Author's Notes:

Is anybody else as sad as I am that there was no DGM chapter this month?
However, I was still inspired to write; I received nice reviews and well wishes for my trip! I was very happy! Thank you all! I really appreciate it!

What actually prevented me from finishing earlier was me running assassins against walls in a pitiful attempt to play Assassin's Creed. I'm sorry that I let myself be distracted!

Funnily enough, I had the title for this chapter ready before I even started writing…!

Disclaimer: D. Gray-Man belongs to Katsura Hoshino

Kapitel 68: The distant Roar of Thunder

The newest addition to the ranks of the Black Order's exorcists proved to be like a loudly chiming wake up call for the solemn, empty rooms and long, echoing corridors of the headquarters. There was a castle and there was a child; the adventures of exploring the vaults and hidden treasures behind locked doors helped Timothy to playfully find his place in this long lasting struggle between Earl and Innocence. While there were others that took care of the boy's rudimentary training as an exorcist, making him feel comfortable and at home had somehow ended up being the Kanda couple's responsibility.

Thus, the mornings usually started with either Timothy rushing into their room as a human alarm clock or Kanda banging against Timothy's door when the boy didn't turn up for lessons with Emilia (who had decided to stay for a bit longer to take care of his education) or training with General Nine (who, despite the best efforts of Tiedoll to take the boy under his wings, had been put in charge of him).

Ellen watched the almost daily display of Kanda having to shove or drag the boy into the bath room with amusement.

"Contrary to my expectations, your husband seems to be quite able to deal with him," Link commented and watched Kanda toss a grumbling Timothy into the bathroom. "Even though he lacks patience and his methods are rather rough." Ellen smiled at that and Kanda, leaning against the door to prevent Timothy getting out before washing himself properly, looked up at her, an eyebrow raised. She waved, then she and Link turned away from the two to go down the stairs for breakfast.

"Well, I assume that is just the way he is. Despite everything, Timothy does need to be able to defend himself. Kanda knows that and accordingly he is strict and fussy about things like training or paying attention or discipline. With our child… Hm. He'll probably be strict, but he won't be rough." Link looked at her; she was apparently thinking, trying to imagine her husband's interaction with their own child. "That's what I think!"

"You will be able to verify this in less than two months," Link told her and Ellen smiled uneasily at that. At the bottom of the stairs she stopped, hand on the wall to steady herself. "Are you alright?" Link put his hands on her shoulder and saw her grab the fabric of her blouse. He had read the mission report and of course knew about Ellen's reckless actions during the final stages of the Level four battle in Paris. The fact that she seemed to still be in pain was disquieting, but other than inform Leverrier and keep him up to date with Ellen's condition, he was not able to do anything.

A quiet, pained moan escaped Ellen's lips and her fingers dug into her right shoulder, trying to massage the pain away.

"I will be fine… It's been only ten days since the fight. I am still sore," she said, straightening up and putting a smile back on her face. Link's concerned look didn't waver, so Ellen laughed. "Sometimes I wish I had Kanda's healing abilities. I know there are downsides to it, but at least then I would be fine again right away!" Link lifted his eyebrow at first, then he drew them down into a disapproving frown.

"I'd suggest you do not wish for it. I doubt he would be happy to hear you say things like this," he told her and Ellen sighed deeply. "Besides, your body already has an accelerated healing process thanks to you being a parasitic type."

"Yes?" Ellen wondered and they entered the dining hall. At this time it was already full and because it was summer the big windows were open, making the black banners of the Black Order wave in the light summer breeze.

