Author's Notes:

Ahaha, I suddenly got into the mood to write this chapter even though I should be doing other things.

The title of this chapter gave me a bit to worry, because I could not think of anything fitting the entire chapter. So I settled with something that depicts an important part. :3

Anyway, this chapter marks the end of the battles within the Ark, I am so happy! I am FINALLY where I wanted to be when I started planning this fanfic more than a year ago! :3 :3

Disclaimer: D. Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino

Kapitel 37: The Heart's Melody

There was no other choice but to go on. If she wanted to protect her friends and her own life then there was no other way than to continue fighting even if she herself was on the brink of unconsciousness. Ellen could no longer go on, her body ached, her mind was slowly going blank. Enough. She really had had enough. Hours upon hours of fighting. Weeks upon weeks of worrying and dreading. However, she had made her choice not to back down when she had the choice to retire and forget all about this hidden war. What she had in front of her was just another battle.

Ellen brushed her hair out of her sweaty and blood smeared face, also wiping away some tears of frustration. Her adversary stood some meters away from her, not moving.

"Tyki Mikk! What is going on? Have we not settled this fight before?!" Ellen shouted but he did not reply, he did not even seem to have heard her speak to him. Ellen pressed her lips together and decided to study him just in case there was something that could explain this situation. What she spotted was something dropping from the back of his hands. It must be blood.

"Bleeding stigmata?" Ellen wondered in surprise, but then she flinched when she realized that the fluid was of an oily black colour. "Black blood?!" She gasped. Her voice seemed to cause some sort of reaction in Tyki because the wing like, scaly objects that sprouted out of Tyki's back suddenly changed their movements. Tyki started screaming and the ropes wound around him, covering his entire body. Ellen, startled by the inhuman ferocious cry, took one step backwards, speechless and at a loss. She knew not what was happening to Tyki, but it did not look as if he was conscious about it neither did it seem like a pleasant experience. Ellen sheltered herself with her Crown Clown as black energy swirled around Tyki like a small tornado. The power of it nearly pushed Ellen to her knees, but she forced herself to remain standing. Everything ended in a black explosion that darkened the entire floor. Ellen, sensing that some bad transformation of Tyki had taken place, decided not to waste any time with waiting and ran towards him. When it cleared up she saw what had become of Tyki: his skin had darkened and his hair seemed to be longer, on top of that he wore very puzzling clothes. However, Ellen did not ponder on these things, because the dark aura he was emitting was too dangerous to await his actions – whatever they might be. She brought her sword down on him, hoping to exorcise also this thing which she seems to have missed the last time. She did not think that she had enough strength left for a full battle – neither did they have the time for it because the Ark was in its last stage of destruction. However, her sword only cut air as Tyki swiftly disappeared – too quickly for Ellen's eyes. She wanted to look for him, but she did not have the time to as her left side was suddenly slashed by an invisible hand. She saw her own blood gushing out of her wound, but she didn't even have the chance to react as Tyki was already behind her, slamming his fist into her back. She gasped, his attack sending a jolt through her entire body. While she stumbled back, she turned around, just in time to block his next attacks. Her arm trembled as she held the blade – her only defence against his cruel and immensely powerful attacks.

"How strong he is! And how fast!! He simply evaded my attacks! Is he… Is he still human?!" Ellen asked herself, glaring at Tyki's dark face. He spoke no word to her and only emitted growling sounds like a beast. This was totally different to her pervious battle against Tyki – this was utterly impossible. Ellen could never win this battle!

The blasts of Tyki's attacks finally managed to overpower Ellen and she was caught by the blast which sent her flying backwards.

"What… what happened to Tyki Mikk…? I… I cannot believe that I am fighting the same person…!" Ellen though, readying herself for the impact. Fortunately she was caught by strong arms and stopped. She smelt Rabi's familiar scent and pressed her face against his chest.

"Rabi…!" She whispered.

"Ellen! Be strong!" Rabi hissed, embracing her shortly, "we'll manage somehow!"

