Chapter 2: Holly and Angels

Just as Kanda predicted, it didn't take long to harvest a suitable Christmas tree. However, it was a truly massive conifer that, even with the help of Zokalo's brute strength, took over a dozen people to drag across the snow and through the forest. Link refused to help and watched the procession with a poisonous glare that made everyone, including himself, feel really uncomfortable, especially when the Sprout was forced to expand the Arc Gate in order for the tree to even fit through. Back inside the Order, however, pulling the tree became a much more strenuous job, with the melting chunks of snow creating hazardous puddles on the stone floor. Twice, he slipped and struck his chin on the rough tree trunk and once Timothy had gotten himself caught under the branches, temporarily halting their progress.

Nonetheless, he found he didn't really mind the hassle. It reminded him of being a kid again, running wild in the halls with Daisya and Lenalee, following Gwen's instructions on who needed help and where and what with. Kanda leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. It felt weird to be 'replacing' her in a way. He hadn't thought he would be standing here when this venture started, but since Lenalee had vanished after breakfast, presumably to assist Miranda, he hadn't had much of a choice. Privately, he'd been hoping the girl would've taken over, so he could find a more discreet job helping out. She'd have been better at this than me. He thought regretfully, looking up at the ceiling. Her or Daisya.

They hadn't been able to dwell on it at the time, but after the chaos of the Edo conflict and the aftermath of the Level Four attack finally calmed, the memory of losing his friends and comrades had caught up to him. And with it came a heart ache that refused to be ignored and caused him as much physical pain as it did mentally. It was no use trying to push it down again; the door was open and the reopened wounds were demanding his attention. So many people gone in such a short time. General Yeegar had always been kind to him and Duckling during their confinement at the Main Headquarters. Somehow, the old man had always known exactly what to say when they needed to hear it. Chakar had been the only other swordsman exorcist, and he'd actually taught him many techniques to use with Mugen. Kanda grimaced. Spark had been annoying as hell, with her squeaking giggle that made him want to throttle her, but she had always been a loyal, steadfast ally, and an exceptional exorcist. Kazana and Sol were supposed to get married this spring, and although he and Suman had never been particularly close, Kanda remembered him as a decent man who loved his family. Today, Gwen would've been right here, calling out commands and encouragement with her cheerful and motherly voice.

And Daisya…. If Daisya were here right now, he'd come running up and jump on me from behind. I'd try to throw him off, but he'd be yanking on my hair so I wouldn't be able to. Somehow, I'd manage to free myself and punch him so hard he'd have a black eye for a week. Marie would scold me, but Daisya would just roll on the floor and laugh like an idiot. Or something like that. Or maybe he would just stand there and tug his ponytail to get his attention, poke at his face, or tug his cheek into a grotesque parody of a smile. He was never able to tell with that guy. Kanda sighed. Bastard. What'd you have to go and get yourself killed for? His death hadn't been easy once it sunk in, and even now—he shook himself out of his reverie, pushing the memory aside for the umpteenth time that week, and called, "You guys have it handled here? I'm going ahead to check on how they're doing in the Hall."

"No problem!" An out of breath Lavi answered, appearing on the other side of the tree, needles sticking in his red hair.

"You're sure?" Planting one hand on his hip, Kanda narrowed his eyes at them. "I'd hate to be gone five minutes and come back to a train wreck." Several voices affirmed Lavi's assessment, their exact words indistinct due to their overlapping voices. Link said nothing and glared at him. No matter. Ever since the 'possession debacle' in Paris, Kanda had begun to recall some vague memory of getting into a fight with the Inspector when they were children. Not like he remembered who said what and why or who actually won the fight—Crow apprentices were vicious, little bastards after all—but he liked to think it was Link who started it, so he was calling it even with this. Kanda smiled at him.

"While you're gone, perhaps you ought to enlist the help of the Asian and American Branches." Marie suggested. "I'm sure Chan and Epstein would be more than willing to lend a hand."

