So...a lot of the first chapters are going to rely on time skips, much like a Cutting Ties does. I decided that Allen's getting nowhere with us going week by week. So this takes place just approaching Allen's first birthday.

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"Lavi!"

Lavi turned around just in time to see Lenalee running towards him. He smiled widely, waving. He couldn't shout because he was inside the library and the Bookman always lurked around this area of the Order.

"Oi, Lena."

She stopped in front of him, panting, "I've been looking all over for you! Look, we have a mission together!" She shoved the papers into his face, beaming. That fact alone shocked him.

Lenalee was a general, and generals usually traveled alone with a group of Finders. If an exorcist came with them it was only because they had run into each other. That and Lavi had been on lockdown by Bookman for a while.

"Really? I thought generals weren't allowed outside Order walls yet." He observed the paper.

Lenalee blushed, laughing, "Well, yeah, but they can't exactly keep us here. We have to be roaming...so I asked for a mission. Big brother bent the rules a little and gave me back up, you." There was something about the way she said it that tipped Lavi off.

Huh. I wonder if...

"It's been awhile since I've been out of this place as well." Lavi mused-though he well knew the reason. Bookman had advised Komui against giving him any missions following Allen, using it as an opportunity to train Lavi closely again. He knew better-Bookman trained him too well.

He thought I became attached.

Lavi fought down a bitter smirk at the thought.

Well, guess he put some trust him in this time.

"This village is pretty close to the Asian Branch." Lavi mused.

"I was thinking we could visit afterwards...I mean it still counts as us returning home right?" She giggled, "We leave in a few hours." As she left, Lavi stared after her.

Lenalee was such a horrible liar.

I guess I don't give her enough credit.

He feigned a shrug for the people around.

She noticed too.

The Asian Branch...the secrecy...half the scientists moving. There was something too suspicious about the Order. Lavi looked into it himself awhile ago, but by Bookman's orders stopped.

It was too strange-not once had Bookman hid information from him.

He had written down the order of the events in a notebook.

First, Allen was executed.

Second, Johnny and have the scientists moved to the Asian Branch.

Third, all word for the Asian Branch slowed to a minimum.

To the naked eye, it just seemed that the scientists were busy. It was a given, the science department was inventing. They were trying to make lives better-but to Lavi it was all too strange.

Before, Komui called Bak to bother him everyday. Now, they rarely talked. That was sad, sure, but more suspicious than sad.

He didn't expect Lenalee to notice as well-he really underestimated her.

She was much more intuitive than I realized, His eye darkened, I guess I better really watch my back.

He chuckled quietly, "Things are about to speed up, huh?"

Well, it's about time.

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The tests had finally ended for that day. It wasn't any more successful than the previous ones, but at least they were finally over. It was late now, and Allen was supposed to be asleep.

There were times he didn't sleep, when he couldn't sleep, so he liked to wander the Order at that time. Since it was night, nobody ever caught him. If Finders happened to be up, they ignored him.

So he walked, Timcanpy fluttering closely at his side. It was always silent at the lowest floor because nobody went there. The only thing on the floor were the birthing pits and the innocence.

Allen knew each of the other subjects name by heart. He talked to them, sometimes. They must be feeling lonely being all alone. Allen didn't remember how he felt a few months ago, when he was still in the pits. He remembered how afraid he was when he came out though, so he wanted to make them as comfortable as possible.

He didn't talk to them this time, instead he went straight to the innocence.

The room was cold and like always, he always felt uncomfortable when he entered the room. There was no Leverrier or CROW in the room(though they were still overseeing the project), but that didn't stop him from feeling afraid.

Timcanpy zipped forward, fluttering around his innocence. Crowned Clown, that's what he heard it was called.

"Crowned...Clown…" He whispered, touching the innocence gently. Like always, a small shock went through him when he touched it. However, it didn't tear him apart like it did when it was being forced on him.

It felt...different somehow. Different from it did when he did his tests...more comforting, open.

Innocence...is it usually this warm?

Even though all his experience with innocence was pain.

"Y'know Tim, Professor Johnny and Lou Fa are always saying how being chosen by innocence means that your chosen by God but...I haven't synchronized yet..." Allen stopped himself, shaking his head.

He leaned against the wall and slid down, hiding his head in his knees.

Timcanpy nuzzled him, the piano's melody drifting from his mouth. Allen looked up, smiling weakly. Timcanpy was worried about him it seemed, but why?

"Thank you for trying to cheer me up, Tim…I'm okay…"

He was trembling, as if he was afraid.

Allen didn't think he was afraid more than he was confused. He was told stories about innocence everyday, stories about the Great Flood and the innocence scattering.

He was told about the Millennium Earl...and, he supposed, they told him what God had to do with everything.

If God chose who became exorcists and who didn't…

Doesn't...that...mean…?

He tried not to think that way, but being here for nearly a year, it was hard to remain hopeful. It hurt to think that way, but it was hurt more not to. Still, he at least tried.

Months had passed since his birth, months. Since he became a 'child of God.' From what people told him, God was merciful.

"Ha…" Allen nuzzled Timcanpy, "Maybe God hates me…"

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Ah...this chapter was hard for me. I really wanted to write it quickly, but it took me three tries to even start it. And then I went threw three versions of this chapter. At first I was supposed to include the Noah not catching Cross, but it wasn't flowing, so then I was going to go into just the Noah, but that didn't work, so I went with this.