"No… No, Rabi…! The… door!" Ellen managed to say and Rabi tensed, but did not reply. The next thing the two heard was Tyki's mad laughter, then he came rushing towards them. Rabi reacted much faster than Ellen could have; he grabbed the girl and hoisted her over his shoulder, holding her tightly. Ellen was too exhausted to protest and then she felt how Rabi made them soar upwards with his Innocence. Ellen didn't manage to open her eyes because now that she was protected by Rabi – even though for only a short moment – she finally became aware of the intense pain springing from her injuries and she tried her best to bear it. From all that Ellen could hear Rabi had brought her back up to Linali and Chao Zhi because she could hear them talking, but soon she was forced to open her eyes again because Rabi let her down on the floor not all too gently. She could hear the impact of Rabi and Tyki's attacks clashing and then they were gone, leaving only blowing winds behind.

"Ellen! Ellen, hang in there!!" Linali shouted and helped Ellen sit up. The young girl held her hand to her throbbing held, feeling nauseous because of the rough beating she had to take and also the amounts of blood lost in these many battles.

"I… I will manage, Linali… What about you, are you hurt?" Ellen asked and looked at the two – both seemed to be in no worse condition than when she had last seen them some moments ago. Linali shook her head frantically.
"Don't mind us! Ellen! What was that?! What is happening?" The young girl put on a solemn face, biting her lips.

"I honestly do not know…! It seems as if Tyki transformed into something… Something incredibly powerful…!" Ellen hissed, but then her head snapped up. "Rabi!!" She hurried to her feet, but nearly fell over again. Linali wanted to pull her back down, but Ellen got out of Linali's grasp.

"Ellen! Don't! You are hurt! You can't fight him now!" Linali shouted, but Ellen just shook her head.

"I must. And I will protect you!!" she answered then, she jumped down to the lower floor without second thoughts. It was not the time to think now, it was either fight or die! Ellen landed on the ground just in time to see how Tyki slammed Rabi down.

"He can't do this on his own! I must help him!!" Ellen thought and rushed towards Tyki, swinging her sword over her head, intent on making it connect with her adversary's skull. However, the Noah simply blocked it by raising his arm, blasting Ellen away with another of his powerful attacks. Ellen had the feeling that almost every bone in her body must be smashed and that she had already lost a critical amount of blood. How she even managed to stay conscious was beyond her, but she doubted that her body's persistence was really of any help in this desperate battle. Tyki was just out of their league. Ellen and Rabi's combined power were being fruitless against someone Ellen had managed to defeat just moments ago. How?! Why?! Ellen's eyes snapped open when she heard Rabi screaming and loud cracking noises. She saw how the whole tower started crumbling, columns and statues falling and she fell with them. She fortunately landed in cold water and not into the void of the already downloaded Ark. A splash some moments later revealed that also Rabi had met the same fate. He broke the surface with a loud gasp and with whatever strength he had left he pulled himself on to a piece of fallen stone where also Ellen was lying on – not that the water was deep but Ellen didn't even trust herself to be able to swim with her abused body.

"How can this be…?" Ellen whispered, looking upwards into the white sky of the Ark, Rabi's loud breathing was to be heard next to her. "Must I really die in a place like this…?"

"E… Ellen… Don't say such nonsense…" Rabi answered and Ellen turned to look at him.

"I… I do not want to die, Rabi…" Ellen breathed, her eyes filling with tears, "I don't…!"

"Neither do I… There is still a lot to do… isn't there?" He asked her and his lips formed a weak smile. Ellen slammed her fist onto the stone she was lying on, leaving blood stains on it, and pressed her forehead against the rough surface.

"I did not get this far to die!" She hissed, "again…! Why?! Why am I in such a situation again?!" She shouted, her lungs hurting, but she continued screaming, "I don't want to die in a place like this!!"

"I told you… that we are not going to die!" Rabi said, forcing himself up into a sitting position, then he reached out and put his hand on Ellen's shoulder. "Take a deep breath Ellen! Calm down!" The girl clenched her fist, but then breathed in deeply and stopped trembling. Finally she rose, picking her sword up. With a groan Rabi stood up as well, rolling his shoulders, then he grinned at Ellen. "Now that's my little beansprout!"

"Do not call me beansprout now!" Ellen told him firmly, then she looked up at what was left of the tower, "save it for later! Come!" With this she ran forward determined to continue fighting. She had made her vows long ago – she knew what she had to do even in a situation like this.