Kanda nodded and started off, sprinting down the corridor toward the great atrium of the New Headquarters. It was the only location in the cathedral large enough for a Christmas party, after all. He's right. I probably should let Baka-niisan and Aunt Ren know what I'm up to. Not that he really wanted to. Bak had developed an undoubtedly creepy fixation on Lenalee in recent years, and Renée had been acting weird lately. She had been paying regular visits to the Main Headquarters, but it was only to talk to the Chief, and she'd been avoiding him in the process. As if her guilt for Lab Six was coming back to her, but that didn't make sense. They'd resolved that years ago, hadn't they? It made him uneasy they were drifting apart again, especially for an unknown reason. He didn't think it was Lab Six this time, but it had to be something related.

It didn't matter, though. He shook his head. Whatever it was could wait another day.

"Mr. Kanda!"

He stopped, hand instinctively going to Mugen and he nearly slipped on the stone floor but managed to stay upright. "What is it?" He asked as Miranda came sprinting toward him. Despite his warnings, she did slip, falling hard into his arms as he caught her and sending them both sprawling across the floor.

"I'm so sorry!"

"Never mind, what's wrong?" He answered automatically, staring up at the underside of the ceiling.

Careful not to hurt him, Miranda slowly found her hands and knees and backed away from him, then rose to her feet and dusted off her long skirts. "I just wanted you to know, Johnny and I found the Christmas storage, and Fraulein Emilia found a bunch of volunteers to help out."

"Emilia?" Kanda frowned, trying to remember who that was. A finder? One of the scientists? Ah, right! The woman who kicked Bean Sprout in the face at the Hearst Orphanage. And then she screamed at him a couple times for threatening the new kid and shot at group of akuma with a handgun and a wounded shoulder. Interesting lady. "You didn't ask Duckling for help?"

"I tried." The woman answered softly, awkwardly holding her small hand out for him to take. "But I couldn't find her, and Emilia was there….so…."

"I see." He nodded, a familiar frown crossing his features. And just where was their little princess sulking?

-0-0-0-

General Zokalo's a beast… Allen remarked privately, feeling a little uneasy as the madman exorcist singlehandedly heaved their giant Christmas tree upright and, with a triumphant battle cry, locked the severed trunk into the tree stand Johnny had set up for them. Maybe Cross hadn't been such a terrible master after all. Allen shuddered as he surveyed the conifer. They'd chosen well, he thought with a hint of satisfaction. Throughout the entire trip, they'd passed by several trees that looked good enough to him, but Kanda had decided to be picky and rejected every single one they'd passed until they'd come across a gigantic evergreen full of dark green needles. A quick conference had been held before Zokalo impatiently brought the tree down with his Innocence, claiming he was cold and wanted to get back inside before he froze his—Allen cleared his throat.

Personally, he didn't have the faintest idea why Kanda of all people would instigate something like this. He'd heard the swordsman's speech in the mess hall, just as everyone else had, but…well, the Kanda he knew would've been glad for the silence. Or simply wouldn't have cared. Yet when the swordsman and Miranda had appeared in the mess hall doors and rallied everyone together in the name of celebrating with their old traditions, Allen couldn't help but feel impressed with his sullen comrade and altogether proud of the ever timid Miranda.

For all the effort they'd put into the tree hunt, her side of the party decorating had covered twice as much ground in the same amount of time. She'd gathered together a ton of volunteers, most of them were from the finder units and science division, but he spotted fellow exorcists in the crowd, as well as a surprising number of Crows. He would've bet big money they wouldn't have shown up. But there they were in their red cloaks, stringing up garland and ribbons, unfurling carpets, and unpacking boxes along with everyone else. One of them even had their apprentice along and was showing the child a pair of bulbs to hang up.

"Wow, Miranda even convinced the Crow Units to help out." Allen smiled. Or was it Lenalee? Where is she anyway? She didn't come out to help us with the tree, so she must've… "Link?"

His shadow said nothing, glaring in disapproval at the happenings before him.

Wow, he still looks pretty miffed. Allen took a half step aside to put some distance between them. Link didn't react at all. He'd been in a bad mood ever since they'd woken up, but still… Maybe I went too far back there. Link was just doing his job after all, and he did put up with a lot from the senior exorcists. When Kanda was hostile to the Inspector when they first met, Allen had originally thought Kanda was just being Kanda. But when the Generals acted as though Link didn't exist, Lavi's usual brashness took on a more malicious undertone, and even Marie and Lenalee were cold to the Inspector, he began to wonder just how deep the animosity between the exorcists and Central ran. He wanted to ask them about it but…well, there really was no way to do that without Link overhearing anything.

