Disclaimer: I don't own DGM.

"They've fixed the trial date," Lavi said. He smiled, and his hands tap-danced on the tables.

"I thought it usually takes a long time for a case to go on trial," Lenalee said.

"This one is going to take place in a month," Lavi said, "but yes, usually it takes a year or two after the application is submitted for a case to be heard in court. It depends, really. I guess they found this too important to postpone it for too long."

"After all," Allen agreed, "the Earl might well attempt to dispose of the prosecution witnesses in this time."

"He would," Tyki said. He grinned and wiped his mouth with Lavi's napkin. "Without a doubt. Better be careful. Get an army to guard yourself."

"We have you," Allen said, reaching for her friend's hands.

Kanda scowled, but did not try to fight Tyki. Instead, he looked away and grunted. "We need more guns, idiot."

"We'll get them," Lavi said. "We'll fight to the end, believe me!"

"I hope you do," Tyki said. "Survive, I mean. The Earl's vengeance knows no bounds. Just thought you should know."

:::

"Mr Kamelot?"

Cyril Kamelot looked up from his laptop, where he was studying Noah Enterprises' monthly accounts. It wasn't easy to manage such a large firm, especially when said large firm was now embroiled in a messy scandal involving murder and politics and world domination. He'd spent the past few days with Lulu Bell, trying to manage the crisis that had swallowed them whole. Today – today he'd finally gotten a little well-deserved peace and now his secretary had some new bad news for him. The world was really too unfair.

"What is it?" Cyril asked, running his right hand through his long hair. He bit his lips, knowing that something was not quite right.

The woman stepped in with a letter. "This letter, sir, I thought you'd better open it yourself."

Cyril took the letter and glanced at the return address. "You're right. Thank you."

The letter had been sent from the Supreme Court. Cyril Kamelot had had precious little to fear in his life – and he was not made for fear. Merely looking at the letter, however, made his insides twist in a way he had never thought possible.

He tore the envelop open with trembling, cold fingers and unfolded the piece of paper inside.

Cyril Kamelot turned a deathly shade of white.

:::

Two mornings later, Allen fingered the newspaper and frowned. "What does this mean?"

"Are you an idiot?" Kanda asked. "Kamelot is trying to bullshit his way out. But I'll bet he can't do it. Who believes what people say in interviews?"

"Some people do," Lavi said. "Some people who aren't quite so discerning. We can't discount that fact."

"They're trying to manage the crisis," Tyki said, stirring his coffee. "That's Cyril's handiwork; I know it when I see it, the crafty old fox."

"Not a very bonded bunch, are you?" Kanda said.

"Nah, that's not true at all. I'm just speaking the plain truth. He likes to give interviews to clear the air. Modus operandi for him."

"Will it affect us?" Lenalee asked.

"Maybe it will affect the public opinion on the case," Lavi said. He ran his fingers through his hair and pushed the bandana backward. "I can't say, really. At least, I hope there won't be any adverse consequences."

"We can't do anything about it," Tyki said. He stood up and brushed imaginary dirt off his shirt. "Chill, amigos."

"We just need to stay safe," Allen said. "For a month."

"Tell you what," Tyki said. 'We need to move around. Not stay in one place."

"You're right. I'll start sourcing for new places," Lavi said.

:::

A month later:

"Allen! You're taking an awfully long time to get ready!" Lavi shouted. He rapped on Allen's door.

Tyki put his head out of his room; he was still trying to brush out his unruly curls. "Leave the girl alone, you."

"She's been in there for a while! Too long! We might be late!"

"Calm down, amigo. Are you always like this before hearings? I really hope not – if you are, then you're a really bad litigator, and I might have put my faith in the wrong bunch of people."

"What?"

"Is it too late for me to back out now, and go back to the Earl's side?"

"Mikk! This is no joking matter!"

"Don't get your panties in a twist, Bookman. I was joking, alright?" Tyki withdrew his head.

"That man," Lavi said, and continued rapping on Allen's door, almost falling into the room when Lenalee wrenched the door open.

"Will you stop it?" Lenalee asked. "Give Allen a break."