Ellen found Linali and Chao Zhi in a very dangerous situation and Rabi and her arrived just in time to fend Tyki off. The fallen ceiling that Chao Zhi had somehow managed to hold was smashed in the process. This was in itself already a small success because it removed an immediate danger from the other two – but Ellen and Rabi were again hit by Tyki's attacks in the process. The immense power always threw them some meters, which was troublesome because in the meantime Tyki could make another attack. Ellen just gritted her teeth and forced herself up again, extending her clown belt ropes so that Tyki could not attack Linali.

"Do not make this mistake!" she shouted at Tyki, then she smiled grimly, "Your opponent is here! Have we not settled on this? You wanted to kill me, right?" The Noah grinned and with incredible speed he dashed off from where Linali and Chao Zhi were. "Come! Maybe I will not manage to get out of this blasted Ark, but trust me! I will not back down!!" Ellen shouted and Tyki appeared before her, his eyes gleaming. But before he could make his attack the floor beneath Ellen suddenly started to glow brightly. Even though it was not a good idea to take her eyes off her foe, she still looked down to find a sign under her. Just a split second after she spotted this, the whole ground exploded and while it did not harm Ellen, it did send her soaring through the air. She screamed, because she had nothing to grab on to, but fortunately she was caught by the foot. While she was dangling down head first, she heard a voice speaking:

"Look at what I have here; aha! It's the snotty little brat!" Ellen widened her eyes upon hearing the familiar voice and looked up. What she saw made her shriek in shock: there was a skull looking at her! "You're looking good, I almost didn't recognize you at first, brat – truly a sight to behold – even though you could look a bit more decent for a girl!" Ellen frowned and looked at the floating object the man was standing on; it was a longish box tightly sealed with chains. Even though she had not seen this object yet, the man was still too familiar to be mistaken for someone else.

"F… Fancy meeting you here, Master," Ellen said and earned herself laughter from the man.

"Why the long face, girl? Shouldn't you be little bit more thrilled to see me again?" The skull mask disappeared to reveal the well known grinning face of General Marian Cross.

-

The box floated to the ground and Cross jumped down, putting Ellen on the floor not all too gently. While Ellen was still pretty speechless to meet her master again after so many months (and in this kind of situation!), the General took in her appearance.

"It looks as you have made quite some progress Miss Bermont: from a delicate little princess you have matured into a full fledged exorcist. It even seems as if you were able to use your Innocence more or less decently. But for you to look so beat up…" He held out his hand to her. "Come…" She stared up at him, but finally took his hand. He pulled her up on her feet and studied her once again. "Hmm. Really, a sight to behold. You have grown yourself some breasts," Cross remarked, looking at the torn uniform and the left side of her chest that it revealed. Ellen blinked at him in confusion, but then she saw where his eyes were directed at and blushed.

"You… Impossible man!!" She shrieked, then she slapped him so that her own hand hurt from it – but of course it was worth it. Cross, only surprised for a split second, put on a sly grin and rubbed his red cheek.

"It seems as if you have also developed some backbone, but you're still only a stinking brat," he said, but then he saw how Tyki landed on a fallen column not too far away. Cross turned to Ellen and glared at her, "now scramble! Hey you there!" he shouted and looked over at where Rabi was standing, "come and get the lady if you're a man! But stay away from me! Only beautiful and clean people may get into my vicinity. Dirty people can the hell stay away from me, expect women of course…"

"How mean!!" Rabi shouted, but he came to get Ellen and they ran to where Chao Zhi and Lianli were. Linali reached up and pulled her friend down next to hear, embracing her. But before she could say something to Ellen a melody echoed through the Ark.

"Huh? What is that?" Rabi wondered and something like a small glass dome appeared over the four, sheltering them.

"Shh," Ellen whispered.

"Can Tyki no longer see us?!" Rabi whispered back when he saw how Tyki turned around, apparently looking for them.

"I am not entirely sure what it is, but my master once boasted about his peculiar Innocence. This seems to be Magdalena Curtain, a special technique of my Master's Anti-Akuma weapon. I have not seen her before, but I guess that it must be that woman beside General Cross…" Ellen mused and they all looked at the beautiful woman in her flowing dress.

