Loyalties Chapter 4: Home, a d.gray-man fanfic

Chapter Title: Home

Chapter Description: Word of what Allen did for the head of the Asia Branch gets out amongst the Noahs, his room in the Ark is finished, and Road does some surprising things. Allen's new state is announced to the Order, and Lenalee enjoys her dreams.

A/N: So, I'm going to stop doing the teasers on the bottom of each chapter, because I realized when I was writing this chapter, it didn't match up at all with what I had written down there. Oops. Oh well. Not writing them gives me a lot more flexibility when I'm writing as well. Also, about last chapter, I saved Bak Chan because he's pretty much my favorite character in anything and I could not bear to kill him off. That's… about it! Please review! Reviews make me write faster and better. Also, tell me what you're feeling about the fic. Do you like where it's going? Do you hate what I'm doing? What are your predictions? I'm curious to know. Oh! And about the timing of this chapter, the part with the Noahs starts at approximately the same time as the part about the Order. Just thought I'd clear up any confusion there may be about that.

Disclaimer: I do not own -Man, because if I did, TODD HABERKORN (my immortal enemy) would not have ruined the dub.

"There's nowhere to hide from these bones, from my mind. It's broken inside, I'm a man and a child."

-'The Mirror-Blue Night' from the musical Spring Awakening

"Here's to defeating the Asia Branch of the detestable Order!" Each glass was filled to the brim with champagne and the clinks of the glass on glass made a melody of wonderful music. "And here's to our newest member," Cyril continued, raising his glass once again. "Once an exorcist, now a Noah, Allen Walker will be with us until the end of this world!" Glasses clinked once again and laughter filled the room.

They were celebrating the destruction of the Asia Branch. They were celebrating the death of those detestable lesser humans who had the gall to try to stand up against them. They were celebrating the demise of one of the last strongholds that the Order had.

"Hopefully it will be the European Branch next, right Walker?" Fiddler said laughing as he nudged Allen's ribcage a bit too hard. "It should be no problem for you to do that, right?" It seemed like Fiddler had been hitting the alcohol a bit too much. His words slurred and his body gently swayed from side to side as he spoke. "What with having been a part of it for so damn long!" While laughing at his own joke, Fiddler emptied his glass for a fifth time. Immediately a maid came and filled it once again.

From across the table Tyki and Mercym were having a heated conversation about women, while Lulu Bell let Wisely pet her in her cat form. The Earl and Mightra had other business to attend to that evening, so Road was forced to find entertainment from Jasdero and Devit by repeatedly poking them with Lero. Cyril, now done with his toast sat down next to his daughter and conversed politely with Tryde, who seemed like he could care less as to what Cyril was saying.

The entire Noah family, besides whoever the next reincarnation of Wrath would be, was accounted for. It was a happy get together, a family reunion of sorts, but there was an uneasiness in Allen's brain. If one of them found out what he had done then…

"Is there something on your mind, Allen-kun?" From a few seats down, Wisely had let Lulu Bell out of his lap and was now staring at Allen. "Do continue that thought, I am riveted to hear it."

The entire table was now quiet, wondering what was going on between Wisely and Allen. Since he had gotten home from his mission, Allen had been pretty quiet, but everyone thought that it was probably just exhaustion or because he still had a few lingering feelings for his exorcist friends. Though it wasn't exactly a good thing, it was slightly understandable. Most of the Noahs had a few humans with whom they were more fond of than others, and that was fine, just as long as it didn't get in the way of their duties as a Noah.

Laughing, Wisely turned away from Allen. "Don't worry Allen-kun, I won't be searching through your mind often. I just thought that I heard something. Turned out to be nothing, however." For a moment he looked back at Allen, his eyes dead serious. "But Allen, the next time you think those sorts of dirty thoughts, do it when I'm not nearby. My virgin ears don't need to hear those sorts of things."

Around the table all of the Noahs laughed except Allen, who continued to stare at the now howling Wisely. He had let his guard down and he had forgotten that Wisely could hear his thoughts. Wordlessly, Allen stood up and left the table. Behind him he heard the heckles of the other Noahs, telling him not to be embarrassed and to come sit back down. Ignoring all of their voices, Allen left the room and went into the main white city of the Ark.

When he started walking towards the barren room where he was assigned to live, he felt a pull on his sleeve. "Allen, while we were away they finished your room. I can take you there, if you like." Turning around, Allen found Road wearing a white dress that was much more fancy than her usual attire looking a bit shy.

