Requiem of Time: Chapter Thirty-Eight - Allen


This room rained.

The artificial sky above was the perfect imitation, with heavy clouds and a downpour to match it. It was night currently, cloaking the room, though the occasional thunder and lightning lanced across the sky with a brilliant flash that left a purple, black and teal afterimage in the eye. Amazing thing really, technology mixed with magic, as some bolts struck ground and even left a whisper of smoke and a charred reminder.

A building had been built inside that room, a lodge made of all wood and glass. Floodlights on the outside caught golden sparkles with the falling drops, as well as lit up the small stalks of long grass that littered the muddy ground outside. A fire roared at one end of the lodge, with a plush rug before it as well as two comfortable sofa chairs. Beyond that was a simple table with twin benches, lined against one of the large windows.

Allen sat at that table, cold grey eyes taking in the falling rain just outside, listening to the prattle as it assaulting the lodge's slanted roof and the hiss as some went down the open chimney and landed on the warm fire. He felt no warmth. He had chosen this room of all those inside his Ark because it reflected his mood the best, and a comforting fire was not included in that. Miranda and Cross, however, had no such objections, and they sat in the two chairs by the fire, warming chilled fingers and feet.

Lenalee had seated herself directly across from him. The Chinese Exorcist probably was trying to prove that anything Allen could do, she could as well. The room was icy cold, after all, save the spots near the fire. Kawamura was there as well. Allen had made her into a maid of sorts – someone who would take care of the Ark while it was in use. He would need more helpers for that, of course, but she made a good start.

The modified Akuma made her way to the kitchen and back, offering bowls of soup and whatever else she could scavenge from the lodge's meager selection. Magic kept the whole Ark supplied, but this room had low-priority and thus mediocre choices.

Allen knew she had placed a bowl in front of him as well, the warm steam of it noticeable on his face against the biting cold of everywhere else, but he didn't shift his gaze from the window. Rain enraptured attention as well as fire could, at times. Another bolt of lightning touched down not far from that window, leaving Allen blinking, and the immense roar of thunder followed.

The five of them weren't the only ones, however. Another man sat cross-legged on the ground, back to the fire. A tan coat marked him as one of the Dark Order's Finders of all things, but that coat also covered his left arm, hiding the stump of a missing limb. Unlike Allen, Kevin would not be getting that arm back.

The man had recovered consciousness shortly into the whirlwind of that morning. He knew why, too. He had died once, in another life, a life that this time had been extended through the wonderings of a friend. In his mind, he had died at Barcelona, Spain, because of being shot by an Akuma bullet in his left hand, where the poison spread and killed him.

Instead, he had woken up to that morning, surrounded by tormented screams and chaos. He could remember what he had been doing up to that point, strangely remembered living through Barcelona and working for Marshal Walker. He knew what time it was, that it was several months after he should have died. He remembered everything, while in his mind he was still the man who died back in the first conflict.

Stumbling around, unable to help his comrades, he had caught sight of Marshal Walker and followed him, watching the man do his best to rescue those ensnared by those strange black cloaks. Then had come the accusations of Central, and Kevin had hidden himself for a while. When next he saw his superior, Allen was running away, out of the Headquarters. The screams had quieted by then to nothing.

Kevin followed Allen as far as Alestina Dolloway Gynathan P. Rubison Gear Amadeus No. 5, Fifth Generation (also called the Gate Guard, for short), where Allen had continued his frantic run. For a moment Kevin had thought the Marshal about to commit suicide, but at the last possible moment, a white... something had appeared, and Allen had disappeared inside.

Before Kevin could get closer, the white thing had disappeared. It didn't take much to figure out the connection between Allen and his friends, and he caught them trying to sneak out of the Headquarters as well. He demanded he go with them. After no small amount of hesitation, they allowed him. And thus, he was finally formally introduced into the wonderful madhouse known as Allen Walker and the equally wondrous Ark of Noah.

But this was neither the here nor there for that.

"I never had the opportunity to speak with the other Marshals about our plan," Cross sighed from his place, watching the rain evaporate from his slick boots next to the fire. If there was one thing Cross didn't like, it was being wet. Unless of course it involved women and tubs, but that was a different story. His favorite weather was rain, always had been, but he liked to enjoy it, and that did not involve going out in it.

