It was blurry at first.

The redhead struggled to open her eyes, she turned her head groggily as if she was waking up from a dream. Amber's long eyelashes batted repeatedly but slowly as her eyesight slowly adjusted to the darkness. She couldn't focus, her head was pounding and her wrists and ankles were bound together.

Wait...bound?

The very realization forced her awake, she moved her hands and legs repeatedly against the rope as she struggled.

All of a sudden, the lights were turned on and Amber let out a hiss at the sudden brightness.

"Had a good nap Miss Marian?"

Amber recognized the voice to be Leverier but she still could not see, she cursed her luck but responded in level with his tone, loud and confident.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"I was forced to put you in a docile state."

"How dare you? I am no animal for you to put down! I'm human! I have rights!"

"You are no ordinary human Amber Marian."

"Correct, I am one of the two prophesied children yet you treat me this way. You must really want to suffer God's wrath."

Leverier blanched as she finally looked up at him, right into his eyes. Obviously, she had overcome the drug quicker than he had estimated and she was now completely focused.

"I have not physically hurt you Marian."

"No, you just attacked me, drugged me and then bound me up like hunted prey."

She straightened her posture, still looking at Leverier directly. Amber's mind was working rapidly, trying to interpret the situation.

What was Leverier up to?

Why go through the trouble of talking to her like this?

"I had hoped the drug would last longer but I underestimated your extraterrestrial abilities."

"What do you want with me?"

"I need to brief you of a few things."

"And why could we not be briefed in front of my father? He is the-"

"Your father is what I wish to talk to you about."

Amber's jaw clenched, something in her stomach was telling her this wasn't a normal conversation.

"Your father is dead. You are the last Marian of existence."

Kanda stomped angrily out of the infirmary, Lavi was following behind him wary of the samurai's mood. Lavi was supposed to go on a mission with his master but his master cancelled last minute saying that it was imperative that Amber Marian is to be monitored upon her return. However, Amber was supposedly under "supervision" by Leverier after she defeated Alma Karma so he couldn't get to her now so his best option was to follow Kanda especially after the supposedly steamy kiss the samurai had with the smaller redhead he had heard happened on the battlefield.

Lavi's fingers twitched and he willed the urge to punch something away. He didn't have the time for his emotions right now.

It wasn't long until they reached Amber's room and for some reason Kanda's demeanor sobered instantly, he lifted his hand and knocked twice.

"Leave me the hell alone! I don't want any visitors! I don't need your damn pity!"

The two teenagers were confused on what caused her mood this time but it was Lavi that spoke first, "You alright in there?"

"NO OF COURSE I'M NOT FINE! MY FATHER IS DEAD!"

It was then did the two understand that it was the first time Amber had heard of the news about Cross Marian's mysterious murder since she returned.

"Kit, don't shut us out."

"FUCK OFF!"

Kanda scowled, he stepped back and slowly raised his foot but Lavi was quicker and held the samurai back, "Cool it!"

Kanda struggles almost growling but Lavi was firm and somehow managed to convince Kanda to let him enter the room and try his luck. After all, Kanda and Amber will likely get into an argument considering the state she was in. Kanda relented but only because he wasn't sure how to console a grieving person.

Lavi opens the door slowly, albeit cautious of flying objects that may be thrown by the female redhead. He peeks inside to see Amber's face buried in one of her pillows, her body in the fetal position.

"Hello"

Amber stiffens and looks up slowly, glaring at the Bookman before her.

"Do you not understand English? Want me to tell you to fuck off in another language? Anything in particular you would like Mr Bookman?"

Lavi smiles awkwardly, "I know you're just as good as a linguist as I but you don't need to be hostile."

She looked exhausted, his jaw was set in concern noting her pale skin and her eyes red and swollen obviously from crying yet it didn't make her glare any less intimidating, "I think I am allowed to be as hostile as I like considering I am in mourning."

"I know but you can't push people away who just want to be there for you. Kanda was ready to kick down your door you know."

Amber snorted, "If he did I would have decked him in a heartbeat."

"I know but since you and Kanda are a thing now, shouldn't you let him be your rock to lean on?"

"I'm sure you have noticed that Kanda isn't exactly an emotional person. How can I lean on him now? I'm just going to make him feel useless since I feel like shit and I don't think anything can console me right now..."

"He's your boyfriend, he does want to be here but he knows you need some space."

"So why didn't you follow his lead and leave me be too?" she retorts, tired of the conversation already.

"Because I can't Hime."

"Because you can't or you won't?"

Lavi smiles, leaning in towards her; his handsome face just inches from hers and his hand pressing down on her bedspread, "I won't."

"Why?"

"Because I care about you."

The sincerity in his voice did not fall on deaf ears and it was enough to make Amber's face redden with honest shyness, "Y-you're too close."

