Cross My Heart

Author's Note: Hey guys, I'm finally back! Yayyyyyyyyy! Sorry sorry sorry sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Real life likes to be the center of attention no matter what. Boo. However, I did write a lot more than usual...I think?

Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything -Man related, but I do borrow the characters to make mischief. Otherwise, I'd be rich. Ta ta.

Chapter 23: Dirigible

Komui glanced at the clock for the umpteenth time. It was drawing closer to Lenalee's check in time, and he was trying not to worry. The Chinese scientist passed a hand through his hair and blindly reached out for his coffee cup. He brought the cup to his lips but found no coffee to drink. Lenalee usually topped him off at the beginning of every hour, and she promised to be back in time to have coffee with him today. His little sister knew how important the date was, so for her to be cutting it so close to the check in time was worrisome. Komui let out a sigh and pushed up to his feet. He needed more coffee and less wor—

The shrill ring of the rarely used telephone startled Komui, and his heart leapt into his throat as he fumbled the empty cup for a panicked second. The ringing continued as Komui carefully placed the cup on his desk. The scientist glared at the frightening device then picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Niisan, it's Lenalee." Komui couldn't have been more relieved.

"Lenalee-chan, why are you calling my telephone? What's wrong with your golem?" he asked.

"Long story. I just wanted to tell you that we're going to have to stay overnight in France," Lenalee replied. "I'm sorry, Niisan."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Things happened, and now we're under the care of some nice French people. We can't leave for the gate until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest."

"Is everyone all right?" Lenalee was avoiding the question in a nerve-wracking way. "Lenalee?" Komui said when his sister didn't respond.

"Niisan, I have to go. I promise to make it up to you soon."

"Lenalee!" Komui cried when he heard the inevitable click from the other end of the line. He immediately shot to his feet and sprinted out the door, breezing past Bridget without sparing her a glance as he made his way to the Science Department. Johnny was the first scientist in sight, and Komui gripped the man by the lapels and shook him in desperation. "Johnny, find out where Lenalee's golem is, now!"

"Hold on," Johnny said while twisting around in Komui's grip to face the screen. "I-I can't get a location on Lenalee's golem," Johnny reported a few moments later.

"Try Allen's." Johnny again shook his head. "Inspector Link's communicator?"

"Offline."

"Try both of Chloe's communicators."

"Komui-san, I can't find any of them," Johnny said softly. "After we recorded the group going through the Ark gate in France, there's nothing about their location."

"Damn it," Komui hissed more in worry than in anger. Lenalee wouldn't have ended the call like that if someone was dying, and she herself didn't sound distressed. "Timothy's tutor Emilia is still in contact with the Detective Inspector and the Mother Superior from France, correct?" he asked.

"I think so."

"If none of the golems or transmitters have come back online by morning, I want you to have Emilia contact those two for assistance. I can't send any more exorcists out without good cause," Komui grudgingly admitted.

"Yes, Sir."

Lenalee stared at the phone as if willing her brother to call her back. Link grabbed the device and put it back in its place on the desk, ignoring Lenalee's hateful glare. "Allen Walker is asking for you, Miss Lee," the inspector said.

"Thanks." Lenalee got to her feet and walked into the next room. Allen was sitting up on the couch he had been laid out on, and he had his head in his hands with a grimace twisted on his lips. Lenalee crossed the room in several long strides then sat down beside Allen on the couch. The white-haired boy lifted up his head while resting his arms on his thighs. "How's your head?" Lenalee asked to break the room's silence.

"It's been better, but I can't complain. My back hurts a lot worse," Allen replied while touching the bandages wrapped around his head. "Did you hurt your knee?" he asked upon seeing the white wrapping around Lenalee's leg.

"It got cut when I went through the shop window. It didn't bleed much, but better safe than sorry."

"And I'm guessing Link came out unscathed as usual."

"He sprained his wrist. I guess he's not impervious to hitting a building after all." Lenalee tried not to grin at the 'serves-you-right' expression that crossed Allen's face. The Chinese exorcist started to say something else but a muffled shout from the floor above immediately silenced her. The cry was one of pain and frustration, and Link strode into view when a second shout sounded from above. "What're they doing to Chloe-chan?" Lenalee murmured in concern.

