Cross My Heart

Author's Note: Hello! I was planning on getting this chapter out by New Year's Day, but life has a way of screwing with my plans. I swear, I have the worst luck sometimes. Not only did I get sick, I got sick when school started back after winter holidays and missed not one, but THREE days of school. Life is going to suck as I try to catch up on all my missed work! I'm going to warn all of you now that updates will be VERY VERY VERY slow for a while until my workload lets up, soccer season ends, and the AP exams are over. I'm apologizing in advance!

To Reviewers:

Lathya: Did it meet your expectations?

laguna-moomba: Sorry about the pure-evil cliffy. I had to do it. I just had to! :)

17: I'm glad you like it!

And now that I'm done ranting, here we go...

Chapter 14: Schlacht

Sometime during the night, Kanda woke with a start and instantly sat up. His first thought was that akumas had come. He glanced at the window and saw nothing, so that wasn't it. Kanda glanced over at the other side of the bed and saw that Bellerose was gone. The last time she'd disappeared like that, no one had seen her again until Komui called her to his office for a mission briefing.

Kanda heard a muffled 'thud' come from the hallway a moment later, and he silently slipped out of bed and through the open doorway. The Japanese exorcist noticed two things right away as he stepped out into the hallway. The first was that Bellerose was leaning heavily against the wall clutching her left arm. The second was that the red-haired girl was…crying?

"Bellerose?"

The girl's head snapped up at her name, and her lips curled into a bitter smile as she swiped at her wet eyes with the back of her right hand.

"Of all the people, it was you that had to find me like this," she murmured while glaring at the floor.

"Bottling everything up won't help," Kanda stated.

"This advice comes from the one that refuses to feel emotions. How fascinating."

Kanda refrained from rolling his eyes at the girl's sarcasm.

"What's wrong, Bellerose?" he asked.

Chloe pushed off the wall with a chuckle and staggered down the hallway. She got to the doorway of their shared room before her legs buckled, and Kanda easily reached out and caught the girl.

"Seriously, what's the matter with you?" the Japanese exorcist asked while helping the red head over to the bed.

Kanda reached over and turned on the lamp sitting on the bedside table. With a cursory glance, Kanda could see no visible injuries on the girl's body and frowned as Chloe all but collapsed onto the mattress.

"You're starting to sound like a broken record, Kanda," Chloe said as she glanced over at the (concerned) Japanese exorcist sitting beside her.

She grimaced suddenly and lurched forward clutching her left forearm. She would have pitched herself off the bed if Kanda hadn't grabbed her in time, but Chloe hardly seemed to notice. It was obvious that she was in pain from something…but what?

"How long have you been injured, Bellerose?" Kanda asked.

"It's not an injury," Chloe whispered while leaning her head back.

"Then what the hell is it?"

"A side-effect."

How vague.

"Of what?"

"Purging the akuma virus," Chloe stated with a wince.

Kanda glanced down at Chloe's left arm and felt his stomach flip. The skin from her fingertips to her elbow was black, and the once innocent looking markings on her hand had curled up and around to her shoulder. Chloe bit down on a cry when the black traveled even farther up her arm.

"The reaction isn't usually this bad," she muttered as she examined her rapidly blackening limb.

"I didn't think you were a parasitic type," Kanda said while watching the shadow continued to crawl up Chloe's arm.

"I'm not."

Chloe's body shook with the effort it took to remain upright, as well as from the pain she didn't dare voice. Kanda had no clue what to do and simply sat there with his arms wrapped securely about the red-haired girl's waist and shoulders to keep her from falling off the bed. He toyed with calling Komui for a few seconds to see if the scientist knew what was wrong with Chloe, but the Japanese exorcist quickly dismissed the thought. He had no way of explaining what was wrong with his partner, which would only waste everyone's time. Kanda knew that he had to deal with it on his own.

"How did you come in contact with the akuma virus?" he asked after a moment.

"Last mission…Charlotte had a level 3…shoot me…left shoulder…" Chloe mumbled between ragged breaths. "The wound healed…body didn't react until…tonight…"

"How can you withstand the virus?"

"Because…they made me…that way…"

"Who are they?"

Chloe didn't reply. Her body's trembling increased as a dark expression crossed her pain-ridden face, and she bit down on her lower lip hard enough to split the thin skin.

