Hana: Hey there, moyashi-chan~

Allen: ...

Raku: You better not pull anything.

Hana: Me? Him? No way~ More or less. Hey everyone! XavierForest and I? We still don't own D. Gray-man!

Raku: -groans- It's too damn early for this.

Hana: But it's almost noon...

Raku: Again. Too early for this.

Allen: Um...enjoy the story?

... ... ... ...

+ - Chapter 21 - +

"Nice place you got here." Lavi said, eying the space. Much to Kanda's displeasure, both the red-head and Lenalee had tagged along to this debriefing. And much to the lack of surprise by everyone there, Cross was MIA.

"Thank you." Mimi curtly said, "Who are you two supposed to be?"

"We're Allen's friends." Lenalee said, "We're going to help find him, and there's nothing that's going to keep us from doing that.

"Okay...but why bring kids?"

"Because they were supposed to be watching us, but wanted to be able to help more in finding Mama Allen." Timothy said. "I'm not complaining. This is so cool!"

"And irresponsible." Kanda dictated. "What the hell were you two even thinking? This isn't a fucking playdate!"

"Woah, down boy." Fou said. "Tensions are high enough, ain't they?"

"She wouldn't be wrong." Tokusa mused. "But the fact of the matter is, Kanda is also right, this isn't a place for kids."

"It's not like we're gonna be out in the field." Lala quickly said, "We just don't wanna be in the dark when you make the plans to finally bring Mama Allen home."

"I see no problems." Kiredori spoke up. "It's fine this way."

"So long as they don't sneak off with us when we finally make the moves nessciarly." Tewaku sighed.

"...'Mama Allen'?" Hevlaska asked. She had hoped someone would explain, but it seems confusion wasn't a facial expression anyone here was going to notice.

"He's the motherly one between us." Kanda explained brusquely.

"Timothy started it." Lala added in.

"And it totally stuck!"

Crossing his arms across his chest, Tyki piped up, "This is all very fascinating, but didn't we come to this super secret meeting to discuss something more important?"

"Yes, we're here to discuses our plan of action to get Malcom off his high horse, and to be knocked down the soap box he's subsequently stood on while on that horse of his."

"Oh?" Wisely was immediately interested by the plan that was in the minds of those in Rouvelier's office. "Seems almost foolproof."

"Almost?" Robin implored.

"I'll say it's 'certainly foolproof' only if or when it succeeds."

The white-haired woman considered that, and then slowly nodded. "Makes sense."

"As of late, Malcom has been on the phone with a man that I can only assume is Apocryphos." Hevlaska began to explain. "Always around the same time, but days seem to vary."

"If dates vary, how will we be able to know when to use the bug?" Link asked.

"Stakeout the phones." Madarao declared. "Seems straightforward enough, does it not?"

"Stakeout the phone, with no real idea when either party will answer?" Kanda asked in disbelief. "Who the hell has any time for that?"

"We do." Kiredori pointed out.

"At least those who aren't on active Allen watch." Tewaku added.

Timothy nudged his sister and said, "That sounds like a boring job."

"But the payoff should be rewarding." Tokusa told the kids. "You know, sometimes boring has to happen in order to gain something of excitement at the end."

"Glad to hear that." Madarao said, giving his friend a pat on the shoulder, "Because you just volunteered to do just that."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"It's not like you do much." Link pointed out.

"I can't speak for ya." Robin said with a shrug, "Don't know you like they would."

"Same." Fou said with a shark-like grin. "A lot of us live rather busy schedules, you know."

Robin gestured to herself, Link and Kanda. "Us three work with the FBI, so we don't have the time. Also, Rouvelier might realize something's wrong if we start taking time off."

"The CIA gig and college doesn't leave me with a lot of free time," Fou added.

"We're just kids." Timothy pointed out. "We wouldn't do well to sit around a boring old phone all day."

"Exactly." Lala said with a grin.

"And the rest of you?" Tokusa skeptically questioned.

"You're the only one who hasn't been actively searching for anything regarding Allen Walker." Tewaku informed her long-time friend, "Even Tyki Mikk of all people is working harder than you to bring Allen back."

The Portuguese man shrugged, "I do like playing him at cards."

"Since when the hell do you play cards with moyashi?"

"A while, but the boy doesn't quite realize he has been playing me."

Kanda decided it was best to leave that alone and returned to the original matter at hand. "Since you have nothing better to do, you're on phone duty," he told Tokusa. "If you're lucky, maybe another CROW will agree switch out with you on occasion."

"Why am I the butt end of these poorly constructed jokes?"

"No one's joking around." Kiredori muttered.

Wisely flashed Tokusa a smile. "Congratulations on the new job."

"That's hardly fair at all! I do things to help! Goushi, you know this, don't you?"

"The last time you did anything," Goushi sighed, "Was when Johnson was still in charge at the Orphanage the kids were at."

"Case and point." Link said. "Hevlaska, take care of him for us."

"Of course."

"So, we have our plan of attack for Rouvelier." Kanda said, eying each indivual in the room. "Has anyone found anything in regards to Raku and Moyashi?"

"Hee-hee~! I bet Cross did." Jasdero piped up.

Devit shrugged, "Or at least, maybe he got a whiff of a trail or something, and is following it."

"That's probably why he ain't here." The duo finished, neither exactly caring about the red-headed man.

"Actually, that would be like him, wouldn't it?" Lenalee asked.

Robin's white brows rose. "If Allen's old guardian knew something important, don't you think the guy would have told us?" She looked around at the group, only to find an assortment of expressions on their faces, ranging from weary to amused, and some even exasperated. "So that's... a 'no'?"

"Cross Marian is good at a total of three things: drinking, womanizing, and keeping secrets," Wisely explained, his smile more tiered than before. "If he's found anything, getting that information from him will be like pulling teeth."

"Oh."

"Be lucky you learned the easier way...actually, maybe us women would have better luck at yanking the information outta him." Fou mused.

"That's...reassuring?"

"He respects women...and from what I can recall," Lenalee said, crossing her arms, "He likes beautiful things and people, very fine wine, and good women."

"Sounds stupid." Timothy huffed.

"Sounds...um..." The Italian child had no idea what word to use.

"It is stupid," Link said, before turning his attention back to adults. "So if we want information, we should have one of the woman in this group ask for it, correct?"

"I don't know about Robin," Wisely admitted, his eyes darting to her white hair and scar. "She looks too much like Allen, so he might be putt-off."

The white-haired female shrugged, "None taken. Hell, the three of us could've been long-lost siblings for all we know. Or cousins. Who knows?"

"That leaves Kiredori, Tewaku, me, Mimi, and Fou." Lenalee listed. She looked to Fou, before feeling a bead of sweat roll down her temple, "Erm...maybe not Fou..."

"I'd totally kick his ass to get answers outta him."

"Do I look like that kind of girl who wants to deal with a guy like that?" Mimi scowled. "No way, no how!"

"And in case you've forgotten, Miss Lee," Tokusa spoke up, "Kiredori doesn't speak to people she doesn't know, or doesn't like too much."

"It's true." The said young woman curtly affirmed. "I don't like Cross."

Lenalee sighed, "Fine then. Tewaku and I could probably get the information out of him."

Tewaku did not look one iota pleased. "Do we have to?" She didn't want to see Cross Marion again; he'd hit on her the first time they'd met, as well as every of their unfortunate meetings to date. "How do we know he even has anything?"

"Because he's Cross Marian." Lenalee said. "He always has information."

Although reluctant to admit it, Tewaku knew that what Lenalee said was most likely true. "Fine, but you can do the talking. He's known you longer anyway."

"Fair enough."

"You're taking this oddly calm, Bookman Jr." Link noted.

