet on a table, and promptly dozed off.

Lavi smirked to himself and looked around the lounge for something to occupy Peter with. The lounge was surprisingly bare. He was just going through some mental exercises in his head, trying to figure out which would would distract Peter the best, when he became aware of the little runt rummaging around in one of the pouches belted at his waist.

"Oi, what are you doing?"

"I have an idea," Peter said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He held up a grease pencil. "Wanna help, Papa?"

Lavi blinked at his son in confusion. "Do I want to know?"

"Probably not." Peter grinned that infernal grin that made it impossible for Lavi to be angry with the boy. It was a grin that Lavi himself had used in his youth on the old Bookman. In retrospect, he realized that the old Bookman had to have had a hardened heart, because he'd been able to resist Lavi's charms when he was really angry. Though now that Lavi thought about it, the one who disciplined Peter the most was Allen, not himself. Guess I'm not so great a father after all. Ehn, well, I didn't have the best example. Allen had an example.

Peter climbed carefully onto a sofa, and Lavi realized a bit too late what was going on; "Peter, I really don't think you should do that to Sven!" But of course it was already too late; Peter was doodling on the sleeping Dane's face.

Shit. Allen's going to kill me! Lavi mentally slapped himself in the forehead. Just then, Sven's hand reached up and gripped Peter's wrist.

"I should break your arm for that, you little brat," the blond Dane snarled. "Were you not a General's son, I would. Now get lost."

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Peter said with a pout as Lavi pulled him away.

"Peter, honestly. Don't get me wrong, I did that kind of thing a lot as a kid, but damn, pick your targets better!"

Peter made a face at his Papa; "So now what? I'm so bored, Papa!"

Don't scold him, Lavi told himself. He's just a boy; try something that Gramps used to use on you! Or you could do like Allen does with Mandy -- give him some math problems to puzzle with, to keep his mind occupied.

That sounded more promising, so he dug out a slip of paper from his pouch and scribbled onto it a few brain-stretcher problems. "All right, Peter, try these out. And no cheating."

Happily, the boy settled down at one of the tables with a pencil and started to work on the problems. Lavi plopped himself into the sofa nearest Peter and kicked his feet up onto the sofa arm.

"Papa?"

"Mmm?"

"How did you and Dad meet anyway?"

"How did we meet? I met him just outside the Rewinding Town right after he recruited Miranda Lotto. He was all beat up by Road Kamelot." Lavi chuckled. "He was such an immature little beansprout at the time, all self-righteous. He'd forgotten what being an Exorcist means, so much so that when he lost use of his left eye for a while, he felt crippled. I like to think I helped a little bit in changing that. In any case, your Dad and I hit it off pretty quickly. Of course, given who he'd worked with in previous missions, I guess it's not a surprise we became fast friends."

"When did you realize how you felt about each other?"

Lavi blinked. Christ, what the hell? This kid is asking some seriously mature questions. What kind of crap does Allen fill their heads with when I'm gone?!

"Just work on your problems there, Peter."

"Okay." Peter turned his attention fully to his brain-stretchers.

Meanwhile, Lavi found himself stumbling backwards in time, down Memory Lane.

"Lavi, what's the matter? You've been acting weird. I'd almost say you're avoiding me, except you're not. But you're distant, more so than usual. You haven't hardly teased me at all since we got back from the Ark, now that I think of it. What's going on?"

"I need to talk to you, Allen. I need to tell you something serious and important."

"Well, we're here," the young Exorcist said as he gestured around him at the inn room. The room was spacious and tastefully decorated, with wood paneling on the wall and soft golden-brown drapes over the window. It was a comforting place, and it felt like anything could happen here and there'd be no ill consequences... "Should we wait until the others get back?"

"No, that's why I want to tell you now. This is just between us." Lavi raked his fingers through his hair in agitation. "I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship, Allen; that's the last thing on Earth that I want."

"Why would anything ruin our friendship, Lavi?" Allen sounded alarmed.

"Because this kind of thing has the potential for that." Lavi swallowed painfully. This was going to make things so damned awkward between them, and yet he had to tell Allen. He just had to.