"They are setting the bones in her hand back in place," Link stated in a clinical fashion.

"Matron at least knocks you out first if something has to be set." Allen winced in sympathy as a third yell filtered through the floorboards making up the ceiling.

"I doubt a common citizen would have any access to proper anesthetic or analgesics." Link couldn't hide the concerned expression on his face as a fourth shout rang out. He decided to change the subject and just be thankful that they weren't able to hear the fractured bones snapping back into place. "Miss Lee, how is your knee?"

"It doesn't hurt as much as it did before."

"Madam did say she could obtain a set of crutches for you if you needed them."

"I'll keep that in mind," Lenalee said as she rubbed her bandaged knee absently. The cut looked a lot worse than it felt, which was surprising considering the size of the shard of glass Chloe had pulled from her leg at the scene. The door to the cellar creaked open at that moment, and two sets of feet slowly descended the wooden stairs. Allen and Lenalee practically sprinted into the main room of the cellar as Chloe and the madam of the house came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs. Chloe was standing under her own power, but her face was twisted into a pained grimace she wasn't bothering hiding. Her right arm was tucked into a sling, and her left forearm was wrapped with already blood-spotted gauze. Allen and Lenalee crossed over to Chloe's side and placed a hand each on her back to guide her into the other room with the couch.

"Are you all right? You look like you're about to pass out."

"Come sit down right now."

Allen and Lenalee fussed over the red-haired general, who followed their orders without protest. The madam of the house, a middle-aged woman with a kind smile and concerned eyes for the injured Order members, watched the teenagers lead their comrade into the other room with a grin. She glanced over at Link as Lenalee's and Allen's chatter faded into the next room.

"She must be embarrassed because she couldn't hold back her shouting," the woman said softly in English. "She seems to be the type of person who doesn't want to worry others when she is suffering."

"Thank you for sheltering us, Madam," Link said with a polite bow of his head. "We'll be leaving as soon as day breaks."

"Why would you leave so suddenly? That could make all of your injuries much worse." The woman crossed her arms and glared at Link. "I didn't take all that time sewing up a head, leg, and arm-not to mention splinting a hand and your wrist-to kick you out the door as soon as I finished."

"Madam, you don't understand—,"

"Young man, I'm afraid you don't understand. All of you are quite injured, and I don't have to be a physician to feel a conscience about letting wounded people out my door. Whoever or whatever attacked all of you must be long gone at this point, so there is no use in you leaving so soon." The woman let out a long sigh and shook her head. "You may be the adult of this group, but you sure have no sense whatsoever. Those children need lots of rest and recuperation. Understand?" She waited expectantly for Link's agreeing nod, and when the junior inspector finally acquiesced, she smiled and turned to walk back up the stairs. "Breakfast is at seven in the morning. Please let the children know."

And with that, the woman closed the cellar door firmly behind her, leaving Link staring after her in two-thirds annoyance and one-third confusion. How had the woman known they had been attacked? Sure, injuries like theirs weren't typical accident wounds, but a normal physical altercation wouldn't have only one person shot, cut with wires, and with a broken hand while another had a concussion, another had a cut leg, and the last had a sprained wrist. The woman was insisting a bit too much on the group staying as well. She knew something, but what he didn't know.

"Hello? Madam Eve?"

"Are they staying?"

"Yes, but the adult seems to suspect something despite my best efforts. Please be careful, Madam. We don't want—,"

"I'll be careful, Madam Gabrielle. I promise. Please just make sure they don't slip away during the night."

"I will."

"Madam Gabrielle, thank you for this."

"You saved my son. I have finally been able to repay my debt to you."

"Good night, Madam."

"Good night."