"Yes," Link replied flatly and ordered his usual breakfast. Ellen rolled her eyes, then she greeted Jerry, who immediately handed her a big tray with an array of food. They sat down at one of the unoccupied tables, opposite each other and Link carefully watched Ellen while she ate. Ever since the unexpectedly dangerous mission to Paris he had been less lenient. He didn't follow her everywhere, because just as he was being more watchful, so was Kanda. Link already had to try hard to steer clear of arguments with the Japanese exorcist. He couldn't even be too irritated at him, seeing as he was trying to protect his wife so close to her due date and especially after the almost disaster of the last mission. When he did have the opportunity to be around Ellen, then he'd pay attention. He looked at the girl who, cheerful as she appeared eating her breakfast, was not as well as she wanted everybody to believe. He did notice the dull complexion of her skin, the discoloured patches under her eyes, the slight strain in her smile and he especially took notice of how she often rolled her shoulder or touched her chest.

"Maybe you should have the matron take a look at you again. You don't appear like you've recovered yet," he advised and Ellen laughed uneasily, avoiding an answer by drinking her tea. Link was displeased. "Ellen. If you are in pain after using your Innocence against yourself you need to tell me. If this has lasting consequences we must know." Ellen set down her cup and looked up at Link with a calm, but inquiring expression.

"My uncle worries too much," she said in a flat tone after a while and Link sighed, shaking his head.

"It's not only him. I worry too…," Link told her and Ellen's expression became a bit softer, but then she folded her hands on top of the table and smiled at him.

"If anything bad happens, I will let you know," she assured him, then she got up from the chair. "If you would excuse me? I've promised I would select some books to aid Timothy's studies." Link suppressed a sigh and nodded at her. She smiled, then she took her tray and left the table. The young German inspector rolled a cherry around on his plate with apparent displeasure. It was clear to him that Ellen was trying to be distant. He was not disagreeable to her, that Link knew, it was his duty to watch and report to Inspector Leverrier that she was dissatisfied with. If a change in her body was happening (and judging by the pain she was in something was indeed going on, possibly going wrong even) then it was an indication that the process of her becoming a Noah might be progressing. And if she told him, if she gave him any indication that something beyond the pain that she could still pass for left over injuries was wrong, then it was Link's duty to relay it at once. Leverrier must know about it and so must Central. Of course, Link didn't like the thought of Central doing any of their magic rituals that would only speed up the process. Link didn't want Ellen to be in distress and he didn't want her to disappear when the Noah surfaced… But… Link sighed and got up from the chair. It was his duty.

-o-

It was early afternoon and the windows of Ellen's room were wide open. However, nothing but heat and sunrays would come spilling inside. No fresh wind to disturb the stale, suffocating air within her room. It was mid-July and for this area it was unbearably hot. Kanda was in one of the cooler studies downstairs together with Emilia and Timothy. Even though Ellen had tentatively followed him there, she had soon become uncomfortable, feeling useless as the three drifted off from the subject to discussing random things. Ellen, even though she was glad that Kanda had found something to do in this mission free period, was unhappy that it had to be something where she was not really wanted. Emilia, even though Ellen didn't doubt that she was a nice girl, didn't put much effort into including Ellen into their little French speaking study circle or their trips to the gardens to study plants or insects. Kanda too, with him insisting that it would be "too boring" for her, didn't make her feel all too wanted or included either. So Ellen had excused herself after Emilia had started a conversation on the works of art in the Louvre and quietly disappeared. Kanda had only nodded at her, not taking his eyes off from the book he was currently leaving through, so Ellen had let herself drop down on her bed in frustration. And here she was now, letting the heat and her circling thoughts slowly lull her into an uncomfortable sleep.

