The authoress would like to apologise in advance for the quality (or lack thereof) in the next few chapters, they might be a little rough and rushed cos I am desperate to get on to the later chapters and the actually plot that has been pestering me for weeks.

Nope, Rika does not own D Gray Man, and if you still need me to tell you this after all these months, I wonder if you're actually capable of reading… (Aerika-san is by no means insulting your intelligence! NO! NEVER! SHE LOVES YOU!)

Damn, that's a long disclaimer…

Chapter 8- Fallen Angel

"You do remember which door it is, don't you?" Allen asked, trying not to sound too accusatory, but it was difficult- he was tired, he was hungry and he just wanted to get home.

"Of course" said Kanda calmly, which actually meant he was completely lost- every fucking street, every fucking door looked exactly the same, so he couldn't even tell if they were going in the right direction or if they were walking in circles.

Allen wasn't fooled. "Komui should get someone to label these doors- it's completely hopeless- they're all identical!" was all he said in as bland a tone as possible.

Kanda made a noise of agreement, scowling at their surroundings as though he could change the situation by sheer force of will. Which, Allen thought as he considered it, would be a great ability to have.

'Hang on…'

Duh.

'Shut up, no one asked you.'

"I know you aren't lost or anything" Allen ventured, earning himself the scowl for a moment "but I might be able to connect a new door to headquarters."

Kanda halted. On the one hand, his pride demanded that he kept searching until he managed to locate the correct door, no matter how long it took, but on the other hand, if he just let Allen make a new connection they could be home hours earlier. He'd never admit it, but even he was getting tired of the endless wandering, though he suspected Allen knew it anyway. He sighed, defeated. "Go on then."

Allen nodded, not daring to celebrate this small victory while it was so obvious that Kanda was not in the best of moods. He opened the nearest door, sticking his head inside the room cautiously. The room was bare and empty, like the inside of a cardboard box. There was no other door, so it wasn't connected to another location. Perfect. He withdrew his head and closed the door, staring at it, concentrating on what he wanted to happen. The door made an odd shuddering motion, then was still again. "I think it worked." Trying not to think about the affect a strange new portal landing in the middle of the science department would have of he'd miscalculated, he stuck his head through the door again, breathing a sigh of relief as he did so. He grinned happily at Kanda and motioned him through. "Come on, its all clear."

Kanda followed him through the doorway, but instead of landing in the middle of the bustling science department, he found himself with the welcome sight of a familiar bedroom. Allen was grinning in a rather smug manner now. "It's good to be home again isn't it?"

"Not that I'm complaining, but why not the lab?"

"I thought a new portal opening without warning might cause a panic."

"You could have sent warning." Kanda pulled the forgotten golem from his pocket and handing it to Allen. "I'd forgotten you had this." He looked at the window, as though expecting it to be open, though it wasn't. "Is it cold in here or is it just me?"

"It's just you. Or rather, your shirt." Kanda told him with a perfectly straight face.

Allen looked down- all the buttons on his shirt were missing. "So they didn't cross over. Does this thing come with a manual?"

This thing?! squawked the indignant voice in the back of his mind. Allen ignored him, changing his shirt quickly. "Let's get this over with." He switched on the golem and they were instantly deafened. "Hello?" Allen attempted to be heard over the clamour.

"Allen! We were starting to get worried!" Komui screeched at him.

"We're on our way back now; we'll see you in five minutes." He switched the golem off to block out the noise and protests from the science department. "Are you coming as well?" Allen asked Kanda, who nodded. It wouldn't be fair to make Allen face the music alone. He followed the younger man through the corridors, ignoring the curious looks they were getting from the people they passed on the way. When they arrived at the science room, everyone was gathered around the portal, their backs to the entrance to the room as they waited anxiously for Allen an Kanda the exit the Ark, completely unaware that both of them were standing behind their little group. Allen grinned and leaned against the wall next to the door, waiting to be noticed. Kanda stood next to him looking utterly bored.

Komui was pacing back and forth in front of the portal, getting more and more agitated by the minute. "It's been ten minutes already, what could have happened?" he grumbled.

"I'm sure it's nothing, they've probably just been distracted." Lavi suggested, looking thoroughly unconcerned as he watch the supervisor attempt to wear a hole in the stone flagged floor.

