Snow's coming down now (I keep telling them that song is cursed!). So, here's the next chapter for anyone who's still reading this story (If you are, I appreciate it.). So, not much going on in this chapter except towards the end. Aw, still no reveiws? Oh well. On another note, I'm still waiting for Retrace LXVII: Lacie.

I do not own Pandora Hearts in any way

~Sucker Punch~

Chapter 4: Crippled Smile

Two days had gone by since then, and Elliot was always by Leo's side, taking care of the noirette as the hours dragged on.

Leo never complained much, and he did sleep quite a bit, not that it was any surprise. Like Leo had told him two days ago, people tended to sleep more when they were sick. However, just like the few times before, he would sometimes unconsciously try to readjust himself in his sleep. It never happened much though, and he would usually just sleep peacefully in his bed.

Elliot found that Leo could manage to eat things like soup without puking it back up. It did distress Elliot a bit at seeing his servant so calm, and Leo just relaxed all the while. Sometimes, he would try and sneak a book past the other, but Elliot would always catch on, which resulted in Leo complaining about not being able to read because of his watchful master. It was that and the fact he wouldn't be able to play piano that would be most of his complaints.

Leo seemed to be fine, even though Elliot knew better.

One thing that Elliot had noticed though, was that Leo's body was thinner than before, most likely from lack of food. He did like it when soup was brought for him, but Leo simply couldn't try and live of this alone. Also, he noticed that the noirette had developed a terrible cough too, which left Elliot wondering if he had caught a cold on top of all this.

'Ugh, after this is over, I'll need to make sure he eats properly.' Elliot thought at one time. 'He's like a twig.'

That was a truth in itself, seeing as Elliot always complained about how his servant never ate enough, going on and on about how he would wither away unless he ate. He would make sure Leo was healthy again though, that is…if he could actually get his hands on the antidote first.

Ash often came by, although in secret, and Leo would joke about her being 'his physician' sort to say. Every time she did come over, Elliot hoped that she would say she found something that would lead them to the antidote, but she never said such things, which meant she had found nothing.

How long would it be till things reached a point where nothing could be done?

"Hey, Leo, can I come in?" Elliot asked, knocking on the closed door. "Ash is here too."

"Come in." Came the reply.

Ash looked up at Elliot as he opened the door to the room he shared with his servant, he was stopped short though when Elliot caught sight of him.

"Ah, Leo!"

"Yes, Elliot?" Leo was currently sitting up in bed, pillows set behind his back (as requested), he was once again wearing his glasses, and a book was held firmly in his hands. "Oh, Ash-kun, it's good to see you."

"Leo, why are you reading?" Elliot asked the noirette.

"Because I want to, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's so simple you know."

"Yeah, but, really? I don't think that's a good idea."

His gaze never lifted from the book as he turned another page. "I'm not just going to sleep the day away."

"Anyways," Ash interrupted, walking over to Leo. "How are you today, Leo-kun?"

"Same as always," He answered her. "But my throat still hurts a bit."

"Right." Elliot had now come over as well, sitting on his own bed. "Leo-kun, would you please unbutton your nightshirt so I can take a listen to your breathing?"

His gaze was still directed to the book for a moment, but then he sighed and marked his place in the book, setting it down on his bed. He was silent as he started to unbutton his nightshirt, but then he decided to speak.

"Remind me again why you're doing this." He said to her as he finished undoing the last few buttons.

"Hey, I'm just doing what Dr. Hall told me to." She replied, slightly annoyed. "Since he's away on business, he told me to come check on you from time to time."

Elliot knew that she wasn't entirely telling the truth; Dr. Hall was not away on any kind of business. Ash had come of her own will, not by Dr. Hall's command. Since Ash was looking into finding an antidote, she also came by to check on Leo's condition, informing Elliot if there was any change. He had once asked her why she came if there was no signs of Leo's condition getting worse at that point. He remembered her saying that she had friends now, and she wanted to do everything she could for the two.

Maybe the reason for that was because she was lonely.

"Whoa," Elliot looked up from the floor to Ash as she stared at Leo. "Have you been eating lately?"

Leo sighed again in response, knowing she had taken notice of his thinner-than-normal appearance. "I've been trying, but the only thing I can really eat right now is soup and other things like that. Anything else won't stay down."