While Allen quieted down, Lavi dredged up the courage he'd nearly lost. "Allen, there's something important about me that you need to know."

His courage failed him right then.

"Go on."

"I... ah... that is..."

"Lavi, are you sure you're okay? Did something happen on the Ark that you're not telling me?"

"Something, as you say, did kind of happen." He would have been appalled at his weak-willed behavior, if he weren't so focused on just getting the damned statement out. "I... uh... dammit. Allen, look, I... that is to say... I think I've fallen in love with you." The words tumbled out of his mouth in a waterfall of emotion and frustration.

"What?" Allen blinked at him, as if he hadn't heard right.

Lavi wanted to hit himself, and Allen, for this. This was not at all what he'd envisioned. He wanted to just say "Naah, kidding, pay it no mind!" but this was too important; Allen needed to know how Lavi felt because Lavi himself didn't trust himself to not react irrationally because of it.

"Say that again, Lavi? I think I misheard you."

"No," Lavi growled. "You didn't mishear me. I said I've fallen in love with you."

"You know," the white-haired Exorcist said wearily, "this isn't a funny joke at all. I wish you'd stop."

"I'm not joking! Christ, Allen, I don't joke about something this important; you should know that! I wish you'd take me seriously for once!"

"But, what about... all those girls? I mean, you go on about pretty girls and when you see a really pretty one, you're all 'Strike!' when you see her, and... what the hell, Lavi? Why me?"

"I... don't know. I wish I knew, believe me. I'm confused and upset and I don't know what the hell is going on, but I do know how I feel." He walked abruptly over to the wet bar cabinet and pulled out a glass and a bottle. "I think I need a drink."

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Allen's face fold up in contempt.

"Don't start judging me based on Cross," he said acidly. "Not everyone drinks the expensive stuff or needs to drink hordes of it. I just want something to take away the sour taste in my mouth."

He poured a liberal dose into the glass and swigged it down, eschewing protocol with wine in favor of washing out the metallic taste of self-recrimination from his mouth. He wanted nothing in the world so much as to just drink this bar completely dry, to forget about Allen and the Ark and his traitorous heart, but he knew that this wet bar wasn't stocked with strong wines; even if he drank them all in short order, it wouldn't be enough. If anything, he'd just end up with a killer headache. Not to mention the fact that he'd end up having to face reality soon enough anyway. Escapism had one major drawback: it was never permanent.

The wine wasn't even very good, really. Kind of bitter. Or something. Maybe that was the metallic taste in his mouth.

"You... really are serious, aren't you." Allen's voice, thin and somewhat weak with shock, rose from where he sat. "You... you really feel that way?"

"Did I stutter?" Lavi snapped peevishly, and then flinched at his own antagonism and elaborated; "I assure you, Allen, this isn't easy on me. I'm a bookman; I'm not supposed to have a heart. Not only that, but I'm not supposed to get attached to anyone. And all of that aside, dammit, why the hell am I falling in love with another man?!" The old panda was going to have a field day with him, he could see it from here. He would have to brace himself for being beaten within an inch of his life. "You know, Allen, if you can, maybe it'd be best if you forgot I said anything here. This is clearly a bad idea."

"No," Allen said softly, but firmly. "I can't just forget it."

"Try to. Honestly, I think it's for the best if we both forget it. I'll get over it sooner or later."

"I don't want to forget it!" The younger Exorcist looked angry. "And what do you mean by saying you'll 'get over it sooner or later' anyway? Are you presuming that you're the only one whose feelings have changed?"

"Huh?" Lavi blinked at him. "Run that by me again?"

Allen heaved a sigh; "I... I don't know. I never really thought about any of these thoughts or feelings. And yet... I should be shocked at what you said, and yet I'm not." He turned troubled gray eyes up to look at Lavi. "I... I'm not sure, but I may feel the same, Lavi. I've never really considered this kind of feeling before, for anyone. I know that you're far more dear to me than I would have thought prior to going onto the Ark."