-o-

Ellen sat up with a start. It was cool and dark now and someone must have drawn the curtains of her bed. She grabbed the soft fabric and pulled it to the side. A deep and menacing darkness greeted her from behind the room. Ellen widened her eyes, letting them travel around the uncanny place. It was still her room, but everything was black, the walls, the window, the fluttering curtains. She set her feet down, but flinched when they sunk into a warm, sticky liquid. She lifted her feet and looked down. The entire floor was swamped with a red fluid. Sweat trickled down Ellen's face, but instead of crawling back into bed, willing this nightmare away, she set both her feet down, making her way through the room. It smelt burned and Ellen could see red sparks somewhere. A fire? She turned her head to the window, and then she could see it; the tower with the flag of the Black Order was in flames. Ellen gasped, but then she rushed to the door, tearing it open. Only to find a brilliant white mirror copy of the room she had just intended to leave. She hesitated, but then she walked inside, closing the door on the dark room behind her. She looked around and for some reason found herself drawn to the dressing table. She sat down and looked inside the mirror. She could only see herself, no shadow behind her. The whiteness of her reflection almost scared her though, but then she gave a start when her left side suddenly started hurting and then blood started to appear on her shoulder. She could see how it started to stain her white dress, trickling down and down, the white fabric soaking in the blood.

"Foolish girl," a voice suddenly spoke up and Ellen gasped when the reflection inside the mirror shifted, showing her the mask and the drawn up coat of her Innocence. Her own reflection was gone. "What did you think you would achieve? What did you think you could do?"

"W… What is going on?"

"Did you think you have a body free from stains? Did you think I would be forgiving?" the Innocence continued speaking to her and Ellen felt a hot pain pierce her chest and travel up her shoulder and down her Innocence arm. "Weak and fragile as you are, you won't achieve anything! Your hands alone hold no power! You won't be able to destroy. You won't be able to save." Ellen, who had squeezed her eyes shut, now dared to open them again. She could only see her own blood soaked reflection. But it became paler and paler. Ellen jumped up from the table and stared at her hands. They became transparent.

"Poor you," another voice spoke up again and she looked back into the mirror. It had been her own mouth to speak. She lifted her hands to her head, where new blood was already flowing down, stinging when the droplets dripping into her eyes. She took her hands away, her fingers red with blood, but from the fingertips upwards they were turning a darker shade. Ellen stared into the mirror, seeing herself smiling back at her, the skin dark, with black markings on her forehead. "Good-bye, Ellen Walker!"

-o-

Ellen awoke with a gasp, shooting up in bed at once. She flinched when she felt something cold being pressed to the side of her neck and turned around, her eyes still wide.

"Hey…" It was Kanda and Ellen squeezed her eyes shut. "Another nightmare?" Ellen nodded, still unable to speak, then she dared to open her eyes and looked at her hands. They were solid, one pale, the other dark. She was still here. "You've been having an awful lot of them recently. What was it about this time?"

"I dreamt of dissolving…," she whispered and looked up at Kanda, unshed tears in her eyes. "I was just… dissolving…" Kanda put his arms around her, pressing her to his chest.

"You're not dissolving… You're still here. I feel you solid and warm in my arms…"

"It's not my body that's going to disappear," Ellen whispered and put enough distance between herself and her husband to be able to look up at him. "But my personality. Who I was, who I am. Everything is just going to end up being replaced by the Noah. And…," she thought about the reflection of her Innocence in the mirror and the pain the sword had caused her. "Maybe even the Innocence will wish to erase me… I'm nothing more than a host, to either of these two forces…" Kanda studied her in silence, unsure what he should reply.

"I think the nightmares and the pain you still feel are consequences of you stabbing yourself with the Innocence," he spoke up after a while and Ellen shrugged. "I fear that your Innocence and the Noah genes might be battling for dominance inside of you…" Ellen looked at him for a while, then she sighed deeply, letting her head hand in frustration.

Good-bye, Ellen Walker. That was the last thing of her dream she could remember. Ellen raised her head just slightly, looking up at Kanda who studied her as well. But wasn't Ellen Walker already gone…?

"Why have you been sleeping anyway?" Kanda wondered, apparently trying to ease the tension. "Were you tired?"

"It was hot…," Ellen replied, then she eyed him for a moment before she put a small smile on her face. "And what about you? Did you have fun with your new friends?" Kanda raised her eyebrow at that, but didn't comment on her slightly tense tone and the choice of her words.

