A/N: Okay, Chapter #2 is up, and I have a solitary reviewer to thank.

Lathya - thanks for the review. You are my one and only reviewer as of yet, and I much appreciate it. It's good that I'm keeping Kanda in character. I was seriously starting to wonder. I hope someone will yell at me if I go too far OOC. I'm glad you are enjoying this, and I hope to continue to please my readers.

Chapter Two

Are You a Noah?

Kanda bolted through the door. On the other side, he saw Skye on the ground, clutching her right arm to her chest. There was a significant amount of blood seeping through her fingers. She had pressed herself as close to the wall next to the door as she could. In the door itself, there was a rather large hole, mirrored by the one in the wall across the room. Kanda stood stock still for a moment longer before springing into action.

"What happened?"

"Family quarrel. I didn't show up when I was supposed to a few days ago, and now I'm paying the price. Leave it alone, Kanda-san." Kanda felt he wasn't getting the whole story, but he settled for opening the door a bit and looking out. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he shut it again and turned to Skye. She was still clutching to her arm, and Kanda could see the ragged edges of her skin. It looked deep.

"Can I he–"

"Just help me into the bathroom. I can do the rest." Her nice and quiet demeanor was gone. Had it all been a show, or was the pain making her act differently? Putting a hand under her uninjured arm, Kanda pulled her to her feet. Following her instruction, he eventually led Skye into a bathroom. It was somewhere in between small and moderately sized, again with the drab and lifeless coloring. Seating herself on the sink counter, she turned and looked at Kanda.

"Please leave." The kindness was creeping back into her voice. The way she sat on the counter, clutching at her arm, with a crestfallen look on her face; she looked almost like she was defeated. Saving her the last bit of her dignity, Kanda left the room. Then, he realized something that should have crossed his mind long before. Where was Mugen? He busied himself with searching.

In the bathroom, after Kanda had finally left with a look akin to pity on his face, Skye peeled her hand off of her arm. Blood was everywhere. The wound was a gaping hole that bit about halfway through her arm. Pulling out a first aid kit, she hastily cleaned and bandaged the wound. When she was certain that she wasn't going to bleed to death, Skye reentered the kitchen. The lack of another person in that room made her wonder where Kanda had gone. He was still injured, if only lightly.

"Kanda-san?" She was about to repeat his name when she was cut off by a light pressure on her neck and a gentle grip on her bandaged arm.

"Where is Mugen?" His voice sounded deadly. He was standing behind her, his arm wrapped around her throat. "Where is my sword?"

"It was broken when I found you," she replied calmly, as if the two were having nothing more than a friendly conversation. Kanda's eyes narrowed and his hand tightened around her arm. She winced before continuing, "It's in a box over there, leaning against the wall." He released Skye and moved over to where she indicated. Making sure that she was telling the truth, Kanda inspected the contents of the box. Skye hugged her arm to her chest and sat down at the table. Cautiously, with much deliberation, Kanda took a seat across from her.

"Do you have a phone? I need to contact the Order." Without a word, Skye pointed at the counter in the kitchen. Kanda nodded, and moved toward the phone that was sitting on the counter. He didn't know whether to be glad that the kind girl was no longer trying to keep him from doing anything potentially danger, or sad that she probably didn't seem to trust him anymore. Regardless, he put the thought out of his mind and made his call. Skye sat at the table, still as a statue.

Unbeknownst to them both, the front door opened and closed silently, letting in a man that neither wanted to see at that moment. At the sound of quiet footsteps, Skye turned towards the sound in time to see an older man, probably in his late twenties, with black hair that was neither long nor short, and glasses that obscured anyone trying to see his eyes. Kanda hadn't noticed his presence yet, too focused on trying to get a yelling Komui to quiet. It wasn't until after he got off the phone that he discerned him. However, Skye beat him to it.

"Uncle Tyki, haven't you ever been told to knock?"

"After what I just found out occurred, I was pretty sure you wouldn't answer. You should really get that hole in your door fixed."

"I'm working on it. What did you come here for?" Skye walked over and wrapped her arms around Tyki Mikk's neck, pulling him into a hug. He was taller than she was, by at least a good half a foot, and it made hugging him difficult. He bent ever so slightly to accommodate her shorter stature.

"Adam. He wants you, and I'm not so sure that's a good thing. And what is Mr. Kitchen Knife doing here?" Kanda glared at Tyki's comment.

"He was the reason I didn't show to our reunion."

"Ah, that makes sense now. You know, this is something that will make Adam furious. In fact, he already found out." Skye's body visibly stiffened.

"How?"

"The twins. How else? Now," Tyki asked, indicating the bandage on her arm, "how did you get this?"

"The same reason that I wouldn't have opened the door should you have knocked." Kanda had gotten lost while trying to follow the conversation.

"Who is Adam?" he cut in.

"Uncle, Grandfather… Something like that." Skye's reply didn't please him. Kanda felt as though he were missing something. She turned back to Tyki, whom she had yet to let go of. "So, what's he going to do?"

"Him? Nothing. When does he ever do anything himself? He sent me to see if I couldn't work something out. And," Tyki lowered his voice so Kanda couldn't hear and lowered his head to Skye's ear. "To give you this," he hissed. She felt his hand cut through her side and deposit something. She knew what it was immediately. The Teeze. The thought terrified her. She could be tortured for any length of time, as the Teeze couldn't kill her. Maybe. She gave him a questioning look. "You have to infiltrate the Black Order and gather what information you can. You have a month before you are to report back." His words were nothing more than a whisper of air in her ear.

"And just how am I supposed to do that?" Tyki just gave her a smirk.

"Figure that out yourself. Goodbye, my dearest Niece. And goodbye, Mr. Kitchen Knife." With those words, he pulled away from Skye and left the same way he entered. After he was safely outside of the house, Skye slumped back to the kitchen table, her hand on her side where the Teeze was nesting.

"What was that all about?" Skye didn't answer, instead asking a question herself.

"What did the Order say?"

"They're sending another exorcist my way with a new uniform. And to thank you," Kanda replied, momentarily distracted. "Now, why was Tyki Mikk here?"

"He's my uncle. What more do you want?"

"Are you a Noah?" The question hung there. Skye couldn't answer in the negative. If she did, her guilt might just kill her. If she answered in the affirmative, Kanda would.

"Are you a Noah?" Kanda repeated.

"I heard you the first time."

"You didn't answer when I asked."

"Yes. Yes, I'm a Noah. I'm the fifteenth, the one who holds Noah's Compassion."

The room went silent.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Tell me what you think, 'cause I devour reviews like they are candy. Seriously. Anyway, let me know if I'm doing good or if I should scrap this. You know, burn it and never speak of it again? Gosh, I hope it doesn't come to that...