Hope blossomed in Lavi's chest, with such speed and agility that he feared it would wither as quickly if he didn't act. He set the wine glass down and navigated over to where Allen was still sitting. "Allen, look at me."

There was a soulful fearlessness in Allen's eyes, and yet behind that courage was a deep-seated anxiety, a fear -- for lack of a better word -- of getting attached to someone again. Allen had always held his friends close, but no closer than arm's length.

"I don't know anything about how I feel, Lavi," the younger Exorcist said. "I've had to bury my feelings for so long. But... hearing you say those words gave me hope. Hope that I can't explain. So please, don't take your words back now."

Lavi nodded in acceptance of this almost-confession. "If I were to kiss you right now, Allen... what would you do?"

There was a glint of mischief in Allen's eyes, so fleeting that Lavi almost wondered if he'd imagined it. "I don't know... why don't you test it to find out?"

"LAVI!"

Lavi jerked, nearly falling off the sofa as he did so. "Wha-huh?"

Allen's face was right in front of him, folded into an expression of concern; "Are you okay? You don't usually sleep that soundly."

It took Lavi a moment to get his bearings. He was in the lounge... both of them were in torn and soiled uniforms... Oh, right!

"Sorry, dozed off, I guess."

"No kidding." Allen pressed his thumb to his tongue and then rubbed the digit against Lavi's cheek, as if wiping something off. "Looks like your son takes after you, too."

"Huh?" Lavi brought a hand to his face, felt something greasy, grabbed Allen's rose-cross badge and glanced in the reflection, then glared at Peter. "You little...! Argh! As if doodling on Sven isn't bad enough!" He rummaged around in his pouch for a cloth and started rubbing at the doodles. Thankfully, it was grease-pencil, which would rub off fairly easily with vigorous rubbing,

"Yeah," Allen said with a good-natured snort. "I heard about that. I should smack you for letting him do it, but I'll let it slide for now, since you clearly got what was coming to you." He stood up from where he was perched on the edge of the sofa. "Come on, let's go to the cafeteria. Mandy and I are both starving."

"Okay, fine, though I'm not very hungry."

"I really don't give a damn how hungry or not-hungry you are, Lavi!" The General swatted his lover affectionately.

Lavi stood up and rubbed at his face, stopping by a window to glance at his reflection and remove what else he could. "What's the word on Mandy's Innocence?"

"I'll tell you more once I've gotten some food into me. Now hurry up!"

Lavi followed his family out of the lounge to the elevator, musing as he walked. He wasn't sure exactly why he'd recalled that moment in a Southern France inn with such vivid detail, but it was a kind of pleasant memory. After all, it had set into motion the series of events that eventually led to him being here. That first kiss of theirs had been messy, clumsy, sloppy and overzealous, but it had been honest, and it had been their first.

To this day, Lavi still had no idea why he had fallen in love with Allen. He felt no attraction for any other male. In fact, he really felt no true attraction for anyone else, though he certainly could appreciate a beautiful woman (and he loved to tease Allen by doing his "Strike!" routine at odd times, just to get a rise out of his lover and to reassure to himself that Allen still cared). Frankly, if he was honest with himself, if Allen hadn't come along, he would have considered himself to be quite firmly heterosexual.

Mandy sidled up to Lavi and rested her head against his side. He put his arm around her and held her close, taking a moment from his reminiscing to just bask in the pure bliss of fatherhood. These kids meant the world to him, and he was insanely proud of their growth.

"How's your shoulder, Lavi?" Allen inquired as the elevator descended.

"Eh?"

"You got hit by Akuma beams, remember?"

"Ah, that, yeah, it's fine. The muscles are a bit sore, but that'll go away in a day or so."

"You're going to be pissed at me," the General said as he looked away.

"Oh?"

"I'll explain more when I've gotten something in my stomach, but I know you're going to be mad."

Lavi shrugged; whatever it was, it wasn't worth getting upset about right now.

As they moved into the cafeteria, Lavi spied Miranda and Krory, along with their little girl, at one table. He steered Peter over to the table to procure some seats for them there.

