The search lasted well into the night. Hakuren, Athena, Frau, Castor, and Labrador all searched the walls of the Barsburg Church up and down. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the small brunette.

"Don't panic." Castor reassured them. "Well, we have good reason to!" Athena fired back. "You'd think he would show up by now! Where do you think he went?" Her voice seemed to trail off.

"I don't know." Hakuren said quietly as he pet the pink fur ball that laid atop his shoulder. Mikage whined silently and hopped over into Athena's arms.

"There's nothing we can do." Frau's voice rang out against the silence forming between the group.

All eyes turned to him. "What do you mean?" Hakuren retorted. Frau's piercing blue eyes met Hakuren's violet ones. They had a look of determination in them.

The bishop sighed, "I mean we can't search for him all night. He's obviously not here. We can't go out and look for him. We might as well just wait it out and stay here until he decides to come back."

Hakuren's glare deepened. "If that's what you want to do, then fine. You can sit here and do nothing while Teito may be out there dying!"

"He's not dying!" Frau yelled. "You're just overreacting."

Hakuren turned away. He didn't want to face Frau. He didn't want to face any of them anymore. All he wanted was to find Teito.

He turned and bolted for the front gate. "Hakuren!" Castor yelled as he started after the boy.

Frau grabbed his arm, balking him, "Don't. Let him find out on his own." He said as he turned and watched the boy disappear beyond the enormous gate. Castor relaxed in Frau's arms.

He looked at the blond bishop with disdain. "Great. Look what you've gotten us into this time."

Frau took offense to that, "What do you mean by that!" He growled.

Castor pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "Never mind." He said.

He then turned and motioned for Labrador to follow him. "You don't really care for him at all, do you?" Castor said menacingly before disappearing with Labrador into the shadows of the church.

Frau heard him, but decided to pay him no mind. Athena seemed to be the only one left with Frau.

"Everyone's gone." She remarked solemnly. "What was your first clue?" Frau replied sarcastically.

She didn't reply. Instead she took Mikage and walked silently out of the courtyard.

Frau made sure she was out of earshot before he let out a loud groan and sunk down onto the fountain. He buried his face in his hands and sighed. "Why did he have to go and get himself lost? The brat." He said silently to himself.

He stayed in that position for a while before he suddenly felt a poking finger in his back. He whipped around and found Lazet tugging on his robes sadly. Her amethyst eyes were filled with tears.

Frau smiled softly and ruffled her hair, "Don't worry. We'll find him." He reassured her.

The mermaid smiled and nodded her head enthusiastically. She then turned and dove under the water, spraying Frau in the process.

The blond stood and tried to shake himself dry. He mumbled something under his breath before finally retreating to his room for the night.

-------------Elsewhere---------------

"Teito!" Hakuren's screams echoed throughout the vast forest surrounding the seventh district.

He had ran a good distance away from the church, and although he wouldn't admit it to himself, he wasn't sure if he could find his way back alone. However, he wasn't going to return alone.

He was positive that he was going to find Teito and return with him. But as time passed, and his cries became more strained and hoarse, his hopes of finding his friend were diminishing indefinitely.

He finally came to a large oak tree in the middle of the forest and stopped to catch his breath.

He had been running for hours, and still no sign of Teito. He sank down onto the ground and sighed; a stuffy cry getting caught in his throat.

He felt his eyes start sting with the fresh tears that were starting to form. He let them fall. Right now, he didn't care. He didn't care about anyone. All he cared about was Teito. What he would give to see his best friend once more! To see his smiling face.

These comforting thoughts of Teito eventually lulled the small blond boy to sleep.

Short chapter is short.

Well, what did you expect? :'D

I am well aware that this story is getting off to a slow start. Please bear with me!

I was originally not going to continue this at all. So there.

I had to keep pushing my French homework back to classes like Physics and Choir so I could work on this during Seminar.

Once I stop having French homework, I might try a little harder. ]=

OH! Thank you to all who reviewed the first chapter! I'm glad you all like it so far. C: