They trekked Manchester for almost an entire day and still they were nowhere close to knowing where Mei may have possibly been taken to. Lavi kicked a ball of ash that had rolled by his foot. He squatted down to examine the remains before shaking his head. Allen looked around, the entire house was burnt to nothing. When they inquired what had happened in town, it seemed the townsfolk weren't very keen on speaking with them. Instead they would mutter under their breath and shoo them along. Those who were willing to speak only mentioned that the family's daughter had finally done it. Offed the entire family along with the Vatican's soldiers. It was amazing what ignorance and rumors could do to someone's reputation. Sarah had become a monster in the eyes of these people, the same people that she had grown up around. The people that she had sacrificed her life protecting.

"How are we going to find her, Allen? I have no idea where to start," Lavi sighed heavily placing his hands in his jacket pocket, "The more time I waste the less time she has of surviving,"

"Don't worry, Lavi, we're going to find her," Allen replied turning over some burnt timbers.

"Looking for someone?" a voice called surreptitiously ringing all around them. The two whirled around trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. Lavi gnashed his teeth together, his fists curling into balls. He recognized that voice from anywhere. It was his literal worst nightmare.

"Show yourself you little coward!" Lavi shouted into the air. There was a giggle before a girl with spiky hair began to appear piece by body piece in the air sitting on her umbrella with her legs crossed.

Road could see the anger boiling in his glimmering emerald eye, she shook her head, "You exorcists and your language!" she scolded with a sardonic grin, "I knew you would come looking for her,"

"What have you done with her?" Lavi yelled blood rushing to his face in anger. He just wanted to rip her to pieces.

She smiled with her eyes glowing maliciously, she disappeared and reappeared next to Lavi, she pulled him close, "I'm going to make all your nightmares come true for breaking my heart last time, Lavi," she whispered into his ear unnoticed to the boy she had slipped her hand into his pocket holder where he held his Innocence weapon.

Lavi faltered but managed to push her away, "Still holding a grudge I see," Lavi spat back.

Road sneered and snapped her fingers and from the gray ashes a figure appeared. Lavi and Allen squinted as the dust rose and Lavi felt his heart palpitate faster. In the hollows of the burnt down house Mei stepped from the haze. She was dressed in a tight black dress that fell to her thighs; a corset was laced up her torso finished in a neat little bow right below her chest. Laced stockings and gloves covered her legs and hands as she took a few more steps forward. With each step she took, the ground below her lit up in flames leaving a trail of fiery footprints. But the most frightening thing was the look in her eyes. They were dead and hollow like an empty shell. Her skin had also turned an ashy gray almost resembling that of a Noah.

"Mei," Allen muttered. Allen clutched his hands, his left arm was tingling it was reacting to the girl. A sense of dread washed over Allen as memories of Suman Dark flooded before him. No, he couldn't let that happen to her. Not to Mei. In a terrifying realization, the boys understood what Road was doing. She was going to pit Mei against them. With Road's powers masking Mei's own presence Allen's Innocence wouldn't recognize Mei as an exorcist. Road was doing the exact same thing she did with him at the ark. Road was going to make Mei fight to the death with them.

Lavi turned to Road begging, "Please, Road, if I' m the one you want take me in her stead. Don't make her do this!" That sounded like a great idea. Road reached forward and boxed Lavi in a glass box. Lavi lurched into the air as Allen tried to grab a hold of the Bookman but was too late.

Lavi struggled against the glass wall, but the more he fought the more he realized that Road wasn't going to let him interfere. He reached towards his pocket for his hammer only to find it empty. He flung his head up and Road grinned waving his weapon in his face like a toy. Lavi's face was frantic. Road relished Lavi's pleading expression, and loved it. She wanted to make them all pay. It was payback for everything the exorcists have ever done to the Noah family. Allen's body tensed when Road snapped her fingers again. Time seemed to slow to a halt as Allen heard Lavi's voice echoing loudly against the trees. There was panic in his eyes, desperation as he watched the people he cherished fight for his sake. His voice fell to deaf ears as Mei flew forward, a sword materializing in her hand. Allen didn't anticipate the force of her hit as he slid a few feet back. Their faces were merely inches apart with their weapons locked in combat.

"Mei, please stop!" Allen said through gritted teeth. He pushed her off sending the two flying in opposite directions. Mei flipped and landed on her feet as Allen skidded to a halt his Crown Clown bellowed behind him. Allen realized that Mei hadn't activated her Innocence yet and mulled it over that perhaps Road didn't have the ability to control that aspect of Mei since Innocence was Noah's weakness.

