My Heart

Disclaimer/Warning: D Gray-Man does not belong to me. It belongs to Hoshino Katsura-sensei, and it shouldn't be any other way. I don't claim to own any of the characters, places, or names stated in this fan fiction. ((I just like making the characters do crazy stuff.^_^))

Chapter Eight: Waiting

"Tyki!" Rhode whined piteously. Tyki, the Noah being pestered, rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Lady Rhode?"

"Can we go yet??" the Eldest Noah asked.

"Are you done with your homework?" Tyki replied, starting to lack patience in his responses. Honestly! For the past hour, Rhode had spent more time whining than doing her homework.

"The faster you work, the faster we get to Vienna," Tyki said, sighing as he lit another cigarette. This was one of the last three or four left in his pack. He would have to get a new one while they were in Vienna.

"Ohhh, Tyki!! I wanna go now!"

"We could have gone an hour ago, if you had finished then." Tyki said, exhaling a puff of smoke. This seemed to silence Rhode, who scribbled a few words (or equations? Tyki wasn't quite sure) on her paper, then thrust it at Tyki.

"Okay, I'm done!!" she said, grinning. Tyki gave her a skeptical look before glancing at the paper. Indeed, it seemed as if she was done.

"That was all you needed to have done?" he couldn't help but asking.

"Yup! Can we go now?" Rhode asked, stuffing her paper in her bag.

"As long as that is the last of your work. If Duke Millennium figures out that I let you go without finishing all of your homework, he'll have my skin and he'll have to spank you." Tyki said, putting his top hat on his head.

"To Vienna, then."

"Yay!!" Rhode exclaimed happily as a door appeared right before them, "Let's go, Tyki-pon!"

When they arrived, Tyki immediately called the nearest Akuma to him.

"Yes, Lord Tyki?"

"Set out a search for the two exorcists who entered the city earlier today. Find them, but do not attack until you are given the order by myself or Lady Rhode." He commanded to the level three Akuma. It nodded its acknowledgement and jumped away. Tyki could feel it calling out to its fellow level threes, who, with each of their own contingent of level ones and twos, began giving the order to search.

Rhode and Tyki spent an hour and a half waiting on the roof of a building, 'HQ' as Rhode called it happily, listening to the reports of the Akuma. In spite of the one thousand plus level one Akuma, one hundred something level twos, and the fifty level threes roaming the city, in secret of course, searching for the two exorcists, there was no sign of them.

"Could they have left, Tyki, you think?" Rhode asked, laying on her stomach, arms hanging over the edge of the roof. Her stripe-stocking-ed legs kicked at the air, her shiny shoes reflecting the sun's rays.

"Those exorcists seem to always prefer to use the train system through Europe, but they could be desperate to get out and on to the next town." Tyki replied as he was leaning against the roof entrance door.

"Then we should send Akuma to check all other modes of transport out of the city and make sure that the two have not left. If they have left, then we will find them somehow, huh, Tyki-pon?" Rhode asked, smiling as she watched a rat scurry around on the ground two stories below. It was chewing on something, a scrap of trash probably, sitting calmly, not expecting the sudden movement of a scrawny tom cat that had been watching it for some time. The cat caught it in between its paws, sinking its claws into the slightly toughened skin. The rat screeched in terror, struggling wildly to get away, a futile attempt as the cat's jaws and sharp teeth closed around the back of its neck.

Rhode watched with great interest, an idea forming in her head. Maybe not a plan to catch the exorcists, but likely what she would bid one of her special level three Akuma to do to one of the exorcists. Surely not Allen Walker, though Rhode was disappointed that the British exorcist was not a cute little male like she had thought. Still, Rhode wanted to have her fun with Allen Walker, but could not care less about the other exorcist.

"Sounds wonderful, Lady Rhode. You heard her, Akuma. Send out to scout the city roads leading out of the city, the river, and the train tracks." Tyki said, waving his hand lazily at a close Akuma. It nodded, but then hesitated.

"The train tracks, my Lord Tyki?" it asked.

"Yes, the train tracks. People do not always just follow the roads, you know. And in any case, the exorcists may be trying to trick us while they escape. Go now." Tyki said patiently. The Akuma nodded again and flew away.

"Hehe....Uncle Tyki, that Akuma was questioning your logic. You should have ordered him to self-destruct!" Rhode said idly, watching the tom cat devour its dinner.

Tyki shrugged, not really caring. He was eager to find the exorcists and "play" a little and did not really care how it was done, so long as it was done quickly. He knew Rhode felt the same way, though she was doing a good job of sitting patiently and waiting.