Allen heard him, but his thoughts were elsewhere. So much had gone wrong at the Dark Order. The worst part was, he knew the cause. The cause for the corrupted Crown Clowns, at least. He didn't blame Rhode, not for her part in the attacks against the Central guards, though Lulubell he did blame for her part. Regardless, it was the fact that such a thing had happened that bothered him.

That meant he and Rhode couldn't be together in public, not like that, not while those cloaks would appear by their proximity. He needed to find a way to stop them, short of having his Innocence disintegrated again.

I wonder what Rhode's doing right now, Allen thought to himself. That she had managed to even come to him that morning meant that she had had time. How long until she had time again?

"Nothing we can doing about it now," he mumbled in response to Cross.

"I know that, idiot apprentice," Cross snapped back. "It's just that I don't have a backup plan ready."

"Well, as long as we are all safe, it's okay," Miranda put in cheerfully, attempting a smile. That wilted under their combined looks.

An awkward silence followed, while Allen turned back to the rain splattered window. His thoughts turned inevitably back to what he had been fearing. What he had been hoping to prevent, to end before it began again. This crew he had assembled in this room was all he had left, what he would start with, but the fact remained.

They were back in the war.

If Komui had taught him something about leadership, it was responsibility. The man could be silly and illogical at times, from Komurin to causing the next zombie apocalypse, but he had one thing right, probably the most important thing. He understood that he was in charge of those under him, that those were real people with real lives, each one capably of breathing, loving, and living, and he tried his hardest to keep them all safe. If one ever doubted his steadfastness, ask about his List. Komui could recite the name of every person who had worked under him, including every one that had died.

Allen probably respected that man, Lenalee's brother, the most of anyone, and he tried to idolize himself off of Komui when he himself took the charge. The practical parts of Komui, at least. London destroying mechs weren't his thing just yet.

"Without the Egg," Lenalee started, eyes cold and sharp, hands folded neatly on the table, "at least Central will not be able to produce more of those abhorrent Third Exorcists. That is one thing positive."

Miranda nodded at that, though Finder Kevin asked, "Excuse me for interrupting, but what exactly are these 'Third Exorcists?'"

Lenalee opened her mouth to explain at the same time Miranda did, but it was Allen who beat them to the punch, still staring out his window. "Monsters. Half-human, half-Akuma lab rats used by Central to fight regular Akuma. Souls corrupted willingly to destroy the very souls we try to save." None understood better than Allen, and none tried to explain beyond that. Kevin nodded his confused understanding, though Allen did not see.

The silence and the cold settled in again, only broken by the rain and the fire, respectively. Before anyone else could speak up, there was a rumbling in the ground. Everyone had their own reactions to this, of course, but it was Cross who remained the most undisturbed as a portion of the wooden floor bulged up. Allen rose to his feet, not in alarm, but in excitement.

The bulge rose past human heights, and it widened to an elaborate... something. It looked like a heart, with a golden frame and richly decorated top. The face of it was a black and red checkerboard, with a split down the middle. One of Rhode's Doors.

By the time the twin arches were kicked open, Allen was there, and he extended his hand for Rhode as she appeared. She didn't take it, instead marching right into the room and taking a good look around. Plainly, she recognized it, and she gave a firm nod, as if that was exactly what she expected.

"It's about time you got out of there, Allen," Rhode said as she turned to him, firm expression melting into a warm smile. "You made the right choice leaving."

Allen didn't forget about Kevin, the man who willing turned his back on the Order to follow a Marshal he believed falsely accused. The man didn't have a high enough station to know who the Noah were, yet withholding the information about Rhode from him could bring unwanted results. However, that could wait. Right now, that could wait.

With all the recent stress, Allen didn't hesitate striding right up to Rhode and capturing her in a deep kiss that somehow left them seated at the table, breathless. Not that long ago he had thought he could live with seeing her just every once in a while again, so long as he could see and be with her, but strangely he didn't feel that way anymore. He wanted her here with him, needed her here.

Kevin awkwardly coughed into a hand after the display of affection, wide eyes taking in the way Allen sat with his hands around the slight girl. Yes, he would need a talking to sooner or later.

Rhode pressed her back against his chest, igniting the pain from that blotch of Innocence again, and that prompted her to twist around and bite his neck hard, just shy of breaking skin. She then kissed the mark she made, grinning up at him. "Careful, husband. Another one of those and I'll take you right here on this table... with them all watching." The last came as a pleased afterthought. Allen didn't doubt her word. She had done worse, he remembered with a bit of a blush and rueful smile.