"Hey, Link?"

The older man remained silent, but he did turn his head ever so slightly to indicate he was listening.

"I'm sorry. I know I crossed a line back there."

"Oh, do you now?" The Inspector turned a cold eye toward him.

Allen winced. Definitely angry. But he took a deep breath and braved on. "Yeah, that was uncalled for. I shouldn't have blackmailed you like that."

"I certainly didn't appreciate it." Link turned away again and, to Allen's surprise, lost a fraction of the rigidity in his posture. Anyone else might not have noticed, but after spending the past few months under his surveillance, it was amazing little and insignificant things became blatantly apparent. "And you're well aware of the repercussions should you step out of line."

Indeed he was. He'd already received a harsh scolding for his conduct in Paris. Expressing thoughts to create a Gate without explicit permission was filed under suspicious behavior, a charge that both angered and frustrated him. His intentions had been honest. The only reason for doing it was to save Timothy's life, as well as the lives of the other children. But not even this explanation had spared him.

"But…I suppose I can understand why you did it."

"Pardon?"

"Don't be mistaken." Link continued. "I'm still required to monitor you as strictly as possible, but…it is Christmas Day, and my duties haven't exactly allowed you much privacy these past few months. So it's expected you would lash out now and then. Frankly, I'm surprised you haven't done so sooner."

Yeah, but this was Kanda's idea, not mine. I just saw a chance and took it. Allen sighed. "Still, it was wrong of me to do that, so…I'll explain the tree to the Director myself. I'll even explain the blackmail thing if you like."

At that, Link turned on him, looking more surprised than Allen had ever seen him, "After all the trouble you went to conceal it? You realize Central's trust in you will be even more unstable."

"It's not as though they trusted me anyway." Allen sighed. "But I might as well lay everything out on the table. This isn't a card game we're dealing with. Besides, if they find out the wrong way later, which they definitely will, then that puts you in a pretty awkward position."

"I'm surprised to hear that concerns you."

"You're my friend, aren't you?" Whether or not Link was surprised by that revelation, Allen could not say, so he simply smiled and asked, "So you do you want to go help out in the kitchens? I'm assuming you'd rather put your baking skills to work than hang up tinsel."

-0-0-0-

"Careful up there, Timothy!" Emilia called to the top of the ladder, clasping her hands over her heart as the boy exorcist stood on his toes and stretched his arms above his head to hang a wreath on the wall. The scientist steadying the ladder had promised to catch him if he fell, but even so, Miranda could tell the lady was nervous. She, too, held her breath as Timothy wobbled precariously, but with a shout of victory, the youngster managed to catch the greenery on the nail, if somewhat crookedly, and began to climb back down.

"That was fun!" He cried, running up to Johnny, who was quickly throwing another one together. "Can I do it again?"

"When I'm finished." The scientist answered with a laugh as he glued what appeared to be the number one to the wreath.

Interesting choice. Miranda thought but didn't question it. The scientists had their own reasons for everything. It wouldn't be very polite to ask. So she turned away and broke open yet another cardboard box, this one full of candles. White candles, green candles, red, blue, gold, all colors, and, from the way her nose began to run and her eyes began to sting, all scents, too. No wonder this box had been so heavy when she and Emilia carried it up between them. All that wax. These are probably for the tree then. She thought, glancing up to survey the Hall. And maybe some for the windows, too.

Before she could say a word, Lavi materialized at her side and peered over her shoulder into the box, "Oh, sweet, you found them!" Before he grabbed two fistfuls and darted off.

Everyone else seemed to be doing well. The tree was half decorated, the scientists were almost done arranging greenery on the walls, and the Crow and finder units were busy commandeering whatever spare furniture they could find throughout the cathedral. With any luck, they'd all be finished setting up well before evening and then she'd have time to take care of a few last-minute Christmas gifts. She'd already collected a few over the month, small things for Lenalee, Lavi, and Allen, the finders she was familiar with, but now that Cloud Nyne was her mentor, she knew she'd have to find something for her, too. And Kanda, of course. She couldn't forget him. Or…

"So, how long have you known Mr. Marie?" Miranda asked nervously, rummaging through another box and pulling out all manner of seasonal odds and ends: gingerbread men, candy canes, holly, a small drum made from an old soup can and toothpick drumsticks.