"Is this doll really an Anti-Akuma weapon…?" Linali wondered and Ellen frowned.

"Actually, if my master is to be trusted, this is not a doll, but a human corpse…"

"What?! But… But that is forbidden!" Rabi protested and Ellen had to remind him to be quiet.

"I do not know, but I myself find the idea quite grotesque… However, he merely controls her. He has an Innocence of his own – his gun, Judgement…"

"Why do you know so much about that? I thought Cross was a very elusive person?" Rabi wondered and Ellen snorted.

"As I said. He told me, claiming that he wanted to inform me about the various shapes of Anti-Akuma weapons, but I still think that he was boasting…"

"You don't have much faith in him, do you, Ellen…" Rabi commented with a goofy smile and Ellen only sighed as a reply.

"However, I am very glad that he's here…" she said and they could see how Cross shot at Tyki and actually managed to hit him, something Ellen and Rabi had not been able to do, no matter how hard they fought. Actually, as they continued to observe the fight, it seemed rather one-sided, Tyki apparently had no chance against General Cross.

"Tyki never had troubles with us, no matter how much power we put into our attacks…," Rabi said and Ellen lowered her head. She transformed her sword back into her arm and folded both of her arms over her chest, still keeping her head low. "Seeing how clear the power difference now becomes really troubles me… Both with the Noahs and General Cross. Compared to them we are really weak!" Ellen lifted her head, looking at the fight. Weak… Yes… She was still very weak. She may have matured, but compared to what this war still had in store for her, she remained a weak little girl… And this hurt…

But there was not much time to dwell on this, because suddenly explosions shook the floor and everything started to fall apart.

"Ugh! It's time!" Rabi said and the protective shield disappeared.

"It's getting destroyed!!" Chao Zhi shouted. Ellen jumped up and pulled Linlai to her feet, turning around to look at Cross, who seemed to have finished the fight.

"Master!!"

"It's time?" he casually asked and then he pointed his gun at Tyki, "well, then we have to hurry up!" Ellen didn't see or hear what happened next because the ground suddenly caved in, tearing Rabi and Chao Zhi down.

"Oh no!! Rabi!!" Ellen shouted and dropped to her knees at the edge, reaching out, "grab on!!" Rabi caught Chao Zhi and extended his hammer for Ellen to catch. She did, but once she had a firm grasp on it, it just smashed, crumbling into pieces. With wide eyes Ellen saw Rabi's incredulous stare and then they were swallowed up by the void. Ellen still had her hand balled into a fist and she stared down into nothingness.

"Rabi… Chao Zhi…" she breathed and opened her hand, the pieces of Rabi's Innocence dropping from her trembling palm. Linali fell to her knees next to her.

"No…" was the only thing she managed to say. It woke Ellen up again and the terror of having seen the two disappear finally caught up with Ellen. The only thing she could do was scream at the top of her lungs, no matter how much it hurt.

"NOOOOOOO!!!" She buried her face into her palms, lowering her head to the floor. "Don't leave me… Don't you leave me as well!!! Rabi… Kanda!!" But even more explosions forced Ellen back up on her feet even though the ground below her crumbled. Linali feel down, but this time Ellen extended her clown belt, catching her, while she herself only barely had been able to stick her sharp claws into the wall. She pulled Linali up and climbed back on temporarily safe ground. She scrambled to her feet and stared at the scene in front of her. And there, opposing Cross with Tyki over his shoulder, the Earl stood in between the raging destruction. She could not hear what he was saying and she did not need to; now even though her body could no longer take it, she forced herself to charge up, on sheer willpower alone. Ellen did not care what happened right now; she was beyond the pain and she was beyond reason. Her whole being was filled with the anguish of having lost people she loved and hate towards the Earl who had caused her so much suffering.

"Ellen…! Ellen, no! Stop it!!" Linali shouted when she saw how Ellen was intending to fight again and how blood rained to the floor from Ellen's many wounds. With a power and speed that her body should not have possessed, she rushed towards the Earl.

"Earl of Millennium!!" she shouted and smashed her blade down on him. He seems to have countered, but Ellen didn't even see that anymore: right now she was driven on hate and rage alone. She wanted to destroy this despicable creature, she wanted to erase him from the face of the earth, she wanted to make him pay for every loss she had suffered.

