Disclaimer : D. Gray Man is Hoshino Katsura's property.
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Chapter 6
5 a.m.
Kanda was standing in front of Allen's room, motionless. Though he hadn't opened the door, he could hear inside, nurses and a doctor who was giving out orders. Kanda didn't understand most of them, but what was certain was that something had happened to Allen, given the worried tones on the medical staff's voices.
The Japanese man did not dare open the door, so as not to disturb them, but he was boiling with anxiety. He waited there for five minutes, then ten, then fifteen, then half an hour, waiting for the voices to quiet. When they did, he was about to open the door, when a nurse turned the handle before, going out. She stopped as she saw Kanda, and barely told him :
« You may enter if you want. »
But he stood there for a moment longer, looking at the exhausted doctor who was sitting next to the bed, then at his moyashi for a few minutes. Then :
« What happened ? » Kanda asked more roughly than what he should have, as he went in.
The doctor looked at him, surprised at first for he hadn't noticed Kanda's presence, then sighed deeply.
« We've almost lost him. His condition has stabilized now, though. » he quickly added seeing the face Kanda was drawing. « But it's worse than before. I fear we may not be able to keep him for long if this goes on. »
« Isn't there anything you can do ? You're a doctor, damn it ! You can't simply let him die like that ! » Anger rose within Kanda. It was their job to keep people alive, for heaven's sake ! How much did they think Exorcists were struggling to remain alive ? And then, in less than thirty minutes, that so-called doctor was already ready to give up ?
« Please, try to understand we've done our best. I didn't say Sir Walker was doomed ; there's still a chance he can manage, but it will be hard. »
As Kanda was about to snap back, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned round, to see Komui along with the nurse who had gone to call for him.
« Kanda, please calm down. I know it's hard on everyone here, but there's nothing more we can do. Now the rest is up to Allen. » he said with a sad tone.
The Japanese man gritted his teeth and got out of the room hastily, infuriated. He headed for the outside training grounds, as he needed some fresh air to cool his head down. There in the middle of the light breeze, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes and tried to empty his mind. He stayed there for about two hours then decided that he was calm enough to go back inside the building without feeling the urge to kill everyone on sight.
In front of his room was standing a certain red-haired Exorcist who was obviously waiting for him.
« Hey, Yuu. »
« What are you doing here ? »
« Just figured that you'd like to talk, that's all. »
« Che, about what ? »
Lavi sighed and directed his most serious look at Kanda :
« Stop playing that game. I'm clever enough to know that you're worried sick about the beansprout, don't deny it. And talking a bit wouldn't harm you, you know. »
Kanda didn't argue back, remaining silent for a couple of seconds before opening the door of his room and going in. As he had let it open, Lavi considered it as an invitation to get in as well, and so he did.
The room was pretty dark for the curtains were drawn, but there was enough light for Lavi not to stumble anywhere – it wasn't the first time Lavi was coming to Kanda's room anyway –. He glanced at the big hourglass which contained the lotus flower.
« Don't stand there stupidly, just sit. »
Both of them took seat on Kanda's bed then kept silent for a moment. Since Lavi knew that Kanda would never start a conversation, he eventually spoke :
« He's strong. He'll make it for sure, as he always did before. »
« … »
« There are some things you don't know about him, about what he suffered since he joined the Order. For instance, I bet you don't know that he's missing a whole part of his heart. »
« Excuse me ? » Kanda asked incredulously.
« Yeah, that happened while we were in China. That Noah, Tyki Mikk, he almost killed Allen back then. Timcampy showed us everything, how he beat Allen to the ground, how he smashed his Innocence, and how he plunged his arm through Allen's chest right at his heart. At that time, Lenalee and I thought he was dead, you know. And… »
« He never told me about that » Kanda cut abruptly.
Lavi forced a small laugh. « Well of course not, seeing how you get along so well. He hadn't even told us. We learnt it from that Mikk guy. »
« So you're telling me that he's got a hole in his heart ? »
« Actually, no. It seemed a small fragment of his Innocence replaced the missing part. »
Now Kanda was really intrigued.
« Does it have anything to do with the fact that he's a parasitic-type ? »
« Dunno. In all history, not a single Bookman has reported anything similar to what occured. I mean, Innocence saving its Exorcist. It's happened to Lenalee too, remember ? When she got shut in the huge crystal thing. So we don't really know. Anyway, just to tell you that even with a part of his heart missing, he's still alive, so it's not a shitty little coma which is gonna stop him from living. See, even after he lost his Innocence, he's managed to get it back in a much stronger shape. I dunno about parasitic-type much, but I bet losing your Innocence must not be something very pleasurable. »
Kanda was slowly trying to assimilate what Lavi had just told him. He still couldn't believe Allen had endured such serious damage, and above all, had managed to remain alive. There had to be some limits to how much that moyashi could endure !
« Moyashi no baka ! » he muttered. That made Lavi smile.
« How much are you concerned for him ? » he asked.
The Japanese man only replied after a minute of silence.
« Concerned enough to slice him up if he doesn't wake up soon. »
« In your language that means a lot, huh ? »
Again Kanda didn't reply. An awkward silence followed. Then Lavi resumed :
« And how about that time when the level 4 almost turn the Headquarters to dust ? Komui told me that Allen had sustained so much damage on his body that he wasn't supposed to be able to lift even a finger. And guess what ? During all the time he was unconscious, it was his own Innocence that took control of his body and made him fight against the Akuma. »
« How come you know so much ? »
« Heh, well I am a Bookman afterall. It's my job to record everything and to know everything, so don't be jealous, my dear Yuu-chan. So you see, even with his whole body knocked out, he can still stand and face anything. And he's got us to back him up, right ? »
Once again, Kanda lost himself in his thoughts.
The level 4 shot an amazingly powerful blast in Allen's direction. The Exorcist rose his weapon, and with a scream of fury, blocked the attack with the huge sword. But it wasn't enough. Allen was losing ground, he wasn't going to hold out any longer alone.
Then two hands suddendly appeared behind him and grabbed the handle.
« Hang in there… » Kanda said as he was also holding to Allen's waist for support.
« You're all we have right now ! » Lavi added.
The only thought that crossed Kanda's mind at that moment was that he was going to support Allen until the end, no matter what, for Lavi was right : he was all they had. He was all Kanda had.
The three of them would manage somehow.
« Yeah, he's got us to back him up. » Kanda finally said. Lavi grinned. Everything would be fine.
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Again, thanks to everyone who reads this story and to those who review. The story's almost done so you won't have to wait too much now.