"Fancy meeting you lot here," he said brightly as he and Peter pulled up chairs at the table.

"Mmm," Krory said around a mouthful.

"So you're okay?" Miranda inquired genially.

"Right as rain, as they say."

"Pfft," Krory scoffed softly. "You have never been 'right as rain,' Lavi."

"You have a point there."

"And you have a weird black mark on your face right here," the Romanian baron added, indicating on his own face the location of the errant mark on Lavi's.

Lavi made a face and scrubbed at it with a napkin. "Thanks; the runt here got me." He tousled Peter's hair roughly.

"What about you, Peter?" Miranda turned her smile to the youngster. "How are you? You had quite an ordeal."

"I'm fine. Especially now that I know Sis is okay. I was more worried about her than anything."

"Which means that Road didn't mess with you nearly as much as she wanted me to think she did," Lavi said. "Since I know what she's capable of, I feared the worst."

"How did you manage to get cornered by four Noah anyway?" Krory paused in his eating to fix Lavi with a stern look. "You both dropped your guard, apparently."

"We were worried about Mandy; she seemed to get ill very quickly, which is unheard of for her. And besides, they used the Earl's Ark."

About that point, Allen and Mandy arrived, having already placed their orders. Lavi got a good look at Mandy, and his concern surfaced; she looked troubled and worried.

As the two pulled up chairs at the table, Lavi leaned forward; "Okay, Allen. Spill. What's the scoop on Mandy's Innocence? And don't give me that crap about wanting food in your stomach first -- you've placed the order, so it's coming. Now come on. I want to know how the hell a kid with a brand-new weapon can wipe out a herd of Level Ones and a bunch of Level Twos! Even I had trouble with Level Twos the first couple of times I encountered them."

Allen chuckled; "Well, Hevlaska explained that one. This was Mandy's first invocation, and Hevlaska said that first invocations are sometimes stronger than normal, especially for parasitic-types, because it usually happens in a crisis situation, and the Innocence will temporarily amplify itself in order to dispel the threat."

Lavi seemed to understand that, but Peter looked confused. "What does that mean, Dad?"

"Means that the Innocence probably judged that the situation needed those Akuma to be destroyed quickly. Basically, without further training, Mandy likely won't be able to invoke like that again. And she's going to need a fair amount of training, because her weapon is indeed her voice, and she has no control over that."

"So is it like Maria's voice?" Lavi inquired. He got blank looks from the others, but Allen responded as though the question were perfectly normal.

"Not exactly, no. Maria's abilities were mostly manipulation of senses -- casting illusions and reverse-illusions, and controlling the body through sound -- and were more of a support ability than an attack ability. Mandy's voice ability appears to be, at least for now, purely a weapon. I've told you that the souls of the deceased are chained to the Akuma bodies, right? Well, when Mandy screamed, I saw those chains break. That's why she took out so many at once -- because she had no control over her voice, so the scream went everywhere. I guess it would be like you throwing a hundred Fire Seals at once without aiming at all. Also, that's why the Akuma just stopped moving -- the souls were released from the bodies.

"The problem with her voice is that because she has no control over it, it becomes dangerous around non-conformers. None of us felt anything adverse when she screamed, but we are conformers, and so our own Innocence shielded us. But civilians would probably be harmed in some way. Plus, in using so much energy to destroy those Akuma, Mandy basically forced too high of an invocation, and so her synchro rate will suffer until she gets control of her weapon."

"And how does she do that?"

"Hevlaska suggested singing lessons."

Lavi blinked, at a temporary loss for words. "Singing lessons?"

"Yeah."

"Well, don't look at me, Allen, I'm tone-deaf! And last I checked, you don't sing much better, even if you can play that damned piano."

"Relax, Lavi, Hevlaska already has a suggestion for a teacher: Noise Marie."

"Marie? Why Marie?"