"They are the scientists…that wanted to create…the greatest anti-akuma…weapon…one that didn't…need Innocence…" she finally said while wiping away the blood dripping down her chin from her busted lip.

"So what the Noah said was true," Kanda murmured to himself.

The Japanese exorcist felt something wet land on his arm a few moments later, and Chloe let out a cross between a whimper and a gasp while bringing her right hand up to cover her eyes as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Kanda…they made me into a demon."

Kanda didn't know what to do. He could handle physical pain. That was something anyone could heal from given time, rest, and proper care. Dealing with emotional pain was not his forte, and he had never pretended that it was, especially when it came to other people.

However, something about watching Chloe Bellerose cry bothered Kanda to no end. Sure, he had seen Lenalee and lots of other girls cry before, but to the Japanese exorcist, that was what girls did when they were stressed or upset. It was easier to ignore them instead of attempting to console them. But, Bellerose was different.

Chloe wasn't annoying like the other idiots were. She knew what to say, when to say it, and how to say it in such a way that, no matter whether it was good or bad, Kanda didn't mind hearing it. Chloe also challenged Kanda in ways that had never been done before. No one had ever nearly beaten him when swords were involved, and no one had ever been fast enough to keep up with him during a fight. But for Kanda, Chloe was more than a sparring partner or an intelligent person to talk to. In the six months he had known her, Chloe Bellerose had become an irreplaceable existence in his life. She was his friend.

Kanda didn't want Chloe to be upset. He honestly knew how she felt. The Japanese exorcist had no idea whether Chloe had gone through the same experiments he had for the 'second exorcist' project, but judging from the permanent markings on Chloe's hands and her blackened arm, those experiments hadn't been pleasant either. Kanda knew what it was like to wake up every morning to painful procedures and tests that left him severely wounded and wishing he could just go to sleep and stay that way forever.

They both carried invisible scars that only they could see. It sounded like a contradiction, but it was true. The others didn't know what it was like to be dissected, broken, and mutilated on a regular basis before puberty had even hit, and the others certainly didn't understand what it was like to spend every night dreading the start of a new morning and the experiments that came with it. Kanda and Chloe knew what it was like to be in a living hell without any way out. That was what drew them together.

For those reasons, Kanda didn't get irritated when Chloe started crying or get up and leave the girl to her own devices. He had been in her position once nine years before, and he had been fortunate enough to have someone there to help cheer him up, even if he hadn't liked it at the time.

Instead, Kanda found himself wrapping his arms around Chloe and pulling her close. Chloe tensed at the sudden contact, but after a moment, she leaned into the embrace and rested her head against Kanda's shoulder. They made quite a pair. One was a cursed non-human with no social skills, while the other was an enigma with an innate ability to know when and how to disappear completely. Maybe fate had drawn them together. Maybe it was destiny. Maybe it was mere coincidence. Whatever it was, Kanda had no reason to complain. Chloe made life interesting. He wouldn't trade anything in the world for that feeling.

"You're not a demon, Bellerose," Kanda said after a few minutes.

It was a weak attempt to comfort the red-haired girl, but there was no harm in at least trying, or so Bellerose had said.

"Kanda, I don't know if I'll be any help, but there's no hurt in at least trying, right?"

Chloe made a noise that sounded a lot like choked laughter and brought a hand up to cover her eyes.

"The blood on my hands says otherwise," she murmured.

"Welcome to war, Bellerose. No one is innocent. No one's hands are clean."

Chloe shook her head while removing the hand from her face.

"It's truly ironic. We are called 'disciples of God,' and yet our job is to slaughter instead of save," she stated. "As soon as this war ends, we will become the sacrificial lambs that will sustain the Church and its followers."

Kanda tightened his grip on Chloe and scoffed.

"You're too damn cynical. If, or even when, that time comes, we'll just have to do what we do best," the Japanese exorcist said.

"And that would be?"

Kanda couldn't help but smirk.

"Fight and continue to survive to spite those bastards in Central," he replied. "Leverrier would absolutely hate that," Kanda added for good measure.

"Biting the hand that feeds is not highly recommended if one wants to live longer."

"And since when have you ever done anything that didn't involve the risk of severe injury or death?"

"May I remind you, Kanda, that you also take those same risks?"

The Japanese exorcist scowled.

"Che. Shut up, Bellerose."