"Hate!!" The Earl spoke up, his glassed covered with Ellen's blood, "What a wonderful emotion I see in your eyes, Ellen Walker!" He slashed at her, catching her left arm with his sword, but Ellen did not care, she merely pulled her sword back and fired an energy blast at him. The Earl could break the attack but he fell backwards into nothingness. Ellen, not in her right mind, just rushed after him, but suddenly her whole body tensed up and she slammed the sword into the stone. Something was controlling her body and she could see Cross standing far above her.

"Stop! Cease this foolishness, you idiot! Has all your blood left your brain when your friends died?!"

"Master! Release me at once!" she demanded, "I have to…!"

"You will come back here if you want or not!" Cross interrupted her, "You mustn't fight the Earl with hatred!" Ellen stared up at him, clenching her teeth and tears running down her cheeks. Ellen climbed back up and only when Linali had locked her arms around her, did Cross let go of the control he had over her. Ellen's breath hitched and she started sobbing, while Linali hugged her, patting her hair.

"Stand up! You can cry later when there's more time!" Cross shouted, "I have helped you with the Noahs because I need your help."

"Help…?" Ellen managed to ask.

"With what?" Linali wondered, letting go of Ellen.

"With my mission!" Cross said and both of the girls looked up at him in surprise. "You know why we're here, don't you? The destruction of the Akuma plant!"

"The plant is here on the Ark?" Linali asked in surprise and Ellen looked at Cross in wonder.

"The room still exist, guide us to the plant, Tim!", Cross answered and then they were engulfed in bright light. They were transported into another room, with bodies littering the ground.

"What… Corpses?!" Ellen shrieked.

"Those are the guardians of the Akuma plant," Cross explained. Ellen stared at him, but then Linali tugged at her arm and she turned around, seeing a strange object behind her. "This round thing is the Egg that the Earl created to produce the bodies of the Akuma. I would like to just smash it to pieces but there's a barrier and we don't have much time left." Indeed, the whole room was trembling as well and pillars of light pierced the floor. Ellen's eyes were fixed on the Akuma plant and it appeared to her that she could hear a heartbeat and breathing.

"It breathes…? Impossible…" Ellen thought.

"Look at the top!" Cross told her and she looked up. The top of the egg was already starting to dissolve. "This is the last room of the old Ark which's being downloaded. As soon as the egg is completely transferred the Ark will crumble completely. And we with it!"

"What should we do, General?!" Ellen shouted when the floor shook more violently than before.

"Hmpf. We have to simply stop it!" the general replied and Ellen looked at him incredulously. "We have to get the Egg. If we can move the Ark and stop the download then they cannot get it!" Cross told her, but Ellen just shook her head.

"And how should this be possible?! We do know nothing about this ship!"

"General Cross," Linali spoke up, apparently calmer than Ellen was, "do you know something about this Ark? Can you steer it?"

"I can't," he said, then he focused his glare on Ellen, "but you can. You, Ellen!" The young girl widened her eyes in disbelief. Meanwhile the tall man spoke an incantation, fingers pointed towards the Akuma plant. "My abilities can only delay the download, but not for long. You will get the Ark moving, Ellen! Fast, there is nearly no time left!"

"What?! Hold on a moment, if you please!! I do not know what you are talking about! I cannot possibly do such a thing!!" Ellen shouted in protest.

"I will open the door to the very last room. Tim will guide you. You will know what to do…" he said and Ellen saw the golden golem rushing at her. Instead of making impact with her, Timcampy soared past her and Ellen was pulled into bright light. She heard Linali shout, but she could also hear Cross speaking: "you are the only one who can do it!" And suddenly everything was dark and silent. Ellen still wondered at Cross' words, but then her eyes suddenly snapped open. She frantically sat up and looked around. She was sitting on a comfortable couch in a completely white room. She saw a big window that showed nothing but the room's reflection, some chairs, the aforementioned couch and a piano.

"W… Where am I? Master? Linali?" She looked around but saw neither of the two. She tentatively put her feet on the ground and stood up. It was eerily quite in this room, no voices, no explosions, so shaking walls. "Am I still onboard of the Ark…?" She wondered.

