I'm sorry about being very late with this chapter but an old friend of my dad just passed away and had to go for his funeral, then right after that I had to go for a memorial held for my deceased grandpa, who passed away a year ago.

Well, it seems I was correct about Finders appearing to capture Allen/Neah (seriously what is the Order thinking sending Finders after a supposed Noah?) also about them dieing (well getting devoured but that's pretty much the same if not worse). Hm. Link was an unexpected bonus, Pie Shipping feels rocketed and I've seen Neah/Link shippers too, I'm happy.

This chapter was hard to write, now that the number of fics I need to rotate lessened I'll try to keep this monthly. Finals are on my ass so *shrug*

Thank you for liketolaugh, Ryuakilover, alexc1209, Analanat, AngelHeartsX, Neah D. Campbell (I loled when I saw that username, the irony is terribly amusing), Firehedgehog and Guest for reviewing! Also thank you for the 80 favourites and 98 follows.

And to answer your question alexc1209, the identity of the Heart will turn out later.

Review, follow and favourite please.

Chapter 4 - Fragments of Hope

Lenalee's body trembled as she stood facing the brick wall, her hand helplessly clenching around nothing.

Almost. Just a little more and she could have saved Allen. But now he was gone forever and the last ray of hope to save him disappeared with him.

Her knees buckled under the weight of sudden realisation, making her fall to the ground like a ragdoll. She desperately tried to muffle her voice, but small whimpers betrayed that she was crying.

Why? Why was she still so weak? She was the first Equipment type to be saved by her Equipment type Innocence and then the first to become a Crystal type. In the past months she had been restlessly training to get stronger, so that she could protect Allen from the Noah. So then why? Why is that that she couldn't do a thing again? Why was she still powerless to save him? Why?

She stopped tearing herself up on the inside as someone called her. She raised her red eyes to look at Timothy's horrified ones. "I'm sorry." he said in an uncharacteristically silent and scared voice. The tone he uses was enough to divert Lenalee's attention away from her pain. Seeing Timothy like this was upsetting. "It's my fault."

The confession felt like a cold knife being shoved in her, a cold chill ran down on her spine. "If only… I didn't possess him…" Tears flowed down on his face, but was even more concerning that this wasn't Timothy's standard cry. His blue eyes were not looking at anything, he seemingly didn't even notice the tears as he was choking on his words. "Then the Noah wouldn't have broken free..." Her eyes widened in incredulity as she realised what Timothy was trying to say all this time. His whisper felt like a bucket of ice cold water dumped on her. "I'm the one who killed him."

Her stomach jumped into an uncomfortable knot in worry for the small boy. "Timothy…" The boy's tears didn't stop, his eyes glazed over making him look like a broken doll; what could she say in a situation like this?

"No. You're mistaken Timothy." Krory spoke up, stunning everyone that he took the initiative. The boy's master, Klaud watched carefully as he walked over to the sniveling child and patted his head in a comforting gesture, snapping him out of that empty state; wet blue eyes turned to look up to Krory's apologetic ones. "You only did what was necessary, because I couldn't bring myself to harm Allen."

Miranda too appeared by Timothy's side and enclosed him in her embrace. "I'm sorry too. " she wept softly. "If I kept him in my barrier this wouldn't have happened."

"You're not the one to blame." Marie insisted gently. "We all failed today."

A mournful silence settled that Chaoji didn't dare to shatter. They all took the loss of their comrade really bad. The memory of losing most of his friends was still fresh in his mind. He could relate how Krory felt about losing his two best friends, he lost Ms Anita and Ms Mahoja to the Noah just like him, he knew the feeling of being ripped from what you cherished. Also, Kanda who suffered so much from the Noah came back, throwing away his freedom just to make sure that the traitor was killed off. Such determination, but at what price? Everything was that guy's fault. Chaoji silently cursed Allen Walker for causing so much pain to his comrades.

At long last Kanda broke the silence. "Hey you." he addressed Chaoji. "Go and ask for backup."

