Title: Shattered Innocence

Author: DnKS-giRLs

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Kanda-Allen

Disclaimers: yeah right… you're not stupid enough to think D.Gray-Man is ours, right? If we indeed own it, why do we have to make fanfiction?

Warning: is yaoi even something to be warned about?

Chapter 15 - Master

The gentle ray of the morning sun shone brightly through the high paneled window on the chapel's walls that day. It illuminated the altar on which Kanda Yuu stood with Allen on his side and their little daughter in the said person's arms. Before them stood a priest who in time being was busying himself in reciting his rite. Seeing that, Kanda could not help his mind from replying the scene of his marriage with Allen that took place on that exact same spot some preceding month from that time. And now, he was back there, on the altar, with the same Allen beside him and he was sure the priest was also the same, but they had their Lucy that time.

The said little baby girl was now yawning slightly in Allen's arms, as if she was bored with this long sacrament. To tell the truth, Kanda too felt really bored and he could only wonder how Allen felt that time. The boy did not have the power to walk for a long time yet and he knew they had been standing for quite a time now.

Finally Kanda saw the priest blessed their baby. The holy water was sprinkled over her and she only made a soft amused sound as those droplets of water hit her face. It was finally over. That day, a week after her birth, their child was christened Lucina Maya with Rabi and Rinali as her godparents. He saw Allen kiss their baby and he could not find any sight to describe happiness which was better than what he saw that time.

All of their closest friends had spared their precious time to actually attend the sacrament and even the doctor fulfilled his promise to be there. They showered Lucy with kisses, presents, and so much love. Rabi and Rinali gave a soft white silk scarf for Lucy as their present. Even Cross actually gave the little girl a soft peck on her cheek and placed a rosary made of amethysts and diamonds between her little hands - at this Komui screamed and knelt on the altar, claiming that Apocalypse was near for Cross would never give such a precious gift to anyone. The rest of them, Cross excluded, only laughed and soon enough, Komui experienced the mighty blow of Cross' hammer on his head. Kanda was so amazed in seeing all the love they gave to Lucy. It seemed even in her early age Lucy had got all the people's attention and affection for her.

He was content at being there for a longer time but he knew Allen was exhausted after that long of a sacrament even though the boy kept his good manners and said none of his discomfort. Therefore he brought Allen to their room as soon as the sacrament was over and all of their friends had given their presents to their baby girl. He could see that Allen was tired but he was smiling contentedly.

"She's legally ours now, before the cross and the country," Allen said to him when he had settled on their bed as if explaining why he looked so happy.

"She is and will always be ours," Kanda said. He sat beside Allen and touched their baby's cheek but his eyes were quickly back to gaze at Allen's face. He could see how pale the other was. "Are you feeling sick?"

Allen shook his head, "Not really, just feel a bit faint. I can still manage."

"Don't push yourself," Kanda frowned. "Sleep for now, this day has been hard for you."

"That sounds fine…" Allen said tiredly. "I think I'll sleep for now. Yuu… can you please put Lucy to her cradle?"

He took their baby from Allen's stretched arms but rather than putting her instantly to her cradle like what Allen had asked him to do, he held her before his chest as he saw Allen slowly drifting off to sleep. In a less time than five minutes the boy had been deep asleep and he smiled a little at the sight.

"Look how peaceful your mother looks when he's asleep," he whispered to his baby girl. She only yawned as her answer and Kanda kissed her on her forehead after seeing that. He knew that having Lucy was one of the greatest bless he had so far and that time he was reminded to the fact again.

Finally put Lucy in her cradle, Kanda then thought of going out of their room to let Allen have his rest. He did so, and once he set his feet outside the door, he met the face of general Cross Marian right before his eyes. It seemed the man was about to come to their room.

"Sir," he greeted him. "Do you want to see Allen? If that so, please excuse my rudeness but you may leave since he's having his rest now."

"No, I'd rather say I want to meet you," Cross said.

"Ah," Kanda said. No matter how many times had he talked with Cross, he still felt a little bit uneasy around the said man. "May I know what the problem is?"

"It's regarding your daughter," Cross said in silent anger. "Those bastards of Commanders told me that they would take her away tomorrow."