"Not even the Earl knows of this place…"A foreign voice whispered. Ellen's heart nearly jumped out of her breast. There was no one in the room, then where did this voice come from?! "It is the secret room of the Fourteenth." Ellen turned her head to the side where the window was and to her great surprise there was a dark face staring at her. It did not have distinct human features; simply two white spots as eyes and a wide white mouth on the dark coloured face.

"Who are you?!" Ellen shouted in surprise but she thought that she recognised this person; yes! She had seen it before in a dream she had after being nearly killed by Tyki Mikk! However, the strange person did not reply to her question, it merely lifted its hand and pointed at the piano visible in the reflecting glass.

"My key!"It said, "My…" Ellen raised her eyebrow in wonder and turned around to the actual piano. Timcampy sat on the piano, where one usually placed the musical score.

"Sir… Tim…?"

"My Timcampy… Ellen… Timcampy… And me! We have the player's license!"

"Player?! What are you talking about?! Who are you?! Speak up!" Ellen shouted, but the figure keep quiet. Ellen glared at the reflection. "I don't like this!" she thought, while the figure's grin only widened. Suddenly her communication earring cracked and a loud voice pierced Ellen's ears:

"You damn idiot! And you want to be my pupil?!" It was Cross, but Ellen was too preoccupied to hold her ringing ear to reply. "Stop the download!! Are you in the room?!"

"Ellen, are you alright?" Linali's voice appeared as well, "can you hear us?"

"L… Linali? Yes… yes I am fine!"

"Ellen! Is there a piano in the room?" Cross continued and Ellen looked at the instrument.

"Yes there is one," she replied wondering why he knew that.

"This is the heart which moves the Ark. Play it!" The general told her.

"W… What?" Ellen asked after keeping silent for a short moment.

"Tim has the musical score you need!" Ellen heard over the other noise that the earring transmitted. Cross continued saying something but Ellen could only make out some words, then the connection was terminated.

"Master!" Ellen shouted, but it was silent again.

"Ellen, play!"the voice of the reflection commanded. Ellen glared at him with an uneasy feeling.

"Why me?"

"Because it is your score!"Timcampy opened its mouth and a floating picture appeared above it: the score did not look like usual sheet music looked like, but Ellen was shocked because of another reason when she saw it. She recognised it! She walked to the piano and with a trembling hand she reached out, nearly touching the projection.

"This crest…" she whispered, "no! That cannot be! These markings, why are they here?" Her heart ached and tears welled up in her eyes.

"This is the song! And the melody is inside of you…"Ellen took a trembling breath, still looking at the score, but then she put her fingers on the piano keys. She knew what to play, she knew what song to sing – but how? She squeezed her eyes shut but then she opened her mouth and sang the song that came from deep within her heart, it came from a far away memory but she recalled the words, she recalled the melody.

"Bring the Ark under your control, Ellen! You must wish for something while playing!" Cross' voice suddenly appeared again and Ellen stopped singing at once, also pausing her hands' movement.

"I must… wish?" she repeated.

"Hurry up!!" her general urged her.

"Wish!" the reflection that also stood at the piano whispered.

"M… my wish… The download… The Ark…" Ellen gasped and widened her eyes, looking at nothing in particular. "I…" she started crying, and put one of her hands over her eyes. "There is only one wish I have…!" She started playing again, seeing her lost friends in her mind. Chao Zhi, Crowley, Rabi, Kanda! "Dear God, Ark! You must not dissolve! Give me back my friends!!" She cried and slammed her hands on the keys which also sent a jolt through her body. She felt her whole body pulsating, but then it slowly faded and everything was quiet. With her fingers still on the keys she stared at the wall. It was over. Whatever had happened, it was over now…

-

After a while Ellen could hear Cross' voice through her communicator. But whatever he said, she only barely heard him and did not reply.

"We come to you into the room, open a door, Ellen!" The young girl pushed a key on the piano and moments later Linali and Cross came through a white door.

"Linali! Thank God…" Ellen said and smiled after she saw her friend.

"Ellen…?" Linali asked her and walked up to her, "I have heard a piano. Did you play it?" She nodded, but then her face changed and she looked at Cross.

"I know already what you want to say, so stop looking so sour, it doesn't become you," he told her, smoking calmly.

