Elyse: oh my god I am so so sorry. You guys have been favoriting me and putting me on watch and I feel so bad cause I never updated. Its not that I ignored you but I haven't been in the mood to write for so long and when I force myself it doesn't come out as good. I just needed a break from writing. I took much too long of a break. I'm sorry again!....I hope there aren't as many mistakes in this chapter as I spotted in my previous work. 0.0

"Maria!" Alejandra cried as she watched her older sister and two others disappear into the ground.

"Damn it." Kanda cursed. "When and where will another sinkhole come up?" Kanda seethed.

"I-I'm not sure, it-its all random there could be three one day, and none for the next week." Isabella squeaked with tears in her eyes.

"Bella…" Alejandra choked out. "No one ever comes back from there."

"Don't worry Ale I'm sure they'll b-be fine" Alejandra's sister replied trying to sound confidant as she blinked away the upcoming tears. Her attempt to calm her was unsuccessful as she felt the small girl shaking. She held onto Alejandra and guided her into the house leaving Kanda and Miranda behind to think of a plan of how to get to the others.

"We have to search for another sinkhole." Kanda decided. Miranda nodded shaking off her fears of what lied beneath the ground. For all she knew her friends could be in danger and her petty anxiety wouldn't stand in the way of finding them. She wouldn't let it.

"Lets go." Kanda said.

"Where are we going?"

"To look for sinkhole." He growled as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Miranda ran quickly into the house to tell the sisters.

"We're going to look for another sinkhole. But don't worry we know what we're doing and we'll bring back your sister no matter what it takes" she said with a look of pure determination. Alejandra looked up at her with so much hope in her eyes Miranda's heart nearly broke. But Isabella looked like she was afraid to hope. With that Miranda rushed after Kanda. He most likely left her while she was reassuring the others.

Miranda was surprised to see Kanda still standing in his previous spot with his arms crossed. He was obviously aggravated. When Miranda caught up with him he sent her a glare that made Miranda duck her head.

"What took you so long?"

"I –I was just making sure everyone was okay…" Miranda muttered shyly.

"There's no time for that! Lets get going." He ordered.

They wandered around the town searching for another sinkhole but to no avail. The town looked as if it was in ruins. The small houses were toppled over as if an earthquake had hit it. Multiple times. The only seemingly untouched building in the entire town was Maria's home.

"Eeep!" Miranda squealed as she tripped over a fallen piece of debris. She whimpered as she began to pick herself off the ground. She let out another frightened yelp as a shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see Kanda's scowling face. Miranda barely had time to calm her overactive heart before Kanda grabbed her wrist and pulled her roughly off the ground.

"Clumsy." He muttered to himself as her dragged the startled Miranda forward.

xXx

"This looks like fun." Tyki commented.

"More like it looks too easy." Road replied.

"What's got you in a foul mood?"

"Nothing. I'll tell you later…maybe" Road mumbled the last part to herself. She wasn't stupid, of course she knew that if she to Tyki about her real problem he would only get on her nerves with unnecessary comments about her pointless love and she sure as hell was not gonna deal with that. Especially if the Earl hears about it.

"Well looks like the gangs all here." Road jeered. She glared at Allen's cool composure.

"I'll take her on." Tyki said pointing to Lenalee. "You can take on Walker right?"

Road nodded, though every fiber of her being denied this. Allen calmly approached her. All she could do was stare back at him. She tried her best to keep up her detached façade but Allen eyes pierced right through it. Behind her mask she was like a wounded puppy who refused to quarrel with its once, loving master.

Well Road?" Allen questioned

Rage engulfed Road. Where does he come off? The past few days she couldn't get him out of her mind and he returned to her after what seemed to be forever and treats her as if he never kissed her! Road may have made the first move but Allen sealed the deal. Her threatening gaze slid to a woman in knee high black boots and of course, a short, revealing skirt that made Road's skirt look proper. Her figure was merely a shadow in the distance.

Lenalee

Road clutched Lero in her fist. Lero squawks of pain were completely ignored by Road. In an instant all went black around Allen and Road.

xXx

"There's One!" Kanda shouted. "It's disappearing!"

Miranda quickly activated her innocence and stopped time around the sinkhole giving her and Kanda time to catch up to it. As they reached the sinkhole Miranda's footsteps slowed and she began to become hesitant again.

