So We Flow With The Wind

by RikaMae365

She was sheltered from his past, but she secretly longed to be by his side. With the well being of her father in mind, she leaves on a quest to find him. How will she react when she finds out her father's past, and discovers that he isn't the perfect man she always believed him to be? What dark secrets lay behind her father, The Black Order, the Noah, and most importantly.. Herself

14. Chapter 14

13,817 words! You just can't hate me, can you?

School is coming soon O.o I can hardly believe it! I'm going to have to write for English class instead of for fun.

I guess you can already tell that I enjoy this chapter (soo… many… words!) and I hope you enjoy it too! I might start crying if I think about how close we are getting to the end, so I'll just say happy readings and let you have your day!

A partially lit room consisting of a bed, some chairs, and screens hanging from the ceiling. There was a door to the bathroom and a door leading to the hallway. And she was on the bed, her face twisted in a pain that I knew I would never understand, so I would simply let her squeeze my hand.

The doctor was at the other end of the bed, calling to the nurses who were there for support. Our friends were on the other side of the bed, basically across from me. The people who cared for us the most were allowed into the room, and they would call their support and whisper comforting words that I knew would not ease such pain that she felt, but would put in her confidence so that she may pull through.

Her head lurched forward one last time before she rested her head on the pillow. The sound of a slap and the most beautiful sound we had ever heard filled the air; the sound of a child's first breaths as a cry filled the air. As a nurse wrapped the baby in a blanket, the doctor announced for only the mother and father to be present for the child's first moments.

Goodbyes were called from our beloved friends who left with tear-filled eyes. I stood next to her that moment, gazing upon her and our newborn baby: The most beautiful sight in the world. I saw a smile on her face that came with the becoming of a mother. She then turned to me, her eyes filled with tears that shined on her cheeks as she offered the child to me. Carefully, with the gentlest of movements, I brought the small child into my arms. "Hello," I whispered to the tiny being. "I'm you're…. I'm your daddy," I felt a smile on my face as I looked upon the child in my arms. "And your name is… Alicia,"

Allen's eyes suddenly opened that moment as he awoke from his deep sleep. He moved into a sitting position as his right hand moved to rub his head. He looked to his left to see a room void of life. A small, sad smile appeared on his lips. "Just a dream…" He muttered as he looked to the clock on the wall. It was 6:45, and he could plainly see the sun rising in the window. "It's always just a dream…"

The door swung open and the sound of light footsteps ran in his direction. "Father!" cried a small girl as she jumped onto his bed and wrapped her arms around his form. Allen was startled by the sudden warmth from another being. He blinked as he rubbed his right hand on the head of the small girl.

"Alicia? I thought you would still be asleep…" Allen looked to his right, were the small girl had been peacefully sleeping the night before. That side of the bed was neatly made and tucked perfectly. It surprised Allen that he had not noticed her absence sooner.

The small girl shook her head as she pulled away from Allen. "I've been awake for a while, and I didn't really want to wake you up, so I crawled out of bed very carefully. Uncle Rey was up, and he took me downstairs to meet Ms. Arlene," Alicia began to giggle, slight mischief seen in her eyes as she looked up to Allen knowingly. "She didn't seem to know that you had a daughter, father. She was very shocked, and I could tell that she liked you,"

Though Allen was quite flustered with Alicia's words, on his face appeared a quaint smile. "You're such an early bird," He cried as he pinched the bridge of Alicia's nose. Alicia wiggled her nose in an attempt to free it from his grasp, but she couldn't seem to wiggling it enough. Allen chuckled as he ran his ringers through her hair. It wasn't too hard to change the subject if he distracted her with simple childlike play. Yes, she was very mature for he age, but a child nonetheless. "My goodness, you've gotten big! Why do you only grow when I'm not around?"

Alicia smiled widely. "You think I've grown?" she cried as she leaned forward on her knees, but suddenly leaned back with a disappointed look on her face. "Everyone has called me short…"

"Short?" Allen gasped in shook. "I was your height at Eleven, don't tell me you're short!"

Alicia giggled as she wrapped her arms around Allen once again. He took such a moment to hold her close to him, overjoyed in the fact that he finally had her back in his arms. He hated the time away from her more than anything. He would usually spend weeks in the village, hoping that he would never have to go back to fight for a war that had no end. But in the end, he would remind himself that he was doing such a thing for the sake of his daughter, and begrudgingly return to his duties for a month at a time.

But the last few months had been hard on him, and he found that he could not return to her. His quest with Tyki was starting to gain momentum, but at the same time Akuma had begun slowly moving closer and closer to the haven that he had built for his daughter. Allen finally realized that she couldn't stay there forever. The Earl would eventually find out about that place. He knew he had to get her out of there sooner or later. But as he went to finally take her, an Akuma appeared dangerously close to the town and cried for innocence…

Innocence that was revealed to be Alicia's.

Allen's grip on Alicia couldn't get any tighter. He had missed her so much, and it almost pained him to bring her into such a dangerous world. It was a world which consisted of innocence, Akuma, and suffering. And with Allen's new found knowledge of the 'Gift Barer' and how that may be Alicia, he knew he would have to step up his game. Nothing was going to happen to his daughter.

He would keep the information secret for now. It was nothing Alicia should be concerned about. Everything would be settled soon enough.

"Father?" Alicia's questionable tone brought Allen back to reality. He pulled away from Alicia, a small smile on his lips as he looked down to her. Alicia smiled as her hand reached up to him. Allen's breath was taken away as she ran her fingers through his white hair that fell next to his face. "I'm glad I'm with you again, Father,"

Allen blinked twice as he stared down that the small brunette in front of him. A large smile appeared on his face as his reached up his left hand to hold hers. "You're just like…" Allen couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. He simply placed a small kiss on Alicia's head at that moment, causing her face to be engulfed in a welcomed blush. Allen stood from the bed and grabbed a clean shirt from his suite case. As he looked over the simple long-sleeved, collared shirt, he smiled softly. Alicia was never bothered with his deformed arm or the scar that rested on his face. She had always accepted him as he was. A sigh escaped his lips as he pulled his shirt over his arms. Of course, he knew that could all change when he told Alicia everything she wanted to know. She would start looking at everything with a darker view, knowing that some horrible story was behind every little detail. Such things frightened him.

Allen looked from the corner of his eyes to see Alicia sliding off the bed. He saw that she was wearing an outfit that Reynaldo had picked out, consisting of a jacket and skirt with some boots. He thought it to be very cute, especially with her hair in pigtails. A small golem crawled up the back of her jacket and appeared on her shoulder as she smiled up to Allen. She turned and blinked at the golem before a look of panic took over her face. "Oh, father!" She cried as she turned her attention back to Allen. "I almost forgot… Mr. Tyki is back! He said he's ready when you are to meet with Ms. Hevlaska!"

Allen blinked as he buttoned up his shirt. "O…Oh!" He cried as he hurriedly began to dress, grabbing his exorcist attire on instinct. "That's right… we have to check your innocence for its rating,"

Alicia gave out a squeal. "I'm so excited! I get to be an exorcist, just like you!"

Allen chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair. "You don't just become an exorcist," he smirked as he pushed his hair out of his face. "You're supposed to train to better understand your innocence first. You have to-"

"You're not serious, right?" Allen blinked at Alicia's serious expression. She stared him dead in the eye, as if she was daring him to say that he was. Allen simply chuckled. He couldn't help but feel like there was some underlining meaning to her reaction.

"Yes, I'm serious. Understanding your innocence could save your life," a devious smirk appeared on Allen's face. "You also have to pass math…"

"Father!" Alicia cried as she grabbed his hand, an understanding smile on her face. "Please don't mess with me. I promise that I'll learn about my innocence…" Alicia batted her eyes and gave the most pitiful puppy dog eyes she could muster. "But please… Just don't make me do long division!"