Hearing that, Kanda was silent but he had his heart flaming with rage. He knew that they would take Lucy away eventually but why must they take her that time? They could not do this, he thought, taking Lucy when Allen's condition was still so weak. He remembered how the doctor specially asked him not to let Allen be under any type of stress. If Allen heard about the news, he did not dare to imagine what would happen to the boy.

He blinked slowly, trying to remain indifferent. He knew he must control his emotion since nothing good might happen if he just unleashed his anger. Well, Kanda thought, actually if he managed to kill those Commanders when he unleashed his anger, there might be something good happen.

"I thank you for the news, Sir, now if you excuse me, I have something to do," Kanda said and bowed politely to Cross before he managed to walk away from him. He could not walk for far, though, for Cross suddenly grabbed his arms and clutched at it tightly until he felt that his blood circulation being cut off.

"Where are you going?" Cross hissed and stared at him with cold glare. "Are you just going to mope and cry and run from reality?"

Kanda glared back at the man and said, "With all due respect, Sir, but I'm not that low. Now if you care to release me, I'm just about to go to those Commanders' room to ask them tamper with their former decision."

"Meaning you'll lick their boots?" Cross asked.

"Meaning I'll force them to a painful death if they do not want to do what I want," Kanda corrected him.

"Well then, I am terribly sorry for I cannot let you do such thing…" Kanda was about to retort Cross' statement when the other continued with a devilish smirk, "… alone."

"Sir?" Kanda questioned. Did that man mean…

He had no time for thinking, though since shortly after he felt Cross pushing him to walk across many hallways. He knew the way lead into the Commanders' room and his suspicion was proved instantly. In no time they had stood before the double grand doors of those Commanders' room and Cross turned his face to him.

"Do you think that I will let you have the fun of making those idiot people experience hell alone?" Cross snorted. "Share the fun!"

Just that and then the man kicked the doors open so much like what Kanda had done in advance when he came demanding them giving him no mission. He snickered at that, now maybe there was something in common between him and that bloodcurdling man Allen fondly called master.

"Good day, gentlemen! My, aren't you all bored sitting there all day?" Cross yelled as soon as they entered the room. Kanda could see that those Commanders visibly flinched at the sight of General Cross Marian entering the room, especially when they saw him on his side. If he was to speak about bad reputation, Kanda was sure there was none in the headquarters that could match theirs.

"General Cross Marian… and Kanda Yuu," said one of them, "What do we owe the pleasure of this coming?"

"The pleasure? Oh, believe me, the pleasure is all ours, dear Sir," Cross said. "The pleasure to take away your live, that is."

"Ah," one of them said. "Is this about our intention of taking that child away?"

"I am so amazed, Sir, that you can think correctly for until this time I still take as true that your brains have all been dysfunctional," Cross said in forged amazement. "Miracles do exist it seems."

Kanda smirked at that but it seemed those Commanders were not too happy with Cross' statement. He could not understand why they were so angry over the spoken truth.

"We believe we have said this certain thing from so long ago, isn't that correct, Kanda Yuu?" they said.

Kanda raised his face upward, "Well, Sir, I do recall you said something about taking my child away but you never specified the time thus it is acceptable if now we demand you to delay the process."

"It is the best for the child to be taken away as soon as possible," they said.

"And what is the reason of that?" Cross asked. "In my vision you just look like some jealous people who cannot bear to see someone else's happiness."

"Such thing is not your right to say!" one of them roared in anger. "We just think of the best way for everyone. Rising a baby in the headquarters is impossible, not to mention that the child has parents that are… not usual in any way…"

"And how do you know it's impossible? Don't tell me that you've tried it sometimes ago with your bastard of a child and failed!" Cross snorted. "My, do I feel pity toward that poor child of yours…"

"Who ever said something like that?" they shouted in anger before turning their eyes to Kanda, who stared back at them arrogantly. "You have agreed on having your child taken away from you!"

"Have I, Sir?" Kanda said cynically, "In my memory, it was only you ordered us without concerning what our approval is."

"But you must agree that it's the best for your child," they reasoned.