Lavi dryly chuckled, "Au contraire, I'm actually freaking out, two-spots. I'd rather my girlfriend, like, not try and coax Cross into spilling the beans...but on the other, I ain't gonna turn into the next Komui."

"Oh, you." Lenalee huffed. "One Komui is already more than I can take."

"Be glad he's the only one." Kanda groused. "So, we have our fucking plans, now what?"

"Once we have Cross' information, we act accordingly," Link said, stealing back everyone's attention. "If he has nothing, then we wait to see what the bug on Rouvelier's line turns up."

"Sounds like a plan if I ever heard one." Timothy said. "I can't wait to have Mama Allen back with us!"

"Me too~!" Lala cooed, "We'll be a family!"

"That's only if we can get information that is helpful to our cause." Link told the kids. "But we'll do our best to—"

"Do better."

"Pardon?"

"Don't do your best to get him back to us," Timothy clarified. "Do better than your best!"

"Sounds like a tall order, right Jas?"

"Right, Devit!" The blonde twin cackled.

Link sighed, "Well, I guess our work is cut out for us."

The eldest of the group nodded, "So it would seem."

Kanda, with his eyes locked on his children, noted how happy and hopeful they looked even after all this time. That was good, because there was no way he was letting Allen get away from him. There was no way he was letting someone keep Allen from him.

God damn it all, he really missed simply holding the other in his arms.

"I feel you may not have to worry." Hevlaska said, taking note of Kanda's expression. "I wholly believe we'll find him."

"If you say you have a sixth sense, I'm leaving."

"Far from it. It's my 'woman's intuition', more than anything."

"I'm out of here." Kanda grumbled, taking the kids' hands and all but dragging them off. "Twin-mole, clock out for me."

Link blinked, before sighing in disbelief. "That man..."

"That's Yu for ya." Lavi said in an attempt to lighten the mood.

. . - * - . .

"Holy hell." Cross muttered. He was...skeptical about the call he'd gotten from Allen. But now that he stood before the actual owner of the voice on the phone, he was just plain shocked. "So you really have been here."

"E-Erm...l-long time no see...?" Allen timidly greeted.

"Months." Cross curtly pointed out. "And then I get a call right out of the blue by the idiot we're searching for."

"I—"

"Say 'sorry' and I'll really give you something to be sorry about!" When the younger male flinched, Cross sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Damn it."

"This was a bad idea." Raku's annoyed voice sounded, immediately catching the red-headed Host's attention. "No one should have been told shit."

"So. You're the brat's fiancé's old man."

...not Ex? Allen had caught that.

"You know, you really caused a shit ton of trouble for everyone. And buried yourself in it while you were at it." By this point, Cross had walked up to the other man, lone eye glaring down at the Japanese male. Though there wasn't a big difference in height. "I'm a decent guy. So I'll let ya spill. What. Did you. Do?"

"C-Cross! There's...there's no need for that!"

"ENOUGH!" Mother's raspy voice hissed out. "There will be no brawling in my abode. Make yourself at home, and you." She aimed her aged eyes to Raku, "Behave."

Everyone quietened down, though Cross never stopped glaring daggers at Raku. "I can't believe the brat'll be marrying into the family of someone like you."

"About that..." Allen spoke up, partially to stop another fight from ensuing, partially because he was confused. "He and I separated... so you shouldn't really be calling him my fiancé..." Cross knew that, so why was he still referring to Yu that way? "We're not marrying..."

"Are you stupid?" Cross asked, rounding on his former charge. "Never mind. Don't answer that. I know you are." This kid was such a dumbass. "What you two had was nothing but a dumb argument. You're still together. At least, that idiot sees it that way."

Whatever the youngest thought he would hear from Cross's mouth...that wasn't it. "He...he does?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, and we both know I'm right, but you still call him by his first name."

Allen...had no valid argument... "B-but that's because th-there's more than one bearing the last name of Kanda right now!"

This time, it was Raku who spoke up, "Lest I'm mistaken, you called out to my son by his first name even in the clutches of that slime ball."

