Well, here's the fourth chapter. I've been just plainly rewriting the chapters since the last one. The most changes you'll see will be near the middle and end, hopefully. And some in between. I just want to make this story all the more wonderful~ :D

Hope it's working!

Now let's do the thank you section:

shadowshunter12: thanks a lot for being the first reviewer of the story xD it makes me extremely happy. And don't worry, you'll find everything in it's due time ;) and also thanks for the favorite and follow! :D

Marronn: thanks so much for the favorite and follow of this story :D don't worry it'll get better!

Having done that, we can now return to our usual programming -w-

Enjoy~ :D


Chapter Four

Are Sins Ever Forgiven?


Immediately after our little conversation, Sharon sent me away to a room to change for the test. It seemed that my clothes, according to her, weren't quite apropos for the occasion.

The room she sent me to was a vacant one apparently and inside the wardrobe was the outfit prepared for me. I put on a simple white shirt with long sleeves and over it a black vest. Along with that I wore a pair of black shorts and a pair of knee high, heeled boots. I found it funny how I could bear with heeled boots but loathed high heeled shoes. Go figure that I'd be a walking fashion disaster. But oh well.

I came out of the room adjusting my neck ribbon correctly. Out of nowhere, Break came up close and took the ribbon from my hands and tied it properly. I muttered a slight thanks under my breath as I placed my broche on the ribbon once he was finished.

"Can you even move in that?" he asked skeptical and held a cane that I hadn't seen him with before.

"Yeah, it's a lot better than my other clothes anyway despite how uncomfortable it looks," I answer him while tying my hair up in a ponytail. "So, where to now?" He motions for me to follow him and we end up outside. A garden where Sharon had moved her tea party to, it seemed.

He stopped and turned around to face me. "Let us begin," he pointed his cane at me making me jump a bit at the sudden movement. "Here's the game: you are to chase down and attack March Hare. Reim-san will summon him. You will have to land one attack."

"One?"

"Quiet, you rude brat!" Freaking doll from hell.

Seeing as I wasn't interrupting anymore, Break continued. "Only one. But you will have only ten minutes to do so. If you fail, there will be punishment to pay."

"Punishment?" I repeat a little scared at his implications. He only smirked before turning to face Reim.

"Show it to her." He quickly turned back to me, "This is what you'll be chasing for the next ten minutes."

Reim sighed one last time, most likely irritated still about being implicated in this game. Just then a gust of black wind came around him and materialized into a huge rabbit. Its eyes were closed and it had fur of an orange color. A dark cloak was over it and tied with a pinkish ribbon. A top hat with a bow of the same color was atop its head. It bounced a couple of times before disappearing in the same gust of wind. What an...energized bunny.

"Ten minutes," Break repeated taking his silver pocket watch out and glancing at the time. Raising his hand, he pointed at the clock tower at the center of the city that wasn't far off. "You have until twelve to accomplish the task."

Ten minutes, huh? It can't be that hard to scratch a silly rabbit.

"Lure that sneaky bastard out. You're time starts—" the hand of the clock moved into place. "Now."

Well, let's see. First of all I had to find out how the he-

"Ah!" I ate dirt just when something hit me from behind, pushing me forth. I turned just in time to see that stupid rabbit disappear.

"Stealthy, isn't he?" Break called out chuckling a bit. "He likes playing around."

"Stupid ass bu—" Yet again, it pushed me just when I got up. I tried reading it's patterns but it did that to me four more times before I got a rest from it. I glanced upward towards the clock tower to check. Eight minutes; I'd lost two minutes playing with it. I sensed it coming again to knock me down but before it could I jumped out off the way and grabbed onto a tree branch. Squatting on the branch, I looked and saw that I was down to seven minutes. Just then, it pushed me off but I hung onto the branch and attempted to kick him once going around. But he disappeared before I could catch him. My hands slipped off just as I was about to hit him and I fell down a distance to the ground.

Damn! My a-

"Five minutes!" Break announced loud and clear. The sarcastic tone couldn't be missed. I was really starting to hate the guy. But, more than that, I was really craving myself some rabbit stew right about now. Yeah, rabbit stew sounded nice.