"Understandable, but you can't simply live off that."

'Exactly.' Elliot thought, someone else agreeing with that notion besides him.

He watched as Ash examined the servant's breathing with a stethoscope she had brought with her. She chatted idly away with him, then starting up a conversation with Elliot, which quickly bored him.

Maybe it was like he had assumed, because she seemed happy talking with these two people that she barely knew. It only made him wonder what kind of past Ash really held, before she came here.

"Your breathing sounds good." She concluded, putting her stethoscope back in the bag she had brought with her. "How's your cough?"

"A little better." He answered, buttoning up his nightshirt. "Now, Elliot, if you would be so kind as to give me that book back."

"No way." Elliot growled, taking the book from Leo the second he picked it up.

Leo titled his head and smiled. "Is that so?" He pushed back the sheets of his bed and swung his legs out around so his feet were hovering above the floor. "Then I guess I could fancy myself to a little piano."

"Wait, wait!" Elliot didn't want his servant leaving, and this was a trick. "Here's your book."

That was the thing about Leo; if you got between him and his books, there was bound to be trouble. Don't bother him while he's reading…you don't ruin his good mood and he'll be content. Elliot had been expecting a move like this at some point or another.

Ash glanced from Elliot, then to Leo as he was given back the book. "Thank you."

"Well, I'd better be going then, I've got things to do back home." Ash started, stretching her arms. "I'll see you two later."

"Goodbye, Ash-kun." Leo said to her as she walked out of the room. He then looked up at Elliot. "She's sweet, like a little sister."

"Her? Please, she just comes because she's got nowhere else to be."

"Because she's lonely. Don't you think-" His sentence was cut off when a fit of coughs suddenly overtook him. Elliot noticed his and sat down beside Leo, rubbing his back.

"Calm down, Leo." He whispered to the noirette as he continued to cough. "You're alright."

A moment passed before Leo's violent coughing ceased. He took one look at his master before flopping back down onto the bed. Elliot just let him lay as he was for a moment, but then moved the lower part of Leo's body back into bed, and adjusted him so that he was in the same position as when he walked in with Ash.

"Here." Elliot handed Leo the book after fixing the sheets, but instead of opening it, he let it sit on his lap.

"Water, please?" Leo's voice rasped. Clearly that coughing fit had only aggravated his aching throat even more.

"Yeah, I'll go get you some."

"Thank you."

Walking out, Elliot knew he'd probably be reading when he got back, but he had known at that moment, Leo was slowly getting worse.

It was just another sign that things would only get worse from here on out.

"Gilbert," Elliot started as he watched his older brother cook. "Teach me how to cook."

Gilbert stopped and turned to face the other Nightray. "Hmm? You want me to teach you? Any particular reason?"

"Huh? Don't get me wrong, I just want to know is all!" What he really wanted to avoid was him asking about Leo.

"I see. So, what would you like to make?"

"Well, Leo requested to bring him a bowl of oatmeal, and I just thought-"

"That you wanted to make it yourself." Gilbert finished.

'Damn, there's no way to avoid it now.' Elliot knew when he had replied to his brother's question, it would then lead to talking about Leo, and the reason Elliot had been trying to avoid that was because he didn't want his secret to slip by.

He didn't want anyone to know about what was actually going on with the noirette, not even Leo himself. He'd tell Leo soon enough, but now wasn't a good time.

"That's great, Elliot." Gilbert then took to getting the necessary ingredients needed for this dish. "I think it's nice that you're helping your servant so much. It's actually sweet."

Elliot couldn't' help but to blush slightly at this. "What do you mean sweet? I'm just helping him is all, none of that stupid crap like in romance novels!"

Gilbert chuckled at Elliot's frustration. "Okay, okay."

And so, step by step, Gilbert showed Elliot how to make the dish that Leo had requested. Elliot followed each step carefully, not wanting to screw it up. It wasn't that hard, but, considering Elliot had never actually cooked anything before, he wanted to be careful of this.

After five minutes or so, Elliot had successfully made one bowl of oatmeal.

"Okay, I better take this up to him, and-" He was interrupted when he heard a door open somewhere behind them.

'Oh great, Leo's come looking for me.'

No, instead, someone called his name and it wasn't Leo. "Elliot-kun? Are you around here?"

He knew who that was; Ash.

