"So, what's your name, kid?"

"I'm Sam. What's your name?"

"Uh, Silverton."

"Can I call you, 'Miss Silver'?"

"Eh, no. Yea, just…no. Silverton."

Lavi smiled as he watched the new exorcist converse with the young boy she'd saved. He, Kanda, and Miranda were walking just a few meters behind them. "Hey, Silverton, you sure you're not cold?"

The brunette made sure not to face him as she hid her blushing. *"He's actually worried about me! How sweet…~"*

Lavi nudged Kanda with his elbow. "Yu, you should let her borrow your coat." He whispered.

"Tsk, it's her own damn fault she's cold. Let her deal with wearing her own wet jacket," the samurai hissed, "and DON'T call me by that name, Usagi!"

"No compassion, as usual." Lavi shook his head and smiled. He slid his own jacket off and caught up to her. "Here, you can borrow mine," he said as he gently covered her shoulders with it.

Silverton's cheeks burned brighter. *"Oh my god, he's such a gentleman!~ Phew, calm down, Lys…He's just a guy…A really handsome, chivalrous, cute guy…really cute…Gah, what the hell?! I'm fangirling! Bad, Lys, bad!"*

So, Silverton," the redhead interrupted her thoughts, "How old are you?"

She didn't answer, causing an awkward silence to fill the air.

Miranda tried to say something to calm the atmosphere, "Didn't you tell Emeillia you were sixteen?"

Lavi smiled. "You're the same age as Lenalee then. I'm eighteen. What about you, Sam?"

The boy was excited to hear his name as he answered, "I'm eleven years old in a few weeks!"

Silverton's stomach flipped. The boy's smile, his young voice…something kept triggering memories for her. *"Erebus, you're around his age by now, aren't you?"*

"Oh, my little boy!"

The four exorcists watched as Sam ran into the open arms of his mother, Janet. All the men had returned back to the town, reuniting with their loved ones and sharing in their tears of joy. Husbands and wives embraced one another in the middle of the streets. No one cared. Everyone in town dropped everything at once, allowing their sorrow and worry to melt away.

The exorcists knew, however, that their jobs weren't done yet.

They all ran as fast as they could to the house at the edge of town; Emeillia's house. They ran up the path before Kanda kicked in the front door. They scouted through the plain house, innocence at the ready. They checked every room one by one. The house was empty.

The exorcists met outside in the back yard after coming up with nothing.

"You don't suppose she went back to that cave, do you?" Lavi asked.

"Maybe she ran away…" Miranda rubbed the goose bumps on the arm that had the crippled hand, which had gone numb long ago.

"…No…" They all looked at Silverton as she stared off in a corner near the house. "She's over there."

They all immediately jerked their heads towards the corner. They made confused expressions as they were met with nothing.

"Uh, what are you talking about?"

"She really is there, Lavi. I can't believe I didn't notice it sooner…it's so obvious…" Silverton quickly created a blade from her arm and slashed at the gutter over the empty corner. Water spilled from the gutter and onto the ground below. "Show yourself. I know you're there."

Suddenly the water began building up in the corner. It formed like clay into a figure of a human. Then, the water transformed into a solid being; the blond woman in a frilly green dress.

Emeillia stood before them, completely surrounded. She growled at Silverton, whose hair turned back to brown again. "Stupid bitch…How did you know..?"

"As the Sage's Apprentice, I'm taught to be able to sense the life force within all living things. But, I can only do it at close proximity, unlike the Sage himself."

"Life force?" Emeillia laughed, "What life? I have no life anymore!" She looked down at the ring on her hand. "Not anymore…"

"Why do you kidnap the men in this town?" Kanda demanded, "Answer me!"

Emeillia tilted her head to the side and smiled innocently. "Kidnap? Who would do such a horrible thing? No, no…I'm just taking what's rightfully mine." She extended her hand out to Lavi and Kanda. "Isn't that right, Matthew, darling?"

They all peered behind them. No Matthew. "What are you talking about? There's no one but us here." Kanda stated, confused.

"Then you…" Emeillia snarled at the youngest of the exorcists, "You ruined EVERYTHING! I saw your lips against my darling Matthew's!"

"I think I understand." Silverton stated calmly.

"You don't understand ANYTHING!" Emeillia lifted her hand and made a fist. At the same time, all the exorcists suddenly stood with their legs together, their arms at their sides, and their backs perfectly straight.

"What the-?! What's going on?!" Kanda struggled to move his body, but was unable to; much like the others. He instantly recognized this feeling. He felt this before. "You…you can control people's bodies…?! So then you're the one who made me break Miranda's hand!"

Emeillia giggled sadistically, "Why yes, dear. She held my dear fiancé's hand. We can't have you holding hands with another woman, now can we?" The ring on her finger began glowing. "I won't let it happen again…"

Miranda started to scream. She desperately struggled to move, but was held in place; standing like a pencil. Her hand was slowly crumbling. "STOP IT, PLEASE!" she cried.

"Knock it off, Emeillia!" Silverton's hair and nails faded to silver as she activated her innocence. She growled and winced in pain as she forced herself to move.

The blond woman gasped as Silverton slowly inched forward towards her. "H-How are you doing that..?!"

"You felt betrayed when Matthew left you. You get upset when you see a man and woman together, and you're fooling yourself into thinking of them as Matthew." Silverton got closer. "I know how you feel. You're thinking that by losing him somehow is fate's way of saying you don't deserve happiness. I know how you feel. I've felt that way many times before, believe me."

"Why should I believe anything you say?!" Emeillia tightened her fist, causing Silverton to struggle more to move.

Kanda thought, *"Why is Alyssa able to move and I can't? Is it because her innocence is spread throughout her entire body? How the hell is Emeillia controlling us?"* He thought back to when they were at the lake and the water whipped out and saved them from the akuma. Then, it hit him. "You…that ring is innocence that can control water…You're controlling the water in our bodies to use us like puppets!"

"Very observant…" Emeillia lifted her hand upwards, lifting the exorcists off their feet; with the exception of Silverton.

"Emeillia," Silverton stepped forward again, "Just because things didn't work out with Matthew doesn't mean it'll never work again!"

"It's no use, Silverton! I think the innocence in that engagement ring is enslaving her!" Lavi groaned as he struggled for control over his body.

Silverton smirked. "Then…I guess I'll have to break her shackles…"

Emeillia screamed as all the exorcists could suddenly move again. Blood gushed from her fresh wound.

Silverton cut off her hand.