"I helped Emilia with the tutoring. If I'm there the brat at least pretends to pay attention," he replied and Ellen snorted. Again, Kanda was confused at her apparent irritation. "What's the matter with you? I might not be as learned at you, but I still have enough knowledge in certain fields to be a decent tutor."

"Of course. That's not the problem," Ellen said in a flat tone, looking away.

"Then what is?" Ellen creased her brow, then she turned back to face him, studying his inquiring expression.

"It's these study sessions. It's Emilia. It's the way she looks at you. It's the way you all make me feel unnecessary. It's-" Ellen could see Kanda's surprised expression, but then the colours faded, only to reappear differently. Kanda was bending over her, looking at her with worry in her eyes. "What?" Ellen looked up at him in confusion; she was lying on the bed. When had she moved positions?

"You fainted. Just like that, while speaking," Kanda told her in a hushed tone, trying to calm her, but he appeared to be anything but calm.

"I didn't even notice! One second I'm talking to you and the next I'm lying in bed!" Ellen hissed and held her chest. "And with this pain appearing on top of it!" She grabbed Kanda's shoulder and pulled herself up into a sitting position despite Kanda's attempts to keep her lying down. "I haven't changed, have I…?" Ellen dared to ask after a while when the pain had abated. Kanda shook his head and Ellen let out a sigh of relief. "This isn't getting any better…"

"No, it isn't… Ellen," Kanda started and put his hand on her arm. "I think we need to consult Komui about it…" Ellen had started shaking her head before Kanda had even managed to finish his sentence. "I don't like this either! But with how you keep on fainting we simply cannot let this matter rest and wait for it to resolve itself! If there are dangers then we'd better know if the Science Division can do anything to help!" Ellen lowered her head, biting her lips, but after a while she nodded.

"Fine… Let's see him right away."

-o-

Komui eyed the two exorcists uneasily. After Ellen had reluctantly confessed that the stabbing actually had consequences, the supervisor had fallen into grave silence.

"These are… rather unsettling news, Ellen…" the man finally said, taking off his glassed to rub his eyes. "Actually, there isn't much I can think of doing." He put his glasses back on, studying the girl sitting in front of him. "But if your problems are caused by Innocence and not by the Noah, then we'd better get Hebraska to have a look at you." Ellen nodded gravely, then Komui led her outside, asking Kanda to wait for them.

"Why can't I come along?" Kanda asked in annoyance and Komui shot him a disapproving look. "Fine," Kanda gave in with a grunt, then he looked at Ellen. "I'll see you later." The girl nodded at him, then Komui led her down into the maze like corridors under the castle. Hebraska's Innocence Sanctuary lay behind a huge door made of carved, dark wood and iron. The room behind it was a huge vault that had been here before the castle. The Bermont family had only used it as a treasury at times, weapons, armours, chests and barrels collecting dust, almost forgotten during the centuries that passed. A chill went through Ellen as they stood in front of Hebraska, the banners of the Black Order hanging from the high, arched ceiling. It was eerily quiet, apart from water dripping down from somewhere.

"Hebraska, I need you to have a look at Ellen. She stabbed herself with her exorcising sword and has been in pain ever since. We don't know how to handle the problem…," Komui explained and Hebraska's huge, illuminated form bent down slightly, looking at Ellen. The exorcist felt the intense stare even though she could not make out Hebraska's eyes.

"Come a bit closer, child," she spoke and Ellen took a few steps forwards, Hebraska reaching out her arms, wrapping one around Ellen's Innocence and placing the other on her shoulder, to comfort her. Ellen felt the strange sensation of Hebraska looking right through her, of hands probing her from the inside. "The Innocence is upset," Hebraska said into the heavy silence, her voice echoing in the vault.

"Upset? But what does that mean?" Komui wished to know and Hebraska let go of Ellen again.