Now Allen found himself without a valid argument. And a rapid pick up of his heart beat. "I-I...I..."

"Dammit brat, breathe!" Cross hissed. "Don't hyperventilate, breathe!"

Still in his PTSD flashback of horror, the head of white hair rapidly nodded, and attempted to calm his breathing. A feat far from being easy, as images, and sounds threatened to consume and suffocate him.

Allen's toes curled as some of the memories slipped through his defenses, disgusted and horrified at the thought of the mouth that had marked his neck and the hands that had spread his legs. He really did hate this. It was the worst. Humiliating!

"My beautiful angel, all for my adoring eyes to gaze upon."

No...

"How could any other lowly man hope to cherish you as I do?"

I don't want it...

"You're mine now, my precious angel."

"NO!" Allen screamed out, having curled into himself, crying harder than Cross had ever remembered seeing him cry.

"ALLEN!" Cross threw caution to the wind, and placed his hands firmly on the young male's shoulders. "Snap out of it, you idiot!"

"Get your hands off him, asshole!" Raku snarled.

Mother held her arm out, ceasing the oriental male's advancement. "Cross knows what he's doing, Raku. Leave him."

"It's my job to decide if—"

"Behave yourself." Mother warned. "Two wrongs do not make a right, Raku Kanda. I suggest you recall such things when you begin Allen's journey to recovery."

Allen flinched away from the loud noises as a whimper escaped his lips and his eyes darted from person to person. His mind was a mess and his face was already streaked with tears, and his nose was just beginning to run.

"How often?" Cross demanded, although he'd lowered his voice considerably. "How many times?"

Allen wade a low wailing sound at the questions. He didn't want to talk about this. He didn't want to admit to it or remember being touched or have Cross of all people pity him.

Cross forced himself to relax his grip on the boy before gently shaking Allen's shoulders. "How often?" He repeated, trying to not let any of his rage or hatred seep into his tone. The last thing he needed was for the kid to sink further into fear and reject him completely because he couldn't hide the contempt he felt for the asshole who'd laid a hand on his former charge.

"Maybe... every day," Allen eventually admitted in a small voice. "I was... drugged... so the days were a bit of a blur..." His mouth was dry, and his heart was loud. "He talked a lot while he was..." He trailed off, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he tapped his trembling lips and looked away. "He kept calling me his angel..."

"Look at me." Cross told the younger, "Look me in the eye. You're not there, you're here."

Allen's gaze briefly connected with the redhead's, but he found that he couldn't keep it that way for very long. "But I was there."

"Was, Allen. But you're not there anymore." Cross said, "Think of where you are now. I'm sure Kanda...erm...not that Kanda here I mean...fuck, the hell?"

"D-don't you just call him girly-man...?"

"I was trying to be less of an ass than I normally am, but fine then."

"Couldn't. Tell." Raku murmured under his breath. Cross glared over his shoulder at the Japanese male. "What?"

"I heard you loud and clear, bastard."

"Cross, please get to whatever point you were getting to." Mother sighed. It was like she was dealing with two over-sized children, for Christ's sake!

"I'm trying to," Cross snapped back, "but this shithead is making it pretty damn hard."

Mother sighed in distain, "Raku, why don't you go into the other room."

"I—"

"Will happily oblige, isn't that right?"

Raku clucked his tongue in annoyance, before storming out.

"The very definition of shitting out rainbows, right?" Cross sardonically implored. Sighing, he turned his attention back to Allen, "Listen, so long as you're here, and we're with you, you're safe."

"C-can you really g-guarantee that?" Allen timidly questioned, "H-He got me once...w-what will stop h-him fr-from...f-from..."

"You needn't worry, Allen." Mother spoke up. "No one could ever find this place even with all the connections in the world."

"BUT HE COULD!" The head of white hair shook Cross's hands from his shoulders, gripping his snowy strands, his expression panicked, "H-He's found me before...h-he w-won't stop...w-won't stop...I-I c-can't...I d-d-don't..."