Lenalee only shook her head at this, while Miranda blushed behind a hand. They were used to this kind of behavior from Rhode. Kevin, however, broke into another coughing fit. Cross's sly smile and raised eyebrow disturbed Allen the most, though. Damned womanizer!

Giving her one last kiss on the cheek, still tasting the candied apple from her lips, Allen looked past Rhode's shoulder to grin apologetically at the embarrassed Finder. "Kevin, meet my wife-"

"Rhode Camelot Walker," the girl finished for him, beaming a childish grin at the man while innocently shimmying into a better place in Allen's lap without advancing an inch. Allen bit his lip at the sensation. He knew what she was doing, and knew exactly what she meant by it.

To get the meeting – if it could be called that - to wind to its end, Allen asked her, "Not that I mind in the slightest, but why did you come, Rhode?" Not that he minded? Yeah, she could feel that right in her rump. Knowing her, that's the reaction she wanted, too!

Her knowing grin turned serious at that, though one her hands sneaked behind her to start caressing his chest. "The Noah are gathering. Our whole family is almost complete; Millennie is finding them faster than usual. He has something planned, and it's going to start tomorrow. I thought I should warn you."

Allen tightened his hold over her, while Lenalee scowled. Miranda paled, and Kevin merely looked confused. Already?! was echoing around in more than a few heads.

Then, the hand on Allen's abs dipped even lower, under her, and found the pleasant little intrusion. Allen stiffened, in more ways than one, and sent a wide eyed look towards the others, "Alright-" The sound came out like a squawk. "Ready yourselves tonight; we'll talk about it more in the morning."

If the others were surprised to see Rhode hop off Allen's lap, grab his arm, and start dragging (literally dragging) him towards her Door, they didn't show it. Well, Kevin did.

Speaking of... "And give that Finder a full rundown of who we are and what's going on. The full story! …No, Rhode! NOT THE-!" And then he was gone in the purplish illusion of her door, and the arches slammed shut behind him.

There was an awkward moment of silence following that as the Door receded back into the ground.

Then, Lenalee coughed into her hand and sent a slanted look Kevin's way. "Believe it or not, she is the older of the two..."

He made a very nice fish impression.

****

Everyone at some point has had one of those morning alarms that made you just want to crush it on a rock, or throw it at a wall, or use a massive claw of Innocence and just maul it like a bear with a baby. A grouchy bear. Now take that and magnify it by a hundred. Now imagine no 'off' button. That's what Allen woke up to the next morning.

There was a time the sound would have launched him to his feet, sprinting for the door in a heartbeat. Not anymore. He gave a soft groan and sat up in the bed, wincing. One hand came up to rub an aching shoulder. Rhode had had all her energy that night, and with it came the urge to make up all their missed time together. All of it. And she was in one of her wilder moods, to boot.

His hand lowered to gently brush the white mark over his heart. It felt bruised, of all things. Lower, his hand went, over a raw patch of skin that could be associated with a mild burn. He thought it was best not to think about that. Taking a deep breath, he counted the seconds it would take until the alarm in his head would go off.

The internal alarm was warning him that there was an intruder on the Ark, but at the moment he really didn't care. The entire legion of Skulls could be here and he could fight them off... Well, maybe not, but he really doubted that was the case at the moment.

Turn it off, he groaned inside his mind. Not his groan. Suffer, you bastard. You made the damn alarm in the first place. The sound finally gave way and dimmed, replaced by the low hum of the Music. A twin set of relieved sighs followed that in his mind.

Arms behind him now, Allen leaned back and glanced to his left. Rhode was still here. He smiled softly, taking in her sleeping face, currently the pale of her human side.

No matter what position they fell asleep in, sometime during the night they almost always ended up like this. She laid curled up tightly, one arm against her chest and the other extended, where it would normally be holding him. In his real body – or older, depending how one looked at it – she managed to rest her head on his arm while the rest of her extended no further than his hip. With his smaller size now, she went a bit further, but the position remained. It was one of the things he could attribute to her, one of the small things that made him love her all the more.