To most of the world, Kanda Yuu slept as still and silent as stone. Even in the throes of nightmares, the Japanese exorcist made no noises beyond breathing, and those sounds were nothing short of normal to others. Currently, said Japanese exorcist was sprawled out on a bed in the inn of some small town in some country he hadn't bothered remembering the name of, and he was just beginning to drift off to sleep after a long day of listening to Chaoji drone on and on about things he didn't care about while fighting off the hordes of low-level akuma that had been attacking the town. That had been the routine for two days straight. Chaoji and Kanda had both agreed that calling Komui for backup was probably a wise decision, so that's what Chaoji was currently doing while Kanda crawled into bed for some much needed rest. The few hours of rest he had managed to get during the past two days had barely been sufficient, and his body was certainly feeling the effects after the constant fighting he had been doing in the recent days. Fatigue lulled Kanda into a seemingly dreamless sleep as Chaoji chatted softly with Komui.

"They say you're called 'Yuu.'" Kanda's eyes moved rapidly under his eyelids, and his breathing increased slightly in tempo. A face began to materialize in the darkness in front of him. The features were slightly familiar and brought with them conflicting feelings of joy and anguish swirling around in his chest. He knew that voice…that face. And he knew what happened next—Curiosity had him pointing up at the strange smiling thing over him. If he was a "Yuu," then what was that creature? "Huh? Me?" The thing pointed at itself. "Er…I'm—uh, it's kinda embarrassing. They call me—,"

Kanda suddenly surged up into a sitting position with one hand reaching out to grasp Mugen's hilt, and his eyes frantically scanned the room for any signs of whatever woke him. As the blood pounding in his ears began to settle down, the Japanese exorcist noticed for the first time that Chaoji was standing beside the bed with a concerned expression on his face and his hands held up in front of him in a relaxed, yet defensive position.

"Are you all right, Kanda-san?"

"I'm fine," Kanda managed to reply in an even tone. "What did Komui say?"

"He said he'll send Krory and Marie our way in the morning. They're the only ones not out on missions right now," Chaoji stated. "Are you sure you're all right, Kanda-san?" he asked again.

"Stop asking questions and go to sleep already." Kanda's voice lacked any real venom, and the glare he threw in Chaoji's direction was half-hearted at best. Chaoji got the point and headed back to the other bed with a sigh. Kanda let out his own sigh while flopping back down. He closed his eyes and tried to get comfortable by breathing in and out as deeply as he could. Kanda hadn't had a dream like that since he was a kid, so stress must've been bringing it back to the surface. The Japanese exorcist was nearly relaxed when Chaoji let out his first snore. Kanda rolled onto his side so his back was to Chaoji and glared at the dark wall. Something was missing. Well, someone was missing, and that someone always helped him sleep easier these days. Not that he would ever admit that fact out loud. Ever. Kanda growled out a soft curse when Chaoji let out a particularly ground-shaking snore. Don't kill your mission partner or Bellerose will kill you, he thought to himself with a scowl. She said nothing about smacking him around with pillows though. Kanda smirked and mentally tallied up his newfound weapons for the best time to attack.

Link tensed when he heard the first step on the cellar stairs creak softly. Someone was coming down the stairs, and the barely audible footsteps didn't match the madam of the house's heavier footfalls. He reached into his jacket for the few wards he carried with him as the steps continued. When the footsteps stopped at the bottom of the stairs, Link opened his mouth to start the incantation only to find his throat constricting painfully under an unseen force.

Little CROW, now is not the time for you to interfere. You should be sleeping. Otherwise, your wounds will never heal properly, a voice whispered in Link's mind as he gasped against the invisible grip on his throat. Sleep and forget anything happened tonight. The force closing Link's airway disappeared only to be replaced by overwhelming exhaustion. Link slid down the wall until he reached the floor and let his now heavy eyelids drop closed. Inspector Leverrier would never forgive him if he couldn't perform his duties due to infection or exhaustion.

She smiled as the CROW fell asleep under the power of his own suggestion. She quietly made her way into the next room. An Oriental girl was sprawled out on the couch with one knee bandaged heavily, and a white-crowned boy was sleeping against the front of couch at the girl's feet. She carefully walked over to the girl on the couch and held a hand over the bandages. The girl shifted sleepily as her injured knee glowed faintly. After a few moments, she moved her hand to hover over the white-haired boy's chest. The boy let out a faint sigh and relaxed as tendrils of light danced over his back. Ah. These two were special. No wonder he hadn't come himself.