"What do you want to do?" Cross calmly asked the frightened boy. "You can stay here for a while seeing as it's safe. If not, that leaves another move or returning home. It's your choice."

"...I-I want to go home...but I can't...n-not as I am..."

"So you're staying put until you can find your will to walk forward again."

Silver eyes blinked, the words sinking into his mind, "D-don't stop...k-keep w-walking..."

"You haven't stopped since Mana died." Cross took a half step back and shoved his hands into the pockets of his coat. "I doubt anyone would blame you for resting for a while."

"A-are you sure...?"

"Of course I'm fucking sure." Cross told the younger, "You got pretty damn smart friends by the way."

Huh? "What... do you mean by that?" Allen quietly asked, tentatively meeting the older man's gaze. Cross was complimenting someone? And that someone wasn't a woman?

"They'll probably find a way to get whatever information I currently got on me."

"I wonder why?" Mother mused.

Cross pulled out his phone, and showed a text message to the other two people in the room. "A place, date and time indicating an apparent meeting I ignored in favor of coming here." He then retracted his cellular device, and put it back in his pocket. "I have no doubt your friends are going to try to get whatever information I now have on you."

Allen didn't really like the sound of that. "And you'll tell them?" If Cross did, then they'd know his current state. They'd all know he was stuttering and having breakdowns, and they'd know what'd happened. Yu, who still wanted him, would know.

There was a long pregnant pause, a heavy tension had settled before Cross finally spoke. "I'll be frank with you."

"F-frank...?"

"There ain't a soul alive who doesn't know what that bastard does to his victims." He further explained, "Your friends may already have an idea of what might've happened."

"...is...is that so..."

"I doubt you'll find pity in any of their faces. Personally, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that guy would lock you away from the world, and people like...y'know."

"...h-he did make such a p-promise before..."

Cross rolled his eyes at how predictable that girly-haired fiancé of Allen's was. "That's not entirely good for you, but for a while you should limit going out until you think you're ready to be around people again."

Allen nodded, understanding what his former guardian was saying. "...I guess so...it was...erm, hard for me to even ask you to come, honestly speaking..."

"You didn't ask," Cross reminded the white-haired young man. "I decided, and didn't give you any real choice."

Allen went to retort, but found he couldn't come up with any.

Mother chuckled, smugly looking to the white-haired male, "I recall part of the conversation was 'He was against me calling you... but... I'll admit that I was... reluctant.', but please, correct this elderly woman otherwise."

"I...might've said that..." Allen muttered. "Maybe..."

"You did, brat," Cross said with a sneer.

"...shut up."

"Hurry up and start walking again. You got a group of people waiting for you to get back to them." Cross stated, as he started to head to the door. "I'll be dropping in when I can to assess your progress. Both your progresses."

"B-both?'

"I don't need surveillance." Raku's voice called out in annoyance. "I'm perfectly capable of—"

"I've seen your files, asshole." Cross said with no emotion. "Quite the list you managed to build up...I wonder how much your son found out about. Or even your late spouse?"

Silence.

"I'll be back next week." Cross said, grinning smugly, before making his exit. No sooner did the red-headed male leave, Raku reentered the room, his form tense, and his glare locked on where Cross had disappeared.

"I don't like him." He tersely commented.

"Because he's a man that knows more than you give him credit for?" Mother implored. She never got an answer, as the Japanese male clucked his tongue, and stormed off.

"We start tomorrow, kid." Were the last words they heard from him that day.

... ... ... ...

I love the interactions between Cross and Raku...that was fun~ and pleanty more to come, I assure ya!

R&R, as much as I might need it, doesn't stand for Rest and Relaxation! Leave a review and lemme know how we're doing! Show this work some love by favoriting it, and if you wanna stay updated with new chapters as they go live, then follow this awesome story~! Check out my co-author's work if you hadn't already, and until next time, we'll see you again on...

Light within Darkness!