It's hard to say how sorry I am for not updating in over 2 months, but it has been extremely busy for me. The last few weeks of school I was struggling in math . and I've also done some traveling which had been fun. I just got home a few days ago and I'm still getting adjusted to my normal time. I got to travel to 5 countries in the British Isles which was amazing. I've decided to get back to writing. I can't just leave the story here. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Lavi opened the door to Lenalee and Kanda. Allen was taking a nap in his room. Lavi told Lenalee she could go up there and wake him up while he brought out some snacks.

"Such a good hostess" Lenalee teased.

"Hey, I'm not letting anyone starve to death in my house."

"Whatever you say."

Lenalee went ahead upstairs. Lavi trusted her enough to go up there. It's not like he had anything secret up there… except for maybe- No. He had hidden it well. After bringing some chips and drinks into the living room he sat down on the couch and leaned back.

"We need to talk."

Lavi looked over at Kanda. He was even more serious than usual. Something was wrong. Why couldn't things just be normal for a while? It was useless to wonder why. Being around Bookman all the time made it difficult to be normal. With Allen around, it was just that much harder.

"What happened?"

"It's Tyki. He knows Allen is staying here. I swear no one said anything. There's a chance he could be behind it."

"Wait… hold on, Kanda. I know Tyki is annoying and I hate him just as much as the next guy but I don't think he'd kill an old lady."

"Then how does he know? How does he know Allen isn't in his house right now?"

"Maybe it was on the news? I don't know…"

"It seems the best case scenario would be that he's stalking Allen."

"How the hell is that the best case scenario?"

"You'd rather have him kill an old lady and try to go after Allen next?"

Lavi slammed his fist down on the table. Frustrating… This whole ordeal was frustrating. He just wanted Allen to be safe. A few minutes had passed by in silence. Lenalee hadn't come down in a while. He looked up at Kanda and they exchanged knowing looks.

"I'll go check on them. You stay here and calm down."

"No. I'll go. If there's something wrong with Allen I can calm him down. I'm alright."

"Whatever."

Lavi nodded his head at Kanda. Kanda subtly put his hand over his sword. Lavi grabbed the nearest thing to him which happened to be a hammer. He slowly walked up the stairs. He waited at the top listening for any sound. Luckily, he could hear Lenalee and Allen talking. He gave a signal to Kanda who was downstairs. It's okay.

"Lenalee?" Lavi called out.

"Come in, Lavi. Sorry for the wait."

Lavi put the hammer in a nearby closet and walked in. Allen was still on the bed. He looked a bit shaken. Lenalee was seated next to him.

"Allen, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah…"

Allen shivered. He had another night mare. He wasn't sure what was going on inside of him, inside his mind.

"Are you sure? You know, you can tell me anything."

Lenalee got up from the bed. She told Lavi she didn't want to leave Kanda alone worrying about them. Lavi sat down next to Allen.

"Sometimes… I feel like I don't belong to myself."

"It's okay, Allen" Lavi wrapped his arms around the distressed boy.

They went downstairs.

Moments earlier…

Allen struggled for breath in his state of unconsciousness. He was drowning. The clock was ticking.

Hickory, dickory, dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
The mouse ran down,
Hickory, dickory, dock.

"Allen."

"…"

"Wake up."

"Who's Allen?"

"Never mind that... All- er, I mean, Red. Do you want out of here?"

"That's a stupid question. Who are you?"

"I'll take that as a yes. I'm Road and I can get you out of here."

"I'm listening."

"The door is open. You see, Allen, you're a smart boy and you have purpose. In that purpose lies horrors unimaginable to you."

"I've been through enough horrors as it is, Road."

"I know, but that's only the first part."

"Then what do I do? I never wanted any of this." There were tears in the boy's eyes.

"Leave through that door. Go away. As far as you can and never look back. You're better off on the streets than you are here, trust me."

"…why are you helping me?"

"Because… I love you."

Tick Tock.

So the boy ran and he ran in the dark of the night. The girl prayed that he would be freed from the fate that awaited him. She used some of the power inside her to strip the boy of his memories. With each step, the boy's memories faded away until he no longer knew why he was running. He collapsed in the middle of the sidewalk, out of breath. He looked up to see a sign and headed towards the circus that is promoted. Little did he know, he had just been set back on the path that was pre-made for him.

"Help! I need help!"

"What's wrong?"

"I'm lost…"

The ringmaster looked at the poor boy. It wasn't uncommon for people with nowhere to go to come to the circus for work, but it was rarely a child.

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any."

"Hmm… Do you have any guardian?"

"No, sir."

"Do you know where you came from."

"I… I can't remember anything."

"I see… Mana!"

"Yes?"

"Take this boy to your tent. I'm leaving you in charge of him. We'll see what work we can have him do around the circus later."

Lenalee was there when he woke up. She looked concerned. Allen was confused. He couldn't get the name Mana out of his head; whenever he thought about it, something in his heart hurt.

"Allen, are you alright?"

"…"

Allen couldn't answer for a moment. He couldn't stop thinking about the girl who set him free and the man at the circus. Slowly his dream started to disappear and Allen was panicking. He was drowning again.

"Allen! It's okay. I'm here; I'm your friend. Lavi and Kanda are waiting downstairs. It's okay, just breathe."

Lenalee sat next to Allen and comforted him for a while.

When Lavi and Allen went downstairs, Lenalee was pacing around the living room.

"Lavi, I think we have to deal with Tyki."

"Lenalee, we don't even know if he's done anything yet."

"What about Tyki?" Allen asked innocently.

"We think he's either stalking you or trying to kill you, maybe both."

"No need to be so blunt about it, Kanda!" Lenalee glared at Kanda.

"Well he asked. He doesn't need anything to be sugarcoated for him."

"Kanda's right… If you have to tell me anything, just say it. I'm not some kid you have to protect."

"See? He agrees."

"I think for right now we should just take it slowly… Allen, do you want to go to school tomorrow?"

"Okay."

"Just like that? You're not even going to think about it?" Lavi really didn't want Allen near Tyki.

"What's there to think about? I don't have any classes alone with him and even if I did, I can handle myself."

"But you have classes alone with Road and she's close to him." Lenalee said.

"True… I don't think she'd hurt me though." Allen remembered the girl in his dream.

"Then it's settled." Kanda stood up. "We're not running away."

It was getting late and Lenalee had to get home. Kanda dropped Lenalee off at her house. Lavi decided to watch a movie with Allen for the rest of the afternoon; Allen didn't seem the least bit worried about tomorrow. I just want you to be safe… Lavi hugged Allen closer. I just want...

The clock struck one.

Tune in next time for a confrontation between Allen and Tyki and maybe some more of Allen's memories.

And that is that. I hope that you have enjoyed it and if something is confusing please feel free to review or pm me. I want to make this story as fun to read as it is for me to write. :3