"It is because of the Noah within her. It reacts to it expanding, gaining more control over Ellen's mind and body," Hebraska explained, her voice slow and calm. "I am not fond of Central's wish to force her turning into a Noah, it puts a strain on the Innocence as well. It reacts, trying to push it back." Ellen looked up at Hebraska, but she seemed to have her attention on Komui, not that Ellen could really tell. "However, the memory has long been a part of her, as long as it was dormant the Innocence didn't need to adjust to it. Forcing it to be activated is dangerous. Central does not understand this, it does not want to understand. If she shows first signs of awakening," here Hebraska stopped and Ellen could feel that the other exorcist was indeed looking at her now. Did she know? How much did she know? "Then Ellen needs to be alert. We all need to be alert." Komui looked at Hebraska and then at Ellen uncertainly. Ellen had her head lowered, staring at the dusty floor in front of her. Hebraska kept silent as well, studying the girl. After a while, she lifted her head again and looked at Komui.

"Can I ask you to leave, Komui?" The supervisor looked at Hebraska in confusion. "There is something I need to talk to Ellen about." Ellen looked up at her, as surprised as Komui was.

"What-" Komui started, but Hebraska cut him off:

"What I want to talk to Ellen to is actually of a rather different nature. Something that only concerns women. I doubt you want to listen to it," she told him quietly and Komui's face turned red.

"W… Well. I'll be waiting outside then," he said, quite flustered and left the two exorcists alone. Hebraska waited until the door was shut with a loud thud, before turning back to Ellen.

"How close is the Noah?" she wondered and Ellen wasn't sure if she was actually startled by the question. A sound like laughter reached Ellen's ears and when she looked up she actually saw Hebraska smile at her. "I just needed a reason to chase Komui out of here so we could talk without you having to fear that it reaches Central's ears." Ellen returned the smile, nodding gratefully.

"She must be very close… I think she's already here to be honest. She was awake at times…" If Hebraska was surprised to hear that she masked it rather well. "But I cannot control it and I am afraid of her taking over my body…" She pressed the palm of her left hand to her right shoulder. "The wound keeps on hurting and sometimes there's this piercing pain in my chest, as if my heart was punctured…"

"That's the Innocence," Hebraska told her, "you know that it filled a hole in your heart. You are unique, Ellen. Your Innocence travels through your and the unborn child's blood stream. This makes you powerful, but it also makes you vulnerable…" Ellen listened silently, folding her hands over her belly.

"Do you think I should resist the Noah…?"

"I think you should not." Ellen widened her eyes in surprise, staring up at Hebraska. "Even if you are an exorcist, losing yourself for this war is not desirable. If you resist then you'll simply be devoured."

"But how can I concentrate on making the Noah's power mine when the Innocence is also working against me?" Ellen wondered, quite desperate now. There just seemed no way that this would work without her disappearing. Hebraska was quiet for a while, but then she placed her hand on Ellen's head.

"Just don't give up. Believe in yourself, Ellen, and in your right to live and to be happy. If you have faith in your own abilities then you'll also manage to turn yourself from a tool into the one controlling the tools." Ellen bit her lip, but she nodded. She didn't want to disappear, she didn't want to die. But was she powerful…? Without her Innocence she can do nothing in this war after all! And the old question of what and who she was beyond this war returned to her head. She still didn't know the answer to this.

"Thank you, Hebraska, for your encouraging words," Ellen told her when Hebraska had removed her hand.

"One more thing, Ellen." The girl looked up at the huge form. "I need you to be prepared for a dangerous birth." Ellen widened her eyes just slightly. "I know the Science Division and infirmary will do anything for it to go smoothly. But you need to be prepared too, mentally."

"I don't think I understand…," Ellen confessed and Hebraska looked at her.

"There is no way to know how your body will react if another barrier of Innocence is broken."