"What are you talking about? I'm just here to tell her that she's been taking too long to change and we're gonna be late if we don't leave soon."

Lenalee shifted slightly in the doorway, her crossed arms now falling to her sides.

"Wait," Lavi said, craning his neck. "Is she crying?"

"Yes. She's rather unnerved."

Lavi looked at Lenalee's expression, frowned, then walked in and sat beside Allen on the bed.

"You okay?" he asked.

Allen looked up, grey shadows dancing across her face. The rims of her eyes were red. "I'm okay. Just trying to ... steel myself."

"It's a scary experience, being on the stand. I won't deny it. Some people end up breaking down. If you feel you can't testify, then don't force yourself, alright?"

"Lavi's right," Lenalee said, giving Allen a hug from the side.

"I know. I know, but I need to be there," Allen said. She gently nudged Lenalee's arms away, swiping gently at her eyes as she did so. "I'm ready to go."

"Okay," Lavi said. "Lena?"

"I'm good."

"Mikk," Lavi called, walking out of Allen's room. "Get your vain ass out. We're leaving."

"So fast?" Tyki asked. He appeared at the doorway, pulling at the sides of his blazer. "Do I look good?"

"You always do," Lavi said. "Wait, forget I said that."

"Ah," Tyki said, his eyes gleaming. He smirked at Allen. "Did Bookman just profess his undying admiration and love for me?"

"I didn't," Lavi said, beckoning them down the stairs. "Stop imagining things."

"Stop your lovers' tiff," Kanda said, meeting them at the foot of the stairs. "Why did you take so long, you idiot?"

"Not my fault," Lavi said. "Now where did I put the car keys?"

"They're with me," Kanda said. "I'm driving. Get in."

"But –"

"Lavi,"Lenalee said, taking his hands into hers. "Let Kanda drive if he wants to. You know how much he hates being idle."

"It's quite surprising," Tyki said from the shotgun seat, "that the Earl hasn't attempted to do anything to us this one month. I would have expected him to catch us, somehow."

"Maybe we covered our tracks up too well," Lavi said. "It's a good thing."

"It makes me uneasy," Tyki said. "Something's fishy."

"Let's not think about it," Lavi said. "Today we're gonna score!"

"Komui says he's coming," Lenalee said. "I called him last night."

"You what?" Kanda said. "Did you –"

"I used a disposable cell, Kanda," Lenalee said. "Don't get so paranoid. Anyway, the others are coming too."

"I miss them," Lavi said, sniffing slightly.

"As do I," Allen said. "I'm sorry you guys have had to live like this for the past few months."

"Not your fault, Allen," Lavi said. He patted her shoulder. "Evil has to be stopped. That much we know"

"We should have asked for police protection," Tyki said, busy scanning the roads.

"Awww, Mikk, I thought we were finished with that topic!" Lavi said.

"You're rather unintelligent sometimes, Bookman. How did you manage to get called to the Bar? You see, one can never be too sure with the Earl," Tyki said, turning his head to glare at Lavi. "Take it from someone who worked under the Earl for quite a long time."

"Stop arguing!" Kanda said. "Give me some peace before I crash us all into a tree."

Kanda got the peace he wanted, and rather surprisingly, the quiet lasted till he parked the car in the parking area of the Court.

"We've got to be careful now," Tyki said as he exited the car. "The Earl might have a few assassins waiting for us."

"Mikk –" Lavi began.

"Mikk's right," Kanda said. "Keep your eyes open."

"But the police are everywhere here," Lenalee said, clutching the baby tightly to herself. "Surely they wouldn't try anything."

They were now within sight of the entrance to the Courthouse.

"Don't be too scared later," Lavi told Allen. "Defence counsel will try to scare you into changing your position and saying stupid stuff. It happens. The judges will probably be able to tell what's true and what's not, so you don't have to worry too much. I'm just letting you know –"

"Move!" Kanda said from Allen's right side, pushing her towards the entrance.

A man had emerged from the crowd pronging the streets before the Courthouse, something concealed in his hand.