Road was giggling to herself at the beauty unfolding before her as she sat down on a pile of broken wood, "Are you enjoying this as much as I am?" she peered over with a glint in her eyes, "I hope you're happy, I did this all for you,"

"I hope you rot in hell, Road," Lavi spat at her never taking his eyes off his team.

Road grinned, "Hell has a special place for people like us," her words were no less sugarcoated and it was true, even if the Black Order worked for the Vatican Church— exorcists were no angels. The battled raged on when Road sat back, "You want to know a secret?" Lavi returned her question with a glare, "Her biggest fear is being left alone," she answered tipping her head to watch the squirming Lavi kick and thrash at her, "What do you think she's thinking about as she watches herself kill her own friends?" Lavi bit his lower lip and turned his head watching helplessly, Mei was trapped within her own body not only aiming to kill her friend but fighting her own dark demons as well. How long before she broke completely?

The fight was getting ridiculous, Allen was too fearful of fully striking at Mei at the off chance that he might actually hurt her. Allen fended off another flurry of strikes from Mei as she gave him a swift kick to the face and knocked him off balance.

"Mei! Stop! I know you're in there somewhere!" Allen called out to her blood dripping from his temple. He took off the Clown Crown mask and gazed at her willfully hoping he could hear his voice, "Please! We're here to bring you home, Mei!" he pleaded.

The girl stopped and cocked her head, "Home..?" her lips managed to make out the letters.

Allen bit his lower lip, feeling hopeful that he might actually reach her, "Yes, home," he smiled "Where your family is waiting for you. Lenalee, Komui, me, and even that idiotic Lavi that you despise so much," there was a whiny 'hey' from the red head.

Mei gripped the sword tighter as the words incepted themselves into her mind like a festering idea, "Home," she said again looking at Allen then at Lavi. Something was stirring inside of her. In the pitch dark hole of her heart where Road had locked her in Mei stirred at the familiar word.

Allen took a step forward and the girl bared her teeth in a growl raising her weapon, "I'm not here to hurt you," he said gently deactivating Crown Clown and reverting back to his normal state only he was decorated in blood now.

Road frowned, she could feel the grasp she had on the girl loosening, Road grasped on tighter, "Kill him," she ordered.

The girl's arm twitched and Allen stopped, "You don't have to do this," Mei's brows furrowed together and her lips turned upside down. She brought the sword up and Allen squinted his eyes, he needed someone to get inside her mind and there was only one person he knew that might stand a chance.

Allen took the last second as Mei swung and brought her weapon down. Allen activated Crown Clown and made contact with the sword, "Get down, Lavi!" and batted it to the left with as much force as he could muster. The sword flew from Mei's hand straight towards the glass box. Road only had seconds before her box shattered into thousands of glittering pieces, leaping and landing haphazardly on the dirt ground. The Noah gritted her teeth and materialized dozens of her candles and flung it at Lavi whom had landed safely in some bushes.

Allen made a clean slice through all of them and covered the Bookman with a grin, "You're my opponent now, Road,"

The small girl smiled, "I have no interest in killing you, my sweet Allen," which was true to some extent as she knew as the Noah of Dreams that Allen played a bigger role in their destinies than anyone can even begin to fathom.

Allen shrugged, "I guess you'll just have to play with me for the time being," from his peripheral Allen watched as Lavi picked up his fallen weapon and run towards the swordless girl. He pocketed and ran until it felt like his lungs were going to give out. He didn't think twice and charged forward at Mei. The girl stood her ground and raised her fists, her soulless eyes narrowing.

Once Lavi was in close proximity she raised her leg in a swift kick to the side of his head, Lavi blocked with his arms up and gritted his teeth. She used her other leg and propelled herself away from him with the help of his body forcing him to the ground. Lavi wiped away the blood from his abrasion on his lip and looked up at the girl, he felt his heart ache. He was going to bring her home no matter what it took. His previous wounds were hurting from the kick he sustained just now and knew that he was most likely bleeding already. He didn't have much time before they opened up again, the head nurse was going to kill him if Mei doesn't first.

Fighting her was useless, it wasn't getting him any closer to her. Then remembered what Road had said before: Her biggest fear was being alone. Then it clicked, that's what Road was using against her. Somewhere in her mind Road had shut Mei away by herself in the dark, all alone. Made her believe that there was no one else that cared about her. It wouldn't be that hard to manipulate her into thinking that especially since she had just transferred. She's alone in a new country with complete strangers.