Allen chuckled as he swept his arms under Alicia and pulled her into his arms. "Okay, Ally-girl. Come on, we've got a busy day ahead of us,"

/O\

"Man, it stinks that Cilicia doesn't have innocence. It would have been so great if we could take her away with just that…" Lavi stated as he held up a large sheet and began folding it. "Now we have to find an actual reason to take her away. I can't believe what she's going through,"

"I know," Allen sighed as he grabbed the opposite end of Lavi's sheet and helped him finish folding. This was a typical pass time he and Lavi acquired. It made Allen feel like less of a burden to the house keepers and such. He eyed Cilicia on the bed, who sat quietly while stroking Timcanpy's wings. A small smile was on her lips as Timcanpy snuggled into her side. Allen smiled at her breathtaking form, wondering how he found himself to be so lucky as to have her. "But we will get you out of here, Cilicia,"

Cilicia looked up to Allen, a grateful smile across her lips. It was plainly routine, being that she heard him say it so often. But that doesn't mean that she didn't believe Allen; she believed with all her heart that he would be the one to take her from there.

Lavi sat the folded sheet in the basket at the edge of the bed and stretched out his arms. "If only it could be easier! The Order doesn't pull people out of bad situations on a whim, so we can't just take her on the accounts of this… unusual abuse," Lavi sat on the bed, a deep sigh escaping his lips. He turned to look at Cilicia fully. "We could say that we believe that your powers could be beneficial to the Order: that will get you out of here,"

"No," Allen shook his head, stealing Lavi's attention. In his head replayed the stories of the old experiments that used to take place at the order. Experiments involving innocence that would eventually lead to one's death. Though he didn't believe they would try to do that, he didn't want anyone running tests over her. He couldn't imagine to what lengths Central would go to find out the cause of her strange power, but he knew he wouldn't let them have the chance. "We can't do that," Allen stated simply. He was relieved when Lavi gave an understanding nod.

With a knock on the door, Cilicia quickly pulled the blankets over her, causing Timcanpy to role to the edge of the bed. Cilicia held herself very still as Allen went to the door and opened it. A smile appeared on his face. "Hey, Reynaldo," Allen greeted as he ushered the man inside and shut the door behind him. "It's Okay, Cilicia. It's just your brother,"

Cilicia pulled herself out from under her blankets, revealing a large smile to the man who she called her brother. He walked down the incline that led to the center of the room, holding his hat in his hand as he made eye contact with Cilicia. "Hello, Reynaldo! How are you this evening?"

"I've been good," Reynaldo called as he made his way to Cilicia's bed. He sat on the edge, resting his hand on his sister's shoulder. "How are you?"

Cilicia released a small giggle, finding her brother's constant worrying to be slightly amusing. "I've felt better and better every day since I've stopped taking the Medications. I think it's been a month now…" Cilicia looked out of the corner of her eye to look at Allen. Allen smiled in return, gazing lovingly at the girl before him. Their relationship had only gotten better over the past month in which she had withdrawn from taking the medication. They had grown to care for each other in a more 'couple' kind of way. Allen had hoped to keep their relationship more professional or friendly, but he soon realized that such a thing would not be easy. She was a beautiful girl with plenty of spirit, and he couldn't fight the almost unnatural lure to her.

Allen had even spoken his past to her. He was surprised at how understanding she was of him. She didn't judge him, she listened carefully, and she was extremely moved by his stories. She spoke of herself as well, how her mother had died, and her withdrawal from everyone but her brother, who refused to give up in trying to reach her. He homeschooled her ever since she was ten, teaching her right from wrong along with the normal academics. Though she usually had a smile on her face, not a day goes by when she doesn't think about her mother. She expressed her worries over not seeing her older sister in over a year now, and how she believed the rumors that she was married to a demon. It was relieving to Allen how they could relate with their past experiences, and share their found knowledge in that. There were also no secrets, and Allen was pleased with such.

And with Link on a three week vacation, their relationship was spiking. They were not intruded upon, and they even spent many nights together in the same bed. Lavi was around during most of the day, keeping an eye on Allen for Link's sake, but mostly following maids and yelling out 'Strike!' Cilicia enjoyed Lavi's company, also, though his attempts at flirting with her sailed straight over her head. For the most part, Allen was happy to get some time alone with her, but as one may guess, two teenagers alone together were just screaming trouble. But with a smirk Allen thought 'Trouble wasn't what Cilicia was screaming that night,'

With another knock on the door, Cilicia hid under her blankets again, pretending to be sickly. Lavi ran to the door, opening it slowly, but suddenly throwing it open. "Lenalee's here!" he cried in joy as he pulled her in and shut the door behind her.

Allen gazed over to Lenalee's small form. In the past month he had not seen her, but his feelings for her had not dwindled in the least bit. Even as he grew to love Cilicia more every day, his feelings for Lenalee were just as strong. It was something known well to Cilicia, who wasn't in the least bit bothered that he and Lenalee were together. In fact, as Allen peeked a short look to Cilicia, he saw that she was quite pleased to see Lenalee. Allen smiled as he looked back to Lenalee. Her hair had grown longer, curving around her shoulders delicately. She pulled back her bangs so that they would not be in her eyes. She was walking down the incline slowly towards Allen. She stopped when she reached the bottom, to which Allen held out his arms to Lenalee, who instantly accepted the offer and hugged Allen with all her might. "I missed you!" she cried, her face engulfed in a deep anxious blush.

"I missed you too," Allen whispered as he pressed his lips against her forehead. Lenalee blushed as she held Allen tighter. He didn't understand just how much she missed him. She loved him with all her heart and she desired to never leave his arms.

"Ewww! Get a room!" Lavi cried as he covered his eyes. Allen chuckled as Lenalee pulled away from his arms, a bright red lighting up her soft cheeks. She looked into Allen's eyes, her deep lavender eyes revealing that something was unsettling her. Allen frowned as he ran his finger along her cheek.

"What's wrong, Lenalee?" As Allen asked the question, she instantaneously avoided eye contact. She stared at the wall for a moment before shaking her head, which only increased Allen's confusion. "Do you want to talk…?"

Lenalee grimaced for a moment, worry stretching across her face. "Yes… can we step outside?"

"Um, wow, tension…" Lavi muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "I'll just leave," Lavi called as he strolled to the door. He put his hand on the door knob and turned to look at Reynaldo. "You coming?"

Reynaldo gave a short nod. "Yes, I think I'll join you," he stated before he placed a kiss on Cilicia's head. Cilicia began to pull off her blankets, but Reynaldo stopped her. "Where do you think you're going?"

Cilicia blinked up innocently to her brother. "I'm going so that I can give them some privacy…"

Reynaldo shook his head. "You can't leave your room; you're supposed to be on the medication. If you get up and walk out, and just one person sees you, it'll be all over the house in minutes!" Cilicia lowered her head at that statement. Allen frowned as he looked at the sad look that came over Cilicia's state. Yes, she looked much healthier than before, and her energy had returned to her, but she could not leave the room whatsoever. If her father ever found out, she would be immediately put back the medication. As Allen looked upon Cilicia, he felt guilty. She had turned into a prisoner in her own home, and there was nothing he could do about it presently.

Lenalee blinked in confusion before she understood. "Oh, we can leave if we'll bother you," Lenalee called as she began to turn. Cilicia shook her head.

"You're never a bother, Lenalee! I enjoy your company,"

Lenalee smiled at Cilicia's words. Cilicia slid under her blankets again as Lavi and Reynaldo exited the room. After the door closed Cilicia returned to a sitting position, which caused Lenalee to become confused. "Why are you doing that?" Lenalee asked, true confusion coming from her words. Allen smiled sadly as he sat on the edge of Cilicia's bed.

"Well… turns out that what her father had been giving her wasn't medication to overcome some strange illness. He was actually… injecting her with strange diseases,"

"What?" Lenalee cried in horror. "Why would he do that?"

"To try to suppress my powers," Cilicia whispered her answer, looking off to the side so she wouldn't look Lenalee in the eye. "Around the time the Akuma appeared, I started to acquire strange powers. They became very powerful, and I could do many things, but my father claimed that there was something possessing me. He noticed that when I caught a small cold, my powers seemed to weaken in order to heal my body. Ever since then, he has injected me with viruses and pathogens… the stronger and deadlier the disease, the longer it suppresses the powers,"

"Why… that's awful!" Lenalee cried. Cilicia gave a small smile.