"All of you, run!" Kanda shouted, whipping around to wrestle with the man.

Tyki herded everyone into the Courthouse, pushing a struggling Allen before him. As she tried to wriggle out of Tyki's grasp, she saw Kanda and the assassin brawling outside, their bodies a blur.

"Stop it!" Tyki said, shaking Allen. "You won't be able to help."

Meanwhile, Lavi was gesturing at some policemen, who immediately rushed out with their batons drawn and guns at the ready.

"The police will help him," Tyki said. He hugged Allen. "Don't worry too much, amiga. Kanda is a tough guy."

"Come on," a shaken Lavi said. "Let's get all of us inside the courtroom."

Along the way, Lavi stopped to talk to Tiedoll. "Kanda might be injured, Tiedoll. Could you check on him? I'd ask Marie but I have no idea where he is."

Tiedoll nodded. 'I'll let you know."

Lavi guided Allen to her seat. "Tiedoll will see to Kanda, so try to put him from your mind from now, alright? It won't do to have you all rattled. The Prosecutor will help you along, so put your trust in him and in me."

'I'll be fine," Allen said. "I'll talk to you guys later."

:::

Tiedoll walked out of the Courthouse. Kanda was lying on the floor, blood pooling around him, while the police had arrested the assassin.

"You related to him?" a policeman asked.

Tiedoll nodded, kneeling beside his adopted son. "How is he?"

"Badly wounded, but don't worry, sir, we've called the ambulance. It will be here soon. You going with him in the ambulance?"

"Yes, I would like to."

"He did good today," the policeman said. "A good fighter, this one."

:::

The Prosecutor stood up and delivered a rousing opening statement, condemning the cruel nature of the acts done by the Noahs, emphasising the way they had manipulated Allen into participating in what could be called one of the worst locally-committed criminal acts in a century.

Meanwhile, Allen tried her best not to look in the Noahs' direction. Rhode had been staring at her with a mournful look ever since the Noahs entered the courtroom.

"Now," the Prosecutor said, "with Your Honours' permission, I would like to conduct the Examination-in-Chief of the Prosecution Witnesses."

'Permission granted," Justice A– said.

"Allen Walker, please step up to the stand," the Prosecutor said.

After a lengthy examination by the Prosecutor, the defence counsel stepped forward to give Allen a most hellish time.

"So, Miss Walker," defence counsel said, "you say my clients forced you into this."

"Yes, but –"

"Yes? So which part of it did they force you into, Miss Walker? Did they force you into killing the people? Why didn't you say no? You could have said no. Did my clients force you into it at gunpoint?"

"No, but they –"

"But they what? I put it to you that you had a choice, but you simply chose not to utilise that choice."

"I didn't have a choice! They threatened –"

"Ah, now we have it. What they did threaten, Miss Walker?" defence counsel asked. He leaned in, and Allen could see the cruel smile on his lips mirrored in his eyes.

"They... they didn't exactly threaten me –"

"They didn't, did they? So what did they say that made you feel threatened enough to push the button?"

"I knew they would harm my friends if I didn't follow the Earl's instructions –"

"Ms Walker, let's not beat about the bush. Did the Earl threaten you with Kanda Yu's death or did he not?"

Allen's eyes widened at this mention of Kanda – how had the lawyer known of her true fears? "No, but –"

"Did any of the Noahs threaten you?"

"No..."

"If no one threatened you explicitly, then perhaps, Ms Walker, this honourable court might find that you simply have too good an imagination. Now Ms Walker, let me tell you, if my clients are found guilty, so will you. Don't forget that it was your hand that brought it all about," the defence counsel said, leaning against the witness stand. His brown eyes bore deep into hers, as if trying to dig up all the secrets hidden in her soul.

"I saved more lives that way!" Allen cried, the horror of her act once again descending on her.

"That's something we'd like to hear about," Justice C– said, leaning forward. "Perhaps you can tell us more about that, Ms Walker. Stand down for a moment, if you please, Counsel."

Saved by the judges' intervention, Allen managed at last to tell her side of the story (which the Prosecution had not touched on).