Kanda didn't have to look down to know that Chloe was smiling. She had won the fight, but she hadn't won the war. However, Kanda refrained from trying to get a rise out of his partner. Light banter would do the least damage, in a sense. Well, it was a start anyway.

"Does your arm feel any better?" Kanda asked.

The Japanese exorcist had tried to keep his tone as neutral and emotionless as possible, but he knew his concern for the red head was obvious. He wouldn't be sitting there holding her otherwise.

"Kind of. It only burns now," Chloe replied.

"And before?"

"It was like getting shot, stabbed, burned, and electrocuted all at the same time."

Kanda didn't want to know how Chloe had come to know what it was like to be shot and stabbed and burned and electrocuted simultaneously. It sounded too painful, physically or psychologically.

"Those were just some of the things they did to us. In an effort to create an indestructible body, they felt it was necessary to break the body first," the red-haired girl stated. "When a bone breaks, it heals even stronger and thicker than before depending on how it is cared for. They based the research around that principle."

Kanda couldn't imagine what it was like to have his body broken over and over again without his regeneration ability. It was one thing to have pain for a few moments after being injured before it went away completely, but to have to suffer for days, weeks, even months as each bone, each joint, each muscle, each tissue had to individually heal…it must have been torture.

"But now, after everything that's happened in the past six months, I'm glad I'm not normal. It's hypocritical of me to say that, but…" Chloe trailed off with a shake of her head.

"At least you're still alive," Kanda stated.

Chloe lifted her head from the Japanese exorcist's shoulder after a moment.

"I can't believe I've gotten not one, but three pep talks from the great Kanda-sama! I must be lucky after all," she said with a smirk.

Kanda told himself that the red-haired girl was just being sarcastic and let go of her. He started to get up, but Chloe tackled him before he could get any farther. Before the Japanese exorcist could even think to move, Chloe had his wrists pinned at his sides and was straddling his hips to keep him from escaping. For having an injured arm, she was still quite strong.

"What the hell was that for?" Kanda asked as he struggled to free himself from the red-haired girl's grip.

"You're the one that's always on top. I wanted to change that," Chloe replied as if it were the most obvious concept in the world.

Even socially inept Kanda couldn't help but blush at that. Chloe grinned down at him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes as it normally would. She was still upset and trying to hide it behind a happy mask. The fake expression only made Kanda think that she really wasn't all right after all.

"Kanda, can I ask you something?" Chloe asked.

"You just did," was all Kanda could come up with.

Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Clever. You, Kanda, are a master of words, no, a connoisseur of eloquence, a real—"

"What do you want, Bellerose?" Kanda asked before her rant could continue any longer.

"I want you to promise me that you won't die anymore."

Chloe said that with a smile on her face while glaring down at the Japanese exorcist. If her intention was to frighten Kanda into submission, it wasn't working well, but it sure was worrying him.

"Let me rephrase that. You might have the ability to be 'reborn' in the event that you die, but you also take away your life each time the curse activates. I know I was able to reverse the damage before, but I can't guarantee that I can do the same in the future without killing you in the process," Chloe stated. "Kanda, you're a ticking time bomb. I don't want you to die, and I don't want to be there on the day your curse turns on you."

Kanda knew that she was being serious. He knew she meant every word. Even so, he wasn't able to refrain from laughing. It was just too good. Here he was worrying about Bellerose, and there she was fretting over him. Kanda's mirth filled the room, and he laughed even harder at the perplexed look on Chloe's face.

"You're worried…about me?" he asked between peals of laughter.

"I know. Stupid, right?" Chloe replied with a smile. "However, I'm not the only one," she added as the grin dropped from her face.

Kanda stopped laughing at that point. He knew exactly who Chloe was talking about, and he wished those fools would just mind their own business and leave him alone.

"Yes, those fools should leave you alone, but you know they won't," Chloe stated.

She could read minds. Kanda was now positive of that. How she did it, he had no clue, but the fact that she could made it even more disturbing.

"But I'm not telling you to stay alive because of them."

Chloe chuckled as she stared straight down at Kanda.

"I'm saving you for my own benefit," she said with a grin.

"And how do you 'benefit' from me staying alive?" Kanda asked.

The red-haired girl honestly seemed to contemplate the reasons for a moment before a mischievous smirk blossomed on her lips. She silently released Kanda and rolled to her feet with the smirk still on her face. Kanda sat up as Chloe made her way over to her belongings, and he watched while she riled through her things. Chloe stood up after a moment and walked back over to the bed.