"Yes, Sir, I do but I think it will be lot better if you do that not in these recent times for - I need to inform you - my spouse's condition is not facilitating him to bear any more depressing situation and I believe being separated from our daughter can be referred as a depressing situation," Kanda said. "Therefore, Sir, I demand - please note that I don't merely ask but demand - you not to carry out your plan of taking our daughter tomorrow or I'll have you answer to me."

He gave those people a meaningful glare that spelled death in full capital. Cross seemed amused on his side after hearing his words.

"Now, Sir, he might be happy with just that but I'm not," Cross said to those five people. "I'd say you'll give us time or I'll destroy this headquarters with this man who has claimed my brainless disciple as his spouse, killing you in the process then run and live happily ever after. Nice plan, right?"

"That's a rebellion!" they shouted.

"I know that already, thank you, I'm not some inane person like you are. But do you think such small thing can affect me?" Cross said. "So, dear Sir, if you want your live to be saved, five years is fine."

"It's too long, we cannot…"

"Fine then, maybe three years," Cross said, holding his hammer in his right hand and smiled in a way that could make devil shrank back in embarrassment.

"A month is…"

"Hey, boy, do you feel like slicing some filthy body of foolhardy things in the form of those Commanders now?" the hammer was now swinging in a very dangerous motion.

"One year!" they roared. "That's the best we can give you so please, dear gentlemen, be wise and preserve your anger for your true enemies. We'll give you a year and we cannot give you more!"

"Funny, for I think you're our utmost enemies," Cross smirked. "But I'll let it pass for now. One year you gave us, one year we shall enjoy. If you dare to interfere during the time you've mentioned, I'll have you die a painful death. Kanda, now be a good gentleman and thank those men who have granted you one full year, will you?"

"I think, Sir, my not killing them have showed my gratitude," Kanda smirked at those Commanders.

"Good point," Cross smirked too. "Now that our problem is finished, we shall take our leave. Good day to you all and good bye!"

And as abruptly as how they entered the room, Kanda and Cross exited it without concerning if those people still had something to say to them. They could not do anything to them, Kanda knew it. He was serious when he said those people would experience painful death if they did not agree to his condition, and he knew Cross was far more than just serious with his saying of killing them.

He stared at the man who was beside him as they walked away from those Commanders' room they had valiantly entered. He could see that the man loved Allen in his own way though he always showed it with bloody intention of murder. He smirked, now he knew how Allen could manage to settle well with his bad temperament.

"I think I shall thank you, Sir, in our behalf," Kanda said with a little nod to show the other his respect. "We greatly appreciate your doing."

"I didn't do that for you, child, don't be so proud of yourself," Cross said. "I just hate to see those people doing anything they think they can do. Those higher-ups always annoy me… and though I have accepted you to be my student's spouse, I will be more than delighted to end your life if you ever try to make that stupid disciple of mine experience sorrow again. Is that clear?"

Kanda smirked, "Very."

Cross matched his smirk, "Impressive."

Then with no more word, Kanda saw the man walking away from him. He saw the back that was retreating further from the place where he stood and for once, he felt respect to the man. Allen would be delighted if he knew the thing his master had bravely done for his sake, no mater how the man tried to say it wasn't so. For once he felt relaxed because there were so many people around them, their friends, who would always support them and helped them go through everything.

Friends, he thought in somewhat bemused way, since when did he feel content with the concept of friends anyway?

His feet brought him back to the room in which Allen still slept soundlessly with his mind busy thinking in his head. Without him knowing it, Allen had changed him. In the past, he would've never thought of anyone apart from himself. But Allen had daringly entered his life and changed his perception of 'I could live with no one else'. In the past, he would've never done anything nor be angry over something for someone's sake. But now he found himself more than once fought for Allen's sake as if the other meant more than his own life. In the past, he never enjoyed company. But now, he could not stand being alone. He enjoyed Allen's presence, their friends' presence, and before he knew it, he had been socializing with those around him far better than what he had done so far before the boy whom now he audaciously called his Allen came to his life.

He had come before the closed door of his and Allen's room. Without hesitation he entered the room and saw Allen was wide awake, sitting in the bed with their little baby in his arms. At the sight of him, he saw Allen beaming a smile.

"I was just about to go in search for you, where have you been?" Allen asked.

He did not answer that immediately. Rather than that, he approached Allen and sat beside him. He made sure to give Allen and Lucy each a gentle kiss before answering, "I took a walk with your master."

