Chapter Title: Action

Chapter Description: The Noahs agree to a plan that could put the future of the Order in jeopardy, but may be the key to saving Lenalee's life.

A/N: Yep, this was a week late, as predicted. Oh well. Ya'll can deal with it. Beans does have a life, you know. XD Well, sort of. Anyways, the manga 'Fairy Tail' is flipping awesome. I am completely obsessed right now… Well, it's my number two fandom after -Man. But when I'm done with this beast I'm definitely going to be spending some word documents on FT. So… That's my manga recommendation of the week. Now, enjoy this chapter and please review. When Beans gets reviews she doesn't murder the puppies that she has in her backyard. Yes folks, with every review you give there is one less dead puppy in the world. ^.^ Oh, and a note: Don't try to write serious stuff while listening to the Princess and the Frog soundtrack… AND HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE! Hope that that person that you have your eye on makes a move. ;)

Disclaimer: I do not own DGM, because if I did Kanda wouldn't be having character building right now, and would instead, be dead.

--

"And history books forgot about us and the bible didn't mention us, not even once. You are my sweetest downfall, I loved you first."

-'Samson' by Regina Spektor

--

"You make a convincing argument, Fourteenth." The Earl said with excitement as he stroked his chin. "But why so soon? Not that I'm complaining about your enthusiasm, but it seems just a bit rushed to be attacking the main branch of the Order."

Trying as best he could to contain the excitement flowing through his veins, Allen spoke. "That's exactly why we need to attack now; they won't be expecting it. They think that they know our patterns, but they don't. Their defenses will be less than usual because they know that I know everything that they've done for protection and will be trying to change their security measures. If we just surprise them-"

There was a hand on Allen's shoulder. "Why is this so sudden, Allen?" Road asked, a skeptical look matching her sad tone of voice. "We just destroyed the Asian Branch, isn't that enough for right now?" It seemed almost like Road could read through the lines that he had planned out and see through the barriers that he had tried to place in his thoughts.

A cloud of smoke filled the room, followed by a laugh. "Well, I think that the lad's got a swell idea there. Taking down the Black Order once and for all seems like a good plan, besides, I didn't have any plans for the weekend, did any of you?" One by one the Noahs at their usual dinner table shook their heads.

"Well, shall we take a vote?" The Earl said happily, seeming to not care that what happened here would decide the fate of the world. Not that he ever really worried about that; he had confidence that the Noahs would be the winning side of this war for the world. Allen had confidence in that fact as well. "All for the destruction of the Black Order, please raise your hand now."

Tryde, Tyki, Mercym, Lulu Bell and Allen raised their hands.

"Very good, very good, and all who are against this attack?"

Cyril, Road, Wisely, Fiddler and Mightra raised theirs.

Everyone paused for a moment and stared at the twins who were apparently too stupid to form an opinion about this. Their heads were huddled together as they debated the pros and cons of the situations. Each person tried as hard as they could to hear what the two of them were whispering to each other, but the two of them spoke very quietly.

Nodding to each other, they came out of their huddle and a thick silence filled the room. Allen twitched in his seat, waiting for the verdict. If he could just get them to agree he could go and save Lenalee from the tri-

From across the table Wisely's eyes locked with Allen's. The mind reader raised one of his eyebrows. It was over, Allen had been caught. In a moment Wisely would turn him into the Earl and say how he was doing this just for the sake of an exorcist, but what Wisely didn't know and what Wisely needed to listen to was the fact that Lenalee was a candidate for the Heart Innocence and in exchange for her life he would single-handedly destroy the girl's Innocence and-

Wisely began to laugh. "Before the nitwits over there make their decision, I think I'd like to change mine." As he spoke he looked at Allen, and not at the Earl. "The Fourteenth has made an interesting argument in favor of attacking the Order, and I'd like to see how he plans to handle his attack. I vote in favor of attacking the Black Order today."

From her seat next to Allen, Road stood up. "What, why?"

The white-haired Noah did nothing but smile.

It was down to the Noahs of bonds to make their decisions. These two half-wits would change the entire outcome of the Earth's history. If they both voted no, then the Order would remain and Lenalee would be tried. If one of them voted yes, however, today was the day that the Black Order would fall.

The two of them looked at each other again, nodded and then smiled.

Confidently, Jasdero and Devit spoke at the same time. "Yes." "No."

Everyone stared. It seemed like, for the first time, the two of them did not agree on something. This occasion was something to put in the history books.

Startled, the two of them looked at each other, and spoke at the same time again. "No." "Yes." Tyki rolled his eyes; now they were just being ridiculous.

The usually impatient Earl chuckled for a moment. "If the two of you would please decide on your answer, it would be appreciated. If we are going to do this today as the Fourteenth would like us to, it would be nice to know sooner rather than later."

With an irritated gleam in his eye, Devit took out his gun and pointed it at Jasdero. Following suit, Jasdero took out his golden shotgun and pointed it at Devit. In a single moment, their fingers pushed the triggers, and the two of them merged into Jasdevi. Most of the Noahs rolled their eyes, irritated by the waste of time by the androgynous hybrid. Allen's leg shook with anticipation; this had to work.