He knew Road played that kind of sick games with her victims.

But Road was wrong and he was going to show Mei that she wasn't alone. He was going to find her and bring her home even if it meant opening Pandora's Box.

She flew at him and he breathed, he wasn't going to fight her anymore.

They crashed through trees and bramble as they landed in a heap in the forest nearby, the dust cleared and she was on top of him with her hands on his neck. His headband had fallen away, his hair a mess of red, blood dripping from scratches and bruises had started to form. A large puddle of red had started forming on his torso as he winced, his breath labored. The quietness of the trees surrounded them as Lavi furrowed his brows together and reached up to her. His fingers touched her cheek and she flinched.

He smiled weakly, "I know you're in there somewhere fighting. You're not alone anymore, Mei. You have people who care about you," he hesitated looking away before speaking again, "And love you,"

He remembered the first day he saw her in the hall way, lost. How she had captivated his attention. Her brilliant eyes glittered gold in the sun that had entranced him from the start and he knew he wanted her. Somehow she had seeped into his life and before he knew it she had become... Important.

"I can't lose you," he whispered, "Come back to me,"

Her eyes widened at his words. A light flickered at the back of Mei's consciousness. Images of Renee, her friends at the North American branch before she had transferred, Lenalee, Allen, Lavi, Krory, Miranda, and even Kanda flooded her memories. We're family now, your nakama. Come back to me.

Her face twisted in anguish as tears fell from her eyes, her hands tightened on Lavi's neck and he grimaced in pain, "You're lying," her voice masked by one that was not her own, "No one would love a broken soul like me,"

His air was being cut off, but he needed to reach her, "N... No," he coughed out, "Road was wrong...g. I do," Mei's breath shortened, her eyes wide in shock with tears still falling from them. Her hands loosened their grip as she sat back at his confession. They stared at each other, a woeful expression on his face and hers full of resentment that transitioned into confusion. The cage that she was locked in began to shake and disintegrate but Road still had her grasp on her mind as the Noah appeared.

Lavi watched as Mei clutched her head in agony falling back, he scrambled up and held her in his arms. Her screams echoing beyond the trees as she squirmed, "Even if no one else in the world does, I love you so fight it, Mei, and come home," he clutched her thrashing body closer to him.

Road watched the girl in her golden cage, curled in the fetal position and quivering, the Noah sighed, "I might as well kill you now, save you some misery," she twirled her hand and summoned her candles.

There was ringing in her ears and Mei shut her eyes to the consuming darkness when a murmur found its way to her. Come back to me. Her eyes fluttered open briefly, "Lavi?" she muttered.

Road growled, "I told you to punish him, yet it seems like he's found a way into your head. I should've killed him when I had the chance," she gleaned closer and stroked Mei on the head, "Don't worry though, I'll make sure he dies a painful death,"

I love you. The words seeped into her mind as it reverberated in the dark. A spark of hope flickered on and Mei glanced up. A boy with fiery red hair stood before her with a grin, his hand reached out towards her. She hesitated, but he gently took a hold of her hand and squeezed.

It took every fiber of her being and willpower to crash through the surface as she latched onto Road's wrist. The Noah glared at her as their gaze clashed, "Leave him... Alone," Mei said through gnashed teeth. The cage fell away and it was just the two girls facing each other in the dark. Please, Innocence, lend me your power. Road narrowed her eyes, she could see a surge of power bubbling at the base of the girl's abdomen. Soon the exorcist was wrapped in a soft warm glow and her grasp on the Noah's wrist had begun to burn and blister.

Road merely grinned, this was getting interesting. The girl's power was incredible, but unstable. The Order must have been desperate. Flames licked from the tips of Mei's fingers that had begun to engulf the Noah's arm, Road used her free arm to strike but Mei caught a hold that soon the two were grappling for advantage. The Noah had begun to notice the exorcist's flames turning into an ebony color that gave her a disconcerting feeling.

"Still having fun?" the exorcist hollered as a staggering force of power erupted from her. Mei's eyes had turned into a swirling tundra black abyss, her dark hair whipping frenetically like arms. Dark wings of fire resembling a large bird sprouted from her back encompassing around her like a shield. Road doubled over coughing from the sudden blast. It was powerful enough to throw her across the space they inhabited. In a split second their roles were reversed. Road realized the girl was losing control of her power. Perfect. She'll make sure the girl destroys the other two. Two birds, one stone.

