Oh my goodness, you all are too sweet. You're still reading, reviewing, and PM-ing me about this fic. BLESS YOU ALL. *throws out new chapter* I'm so sorry I'm an un-reliable, sporadic author. But I hope you all still enjoy this short chapter!

…Also I realize I've been really sadistic towards Allen in this fic. I'm so sorry precious baby! You need to suffer though so I can keep advancing the plot! (;_;)

Anyways, cheers,

~~~ Love from, HA15

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Chapter 12: Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone

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It was a solid night before Yuu arrived at the river – tracking Lavi, Tyki and Allen's scent had been hard and he had been extremely careful he wasn't followed by whitecoats. The sun was beginning to rise, casting an orange glow over the land and painting the leaves gold in the light. He'd lost track of what time it was but knew hours and hours had passed.

Yuu knew he had found Lavi and Tyki when the rabbit's scent became so strong it was unbearable. Striding into the make-shift camp and making his own scent known, Yuu could see Lavi and Tyki ahead of him. His navy ears perking, Yuu heard Tyki mutter "fuck" under his breath. The cat NECO scoffed "Nice to see you too" as he drew closer.

Tyki and Lavi finally turned to face him, pain in their eyes. Yuu stilled, on high alert.

"What are you bakas looking at!? Get me some damn bandages and let's get a freaking move on. We can't stay here –"

"We can't find Allen" Tyki said solemnly, his voice devoid of emotion.

Yuu froze, his mind processing slowly.

"…What."

Tyki did not repeat his words, knowing full well Yuu had heard him. Lavi's ears were pinned right back to his skull with shame and worry.

There was a moment of stalemate, of silence, of the air thick with tension, sorrow, and frustration becoming fury. Then Yuu dove at Tyki and pummelled him to the ground. He began cursing and punching the wolf NECO as hard as he could. Tyki did not fight back.

Yuu saw only red. Dark, bloody, furious red. It was minutes later he realized that Lavi was holding him back, yelling something in his ear. He fought against the strong arms holding him, eyes still furiously on the wolf NECO who was lying defenceless on the ground.

"WHERE IS ALLEN!? HOW COULD YOU FUCKERS LET HIM –!?"

"I'm sure he's –" Lavi began, but Tyki cut him off, still unmoving from where Yuu had tackled him.

"Lavi, let him go. He deserves to beat me… I let Allen slip away and despite us searching all night, we can't find him." Tyki sounded incredibly pained. "I'm so sorry, Yuu. I'm so so incredibly - "

"SORRY DOESN'T FIX ANYTHING, YOU WORTHLESS FUCKER! WHERE IS ALLEN!? HOW COULD YOU -!? IS HE -!?"

"I don't know."

"I'm so sorry, Yuu-chan… so sorry. We will find him though! I swear we will die trying."

Yuu couldn't speak, too many thoughts racing in his head, too many nightmares of what could possibly be happening to his beloved mate. Too many thoughts of hate that he had suddenly developed for Lavi and Tyki. He heaved with the force of simply breathing, trying not to explode from the inside out and scream in helplessness. Tyki said they had lost him overnight. His moyashi's scent was cold by now and if they couldn't find him then, there was no chance they would find him now.

… He feared his moyashi could be anywhere. And in the way of danger.

A few hours later, they had expanded their search from the forest and all sides of the river into searching the towns nearby. Tyki had donned his usual disguise but it was clear Yuu was the one guiding the way – shoving people aside, snarling furiously at anyone who got close, and pushing his way through crowds wherever he went. Tyki and Lavi followed close behind, Tyki doing his best to explain that Yuu was his NECO as they hurried to catch up to the Japanese youth.

Making themselves visible in the nearby towns was probably the most stupid thing they could've done - especially since they knew they were being hunted and their former home had been discovered. Still, when Yuu had ordered them to follow him and search the towns, the two lovers couldn't refuse. How could they? They had lost Yuu's mate and his most precious person, so they obeyed him with submissive nods.

Plus, all the attention Yuu was drawing to them – his growling, snarling and complete lack of blending-in was all but begging for them to get caught. Tyki feared that soon would become reality. Still, even if vans of whitecoats and fighter-NECOs had descended upon them, Yuu was full of so much pent up worry and was practically looking for a fight, the Tyki had no qualms Yuu would've beat them all bloody and still have more energy left in him.

Tyki and Lavi pushed by yet another crowd of on-lookers, muttering amongst themselves as they watched Yuu storm through the crowd, his eyes always seeking his mate.

"Sorry!" Lavi apologized as he bumped into a woman. 'The angry one's with us! Just trying to find his uhh… brother! Cute kid with white hair and a red scar –"

"Not one shaped like a pentacle?" A man suddenly piped up from behind the woman. Lavi's ears perked in hope, and even though his single green eye was on the man, the redhead could /feel/ Yuu stopping in his tracks and suddenly glaring back at the stranger.

"W-wait yes! Yes that's him. Cat NECO? Have you seen him!? Please tell me you have – he went missing earlier."

Yuu was at their side in an instant, his pupils slit and the blue of his eyes glinting like steel. The man cast a nervous glance at the Japanese teen, starting to back away in fear.