Another shove caught be off guard making me almost fall forth face first to kiss the ground. I turned about only to catch the dust of the little runt. How fast could a little bastard be!? Then it hit me. Break said he wanted to test my powers. Chronos controls time. If he can then I can too.

I scurried about trying to figure something out while avoiding the little rat that followed me around. He tried pushing me once more but before he could I jumped and was about to land a kick on him before he disappeared.

Shit! I'll figure it out as I go. "Excelion!" I called out and felt the heaviness of the medallions on my palms. Once I grabbed them, the sash appeared behind me, dancing.

I had to do something with this thing. But what?

"Two minutes." I'm running out of time. Running out? That's it. If I'm running out of time all I need to do is stop it. I need to stop time but...is that possible?

"For a brief period of seconds."

Chronos!?

"How?!" I called out to him still avoiding the sneaky rabbit I had behind my tail.

"Concentrate on the diameter that you want to stop. It's small but you should be able to do it. Just focus on it and it will stop for seconds. That should be more than enough."

"One minute!"

I couldn't ask for any better chance. And I only had this one so I had to make it count. Halting my steps for the briefest of moments, I began to predict just where the rabbit would appear next. "Concentrate." My whisper came as nothing more than that as I stared intently at the place where I knew March would appear in. And just like I'd predicted out of his pattern, March Hare appeared some feet apart from me and...stopped. Completely.

"I did it!" I exclaimed under my breath but immediately noticed the ripples around it. Damn, I had to be quick about this. I rushed towards it and was about to wrap Excelion around it when my foot got caught on an uprooted tree root. Out of instinct, I placed my hands in front of my face and let go of Excelion.

Seconds later, my face struck the ground hard making me eat dirt. I sat up on all fours spitting out pieces of mud and grass and just then heard the resounding toll of the clock tower. "No..." I failed. With a sour mood, I sat on my legs while wiping the front of my shirt clean.

A faint shadow came over me making me glance upward to catch Sharon as she bent over slightly, giving me her hand amiably. I took her hand with pursed lips and dusted my shorts off as well.

"You did your best," she assured. Not good enough though.

"Actually..." Break trailed off. We waited patiently but after he didn't speak and only stared at us, I snapped.

"Just spill it already!"

He still didn't answer us but instead motioned his hand over to the side and behind him. My eyes landed upon Reim and March Hare, who was rubbing a small bump that protruded from his forehead. Reim simply sighed and giggled while patting it on the head as it sniffled.

"It's just a scratch, March." With that, the rabbit left us and disappeared in a swirl of black wind.

"How...?" my voice wondered off trying to answer the question that kept coming back to me. Could I have possibly...

"The medallions on your sash." Break came over to me and Sharon and placed his hands on my shoulders. "When you fell, which by the way was priceless—"

"Get to your damn point!" I snapped already pissed off enough at his taunts.

"The sash, along with the medallions, went flying and bumped onto the rat's head."

"Is that valid?" Sharon's voice sounded perplexed along with her brows knitted together in thought. Expectantly, we both glanced towards the clown only to have him shrug his shoulders.

"What I wanted wasn't to see if she could hit March Hare or not. What I wanted was to see if you could control those powers of Chronos'," he simply replied with his casual nonchalance that was just starting to drive me crazy.

Shaking my head and ignoring the emotions he provoked in me, I gleamed with a grand smile. "Did you see that too!? The time around March Hare, how it stopped?"

He nodded and gave me a grin while squeezing my shoulders a bit. "Indeed, I did. It was short but with your speed it was just enough."

"So, I passed?"

"Just by an accident! Don't get all fired up, you brat!" Emily blurted out.

"Damn you..."

"Well then, Claire." At Sharon's polite call, I turned away from Break and his annoying doll from hell.

"Lady Sharon?"

She raised a hand daintily stopping me in my tracks. "Please, just Sharon will do. After all, we all will be working towards the same objective from now on."

"Objective?"

