I do not own D. Gray Man, it belongs to Katsura Hoshino.

Chīsana Kokoro (Tiny Heart)

Chapter 10: Going Under

Lavi heard the screams, it echoed throughout the cave. He knew it was Miranda, she shouldn't have come along. Why'd didn't I just go with her? He thought to himself. Why did Kanda have to be so stubborn? Both Kanda and Lavi could tell she was ill, but neither one spoke a word. Lavi knew Kanda would pretend not to care, and Miranda would try whatever it took to prove her worth as an exorcist. Why do I have to be level headed one?

"Miranda?" Lavi yells, as he enters a wide open area in the cave. Much like the one before, it was similar to when they entered the cave. Except the entrance didn't have sharp pointed candles, floating around aimlessly. "Miranda!" Lavi called.

"Go away, go away, go away!" Miranda screamed, at the reflection of herself in the floor of the cave. Using a candle to attack the reflection.

Lavi ran to Miranda, "Hey, M-Miranda are you alright?" He put his hand on her shoulder, "Miranda?"

She shoved his arm away,"Stop! STOP!...please." Lavi was taken aback at the volume, and sadness in her voice.

"Ah, Bookman! I was wondering when you'd show." Road, made her decent slowly sitting on top of Lero. "Though I was hoping it be someone else."

"What's the matter, I ain't fun anymore?" He wore a cocky smile.

The Noah hopped of Lero, five feet from the ground. She walked over to Miranda, taking the woman's left hand. "I'm looking for something Bookman," raising Miranda's hand, and pulling the glove off to reveal the scar on her hand. Happily, smiling at her handy work.

"What did you do to her?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about." Road said, feigning innocence. "Oh, like you don't already know. She's trapped. Now answer tge question."

"What are you talking about?" Lavi asked irritated, was she looking for Allen?

"Where is Lulu Bell?" A dark shadow cast upon Road's face.

"What?" If he wasn't confused before, Lavi was definitely confused now. "Don't you have like a Noah tracking beacon, or whatever?"

"Do you honesty think we have some sort beacon of light to signal Noah?" Road huffed her cheeks. "That's not how works."

Lavi took a step towards the two, he stopped when he noticed the candle in Road's hand. The candle was pointed at Miranda's neck, Miranda who was now crying. At this pount Lavi was unsure if Miranda was even conscious, but had to do something fast. He couldn't just leave her in Road's hands.

Miranda's body had stopped shaking, and her eyes had shut. Road looked over the woman, she took a second to ponder her thoughts. With a smile on her face she pushed Miranda to the ground.

"Now Bookman, let's play a game."

Lavi didn't like the idea, but he needed to get Miranda away from Road. "Alright, what kind of game did you have in mind?"

"Mistress Road, we don't have time for games-Lero." The umbrella demanded, but Road just waved him off. "We have to find Lulu Bell-Lero."

"Hide and seek!" She said excitedly.

Road shrugged, "So, lets get started."

"Seriously?" Lavi asked, once again confused by the Noah's childish outburst.

"Absolutely. Here's how it's going to work, you play my game and I may give the woman back." She explained, "you have to find Lero" she said pointing at the pumpkin topped umbrella.

"What?-Lero" the umbrella shrieked.

"Alright." Lavi shrugged.

"But everytime you make a mistake, I will make it hurt."

Lavi gulped.

Using her abilities, Road trapped Lero in a pink dice with purple dots. She continued making dice, and scrambled all the dice across the ground. "You have three rounds this is round one, pick a dice."

Lavi pulled out his hammer, "I can't believe I'm doing this." He muttered. Willing the hammer to grow, Lavi attacks the first dice. Upon contact with the hamer, the dice explodes releasing a level-two akuma. Lavi's face fell, "Shit."

Large vines wrapped around Lavi's legs, picking him and tossing to ground. "Exorcist, hehe." The level-two laughed, "it's dangerous game you've to play, hehe."

