~Translations on previous chapters coming soon. Enjoy. I wrote most of this on vacation.~

~Do not own D. Gray-man or You Know My Name by Chris Cornell. Do own the Jonah.~

Chapter 3: The Hotel

The sleeping arrangements were pretty easy after everyone had had a shower. Tsume and Lenalee volunteered to share a bed, already the best of friends.

That left one bed, the couch, and the floor.

Lavi and Kanda and Allen stood in a circle, glaring at each other.

"You know what this means." Kanda said coldly, folding his arms.

"Oh yes! War!" Allen grinned, then faltered. "Hey that's not fair! My arm's out of commission!"

"Sorry short stack!" Lavi chuckled. "You'll have to play rock paper scissors with your right!"

"One…" Kanda put out his fist.

"Two…" Lavi thrust his fist out.

Allen pursed his lips, pouting. "Three." He said sullenly and they all moved their hands. Kanda had scissors, Allen had scissors, and Lavi had rock.

Lavi held up his arms. "SCORE!!! YEAAAHH!!! THE BOOKMAN WINS!!! WHOOOO!!!" He jumped on the bed, laughing.

Kanda just looked at Allen.

Allen, officially in his sulky-teenage-place, just waved an arm.

Kanda laid on the couch, officially claiming it his.

Lenalee smiled as she switched off the light. "Good night everyone! Sleep tight!"

Kanda grunted.

"Goodnight Lenalee!" Allen perked up from the floor enough to say that.

"I'd sleep tighter if you were in bed with me." Lavi called out in an arrogant way.

The light switched back on and Lenalee glared at Lavi. "I will tell my brother." She hissed through gritted teeth. "Would you like to try again?"

Lavi turned away from her. "I can't say good night because I'm miraculously asleep and snoring softly!"

"Better." Lenalee said shortly, snapping the light off.

Tsume turned on her side away from Lenalee as the boot girl sat on the bed. She smiled in the dark, amused and happy. Her eyelids felt heavy and her mind fogged up it seemed. She was so tired…

*~*

-…BUT THE JONAH WOULD NOT HEED GOD'S COMMANDMENTS…-

Ba-bump.

Blood everywhere. Blood on the carpet, blood on the beds. They're dead.

Ba-bump.

-…YEAH THEY CONTINUED IN THEIR WICKED WAYS AND IGNORED THEIR MAKER…-

Blood on the ceiling. Blood on the stair. And there's the bodies lying right there.

GUESS WHO DID IT…?

BA-BUMP.

Tsume jerked up, a sob rising up out of her throat. Shaking, she gathered the sheets around her and pulled her knees up to her chest. Then the painful sobs came. The kind that shook your entire body with the force it took to let it escape.

"Ro, you alright?" Lavi whispered.

"What is it?" Kanda's voice was soft coming out of the darkness.

"Just a nightmare. Go back to sleep." Lavi answered. Suddenly, he was kneeling next to the bed. "Hey…Ro, come on…"

Tsume took a shuddering breath and said softly. "I'm okay." She stared forward, her eyes wide and haunted.

"You have a bad dream?"

"Bodies…Bodies everywhere…" Tsume shuddered. "I hate killing…Does that sound bad…? I just…I killed to stay alive…I just can't stand it…" She shivered.

"So you dreamed you killed people?" He shifted slightly, sitting on his butt with his head against the drawer. He looked up at her.

She nodded and hiccupped a yes when she realized he couldn't see her. She started to cry again. "Lavi I didn't mean to, they were just dead and I killed them and I-!"

"Shhh…" Lavi lifted a finger to his lips, propping a knee up and resting his elbow on it. "Lie down."

She did as she was told, drawing the blanket up to her chin and facing him.

Lavi smiled at her lazily. "I'm gonna stay here 'til you fall asleep, okay?"

She nodded. "S-sorry…I woke you up…"

He tilted his head back, letting his arm down from his face as he exhaled. "I was already awake. Don't worry about it."