My inquiry then was answered by Break but not before crossing his arms and placing his top half to lean on my head. I could almost kill him right here and now had Sharon not been here. His words, however, made me stop in my murderous intent. "To rescue young master Oz Vessalius from the Abyss, of course."

Oz...Vessalius?! "Wait, you mean—but I thought he died ten years ago?"

"That's what Pandora made the citizens think," Break explained while keeping his arms atop of me. "In actuality though, ten years ago in the young master's coming-of-age ceremony, he was dragged into the Abyss."

"And now," Sharon's dainty voice took me by surprise as she took over explaining to me. "When the times is right, we will retrieve him from the Abyss."

"With just us three?"

"Four, really," Break giggled while finally getting off of my head. "It will be you, Milady, myself, and Raven. Of course, his powers would be used only in the worst case scenario." Wait, Raven? But then, that means-

"But Raven's contractor is—You mean Master Gilbert is involved in this as well?" I cried out surprised.

"Indeed he is," Sharon assured me with a hand on me shoulder. "And now the four of us will save Oz-sama once the time comes to be. So addressing each other respectfully is out of the question. We are comrades in this now, Claire."

"Although Gilbert-kun does prefer to be called Raven outside of Pandora," Break chuckled while covering his grin with a sleeved hand.

"Why is Mas—I mean Gil—...Raven! Why's Raven interested in getting Oz Vessalius out of the Abyss?"

"Well, if you are so curious as to why I suggest you ask him yourself," Break perked up immediately and held up Emily to my face.

"Yeah, you big, nosy brat!" the doll added with a blurt of its annoying voice.

"What?!"

"You're actually in luck," Break assured me, putting Emily back on his shoulder. "Today was the last day we would be recruiting anymore newcomers."

"Well, yoo-hoo for me," I mumbled under my breath. I was caught off guard when Break pointed his cane right in front of my nose.

"However, don't think that you are getting off the hook that easily," Break smirked dazzling with malice. "You still need plenty of practice. And since time is of essence, I will personally be training you from now onwards."

I blinked once and then twice and again. Well, crap, this was going to be hard as hell.


The rain pounded harshly onto the window glass of the carriage. I leaned against the door's edge while watching the outside scenery as the carriage strolled casually towards the Nightray's main mansion. Heaving out a sigh, I tried not to worry too much of what was to come.

I had been gone all day and it was already the evening. Sharon told me that it'd be better for me to remain at the Rainsworth's quarters while I trained with Break so she sent me back to retrieve my belongings. That meant that I wouldn't be seeing those two as often as I used to; both Leo and Elliot and also the rest of the family, Vanessa and Madame Nightray.

But even with them in mind, I couldn't keep what Break had said to me out of my mind.

"And how is this supposed to help me?"

He'd poked at my forehead making me reach out and grab it instinctively. "You will see soon enough. All this will benefit us all, one way or another."

I groaned thinking that I couldn't possibly tell Elliot or Leo about this. No, if they knew, Break would most likely kill me if he knew I'd blabbered about their objective. I can't let them know. But then that means...letting them know about my whereabouts would be undesirable as well.

"Miss. We've arrived." I glanced out of the carriage's window and saw the mansion's entrance before us. I got out and thanked the driver, instructing him to wait for me while I got my belongings. As stealthily and quietly as I could, I trotted up towards my room and gently closed the door behind me.

I couldn't let anybody know where I was going. If they knew, questions surely would follow and those are the ones that should be avoided the most if I am to work alongside Break and Sharon. They would provide me with information about Chronos and with that would come clues of where Lacrimosa could be. That I needed.

Quicker than I've ever done, I packed a small amount of stuff that mattered to me. Among those were a couple of outfits, some that even Lady Vanessa had helped me pick out. Some books that Leo and Elliot had nagged at me to read as well, but I had never gotten around to do. And what few things that I've brought from the House of Fianna, including the book of The Time of Night. I was almost done when a few knocks came to the door. Damn, I was so close to booking out unnoticed too.

"Claire...?"