She hid akuma in the dice? I better get this over with fast. Lavi thought to himself, as picked himself off the ground.

"Not so fast Exorcist," the Akuma's vines that were still wrapped around Lavi's legs tightened, jerking him upwards then bringing him back down.

"Fire seal!" Lavi brought his hammer down as he was just about hit the ground.

"Wha-" the level two screamed, as it went up in flames.

"Well done Bookman, but you still have to find Lero." Road told.

"Probably should've picked a tougher Akuma," Lavi told her as shaking around one of the dice, something was frantically trashing about on the inside. He tossed the dice over to Road with an arrogant smile, "found him."

Road released the dice-barrier to reveal Lero, "So you did," she stated a bit bored. "But now it's time for round two."

Deep inside the consciousness of her own mind, Miranda felt lost. For the moment it felt like a dream, she currently walked the streets of her home town of Baden. The feeling of dread washed over her, there wasn't a soul in sight. Her heart began to beat faster, but she couldn't understand why. Where is everyone? The town was much more living than this, she thought.

The streets were empty, and lifeless. This is the past, Baden is the past! She reminded herself, the Order is my future. Miranda walked further, she only stopped when she saw the puppet show. The little doll of Miranda danced, and fell down the same way it always did. Mimicking her, mocking her. She brought her hands to her face, to keep herself from crying. As tears treaten to fall. "Why? I just want to go home!"

"You are home." Said a familiar voice, she could feel the presence of something in front of her. Looking up from her hands she found herself standing in the center of her old apartment. She looked over to her clock. Her clock! The grandfather clock that had been destroyed to create anti-akuma weapon, was perfectly intact. Was it all a dream? She ran to the window, the people looked like they were going about there day as they always did. Miranda could see the reflection in the glass, she looked just like her old self. Her hair was done up in a bun, and there bags under eyes. The scars that she hid on her hands were even gone.

Miranda turned away from the window, and slumped to the ground. This time Miranda couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes, the aching pain in her heart wouldn't go away. Allen, and Lenalee, where are you? Was it all just a dream? Lavi, Kanda, Noise...

"A hallucination?" Miranda asked, sitting on a bed in the hospital.

"Yes, they were brought on by your coma." He told her.

"That can't be, I-I couldn't possibly dream up s-such things." Miranda protested. Her voice cracked as she spoke, making it harder for her to speak.

"The people of I dreamt of...surly thay couldn't have been hallucinations, right?"

"You have a very vivid imagination Ms. Lotto, maybe it's best you go home and rest for a while." He suggested. Miranda was saddened by this, but she nodded. Her friends, their adventures, it couldn't have been a dream.

As Miranda walked through the street, she recalled memories of her friends. Each of her friends had such a place in her heart, she couldn't have just imagined them. Especially when she was just getting to know some of them. Lost her in thought Miranda accidentally walked into a man, knocking her to the ground.

"I'm s-so sorry sir, I-" Miranda words were caught in her throat, her eyes filled tears. "Kanda!" She took one of his hands in her excitement. "Is Lavi here too?" She asked remembering their mission together.

Kanda looked at the crazy woman, "Get off me" he demanded. Pushing her off of him.

"Kanda, it's me." she cried.

"Go back home, Miranda, we don't need you." Miranda took a step back. "The Order has no use for someone as weak as you."

"Yu's right Miranda," another voice said. "We don't need a crybaby for exorcist, go home." Lavi said appearing from behind her.

"But the Order is m-my home." This can't be real, it can't be. "K-Kanda, Lavi, please. I can be useful."

Lavi smiled, "See just as I said, you cry to much." He laughed. It's just like before, Miranda thought.

"Let's get out of here, Lavi." Kanda walked away, with Lavi following behind. They're leaving.

"Bye, bye Miranda."

This isn't real, they wouldn't do this. They're my friends, right? Guys, please don't leave. I want to be useful, please don't leave behind. I want to be someone you can depend on, I can do it(maybe). I'm sick of crying, I'm sick of being useless, and I'm sick of having to rely on others when they can't rely on me.