Tsume's crying slowly started to subside, the soft hiccups becoming less frequent.

Lavi suddenly chuckled softly, his head rolling against the drawer a little.

"What?" Tsume asked, her speech a little slurred. She could barely open her eyes.

"I can't believe Lenalee and Allen slept through that. Usually they're up and ready to be of service whenever something bad happens to someone."

"Sorry…"

"Go to sleep, Ro."

"'Kay…" She snuggled closer, a lock of her hair spilling over the bed.

Lavi looked at it and glanced at her. Making sure she was asleep, he fingered the lock of her hair and brought it up to his face. Closing his eyes, he inhaled and a slow smile crept onto his face.

*~*

Tsume woke up to Lenalee shaking her. "Come on." Lenalee smiled at her. "I'll wake Lavi and Allen up if you wake up Kanda." She skipped away.

Tsume sat up and stretched, yawning. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Who…?"

"Kanda." Lenalee pointed at the lump on the couch.

Tsume rubbed her bare feet on the carpet and got up. She almost tripped over Allen who was starting to stretch, but he steadied her feet. "Sorry." He said sleepily. She smiled back and stepped over him. "Kanda…" She said timidly, reaching out to touch his shoulder.

"I'm awake." He said, his back still towards her.

Tsume drew her hand back, deciding not to push it. "O-okay…"

Allen sat up and yawned. "Time to get up already?"

Lenalee grunted. "Will someone help me wake Lavi?!" She was trying to drag him out of the bed by his arm and was failing miserably.

Tsume hesitated then walked over to the bed. "Lavi? Lavi wake up."

He kept snoring, on his stomach with his head turned to the side.

"Maybe we should try a more…Komui approach…." Allen got up, an evil grin on his face. He leaned over Lavi and whispered something in his ear.

Lavi pushed himself up, narrowly avoiding hitting the top of his head on Allen's chin. "Women?! Downstairs?!"

Allen, Tsume, and Lenalee, all fell on the floor in helpless laughter.

Lavi cupped his face in one hand, glaring at Allen. "Thanks, Allen. Thanks a lot."

"It got you up, didn't it?" Allen chuckled.

Lavi groaned and pushed himself up off the bed like he was doing a push up. "Meh…"

"Someone that actually speaks the language should go get us a boat." Kanda said, pulling on his jacket.

"I can do that." Tsume volunteered. "But the sailors are all pretty masculine and…well…they wouldn't give us passage if I came up and asked…but I can translate if one of you guys wants to go."

"Even if you have the black order symbol on your jacket?" Allen asked.

Tsume nodded. "It's just the way it is on this side of the world. I'd never heard of the black order till you guys showed up. So which guy wants to come with me?"

"Well we can count Yu-chan out. Nobody knows if he really is a guy." Lavi smirked.

Allen, who was folding up an extra coat, jumped as he heard a sound of extreme violence. He turned to see Tsume with her hands over her mouth as Kanda started to mercilessly pound Lavi into the floor.

Lenalee sighed, putting things away. "Tsume, take Lavi. You'd be doing us all a favor."

Tsume nodded. She hesitated, glancing down at her bare feet. "Well…"

Lenalee blinked then followed her gaze. "Oh! I forgot." She looked sheepish. "I asked them to burn all your old things. They were…well...they had a lot of holes in them…"

Tsume looked up and smiled, hiding how dismayed she was. "Oh that's fine."

Lenalee shook her head. "Allen has an extra pair. Right Allen?"

Allen produced a pair. "Here." He smiled at her as she thanked him. "Anything for the girl that volunteers to take him off our hands." He jerked his thumb at Lavi, who was fighting back now.

Tsume sat down on the bed and started putting them on. "He's not that bad."

Lenalee, Allen, and Kanda, all stopped immediately what they were doing to raise an eyebrow at her.

Lavi took this as his chance to escape. He pulled on his shirt, grabbed his bandana, and was out the door with a cheerful, "Bye everybody!"