"Because he loves music and he's got an ear for it. If anyone can give her a crash course in controlling her voice, and controlling soundwaves with Innocence, it's him. Marie's already agreed to it, so Mandy will start her lessons first thing in the morning. The sooner she can get it under control, the sooner she can join Peter with me on missions. Until she gets her Innocence under control, though, she's not to leave the Order under any circumstances." His expression became impassive.

"So, what exactly am I supposed to be angry at?"

"Peter and I have to finish our mission. Tomorrow morning we'll board the Ark and return to Versailles, and resume our trip." He looked firmly at Lavi. "You, on the other hand, will not be going with us. As your superior officer, I am ordering you to remain here."

Lavi stared at him in incomprehension. "Why?"

Allen looked like he was bracing himself for an explosion. "Because the Earl is targeting the kids, I'm certain of that, and I want you to stay by Mandy's side. Yes, I know the Order's the safest place for her, but it's still not safe enough to my mind. We've been invaded before. As much as I love and trust everyone here in the Order, you're the only one I'll feel safe leaving Mandy with."

Lavi looked like he'd been smacked across the face; "And you thought I'd be angry at you for this? Allen, give me some credit here!"

"Well, we did kind of have a bit of a row about you and Mandy staying behind this morning."

"Yeah," Lavi said bitingly, "when you were just being stupidly overprotective. This is different; the Earl's after the kids, and Mandy needs to learn to use her weapon. You're not ordering me to stay here out of abstract fear; you're doing it as a General."

"No," Allen said wearily, "I wasn't really thinking in that manner." The cafeteria help arrived then with the plates of food ordered. The family fell silent (the Krory family remained silent throughout the ordeal anyway) for a while. Mandy tucked into her meal with astonishing gusto.

After watching for quite a few minutes, Krory cleared his throat; "Allen, are you sure she is not your natural daughter? Because I swear she takes after you far too much to just be habit."

"The same could be said about Lavi with Peter, you know," Allen retorted. "But yes, I'm quite certain she's not mine biologically. I'd remember if I slept with a woman, wouldn't I?"

There was a wet coughing sound as Lavi choked on his food and then pounded his chest to dislodge what he'd coughed up in surprise. Peter and Mandy both stared at Allen with completely flabbergasted expressions. Miranda surreptitiously covered her daughter's ears and blushed. Allen maintained a sweet, innocent smile, and resumed eating.

"Goddamn, warn me next time, Allen! Ouch!" Lavi griped.

"Oh, like you never make crude jokes, Mr. I-Know-More-About-Women."

"Pfft!" Lavi grinned; "You guys expect that kind of stuff out of me! It's weird coming out of your mouth, Mr. I'm-An-English-Gentleman." He stuck out his tongue.

They lapsed into companionable silence as the meal resumed. After a while, Angie Krory started getting fussy, so her parents excused themselves from the table to attend to her.

"By the way, Allen, did you open the Ark back up to let Yuu and Sven through?"

Allen blinked at his lover, and made a face; "Nah, they flew here on their own little wings. How do you think they got here so quickly?"

Lavi blew a raspberry at him. "Smartass."

Peter set his silverware down and looked pleadingly at his parents to be excused from the table.

"What's the matter, Peter?"

"I'm really, really tired."

Mandy nodded in agreement; "I think I would like to go to bed soon."

Lavi put an arm around her shoulders; "I'm not surprised, sweetheart. You've had a hell of a day, haven't you? We all have."

Allen hurriedly finished eating so that they could all leave together. Jerry, the chef, had been watching them and when they got up, he came over personally to see to their dishes, insisting that the family not worry about anything. Jerry had always liked Allen and Lavi both, and he adored the kids. And now that Mandy was a parasitic conformer, he was in seventh heaven, because he loved to feed parasitic conformers. (Lavi wondered what on earth was wrong with the man, that he loved having people around the created more work for him. Allen just thought it was cute that Jerry enjoyed his job so much.)