She finally pulled her hand back to her side then straightened up with a slight frown. Gabrielle had said there were three children, but she only counted—click.

It wasn't hard to miss the soft sound of the revolver's hammer being drawn back, and she instinctively turned in the direction the noise had come from. Your senses haven't been dulled by the Order it seems, she thought while reaching slowly for the knife at her hip.

I'll shoot if that hand moves any farther, a second voice said in her mind. Despite the tough bravado, she could hear the pain in the speaker's mental voice.

Your comrades will wake up then. Not to mention the possibility of making akuma gather here—

Why are you here, Eve?

Now, Chloe, is that any way to talk to your mother? Eve thought while placing her hands on her hips.

I have no mother. Why are you here? I know the madam of this house is with you. I can get it out of her easily if you won't cooperate, Chloe hissed mentally. She had hidden well in the shadows of the room to the point that she couldn't be pinpointed easily. Eve was silently proud.

No need for torture. Just because I taught you a few things doesn't mean you can use those tricks on my friends, Eve said as she took a step forward. Let's step outside for a chat—

Don't you move or I'll blow your head off!

The Order must have a trigger-happy fellow to make you have such a personality shift in less than a year. Eve put her hands up when the faint moonlight glinted off the barrel of a too familiar silver revolver.

Quit looking through my head, Eve. I don't have time to play your games.

Even when I could give you the solution to the problem at hand?

I don't need your help, Chloe ground out as she stepped out of the shadows. The revolver in her left hand was steady regardless of the pained scowl on her lips. You helped cause all this in the first place. Why would you want to fix it?

Because I made a bet, and you know how much I hate to lose, Eve countered with a shrug. Trust me, Chloe—

I don't trust someone who willingly betrayed her comrades.

In doing that I saved your sister's life and yours, you ungrateful little girl! Would you have rather died that day? Eve couldn't hold back a frustrated sigh as she stared down the barrel of the revolver. Look, I'm here to help, not trade words. You're in trouble and you know it. Just let me help you.

Help me? Right. Just because you healed those two doesn't mean I trust a damn thing you say. I'm just fine.

You're not going to be if you can't counter what Charlotte did.

How the hell—

I taught you both your sorcery. I know what your energies feel like, so I know what she took from you, Idiot. Where you always this stupid?

I don't need help, Chloe insisted. Get out and report to him that I don't need his assistance. I'll find a solution on my own.

I didn't want to have to resort to this, but I have no choice. Eve flicked her right hand toward Chloe and frowned when the red head stumbled back against the wall. Such a small burst of magic shouldn't have knocked Chloe back. Eve drew something in the air and watched as Chloe's limbs went abruptly still. I was ordered to fix what Charlotte did, so try not to make a sound. Your friends need to rest after all.

It's not that simple!

You're a smart girl. You'll figure out what to do. Let's begin. Eve walked forward until her hand rested on Chloe's sternum. She whispered the incantation and waited until she felt the spell go into effect before glancing at Chloe's expression. The girl's eyes were squinted shut, and she was biting her lip hard enough to make herself bleed. Several seconds passed so slowly that Eve watched in morbid fascination as a droplet of blood welled up from Chloe's split lip then traced its way down her chin. The spell abruptly ended after a few more drops of blood were spilled. Okay, I've done what I could. The rest is up to you, Chloe. Eve stepped back and released Chloe from the invisible bonds. The red-haired girl involuntarily pitched forward into Eve's arms while letting out a quiet gasp. Eve sank to the floor and carefully laid Chloe on her left side. He has your best interests in mind, Chloe. Don't forget that, Eve said while gently carding her fingers through Chloe's hair.

Go…away…was Chloe's faint mental reply. Eve got to her feet with another sigh then walked back out of the house as quietly as she had arrived.