"That better be all" Lenalee said "I just want them both home safely and maybe then we can find out what happened."

"This is Allen we're talking about here- he probably got lost in there" added Jim, which made everyone laugh,

Kanda snorted and said quietly to Allen who was scowling silently next to him. "He has you there. Maybe you could use that as the excuse why you were in there so long."

Allen scowled harder. "I don't always get lost" he hissed "And who was it leading us in circles earlier?"

That shut Kanda up.

"Maybe Yuu dragged him into another room to have hi wicked way with him." Lavi said thoughtfully.

"Why do they always assume it's you doing me?" Allen asked in a whisper, his masculine pride a little hurt.

Kanda raised an eyebrow expressively. "It is."

"I know that, but they don't, they just assume that you're on top."

Kanda fought to control himself; he was that close to laughing. "They assume it because I'm the older, taller and more masculine one."

Allen stared at him. "One out of three isn't bad, I suppose. You might be older, but we are the same height an there's no way you are more masculine than me!" As he ranted his volume rose, though neither he nor Kanda noticed, and they certainly hadn't realised that everyone else in the room had seen they were there and were openly staring at them.

"You've not always been the same height as me Moyashi." He stressed the nickname in a way he hadn't for years, making it sound like the insult it had started as and not the petname it had become. "And you certainly aren't more masculine as I am!" he added snappily, as though the very idea was ludicrous.

"Excuse me?" Allen swelled like an angry toad. "I'm not the one frequently mistaken for a girl, Mr. Straight-cut Fringe!"

There was a sound of metal on metal as Mugen was drawn from its sheath. "What did you call me?"

Allen flexed his left hand, though he didn't invocate. "You heard me BaKanda. I might have started out in this relationship as the obvious uke, but maybe it's time to turn the tables on you!"

"I don't think so Moyashi. You wouldn't be able to handle me, plus I know how much you love when I stick my co-"

"AHEM!" Komui decided enough was enough. He was standing with his hands over a struggling Lenalee's ears ("But brother, I want to listen!")

"You never know, you might like it" Allen growled, as though the supervisor had never spoken. "After all, you act like you've got a stick up your arse all the time anyway!"

Lavi and Jim high-fived each other.

"Maybe the sticks got something you haven't!" snapped Kanda. Lenalee managed to wrestle free from her brother's grip to join in the heckling coming from the side lines.

"Like what?" Allen asked, sounding a little unsure now, as though he was starting to think the whole thing had got a little out of hand.

"…" It was obvious that Kanda didn't have an answer, so he just glared at Allen who stared back, his anger, never real in the first place, dissipating. He started to laugh, confusing the audience. Komui paused in his attempt to put ear muffs on Lenalee, glad that the childish bickering was over. He put the ear muffs (pink, in the shape of a rabbit's face) around his own neck to keep them close at hand should the argument start up again, then faced the two previously squabbling generals. "Care to explain how you ended up there instead of coming through that portal?" he asked, hands on hips in a motherly manner.

Kanda glanced at Allen out of the corner of his eyes, leaving the cover story for him to work out.

"I had a slight wardrobe malfunction" Allen said, allowing a small blush to dust his nose. "I had to go back to my room to change." So far it was the truth, if not the whole truth and nothing but. "I connected my room to the Ark from the inside." There, nothing he'd said was a lie. Kanda was impressed.

"So you used the piano? I guess that's alright, though I would prefer it if you didn't use the Ark at all until we know what happened to you" Komui said, nodding to himself. Neither Kanda nor Allen corrected his assumption about the piano.

"Well I don't think I'll be much help there, I can't remember anything until I woke up to Yuu calling me" Allen lied smoothly. Kanda had to admit, Allen was quite the actor- just the right balance of assurance and confusion, accompanied by those wide, deceptively innocent silver eyes…the perfect mask. He wondered of he'd ever fallen for this act. It looked like the supervisor had at any rate- he was nodding in an understanding way. "That's fine. Perhaps you should go and rest, get something to eat. If you do happen to remember anything, just come and tell me, otherwise don't spend too much time worrying about it."

"Thank you Komui" Allen said, appearing grateful. He turned to the door, pausing to look at Kanda, one eyebrow raised questioningly. Kanda nodded and started towards the door, but not before he noticed the speculative look Lavi was giving Allen. Before he could mention it however, Allen grasped his arm, resting his head on Kanda's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called you girly."