As they gathered on the elevator and selected the top floor, which was where their apartment was, Allen noticed that Lavi seemed troubled, and resolved to ask him about it once they'd gotten the kids put to bed. For the meantime, though, he slipped his hand around that of his lover, lacing their fingers nonchalantly. Lavi's eye shifted over to look at him almost questioningly, but he didn't say anything. His only response was to tighten his fingers almost imperceptibly against Allen's. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

Mandy, for her part, sidled up to her younger father and leaned against him. "Daddy, I wish you and Peter did not have to leave."

"Don't worry, sweetie, your Papa will be here with you while we're gone, and we won't leave without saying goodbye anyway. And it's not even a dangerous mission. But since there's a possible conformer for that Innocence, a General needs to go, and Peter needs some experience. It'll be fine, baby, we won't be gone more than a couple of days."

"I know," she sighed.

Lavi patted her head; "You'll be too busy to worry too much about them, doll. I'll see to that." He dropped a tender kiss into her sable hair. Allen also patted her head with his other hand.

The children both remained silent the entire ride up to the top floor. As they stepped off the elevator, one of the suite doors opened and Kanda stepped out. From the shadows of a potted plant stepped Sven, who exchanged a silent conversation with the tacit Japanese swordsman, before both set off for the stairwell.

"Interesting. Wonder what's going on?"

"I don't think you should be worrying about Kanda or Sven, Lavi."

"True."

As Allen pushed open the door to their suite, Timcanpy catapulted off of Allen's shoulder and went buzzing around the main room in delight to be home. Lavi shrugged out of his torn jacket and hung it on the coat rack as Allen pulled off his own uniform greatcoat and likewise hung it up.

Peter and Mandy were both so tired that they both just stood there; it took some coaxing from Allen to remind Peter to take off his uniform coat.

"I think we'd better get these kids to bed, Allen," Lavi said, patting Mandy's shoulders. "They both look like they're ready to fall over and sleep right here on the floor."

"Yeah," Allen said, a touch concerned as well. "Come on, kids, I won't make you clean up tonight." He and Lavi herded the two children into their bedroom and helped them to change out of their clothes and into pajamas. Mandy in particular looked like she was already half asleep. Lavi finally scooped her up into his arms and carried her to the bed, placing her gently under the covers and pulling them up around her. He kissed her forehead as he tucked her in. As Peter climbed into the large double bed, Mandy shifted over to the center of the bed, and she and Peter curled up together like a pair of puppies in a basket. Lavi leaned over the bed and plopped a kiss into Peter's reddish-brown hair.

"Come on, Lavi," Allen said gently, tugging on Lavi's arm. "Let's let them sleep. They've had a really long, exhausting day for children their age."

Lavi nodded mutely and let Allen pull him out of the room.

The General shut the door firmly and turned to his lover; "Are you okay, Lavi? You look troubled."

"The Earl is after our kids. That has me completely freaked out. The Earl, the Millennium Earl himself, is taking aim at our kids. Our kids. How could I not be shaken?" Lavi shook his head vigorously and did an exaggerated shudder. "Why do you suppose he's after them?"

"Well, I can't confirm without a doubt, you know, but the fact that those Noah commented about killing them, makes me think the Earl is taking action against you and the kids to get to me. I mean, think about it, Lavi. I have the powers of the Musician and can move his old Ark. He has tried a number of times to kill me and has failed. What's the quickest way to bring me to my knees if he can't get me directly?"

Lavi groaned; "Damn, I never thought I'd be a liability to you."

Allen put his arms around Lavi and held him close; "You're not. And they're not. You may be a weakness, because I'd do anything for you, but you're not a handicap. So don't feel like a burden. My life would be dull and empty without you, you know. Everyone has some form of weakness, and it's only natural to care about those around you. You know that probably better than me anyway."

"I love you, Allen," Lavi murmured, embracing him and sighing.

"Let's go to bed."

"Good idea."

"...to sleep, Lavi. I'm too tired, you know."

"What? Oh, crap, Allen!" The redhead bopped him on the head in peevishness. "Farthest thing from my mind, you know!"

Allen chuckled and pulled Lavi in for a kiss.

"Oh, I don't think I told you that Mandy's Innocence has a name, did I?"

"It does?"

"Yeah. It's named Banshee."