Tsume glanced up then hurriedly yanked on the other boot and, hopping as she tried to get it on right, followed him out.

As she shut the door, she pitched forward towards the opposite wall.

Lavi caught her arm. "Woah there. You okay, Ro?"

Tsume hung onto his arm as she pushed her hair out of her face and glanced up at him. "Yeah."

He stared at her for a second before looking away, a slight reddish color on his cheeks. "We should go."

She straightened up. "Thanks. It's this way-" She pointed.

He stopped her again. "The buckles on your boots are undone." He pointed at her feet.

"Oh!" Tsume started to bend over to fix them.

Lavi suddenly gripped her arm. "Don't…Don't do that…"

Tsume blinked up at him. "Huh?"

His face was bright red and he was looking away from her.

And then it occurred to Tsume that maybe Lenalee's skirt was a little too short to do that. She blushed crimsom. "S-sorry…"

"Here. Let me get them for you." He volunteered, having recovered a little. He knelt down in front of her. He started on one buckle but soon found himself staring at the flesh on her leg above her thigh. His fingers fumbled worthlessly with the buckle as he saw a telltale tremor spread up through her leg. His soft breathing graced her skin, raising goose bumps. It was so tempting just to kiss that spot right above her knee…

"Well that's not awkward at all…" Kanda's scathingly sarcastic voice carried over to them.

Lavi looked up guiltily as Tsume blushed and looked away. "I was helping her with her boots…"

Somehow, something on Kanda's expression told Lavi he really didn't believe him.

Lavi cleared his throat and buckled the other one. He stood up. "Right. A boat."

Tsume nodded, still red, and glanced at Kanda before going down the hall.

Lavi followed behind, determined not to look back at the older man. Kanda knew as well as he did that he wasn't suppose to be…well…this involved with anyone, let alone her. Self discipline, stupid. He slammed the heel of his palm into his forehead.

"Lavi…" Tsume hesitated, then looked to the ground, halting her steps. "I…I wanted to ask you something…personal."

Already having an explanation for his previous actions, he smiled. "Yes Ro?"

"Well…I hate having to borrow…borrow everyone's things…since Lenalee threw out my stuff…" She started haltingly and Lavi almost melted in relief on the inside. "So…so is it alright if…if while we're out, we just get me something? I'm sorry, I don't have any money, but I will pay you back when I can!" She looked at the ground, nudging the flooring with the toe of her boot.

Lavi scratched the back of his head. "How would you-? I mean, why would you pay me back?" He smiled. "It's not my money, it's the Black Order's." He waved an arm. "Come on. We'll pick you up something afterwards." He started walking again down the stairs.

Tsume followed after him, silently.

Lavi finally turned when they were outside the building and started to jokingly say, "You can talk you kno-"

Tsume had her hands over her face and was sobbing again.

Lavi looked alarmed and uncertain. "What's wrong?"

Tsume dragged her sleeve across her eyes. "E-everyone's being s-so nice t-to m-me and I d-don't deserve i-it…!" I d-don't e-even know h-how to h-help!"

He smiled, relaxing a little. He ruffled her hair. "Do you think that matters? Silly Ro, we're nice to you because we like you! Not because you might be able to help us."

Tsume rubbed her eyes and sniffed, feeling like a little girl. "R-really…?"

"Would I lie to you?" He pointed at himself. "Come on. Once we get everything together we'll get you some clothes and call it good. I bet you're still worn out from dying yesterday." He chuckled.

Tsume nodded and attempted a little smile.

"Well come on!" Lavi turned and started to walk away. After a couple of steps, he turned to see Tsume still standing there. He sighed and walked back. He offered his arm, giving her a smile. "This help?"

She blinked up at him behind a curtain of her hair. She took his arm, almost curling up next to him.

He looked a little concerned as they started walking. She's definitely tired from yesterday. We should've let her sleep. But she seems so depressed at the same time because she doesn't know how to help us… "Want something to eat?" He asked, trying to peek at her past her curtain of hair.