"Kanda, I need a favor," she said while sitting down on her side of the bed.

"And why should I help you? How do I benefit from it?" the Japanese exorcist retorted with a scowl.

"Quit whining and come here. I can't wrap bandages well with just one hand."

Kanda's scowl deepened as he made his way to Chloe's left side, and he reluctantly took the roll of gauze from the red-haired girl while eying her blackened arm. The shadow had decreased somewhat in the time the two exorcists had been "talking." However, Chloe seemed to know that the amount of time it would take for her arm to get back to normal would not be quick, and the bandages would easily cover her "injury" until then. Kanda quickly wrapped the gauze around Chloe's arm, and he felt the red-haired girl's eyes on him as he finished tying the bandage off.

"What?" he asked as he caught her gaze.

Kanda knew the word had come out rather gruff, but Chloe didn't seem to mind. She smiled and ran her fingers lightly down the bandages Kanda had just finished wrapping. Her reaction was different from what Kanda had imagined it would be, and he grew even more curious to hear what Bellerose was going to say in response.

"Kanda, you're really skilled at first-aid," was the long-awaited reply from the red-haired girl.

Of all the things she could've said, she chose that?

It was Chloe's turn to laugh at Kanda's bewildered expression, and she continued to cackle until Kanda decided that he'd had enough. In an effort to silence the girl, Kanda had to employ the only weapon he had within reach: Bellerose's pillow. A light 'smack' on the back of the head with the fluffy object made Chloe go quiet, but the peace only lasted for a moment before the red head was laughing even harder.

"And that's why I don't want you to die, Kanda," she said once she had composed herself.

"Because I hit you with a pillow?" the Japanese exorcist asked in apparent confusion.

"No, idiot! It's because it's fun to see your reactions," Chloe replied.

Kanda knew he must've had a questioning look on his face when the red-haired girl started to explain what she meant.

"You present yourself as an anti-social and violent guy with no capacity for emotions, when, in reality, you're even more sensitive to feelings than everyone else around you. That fact makes your reactions to certain situations or statements very…unique and humorous."

"You're telling me not to get killed…because I'm funny?"

Chloe nodded.

"Crazy, isn't it? Welcome to reality, Kanda! No one can escape it, and no one can hide from the people in it."

Kanda shook his head.

"You've been hanging out with Lavi too much."

"Are you jealous?" Chloe asked with a grin.

"Hell no. Just annoyed."

Kanda got to his feet, ignoring Bellerose's snickers, and made his way over to his side of the bed.

"I can't believe you're jealous."

"I'm. Not. Jealous."

Chloe rolled onto her side so her back was to Kanda and pulled the covers over her legs. Kanda took that as a sign that the red-haired girl didn't want to continue arguing and turned off the lamp. He laid down on his designated side and also got under the sheets, but after a few minutes of listening to the night sounds, Kanda heard a soft snort come from the other side of the bed.

"My God, Kanda is jealous."

Despite trying to be discreet with her whispered musing, Kanda heard every word Chloe said.

"Shut up already," he hissed. "I'm not waking you up if you oversleep."

"Oh no! What ever will I do without Kanda-sama to wake me?"

Kanda brought his pillow down on Chloe's head for a second time, and the red-haired girl chuckled as the Japanese exorcist retreated back to his side of the bed.

"Good night Kanda."

"Yeah, whatever."

Bellerose seemed to be better, Kanda noted as he began to doze off. But, she really was hanging out too much with Lavi. That was going to have to change…

All right. Kanda was worried, thoughtful, comforting, and violent. Maybe a bit out of character, but I guess he can't always be a cold bastard. He has a nice side too.

I see romance in the future...what scary thoughts! Well, for dear Kanda at least. I hope he'll survive...

Author's Note #2:

I was looking back at the first few chapters of this story and decided they needed some revisions. That leaves me with a few options. I can finish the story and THEN go back and rewrite the chapters. Or, I can rewrite them NOW and postpone finishing the story until I'm done with revisions. OR, I can just say "To hell with revisions!" and just write the rest of the story in what little free time I actually have before college starts next fall.

Any thoughts from the nice readers regarding this...situation would be very VERY helpful.

Much thanks ~ A.F.