I am really, really sorry. I know that I have neglected my readers for three weeks, and I apologize very deeply for doing so. Life, exams, and lack of sleep entailed those three weeks, I assure you. Please find room within your very wide hearts to forgive this author. But now I present you, the next chapter of Mana and the Fourteenth.

Disclaimer: I do not own D. Gray-man.

Everything in this story is also a work of fiction, and so it does not have any correlation with with real people, places, or etc. though there may be references.

Also, on an added note, as the storyplot of D. Gray-man itself holds some content on religion, there may be mentions of philosophy/ religion within this chapter, but I mean no offense, so I hope people are not offended.

Plink, plunk, plonk. A piano in the spotlight played joyfully, resounding throughout the walls.

"How do you like it, Earl?" A handsome youth with jaunty hair asked from the shadows. The Earl looked up from his playing.

"I like it very much, Fourteenth-kun -3. May I ask you to do the same for our little project?"

"Oh, the Ark?" The Fourteenth asked, surprised, then broke into a grin. "I think that could hardly be called a 'little project', Earl."

"Hmm." The Earl placed a fat finger on his teeth as he got up from the piano seat, only to knock it over. "Oh my -3." He commented. The Fourteenth merely smiled.

"Maybe you should go on a diet, Earl. Otherwise you can probably destroy the exorcists, God, and the world put together with just your weight."

"My my, Fourteenth-kun. I do not need a diet -3" The Earl said, picking up the chair. "Your manners could be improved upon, or it might offend the world." The Fourteenth continued to smile as the Earl started to pick up is hat and looked around for his overcoat. "However, I do not have time to educate you in etiquette today. Plans are about, as usual." The Fourteenth smiled.

"Shall I go too, Earl?"

"No, Fourteenth-kun -3." The Earl fastened his coat on.

"Ok then. Don't push yourself too hard." The Fourteenth waved, smiling, then added, as if on an afterthought, "Earl, when are we going to appear in your scenario, Earl?" The Earl looked back, tipped his hat, and replied,

"When the time is right-3."

Cross sat on his bed in the inn, smoking a cigarette. His shirt was open, with his legs crossed, not bothering to take off his boots. He closed his eyes, but he knew what would happen. Footsteps were coming closer, subtly, but surely.

"Pah," he said softly to himself. Knock, knock. He turned towards the door and got up from the bed. Klunk. Klunk. Klunk. The sound of his boots coming in contact with the floor resounded. He put his back to the wall on the side of the door's hinges and slowly opened the door. The light from the hallway crept in as he did so, revealing the shadow of a young girl.

"And what brings a level-headed mademoiselle out to a coarse, brutish traveller's bedroom?" He asked, and from her shadow he could tell that she jumped. He decided to further intimidate her. "Huh, Maria?" He walked around the door, and Maria was in front of him, holding a kitchen knife in her hands, her lips pursed. Cross held his hands up, his lips in a smirk.

"Oh? How brave of you. But I'm not one to go down from a knife." He said softly, and deftly reached for her hand, attempting to knock the knife out of her hand. However, she anticipated it, dodging his hand and coming further into the room, away from the door. The knife was still pointed towards Cross. Not turning his back to her, he closed the door, cutting off the light. The room was only lit with the moonlight streaming through from the window, and that was the only thing that separated the two people.

"Dell vee." She whispered, her chest heaving, her face scrunched in what looked like pain from concentration.

"Tell you what, darling?" Cross chuckled, lunging for the knife once more, deftly, with his arm. He knew that she would not swing the knife about; the knife was only a coercive tool, after all. But to his surprise, she ducked and dashed forward, going in between his arms and putting herself at his chest, the knife at his throat.

"Feisty one, aren't you?" He said, smiling. Her eyes were half-crazed with fear and anger.

"Yuu no, gon'qu? Zoze Vonzders, wvat gzey arr?" He flinched at her voice, and at this her beautiful face pained, but she did not release her grip on the knife. "Unzwerr!" She demanded softly.

"What monsters, dear?" He asked condescendingly. "Some bad dream? Here, let me comfort you." He swiftly took her hand in his, and twisted the knife out of her hands. The knife clattered to the floor. Realizing what had happened, Maria struggled, but to no avail. Cross was holding her in place, in total control.

"If you give me a kiss I'll tell you, sweetheart." He said, using one of his hands to lift her chin up. Her eyes flared with anger, and he felt immense pain as she brought her knee up, kicking a certain part of him that he was not expecting. He doubled over from the pain, releasing her hands, and staggered slightly. She darted forward for the knife, but he put his boot leg on top of the knife first. He was a trained exorcist, after all. She backed a few steps to the window.

Hah. Hah. He had not been expecting this much from her. He stepped towards her.

"Zzdop!" She said softly, defeat almost in her eyes. He smiled scornfully.

"Why should I do that, my lady?" Her eyebrows creased at this, but she opened the window (she must have unlatched it while he was still getting up) and put one leg out.

"Efu yuu Kannot dell ve,... Ai vwill jjahmmp owt." Her voice was trembling as she took in short, almost sobbing breaths. "Zoze vonzders, gzey... arr alvayeez avder vee. Dell vee, orr Ai vwill jjahmmp!" She was clever, Cross had to give her that. She was threatening suicide if he didn't tell her about the Akuma. But he was faster than she. He knew it. Then he realized something.

"Wait, they're always after you?" He asked. Could she be..? She started to cry.

"Yuu Kkannod Elp vee." Dejected, she faced the window and put her other leg over, preparing to fall to her death. You cannot help me. What the hell? He did not want to be told that by her.

"Damn!" Cross said under his breath as he darted forward. As he reached the window her body left the window. Fortunately he grabbed onto her wrist. Her eyes met his angrily from below.

"Zzdop id! Ai vwill dy adyvays, zo ledd eet ve vy my hhannD!" She said as she struggled to have him let go.

"You idiot! Fine, I'll help you, alright? I'll help you, so live!" Cross said, his face strained in a frown. She'd rather kill herself than let an Akuma do it? God, could this woman be any more difficult? Finally, Cross hauled her up. Panting, they sat on the ground of Cross' room.

"You...crazy..woman.!" Cross finished his sentence through his gasps for air. Maria wobbled to her feet, and started for the window again. Cross caught on this time though, and brought her down, locking her in with between his arms and chest.

"You goddam insane woman! Fine, I'll promise." He said grimly. "I promise you that I'll protect you from those monsters, alright? And I can, like you saw that night." He could not believe that he, Cross Marian, was seriously reassuring this woman, of all the women there was, that he would protect her. Just what was this woman? "And I'll tell you about them. Soon. I will, alright? So don't die. Don't die, you hear me? Hey, answer!" He stared intently at her, and although she had her head lowered, he saw her nod. Her hand reached his shirt, grabbing the cloth.

"Ai bromize." She said softly, tears streaming down her face. Cross sighed softly, cradling the crying girl in his arms.

"Good."

I will update every week after this unless I say otherwise, I promise!

Sempre means always in music terms (usually put together with an adjective within music)

Thanks for reading! reviews are always appreciated!