She looked at him then looked away. "Sure, I guess."

He looked around. "Hmmm…I wouldn't know any of the good stuff…" He said awkwardly. Then he grinned at her sheepishly. "I'm a bit lost."

She smiled a little and he almost crowed on the inside at getting a response out of her. "Well pomegranates are my favorite…they're right over there." She pointed. "And they've got coffee over there." She pointed at a make shift café next to the stand with the pomegranates.

"I'm up for both." He smiled, leading her towards the pomegranate stand first. "Let's get some of these first and we'll eat them while we drink some coffee."

Tsume perked up a little. "Okay."

It was an adventure trying to look like he knew what he was doing and still manage to buy something at the same time. Eventually, Tsume took over. She had her tongue in her cheek as she tried not to laugh at him. Pride slightly wounded, they sat down at a table and ordered two cups of coffee.

"Did you know that they serve the best coffee you've ever tasted around here?" Tsume said, taking her pomegranate from him.

"No I didn't. And why do they serve the best coffee you've ever tasted around here?" He smiled at her.

Tsume looked like she was hiding behind her fruit, blushing. She kept her eyes on it as she said, "This is where coffee grows. The coffee you get in…London? Is it London?"

Lavi nodded slowly. "Something like that. Europe, you could say."

"Well, in Europe, is grown here and shipped over there. So I guess you could say it's weaker because it's not fresh."

He watched her jerk her wrists in a twist and the pomegranate split open. "Mmm…so it's good coffee because it's grown here?"

"Yeah they got plantations around here somewhere." Tsume gestured, her hand a reddish purple from the juice. She pointed towards the fruit. "You ever have these?"

"Can't say I have." He shook his head. "The Black Order doesn't usually send people down here."

"So that explains why I've never heard of it." She smiled. "Well it's kinda weird because you don't eat the actual fruit, you eat the seeds." She picked on up and ate it. "See?"

Their coffee came and he smiled at the waiter. "Gracias." He turned to Tsume. "I do see. You've got juice all over."

She laughed. "Yeah that's the only downside to this." She turned to the waiter. "Servilleta, por favor." (Napkin, please.)

The waiter nodded and walked off.

Tsume stuck her fingers in her mouth, sucking the juice off.

Lavi, coffee momentarily forgotten, watched. She had a cute way of distracting him with simple things.

She took her fingers out of her mouth, blushing. "What?"

He blinked. "Nothing." He picked up his chipped mug and raised an eyebrow. "Smells good. The container needs a little help."

"Be nice. That's all they have." Tsume scolded, picking her own mug up.

Lavi sipped it slowly. "Wow. You win. That's amazing!"

Tsume smiled, her knees together and her toes pointed inward as she glanced at him from the top of her cup. Suddenly her eyes widened and she put the mug down. "There's a man with the same insignia as the black order getting up over there! He looks like a sailor."

Lavi turned his head to look at a red bearded man paying for his food and standing up to leave. "Er…señor!" He called out, standing up and tripping over his chair a little. He caught himself on the table.

"Señor, por favor espere!" (Sir please wait!) Tsume called out, standing up.

The red bearded man turned, and his eyes narrowed. He folded his burly arms over his chest and glared down at them.

Lavi swallowed. Sure he himself was tall, but he felt like nothing compared to this giant of a man.

"So that's where ya been!" He shouted in their faces. "We've been lookin' at every place up n' down these parts fer ya and ya show up sippin' coffee like yer havin' a holiday!" He shook his head. "Master Komui paid me te stay here til noon today which, if I'm not mistaken, is in aboot ten minutes! You have five te get down to the docks fer a ride to HQ before we shove off!"

Lavi, slightly bewildered at being yelled at, said stupidly. "Er…yessir!"

"Hmph!" The man turned angrily away from them. "The ship ya be searchin' for is the Maiden of Argentina!"

Tsume grabbed Lavi. "Come on! We got to get moving!"