He leaned over and kissed her exposed forehead before carefully slipping out of bed. He made sure Rhode was covered properly by the skewed blankets before gathering his discarded clothing. He really would prefer a shower at the moment, especially after a night like that, but the alarm wouldn't have sounded if it wasn't important.

Buckling his pants, Allen glanced at the heavy Marshal coat and decided to leave it there. He just wanted to deal with whatever it was and get back to bed. He did take the top hat though, the white and black, silver and gold one Tyki had given him. At the door, he glanced back at Rhode, smile tugging his lips, and quietly slipped out.

He opened a door to the Fourteenth's room right across from his room, and stepped inside. A couple of piano keys later, the security screens blossomed into sight, revealing every square inch of the Ark. His sharp eyes swept across them, and he found the intruder immediately. He sighed, though in his thoughts was a catcall. She hadn't even bothered trying to hide herself.

Allen recited a bit of the lyrics of the Music in his mind, in time with the low drone that always seemed to be there now, and he marched out of the room.

Lulubell had heard him as he stepped out in a doorway only a few feet behind her, evident by her stopping. Allen leaned against a wall and crossed his arms, a spike of pain repressed. He didn't have catnip on him at the moment, but he should be able to handle this... Should be.

"A useful thing, having a sister that can get to you from anywhere," she said simply, before turning to face him. She was neutral – the same face she had when killing someone, when a plan went wrong, when a plan went right, when he had discovered what she had so carefully hidden away.

All Noah had their own way of coping. None were the same in that regard, yet Allen couldn't help but feel a certain remorse for what this woman had taken for hers. Against his better judgment, he stepped forward and enveloped her in a hug. She was stiff, and it was awkward, and she most certainly did not return the gesture in the slightest.

But she didn't spur him away either.

Currently, the Noah was in her natural form, with dark grey skin and slitted golden eyes. The holy marks were spread across her forehead, between black bangs. She really was beautiful, Allen could admit that even without the Fourteenth's prodding. When was the last he had seen her smile? ...Kanda-lookalike aside, of course, and even that was just a ploy at getting the Egg's location from the Fourteenth.

"Speaking without being spoken to, Lulubell. Careful, you're losing your touch," Allen said with a hint of a smile. Did he mention the Fourteenth had taken up the fight again? Ah, there's that wonderful headache again, just want he always wanted.

"Only with you," Lulubell conceded. Allen almost blinked in surprise. "You are no longer some ignorant human; I made sure of that." That she did. For better or for worse, that she did.

"So, did you want to kick back and catch up on some old times, or do you want me to show you the way out?" Allen always had a cheeky side when dealing with Lulubell. He really couldn't help it. It was fun trying to get a rise out of her, and the few times she went with it more than made up for all the repercussions of it. Very painful repercussions.

This time, however, she simply ignored it. "I would appreciate you showing me the way to the Egg." His Ark meant she couldn't open up the path there herself anymore, though with time she could get there eventually. Would get there eventually.

A door suddenly appeared to Lulubell's right. It was obviously Allen's doing. She glanced at it only for a moment before looking back at him. "Where does that lead to?"

Allen grinned. "World's largest ball of yarn."

Not even a blink. "You've taken me there before."

"And watched you completely shred it in record time," Allen laughed. It was true, too. She had been chasing him – pre-catnip, of course – and he had first opened a gate to escape through, then another just after that to lead them there. Needless to say, it had worked like a charm.

Her eyes suddenly shifted to his chest. Probably to the white mark over his heart – her doing. Still staring at it, she said, "Regardless, the Earl wishes for his Akuma Egg back, and I am here to retrieve it." She returned to his eyes.

Allen contemplated opening a doorway out right underneath her, but decided that would end very badly for him in the long run. Instead, the door to her right flashed with light yet remained unchanged. He had changed destination. Losing his smile, Allen turned serious. "You are welcome to stay here with Rhode and I so long as you are civil, or you may leave now. Those are your two choices. You are not getting the Egg, even if I have to throw you out myself." Or onto a bed, Allen thought, then rolled his eyes. Nice try. Then, I thought so too.

Lulubell stared at him for a moment with that unchanging face, and then, without so much as a nod or another word, turned and left through that door. Allen knew she ended up at a nice waterfall that he found on the way to China. He then sealed that gate so she couldn't return.

With a sigh, Allen turned around and headed back for his room.

