Hiya! Wow, Underground was something that was for fun. But since so many people liked it, I'm going to take it seriously. This won't be like CT, maybe in the writing style but that's about it.

I'm going to write up an outline for this.

For now, Chapter 2:

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-One year later-

They took turns watching over the birthing pits in the Asian Branch. During the mornings it was Johnny, during the afternoon it was Bak, and during the nights the Finders that were home took turns. Why Bak joined the Project was a mystery at first.

His own mother and father were victims of that project, after Alma slaughtered them mercilessly. It wasn't until For explained, much later, that she asked him to that they understood.

"I used to watch Kanda and Alma fight to synchronize every day. They'd come back ripped apart...Alma used to cry a lot. I comforted them if you can believe that, but it still was hard for them. Bak's father and mother were really the only people to care for them. If this is really happening...if Allen of all people is being subjected to this...than I want there to be people who will care for him."

It was something completely out of character her to say, and she threatened them with a painful death if they ever spoke of it. Even so, they understood. Allen vowed to love everybody, this was the least that they could do.

It gave Johnny and Bak something to bond over: their devotion to make this right. All Johnny wanted to do is protect Allen and Bak refused to let what happened to Kanda and Alma happen to him.

When they thought about it that way, it gave them some hope.

It was during the morning that it happened. Johnny always sat by the pits to talk with the subjects. They had twelve subjects in twelve different birthing pits. All of them were exorcists killed or injured badly by the Noah. He sat by the farthest one mostly, Allen's, and talked to it.

The day was special. It was Christmas! Most had traveled to the European Branch to celebrate, but Johnny and Bak stayed behind. Lenalee wanted to come over to keep the two and For company, but Komui refused to let her leave.

"You have to stay with your brother!"

"Nii-san…"

It was for the best, Johnny believed, because she didn't know about the project. Nobody did, not even Kanda. They were afraid to tell Kanda mostly, because of his reaction. He'd be furious.

"Today is Christmas, Allen! Do you know that today is your birthday? Well, it was your birthday. It'd be really cool if you'd awakened today! Then your birthday would fall on your-"

The water rippled but Johnny didn't notice.

"That'd be cool, right? Or at least…" Johnny faltered once he saw the water. Leaning forward on his knees he tried to laugh, "Aah..are you awake?"

A hand popped out, scaring him. He fell back.

"Ah, Allen! You are awake!" He clasped the hand tightly, a tight felt in his chest. He didn't know whether to smile or cry. He did both, tugging until a body came out.

It was meant to be happy: a close friend was alive again. He had to try to be happy, or else why did he do this?

"Look at that, same birthday as before…"

Allen was coughing, choking on the birthing liquid that previously kept him alive. Johnny pat his back gently, "There, it's okay. Can you say something? Anything?" It'd be bad if Allen couldn't speak or hear. He'd have to be resubmitted as a subject, and he'd already been there for a year.

"My…"

Allen was trying to speak, his voice hoarse. He was shivering badly, and Johnny quickly shrugged off his jacket to wrap around his body.

"My name is Allen?"

And then he looked up, and Johnny saw surprised him.

No way…!

It wasn't the white hair, because the Allen he knew always had white hair. It wasn't his silver eyes because Allen always had silver eyes.

It was the long, red curse mark the crossed through one eye. Allen-the previous Allen, was cursed. He was fated to always see Akuma souls and their suffering. It was this curse that gave Allen his drive.

Johnny faltered, smiling sadly: he had hoped Allen would awaken without his curse. He wouldn't feel so obligated to love everybody and fight for them. Ignorance is bliss after all.

It seemed that Allen would never get to be selfish, because curse forced him to be selfless. It was sad when you thought about it that way.

Johnny was trying not to make this sad.

Even so, Johnny smiled, "Yes, you are Allen Walker…I'm Professor Johnny Gil, you can call me Johnny if you want."

"I feel tired...but I just woke up...is that strange?" Allen was wavering. Johnny steadied him, struggling to keep smiling. After this, he'd report to Leverrier and Link, the overwatchers of the project.

Or just Link, because he knew Link had at least some remorse this past year for condemning Allen. Leverrier was still entirely too smug about it, so much so that he liked to refer to Allen as one of the Noah.

The Noah took Allen's death just as hard as the Order, Johnny believed. There hadn't been a Noah sighting several months following and even when they did it was only Tyki Mikk walking with Wisely and Road. They were in their human forms.

They returned several months ago, so much stronger and even more tough to kill. The Earl, especially, was pretty vengeful about the loss of who he called 'Nea.' They all were, really.

Johnny lifted Allen into his arms, just as For and Bak came rushing in. For kneeled by Johnny her eyes widening at the sight of Allen.

"That's because you just awakened, you should sleep. I'll be there when you wake up."

Allen looked up at me, "P-promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

Allen slumped forward.

For touched his cheek, "It really looks exactly like him." She mused, "Right down to the curse."

She looked down, "Are you reporting this to Leverrier right away?"

"Yeah, I think I should. Better to start synchronizing him now, making he'll do it quickly…"

It's more likely for him to be a fallen one.

With all his strength and resolve, the innocence-his Crowned Clown-could reject him.

"This is so messed up...out of everybody, we've dragged Allen Walker from his grave to serve in this war again…" Bak grit his teeth, "Komui's going to kill me...if Lenalee doesn't first."

"But we can't think of it like that!" Johnny cut through, "We have to believe that Allen is still strong enough to do this, or else why did we agree to this?!" He was desperate, desperate for this to work.

It had to.

For Allen's sake.

Johnny stood up, handing Allen to For.

"I'll head to the Eastern Branch now…"

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Leverrier wasn't surprised to see Johnny in his office. There had been a lot of accidents lately with the pits, and he expected more.

"Did something go wrong, Professor Johnny?"

Johnny's eyes narrowed, "No...sir...we have an awakened subject."

"Which one?" His smirk told Johnny that he knew exactly which one. Johnny wouldn't have rushed for a random subject.

"Allen, sir. Allen's back." He smiled slightly, "And he looks exactly the same-"

"Including the curse?"

"Yes...sir…" It was hard to admit.

Johnny looked down, "The curse remains...and…" This was the hardest part, admitting it. He didn't want to say what everybody-meaning he, Bak, and For, were thinking of.

"And?" Leverrier pressed.

"There's no telling what else...remains in Allen Walker…" Johnny whispered, feeling sick.

There's a chance that this isn't over…

...it'll never be over…

"What are you saying?"

"He's saying that," What shocked Johnny was Link interrupting, "The Fourteenth's, may still be inside of Walker." He explained, and Johnny flinched at the truth.

If a curse traveled through rebirth, so could a memory.

"Is that right?"

"Yes...sir…"

Leverrier smirked, "So be it. If at any point you see Allen Walker awakening, you are to kill him before the Noah feel it, understood?"

"Yes...sir…" Johnny bowed and walked out, tears threatening his eyes. He had to be happy, this was a happy time.

It was Christmas after all.

"Happy Birthday, Allen."