Road could only laugh, "You're willing to die for a God that you hate so much. The same God that has forced you to fight for these feeble, war- driven humans?" blood spouted from her lips, her body slowly dissipating, "I hope you find peace in that," she muttered in finality with a smirk. Road relinquished her control over the empty world and seeped into the endless pit of darkness.

Mei staggered forward clutching her stomach, the searing pain etching itself deep in her body. Her fire wasn't going out even though she was trying to will it to. A burning sensation was rumbling in her abdomen when it exploded and she let out a scream. Every single pore on her body felt like it was scorching. Fire was bellowing from her body and she was losing control.

x x x x

She was fighting against him so hard, but Lavi refused to let go. Spittle flew from her lips and she looked like a raving lunatic, shadows had darkened her entire eyes and tendrils of smoke had begun to emerge from her skin. Something was wrong. He shook her shoulder trying to wake her from her mental slumber, but to no avail. She clawed at him leaving thin trails of welted skin and blood. The ground beneath them shook when Allen came crashing through the trees looking for them.

"Lavi! Are you all right? Road ran off," Allen looked at the girl in his arms then at Lavi, the ground rumbled again, "We should get going," The forest around them had grown awfully quiet as Lavi glanced around them. Goosebumps ran down his arms and he shuddered, it was too eerily silent. Lavi and Allen witnessed objects lose their gravity and the very molecule of air around them stand still. Allen had a very bad feeling about this. Mei suddenly stopped thrashing and laid still, her eyes staring emptily at at the darkening skies above her.

"Mei…?" he murmured parting her hair from her sweaty face. As suddenly as it came, a surge of power exploded from her body sending the entire forest bellowing back from the sheer force of it. It threw Allen off his feet and into a tree landing in a rubble of broken branches. Waves after waves, heat began to generate all around them like rings of fire, unrelenting and out of control. Allen stumbled to his feet with the help of his weapon, thank god Crown Clown had reacted fast enough to cover him. His breath stopped in his throat. What he saw before him almost felt like hell had risen.

Fire had erupted everywhere, trees were riddled with it burning everything without prejudice. Allen looked around, Lavi and Mei were nowhere in sight, "LAVI!" the boy shouted, but only the crackling of fire and smoke replied.

Lavi groaned and opened his eyes, blinking to adjust to the brightness around him. He flexed his hands and glanced around. He froze in fear, he was inside a ball of fire. His immediate reaction was to touch his skin to make sure he wasn't on fire only to realize that he wasn't burning. There was no pain, only warmth. He stared below him and realized they were miles away from the ground. A small cough caught his attention when his head darted up at the sound.

A small voice groaned from Mei's body hovering in the center, he saw her hand reach out unsteadily, her hair all over her sweat stained face, her eyes shut in pain, "Lavi?" her voice was so feeble that if he hadn't strained to hear her he would've lost her to the sound of the fire roaring around them.

"I'm right here!" he called out trying to make his way to her. He felt his heart tighten with such grief he felt like his heart would burst. He reached out to her, they were so close. In one final leap he made a grab for her hand and pulled her in tight.

"Lavi," she struggled again, "It hurts…" her voice choked into a sob and she tried holding on. The fire around them grew, the fire was reacting to her emotions.

Lavi took her hands in his and smiled, "I know. It's almost over and we can go home. I need you to take control of your power. I know you can do it, I believe in you and so does everyone else. This is your Innocence, it chose you for a reason. You're the one that told me that,"

Mei shook her head, "I'm so tired," tears flooded past her golden orbs and the fire teetered and roared louder outside. He stroked her face and gave her a grin. Mei's eyes fluttered closed feeling the warm sensation of his hand on her cheeks.

"You're much stronger than you think and the most resilient girl I've ever met," his voice was soothing and gentle whispering softly into her ears. She could feel his breath tickle her neck and the smell of books, shampoo and slightly of soot wrap around her calming her frizzled nerves. If only they could stay like this forever. Mei staggered out a sigh leaning heavily against Lavi's chest, taking him in. Her eyelids felt as heavy as anvils forcing themselves closed.

"You said you'd love me... You better not be lying," she replied gingerly before drifting off into a deep slumber.

He chuckled with a sigh, "Never, I promise," The fire around them began to simmer and disappear as if the air was taken out of them. They descended and Lavi's boots touched the dusty ground then skidded from the sudden gravity. Allen ran up to them, his face dirty and smeared with blood.

The white haired boy gave Lavi a wry smile, "We did it Lavi,"

The young Bookman brought the sleeping girl in his arms closer, "Yeah, let's go home,"