"Yes… Reynaldo overheard some of the nurses say that they had even given me some fatal diseases. All it's done is put me down for an extra week,"

Lenalee gasped in horror. "Why haven't we done something about this?"

"We tried," Allen admitted, running his hand through his hair in an attempt to calm his emotions. It was not easy to see Cilicia in such a way. She could have been killed by any of the diseases that were injected into her, all of them living and thriving in her body. Even if her powers were to cure her, pathogens always remain in the body. It was a scary thought, especially if one day… her powers disappeared. Allen shook his head, trying to rid it of the horrifying thoughts of death. "Komui said that if innocence was behind her power, we could immediately take her to the order to become an exorcist. But… she doesn't have innocence, and it appears that Central won't allow us to take her away,"

"That's so terrible," Lenalee cried as she finally sat next to Allen. Allen wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He breathed in her scent, finally realizing how much he missed it. Of course, Allen did think of himself as despicable. To love one so deeply, but have such a relationship with another behind her back. Yes, he was despicable. But he believed that, once Cilicia was away from here, there could be an understanding. Someone's heart would be broken eventually, but he didn't completely know who… But at that moment he held Lenalee close to him, wishing for her to forever stay with him. As he held her, he noticed that she began shaking. Concern covered his features.

"Lenalee?" he asked as he pulled her closer to him. It was then that he noticed that on Lenalee's face were tears streaming down her cheeks. He gasped as he lifted her chin and wiped away her tears. "What's wrong? Look, don't worry about Cilicia. She's strong, she can handle this. She believes she can hang tight until we can find a way to get her out,"

Lenalee shook her head. "I… I know Cilicia can handle herself. I know she can. That's not… I have something to tell you," Lenalee wiped the tears away from her eyes as she looked up to Allen. Slowly but shakily she grabbed his hand, a small smile appearing on her face. Allen returned the smile, hoping that it would give her a type of strength for her to continue. It seemed to work as she gripped Allen's hands tighter and took a deep breath. "Please, just… don't freak out,"

Allen chuckled as he lifted up Lenalee's hand and kissed it softly. "I don't think anything you could say to me would freak me-"

"I'm pregnant,"

Allen's eyes became wide as he stared upon Lenalee's face. "Pregnant…" He breathed the word as if it was alien to him. His eyebrows creased as he looked to Lenalee in confusion. "Like… like a baby?" Lenalee nodded, a small, incredibly sad smile on her lips. 'A baby…' Allen thought as he tried to take in the news. His eyes drifted to her stomach for a split-second, but he quickly returned his gaze to her eyes. "How… how far along…?"

Lenalee's face burned slightly as she recalled how long. "Two… almost three months now. I didn't want to say anything before. I was just so scared…" Allen couldn't comprehend the thought. His eyes lowered down to Lenalee's stomach once again. How could a baby be there, in such a tiny, petite frame? A child, who would have his genes, who would be like him… a baby, which gave unconditional love to its parents, and would grow, and learn…

Slowly, Allen lifted his eyes back to Lenalee's face. In her eyes he saw tears filling up, ready to fall from her eyes at any moment. And slowly, what appeared on Allen's face was a smile. "That's great!" Allen cried as he took her hands in his, and beamed to Lenalee. "Wow, I can't believe… I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl. What will the baby do? Who will it become?"

The sad tears that filled Lenalee's eyes fell down her cheeks from shock. "You're… you're not…?"

Allen chuckled as he wiped away the tears that fell from Lenalee's face. "Not what? Why are you crying? This is good news, silly!" Allen's smile turned sad as he continued to stare into Lenalee's eyes. "I'm sorry, though. This may be too soon for this to be happening, and I know this is going to prevent you from doing your duties, but how can anyone possibly be sad by the coming of new life?"

The look on Lenalee's face revealed that she had not expected such a reaction from Allen. She slowly nodded her head in agreement as she squeezed Allen's hands. "But… but what about Komui?" Lenalee asked. "He doesn't even know we're dating… once he finds out that his little sister is pregnant…!"

Allen shook his head. "Don't you worry about that right now…"

"But what about everyone else at the order? How are they going to react?"

Allen shook his head again. "I don't care," his words took Lenalee off guard. She stared at him incredulously as he lowered his head, a quaint smile on his face. "Let them say whatever they want: I don't care. And don't let them get the better of you, either, Lenalee," Allen lifted his head, his eyes shining with pride and happiness. "You are going to bring in a beautiful, innocent child into the world. Don't let anything they say get to you,"

The next thing Allen knew, Lenalee had wrapped her arms around him tightly. Allen held her in his arms, holding her in the gentlest, most loving way her could. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Cilicia's small form huddled in the darkness. He pulled away from Lenalee slightly, concern shone across his face. "Cilicia?" he called to the woman on the other end of the bed. Lenalee pulled away from Allen to look at Cilicia's form.

Tears fell fresh from Cilicia's eyes as she looked upon Allen and Lenalee. She absentmindedly ran her fingers across Timcanpy's wings, and in return Timcanpy crawled on to her chest so that she could hug him tightly to her. Lenalee tilted her head. "Cilicia, what's wrong?" Lenalee asked as she moved closer to Cilicia's side. She crawled next to Cilicia, wrapping her arms around her in a comforting way. Cilicia shook her head, more tears falling as she did so.

"Nothing's wrong," Cilicia whispered. Once she opened her eyes, she looked directly at Allen. He sat at the end of the bed, confusion being the only thing that could be seen his face. Cilicia smiled softly at him as fresh tears streamed down his cheeks. "I'm really… happy for you,"

/O\

I yawned as I walked into the cafeteria. The Order was back to normal today, as if the party yesterday had never existed. Yet the people seemed invigorated, as if they suddenly had become more energized from the day before. I saw my friends laughing as they sat at our usual table. The newcomers would call that table the 'veteran table' because my friends and I have always sat there. At the moment, I saw Timothy sitting across from Lavi and Miranda. Kanda sat further down the table, on the same side as Lavi. Timothy grabbed some toast off his plate and put in his mouth. "Seeya, guys! I'm off to do a mission in France!" He called as he ran past me in a hurry. I smiled and waved to him quickly.

"Have a good mission, Timothy!" I called before he could turn the corner. He smiled at me, almost dropping the toast in the process. Then he was gone. I went to the counter to give my order to Jerri before I sat down at my usual table. Miranda and Lavi were talking casually, which actually stunned me slightly. Miranda wasn't typically the one to talk casually. She would usually sit quietly and eat quickly so that she could hurry back to keeping herself busy. "Hello, Miranda, Lavi," I said as I sat down in Timothy's former spot.

Miranda turned to me with a grin. "Hello, Lenalee! How are you?"

I smiled at Miranda's happy tone. I was glad to see her so cheerful. It was uplifting to see such a thing. "I'm very good. Wow, you seem to be in a good mood today, Miranda,"

Miranda's smile seemed sincere as she ran her hand through her hair. "Yes, well… I've realized that I need to stop focusing on the past. What's most important has yet to come, hasn't it?"

I couldn't find the words to express my feelings at that moment. A smile traced my face as I nodded to her. It was true; it was all yet to come. I knew exactly where she got that idea. It was from Alicia, as she reminded us all of Allen's famous words. 'Never stop walking, keep moving' and its many variants. Lavi smiled at me as he put his hand on Miranda's shoulders. "It's good to have you back!" He cried to her with a smile. She simply nodded shyly in return.