"S-s-sure." Allen stuttered, feeling nervous. For what he had done he would be on edge for a while. Paranoia had set in already, and he just knew that Road already knew and would be taking him to a torture chamber for what he had done.

Smiling, Road grabbed his hand. "You know that Wisely means well, right? He's just the newest around here next to you. Occasionally he doesn't understand how things work around here." She paused, to think of her next words. "I know what you did Allen."

There was no way out. He was as good as dead. For Bak Chan's life he had given up his own. He would never see Lenalee again.

"And I don't specifically mind, neither does Tyki." His heart beat loudly in his chest. "The Order, however, now knows that you're one of us. Your friend made sure of that." Sighing, Road intertwined her fingers with Allen's. "So our secret weapon has been found out. The Earl is sort of miffed about that, but he's not really that mad at you. Believe it or not, we understand. Tyki had the same problem for the longest time. Every once in a while he gets very sentimental about his human friends even now." Allen felt the weight of Road's head against his shoulder. "Don't worry, Allen, you're one of us now and we take care of our own."

In silence the two of them walked for another few minutes before Road had directed him towards a nondescript door. "Is this it?" He asked quietly, still half convinced that he would meet his demise behind this door in a few moments.

"Yes, it is." From her pocket, road produced a key and put it in the door's lock. Just as he remembered with Skin Bolic's room in the original Ark, the door transformed to have an outside pattern on it. "We all pitched in to try to design a room that you'd like Allen. We hope that you like it."

The door was gray, and on the outside of it was a giant red pentacle.

"It matches your face, and it shows your upmost devotion to the Noah at the same time. We thought that it was appropriate." Opening the door, Road stepped inside. "Come in, Allen! Why are you hesitating?" Even with Road's words, Allen still stalled outside of the door. Irritated, Road grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

It was the sort of place that suited Allen so well, that it was almost unnatural. On the walls were paintings, all similar to the one that he had in his room at the Order. It was, besides the paintings, a plain sort of room with a direct passage to the kitchen attached to it. "It's perfect." Allen couldn't help but to admit.

Smiling, Road grabbed Allen's hand once again and pulled him closer to her. "I knew that you'd like it!" Smiling, she used her vacant hand to grab Allen's face and bring it down to hers. Their lips collided and Allen realized that for the third time in his life, a girl was kissing him. Smiling like an idiot, Road drew back and let go of Allen's hand. "I'll see you later, Allen!" Giggling, she ran out of the room.

Without thinking, Allen's hand drew itself up to his lips. Strange. He didn't feel the same amount of revulsion when Road kissed him as he had the first time she had. Though it was nothing compared to when Lenalee had kissed him, it wasn't a bad feeling…

Confused, Allen walked to his bed and sat on it, switching to a laying position when, after a few minutes, his thoughts did not organize themselves.

He loved Lenalee. That much he knew. Since he had first joined the Order he had loved Lenalee, and he didn't feel like his feelings would change any time soon. When he thought about her his heart beat faster and more than anything in the world he wanted to see her face once again. Even as a Noah, he knew that it was the exorcist girl that he cared most about in the world. The attack on the Asia Branch made him realize that; he would never be able to escape his feelings for his former friends.

Still, Road had been such a help after coming here. Out of all the Noah, it was she and Tyki who he felt the most kinship to. And though he was not yet used to even the thought of himself being a Noah, he found himself actually caring about those two people. In some ways, Road's kiss did not seem out of place. In some others, it seemed all wrong.

These horrible thoughts running through his head, he gently drifted off to sleep, the busy schedule of the day getting to him.

There was buzzing of conversation throughout the room. No one knew why the branch head called them there, but they knew that it must have been important. Even exorcists who had been on important missions were called back through the Ark, though they were told to take great precautions while traveling in there for some reason.

Lenalee stood by Lavi, Kanda and an extremely frustrated Link, who had spent the entire morning attempting to find Allen. Having had the day off yesterday he had come back to the branch to find Allen nowhere to be seen. "-irresponsible brat. When I get to him I'll-" He went on and on, complaining about not being able to find Allen, about this meeting being called without Levrier's knowledge and about how overworked and underpaid he was.

The people around him tuned Link out, trying to figure out what the problem was, though Lavi and Lenalee both thought that they had an idea as to what this meeting was called about.

At the front of the room Komui, Bak Chan, Renee Epstein, Levrier, the generals and a few other assorted important Order members, all of whom had a somber look on their face.