*~*

Kanda was trying his best. He really was. But after so many longing looks from Allen to Lenalee and her ignoring each and every one, he was fed up. Like ready to chop somebody's fingers off fed up. "We should get some food." He hinted to Lenalee. "For the trip."

Lenalee, looking relieved, nodded. "I'll go get it."

"I'll come with." Allen volunteered.

"You stay here." Kanda and Lenalee said together, looking equally as scary.

Allen backed off. "…Kay…" He swallowed thickly. He wasn't going to survive this trip, he knew it.

Kanda cleared his throat. "I'm going to go find Tsume and the idiot-"

Just then, Tsume and "the idiot" came barreling in.

"GottagonowfoundtheshipweneedgetOUT!!" Lavi jerked his thumb behind him.

"Wha…??" Allen gave him a blank look.

"Tell you on the way! Get out!" Tsume looked up at the clock and winced. "Three minutes!"

Everyone suddenly sprung to action and grabbed everything they needed and filed out the door. Lenalee was the last and she left some cash and the key on the first bed before shutting the door. They ran down the stairs as Tsume explained the situation.

"And we've got three minutes to get to the docks?" Lenalee asked incredulously.

"Two, actually!" Tsume agreed.

"We're not gonna make it!" Allen yelled.

Tsume bit her lip. "Everyone grab onto me!"

Everyone exchanged looks but cautiously did as she said while running.

"Hold on!" Suddenly the world was a blur. Nothing made sense and one had the feeling of flying through space and time. It was incredible and almost distressing. In an instant they were there at the docks in front of a black colored ship with the name, 'Maiden of Argentina'. Everyone fell to the ground, their legs wobbly and unstable. Allen almost hurled.

"Wh…what just happened…?" Lenalee asked, looking up at Tsume.

Tsume looked down at her, her blue eyes a little pained. "I ran."

The captain, standing on the deck, witnessed the whirlwind the exorcists called Tsume, and gaped at her now.

Tsume grabbed a bag and headed up the gang plank, keeping her eyes on the ground as she stood next to the burly man.

He, in turn, didn't look at her as he spoke, "Master Komui ain't said nothin' about somethin' like you comin' on my ship."

"I'll behave myself." Tsume said softly.

The man grunted. "You're lucky he's payin' me your weight in gold." He gestured a large arm to her recovering companions. "Alright ya whimps! Up on board else ya get left!" He pulled a pipe out of his jacket and stuffed it with tobacco while he waited. "Listen here, missy. You just stay nice n' quiet in yer cabin and don't cause no trouble aboard this ship else I ferget the money and have a mind te throw you and yer friends overboard."

"I understand sir." Tsume stepped aside and let her companions on board.

"Follow me! I'm Captain Jenkins and don't you ferget it!" He jerked a thumb at himself. "I run things aboard this here ship and you come te me if you have a mind to complain!" He put the pipe between his teeth and turned. "I'll be showin' ya yer livin' quarters for the next bit now." He started across the deck.

Tsume followed behind him followed by Lavi, then Lenalee, then Allen, then Kanda.

Lenalee turned her head a bit and murmured, "I've never seen anything go that fast! Not even me and my boots could keep up with her!"

"I haven't seen anything that strong." Allen murmured back. "She was basically carrying all of us and our things while she was running."

"She's got all the capabilities of being on of the greatest threats to mankind…" Kanda said softly. "…But not even a sliver of the mentality to do it."

Lavi didn't say a word, watching Tsume follow Captain Jenkins down below in front of them. Kanda was right. How could this girl possibly be that unreal? It was like the monster in horror story that never wanted to do anything but mind it's own business but ended up getting pulled into the story anyway.

Like Frankenstein. Tsume was like Frankenstein. But would the ending be the same…?

Lavi shook his head. "She's what we came here for. And that's what we got." He looked back at them over his shoulder. "In this war, we can't afford to be picky."

~Hope you liked it. I actually had to cut chapter three in half because in the notebook I'm writing this in, it's twenty one pages…^_^; anyway, message and review and all that jazz please!~