"Since I was a child." Came the dry answer.

She swallowed. Whatever thoughts he might have had for the holidays, Kanda was still no conversationalist. He was gingerly unpacking a series of matching ornaments, one of the few complete sets she'd seen all day. All others were mismatched or had broken or otherwise missing pieces. The years had certainly not been kind to these decorations. "So…." She braved on. "You'd know what he likes to do….as a hobby, I mean."

Kanda looked at her with a tilted head, processing this with a blank expression, then answered, "If you need help picking out a present, just ask." Miranda sagged. Was she really that obvious? To her surprise, though, the younger exorcist turned away with a bemused smile. "Music. He likes playing instruments. And reading. When General Yeegar taught Lenalee and me to read English, Marie often helped us practice. We would tell him how the word was spelled, and he'd pronounce it for us."

"General Yeegar?"

"He's gone, too."

"Oh." Miranda lowered her eyes. It seemed most of these wonderful people she'd heard so much about had already been claimed by the demon war. Gwendolyn Frere, for instance. She sounded amazing.

"Marie likes stories, though. So does Lenalee, if you're thinking about her, too. Just get the Sprout some food and he'll probably love you forever."

I certainly don't doubt that. Miranda thought with a smile. "I'll have to find something for him, then."

"As soon as I'm done here, I'll be heading to…oh, some town somewhere using the Ark. I doubt anything's open on Christmas Day, but it's worth a look." The black-haired exorcist stated, setting an empty box aside and pulling another towards him. "You can come with if you want."

"You know, you're really nice."

"Huh?" Kanda whipped his head up in astonishment.

"I mean, you always seemed so stern in Japan." Miranda amended, feeling her face flush and her spine stiffen up. "But just now, you talking about reading to Marie, and what you're doing for everyone here today. You seem mean and unfriendly, but really, deep down, you really do love and take care of your comrades." The man shot her a glare so fierce, she nearly jumped to her feet and ran in the opposite direction. "I'm so sorry! Maybe you don't care at all! Please forgive me, I didn't mean anything by it! I'm sorry!

"Calm down!" Kanda cried in exasperation. "Jeez, woman!"

"I'm so sorry."

"Stop apologizing!"

"Sorr—" She cut herself off.

He released a long breath of air. "You good now? Take a deep breath or something. Whatever you need to do. Just don't do….that anymore. You're so jumpy, it's making even me nervous!"

"I'm so sorry."

Kanda bared his teeth, ready to start shouting again, but to her surprise, he suddenly took a deep breath and held up his hands. "One, two, three….okay." Shaking his head, he resumed sifting through the boxes, pulling out tinsel and garland by the fistful. Miranda relaxed, closing her eyes. He was so quick to anger. Briefly, she wondered why that was, then short-circuited the private query on account it was none of her business. Or at least, that's how she imagined Kanda would say it.

"Thank you." She twitched in surprise and turned to her comrade. Kanda wasn't looking at her, far too intent on the box in front of him. "Anyway, about Marie, do you—hello, what's this?"

"Hm?" Miranda rose to her feet to stand over his discovery, a little white doll with feathered wings nestled in the middle of green and silver. "What is it?"

"Lenalee's angel."

"Her angel?"

The younger exorcist nodded as he carefully extricated the doll from the greenery and straightened out its tiny, silver halo. "Our very first Christmas together, she found it in one of the old boxes, and I suppose it's been our lucky tree topper every year. Right up there with that crazy star thing Gwen bought in Madrid and the flaming snowman the Science Division made. Don't ask."

Miranda had learned a long time ago not to ask and simply smiled, "Well, we'd better put it atop our tree this year."

"No." Kanda shook his head and set the doll aside. "Not us. That's always been Komui's job."

-0-0-0-

Authors Notes: Flaming snowman!

D Gray Man is owned by Katsura Hoshino.