Tyki, luckily, swooped in to save the situation just as Yuu bared his fangs.

"Ahhh! That's enough my pet" Tyki hissed with a smile at Yuu. "I'll question this kind man. We wouldn't want you to scare him off when he has seen our most precious friend."

Yuu's piercing eyes never left the man, though he did snap his mouth shut with a growl.

Tyki adjusted his top hat and gave a charming smile. "So you have seen the boy? Please pray-tell where and when. He is mine–"

Yuu hissed furiously and cursed in Japanese, turning his venomous glare on to Tyki now. Lavi tried to shrug and laugh it off as the stranger looked to him for an explanation.

"I'm that NECO's owner and I would very much like him back after he went missing this motrning!" Tyki hurried, fearing Yuu's patience would run out. The stranger's eyes brightened at this.

"Ohh! So the boy does have a Master, eh?" he said.

"Yes, yes he does!" Tyki quipped, worry growing in him. "You saw this boy and someone thought he had no Master? Did someone take him!?"

The man gave him an apologetic look. "Aye. Someone found the boy wandering around and wanted to take him home."

All three NECOs tensed in horror as the man continued.

"But I mean, being a free NECO in this part of town was absurd. Why would any NECO be so stupid? So the man who found him thought he had to be a NECO slave who had gotten free. He took 'em to the slave owner."

"WHERE!?" Tyki, Lavi and Yuu all snapped in a panic, eyes wide.

The man shook his head, giving them another apologetic look.

"It won't do you any good to look. The boy was given to the slave trader and sold off this morning. Nobody knew he had an owner! I'm sorry lads. I was at the auction myself – looking for someone to help out around the house and with work – and I saw the boy get auctioned off. He fetched a hefty price too – rare you see one with white hair that young."

Tyki felt his heart shatter.

... Allen had been sold.

Allen stepped out of the carriage, following his new Master with a terrified jolt of panic. His hands clinked in the handcuffs that had been thrown on him before the auction. His feet had been chained too so he could not run. His white ears lay flat, his tail was curled under him, and his eyes were wide with fear. The man had not tried to hurt him yet – yet, being the key word, Allen thought – and Allen couldn't figure out why.

Was this man acting polite to try and win Allen's trust? Just to look like a good Master in public? What did he want Allen for!? The silver-haired NECO couldn't read this stranger's intentions – but he was human and had bought Allen. He was dangerous.

But more than that, Allen had let himself get caught and auctioned off. He had never felt so stupid in his life! He had wandered off from Yuu, Lavi and Tyki and now – now –

All I want is to go home, to be free. Please, someone, anyone, help me! Please!

The thought brought tears to his eyes and combined with the panic in his chest, he wanted to curl up and cry on the floor.

No! No no, I have to be strong. I'll escape! Just like I did with Yuu at the Rejection Center. I have to… I have to if I want to see everyone again…

The sun was blinding as the cat NECO looked ahead of himself through a pale curtain of hair. A large, gothic mansion lay before him in the afternoon sun, the black stones wavering in the heat. The fast pounding of his heart was the only things he could hear, despite that the stranger who now owned him was saying something and waving him inside. Allen followed cautiously, not sure of what else to do.

Once inside, away from the heat, the stranger brought him into a well-decorated living room with air conditioning. He gently guided Allen to a large chair and then – to Allen's suspicion – unlocked the handcuffs and bindings on his feet that chained him.

Allen again, questioned the man's intentions, and felt his heart-rate spike as a result.

The stranger, Allen noticed as he broke off the chains, was tall and built, with a mess of chocolate-brown hair and tanned skin and stubble lining his face. He looked older than Tyki. Allen noted, and had somewhat the same skin colour too.

The man looked up and smiled at Allen then, catching him off guard. Allen's ears and tail went rigid in surprise and all he could do was stare back at the stranger in panic.

The man's face creased with worry at seeing this expression, and he raised a hand to touch Allen's cheek, shushing him softly. Allen flinched back and bolted across the room before the man could touch him, tail thrashing wildly.

The man looked surprised, but gave a little laugh then stood up and moved towards Allen again. Allen hissed this time, glaring in warning that he would not allow himself to be touched.

The man stopped now, a puzzled look on his face.

"Easy now… Don't you know who I am?"

He shifted ever so slightly towards the NECO again and Allen flinched back, yowling warningly and hissing again with even more volume. This seemed to catch the man off-guard as he suddenly froze in place, an eerie stillness overtaking his form. NECO and human starred at each with eyes wide, unblinking.

Finally the man stepped back, determination steeling his gaze.

"Well, young NECO, my name is Adam. You may call me The Millennium Earl. I'll be looking after you from this point onwards."

...

Yaayyyy more drama, distress, and fun times :D So the Earl owns Allen now. Just what is his intent? What will happen to poor Allen? Will the Moyashi ever be re-united with his Bakanda and his friends? Who knows! (Well okay, I do, actually)

Please read and review - also tell me if you want more flashbacks! And if so, of whom? Love you guys! Talk to you again soon!