Lavi had managed to construct a sling, using an old, beat-up sheet that the house's owner gave to Lavi, for Allen's arm, which seemed to be getting worse and worse. She could not move it at all it erupting in pain. There was only a slight dull, grinding pain in the bone that Allen found she could deal with. It was distant enough that she could concentrate properly. Lavi insisted that she go to sleep, and he would keep watch over the night, to which Allen immediately argued, but Lavi's argument was logical enough.

"I am a Bookman, so I am well used to staying up for three or more days with plenty of energy, Allen. Get some sleep." Lavi said, settling down in a chair from which he could see through the window on the other side of the room and listen to any creaking of floor boards on the stairs or on the floor below them.

After a few minutes of silence, Allen shifted slightly on the bed, not yet laying down, staring out the window at the darkening sky. Lavi looked over at her as she shifted, seeming to examine her.

"How is your arm feeling?" he asked quietly, fairly calm in the tense atmosphere.

"It still hurts, but it is nothing to worry about." Allen replied as she looked down at the make-shift sling.

"Did Komui say when the other exorcist will be coming? Or who it would be?"

"He said within a day and a half. So sometime tomorrow, I think, but it might be longer. It took us almost two days to get this far, who knows how long this person will take. Komui didn't say who it would be, though. He might have to find whoever is closest to us and get them to come here." Lavi said, shrugging. It was silent for a few minutes as Allen tried to lie down carefully, so as not to hurt her arm. She finally got comfortable, propped up against the pillows.

"Go to sleep, Allen. I will wake you up if anything at all happens, so don't worry." Lavi said finally. Allen sighed, but obeyed, trying her best to get to sleep.

Allen spent most of the night awake, having trouble trying to remain comfortable enough without moving too much. That alone was hard, but it was even worse when she actually tried to get to sleep, which she could not do since she could not get comfortable.

She did get a few hours of sleep, however broken up her sleeping periods were. Finally, morning came, at which time, Allen tiredly rose to find Lavi still sitting, watching, and listening, wide awake.

"Good morning, Allen-chan." Lavi said happily. Allen waved tiredly with her right arm, and then rubbed her eyes.

"What time is it?"

"About nine thirty in the morning. Listen, Allen."

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking that we should leave a message at the train station for our back up. Let them know where we will be. Or at least, somewhere to check so that they might find us."

"That sounds good. Let's go."

"Ehehe...Don't you want breakfast first?"

The two spent most of the day searching, as carefully as they could without running into the Akuma patrols that they seemed to find or sense (in Allen's case) almost at every corner. It was like torture, having to stop every five minutes, crouching in the shadows of every alley way, and it played hell on both of them.

It was nearing dark when they finally found a place outside the main parts of the city that the owner would actually let them stay.

"Thank you so much, Ma'am. We really appreciate it." Lavi said politely.

"Oh it is no problem. But...your sister really doesn't look well. Has she seen a doctor?" the lady asked, looking at Allen. The British girl was momentarily confused, but caught on quick and nodded a little.

"No...She is a little sick...We are on our way to a doctor, but we needed to stay the night somewhere...We are both exhausted." Lavi said, playing off the lady's assumption. The woman nodded sympathetically as she stirred a soup of some sort. It smelled rather good to Lavi, but Allen almost couldn't abide the smell. She felt her stomach churn and she had to turn away and cover her mouth. She almost swayed dizzily, but caught herself so that no one would notice.

"I'm really tired. Is there a bed upstairs that I might use?" she asked quietly. Both Lavi and the woman looked over at her turned back.

"Why sure, young miss. Just go up the stairs and the third door on the right is a spare bedroom. There are some blankets on it, but if you need more, just ask, okay, dear?" she said kindly, smiling at Allen. Allen thanked her and headed up stairs silently.

"What do you think it is?" the woman asked quietly, her sincere concern showing.

"We....aren't sure." Lavi said truthfully. He had no idea what was wrong with Allen.

"I'm so sorry. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. It's just....I had a son who was very sick. I...lost him five years ago." She said softly, her worn expression turning remorseful.

"I'm sorry..." Lavi said, seating himself at the table. He shook his head gently, if in sorrow. He had better play the part of the saddened older brother. At least his conscience wouldn't bother him if he made it believable.

Geez, Lavi....Kinda twisted thinking there, don't you think?

Just one thought....O.o

Kanda...= kitty?

*grins*

Not like ears and tail sorta thing...But...attitude. You know how cats are? I would hope some of you do...But in case you don't: They are the kind like they think that they are demi-gods and/or royalty. And if you've ever tried to bathe a kitty....Holy hell. You don't try it very often, that is for sure.

Well...review please...

I know I haven't been updating very often...And I mention it in every chapter...but I am trying. I was struck by a genius idea/inspiration, so...I should be good for a while. I hope. Let's all hope, ne?

Thank you for reading.

-Maze Puppet