Rhode was sitting up by the time he got there, a bleary cast to her eyes with the sheet pooled at her lap, exposing a creamy bust. Like most husbands, Allen took the time to enjoy the view as he deposited his top hat on its little stand and sat back on the bed with his heavy pants still on. If Rhode saw the effect her exposed state was having on him, he didn't think he'd get anything done that day.

Her dark purple eyes turned to him, still hazed, but her voice was clear, "Wherdugo?" Er, clear enough, anyways.

Allen settled back into the pillows, and Rhode cuddled up to him, his arm around her and hand on her soft stomach. If he was in the mood, he knew how to reduce her to a quivering pile of laughing goo from that position. She was very sensitive to tickling. Instead, he just enjoyed the feel of her company. "Lulubell had followed you in."

Rhode blinked, some of her sleepiness coming off. "What'd you do?"

"Show her the door," he replied simply.

She frowned, but he couldn't see why. "Oh." Then she closed her eyes and snuggled deeper into his chest. "Mmmm, you're going to have to carry me to the shower. Too tired."

Allen laughed but complied.

****

A good time later, they were cleaned and dressed and had eaten a decent breakfast. No one else was up yet as it was still before sunrise in London, and Rhode mentioned she still had some time before the Earl would wonder where she was. And that gave her an idea...

"Say, Allen, let's make a deal." She beamed a bright, innocent smile at him.

They were curled next to a fire of all things, in one of the Ark's many rooms. The heat of the flames helped burn away the chill of the morning – not to mention Antarctica's brutal temperature outside – and dry their still damp hair. In this position, Rhode could be considered the one on top, and he looked up to meet her gaze.

A smile that hid daggers, he knew.

"What's the stakes?" he asked. Could be interesting, could be devastating.

"I'll tell you where Millennie's Ark is if you... play with me," Rhode said with the same smile.

Now, let's step back and take a look at this from Allen's perspective. Rhode had told him explicitly how much she didn't want Allen to kill or exorcise the Millennium Earl. However, that was something Allen lived for, his purpose. And so by telling him where that Ark was, she was giving him the opportunity to exorcise the Earl. Which she didn't want. So what, exactly, was so good for her if they played that she thought it balanced out the risk of Allen ending the Earl?

He became afraid. Very, very afraid.

"How about, instead, I go find as much exotic candy as I can. Enough to fill an entire room, all for you," Allen countered hopefully.

Rhode actually paused to consider that, her eyes glazing as she pictured mountains and mountains of candy. She licked her lips. Allen allowed himself to hope. Then, a sad expression took Rhode and she shook her head. Oh yes, she knew what she was giving up. Then, she gave Allen a sly look and countered again, "How about we do that thing I wanted to do last night?"

Allen paled drastically, shaking his head a little too fast. "I'll play with you," he said quickly, a little breathless

Rhode's grin twisted in that demented way only a Noah could, and a wave of her power washed over them. She disappeared along with everything else, and Allen was left alone to a world of blackness.

He sat up, legs crossed and hands on his knees. Rhode's delighted laugh filled the darkness, and the world shifted into one of her personal favorites. He liked to think of it as an 'idle' world, the one with checkered walls and floating objects like dolls and furniture.

"Oh Allen, I'm so excited," came Rhode's gleeful voice from somewhere unseen. "What should we do this time?"

Allen snagged a chair from the air and set it on the ground before seating himself on it. A little stiff, but more comfortable than the floor.

"Peacefully talk about it like reasonable adults?" he offered in regard to her question. It was a small hope, but why not?

Rhode's delighted laughed sounded again. He really did like the sound of it; he just didn't like what it suggested. "Close, but no. I had something more like this in mind." The world shifted again, and Allen – still seated – was staring down a hallway. A hallway littered with a nice assortment of spikes, blades, and other not-so-cheerful traps and snares. He sweated at the sight of it.

Then, he heard her sigh. "But pain isn't as enjoyable as it used to be with you."

Allen put a hand over his heart and let out a sigh of his own. A relieved sigh. Righting himself, he said, "That's your fault, you know."

"Mhmm," came her reply, "me and Lulubell-chaaaan."

The hallway vanished, replaced by the idle world, and suddenly the woman in question was there. Lulubell. Here. In Rhode's world. Allen blinked in surprise. His training with her, the one that taught him to recognize people off more than outer-images, told him that she was legit. Same stance, same expression, same balance of weight, same cast to her eyes. Not just a perfect image, it had to be her.