The next morning, Link woke feeling slightly confused and sore from his night spent sleeping against the wall. He tried to grasp the last vestiges of his odd dream conversation, but the shards slipped away the moment he latched onto them. On the other hand, Lenalee and Allen were ecstatic—Lenalee could walk on her leg without much pain again, and Allen's simultaneous back and headaches had faded to a dull throb. Chloe also seemed to be feeling somewhat better judging by the disgusted look she was giving her bandages, but her temperature was extremely high. Walking beside her was like standing beside a human furnace, which wasn't unpleasant in the cool French air. If her fever was bothering her, Chloe never said a word. She simply adjusted the sling cradling her right arm and carried on toward the supposed location of the Innocence fragment. Upon arriving at the abandoned church, not only was there no Innocence but no akuma presence either. Nothing made sense, and the group was lost in individual thought as they trudged back through the countryside toward the Ark gate.

Komui hugged Lenalee as soon as she made it out of the Ark gate. He then hugged Allen and patted Chloe's good shoulder before extending a hand to Link, who hesitated briefly then finally shook his hand. "I'm glad you all made it back mostly intact," Komui said with a beaming smile. "Matron is waiting for you all. We can talk and walk," he said while motioning for the group to follow after him.

"Komui-san, there wasn't any Innocence in that town," Allen said as they made their way through the familiar hallways. "Whoever gave you that information was wrong. All we found was an ambush."

"I'll look into who provided the information. Ambushed, you say? By akuma?"

"By Noah, we believe," Link stated. "Unfortunately, we were knocked unconscious after the initial gunshot went off."

"Gunshot? Who got—," Lenalee pointed at Chloe. Komui gasped. "Was it an akuma? You're not a parasitic type or a Second exorcist. You should be—,"

"It was a real bullet, not an akuma bullet," Chloe answered before Komui could continue his rant.

"Thank goodness! But who shot you then?"

"Probably the same person who provided the information to the Order in the first place."

"I see." Komui drew to a halt outside the Infirmary. "I want you all to get full checkups. After that, go get some food then go to bed. I won't be calling you for any missions for a few days at least. However, I do want your written reports tomorrow afternoon." The group nodded in unison then entered the infirmary without a word.

Kanda tried not to wince as he slowly made his way from Komui's office. After Krory and Marie had arrived that morning, the akuma horde around the town was completely wiped out. No one was severely injured during the battle, but Kanda had been slammed through several trees during one confrontation with a pesky Level 2. His back didn't appreciate the rough treatment and was now crying in protest. Kanda's back was becoming more and more numb the longer he walked, which should have worried him but currently did not. The Japanese exorcist only had one goal in mind: finding a quiet place (Chloe's room) and a flat surface (Chloe's bed) to pass out on before his back simply gave out on him. After a painful eternity of steps, Kanda was standing in front of Chloe's door. He opened the door to the blessedly quiet and blessedly lit room and stepped quietly inside when he heard a sleepy noise come from the bed.

Chloe had evidently fallen asleep after changing out of her uniform. She had discarded her boots by the door, and her tattered jacket was lying on the floor a few feet into the room along with her gun holster. The remains of her shirt hung precariously off the end of the bed. Kanda closed the door and locked it behind himself. He made his way across the dimly lit room with a yawn. The weariness had been slowly creeping back up to the surface, but he had managed to fight it off until he was in a safe place. Kanda propped Mugen up against the wall at the end of Chloe's bed and shrugged off his jacket as a second yawn burst past his lips. He pressed his hands against the wall as he kicked off his boots, trying desperately not to aggravate his sore back any more than he already had. Kanda was on his third yawn by the time he made his way around the bed, but he froze when he saw Chloe. She was lying on her side facing away from him with the sheets tangled around her bare hips, and she was only wearing her undergarments. Chloe had always been the more modest of the two, so to see her this way made Kanda's exhaustion suddenly just disappear.