-o-

Following these ominous words of Hebraska, Ellen was greatly worried, but refrained from talking about it to anyone. The only thing she told Kanda was that there's nothing that could help her at the moment, but that Hebraska believed that she had to allow the Noah to become a part of her. Kanda, despite not being happy that there seemed to be no remedy for Ellen's pain, accepted that.

A few days afterwards Ellen was sitting in the gardens with Linali, enjoying the shade of a big tree and the light breeze. Fortunately the temperatures had dropped a bit, so it was actually agreeable to be outside.

"Kanda spends far too much time with that Emilia!" Linali said with a disgruntled expression, that Ellen couldn't help sharing.

"Yes! I noticed as well! Have you seen how she looks at him? If I had a picture of her I'd draw hearts into her eyes with red ink!" Linali giggled at that, putting her hands on top of Ellen's.

"But honestly! How dare he leave you alone and bored like this? I was quite worried when I saw you sitting here all by yourself!" Ellen sighed deeply.

"He's on the moor, studying birds with the other two. I wanted to come along but he said it'd be too much of a walk for me, he told me "you stay at home"! Just like that, in his stupid commanding tone," Ellen whined, glad to have someone to share her worries with. She had tried once with Kanda, but seeing as she had fainted and bigger worries seemed to trouble Kanda, he must have forgotten about her little jealousy outburst. "But have you seen Emilia's shoes? That can't be too much of a walk after all!" Both of the girls sighed in unison.

"Such nice shoes."

"I wish I could have gone shopping in Paris…" Linali turned around, taking Ellen's hand into hers.

"Tell you what? When your baby's born we're going to have Kanda look after it and just go there!" she suggested and Ellen's face lit up, only to fall again in the next moment. Linali noticed it and looked at her worriedly. "Ellen? What's the matter?"

"It's just that I'm afraid… I'm afraid of giving birth…," she told her and Linali couldn't help but sigh.

"I understand… It's dangerous but we have modern equipment, everything's going to be okay," she assured her friend and Ellen managed a small smile. "But don't you think that the baby's not entirely real until it's really here?"

"I absolutely agree," Ellen said, "it's just a discomfort in my stomach right now," she joked and Linali couldn't help laughing.

"And how about a name?"

"A name?" Ellen repeated, blinking at Linali, who nodded encouragingly. "I actually haven't thought of one yet, even though I have some favourites…" She smiled in slight embarrassment. "I actually wanted to let Kanda choose. Though I hope he has some taste in names."

"Quite a gamble, isn't it?" Linali said and Ellen giggled. The girls were silent for a while, just enjoying the atmosphere.

"Linali?" Ellen wondered and looked over at her friend lying on the grass.

"Yes?"

"Seeing me like this, do you ever think of having a child yourself?" Linali opened her eyes and sat up, studying her friend with a surprised expression on her face.

"Well… I think I'm still too young, but I am curious. I'm curious about love and sex," she confessed and both girls blushed slightly. "And if I find the right guy then I'm quite sure I'll have a child of my own one day. When I've found my place in the world after the war, when I'm ready."

"Then what exactly is the right guy? What's your ideal husband?" Linali frowned slightly, thinking, but then she shrugged.

"I don't think there is such a thing as an ideal husband, at least not in my head. But the man I fall in love with should be funny, cheerful, caring and able to take a beating from time to time."

"Oh, Linali! No violence!" Ellen joked and Linali snickered. "But I understand why you say that…"

"If Kanda was my husband and he'd try to tell me what to do I'd kick him where it hurts," the dark haired girl confessed and Ellen had to supress laughter. "You really do have to resist at times! He might be your husband but I thought he promised you not to boss you around just because of that!" Ellen couldn't help shrugging. At times she really wanted to tell him off for his behaviour, but then her head told her that he was only worried about her. That it was punishment for having risked their child's death. So she just settled on proving him again and again that she didn't need him deciding what was best for her.