At that, he could see Allen visibly turning pale, "Oh, Yuu, please say that my master didn't do any harmful thing to you, I've posed him not to…"

"We're just having a friendly walk and some chats," Kanda said. "No need to worry, he's quite a nice company."

But Allen looked somewhat more scared than before, "Did he just hit your head? Yuu, I know you'll never say good thing about my master if you're still in your right mind…"

"I still am in my right mind and there is no damage on my body, or maybe you want to examine it yourself?" Kanda suggested with a very clear meaning behind his words that even someone as dense as Allen could notice.

Allen furiously blushed, "Don't say things like that in front of our daughter, please… do you want to contaminate her brain?"

Kanda only snorted but he took their baby's sleeping form from Allen's hands and held her close before his chest. He stared at the little face and said, "They gave us one year."

"Huh?" Allen asked in confusion.

"Those Commanders had agreed to give us one year to enjoy with Lucy before they take her away from us," Kanda said.

Hearing that, Allen had his eyes widened in astonishment. The aura of disbelief was apparent on his face as he said, "But… how… it's too good to be true… oh, Yuu, don't lie to me…"

"Do I look like lying?" Kanda frowned. "I can bring you to the Commanders now if you still doubt my words."

And suddenly, the comprehension settled in Allen. His form relaxed but he stared at Kanda with a little fright, "You threatened them again…"

"No, I did not," Kanda retorted. "Your master did the job."

Allen was confused at best when he whispered softly, "Master… Cross…?"

"Yes, your beloved master has screamed hell in front of those people with me by his side. I've told you we have some chats," Kanda said easily.

"But… why…" Allen said in his loss. "My master is not someone to do anything… for me…"

"And why not?" Kanda asked. "Everyone will do anything they could for you because you're important for them."

It was right. Kanda knew it. Allen was important for every people around him. That boy might not know it but he had given light to many hearts and granted happiness to their live, himself included.

"Important…" Allen whispered. He raised his face and stared straightly into the depth of Kanda's eyes when he asked with his timid voice, "Am I also important for you?"

For once Kanda was disturbed by the fact that he had their daughter in his arms therefore he could not use his hands to embrace Allen. But he gave the boy a deep kiss without releasing his hold on their baby and asked afterwards, "Do you still have to ask?"

Allen smiled and Kanda would also do the same if that time their Lucy did not disturb the lovely scene with her cry. Kanda rolled his eyes to the little girl in his arms as if blaming her partially to ruin the mood but the baby seemed not to care. She just cried louder without being affected by Kanda's glare and the sight was so amusing that Allen find himself laughing at that.

"Now there's someone you cannot scare with your glare and that happens to be your own little baby daughter," Allen laughed as he took the baby from Kanda's arms.

"She must inherit that from you," Kanda grunted though with no real meaning of harm whatsoever. He watched in sheer contentment at the sight of Allen swinging their child slowly back to sleep. It might look strange for people to see Allen who had always been so strong in battle could be that soft and tender. There was no trace of the tough exorcist Kanda had seen during their missions together in the past at the moment when he saw Allen humming soft melodies to their baby. But at the same time, it looked so natural that he could say that Allen was indeed born mother from the very first time.

"I should thank my master for what he has done," Allen suddenly whispered. "And I also want to thank you…"

"Hm?" Kanda asked.

With a meaningful glare Allen stared into Kanda's eyes, his lips held an impish smile and he said, "Does the invitation to examine your body still valid?"

"Is Lucy sleeping?" Kanda asked back.

"She is now…" Allen smiled.

"Have your way."

- end chapter 15 -

(A/N: don't we all love Cross… sigh… if only we have someone like him to threaten our lecturers so that they can delay our deadlines… suw… apparently our TakeLucyAway!muse has won over us… please, if you want to kill us, wait until this fic is finished, okay? Though we can say that next chapter will come much much later than usual, blame it to those dreadful things named homework (if you want to know what homework we have, see our author's page and mourn with us) so, hope you like this chapter and reviews are welcomed. If you want to throw something nasty, please throw them high cuz at this very moment we're hidden behind those high piles of our unfinished paperwork. Thanks for reading and see you next chapter!)