Kanda swallowed thickly and looked away. He would just grab a pillow from the bed and sleep on the floor. Walking back to his room would kill his back even more at this point. With that in mind, Kanda glanced back at the bed, making sure to keep his gaze from Chloe's shoulders up. He leaned over her, putting a knee on the bed to stabilize himself, and got a grip on a pillow near the wall only to have a particularly painful spasm lance through his back. The Japanese exorcist bit down on the cry trying to burst from his lips as he fell forward onto his forearms. He waited out the pain until it was only a dull throbbing along his spine then straightened up as much as he could. When Kanda opened his eyes and started to push himself up, he found himself nose to nose with Chloe, who was staring up at him with a single blue-green eye. Chloe's other eye opened a moment later when Kanda remained still and silent.

"Welcome back," Chloe murmured.

"Thanks." Kanda extricated the pillow and quickly straightened back up, ignoring his protesting back. "Sorry for waking you up," he said while tossing the pillow to the ground.

"What're you doing, Cabrón?" Kanda turned away when he heard the gentle rustle of cloth as Chloe sat up.

"I'm going to sleep," he replied.

"On the floor?"

"Because, you're…" Kanda motioned at his chest then pointed at Chloe. He heard a loud burst of laughter a moment later and chanced turning around. Chloe had thrown her head back and was cackling for all she was worth. "Oi—,"

"You're so adorably conservative right now. It's not like I haven't seen you shirtless. I don't see the difference," she said between giggles. When Kanda didn't move and started turning red, Chloe said, "Hang on. I'll put something on." Chloe's feet hit the floor a moment later, and she padded over to her closet with a soft chuckle. "What's wrong with your back?" the red head asked as she went through her closet.

"Nothing's—,"

"Bullshit. I can practically hear your spine screaming in pain from over here." She emerged from the closet and walked across the room until she was standing at Kanda's back since the exorcist still refused to turn around. The Japanese exorcist cursed when Chloe suddenly jabbed a finger directly in the center of the aching mass of hurt that was his back. "Idiot," she hissed while carefully laying her hand flat on his back. Warmth began to flow into Kanda's throbbing muscles, spreading slowly outwards from the center of his spine and taking the agony with it. "How in the world did you manage to mess yourself up this badly?"

"A Level 2 decided I needed to have formal introductions with a few trees," Kanda said as his back started to relax. Chloe let out an understanding noise as her other hand came up to rest between the Japanese exorcist's shoulder blades. Pleasant heat spread from Kanda's shoulders up to his neck then back down his spine, soothing the last twinges of pain and causing an approving hum to rumble from his throat. The warmth slowly faded away, and Chloe stepped back while removing her hands from Kanda's back.

"Any better now?" she asked. Kanda chanced turning to face her now and was relieved to find her wearing pants and a sleeveless shirt. It was also the first time he noticed the gauze wound over her left arm and right shoulder along with the different color bandage wrapped around her right hand.

"What happened to you?" the Japanese exorcist asked in concern. Her mission was to retrieve an Innocence fragment, and Lenalee, Moyashi, and the Inspector's pet went with her. Between the four of them, akumas didn't stand a chance. Chloe shrugged her left shoulder.

"We were attacked as soon as we entered the city, and we found no Innocence or signs of it or akuma when we searched this morning." She carefully slipped her right hand into her pants pocket then chuckled. "Good thing I'm mostly left-handed," the red head murmured to herself. She turned on her heel and made her way back to the closet. Chloe immediately reached inside and grabbed a familiar cardigan Kanda had been missing for a week now. The red head smirked at him as she slipped the sweater on in front of him.

"Where're you going, Bellerose?" Kanda asked when she turned and unlocked her door.

"Going to make up a missed appointment. Get some rest, Cabrón. I'll be back before you wake up." And with that, Chloe had closed the door behind her before Kanda could remind her that she had forgotten her boots. The Japanese exorcist considered following after the girl, but his exhaustion chose that precise moment to remind him that despite having his back fixed, he had also been fighting nonstop for five days running. Kanda picked the pillow up off the floor and tossed it back on the bed. He laid down with a yawn, not bothering to get under the sheets, and felt himself rapidly drift off into much needed sleep as the sun began to set.

Sorry, but that's all! I hope you liked it, but if you didn't, that's cool too. Just let me know! ~BR136