"Why… Why these scores? And why this melody?!" Ellen hissed, but then she was interrupted by a loud voice seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"EEEEELLEN! FOOD IS READY!!!"

"W… What is that?!" Linali asked in surprise.

"That comes from the Ark, someone's shouting for you, Ellen…" Cross explained and Ellen stared at him.

"Mister Rabi, they are not dogs, they won't come if you call like this…" another voice appeared, apparently it was Chao Zhi.

"Nonsense! I know how to tempt Ellen! ELLEN! COME AND EAT! There are also a lot of great novels! Come! I'm sure you want to read them! Or do you want to hear the latest news about London?! Or what about the colour of Yu's favourite underwear?! COME AND I'LL TELL YOU!!!" As he shouted that a huge moving picture appeared on the wall, showing a healthy Rabi shouting, while Chao Zhi just rolled his eyes. Both Linali and Ellen gasped.

"They are alive! They are really alive!!" Ellen shrieked, lifting her hands in front of her mouth, "I cannot believe it!" Ellen looked around, but then she rushed to the piano but as she wanted to press the keys something made her freeze:
"Oh! YU!!" Ellen lifted her head and saw how Kanda walked up to Rabi, dragging Crowley with him.

"Dear God…" she whispered, and the other's must have heard it too because they all looked up.

"Was that the beansprout's voice coming from the sky?" Kanda wondered and put Crowley on the floor. "Oi, Rabi! Where- " he started, but then a door not all too far away form him was thrown open. He turned around and saw Ellen running towards him. "E…" he started, but she jumped into his arms, embracing him and crying loudly.

"You're alive! Oh God, you're alive!!" she shouted, nearly crushing him in her embrace. But he got over his surprise pretty fast and returned the tight hug, burying his face into her soft but blood stained hair.

"Yes… Shh, shh… Don't cry, everything's alright now…" he whispered gently, only for her to hear.

"I am so glad!" Ellen breathed, then she looked up at Kanda, smiling through her tears, "you kept your promise!"

"Of course," Kanda said, then he suddenly lowered his face and kissed her. Ellen didn't even think about protesting right now and held his face, laughing in relief when his lips left hers.

"Do I get a kiss as well?" Rabi asked with a grin and Ellen continued laughing. She let go of Kanda and embraced Rabi as well, planting a kiss on both of his cheeks. Kanda sighed deeply, the fear of losing Ellen or never seeing again because of his own death was finally gone. When Ellen turned back to Kanda, he gave a start. Without saying anything he pulled her against his chest.

"W…What is the matter?" Ellen wondered as he held her firmly fixed to his side. "It is alright, I will not go anywhere…"

"Y… Your breast was showing…!" he told her with red cheeks and Ellen looked up at him.

"Oh… right, my uniform got torn earlier…" she said.

"And you don't worry about that?! Don't be so reckless!", he told her and she had to laugh because between the two of them Kanda was the one who wore even less. "Damn, my coat got burnt off…!"

"It is no big deal, Kanda. I don't mind that much...," she told him, deciding to keep silent about Cross' reaction to it.

"Don't mind?! Don't go showing your chest to other people! Oi! Rabi! Give her your jacket!" the Japanese ordered and Rabi stared at him in surprise.

"What?! Me?"

"Now!" Kanda shouted and Rabi took off his jacket with a pout, handing it to Kanda. The young man put it around Ellen's shoulders and sighed in relief.

"It's not as if we would jump a woman just because we catch a glimpse of her breasts…" Rabi muttered but Kanda clearly had other ideas about the subject. Either way he was really glad to have Ellen by his side and he did not let her move away from her one step. And for the moment Ellen was perfectly fine with that. She had had her wish granted: the fighting was over, her friends were safe and she and Kanda were reunited. And that was all that mattered right now.

To be continued.

Notes:

Best to stop here :3 I hope you liked it! I certainly enjoyed typing the bit about Kanda and Ellen seeing each other again. Next chapter there will be even more of them! *happy*

P.S. As I said before, I'm where I wanted this fic to be long ago. From now on more things are bound to change and the true struggle for Kanda and Ellen to stay together starts now (because there are more difficult things to overcome than some Tyki-gone-mad – like Ellen's mother *lol* Just kidding)! :D :D