Krory joined us as well, sitting next to me and chatting. His mood shocking me more than Miranda's. It was rare to see him speak, and he even smiled as we continued to eat our breakfast. It was extremely refreshing to be this way again. I almost felt as if we had traveled back in time. Kanda seemed to be drawn towards us as he slowly moved closer and closer with each subject. He soon got close enough for Lavi to finally feel obligated to include him in the conversation. His viewpoints and moods hadn't changed much over the years, but everyone seemed to enjoy Kanda's presence nonetheless. He was the first piece of our past we got back after the Alma innocent; the strange phenomenon where Kanda and Alma Karma disappeared through a white Ark portal that appeared from nowhere. Central was furious, completely outraged at that appearance, and searched for months for any clues as to how or why that portal opened. They found nothing, but around three months later he returned. Actually, I found him in a bar… well, that's a long story that's for a later time. It was just nice having a casual conversation with him.

All the happy conversing nearly froze when a familiar man walked into the cafeteria. I didn't know what to say as he made his order and proceeded to take a seat at the table behind me. He sighed heavily and his face fell into his hands as he leaned on the table. I noticed Lavi blink curiously in his direction before he stood up and walked around the table. "What's up, two-dots?" he asked as he sat next to Howard Link at that moment. I watched casually, trying to hold back my raging feelings. He was always searching, always looking for him… but he had a completely different reason than Lavi for doing so. His one wish was to get Allen in custody.

None of us really knew why, other than him abandoning the order: And thus, giving into the '14th's will'. But he always seemed to have this strange drive about him, as if it was something personal. It was believed that he took Allen's disappearance as an insult to his status, and wanted to bring him to justice in some weird 'honor' thing. That wasn't what I thought. Somewhere deep inside me told me that he wanted to find Allen as much as we did, and the only way he could do it was to pursue him in the only way Central would let him. So my feelings always waged a war inside of me once I saw him. In the end, I would simply not confront him. That was Lavi's job.

Link slowly lifted his head and turned to Lavi with an annoyed glare. "Don't call me that," He said as he straightened his posture. The way he held himself almost looked as if he was hung-over, but I couldn't imagine why.

Lavi chuckled as he leaned against the table in a nonchalant way. "Okay, okay… So, how's your search suiting you?"

Link's expression changed to something I couldn't quite explain. A troubled look appeared on his face, and it seemed to frustrate him in a way. He shook his head as he turned around to face the rest of us, leaning against the table the same way Lavi did. "Not well, I'm afraid. I was so close… so close to finding him in Manchester! But, I regret to inform, I had no such luck,"

Lavi blinked at Link for a moment, a look of cluelessness on his face. A quirky smile appeared on his lips. "Wow, that's the most information I've got from you in a long while. I was expecting the usual, 'that's classified information,' routine,"

Link let out another sigh. "Well, under normal circumstances I wouldn't dare speak a word, but conditions often shift in the Order now and then. What of you? How's your search going?"

Lavi's eyes became wide as he fidgeted in his seat. "I, uh… I don't know what you mean," Lavi lied through his teeth. Link rolled his eyes.

"Central is quiet aware that your reasons for travel are not of the normal general protocols. They know your purpose is the search for Allen Walker, and they have come to terms with that fact. Besides, being a Bookman, they feel they do not have the authority over you," Lavi smiled at Link's words, though in his eyes I saw his true feelings. He shrugged at Link at that moment, as if to say that he knew exactly what Link meant, and that it was the truth. He began to scratch his nose, a smirk on his lips.

"Well, when you put it that way… I actually happened to speak with an eyewitness. She had a full on conversation with Allen," Link's eyes became wide as he turned to face Lavi completely.

"You're not serious…?" Link cried as he stared wide eyed at the smug man next to him. Lavi began to chuckle.

"Oh I am! She said-"

Soon came the sound of whooping and hollering. My eyes finally departed from the conversation taking place behind me and turned to the entrance of the cafeteria as a group of people walked in. A smile came upon my face as I noticed Collin in the middle of a group female exorcist and scientist. Collin was one of the more rowdy members of the order, one who boosted in his 'war glories'. He was only nineteen years old, and rumor had it that he was actually raised on a farm. Of course, one would never guess that an obviously antagonistic man would come from such a place. He was average looking, with a small cut on his upper lip that he believed attracted women. Though he was arrogant and selfish, he could also be a really nice guy when he wanted to be. And let's just say, he didn't not want to be a nice guy around me.

But the group followed him like a group of lost puppies to his usual table, which was on the other side of the room. This wouldn't be such an odd thing, if it wasn't for the obnoxiously loud conversation he was in the middle of. "You see, I was born to be a fighter, ladies. It's my passion, my reason for being! It's why I take so much pride in what I do, especially with such a glorious outcome we shall all achieve one day!"

I basically sweat dropped. Not that it was a surprise that he was telling this story (again), but it would have been nice if he could change up the wording just a little. I was about to reface Link and Lavi, but someone caught my eye. She was the newest of our exorcist; a silent, pretty girl by the name of An. She was the same as me, being of Chinese decent, and I tried to use that excuse to know more about her. But she was a stubborn one, and all I knew was that she begrudgingly left a sick grandmother with the rest of her family. I had remembered seeing her and being jealous of her natural beauty, but at this moment, her pretty face revealed a hint of agitation as Collin's voice rose. "I sometimes believe that God made me just to be his soldier of glory; to rise up in battle against the blasphemous creations that are the Akuma! And I hope to be as glorified and remember as the ones before us, and to become a great legend of the Black Order!"

"Would you shut up?" my eyes grew wide as An stood from her table and glared harshly at Collin. "You speak of war as if it is glorious… you speak of being an Exorcist as if it is something that God has blessed upon you! This… this isn't a holy thing! It is pain and suffering…"

Collin looked upon An with distaste, as if he couldn't comprehend her words. "Interpret my miracle how you please; what is pain and suffering to you is glory and honor to me! Do not chastise me with your morals!"

An huffed at his words. "Can you hear yourself? You're the same age as me, yet you sound like an old man speaking of his glory days! We fight a war that the world is blind about! We hide in the shadow's killing creatures that shouldn't even exist... And innocence!" An referred to the weapon strapped to her side. "This is a substance that choses people, judging us as to whether or not we are worthy of wielding it. Everything about this is devastatingly cruel!"

Collin glared at An. "If you despise war so much, why are you here in the first place?"

"You think I had a choice?" An cried. Her form was shaking, and as she yelled frustrated tears fell from her eyes. "I was forced to come here against my will. I left my home, my family, to fight a war that I want no part of. This is the equivalent of Hell to me, and you come here every day saying that you were blessed by God for he hath brought you your dream!"

"And he has!" Collin retorted. "I was stuck in a small town in Belgium. I was supposed to take over the family farm! All I wanted was a way out, a way to go on an adventure and see the world!" I couldn't believe what I saw before me. Collin's almighty exterior had been broken, and he actually seemed to be his age as he ranted on. He gradually moved forwards before he found himself in front of An, yelling down at her small figure. "And that one prayer was answered when that man in white came! He presented to me a way to leave that farm and make a difference in the world!"

"A man in…" I didn't realize how loud I spoke until both Collin and An stared at me. I immediately found myself flustered, unsure of what to say or do. I gulped before I improvised. "I… A man in white came to you, Collin?" Collin blinked at me for a moment before a light blush appeared on his face. His gaze left mine, and he avoided eye contact with me. At that moment my heartbeat sputtered out of control. "Collin…? What's wrong?" I asked, my voice betraying the calm exterior I was portraying. I could feel the prying eyes of Lavi and Link on the back of my head. Collin looked at me for a moment, his eyes apologetic. Noticing such a thing confused me. What could he be hiding? And, could it possibly…?

"Oh, here we go again!" An shrieked as she threw her arms into the air before she crossed them over her chest stubbornly. "You're obsessed, aren't you? You've been telling that story for so long you've started to believe it! What were you hoping for with that story, a mascot?" She fell to her knees and entwined her fingers as she sarcastically cried. "I thought I was dead, but a white flash in the sky saved me… Bless thee, Allen Walker!"

"An!" Collin cried in shock. "How disrespectful! Besides, those stories are truth!"

"No they aren't! They're all lies! None of that has ever happened!"

"You're wrong! They are true, I know them to be! Think about the Ark, and the people who are only here because of him… and also Alicia Ally, the girl who talked to him-!"