"In any case, Linali, don't you think that Rabi would be a good boyfriend? Maybe no husband, but a boyfriend for as long as you're both exorcists?" Ellen saw that Linali was genuinely surprised by this suggestion, then the girl's cheeks turned red.

"Uhm. Actually no. I never thought of Rabi that way! But Ellen, what have you done! Don't put ideas like that in my head, now I have to think about it!" Ellen burst out laughing, seeing how embarrassed her friend was. Linali gently hit her shoulder, but then she joined in as well, giggling merrily. "Oh, Ellen! You're a-" Linali stopped when Ellen's laughter ceased at once. "What's wrong?" The white haired girl had her hands balled into fists, almost ripping out the grass between her fingers. Linali could see that she was in pain.

"Nothing bad. It's the scar again…," Ellen assured her, but Linali still helped her get back on her feet.

"We'll just have to postpone this match making conversation to another time. Let's get you back to your room." Ellen sighed, but let herself be pulled back on her feet, returning to her room.

-o-

Two weeks had now passed since their return from Paris. Ellen had time to herself, seeing as Link was gone to report to Central. She wasn't very happy about that especially as she didn't know what exactly he would report and what consequences it would have. She had already received a warning letter from Inspector Leverrier, reminding her to report anything suspicious to him and with reassurance that everything would be for her best. Ellen, while not wanting to suspect anything else being her uncle's intention, had learnt to doubt it. What others deemed best for her was mostly far from agreeable. Ellen was drafting a letter to congratulate her cousin on her birthday, when Kanda interrupted the silence of the warm study with a loud knock. He didn't wait for her to ask him in, quickly entering and closing the door again. Ellen blinked up at him in surprise; he wore rather nice clothes, his hair was taken into a low ponytail and he placed a suitcase down next to the door.

"What is this about?" Ellen wondered when Kanda walked over to her.

"I've got to leave, as fast as possible," he said and Ellen saw that he had an opened envelope in his hand.

"A mission?" Ellen wondered in surprise, "but I thought Komui wouldn't give us any missions until the baby's born." Kanda shook his head and stuffed the envelope into the pocket of his trousers. Ellen was dying to know who that letter was from, but Kanda pulled her up on her feet.

"It is not a mission," he told her and Ellen lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "I've received a note from… Well, let's just say that I have to follow a lead to the person I've been looking for." Ellen's brows travelled back down, her face settling into a frown. "I'm sorry. I'm out of time, I'll explain when I get back."

"Did you come to ask me for permission to go?" Ellen wondered, her tone displeased, "I'm not your mother." Kanda looked slightly disgruntled at that, but shook his head.

"I had hoped that you would help me." He put his hands on her shoulders. "Would you open a gate for me? Secretly of course…" Ellen looked at him in surprise, the frown disappearing. "I know you are not authorized to do that. But it would be much quicker." Ellen sighed, rubbing her neck, but then she nodded. "Thank you." Kanda placed a kiss on her lips, then he took the suitcase and pulled Ellen out of the study. It was not difficult to get to the entrance of the Ark unseen; there were no guards and the few scientists that were there didn't pay them any attention.

"I will only do it if you promise that you won't do anything dangerous," Ellen told him sharply when they were inside. Kanda nodded. "Tell me how it went when you get back." Kanda nodded once again. "Okay, where are you headed?"

"Have you been to Belgium before? Any gate there would be fine, I'll manage on my own afterwards," he said and reached into his pocket, checking some coins and a little booklet.

"Ah… Yes, of course…," Ellen said, touching one of her hands to a door and the other to her forehead. The blue door glowed slightly, then Ellen opened it.

"I'm sorry that I'm leaving, but this is a chance I cannot ignore," he told her, then he embraced her, kissing the top of her head. "It shouldn't take more than a day I hope, as I'm mostly gathering information, but promise me that you take care of yourself until I'm back." Ellen returned the hug and promised, then she let him go. He looked at her gratefully, then he turned around and entered the darkness of the door. She closed the door after him, it shut soundlessly, but something else reached Ellen's ears.