"Ash, I know you're here." Elliot called out. "Show yourself."

Her head then peered out from behind a box of crates. "Ah, Elliot-kun, there you are."

"What now Ash?"

"Oh, this is Ash?" Gilbert interrupted.

Ash turned her attention from Elliot to Gilbert. "Who might you be?"

"Gilbert Nightray."

"Ah, nice to meet you, Gilbert Nightray-sama."

"Forget that." Elliot redirected her attention back to himself. "What have you come here for?"

A small smile lit up on her face. "I came to talk to you, of course."

And looking in her eyes, Elliot knew.

"Uh, Gilbert! Take this up to Leo for me!" He handed off the bowl to Gilbert.

"But, I thought you were-"

"I have something important to talk with Ash about. Just do this for me."

Now ignoring Gilbert, Elliot lead Ash out of the kitchen. This was a private matter that they intended to keep to themselves. Sure, Gilbert had been one of the Headhunter's targets, also being poisoned also at one time. Sure was lucky he lived. Even so, Elliot didn't want his adoptive brother getting involved in such a thing.

"What? You say you've found something?"

Ash stood in front of Elliot in the piano room with a smile on her lips. "Yes. I found a lead concerning the possible attacker and this same thing could lead us to the antidote."

"Well, what is it?" Elliot demanded. Ash just giggled and laid some papers in her hands on the top of the closed piano.

"It seems there is a man in another town that has a strange hobby; he is an expert on poisons." She explained pointing to some notes she wrote down. "This man's name is George Algood and it, also seems he was at the scene of when the Headhunter first appeared."

"You think they're connected?"

"I'm not certain if there is a connection or not, but, this man came by earlier today, apparently an old colleague of Dr. Hall. After this man left, I asked Dr. Hall about him. I got all this information, then gathered them on notes and rushed over here as soon as I could. If this man is the one who poisoned Leo-kun, then there's a high chance he also hold the antidote."

'This is great progress.' This had officially put Elliot in a good mood. In his mind, there was no doubt that they were getting closer to what him and Ash seek. All they had to do know was go find this guy, and get the antidote from him, and in Elliot's case, that might resort to using his sword.

"Alright, where does this guy live?"

Ash pushed the notes off a map that she had also laid out and pointed to a sport on it. "The port city of Neshi."

Elliot looked at the map, then at Ash. "That's half a day's journey."

"I know."

Elliot looked back at the map, staring at the one spot labeled 'Neshi' and not saying a word. "Then, if that's where we're going-"

"We have to leave soon."

Elliot looked back at her, a blank solemn look on her face. "I'm getting Leo, I'm taking him with us."

He turned to leave, but Ash stopped him by grabbing his arm. "No, Elliot-kun, you can't!"

"Why the hell not?" He snapped at the chestnut haired girl. "He's my servant!"

"Leo-kun is in no condition to travel, especially with winter approaching."

"Enough, he's coming with us!"

"And, you must admit, he's getting worse, isn't he?"

He froze and stopped struggling to get free of her grip, knowing her words were true. He knew Leo couldn't go anywhere right now, it would only make maters worse. Plus, in the winter, the noirette probably wouldn't go outside much, not after accidentally getting locked out of the manor for two hours the winter after Elliot made Leo his servant.

"You're right, but, I can't just leave him here and…" His thoughts drifted off for a moment before an answer came to mind. "That's it!"

"What?" She asked, waiting patiently to hear his answer.

"Gilbert!"

"Your adoptive brother? But I thought you said we didn't want to tell anyone about this."

"Yes, but Gilbert can keep his mouth shut if needed." Ash didn't seem to understand, and Elliot sighed at her slightly confused look. "Ash, I need someone looking after Leo."

She then seemed to soak it all in and understand. "Alright. Are you sure we can trust him?"

"Yes, Ash."

"Okay, I'll go get my things together back home, and I'll meet up with you at 5:00." with that, she gathered up her papers and left the room. Once she was gone, Elliot walked out of the room too, now searching for Gilbert.

He wasn't entirely sure if Gilbert could be trusted, but he was sure that the raven-haired man would understand the situation. After all, Leo's life depended on it.

And so another chapter ends. So, with this imformation, the search is on, and can they really trust Gil with their secret?

Feel free to leave a reveiw. Really appreciate it.