"Well it's just that um…" Miranda mumbled to herself while staring at the hole in the ground. Who knew where it leads? Miranda's overactive imagination was so busy thinking of the different types of horrible places the sinkhole could take her, that she didn't notice Kanda taking a hold of her arm. He swung the cowering Miranda toward the remaining Sinkhole She gasped as she fell head first into the sinkhole.

"You may want to close your mouth." She heard Kanda say as he jumped in after her before the hole had time to close.

At First it felt as though she was drowning in a sandy ocean. Miranda thrashed around trying to find air, but the she felt it. She was slowly felt herself falling. The sands grip was loosening underneath her. And then she was free. Free falling. But the fall was short lived and she landed with a thump on a cold floor that felt like earth.

"K-Kanda?!" Miranda called out into the darkness.

She slowly got to her knees trying to find something, and crawled on the ground anything that would help her determine her whereabouts. But all that was there to find was dirt. She strained her eyes against the dark, hoping they would adjust. Suddenly someone placed a cold hand on Miranda's shoulder. She shrieked out in the darkness as she spun around flailing her arms hoping to fight off her unseen attacker. The attacker grasped Miranda by her wrists and pulled her toward itself.

"Will you cut that out?!" the attacker growled.

"Oh! Kanda! Y-you scared me!" Miranda put a hand over her beating heart once Kanda released her.

"I didn't notice." He replied sarcastically. "Now come on I think I found something."

"W-wait! Where are you? I can't see anything!"

Kanda rolled his eyes in the darkness before guiding the frantic Miranda to their destination.

xXx

Allen's eyes surveyed his surroundings carefully. Dark cloudy shadows went surrounded him as far as the eye could see. The floor he stood upon was checkered black and purple. Spiral striped candles that ended in a point sharp enough to kill floated in mid-air bringing a small ounce of eerie light to the environment.

"You betrayed me Allen" roads angry voice echoes through the abyss. "I trusted you and now you're here with that girl to fight for what Tyki and I got first."

"You can't expect me to give up fighting for the exorcists, for what's right." Allen replied. His voice unwavering.

"So you choose them over me?!" the voice shouts. The candles turn on their sides and fly towards Allen who dodges the expected attack. A lump forms on the ground in front of Allen. It continued to grow until it reaches Allen height. The checkered tile melts down revealing A dejected looking Road. Her pails skin now a dull grey, Crosses tattooed across her forehead. "Allen, It doesn't have to be this way." She pleaded. "Join us."

Allen closed his eyes as if contemplating the offer. Road looked hopefully at him awaiting his answer.

"You know my answer to that Road." Allen spoke firmly his eyes re-opened and shined with determination. "This isn't working."

"W-what do you mean?" Fear apparent in her eyes.

"Road it's too difficult. We're on completely different sides. There's no possible way to end this without someone getting hurt." Allen sighed, avoiding Road's eyes. He was explaining as best as he could, hoping not to damage the now childish looking Road. He was a fool to think his gentle tone of voice would soothe the raging girl.

"The only one who's going to get hurt…IS YOU!" Road screamed as her candles flew at the unsuspecting exorcist.

Your wrong Road

Allen reflected all but two.

You're hurt by this just as much as I am.

He winced as they cut into his cheek and shoulder.

I can see it in your eyes; can't you see it in mine?

Road blinked back tears of anger sorrow and dejection, and charged full speed at the now completely serious Allen Walker. Even as she tried to ignore it, there was no mistaking the regret in Allen's usually cheerful eyes.

Don't look at me like that Allen. You hurt me. You knew you were hurting me. You're the reason this is all happening. And that is why I can't forgive you.

Allen prepared to defend himself but suddenly, Roads world crumbled down before them. The cave and the large tree were visible again. Lenalee and newly arrived Kanda were panting from exhaustion and Miranda was busy making sure that their wounds didn't get any worse. Allen's eyes searched for Road. And he found her balancing on a root of the tree, the innocence fitting quite snug in the palm of her hand.

"Road!" Allen shouted. Roads eyes were shadowed as she glowered down at his hoping the tears leaking from her eyes were not visible.

"Tyki lets go." She said monotonously. Tyki smirked up at Road before retreating into the new door she created leading back to their home. He tipped his hat in farewell and stepped through. Road followed shortly after her last fleeting glance at the distraught Allen Walker.

I'm not giving up on you Allen Walker. Besides it doesn't matter if you want to join us or not. Soon you wont have a choice.

Road concluded to herself as the doors shut behind her.