"Lies!" An screamed from the ground as her hands moved to her head and gripped her hair. "It's all lies! We've never used that Ark, and they have no proof of actually meeting him, especially that little girl! It's all lies to convince us to fight for this god forsaken war!"

My eyes were wide as I gapped upon An on the floor. Pain twisted into my very core. I knew that people thought they were just stories, mere legends to be passed down the generations, but this… this was the most heart-wrenching, painful moment of my entire life. I felt my heart stop beating for a moment, as if even it didn't want to continue. I started seeing spots, and my head feel into my hands as it pounded heavily. I thought I would pass out, but at that moment, Kanda entered my vision. My head shot up as he reached down and grabbed An's wrist before pulling her to her feet. I couldn't see his face, but his voice was venom. "If you speak like that one more time to Lenalee, you'll be the next 'story'. Nobody will ever believe you existed. You will be only legend… one that will bore the future generations!" An was thrown to the side and she slide as she made contact with the floor. The air was completely still with tension, almost complete void of breath. Every eye was on Kanda and An. An slowly lifted herself up, holding up the top half of her body with her arms. She faced Kanda, a look of terror and confusion on her face. Kanda huffed. "How do you like the sound of that?"

"Wha… what?" An cried as she shakily moved her hair out of her face.

"Che," Kanda glared at her. "How would you feel if you were referred to as a 'story'? How would you feel if your whole life, all of your efforts and passions that you put forward, were called 'fake'? Even 'legend' is not a worthy title for how much he helped us," Kanda turned, acknowledging everyone around him with a glare. "Do none of you realize that multiple people have seen him? Not just in the Order, but outside of it as well. There are people out there that we have never met, that have met him before he was an exorcist," Kanda crossed him arms. "I fucking hate that Beansprout for leaving, but I'm so tired of people saying that they are 'just stories', because they're not!"

"Y..Yu," Lavi muttered beside me. I looked back to him to see his eyes wide and filled with tears. He jumped from his seat, a large smile stretching across his face. "You're absolutely right! Allen is real, he was my best friend!"

Miranda stood up. "He was the one who found me and my innocence!"

"Me as well!" Krory cried as he stood next to Miranda.

Link stood up at that moment, a look of disapproval upon his face. "Legends… is that what you think I've been after for the past nine years? I was ordered by Central to locate Allen Walker, but before that… even I had considered him a friend,"

My heart beat was racing as a large smile appeared on my face. I wanted to add something, to show my admiration for Allen. I stood up from my seat, drawing every ounce of attention from the room instantly. I soon lost my nerve, causing a blush to appear on my face. "I," I muttered, looking towards the floor as I tried to regain my back bone. I took a deep breath before I turned to look An in the eye. "We… He was one of the closest people to me, An. I…"

"Here…" everyone turned to see my brother kneeling next to An. In his hand he held a key, which he presented to An with a warm smile on his face. Without questioning, she accepted said key with shaking hands. Komui patted her head gently. "You don't have to trust the words of your comrades…" An looked heartbroken as she gripped the key tightly in her hands. It was then that I realized that she didn't mean her words. She was only frustrated, and was driven too far into her frustration that she spoke without realizing. Komui's smile seemed to become firmer as he continued. "I understand if you would like real evidence. This is the key to room 00X… I'm sure you know what room it is. You can find your answer there, if you wish,"

"But-!" An cried as she reached out to Komui. "But… why me? Why not the first person to doubt…?"

"Why?" Komui asked, his face showing nothing but simple cluelessness. "Because it seems that you have forgotten why you are here,"

I could tell that An was not satisfied that that answer. Frankly, I wasn't either. I couldn't understand what he meant by such words, but I felt that I wouldn't get an answer. An looked down at here hand which gripped the key firmly. With a split-second heartbreaking glance to me, she ran out of the cafeteria, leaving everyone to wonder silently.

/O\

I walked in front of father as we exited the stairway. Looking forward, I saw Reynaldo and Tyki, standing awkwardly next to each other. I had found out that Reynaldo had only just met Tyki, so they didn't exactly trust each other yet. But both stated that a friend to my father was a friend to them. I smiled at them and ran forward, drawing their attention to me as I did so. "Hello!" I cried as I stopped before them. Reynaldo smiled at me while Tyki looked behind me to find my father.

I turned to see father straightening his uniform as he walked up to us. "Hello, sorry to keep you waiting," he said with his usual smile. "I guess we would like to get down to business?"

"Yes," Tyki stated with a nod. "I believe that I'll meet you there," he said with a smirk as he began to walk off. After a few steps, he fell straight threw the floor, causing me to jump and squeal in shock. Father chuckled at me. "Don't worry, Alicia. That's pretty normal for him," He said as he motioned behind him. I nodded as Reynaldo and I followed him to the back of the hotel, where I noticed an odd door that said 'Elevator' above it. I blinked at it before looking at father.

"An elevator?" I asked, my response being a kind nod. I became worried. "I've… never been on an elevator before…"

Father chuckled at my words as he pat my head. "Don't worry, it's a gentle ride… unlike the original elevator to Hevlaska," he said as the doors opened and we stepped in. I couldn't help but wonder what he meant by such a statement. As father pressed a button on the wall, I jumped at the sudden downward motion. After a few quick breaths, I became used to the strange motion and calmed down.

It was a quiet ride to… wherever we were going. I was quite comfortable leaning into father's side, and Reynaldo being there was quite comforting as well. A small smile appeared on my face. I was completely excited to be with Father once again, and this time I would go wherever he did. My smile turned into a smirk as I realized that it was the perfect time for questioning. There was no way they could get out of it here. Of course, I knew that they wouldn't try to run away, but, being that I was just reunited to them yesterday, I was just too anxious. With a deep breath, I tugged on father's sleeve to gain his attention. He looked down at me curiously. "Father," I began as sweetly as possible. "Why can Mr. Tyki go through the floor?"

Father blinked at me as if he didn't understand the question. When he finally understood a light chuckle escaped from his lips. "It's part of his powers… it's his ability. He can choose whether to touch something or not,"

"Yes, and that's because…" I had my hunch, but I wanted him to say it. I wanted to understand what was happening. It just seemed too out of place. He didn't seem to have innocence, and that Akuma from yesterday…

Father frowned at me, which caught me off guard. "Well… it's very complicated, Ally-girl,"

I nodded my head slowly. Father smiled lightly, probably thinking that the conversation was over. Before he could look away from my face, I spoke once again. "So, you are a traitor to the Black Order,"

"Alicia!" Reynaldo cried in shock as Father's eyes became wide. Reynaldo leaned down to my level, his anxiousness revealing on his face and he placed his hand lightly on my shoulder. "You shouldn't say that. You don't understand-"

"Understand what? What else is there to say?" I looked to Reynaldo with a harsh stare. He became silent, unsure of how to react. After he stood up in what I determined to be his defeat, I turned back to father, holding my stare. He seemed to be awestruck, completely taken off guard by my words. After a few more seconds, my eyes softened. "If you don't fill in the holes, people fill them in for you. If you want me to understand, you have to tell me,"

Father stared at me for a moment before the astonishment slowly left his face. His eyes seemed hurt as he shook his head at me. "That… was a cruel way to teach a lesson, Alicia," He muttered as he rubbed his forehead. He slowly smiled down at me. "Okay," he answered as he kneeled before me. "Mr. Tyki Mikk is a Noah," So my hunch was true. What little I knew about the Noah raced into my mind. I remembered that I had learned something that father may not have known, about the Noah who had a daughter. I opened my mouth to speak of it, but father cut me off. "Yes, a Noah: A disciple of the Millennium Earl, and enemy to human kind. But he's not on their side,"

I thought about the statement he had just made. It wasn't what I was going to speak about, being that I heard the Akuma from yesterday call Tyki a traitor, but it was something I found relieving to hear. "So… he's on our side?" it was a simple question that had much truth. Father smiled at me as he nodded. Before I could smile back, something began to bother me. Something that I really wanted to know. "But… what side are we on?"