It was Komui who spoke first, and there was complete silence from his audience. "Fellow Order members, I bring you somber news." No one spoke. Next to Komui, Bak Chan looked as if he were about to throw up. Remembering how he had a tendency to break out into hives, she wondered where Wong was. Usually he would be standing at Bak's side ready to help him with whatever he needed. Looking around, Lenalee noticed that none of the members from the Asia Branch were present at this meeting aside from Bak. Turning her attention back to Komui, she missed his words and could not hear what he said next due to the uproar around them.

"What, what did he say?" She asked as she grabbed onto Lavi's sleeve.

There was a pained expression on the bookman's face and as he talked he rushed through his words, yelling through the noise that the crowd made. "The Noah attacked the Asia Branch and apparently it's been completely destroyed. The only survivor was Bak-san." Terror filled Lenalee's stomach, and she felt as if she were going to pass out. If it were the Noahs, which meant that there was a possibility that Allen could have been involved.

Though it pained Lenalee to hear about the deaths of her comrades in the East, she couldn't help but to worry about Allen as well. Though they were enemies now, whenever his name was mentioned all she felt was a deep pit of worry in her stomach. If something were to happen to Allen, the hole that Lenalee felt in her heart would just grow deeper and deeper until she didn't think that she could handle it anymore.

From the front, Komui and the others were trying to calm everyone down.

"Please don't worry!" Klaud yelled.

"Stay calm!" Komui pleaded.

"Be quiet!" Levrier screamed, getting the attention of all of the finders, scientists and exorcists in the room.

Silent tears streamed down Bak's face as the commotion happened, and when those around him spoke, he remained silent. For the first time Lenalee realized that if she hurt when just one of her friends went missing, then Bak's pain must have been unmanageable. If he were the only survivor out of all of his subordinates, then the guilt that he must have been experiencing must have been drowning.

Now that there was silence in the room, Komui continued. "I know that this news is shocking and unsettling, but please remain quiet. There are other things that we must discuss with you all, the first being…" Komui's voice trailed off for a moment as a tear rolled from his eye as well. "There has been an addition to the Clan of Noah, and that person is one of the people who took out the Asian Branch."

There were a few murmurs from around Lenalee, all speculations about what was going on. Next to her, Lavi swore. Insides Lenalee's own mind she was screaming, asking God why he had done such a thing to them. The next few words that her brother would say would probably be the most difficult things that her ears would ever hear.

"One of our own, Allen Walker, has joined the Noah, as the 'Fourteenth'."

There was silence for a moment, which gave way to Lenalee's sobs. In the middle of the room she fell to the floor, her cries heard from all around. Everything that she had been holding in since he left fell out all at once. Lavi crouched down next to her and held her in her arms, whispering in her ear, pleading with her to be quiet and to be rational. Burying her face into his shoulder, she tried to quiet her cries, but they just kept coming.

"Lenalee, let Link take you out of here." Lavi said quietly into her ear. From the other side of the room Bookman stared at the two of them with angry and worried eyes. "I'll come to your room and tell you what happened afterwards, right now you should just take it easy."

Unable to speak for herself, Lenalee let herself be put into Link's arms, and before she was able to stop sobbing, she was carried out of the room.

Lavi turned back to Komui and the others, to find that all of the people there were staring at him. Looking around the room, all eyes were on him. Resting his gaze at Bookman for a moment, his mentor shook his head. From up at the front of the room, Komui began to speak once again, and the eyes gradually shifted back towards him.

"Everyone, we need to make plans. We've lost another one of our exorcists at an incredibly inopportune time." Pausing, Komui looked down at the ground. "Chances are Walker has told the Earl of our whereabouts and about many of the secrets of the Order." The first thought that went through Lavi's head was that Allen wouldn't do that; Allen was too kind of a person. "Without the knowledge that people who are in the Order have, the Noahs would not have been able to breach the security measures taken by the Asia Branch. In short, we know that Walker has leaked intelligence to the other side."

From the audience, someone shouted. "But what about the Ark, can we control it without Walker?"

Renee took on this question. "It seems as if the Ark is still functioning at the moment with the same portal locations. We cannot, however, determine how long it will remain that way. In short, we'll have all of you who came from different parts of the world return there using the Ark, but after that, for our own safety, we'll discontinue the use of it."

Some obnoxious member of the North American branch yelled a different question. "How is it that everyone survived the attack but you, Mr. Chan?"

It was the question that had been looming over everyone's heads, but no one dared to ask. All eyes went to Bak, whose face drained of all color. "It was Walker." He said quietly, tears still wet on his face.

"What?" The man asked.