His brows creased in confusion. "Why not just ask through the golems?" he asked.

"Do you think there's anyone left alive in kilometres vicinity?" His question met silence. "That's what I thought. Now go."

Sparing a last glance at the people he grew to care for, Chaoji left, silently wishing that they would be able to finally bury their feelings for their former comrade.

With Chaoji out of hearing distance, Kanda turned back to face Tiedoll. The General understood his wish without words and deactivated his golem. The other Exorcists were puzzled by that, but mirrored him when Tiedoll sent them an imploring look. After the last golem was turned off Kanda spoke up.

"All of you, listen to me carefully. This might be our last chance of talking like this freely without being eavesdropped. I'm telling this to you and only you because I know that you lot still believe in that guy."

Tense silence crackled in the air as the group of Exorcists directed their attention to Kanda, who trusted information to them.

Seeing them leave their depressed state temporarily in favor of listening to what he had to say, Kanda continued. "Johnny and I managed to find him while he was still himself. He was still himself, but barely, he temporarily lost control and hurt Johnny." He saw nervousness and fear glint in their eyes, but he pressed on. There was no use sugar-coating facts. "I managed to snap him out of it and stop him from running off again. But then we got separated and… I realised that Noah and the Church aren't the only ones after him."

As expected, his comrades were confused and concerned. Who and why would want Allen? Could they be the mysterious third side Cross mentioned? "Who is it?" Klaud asked.

Kanda shook his head, annoyed by his lack of knowledge. "I don't know his name and I don't remember seeing him around at the Order. But he infiltrated it somehow. And I'm willing to bet he was the one to kill Cross… and that inspector."

"Are you positive it wasn't Walker?" Klaud asked.

Kanda nodded without hesitation. "He was genuinely surprised when I asked him about Howard Link, he wasn't aware of his death until then."

Lenalee's eyes widened at the revelation. She always trusted that Allen didn't, couldn't have killed Link; on one part she was happy that Allen was proved to be innocent, on the other hand however, that was quickly overwhelmed by fear.

Allen left them to keep them safe from that person, he left them and made a target out of himself.

That's why Allen left without a word. He was scared that they might get to know the identity of his attacker and get disposed of like Link.

He was scared that they might get killed too.

"But that means that Allen is innocent! If we clear him we can get permission for a rescue mission!" Krory said hopefully.

"No." Kanda cut him off, stomping on their blooming hope. "You lot keep silence."

Krory flared to anger, stomped over to Kanda and grab him by his collar. Marie were quick to trying to placate him. "But why?! We could suspend his trial of heresy! We can keep him from dying! We could catch the guy who had Allen expulsed!"

"Because you're already in danger for knowing this." Kanda replied, his words quickly extinguishing the other's raging wrath. "That guy isn't someone we can take on and Innocence is useless against him."

Krory's hold slackened at the revelation, that Kanda of all people said to avoid confrontation. "What? Why? How is that possible?" he whispered in a dying voice.

"That guy is not human. He's Innocence, one without Accommodator, an independent one. That bastard got me." Kanda admitted with a sour expression. "He caught Mugen as if I was swinging a mere sticks at him and he tried to tamper with my memories-"

Kanda's words caught in his throat at the thought.

Implanted with memories. Don't tell me…

Knowing Kanda's way of thinking, Marie quickly caught on."Does that mean that the was the one the to put the 14th within Allen?"

Kanda had no answer. Was he? Or not? Even after being tampered with, Kanda was still essentially the same person, the Bean shouldn't be turning into the 14th if he used the same shit on him. But then the person they know as Allen Walker wouldn't exist. Besides why would he implant a Noah within an Accommodator? Or was the Innocence added into the mix later? But then why would he insist on chasing Allen, trying to "save" him? It didn't add up. Damn, he didn't know, he didn't know what that bastard wanted.