He blinked at me for a moment. I could tell that he wasn't expecting such a question, but at least I didn't freak him out like before. I knew it may take a while to acquire all that I wanted, especially if the questions I asked were difficult for him to ask. I didn't expect the answer to come swiftly, so I waited patiently for father to answer. What slowly appeared on his face was a sad smile. "Well… we're on the side for humanity and peace. We share many similarities with the Order, but we cannot call ourselves part of it. We work underground, aiding our comrades in secrecy, for the greater good, and for the victory of the innocence,"

Father's words moved me. A smile appeared on my face as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear," I whispered just as he held me back. I pulled away from him, giving him a wide smile. "Is that why everyone at the Order speaks so fondly about you?"

Father looked to me curiously, the awestruck expression reappearing on his face. "They… they do?"

I slowly nodded my head. "You were entwined with almost every conversation… Some people don't think as kindly, but the people I liked seemed to care about you,"

I couldn't quite understand the look upon my father's face. He seemed both happy and troubled at the same time. Behind me I heard Reynaldo huff, which drew away my father's attention. Reynaldo had what almost seemed to be a smirk on his face. "Yeah, and tell your father what you did before you left yesterday,"

Father blinked at Reynaldo before turning to me curiously. At first I didn't understand, but when I did a smile appeared on my face as mischief filled my mind. I giggled. "I invited Ms. Lenalee to come visit us!" I cried happily. Father's face turned blood red as he gapped at me. I smiled sweetly to him. "She was the sweetest lady I've ever met! I loved her so much… I just knew I would have to see her again!"

Father blinked at me, his face remaining red. He cleared his throat. "You… you loved her?"

I took a moment to take in his composer. His red face, his nervous voice… I slowly nodded my head. "Yes, sir. I love Ms. Lenalee,"

The smile that appeared on my father's face made my heart beat faster. He placed his hand gently on my head. "You are your father's daughter," he said to me with an amazing smile. His words thrilled me, almost driving me insane with happiness. 'Father… loved Ms. Lenalee!' I thought as I wrapped my arms around him tightly. Father wrapped his arms around my tiny form around me, holding me just as tightly as I held him. The elevator dinged, and Father smiled at me before he walked out as the doors opened.

"Ah, there you are," I heard Tyki's voice across the way. I followed father forward, but stopped short as I saw a glowing mass of light. A large creature with a feminine face was seen next to Tyki's form. It seemed to be coming from below the balcony that Tyki was leaning against. I was completely awestruck by the creature that I barely noticed Tyki speaking. "I've already explained the situation to Hevlaska. She says she will gladly read Alicia's innocence sync,"

"This is…?" I muttered as I continued to awe the giant form. Reynaldo nodded as he put a hand on my back and lead me forward. As I reached the edge of the Balcony, I gave a small curtsy, "How do you do, Ms. Hevlaska?" I muttered uneasily. Hevlaska seemed to laugh.

"Hello, young exorcist," she called down to me. I felt my face grow warm at that moment. She called me an exorcist… I looked back up to her with a small smile. My eyes drifted downwards, seeing that below her was a large white area. Curiosity tugged my mind, and I pointed to the area below us.

"What's that?" I called my curiosity. Tyki looked down nonchalantly.

"That's the Ark Portal that Hevlaska can use to travel place here. It's a special one that goes directly from Hevlaska's original spot to here,"

"The Ark Portal…" I muttered absentmindedly. This is what everyone spoke of. A portal that could be used to travel distances. Ms. Hevlaska used it travel here… "Where is she normally?" I asked as I looked back up to Hevlaska. Father stood next to me and leaned on the railing.

"She's normally in the Black Order," he stated simply. He looked up to Hevlaska with a smile. "Hello, Hevlaska. It's been a long time,"

"Indeed it has, Destroyer of Time," My head shot to father immediately as confusion washed over my features. Father held a crooked smile on his face, though his eyes seemed distant at the moment. He gave a short nod in her direction. Hevlaska seemed to smile. "You have finally brought the child to me,"

Father nodded his head once again. "Yes, I have. So please, Hevlaska, can you check Alicia's innocence for us?"

"Of course," she stated simply. Suddenly, many hands started to reach out to me. I gasped as they took hold of me and lifted me into the air. I fidgeted in the hands, feeling uncomfortable in their grasps, but Hevlaska cooed to me. "Do not fright, young one. I am an exorcist just like you. I can read your synchronization rating with your innocence through touch. So please, do not struggle," I nodded to Hevlaska as her forehead touched mine. A small light appeared from my chest as she did so. She began to mutter. "19… 27… 35… 46… 52… 64… 73%. Your synchronization rate with your innocence is 73%"

I blinked at Hevlaska before I looked down at the three men below me. "Is that good?" I asked as Hevlaska slowly lowered me to the ground. I looked to my father as I stood on my feet once again. He had his arms crossed, and a puzzlingly look was on his face.

"Well…" he muttered as he pondered. "I guess, being that you haven't known of it, I'd say it's decent,"

I frowned at my father's words. "Well, what was your first synchronization rating?"

Father smiled at me. "83%"

I glared up to him. "That's only a 10% difference! Besides, how old were you then?"

A blush appeared on father's face at my statement. "Uh, well… it's not a competition!" he said as he waved his hands in front of him. We laughed at that moment. It was truly funny to see father flustered like that. Tyki was the first to recover from laughter. He stepped forward before he spoke.

"Now that this is settled, I must ask what you intend to do, Allen," Father looked to Tyki once again. His face showed understanding, though he looked troubled.

"There are many options," Father admitted as he began to scratch the back of his head. "My personal choice is to have her travel with me…"

"Yes…" Tyki muttered, bringing his hand to his chin thoughtfully. "Neah mentioned… you've plan to have her join us from the start, with or without innocence?" I blinked after hearing Tyki's words. Neah… mentioned something? I was almost sure that Timothy said that Neah was inside of father… so how could Tyki have spoken to him? Father grimaced, but nodded in response to Tyki's statement. Tyki gave a small sigh. "It is dangerous, being that you both are so high on the Earl's hit list. But, there is no way to argue with you, brother,"

"Brother?" The word used caused me to forget the issue in front of me. I couldn't help but smile at Tyki, who immediately tensed as he made eye contact with me.

"Yes…" He muttered towards me. He seemed uncomfortable with the excited look upon my face. "I have long thought of Allen as my brother…"

"So that means… you're Uncle Tyki!" I cried with a large smile on my face. Tyki gasped as I ran towards him, expecting to give him a hug. He dodged slightly, but part of my right arm hit him, though it went straight through him. I lost my balance and nearly fell over with a jolt of surprise.

Tyki huffed in my direction. "Damn Allen and his father-like qualities," he muttered as he walked away from me. I blinked at him curiously, slightly wondering if he knew the truth. He spoke to father as he passed him. "I expect us to move fully in a week's time. Take this time to prepare,"

Father smiled. "Thanks, Tyki," He called before Tyki walked straight through a wall.

"Ah, I almost forgot," I heard Reynaldo cry as he reached into his pocket. He walked to the edge of the balcony and pulled out a small shining object and raised it up to Hevlaska. "Since I found this so close by, I figured I should give it to you," Reynaldo looked over to Allen in slight hesitation. "If it's okay with you…"

"Sure," Father said with a shrug. "Timcanpy is holding plenty of innocence-"

"Innocence?" I nearly shrieked. "That's innocence?"

"Yes," Hevlaska called, her long hands reaching down and accepting the strange object from Reynaldo's grasp. "This is innocence in its most basic form. This is before it is either forged into a weapon, or accepted into a body. We hope to have house this innocence safely, so that it will be safely awaiting it's future accommodator," I stared upon the strange glowing object. That was innocence, the strange substance that was used as a weapon against Akuma. My hand went to my chest. It was inside of me. I had no clue what it looked like or what shape it took. All I knew was that I was trusted with it. I was an accommodator. I was an exorcist.