A fierce look came into Bak's eyes. "It was Walker who saved me." Silence met him, forcing him to explain to the crowd how the person who they were just lead to believe betrayed him, saved Bak's life. "Fou, the guardian deity, knocked me out and hid me to try to save me." At mention of the deity that was now gone, Bak had to wipe the tears off of his face. "It was Walker who found me when I woke up again. He was going to kill me; apparently it was his job to do so, but instead he told me to run, and…" Trailing off, Bak seemed to stare off into nowhere. "He told me to find someone who could kill him, as well."

Not a person spoke. Even Levrier seemed more silent than he was usually willing to be. There was something not right about this situation; a Noah showing mercy to someone was not what they were supposed to do, especially a Noah who had once been an exorcist. Though there may not be any wavering confusion in the heart of a Noah, in the heart of a human Order member, the choice between killing Allen or sparing him now would be difficult.

"Everyone, we'll have more information as soon as we can. Until then, get through the Ark quickly and safely." Komui said as people began to shift around nervously. "Each person will receive a packet with more details of what happened. We'll be putting more security measures on the Order's branches as soon as we can, and we'll also try to find out what Walker has told the Noahs. Until then, be safe and may God be with you."

There was a tug at Lavi's sleeve, and he looked down to see an angered looking Bookman next to him. "We need to talk later. Tonight, meet me at the usual time and place. We need to make our contingency plans." A grimace on his face, Lavi nodded, and Bookman disappeared.

Sighing, Lavi waited to get through the congested passageways out of the room, and found himself walking, without thinking, towards Lenalee's room. Irritated with himself, he frowned. If he were smart, he would be returning to his own room to reflect on and record what had happened that evening. Instead, however, he was burying himself into the one hole that a bookman should not.

If this kept up, he would no longer be an impartial bystander. No, he had already begun to take sides; Lenalee was too important to him to not do so.

Surprisingly, Link had left her after he had carried her up to her room. Apparently he really wanted to hear what was going on with Allen, because he knew that he, as well as Lenalee, would be prime suspects and witnesses in Walker's betrayal. Lenalee had not thought about it in that way.

Then again, she didn't much care; the fact was that he was gone, and no matter how many trials they had and how much investigating they did, none of that would bring him back to the Order.

As she thought of Allen, she closed her eyes, wishing that she could see him one more time.

When she opened her eyes again she was in a surreal sort of place that she had been in before, but not for a very long time. There were the ruins of the Order there, and as always, it was incredibly quiet. The black moon radiated in the blood red sky and she felt such loneliness that it was suffocating.

Her hair was long once again, like it had been before she had battled the level three and she sat alone on top of the highest part of the ruins. With the vague wisps of the last bits of hope that she had running through her chest she looked around and searched the surrounding area, trying to see if there was someone else there with her time.

A chilling wind blew and she shivered a bit, her hair flying around her face. She had almost forgotten how it was like to have hair so long; it seemed like it had been forever since she had been able to put her hair up in the pigtails that she had once been so fond of. Pulling her arms around her torso, she tried to stay warm.

"Are you cold?" The voice that came from behind was familiar, and immediately tears came to her eyes. Not wanting to see who it was and be disappointed, she said nothing and kept her eyes to the front. Never before had she come to this terrible dream world and found someone there with her. "Here, I'll keep you warm." Two arms wrapped themselves around Lenalee. "I'm so happy, Lenalee, that you're here with me. I feel so alone without you; I'm glad that I'm able to see you once again in my dreams."

"Why are you here?" She asked. "Each time that you've been here you've been dead."

The voice laughed. "It's strange; when I thought that I had died this was the dream that I was having. You were here alone and I had tried to rescue you, but something got in the way. It was the Fourteenth, I think." Nodding, though she was still confused, she settled her head against his shoulders. Like always he was so much stronger than he appeared to be to other people. "But now I'm here with you, so neither of us will be lonely anymore."

"Does that mean that you're coming back now?" There was silence from behind her. The question had been stupid, she knew that there was no way that he'd return to the Order, to her, though she could dream. "You saved Bak, though."

His head pressed into her shoulder for a moment. "That I did, Lenalee. I couldn't bring myself to do it. To kill him." Pausing, his arms tightened around her a little more. "My family did not get angry at me for it, but I don't think that if I were to do something like that again I would be let off the hook quite so easily."

It was inevitable, by this point. There was no way that she could control herself any longer, even if she did think that what she saw would only cause her pain and disappointment. Looking over her shoulder, the tears that had welled up in her eyes fell down her face. Smiling at her with his white hair and grey skin was Allen Walker.

Her Allen, with her once again. The dream that had once been a nightmare was now the sweetest thing that she could possibly imagine.

End of Chapter Four