:::

"Now that wasn't too bad, was it?" Lavi said comfortingly as they walked out of the courtroom. "Actually... I hate to say this but it was pretty bad. The defence counsel was mean... Fierce man. Aggressive. I hate that type."

Allen shivered. "I can't imagine going back there to be examined again..."

"It won't be your turn tomorrow, if that's any consolation," Lavi said. "At least, it won't be, if the judges don't find anything else they want to ask you regarding your testimony."

"I hope they don't. One day is enough for me."

"Look," Lavi said, "Here's Kanda with the car and Daisya with the van. Coming, Mikk? We'd better stay away from the Noahs for now, just to be safe."

"Where are we going?" Allen asked.

"Komui's house," Lavi said. "He'll board us all tonight. He has enough rooms. Everyone wants to stay with us and help any way they can... They're all in the van, I think. Most of them, anyway."

"I can't thank them enough for their support," Allen said, with tears in her eyes.

"What are friends for?" Lavi asked, smiling at Allen as they got into the car.

"Stop nattering," Kanda said from behind the wheel. "It's time for the Beansprout to get some rest."

:::

Allen wandered around the inner atrium of Komui's house, her slippered feet making scarcely any sounds against the cool marble tiles. The night was cold, and she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, mindful of the shadows dancing around her, their silhouettes made alive by the shadows of gently swaying plant branches.

"A penny for your thoughts, amiga?"

The sudden sound made Allen jump. "Tyki! Don't sneak up on me, please."

"I wasn't," Tyki said. He pouted.

"Don't pout, Tyki,. I swear you're becoming more like Lavi."

"I don't know if that's an insult or a compliment, amiga."

Allen shrugged. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I could ask the same question of you."

"I couldn't sleep," Allen said. "I've too many thoughts in my head tonight. And they're all haunting me. The ghosts, I mean."

"Same here," Tyki said. "Sometimes a man really shouldn't have a conscience. It's a bothersome thing to have."

"What ghosts are haunting you tonight?" Allen turned to face her friend. "You don't have to tell me if you don't feel like it."

"Too many," Tyki said. In the dim moonlight, Allen thought she could see tears at the corners of his eyes, though she couldn't be sure.

"The men you've killed in your long career?"

"Yes," Tyki said. He lifted his eyes skyward. "Them especially. I think the trial has brought them back from the great beyond, and now they haunt me."

Allen patted Tyki's shoulders. "It's all in the past now, Tyki. You need to remember that."

"I know, amiga, I know. It's just that a man needs to make peace with his soul at one point." Tyki sighed. "You should sleep soon."

"You too," Allen said.

"I'll sit out here for a while more," Tyki sad. "Need to clear my head."

"I'll stay with you."

"Oh, I think you'd better not," Tyki said. "Not that I disdain your company, but Kanda will raise a fuss if he can't find you in your room when he checks on you."

"He said he would check on me?" Allen asked. She stood up.

"Yeah, you'd better be going. Don't want him getting angry now, do you?"

"Good night, Tyki," Allen said. She left for her room.

There was no sign of Kanda in the corridor. Allen felt strangely disappointed, sighing as she pushed against her door. A sound near the window made her raise her eyes as the door swung open. She gasped. There Kanda was, sitting cross-legged on the floor – and he was glaring at her.

"Kanda," Allen said.

"You shouldn't be sneaking around like that in the dead of the night."

"I wasn't."

"Aren't you even worried about your own safety?"

"There are guards around this house, Kanda. You're getting paranoid."

"Guards?" Kanda said, rising swiftly. He frowned. "I wouldn't trust a Noah to not be able to sneak past those idiots outside."

Allen shook her head and closed the door. "You're thinking too much... But how are your wounds?"

Kanda moved backwards as Allen reached out to touch the bruises on his face. "I'm fine."

"Stand still, Kanda," Allen said. "Let me look at them."

Kanda frowned again, but didn't move a hair when Allen's cold fingers brushed against his skin, skirting the tender edges of the purple bruises.

"I'm sorry for making you worry and for causing you to be injured," Allen said, withdrawing her fingers.