"But what does he want from Allen?" Miranda asked fearfully, covering up Timothy's ears, so the already traumatised boy wouldn't have to suffer even more. " He's not trying to kill him, is he?"

Kanda shook his head; he might have not known for exact, but he had a standing point. "No, not kill. He said he wanted to assimilate him, he himself said so when I fought him." He suppressed a shudder recalling the forced synchronization he had to endure, as well as their aftermath. The Beansprout wasn't weak, but even he would be unable to handle being ripped apart like that. The thought of that guy wanting to force himself on the Sprout made him want to vomit another round. "I didn't even know what he was until Tim attacked him."

Krory's eyes once again lit up, desperate to do anything that might get him closer to saving Allen and Lavi. "Tim!" he shouted hopeful. "He didn't go with the Noah! That means he's nearby."

Unease settled in Krory seeing Kanda's grim expression, while Kanda wasn't the most empathic person he understood the Romanian's strong desire to act. The Japanese exhaled through his nose as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a balled up handkerchief he borrowed from Tiedoll. He unwrapped it to reveal its crumbly, black contents. "This is Timcanpy." he announced grimly.

Kanda could see the fragile hope crumble in his comrades' eyes. "Why isn't he regenerating?" Krory breathed, fear and despair spreading in his body. He was devastated, finally he met Allen but it was all for naught. He'd never see his best friends again.

"That guy have pierced him with this." Kanda explained as he pointed at the black wooden chip. "I'll have to ask Komui to analyze this. Maybe it can be a lead to the Heart."

"We already have the key to finding the Heart."

Kanda frowned at the memory of the 14th's words. If what he said was true they were in trouble.

"That clue to the Heart…" Klaud thought aloud. "Could it be that the Noah meant that Independent Innocence?

"It appears so." Tiedoll hummed. "Now they both have the Independent Innocence and the Walker boy. We're in trouble indeed." As if "trouble" would cover this shit situation.

"Maybe if Komui fixes Tim we can get to know about that guy." Kanda pondered gazing at Tim's remains; would Komui be able to fix this? His hand clenched around the black shards. This is as good as they got, even if Tim couldn't be revived, maybe his memories could be projected and find out about this guy. Now that Allen was taken by the Noah, he won't return, in the end he couldn't save his saviour. All he had left is to destroy that man.

"There they are!" a familiar, and presently very unwelcome voice shouted, it was Chaoji with the backup.

Kanda quickly pocketed Tim's remains as he shot a glare at the new Finders, some were eyeing their killed companions' remnants with distaste, without doubt hating on the martyr-complex idiot without even knowing what happened, like Central had conditioned them to do.

Chaoji seemed to notice Kanda's displeasure. "Is something the matter?" he asked cautiously.

Kanda eyed him with an unreadable expression. "It's not important." With that he walked past the other, his brain trying to come up with his report.

.

.

.

"-That's all." Kanda summed up. Presently he was standing by a long table where several Cardinals he did not recognise sat next to the snake faced bastard and Komui.

"Interesting." Leverrier hummed, eyeing him skeptically. "Very interesting. So you say that you came back in order to kill the friend that tried saved you from killing your best friend?"

Komui sent Kanda an imploring look to not give into the very obvious provocation of the Inspector.

A three months earlier, Kanda would have drawn Mugen and kill whoever thought that bringing up his trauma in such fashion was funny; however Kanda did learn from his mistake, as much as wrath was boiling in his veins, as much as his fingers twitched to close around that old fart's throat and squeeze until the life left him- he did not. The reason why he was standing here, barely alive with the Bean on the verge of annihilation was because he let himself be provoked by those bastards, even when the Sprout warned him. Even if the Noah pushed him, it was him that destroyed Alma, it was him that caused Allen Walker to disappear. The only thing he could do for him is to destroy the monster he turned him into. "He asked to be killed if the 14th takes over, I just return the favour and grant his last wish."

Kanda was unsure if the man was satisfied with his answer or not, he just nodded. "I see. You can go now, General Kanda Yuu."