Rhode was a woman with many mysteries, he knew. At anytime she could have either planned with or simply retrieved Lulubell for this. The woman he had been holding for the last few moments by the fire could have been an animated doll, for all he knew. Which brought him to another point: Rhode could use his own mind to conjure this image of Lulubell. If that was the case, he would never be able to tell the difference.

Or it could be her. Allen didn't like not knowing, nor could he see the purpose whether it was her or not.

"An interesting waterfall, Allen Walker," she said wryly, suddenly.

Allen stared at her. Was that something Lulubell would say if she was real? He didn't know! He took a deep breath. Whether she was real or not, he needed to treat her as if she was. He needed to stop worrying about it. Besides, it was just Lulubell. He could handle her... he was moderately sure he could handle her... Rhode wouldn't let anything real bad happen, right? Where was she?

The good news was, since this was Allen's mind brought to her world – like when he entered the Dream with Road – it was just his mind, with no whispers or headache from the Fourteenth.

"I thought so too," he said uneasily, and nearly slapped himself. There was no need to feel unease. "So... Um, what are you doing here?"

"Rhode asked me to come, so I came. The Earl had no other requests of me at the time."

That sounded likely. Allen left his chair to circle her, trying to spot faults. Testing his mind versus his mind, if that was the case. How could the faulty detect the faults? What if she was the real Lulubell? She certainly seemed real enough.

Lulubell then looked around slightly, and she moved to go lay comfortably on a random, nearby sofa. Allen was left standing, feeling like a fool as her cool, gold eyes regarded him. So he moved his chair over to the couch and sat again, almost blushing. This was bothersome.

They fell silent, Allen thinking and Lulubell watching. Then, she asked, "Why do you not attack me?"

Allen started and looked back at her. If she was real, she would know why. If she was from his mind, she would know why! "What do you mean?"

"We are enemies."

True enough, but Allen answered anyway. She should know this by now. "My wife asked me not to. So long as you Noah stay away from my friends, I have no reason to harm you."

"Yet you exorcised Mightra," she countered smoothly, gaze unchanging. Now it was beginning to sound like her. She was getting to something.

"Because he was attacking Crowley, my friend," Allen responded, knowing she knew that.

"I killed Chaoji."

Ah, that.

There were six of them. Six Exorcist remained to fight the Earl, his horde, and the remaining Noah.

Allen snorted at the brief show of a Level Two coming into fruition. Like it would really matter with the magnitude of the war that was currently waging. However, the Millennium Earl had paused when it started and that gave him a much needed breather. They had been going at it for what felt like hours. It probably had, for all he knew.

Rhode was there, often sending worried glances Allen's way as she fought off Lavi in a mockery of a fight. Allen had given him a crystal clear threat as to what would happen to the bookman if any harm was done to his wife, and the same was said to his wife if any harm was done to Lavi. In fact, the whole war seemed to have blurred the lines and become laughable compared to its original form. Only the Central officials and the Millennium Earl himself were serious about it anymore.

Wait, now there were five of them. With a strangled cry, Chaoji fell to the ground, clutching a wound on his chest that ran all the way to his back. Lulubell could be seen standing behind him. The man had been staring at the new Level Two, not paying attention to his own fight. Lulubell, on the other hand, had no such problem, and she did not waste her advantage.

The black haired Noah gave one searching look to Allen as she wiped the blood off her whip, probably looking for any hint of repulsion or hate. It was no surprise that she only found hard stone and no emotions. She slipped back into the fight.

Of course, it was only a few seconds later that special Level Two had sent Allen and the other four remaining Exorcists back to this past.

He didn't know how to reply, so Lulubell continued, "If it had been one of the others, would you have stood by so passively? Would you still be so passive? If it had been Tryde, if it was Tryde lying here right now, would you really do nothing?"

"I..." Would he?

"What I wish to know, Allen Walker, is if I am special to you in some way. Do you treat me differently than you do the others?"

That was easier to answer, at least. "Yes. The others are just other Noah. I know you, somewhat, and that makes you stand out."

"Why?" The word was as cool as the rest of her, yet insistent. What kind of answer was she looking for from him?!

"Because I like you!"

"Like me?" she raised an eyebrow. He felt like he was getting warmer, but to what he had no idea.

