Chapter three. Strange, I've gotten these three chapters in just this one day. I guess I'm that determined… or bored. Ah, anyways… Hope you enjoy the chapter!

(When I say got done in one day, I mean typed, not published. Sorry, I lost motivation recently to post this. Reasons.)

Please review!

This was problematic. Very problematic, to say the least. Lavi could barely keep up with the speed that the Fourteenth was going at, and the only way he could stop the attacks was to land a hit on him. But he couldn't bring himself to that just yet, he was still Lavi's friend!

He knew, that somewhere in that mind that shared two consciousness's personalities, that Allen was in there. If only Allen could regain his senses…

He dodged yet again, and had to lunge forward to keep a wall from falling on top of him. He probably wouldn't last much longer… he was very aware of that. He could only hope that Lenalee or Bookman heard the commotion and ran to help.

He yelped when the Fourteenth lunged yet again, yet instead of attacking he had tackled him to the ground, his knees painfully digging into his stomach. He gasped and tried to free himself, only to have his arms pinned uselessly.

"Now now, you wouldn't want to do anything that would cost your life, would you? Or maybe…" Lavi's eyes widened. "Allen's? I am very capable of that." He stopped struggling. As much as it irked him, he couldn't do a damned thing to help Allen.

The Noah continued, "Did you know that he can hear our conversation? Say 'hello', Little Exorcist." He smirked slyly.

Lavi gasped again, though not because of the pain. "You don't mean… he saw…" He trailed off, but Neah got the point.

"Why, yes, he saw the whole thing through these eyes, as if it was he himself that did all of this. Killed all of those innocent people, and on top of that, attacked his best friend." Victory and glee was obvious by his voice alone. That smile… it was the twisted version of Allen's.

"You bastard! Why would you do something like this to Allen?! Aren't you his uncle or something?" Lavi tried to reason.

Neah shifted forward so his face was above Lavi's, still pinning him down, rendering his Innocence useless. "Ne, you shouldn't call the person who controls the fate of your friend a bastard, would you? And why? That's such a simple question, yet oh-so complicated." He sighed dramatically. "Why… I do this because I want to. I mean, I am a Noah after all, you know? I don't take pity on people." (A/N: ...Reminds me of Wisely. Does it not do the same to you?)

"Not even your nephew…" Lavi concluded.

"Bingo. You're a smart one, Little Exorcist. Just imagine how that face of his, mine, would look if I were to kill you. No, scratch that, imagine how helpless he must be feeling." Neah shivered in delight at the thought.

"It's pretty cold of you, even if you are a Noah, to be speaking of one such as Allen in that way." Lavi felt a pang when he unintentionally imagined just that. He was aware that was probably exactly the way Allen felt.

"Hmm… maybe. You know, he gave up speech a long time ago. If memory serves correct, he stopped when I started this murder."

"Allen… would never give up like that. Don't underestimate him." Lavi had a gut feeling that what he was saying was true. He had to find a way off of the ground… if only… he couldn't move his hand at all, though. If only he hadn't allowed himself to be tackled to the ground. If only, if only, of only.

"Oh no, quite the contrary, I overestimated him! I thought he would have lasted until now." He shrugged. "Well, on to different matters. Little Exorcist… I heard you were after Innocence? If you want I can destroy that piece for you~ Oh… no?" He pouted. "…Fine."

Lavi fixated a glare on the Noah. "I would never allow such a thing."

Neah sighed, "I know, I know. I was kidding! Well, I'd better go, this is getting boring. Thanks for the entertainment, Little Exorcist!" He stood (Leaped) up and leaned against the wall, and within seconds his eyes took on a blank look.

Lavi frowned and stood up, walking up the Allen/Fourteenth and waved a hand in front of his eyes. He wasn't expecting a response, so he leaped back when he did indeed get one.

"La…vi..?" A soft answer, but still and answer. Lavi reached forward and shifted Allen's hair out of his eyes, and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw those very eyes. They looked dead, but if you delved deeper you would see despair, helplessness, and anger towards himself.

He heard a gasp to his right and when he glanced over he saw Lenalee and Bookman standing there. Lenalee was already shaking and Bookman was looking fairly shocked himself. He looked back to Allen just in time to see him collapse to his knees, a hand covering his mouth. Lavi kneeled down to look Allen in the eyes. "Moyashi… are you alright?" He questioned softly.

Allen didn't even bother to respond to the nickname, nor the question, and that in itself showed that he was certainly not alright. Lavi frowned before he leaned over and pulled Allen into a hug. Allen stiffened at the contact but buried his face in the crook of Lavi's neck and he grabbed his shirt, so tightly that his hands began to bleed.

Lavi attempted to loosen his grip but he didn't budge.

"He made me watch… I killed all of these innocent people" His breathing was labored, his entire frame was shaking. "No, you didn't. It wasn't your fault." He insisted.

"It is though. I couldn't stop him from taking over. He tricked me, and I was stupid enough to go along." He tried to give a humorless laugh but he choked on it and the laugh became a sob, a shaky grin on his face.

"Don't beat yourself up because of this. He's a Noah, he's tricky. At least you managed to get back here." Lavi and Allen both knew that 'here' is this world.

"…Lavi." He stiffened. Allen's voice sounded dull, as if he had given up on life. It made him afraid to answer.

"Yeah?" "He… let me back." Allen spoke reluctantly, and it showed.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"No… he let me have my body back… He can take over any time he wants to, kill anybody he wants." His voice cracked on the word 'kill'.

"That means you have to fight back. Didn't Mana tell you to keep walking? What happened to that promise?" Lavi cringed at Allen's answer. It just wasn't so like him, it chilled him to his bones. If there was one word that would describe Allen, it would be fragile.

"…" Lavi said nothing, afraid it would either break Allen completely. He simply stood up and helped Allen back to the hotel, ignoring the look that Bookman sent and the concern Lenalee was giving Allen, who looked closer and closer to snapping, be it anger or sadness.

"It's hard to walk when people keep tripping you and holding you down."

Then don't let them hold you down, Allen. You're too kind for your own sake,

which is why you have to fight back.

And I'll help you fight.

I'll protect you.

I thought the ending was sweet~ Lavi made a vow to protect Allen and stand beside him! This story may contain a little Laven, but mostly a brotherly relationship.

I feel like I did terribly 3: Please review, to let me know how good/terrible the chapter was.

And yes, at the moment, I am indeed allowing flames. Go ahead and let it out of your system. I know you want to, for doing that to Allen. But it had to be done!