After a moment of silence and deliberation from Jasdevi, he smiled. "We're voting yes. Let's go destroy the Order!"

A broad grin grew on Allen's face. It was working; his plan was working.

A few people around the table cheered. Road sulked and Cyril put a supportive hand on her shoulder. Wisely beamed.

"Very well then," the Earl said happily. "Today at three o'clock we will attack the Black Order!"

--

More and more Lenalee felt claustrophobic and scared. Her arms were bound, and CROW had cast a spell making it so she could not activate her Innocence, though, she knew that if she did she would just be fighting against God and become a Fallen One.

Nevertheless, fear began to fill Lenalee's heart as she looked at the cold, dark faces of the Vatican higher-ups who thought that she was scum because she helped the man that she loved. Smiling smugly from the corner of the long table that she was facing was Levrier, a clipboard in his hands listing off the different offenses that Lenalee had committed and telling people about the record of rebellion that she had as a child in the Order.

Not once did he mention the countless times that she had risked her life for their sake. Never did he state that the reason for her bad behavior as a child was because she missed her brother, her only surviving family, so much that she could barely breathe. Not a syllable was uttered about the fact that the person that she didn't tattle on had saved the Order more times than she could count.

No, none of that mattered to these destructive people. All they wanted was her blood spilled across the floor.

"After looking to all of these cases, and the testimonies of witnesses to all of these events, the Vatican has found Miss Lee to be guilty of all charges…"

Tuning out the world and all of its cruelties, Lenalee allowed herself to think, for just a moment, of how Allen was doing. She hoped dearly that he was happy, because if she were going to die for the sake of his smile, death would not be that bad.

--

The Level Threes went in first, spreading destruction with each of their movements. Any barrier that the Order had put up could not control so many high level akuma at the same time, and it soon fell.

Next came the Level Fours with the members of the Clan of Noah who were most eager to lend a hand in the destruction of the place. Leading the pack was Allen, closely followed by Tyki, Wisely and Lulu Bell. Together they walked into the Order with almost nothing to stop them; those who had survived the Level Three's attacks were hiding and those who were able to fight were doing so.

"Everyone, spread out and take out as many as you can." Allen ordered to the other Noahs, who nodded and began to walk away.

Before Allen could take a step, there was a hand on his shoulder and a mouth in his ear. "Go ahead," Wisely whispered. "I'll cover if you if you need it." Nodding curtly to his brother, he took a few steps forward, before breaking into a run.

If the information that Lavi had given him was correct, Lenalee's interrogation and trial should have been going on as they spoke. Each moment moved like an eternity as he ran; he knew that the person who he cared most for in the world could be being tortured right now, or be on the brink of death. He knew that each moment that he spent wondering and not trying to run faster than his legs should go was another moment that she was in danger.

He needed to find her, take her Innocence and free her of the demon of the Black Order. Once that was done, she could be free from the organization that took everything for her and she could choose what path that she wanted to take by herself.

The thought that perhaps that path could the path of the Noah's had crossed Allen's mind as well.

"Allen…-kun?" A nervous voice said to the side of him. It was familiar to him; Allen stopped in his tracks and looked to the left of him.

Standing there quivering in the darkness of the dimly lit hallway that they were both in was Miranda Lotto. The Miranda that Allen had met on one of his first missions and had considered to be a good friend and a wonderful person.

The Innocence located on her wrist made him cringe. Even being so close to any Innocence but his own brought a pang of pain in his chest; Tyki had told him before he had come to the Order that being around Innocence made a Noah feel great pain, but Allen hadn't thought that it would be this bad. The others had assured him that it got better with time, and it was like being in the monkey house in the zoo. When you get there it smells awful, but after ten minutes you got used to it. Allen dearly hoped that was the case, because the pain was already almost crippling.

"Good evening, Miranda." He said, trying to maintain his calm. It was like the Innocence was pulsating, beckoning, asking him to destroy it. The pain would leave if the Innocence were gone… "It's been a few days, hasn't it?" Remembering that he didn't have the time to waste on this, he asked "Are you alone?" hoping that the answer was yes. If she were alone then he could just destroy her Innocence and be done with it.

The woman looked frightened as she held her arms to her chest. "Allen-kun, why are you here?" Her voice shook, and Allen almost felt sorry for the pitiful woman. "Have you come to join us once again, Allen?" At such an absurd suggestion, Allen could only laugh.

Feeling the effects of the Innocence clouding his judgment, Allen took a step towards Miranda who shivered with fear. With his gray skin and in the dark lighting, Allen looked like a demon from the darkest depths of hell. Each movement he made and each syllable that he uttered made Miranda more and more fearful. For the first time in her life she had felt that she had friends; it was heart breaking to think that it would be one of her first that would be her demise.
"You know, Miranda, that Innocence feels like it's burning me from the inside out." Pausing in his speech, he reached a hand out to her, touching her cheek gently. "Its mere existence in the world is not something that I can stand."