What happened before this? The Noah, Road. "Let me out Road!"

"Miranda, Miranda!" The town's people stood on front, they held knives and brooms in their hands. The looks on their faces, they all looked like they wanted to kill her. A splash of cold hit Miranda, she touch her hand to her face. "We've had enough of you making our town look bad." Miranda ran off as the town's people began chase after her.

"Stop. STOP! Please." She told them, making her way to the entrance of the town.

It was winter in Germany, a thick blanket of snow covered the land. The air was cold, and dense. Miranda had found shelter amongst the trees, her dark clothes and pale skin made her blend in well. She felt like she had been walikng for hours, but she was restless.

Coming across a small pond, she knelt down. Taking a look at her reflection in the frozen water, what happening to me? Have I finally gone mad?

"What an ugly thing you are," that voice!

"Who's there?" Miranda looked around her, but there wasn't a soul in sight. Looking at back her reflection, her grew wide in shock.

"I can't believe I ever looked like you." Miranda's reflection wore her exorcist uniform. The reflection's arm reached out of the ice, grabbing Miranda's neck. Miranda tried to jerk the reflection's hand away, her hands are cold.

Miranda gasped.

Her reflection let her go, surprised that Miranda had actually tried fighting her off. "Well isn't this a shock? You actually think you can beat me?" The reflection laughed.

"Go away, go away, go away!" Miranda screamed, attacking the ice.

Please...stop...let me out...

The ice cracked, breaking off in chunks and sending Miranda into the icy waters.

"Hmm?" Road lifted from where she was sitting perched on top of Lero, glancing at the Time exorcist. "What a pain, I was too detracted that I had almost forgotten about the woman."

It took some time for her to focus her eyes, finally gaining conscious. "L-Lavi?"

The young bookman Jr had been battling with a level-three akuma, as he took part in Road's game.

"Lavi!" Miranda sat up, as Lavi suffered an attack to his left shoulder. Invoking Time Record, Miranda ran to Lavi's side activating time out, as the level-three attacked the barrier.

"Miranda," Lavi held his right hand over his injured shoulder, "are you alright?"

Miranda smiled at him, but looked at the Akuma. "I don't know how long the Time Out will last." She told him, "how are you holding up?"

"Ya know, just few scratches nothing to worry 'bout" he joked. "Hey."

Miranda looked back at him, Lavi's face was serious. "I'm going grab Toma, and bring him back here. Will you be okay?" His words were quite under the sound of the attacks of the level-three, but she could hear him. Miranda nodded. Lavi picked up his hammer, and prepared to make his next move.

Jumping out of the time barrier, Lavi attacked the level-three with his hammer. Sending it flying, Lavi quickly ran near the entrance on the otherside where Toma was crouched down sobbing. Lavi's eye narrowed, the illusions caused by the innocence must have gotten to him.

He threw Toma over his left shoulder, causing Lavi to wince in pain.

Road appeared wagging her finger "Shouldn't have left her unguarded." She taunted.

Lavi glanced at the Noah, then on Miranda; who's barrier was being attack by the level-three again. Rushing over to aid her, Lavi made sure to keep the finder on his shoulder. He needed to keep them safe, a little pain won't kill him.

As he made his way to the akuma, Lavi invoked his hammer to grow, slamming it down on the level-three and sending to he ground.

"Alright!" Lavi exclaimed, when his feet hit the ground landing in front of the barrier. He smiled.

"What's that sound?" Miranda asked, as the ground began to shake.

"Huh?" Lavi looked at the cracks in the floor of the cave, his left eye going wide in shock.

"SHIT!"

Sorry for making you wait so long, please let me know what you think.

I actually started writing this after I had already written some of the next chapter, weird right? The other one might be uploaded sometime later this week or the next.

I can't thank you enough for the reviews, they help motivate me to continue writing this fic. Thank you so much!