"Banshee? As in, the Irish legend of a deceased woman whose wails signal a person's impending death?"

"Uh..." Allen blinked. "Well, I thought Mandy's scream was kind of like they say a banshee scream is. But yeah, I suppose that would work for Akuma as well, since her scream is what breaks the chains."

"Hmm. Interesting. Well, whatever. I find it funny that Peter's doesn't have a name yet."

"Neither does Krory's, and he's had his for at least fifteen years."

"True. And then there's mine, which has the most retarded name, so I renamed it. I could've smacked Gramps for giving it such a stupid name!"

"What, Oudzuchi Kodzuchi?"

"Naah, that's the name I gave it. Now in retrospect it's kind of a dumb name, but it still beats out Metal Hammer! I mean, geez. Metal Hammer? Gramps was a brilliant man, but not very imaginative!"

Allen snickered and snapped on the light in the bedroom even as Lavi shut off the lights in the rest of the apartment. "Well, come to that, you've got to admit that mine has a weird name."

"Aww, I think Crown Clown is a cute name."

"You would, Lavi. You just would."

Lavi wasted no time in stripping out of his clothes. Allen gave him a gentle, loving swat when he walked behind the redhead. Lavi turned around in a heartbeat and grabbed him around the shoulders, getting him into a headlock and bopping him on the head affectionately.

Finally, Allen and Lavi both climbed into the bed and cuddled up together. Lavi tiredly pillowed his head on Allen's chest, murmuring to himself as he drifted off. Allen toyed with his hair for a while, before turning off the lights and dozing off himself. It was still twilight outside, much earlier than any of them were used to going to sleep, but given the world-upending day they'd all had, the sooner it was over, the better.

Who goes?

The waters of the healing river sloshed sleepily along the bank as the Water Noah slowly opened her eyes at a disturbance.

The water chamber was light as usual, warm and moist, evocative of a clearing in a Sumatran rainforest. Evocative of home.

A bright young face appeared over Sarita's field of vision.

"How are you doing, Sarita?" Road Kamelot chimed.

Lousy, if you want to know.

"Hmm. Well I came to see if you wanted to play with me, maybe go play with some Exorcists or something, but if you're not in the mood..."

I cannot leave yet. My healing transformation is incomplete. I still have three and a half days to go.

"Pity, that. Too bad you won't allow anyone to help. I'm sure if you really wanted to get those Exorcists, you could do it. But, well, you're the youngest, so I suppose I'm not surprised."

What is that supposed to mean?

"Nevermind," Road sang happily. "It's just that I hate to see you get punished too much by Lord Millennium, but if you keep failing him like that, you're going to be in worse shape than any of us."

Like any of you has managed to kill that white-haired brat.

"Well, Allen's another story. I can't help myself around him, he's so fun to play with. But we've all killed Exorcists, except you. You still haven't made your first kill, even though Tyki and Lulu and I helped you by restraining a couple General-levels. Baby exorcists should be easy prey, as long as you don't give their Innocence time to react. Remember that. See ya!"

Road disappeared just like that from Sarita's view.

Damn you, Allen Walker. Now even Road is scoffing at me and harassing me.

You will pay for this. I swear this upon my name, I will make you and your family pay dearly for this.

Stay tuned for "Canta Libre: Part Four: Accelerate"

This chapter took a lot of time to complete because of a number of things, and I expect the next chapter to take at least as long if not longer, because of those same things: my workload at work has doubled or tripled, which means I'm even more tired when I get home; my parents are in the process of retiring, and stress is really, really high around here because finances are tight; I'm planning to go back to school soon, which will eat up some of my free time; and in November I fully plan to participate in NaNoWriMo (Google it if you don't know what that is). So don't expect any fanfic chapters from me in November, since between working retail and doing a NaNo, I'm probably not going to have time for fanfics.

UPDATE as of July, 2009:
Because of the recent release of the dub, I've become more accustomed to the English translations of attacks and stuff, and the loss of the honorifics, so I'm removing them from my fics and rewriting slowly to reflect that.