Underneath his touch, Miranda froze, to paralyzed with fear to move an inch of her body. "Allen-kun, why are you-"

His fingers closed together, pinching her cheek. A few tears sprung to her eyes, not from pain, but from the sting of betrayal. Allen noticed the tears and on the inside of his mind he cringed. This was wrong; Miranda had been one of his comrades and someone who he had cared deeply for, he should not be trying to kill her. But the pain of the Innocence that she had was too great to be ignored. It had to be destroyed; morals and friendship no longer mattered.

"I'm sorry Miranda but I think that I must-" He began to say but was interrupted by a feeble voice.

"Time Record, activ-" She stuttered, knowing that it was no use. Despite all of her training, Miranda remained a purely defensive exorcist. It was difficult for her to defeat a single Level One akuma, let alone a Noah.

"No, no Miranda. We can't have that." With the hand that was on her face, he slapped her hard, a red splotch immediately forming where his hand had made contact. The tears began to roll freely from her eyes as she internally began to pray. This was not the Allen that she knew; this was a sadistic creature that knew nothing of the values that he had once preached so heavily. "Give me your Innocence and I may spare your life." In his heart, Allen was pleading. If she would just give him the Innocence than he could destroy it and walk away and he wouldn't have to put her in anymore pain. But if she didn't, he wouldn't hesitate. With something as important as Lenalee's life on the line, he wouldn't hesitate to do anything that would save him time.

With a defiant look in her eyes, Miranda rubbed her cheek. "No Allen, you'll never get this Innocence while I'm alive." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke, and a crack in her voice conveyed her fear. Despite all that, however, Miranda would die a hero's death. If the Order survived the night, then they would be sure to honor her the same as every other brave exorcist that they had lost in the line of duty. "If you want my Innocence, then you'll have to kill me."

Sighing, Allen activated his own Innocence silently. The silver mask of the Crown Clown appeared with the white cape that accompanied it. His hand turned into a blue claw and his hair stuck up on edge. Nothing about his appearance had changed since he was an exorcist besides the gray skin. For Miranda, it was truly like she was going to be killed by her own comrade.

"Well then," Allen said melodramatically. "I think that death can be arranged for you." Miranda's heroic death would be a tragedy. When Lenalee found out about it, she would undoubtedly cry. Maybe she would hate him, but that sort of hate could be rectified. The hatred that Allen felt for that Innocence, however, could not be, and if it was not destroyed now, he felt as if he would lose his mind entirely. Without stopping to think any longer, Allen took his sword out of his arm socket and lunged at the woman, blood on his mind.

--

The Order had not been expecting this attack. Since the Asia Branch had been completely annihilated, the Order had thought that the Noah's blood thirst had been quenched for the moment, at least.

The Order had been so very wrong.

Walking through the hallways of the Order, Link could already see the bodies of the casualties of the Noah, and the dust that used to be the people that the Level Three akuma had destroyed. It was his job to now try to find all of the exorcists and get them together; with the exception of Lenalee Lee, who was under the protection of CROW, the exorcists needed their full force to fight the members of the Noah Clan that had somehow gotten into the Order's defenses.

As he walked he heard a noise from a nearby hallway; two people were talking, and one of them was rather frightened. Before he could think, his feet took of running. There had been enough casualties that day, the last thing that they needed were more. With his abilities as a former member of CROW, Link thought that he could help with the situation, whatever it may be.

When he reached the hallway and found Allen Walker brutally attacking Miranda Lotto, he was just a bit surprised.

With one sweep of the sword that Allen used to use to exorcise demons, Miranda was vomiting blood, and with one more, her breath stopped. Panting, Allen grabbed the Time Record from her wrist and cracked the material it was made of, until it was just a shining piece of raw Innocence.

"You know, this is my first time doing this." For a moment Link stopped breathing, he hadn't realized that Allen knew that he was there. "And I was hoping that I would never have to be in this situation." His hand clenched around the shining piece that was the last hope of the world. "But since you people had to put her life in danger, I'm left with no other choice." Eyes filled with sadness and rage reached Link's as Allen's fist tightened and the Innocence cracked within it.

Link cringed as another piece of what could be the salvation of the world crumbled and its dust gently fly away in a sparkling cascade.

With his sword pointed at Link, Allen walked forward. His clothing was coated in Miranda's thick, red blood. Miranda was first exorcist casualty of the night, but Link had the feeling that she would not be the last.

"Link," If Link wasn't mistaken, there was a tear falling from Allen's eye, leaving a trail of cleanness on Allen's dirty gray face. "Take me to where Lenalee is immediately. Don't pull any funny business, because I'm not afraid to kill you. Take me to where she is or I'll kill every last person in this place and I'll make you watch me do it." More tears streamed from Allen's eyes, cleaning the splattered blood on his face off.

Unwilling to say yes and give the Noah what he wanted, but not wanting to have the blood of his comrades on his hands because of this sociopath, Link did nothing for a moment. But the desperation in Allen's eyes reached Link, and feeling that there was nothing that he could do, he relented. "Fine." He said primly, as if he were in control. "I'll take you to her, but you may not like what you see."

Allen spoke through clenched teeth. "If anything has happened to her, not a single person is coming from the Order alive again."

Link believed Walker's words; he was speaking the truth.

--

Fin