Without word, Kanda turned on his heel and left the piece, heading for Komui's office. He had to say that the meeting went surprisingly well, since he did not get a stalker by his side or face a trial of heresy, seemingly they were content to simply have him as a General. Kanda figured there would be catch, but he couldn't bring himself to care, he would carry out his promise no matter what.

He took a seat inside Komui's office, impatiently waiting for the Supervisor. Soon enough, Komui appeared with the company of Reever and Bak. "Sorry for the wait, Kanda, I had to choose the most professional and reliable as you requested." Kanda conveniently left it out of his report how he met the Independent Innocence and had Tim; like hell he would tell them that, all he needed was to have those idiots order them to invade the Earl's Ark to retrieve it or some shit; it didn't take a genius to know that anyone who wasn't a Noah and stepped inside the Earl's territory was as good as dead. Seriously, last time they were lucky enough to have the Bean save their asses in the last minute. "Please show us Timcanpy."

After exposing what he left out of his report, Kanda nodded as he presented the crumbling black substance. Komui winced. "This is horrible. I can't say if we can fix him...but maybe we can try to replay what happened."

"Are you saying that an Independent Innocence did this?" Reever asked.

Kanda frowned. "You don't believe me?"

Reever shook his head. "No, it's just… It's unbelievable… For Innocence to be possible to be independent… maybe if we looked into it we could do that to the other Innocence too and that way there would be no need for Apostles, you guys wouldn't need to fight." he said in a hopeful tone but Kanda knew better, making an Innocence independent had its price; everything did. He had a very bad feeling about it.

But if that Innocence was already independent and so strong, why did he want to absorb Walker? It didn't make sense.

"So you're saying that that's what attacked Walker and Inspector Howard Link?" Bak asked.

Kanda nodded. "Yes, why?"

"It's just… when we rushed there, Renny, Master Zhu and the Inspector… Renny asked something strange."

An uneasy feeling stirred in Kanda's gut, something was fishy. "What was it?"

Bak scrunched his face in an effort to recall the words correctly. "She asked the Inspector 'do you think it appeared'?"

Cold spread within Kanda's veins. "That bastard knew about it?" he asked, voice shaking with anger. "He knows and let that guy take the blame?" He knew. He fucking knew what was after the Beansprout and he let Walker take the blame. Just what the fuck went through that fucktard's head.

Bak shook his head, unable to come up with any ideas. Komui cleared his throat. "Kanda, the three of us will do our best to restore Tim's memories, then Tim himself into original shape. Until then, you go with General Tiedoll and discuss your official promotion."

Kanda grunted in acknowledgement, then left the scientist to their work; he had a lot to discuss with his Master.

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"Ah, home sweet home." A melodious voice chuckled as its owner inspected the familiar, yet foreign interior of the new Ark.

"I'm glad you think that way." the Earl chirped, his mood in the skies to have one more member of his family back. "We only have to find Raasura and our family will be complete again. Ah, we have to celebrate your return, Neah."

The white-haired teen smiled back at the elder. "But of course, I'm starving."

"Ah, figured you would say that." Adam chuckled as his suit dissolved around him. "We haven't had burger in forever, I'll go make some. Tyki, Wisely, escort Neah to his room to freshen up, while other's blood on him is a lovely sight I don't want anyone at the table unclean. Then lead him to the dining hall and call the others, we're having a family dinner."

The two respectfully nodded. "Of course, Earl."

"Perfect! Dinner's ready in an hour~" he sang as he practically skipped away, leaving the three to themselves.

Once the Earl was out of hearing range, Tyki turned to smirk at his newly found little brother. "Now that was quite a show you put up back there, had I not known the truth I would have been fooled. You can stop pretending in front of us by the way. We can tell you know, we remember him killing us, so we know who you are." The white haired boy dropped the not so innocent smile at his praise to replace it with a calculating look, making Tyki chuckle. "You truly managed to deceive everyone, right? Allen Walker."