"Yes, like you. I consider you a friend, even though we are enemies. Strange, perhaps, but it's true," Allen said, heartfelt.

Her expression, however, didn't change. "Just a friend?"

Perhaps a bit more, Allen thought suddenly. Agh, damnit Four... But the Fourteenth wasn't there. Not here. That was him.

She continued. "Could it be that you see me as something more?"

A dry lump appeared in his throat, and he forced out, "I'm married."

"And if you weren't? If you were not married, could you see me as something more than a friend?"

"Maybe..." Could he? Oh, God, he could, and it wasn't because of the Fourteenth!

"Give me a real answer, Allen Walker, so that I may leave this place. Yes or no; if you were not married, would you love me?"

The lump in his throat had become too thick to speak around, and words remained stuck in his throat. His jaw worked soundless for a moment though. What kind of question was that?! Why was she asking him? She couldn't possibly mean anything by it! He was reminded of when he had just sealed away Lustul, and her kiss...

But that was just a thank you. She said so herself!

"Well?"

"I..." His mouth felt dry. He loved Rhode, damn it all. But if she wasn't his wife... Back when he feared she would never be returned to him and he couldn't face her again, who did his thoughts turn to? "I..." Taking a deep breath, Allen closed his eyes and resigned himself. He mumbled, "Yes."

There was a long silence. Then, when he wondered what was taking her so long to respond, he opened his eyes to find... Rhode. Oh shit. He had forgotten that this was just one of her games!

"Uhh..." he let out intelligently.

She was grinning of all things. What in the world? "See, was that so hard?"

Allen blinked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "What?"

Her smile didn't change in the slightest. "Admitting you like Lulubell too. Was that so hard?"

Allen felt like he was missing something. Shouldn't she be calling down lightning and fire to murder him or something? "I like Lulubell, but if I loved her, don't you think I would have married her instead?"

Rhode's smile fell as she sighed, and she rolled her eyes, mumbling, "And we were so close, too." Then, her sharp gold eyes found his again. "There were a lot of "if"s and "maybe"s in there, but I got you to admit it, husband. Don't play the fool now."

"So that wasn't Lulubell," Allen groaned, realizing it now. Rhode just winked at him. Why did this remind him of his conversation with Road?

Rhode then sighed again, and she sent him a flat look. "Alright, if you want to be that way, I'll summarize for you. You love Lulubell. I just got you to admit that, though I've known for a few years now. However, because you are married to me, you've been repressing those feelings."

Allen didn't like the sound of that, and he protested, "Rhode, I love you. I married you because I love you."

Rhode stared at him like he was an idiot, the same way Road had. "I never said you didn't."

He opened his mouth to say more, but then stopped. "Wha-? Rhode, now you're not making any sense. How can I love her, but love you?"

The woman who was his wife leaned forward and patted his chest. "Allen, I love you, but it is now obvious I am married to a moron. Regrettably, I wasn't prepared for this level of stupidity." She shook her head and laughed. "Another day, then. Well, at least we are a step closer to getting this resolved. One of these days, though, I'm going to tell you a bit about the apostles Jacob and Solomon. Trust me, they'll blow your poor little world."

Allen just gave his 'I'm hopelessly confused' look, and Rhode giggled, patting his chest again. There was another wave of her power, and suddenly they were back in the Ark, her lying on top of him with one of her grins, the kind he loved from her. What on earth was she talking about?

Then, her grin softened, and she pulled herself off him, rising. "Well, we played, and I got what I was looking for... kind of. A deal's a deal. Our Ark is currently in Russia, over the capital of Moscow. We have full control of the government there."

Her Door had risen up behind her at some time, and she walked backwards into it. "Think about what we talked about, Allen. I don't want to have to hold your hand and guide you to what should be obvious, but I will if I have to. See you soon!" Then she was gone, the doors slammed shut, and the Door itself sunk back into the ground.

So what did you talk about? Allen asked himself... The Fourteenth asked him. Nothing you'd be interested in, he thought back quickly. Too quickly, though the Noah implant didn't pursuit the question.

Allen sighed. What on Earth was he going to do?


AN: One of the reason's for Allen's complete inability to consider having two wives is because of the time period. Don't forget that - Victorian Era and all. It was considered a form of adultery or something back then. But oh, that'll change fast. :D