Kanda chuckled quietly, a rare sound of true amusement. "No, you shouldn't have, but neither should I, so I guess we're even."

"So…" Allen looked at him sidelong, a devilish twinkle in his eyes and a playful smile on his lips. "Does that mean you'll let-?"

"Don't push your luck Moyashi."

"You know why you have been called before us, Lanel of the clan Ymosod?"

Lanel bowed his head humbly. "I do my Lady."

The woman at the head of the table steepled her fingers and surveyed Lanel with calm violet eyes, a deeper colour than Lanel's own pastel purple. Her green hair was also several tones darker. Despite the differences in shading, they shared a distinct resemblance to the other.

One of the other councillors whispered something into her ear and she nodded curtly. The other council members then stood and filed silently from the room, leaving the woman and Lanel alone.

"Why?" she asked, staring at him with fierce blazing eyes.

"The boy was frustratingly stubborn and unintelligent beyond belief!"

"Lanel," she warned, "that is not an excuse that would sway the Grand Council, and it certainly does not sway me! He is a human; you surely did not expect him to accept the news that easily?"

"Lady Ymosod, I am not trying to make excuses, merely to justify why this mission required me to play a greater role. The human took much convincing."

The woman took his hands in hers. "Lanel, my brother, this worries me. You usually perform the guardianship with the utmost respect for the rules of the Avira. What is so different about this mission?"

Lanel understood now why she had sent the rest of the council away- it allowed him to speak freely without shaming his family by spouting some heresy. He sat down, all formality waved for the time being.

"Quine, it's hard for me to explain, but there is something about these humans, these exorcists- they are a small, insignificant number compared to the masses controlled by their enemy, but they fight with such conviction that I-" he stopped, noticing the amused, knowing expression that Grand Councilwoman Quine of Ymosod was giving him. "You were inspired by their cause were you brother?" She folded her hands elegantly, their paleness startling against the deep purple of her clan robe.

"They fight a futile battle with the Millennium Earl, but they fight nonetheless. I respect their bravery."

"Some might call it stupidity" she said frankly. "Nevertheless, you still interfered in the affairs of your guardian race, and you must be punished for it."

Lanel stood quickly, knocking his chair to the floor with a clatter. "No! If I had not interfered, then Allen Walker would not have accepted the powers he needs to win this war!"

"Perhaps not, but your forced the decision on him- a skilful bit of manipulation, I'll admit. Aeph (1) taught you well, but it was not your place to turn the tide of the human's war."

"You cannot be suggesting that I should have done nothing?"

"We are the Avira- we watch, we speak, we listen, we do not make decisions for our charges."

Lanel sighed, defeated. "I understand Quine, punish me as you see fit."

Quine smirked a little at her victory over her little brother before returning to formality, the sibling conversation over. "Lanel of Ymosod, you have disgraced your family name and betrayed the laws of the Avira. The Grand council and I have discussed your punishment, but we have failed to decide how severe it must be. Therefore, until the appropriate punishment is devised, you are hereby stripped of your powers and banished to Earth. There you will be forced to observe the consequences of your actions, but not be able to either help nor hinder those involved in this war."

"Banishment? Powerless? Sister, Quine, please, I beg you!"

"The council will reconvene soon to discuss this matter further. You have one lunar cycle on Earth to wait for our verdict. You are dismissed."

"Yes, My Lady." He bowed his head respectfully and withdrew from the inner chambers, fuming. He was being sent to Earth- punishment for helping the exorcists, and in his mind he had only one destination where he planned on spending his month on that little blue planet. After all, he had promised Allen Walker he would be the one to blame for any punishment Lanel received, and the angel always kept his word.

A/N Ooh I love doing these…heh

Aephairt (pronounced 'Ife-art'), often abbreviated to Aeph (Pronounced 'Ife') the Avira equivalent of 'Mother' Incidentally the term for father is 'Yegofelam' 'Yegof' meaning wise and 'Elam' meaning elder (masc.) Elameph is the feminine version of this word. The word 'Yegofelamef' meaning 'wise woman' is only used to refer to the head of the Grand Council who is always a female from a high ranking family, and the 'mother' to the entire race under her rule at that time.

So there you go! Bet you didn't know that, did you?