"Are you and Kanda really an item now?" his voice oddly sounded lower and huskier. If Amber didn't know any better, Lavi was trying to flirt with her and it was throwing her off guard, his good eye was hard to read.

"E-erm...we haven't put a label on it exactly...why do you ask? Why is it important to you?"

"Why...you ask?"

He knew she didn't love him back, but he couldn't resist. He leaned in a little closer, their foreheads touching. Damn, he couldn't fight against the thoughts that were going through him. Her very smell was flooding his senses now...

He leans in closer and his lips press tenderly against hers, Amber's mouth opened in surprise. She was completely unprepared. You would think that after all the hours they had spent together during missions and off time - watching him talk, laugh and frown - that she would know all there was to know about his lips. The familial embraces and affectionate kisses on the skin between them especially but she hadn't imagined how warm they would feel pressed up against her own.

She leaned backward, the comforting touch of Lavi's warmth lingered on her lips. She touched them gently, tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm s-sorry...w-we-"

"Don't be beautiful."

He lifts his chin and kisses her tenderly on the forehead and Amber lets her tears flow freely, crying silently as Lavi brushed his hand in her hair and using his other hand to kiss her hand hard, "Hime, take all the time you need."

"T-thank you..."

Lavi tilts his head, studying her face. It was killing him, seeing her so unhappy. The softness of her lips was still oh so present in his mind, he wanted to kiss her again badly but she had pulled away...

It would be wrong of him to press further yet it ached his heart knowing there was someone else outside her room that she truly yearned for.

He leans in, kissing her cheek, "You know how to reach me. Call me when you need me gorgeous."

Kanda's palms were sweating which irritated him.

He was Kanda Yuu, he was never nervous. He did not do nervous so why the hell was he having that problem now?

He knew Lavi had it bad for Amber yet Kanda had actually let him go in and comfort her...why?

Kanda's fingers clenched, realizing he was an idiot, he can't trust that playboy near what was his but then; all of a sudden, the alarm blares loudly causing Kanda to turn from the door wondering what the hell was happening and why he didn't recognize this alarm tone before. He feels himself being pulled and once his eyes was able to focus in the speed he was forced to run, he realized it was Lavi.

"What's going on you baka usagi?!"

"This alarm only sounds if a prisoner escapes. We have to get to the control room!"

Leverier could barely breathe, one side of his face was smashed to the floor, a foot pressing down on his head and another on his back. The man's face was turning red from anger. He was being publicly humiliated in front of the entire European Division of the Black Order.

Who dared?!

"Try to make another word against Allen one more time and you'll be tasting something else other than floor dust in your mouth you wretched old fool."
Leenalee stood from the couch slowly, her crying had stopped at the appearance of Amber Marian who was the one presently standing on Leverier. The Chinese exorcist had just told everyone about what happened with Allen and she was crying at her final words until Leverier interrupted announcing the manhunt for the 14th which got him in his present position.

Amber had appeared practically out of nowhere, an invisible force knocked Leverier off his feet and she suddenly materializes. She seemed different.
It was strange, her hair was much more wilder than she remembered and her body seemed more mature. It was only six months but there was no denying the curves of a feminine waist and the clear formation of a more pronounced bust thanks to the attire she was wearing; she was dressed in a white jersey and blush pink satin shorts with her long legs on full display but what caught everyone's attention was the black open coat she had on.

It was her father's casual coat. The one he wore as a General, not his official coat that carried the cross, it was the one that had a long zipper on the front.

"I will find Allen Walker, not your twisted little soldiers."

She steps off Leverier just as Kanda and Lavi entered the control room who stared as Amber addressed everyone with just as much confusion as the rest of the staff.

"I am in charge of this investigation. I will find Allen Walker with Lavi Bookman, Leenalee Lee and Kanda Yuu as my subordinates. None of you are to proceed into trailing him. If I catch any scoundrel that dares, you will taste the steal of my blades and your body will burn from the holes of my bullets."

Amber closes her eyes and her coat somehow wraps around her at the murmur of her next incoherent words, her body suddenly enveloped in a tornado.
Leenalee forces her skirt down, the wind so strong that it caused everyone to shut their eyes but when the wind finally died down, Amber was dressed differently from before. She was still wearing Cross's coat but properly zipped up now with black fitted pants with five inch brown heeled boots. She was even wearing his hat, she turns to Leverier as he stands up from the ground.

"Don't you dare interject in this Leverier or I will kill you. I am not in the mood for your pathetic attempts to be relevant."

With the swish of her coat she turns and heads toward the exit, pulling Kanda and Lavi along without warning by the arms as she walked through the two. Leenalee was not going to be left behind so she rushed after them, her heels clicking against the pavement as the European division stared after them.

The hell just happened?