/O\

An stood solemnly in the hall, staring cautiously at the door that was referred to as door 00X. She gripped the key in her hand and moved it closer to her chest. She felt a slight draft tickle her face as she stared at the keyhole of the door. Long had she wondered… what was behind this door? It almost seemed too good to be true for Komui to just hand her the key, to finally fulfill her curiosity. She held the key forward but hesitated. Yes, too good to be true. Was it really so easy? No, it couldn't have been. She would put that key into the hole and it wouldn't open. An leaned forward, resting her head against the door. She stayed in that position for a while, just wondering of the possibilities.

'….you have forgotten why you are here…' Komui's words repeated inside her head a million times. This was a test. He knew this would happen. He knew that she wouldn't be able to open the door, even if it was the real key. He knew that she would realize the more important aspects, that she was being a selfish brat, and should learn from it.

An turned her back on the door, leaning back to rest her head on it. What would she learn from this? Don't doubt your elders? Hold your tongue? An sighed. She could learn so much, and she felt she already had. She knew she had hurt Lenalee deeply, and even if the stories were fake, it was wrong of her to speak so rudely. She acted as if she was a child, and she was not as such. But Komui's words continued to run through her mind.

What did he mean? She knew why she was here. She was an accommodator. She could use innocence to kill Akuma. What more could there be to it? She was there to save human kind.

She was also there so that her grandmother could have medical treatment. It was the only reason she didn't fight off the men that found her. The strange thing was… they knew exactly what to say. It was as if they knew. But then again, only one man spoke to her. An could remember the man plainly. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and a complete flirt at the most part. He didn't start speaking to her about innocence until his friend elbowed his side. It was quite entertaining to say the least, though An wasn't exactly cooperative with them. Once they said the Order would take care of her family, she decided to join.

An's eyebrows folded together at that moment. She thought back on the man with the black hood who accompanied the man that spoke to her. He did speak one sentence to her. "You can protect your family, along with many other families all across the world,"

A small smile appeared on An's face. Yes, she remembered. She came to protect her family. But now she realized something. It did not mean just her immediate family back in China. "Yes…" An stated with a wide smile. "I want to protect my family. The one back home, and the one right here at the Order,"

An took a step forward, feeling refreshed as she finally felt that she was at home, but stopped short. She eyed the door behind her curiously before looking at the key in her hand. Yes, she had learned her lesson, but her curiosity never ceased. She slowly placed the key in the keyhole and turned it. Her eyes grew wide at the sound of a click originating from the door. She turned the door knob and pushed it gently, finding the door easily slipped open. She took a step forward, weary of her surroundings. With cautious eyes she scanned the room. On her left she saw a nightstand next to a bed, which was pushed against the wall. Above the bed was a picture of a clown with a coffin on its back. Further down was a small vanity, which seemed mostly for show. There was a desk in front of the window on the opposite end of the room, which was stacked with many papers in messy stacks. She allowed her eyes to scan further, seeing a closed closet door on the back right side of the room. To her immediate right was a smaller bed, basically a cot that was messily made.

An slowly walked it, closing the door carefully behind her. She slowly made her way to the bed on the left, sitting down on it in her shock. "It… was the real key…" She muttered absentmindedly. She blinked harshly before looking down at the bed she sat on. She slowly ran her hand across the soft blanket that laid across the bed. She looked to the vanity that was next to the bed and reached out to turn on a lamp that sat there. She moved to stand in front of the vanity, looking at the picture frames that were laid across its top. The first frame was missing a picture, but the other three did not. An reached for the first picture and picked it up to get a better look. Her heart immediately stopped once she laid her eyes on the picture.

It reminded her very much of the party that was held just yesterday for that little girl. Banners were hanging from the ceiling, exclaiming 'Welcome Allen!' it wasn't hard to spot the boy from the stories. He was in the middle of the picture, a look of embarrassment and surprise across his face. He looked to be around fifteen years old in this picture, which seemed too young to be there to the 19 year old exorcist who gazed upon the picture. His hair was long for being boys hair, and so white that someone who didn't know any better would think he was old. An noticed the boys handsome features that seemed to be overshadowed by the dark red scar that ran over left eye. On his forehead she saw clearly a pentacle, the one that the original gatekeeper must have seen in the old stories.

An couldn't believe her eyes. The stories were true. But how true were they? As she stared at the picture, her eyes grew wide once she recognized Komui Lee standing behind Allen in the picture. Komui knew Allen Walker after all… many had wondered if Lenalee's older brother had met the boy from the stories. No one had the courage to ask, though all the stories suggested that they had met. Komui had never intervened in the stories, and An just couldn't understand why. After a moment, her eyes rested on a young Chinese girl with long pigtails, who smiled so brightly that An knew who it had to be. It was sixteen year old Lenalee Lee. She stood next to boy who had to be Allen in the picture, smiling at his embarrassed form. It seemed almost unreal to An to see Lenalee so much younger, as if she was just a child. Guilt began to fill An's heart. She had told Lenalee, to her face, that she believed it was all fake. But then again, it was just one picture.

An's curiosity fueled her as she looked at the next picture. It was that boy with the white hair again, Allen. He sat in the cafeteria next to Lenalee, who's hair was so short it reminded An of the story about the Ark that she had heard many times in the order. An couldn't help but notice how close they sat to each other, and how cute it was that they were looking at each other instead of the camera. For a moment, she began to wonder about Lenalee's feelings, but shook the thought out of her head once guilt began to rise in her again. Looking back at the picture, she saw that around them was everyone who claimed they knew Allen. Lavi, Krory, Jerri, Miranda… even Kanda was in the picture. They all made funny faces, except the scowling Kanda, and seemed to be completely engulfed in laughter. Before An put the picture down, something caught her eyes and she brought it up close to her face. Behind the group of exorcist sat a man who looked very much like Howard Link. He was rolling his eyes in the background, as if he thought it was childish. An slowly smiled at the picture, her heart beating faster and faster with each second that she stared. Seeing everyone like this… Seeing everything unfolding… It was breathtaking! An felt as if she was glancing into a forbidden past. With excitement filling in her, she reached for the next picture, only to be frozen in complete and utter shock.

It was a picture of Allen Walker sitting at a piano, seeming to be playing it. Next to him was a beautiful Spaniard girl who seemed to be singing. This picture was from a specific story that she had heard, about Allen Walker's final mission before he left. That in itself was shocking, and it was shocking to think that the stories about the boy who could control the Ark with a piano was true, but that wasn't what bothered An about the picture. It was the man who leaned against the piano, an approving smile upon his lips as he stared fondly at the two sitting in front of the piano. It was the man who had spoken to her about her innocence. "You…" An muttered as she walked trancelike back to the bed and sat on it. "Why… why is there a picture of you here?" she muttered as she stared at the picture she held. It was definitely him. It was the man who actually got her to come to the Black Order. An's eyes became wide at that thought. "This is what Komui meant, isn't it?" she cried. Was Komui was trying to point out that he was the reason why she was here… but something didn't feel right about that. No, it couldn't be what it meant… but what did it mean?

An stared at the picture for a while. On instinct more than necessity, she reached for the lamp that rested on the nightstand and turned it on. Once the light appeared, she noticed the glare on another picture frame that sat on the nightstand. She carefully placed her picture on the bed and reached for the one on the nightstand. Upon inspection, she found it to be a picture of Allen and Lenalee. They seemed to have just got out of the rain, because their overcoats seemed to be wet and parts of Lenalee's hair were soaked. Allen has his arms around Lenalee's waist, and he stared at it in such a cute and loving way that it almost embarrassed An to see it. Lenalee smiled up to Allen, returning the loving glance back to him. An frowned at the picture as tears welled in her eyes. "Lenalee…" She muttered, her voice heartbroken as she held the picture close to her. "You… you loved him… I'm so inconsiderate!" An cried as she returned her glance back to the picture. As she stared at Allen, with his dark hood barely revealing his face, her eyes grew wider than ever before.

Back in the cafeteria, Collin said that he was met by a man in white. It lead to Lenalee's curiosity, which An knew was due to the stories of the form of the flowing white cape that Allen's innocence had taken. An thought it was ridiculous, which lead to her outbreak… Then Komui claimed that she had forgotten why she was here. It was connected, wasn't it? Why else would An see the picture of the man that had spoken to her? Why else would the picture of Allen that she held in her hand… remind her so much of the man in the black hood that also found her?

Understanding washed over her as she looked at the picture that she held. "Allen Walker is the reason… he's the reason I'm here. He's the reason I'm protecting my family... Komui was right," She slowly nodded as she went to place the picture back in its original spot. "Allen Walker found me… He found Collin, too. And he brought us here, to the Black Order, to our new family," Before she put the picture down, a white envelope and a small black box caught her attention. An placed the picture back where she found it, realizing that it was hiding that envelope and box behind it very well. She picked up said envelope and box and gazed upon it in wonder. The envelope said 'To Lenalee' on the back.

An knew she shouldn't open it, that she should have probably gave it to Lenalee after she read those two simple words, but it didn't stop her from opening the envelope. As the sound of ripping paper filled her ears, a flash of gold flew in front of her face. She gasped as she stood from the bed and ran to the ajar door to stare outside. Towards the windows that lined the top of the hallway, An saw the flash of gold again. It was an angelic-looking creature of gold, with angle like wings that contradicted the small horns on his head. It had a long tail that ended with something that resembled a spiral. An gasped at the creature as she recognized it to be the golem from the pictures, except slightly larger than alleged. The small creature turned to see An staring upon it and seemed to jolt with shock. It looked around frantically before flying out an ajar window, into the open sky. An looked to the envelope in her grasp and back to the window the creature flew out of.

An knew something much more meaningful than her small crisis was unfolding. She stared at the half opened envelope in her hand. With a frustrated sigh, she walked back into room 00X and closed the door.

/O\

Allen knew that Cilicia's words were a lie, but he smiled nonetheless. He stood up from his spot and walked over to Lenalee, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I think Cilicia is tired. You should go find Lavi. I'll watch her a little longer until she falls asleep, and then I'll join you,"

Lenalee nodded. As she stood up, she placed a small kiss upon Allen's lips. "Thank you," she whispered before she made her way to the door.

At the sound of the door closing, Cilicia brought her hands to her face and sobbed quietly into her palms. Timcanpy looked up to her, his wings twitching in anticipation and worry. Allen crawled into bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her small frame and holding her close to him. He allowed her to cry into his chest for a moment as he silently stroked her hair in a calming manor. Cilicia's sobs finally began to quiet, and Allen whispered into her ear. "What's wrong, Cilicia?" Allen cooed as he continued to run his fingers through her hair. Slowly, Cilicia turned her head and looked Allen in the eye.

"I… I can't tell you," Cilicia cried as she wrapped her arms around his neck and hid her face in his chest. "I just… can't,"

"Yes you can, stubborn," Allen chuckled as he lifted her chin so that he could look her in the eye. "We have no secrets, remember?"

Cilicia nodded slowly at Allen's statement. She gazed into Allen's silver eyes for a moment before she leaned forward to place a kiss upon his lips. Allen placed his hand on her cheek, deepening the kiss just enough to hear a moan escape Cilicia's lips. She pulled away, her face flushed from the kiss she shared with him. She placed her hand upon Allen's cheek, tracing the deep red scar that lined his face. With a deep breath, Cilicia shook her head. "How can I tell you after such a beautiful moment?"

Allen tilted his head with curiosity. A small look of worry appeared on his face. "Cilicia, why are you so upset?

"What?" Cilicia cried as she shot into a sitting position. "You don't know why I'm upset? Allen, think about it!" tears began to form in Cilicia's eyes again. "You and Lenalee… you two look so perfect together. And when I look at you two, I see the beginning of a beautiful bond. And now that Lenalee is pregnant," Cilicia shook her head and grabbed her hair. "I see the most beautiful, perfect family. I just… I just can't believe that I'm ruining that for you!"

Allen sat up and grabbed Cilicia's wrist. "How are you ruining it? Cilicia, I care about you so much-"

"I'm making you cheat on your girlfriend!" Cilicia cried out, catching Allen off guard. "Can't you see that? I'm so selfish; I tell you to stay with Lenalee, but then I'm all over you as if you belong to me…! And just then, when I saw you with Lenalee, who will be the mother of your child… and I realized…" Cilicia shakily pulled her hands down to her stomach, tears flowing from her eyes like an uncontrollable river. She looked up to Allen, pain and regret revealed in her eyes. "Just like I ruined your perfect relationship, I'm going to ruin your perfect family, too,"

"Y…you're pregnant, too?" Allen asked breathlessly, staring upon Cilicia's hands in surprise. Slowly she nodded.

"I… I just missed my… I'm so sorry!" She cried as held her face in her hands.

Allen blinked at Cilicia's heartbreaking form. He finally sighed as he continued to play with Cilicia's hair. Allen's smile was soft as he stared at the woman in front of him. "So that's what it is, huh?" Allen leaned back, laying his head on his left arm as he looked up the ceiling. "I… I figured that would be the case after I saw you crying. I know you love Lenalee, and would actually be happy finding out about her pregnancy… So I thought, 'maybe Cilicia's pregnant too?'" Allen turned his head to look Cilicia in the eye. Her tears had stopped falling as she looked to Allen curiously, wondering where he would be going with such strange words. Allen looked at Cilicia as if he was looking at her for the first time. A nineteen year-old girl with long, dark hair and dark blue eyes. Her skin was tan, her frame was tiny, and her giant heart made Allen feel small and insignificant. Allen smiled at Cilicia as tears filled his own eyes. He sat up and pulled Cilicia close to him, holding her in his arms as if he just couldn't let her go. "Cilicia…" Allen breathed as he thought of just the right way to phrase what he was thinking. "I-" Allen's eyes became wide as a pulse surged through his body. He grabbed Cilicia's shoulders and threw her off the bed. "Get dow-"

A large explosion pushed Allen directly on the piano. He coughed as he held his stomach, almost sure that he would throw up from the pain. Allen quickly pulled himself together, his eye reacting to the Akuma that caused the explosion. Looking to the ground, he noticed with great relief that Cilicia had already moved from that spot. His eyes darted back up to the hole in the wall, where a lone Level 1 Akuma silhouette was seen. Before Allen could move, he heard a small laugh that made his whole body freeze. Allen looked to the top of the Akuma, where the silhouette of a spikey haired Noah was seen. "Oh! Looky here! It's Allen~!" the dust cleared, and Allen could plainly see Road Kamelot standing on the Level 1 Akuma with Lero in her hands. She threw her hand in the air and waved. "Hey, Allen! I've missed you soooooo much!" Road smile sadistically as a level 2 and Level 4 appeared behind her. "But you know, I've heard from Sniffer, this Level two here," She motioned to the Akuma by her side. "He has informed me that he smells something quite peculiar in this room. It was the smell of a fetus," Allen's glare hardened at Road's words. Road noticed such an expression, and her face revealed thoughtfulness. "So it's true?" She gave a light sigh before a sinister smile appeared on her face. "In that case, I may even miss you more… When you're dead!"

"Innocence!" Allen cried as he grabbed his wrist. "Activate!"

Success! It's finally out there!

I must say… what's in the boooooooooooox? ;D

So, did you already guess it? XD I thought Allen's situation was too obvious, but I'm sure I shocked some of you. How did this work out for Allen? You know the outcome, but you have no idea how they got to it.

Cilicia and Reynaldo are both in second with one vote. Alicia is way in the lead (And she thanks each and every one of you from the bottom of her heart).

If you didn't notice, there is an opening in here that suggests further explanation. If you wanna read more about Lenalee's discovery of Kanda (And my version of the Alma incident according to this story) then you should know that I plan on putting up a separate one-shot for that. The more that it is asked for, the faster I'll start working on it! (I stress the 'One Shot' for a reason) ;)

Anyway, Reviews are worshipped beyond belief. Critics are welcomed, and I love hearing your ideas!