Damn. It's Vanessa; the one and only daughter of Madame Nightray. She acted tough and considering that she had lived most of her life with three older brothers and her younger one, I wasn't quite surprised. And although she loathed Leo with every fiber of her being, she had somehow and for some reason gotten attached to me. I never knew the reason but I never inquired it from her either. I appreciated her company just as much as she did mine. I suppose that for either of us not having another female figure our age drew us closer together. Which meant that I couldn't just blow her off and ignore her call. Specially when her voice sounded so strained and worried.

My steps were heavy as I headed towards the door and drew it open just enough to let myself be seen. "Yes, Lady Vanessa." But the instant I saw the solemn and anxious look on her face my feet were the least bit of my worries. Now all I could think of was what the hell was wrong with her. "Is something the matter?"

Her small eyes closed and she took a deep breath before saying her next words. "It's Gilbert. Somebody tried to kill him."

"What?!" I exclaimed. Immediately, I stepped out of my room and shut the door behind me. We where now standing by ourselves in the hallway.

She nodded with the anguish clear in her face. None of the legitimate siblings from the Duke recognized Gilbert and Vincent as part of their family. I'd seen that was specially true with Ernest and Claude. And although Vanessa tried riding coattails on that, she was too kind-hearted, alike Elliot, to ever truly hate someone without much reason. Then again, Leo was the clear exception to all her kindness. But now, her worry for Gilbert's assassination attempt was clear.

"Ernest and Claude are speaking with Father right now about halting the Headhunter once and for all," she explained to me. "Claire, I'm so glad you're here. Mother's been devastated about what happened before with Fred and Uncle. I have no one to talk to about this."

I nodded holding her to keep her on her feet. This attempted killings against the Nightray's had been recent. Ever since Gilbert contracted Raven, they started with Vanessa's oldest brother, Fred, and Madame's brother. Now they've even targeted Gilbert. Who knew who could be next on that blacklist. My brow furrowed just thinking about that and remembered something.

"Lady, where's the Young Master?"

"Elly?" she muttered under her breath. She just shook her head and glanced downward, "I haven't seen him since the incident this morning."

Bad. That's really bad.

If the rumor of the Headhunter attacking spread again and got to Elliot, then he would surely join any dumb crusade that his brothers would embark in. "Does he know about what Master Ernest and Mater Claude plan to do?"

"They told me specifically not to tell anything to him. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"

Yeah, if Elliot found out, he'd go without thinking it through. I have to make sure that doesn't happen. I gripped Vanessa's arms tightly and looked her in the eyes, "We can't let him know. If he knows, he'll surely go. Now, think, where was the last time you saw him?"

Vanessa was speechless, more than likely because of my sudden brusque manner of speaking. "Um, his room maybe? I don't know, when I went to look for him he wasn't there anymore."

I nodded and let go of her, "Please, Lady Vanessa, head to Madame's quarters. I'll go search for the Young Master and take him to you."

"Wait, Claire!" But I was already gone by the time she had called out my name. I ran past halls towards his room but it was empty. I figured, too easy of a spot. I turned to go and turned a couple more corners before seeing two figures up ahead.

"Master Claude! Master Ernest!" I called out making them turn towards me. There had been something on their faces, some kind of expression that I failed to see from far away and that faded after I called for them.

"Oh, it's you," Ernest replied when I finally caught up to them.

"Excuse me," I began catching my breath. "But have you seen the Young Master? Madame and Lady Vanessa are looking for him and sent me to fetch him." I knew it was a lie, but if they knew I'd been poking around in their family business, they'd be furious.

"Elly?" Ernest inquired tapping his chin. "Not since this morning, I haven't. Have you Claude?" Claude answered with a variant of that reply. "You say Vanessa and Mother are looking for him? Alright, if we see him we'll tell him." And with that they turned to go surely to head off for the Headhunter.

Damn, I had to try and stopped them. But it'd be imprudent of me to poke into their business. But I've been to one too many funerals in the past from some of the children's from the House dying of diseases. Elliot had buried one too many family members. That was horrible as it was. I wasn't going to just stand by and let him bury two more.

I gulped down my fright and opened my mouth. "I'm sorry to ask but are Masters Claude and Ernest going after the Headhunter?"