Kanda caught hold of her fingers. "Don't be an idiot."

Allen looked at his hands.

"Reflex action," Kanda said, suddenly aware of the awkwardness lying heavy in the air. He loosened his grip on her hands. "There's no reason for you to be sorry."

"I've brought so much trouble to all of you."

"Che. Stop thinking so much. Go to bed." Kanda pushed Allen toward the bed.

"You should go to bed too."

"I will, once you're in bed," Kanda said, stooping to unfold a mat.

"What's that?"

"My sleeping mat, what else?"

"You plan to sleep here tonight?" Allen asked.

"You never know when someone will try sneaking into your room here. We're too close to them."

"Komui has his whole house rigged, Kanda. You know that. He has a couple of Komuirins hidden away somewhere."

"They're robots," Kanda said. "And stupid. Now stop talking."

He switched the lights off. Allen snuggled under the covers, glad to have some company on this strange night. The ghosts had all fled now, and a little flame burned brightly in her heart, warming her soul and body.

:::

The next day, Tyki was called to the stand.

The Prosecutor continued building his case theory, finally allowing Tyki the chance to denounce the Earl and the Noahs he had once counted as family.

The defence counsel tried to break that same story down by casting Tyki in the role of manipulator and liar.

After the trial, Allen walked up to Tyki and took him by the arm.

"You okay?" she asked.

'I'm good," he said.

"No, you're not," Allen said.

"Let's not talk about it now," Tyki said. "I feel traumatised."

"One is apt to feel that way after being attacked by the other side's lawyers," Lavi said from behind them. "Let's get in the cars first. We can all talk about things later, okay, Mikk? Allen?"

Allen nodded. "Come on, Tyki."

As they waited for the vehicles at the porch of the Courtroom, they saw the Noahs filing out. One of them, a man, saw them and started running over, waving his arms and shouting.

"Tyki," Allen said, tugging on Tyki's arm, "someone's coming. Let's move faster."

"It's Cyril," Tyki said, blinking.

"We should go," Lavi said. "I sense trouble, oh trouble."

"Stop there!" Cyril said. "Tyki Mikk!"

Tyki resisted Allen and Lavi's pulls. "He's my brother. He won't hurt me."

"So you say," Lavi said. "Don't be a fool."

Tyki dug his heels in. "What do you want, Cyril?"

"You bastard!" Cyril shouted, reaching Tyki at last. He grabbed Tyki by the collar. "Ingrate!"

"Let go of my, Cyril."

"Fucking bastard," Cyril said, his grip on Tyki's collar tightening.

Tyki tried pulling Cyril's hands away. "Let go of me."

"How could you do this to us? Who fed you all these years? Who clothes you? Who gave you a place to stay? Who gave you a way out when you were nothing but a filthy vagabond? How do you expect me to account to the Earl? We owe him so much!"

"He gave us pain too."

"Don't be an idiot! The Earl has done nothing for us but help us. He has shown us nothing but kindness!"

"He made us kill for him, Cyril. I don't know about you, but I still see their dead eyes when I go to sleep every night. He made us break the law for him."

"Shut up," Cyril said, his face now pale with rage.

"It's a fact, Cyril. You've gotta accept it. The Noahs... we're a fake family. We're just the Earl's playthings. Can you continue doing what you're doing, knowing what you do?"

Cyril reddened, and his left hand released Tyki's collar, swinging backward and then forward in an arc. There was a sickening sound of crushed bone as his fist made contact with Tyki's face.

"Tyki!" Allen shouted.

Lavi shoved Cyril off Tyki. "Kanda!"

Kanda ran over from the nearest van and grabbed hold of the other side of Tyki. "Move, Beansprout! To the van!"

A/N: Really sorry that it took me such a long time to come up with this chapter (and it's so horribly short to boot). I'll try to update quicker (if life allows it) - do forgive any style errors you see because I didn't have the time to proofread it, oops. Also, I know there are errors regarding the legal procedures - I realised that too late. Let's just pretend everything's right, sigh.

Thanks for reading and reviews/comments/suggestions would be appreciated (: