Hey there. I'll make this sweet and simple. Here's the new chapter, blah, blah, blah. Not much left in the story, so the rest is basicly cramed into this chapter and the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it though. Yeah...that's all I've got to say.

Thanks for the new reveiws (you know who you are.)

I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way.

~Sucker Punch~

Chapter 11: Proof of Life

"Leo!" Elliot cried as he flung open he door to their shared room. It was somewhat dark inside, but Elliot quickly located his servant, still in bed and laying on his side, just like Elliot had left him. Making his way over to the noirette's bedside, then setting the antidote on the nightstand, he looked down at the pale faced boy who lay before him.

His face was now a deathly white, a cold sweat covering his entire face as Elliot put a hand to the other's head, pulling it back after a moment because of how hot the servant's skin felt. He didn't look all that comfortable ether, seeing as how the sheets were laying limply over him. As for anything else, his long hair was disheveled and his breathing was so slow and shallow that it was almost unnoticeable, save for the coughs that escaped him from time to time. The noirette was asleep, but for all Elliot knew, his sleep could be only masking his pain.

'Dammit, he looks like death!' Elliot remarked quietly.

"Leo, wake up." He sat down beside Leo on the bed and gently picked up other into his arms, and, unbeknownst to him, Leo's eyes opened slowly beneath the long bangs that hung in front of them.

Leo stirred and suddenly knew there was someone else here, in someone's arms. Looking up he saw that it was Elliot.

"Elliot?" His voice was scratchy as he looked up at his master, hoping he wasn't dreaming and that his master was actually here in front of him. Elliot leaned in a little bit more, observing the other, concern written across his fine features.

Yes! Elliot was here; he came back!

Not wasting a minute more, he mustered all his current strength, and, in an instant, wrapped his arms around Elliot.

"Elliot!" The noirette exclaimed, burring his head into the other's shoulder and keeping a tight hold on him, even though his arms threatened to let go. He usually never got this emotional about anything, but this time was different

"Calm down, you're making a big deal about nothing, but…" Elliot returned the servant's embrace, gently hugging him back. "It's good to see you too."

'Elliot. Thank God you've come back!' Relief and joy were now washing over Leo, because deep down, he knew things would be alright now. Elliot was back and he had most likely brought along the antidote that would cure his poisoning.

"While I was away, I did happen to find some medicine that could help you." So he had brought it after all. "Speaking of which, how are you doing?"

That question suddenly reminded him of something; he remembered now, that letter he had found, and the truth it held.

"Elliot," Leo let go off his master and pulled away from him, sliding back from Elliot's arms and to the bed. "How can you ask that?"

Elliot looked at Leo with confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Leo remembered once more, and the pent up anger was now begging to be released, the memory of that moment fueling it. "I mean how *cough* can you ask me that?"

Next thing Elliot knew, a pillow slammed into his face, a few feathers sputtering from it as it made him stumble backwards a few steps. Even though it was soft, at the speed it hit his face from being thrown, it did hurt. Elliot knew it had to be Leo. As it fell to the floor, Elliot only stared at the noirette, who was now sitting up in bed. Elliot was now irritated himself for his servant throwing a pillow at him.

"What the hell, Leo?" He demanded. The servant coughed violently once more, but was able to answer.

"You know very well how I am!" Elliot stiffened, because he knew that if Leo was this mad, then it really meant he was furious about something, and by that, he knew it meant dangerously furious to the point of being harmed (the pillow thrown at him, for example).

"Leo, I don't know what you're talking about!" He could practically feel those hidden purple gems that were the noirette's eyes glaring at him with an intense gaze.

"I don't know why you never told me! Why keep something like that *cough* from me?"

In that instant, Elliot knew; he knew Leo had found out that he had been poisoned. "You…know?"

"Don't act like you don't know. How long did you *cough* think it would be before I found out?" Judging by the edge in servant's tone, Elliot was certain that this had made Leo quite upset, but how long had he known? When had he found out and how?

"Leo, I had reasons at the time, and I just…" His words trialed off, trying to think of what to say next.

"You had reasons, you say?" He paused, a hand cupped around his mouth as he coughed again. Leo wasn't letting up on the current topic in the slightest. "You don't even *cough* know that I went into a full blown panic attack when I found the truth, all because of *cough* you! "

"Again?" Elliot was trying to distract Leo now, but he knew it wouldn't work, his voice now mirroring it. "Forget that, you idiot! Look, I didn't do this because I was being selfish or anything like that!"

"Elliot, do you have any idea how terrified I was? You left me to die here alone!"

"Shut up! I didn't leave you because of that!" He needed to explain himself, but it was a bit hard to do at the moment. Still, it needed to be done. "I don't give a damn what reasons you come up with, I left to find the antidote and save your life! I wasn't about to let you die!"

"Then why keep it from me?" The noirette's voice was stating to calm down, but it was still tense.

"Because I was worried you'd get all depressed on me and just spend your days doing nothing. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't find any time to do so. Then again, I was unsure of how you'd react. But, Leo, I didn't leave you to die, at least know that much."

Silence enveloped the space between them, the only sound being heard was the quiet rasps of the noirette's breathing. Maybe he was still mad at Elliot, but he couldn't really tell since the expressions of the servant were always hidden.

'Say something already.' Elliot knew Leo was angry with him, but could the other see that he was trying to apologize? He had only left in order to save Leo, couldn't he see that?

More silence, at least until Leo fell back in bed, his hands on his face. This caught Elliot's attention and he quickly moved back to the servant.

"Leo, are you alright?" He anxiously asked, wanting to hear the other's voice.

"I…I don't…" He paused, hands still pressed against his eyes. "I'm worn out after yelling like that."

"It's okay, even though you yelled at me."

Leo shook his head. "No, I shouldn't have, although I am still a bit angry with you. You were *cough* only giving your best."

"That's right. Everything I did while I was gone, even making those decisions before-hand, I was only doing it for you." Elliot removed the noirette's hands from his face and spotted a single tear on his flushed cheeks. "Hey…are you crying?"

"Ah, what do you know?" He said softly, lightly touching his cheek, as if he hadn't noticed. When you really thought about it, to see Leo actually cry was rare.

Leo smiled in spite of himself, letting out a quiet chuckle at realizing it was okay to cry in this situation; It was perfectly alright. He wanted to let more tears flow, only so he could confirm with himself that things were okay. There wasn't any time for that though, a sudden pain erupting in his abdomen, making the noirette wrap his thin arms around himself.

"Not again." It was all Leo could manage to whisper.

"What's wrong?" Elliot asked him.

It surprised Elliot that the other laughed at this. "Oh, my belly just hurts a bit is all."

"You sound childish." He scoffed, slightly amused. "Your fever must really be getting to you."

"Wouldn't you rather say *cough* it was the poison making me this way?"

"Ah, that's right!" Elliot remembered now, and he couldn't believe he forgot, even when it had been right next to him on the nightstand the whole time! "I found what I was looking for."

"You…did?" The voice of the other rasped.

"Yeah," Elliot answered, reaching over for the antidote that sat on the nightstand. "You should drink this, it will make you feel better."

Leo looked at the bottle as Elliot opened the top of it, gazing at the liquid inside. "Are you *cough* sure that's it?"

"Yes, I'm certain. Now just shut up and drink it already." He held it out to Leo, but he didn't move. "Can you sit up?"

"I'm not sure." The servant replied. "After that little argument, I *cough* feel exhausted."

Elliot sighed, knowing he'd have to do it himself. "Fine, I'll help you then."

Carefully using one hand to tilt Leo's head up, he used his other hand to put the bottle that held the antidote to the other's lips. The liquid flowed from the bottle and Leo felt a sudden coolness wash over him as it entered his mouth and slid down his dry throat. The liquid itself was bitter, but he could put up with it. There was something strange about it besides the bitter taste; it was as if something cold was rushing through him, cooling every part of his body, almost making him numb with this sensation. It felt good.

When Elliot had decided that Leo had drank enough, he took the bottle from the other's lips and once he set the noirette's head back down on the pillow, where it had been resting before, he sealed the bottle once again, putting it back on the nightstand. After doing so, he turned back to Leo, who just lay there, slowly breathing.

"Well," He asked impatiently. "Is it working?"

"I can't *cough* really tell." Leo replied.

"You're supposed to know, stupid!" Elliot retorted.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Leo indeed did feel something different. "Hmm. Actually, there had been previously some kind of pain in my chest. I mean, I can still feel it, but, for the first time, it's rather numb now, not like it had been before."

"Anything else?" He asked, finally getting somewhere. "I mean, how are we to know for certain?"

Both of them then took to trying to think of some way to confirm it. Leo was the first one to come up with an answer for that.

"Elliot, go get a bar of soap from the bathroom." He said to Elliot.

"Huh? How will that help?" The other replied, wondering about this strange request.

"Just *cough* do it."

Elliot really didn't understand why Leo wanted a bar of soap, it wouldn't help but it seemed to be something only he quietly knew.

After a moment, Elliot returned with the item in question. He handed Leo the soap, who, in turn, then sniffed it, smiling as he did so.

"And, um, what will this tell us?" He asked, still wondering about the point behind this.

The noirette smiled, looking up at Elliot. "I can smell it. It smells like lilacs."

"So? What is the importance of that?"

"Don't you get it?" Leo handed the soap back to the other as he said this. "The other day, before you came back, I couldn't smell the tea I *cough* had been brought, meaning my senses were starting to deteriorate because of the poison. Now, seeing as how I can actually smell that soap, I know for certain that *cough* the antidote is taking effect."

"You sure?" Elliot asked, wanting to be certain of what Leo had said.

"Yes, Elliot. I'm sure of it. I'm even feeling the tiniest bit better right now."

"That's good."

Finally, everything was over. The antidote was healing Leo, and, just by Elliot's assumption, he would be well again in a week or so. Although, in reality, his recovery might take a bit longer, but that was okay, as long as the poison would no longer affect him.

"Hey, Elliot," Leo's voice quietly asked as Elliot set the soap off to the side. "Where's *cough* Ash-kun? I thought she'd be with you."

Elliot fell silent, remembering that she, that Ash had…

Leo noticed his master's silence. "Elliot, what's wrong?"

"Ash, she…" He paused, turning his eyes downcast. "She's dead."

More silence, but, of course, Leo still managed to remain calm. "Oh, that's…a shame."

"Yeah, but, she's different from the person we knew."

This caught Leo by surprise. "Different *cough* how?"

He was silent again, but decided to answer anyway. "As it would seem, Ash was actually an illegal contractor. Her eldest brother killed their father to take control of the family. He threw her out afterwards because of her position. That when she told me the Chain she was contracted to, Phoenix, appeared to her and offered her a chance to change the past, like all Chains do."

"Then, I take it her incuse completed it's revolution." Leo inquired.

Elliot nodded. "It did, but, it was strange in a way. When the chains that were about to drag her in released their hold on her, her body turned black and dissolved into ashes."

"I see." Leo readjusted in bed, sitting up a little bit more now. "Well, Ash-kun will be missed."

That much was true. Elliot didn't really know if she had been dragged into the Abyss, or if she had died before that moment, however, ether of the two meant death for her all the same. Ash had died all the same, and only Elliot and Leo knew of her secret.

'I wonder…if she really is in the Abyss now.' Elliot wondered, knowing it really wouldn't matter ether way.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he heard a nearly quiet noise followed by the sound of Leo laughing slightly.

An amused smile was on the servant's face as Elliot redirected his attention to him. "Ah, it would seem that I am *cough* a tad bit hungry and in need of some nourishment."

Elliot laughed at the noirette. "So, you've gotten your appetite back, eh?"

"Just get me something to eat already, please."

"Okay, but it'll have to be something light. You are just only starting to recover, so I'd imagine you can't eat much as of now, not that you do anyway."

"Ha-ha, very funny." Leo replied sarcastically. "I just need *cough* something to eat, it doesn't matter what."

"Fine." Elliot had given in at this point and started to walk towards the door. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Oh, Elliot." At the sound of his name being called, Elliot turned back around to face his servant.

"Yeah?"

"Please don't ever scare me like that again."

Those words were simple, and Elliot understood those words in an instant, meaning he was still upset about the whole 'not-telling-you-that-you-were-poisoned' thing.

"Leo, I'll say it again. I'm sorry, okay. I won't do that to you again, ever."

Leo still didn't seem convinced. "Promise me you'll never lie to me about something like that ever again."

Silence once more. This was the reasoning behind Leo's request. That truth had thoroughly shaken him, and, while he hadn't been able to be by the noirette's side to comfort him, Leo had been scared out of his mind. It only made sense that he would ask this of Elliot, and now he was looking for an answer. If his bedazzling violet eyes could been seen, Elliot was sure they'd be reflecting how much he wanted this answer, on the borderline of begging.

Elliot wouldn't be able to stand seeing Leo like that again.

"I…I promise, Leo."

Chapter 11 down, and sadly one more to go. I really did enjoy this one, it has the most reveiws out of any of my stories! Next chapter I kind of consider an epilouge, but, oh well. Until then, feel free to leave a reveiw.