That stopped them in their tracks and made them stare at each other. Goodness, I was crossing a line that more than likely would get me kicked out as Elliot's valet but even so...

Ernest was the first to speak. "So you know," his voice was a bit feeble but I could sense some sort of sarcasm behind it. "I supposed you knew, you were here before when it happened to Fred and Uncle. But yes, we are."

"I know it is not my place to meddle but don't you suppose that it would be better for you to remain with your family?"

"You're right, that isn't your place," Ernest added with a bit of disdain.

Shit, bad wording. "I mean no offense, sir, I assure you. My reason for being so blunt is because I care about what happens to this family."

I do. I become attach to those I come close to. To those people I spend time with and whom I get to know. To me the world wasn't the whole that many thought it as. It wasn't the countless of faceless people living their lives. To me, the world was the people I knew and whom I spent my days with. They were my world and if anything were to happen to them, I would be devastated. I would lose a piece of my world.

"Do you now?" Ernest inquired to which I simply nodded. He scoffed and glanced back at Claude.

"I suppose I'm beginning to see what Elliot saw in you," Claude acknowledged with one of those odd smiles of his.

"I suppose you're right," Ernest agreed and both took a few steps closer to me. "You seem like a nice, level-headed girl. So would you do us a favor?"

"Anything." For them and for this family, to protect them, I'd do anything.

He gazed intently in my eyes and I saw the same blue eyes that Elliot had. "Take care of Elly, Vanessa, and Mother. You, at least, think for a change. You'll be helping us plenty with just that. Even if you're in Pandora now, take care of them." My heart literally dropped with dread. It was almost...as if they were saying they're farewells.

I couldn't do much after what they said except stand in awe as they began to head their way once more. But just then, the worst thing that could have gone wrong happened.

"Ernest? Claude?"

I spun on my heels with dread filling my heart with every second. My eyes widened at seeing Elliot standing just around the corner with his eyes just as wide and terrified. Had he heard what they said? Only when I turned had he noticed me there. "Claire?" he mumbled almost to himself.

I took a step forth trying to stop him and gently muttered his name but only to have him completely dismiss me and going right up to his brothers. I turned to watched the dreadful scene unfold. The brothers, too, came up close to their younger sibling, Ernest placed a hand upon his shoulder.

"Elly." He then ruffled his hair, just like he'd done so many times before and yet this one seemed so out of place. The hand traveled down to his cheek and remained. "You take our mother and run away."

"Ernest...?"

"We will definitely get rid of the Headhunter," Ernest assured him not even letting Elliot finish speaking his thoughts.

"Yes. Even at the cost of our own lives," Claude agreed and turned to leave. Damn, exactly what I was afraid of them saying in front of him. Ernest gave him one last loving smile and turned to follow after Claude.

God, it's almost like they're marching to their doom. And no matter how much I hated to admit it...they probably were.

"Claude..." Elliot mumbled. "Please...wait!" His voice finally rose above a whisper and became a bellow that resounded through the halls. So pained, and so sorrowful. And before he had the sufficient emotion to move him towards them, I launched at him and held onto his right arm tightly, bringing it close to me. "Let go of me Claire! Let go!" he yelled at me trying to pry my grip from his arm. But I couldn't let him go. Not to a fate that would mean his death.

They had entrusted me with their family's safety. I couldn't deny them that wish. I had to keep my promise to them. I would protect their family. I would stand here, not in their place, but for them. Even if that's all I could ever do, it would be what I'd do. Even if Elliot hates me for this later on.

To this very day...my heart still aches for what I let occur. It is such a heavy weight on my soul and my conscious. It hasn't let me live peacefully since then, this burden of letting them walk down their own downfall. And although I know in my head that I did what I had to, my heart still aches and weighs heavy with the sin I allowed to happen.

Ever since that day, I've known that a sin like mine...could never be forgiven.


Well that's that. So sad -w-

I really have nothing with this after note cx only that it's late and I haven't eaten and I'm hungry. So, instant noodles, here I come!

Thanks a lot for reading and hoped you liked it! Stayed tuned for the next chapter :D