"Dear little girl, what a surprise to see you here. I thought you would forever stay away from this Ark." The voice was coming from the sky and even though it sounded different, Ellen knew that it was her own voice – the Noah's voice. Ellen flinched when a jolt of pain went through her entire body, like an echo to the voice from the sky. Ellen wrinkled her nose in irritation and pain, but then she started walking, a white square opening before her. She was in the piano room at once and saw the Noah in the mirror, she was sitting on the reflection of the white sofa. Ellen sat down on it as well, in the mirror she was now sitting next to the Noah. The reflection looked so strange; like twins, but the Noah was slim, with curls openly spilling over her chest and back. And her mouth pulled into a pleased grin when she saw Ellen's dark look upon contemplating the exorcist uniform the Noah was wearing.

"What do you want." It was a demand, not a question and the Noah laughed.

"Nothing actually. I was simply looking for a chance to chat to you. Actually, I'm quite impressed." Ellen could see the Noah shift in the mirror, putting her elbow on the backrest, leaning over to Ellen. She imagined that the Noah's breath should be tickling her ear when she spoke, but she wasn't there. Nothing happened. "The Kanda boy told you so much about himself the other day. I thought he would be too afraid to confess part of the truth." Ellen narrowed her eyes, still staring in the mirror, because she didn't want to speak into the thin air next to her.

"I have confidence in him. I am glad that he trusts me enough to tell me about his family." The Noah laughed yet again and Ellen was even more displeased at that.

"That's amusing, really cute."

"Listen," Ellen tried with a patient tone, even though her patience was wearing thin. "If you want to help me then you shouldn't cause as many problems as you do." The Noah looked bored and unimpressed at that, twirling a curl around her finger.

"Say… Do you like summer storms?" the Noah asked casually, completely changing the topic and still twirling her hair around. Ellen was taken aback by this peculiar question.

"I do…," she answered tentatively, unsure of what this was all about. The 14th's mouth pulled into a smile, dark and sinister, her eyes already as stormy as the sky during a tempest. But they started to gleam gold.

"Good," she whispered, "then you'll better be prepared for the night." Ellen opened her mouth to speak, but pain rushed through her, her vision was getting blurry, fading until only the gold was still visible. Until also this was swallowed by darkness and Ellen fainted.

-o-

When Ellen woke up, everything around her was dim. The temperature of the room was low, but the air still was stuffy and tasted like dust, ink and old parchment on her lips. Her body felt heavy and uncomfortable and she tried to focus her eyes. There was someone there with her and finally she could see Rabi's face looking down at her.

"Are you conscious, Ellen?" Ellen tried sitting up, still feeling faint pain going through her body, and Rabi helped her. "I was in your Dad's library and found you wandering the corridors when I was on my way back. We're in my room now," he explained.

"Wandering the corridors? I can't remember doing that," Ellen confessed and Rabi nodded at her.

"I had the feeling that you weren't really conscious. At first I assumed you were sleep walking, but it felt different… As if there was something else…," he left the sentence open, looking at Ellen. Ellen sighed.

"It was something else." She didn't need to say more, this simple confirmation was all the information Rabi needed to grasp the situation. She lifted her head again, looking at her friend.

"I do wonder why I ran into you though…," she said and Rabi looked at her, his face cast into shadows. Strange, wasn't it still early afternoon when she parted with Kanda? Ellen looked at the window – it seemed dark outside, the shutters were hitting the stone wall. The wind must be blowing.

"You spoke to me when I found you… Basically, you told me that when Yu isn't here, I'd take care of you." Even though the information he had just given Ellen seemed harmless, there was a faint blush on his cheeks. Ellen frowned, not wanting to imagine what else the Noah might have said and done to Rabi, but then she flinched, as the pain returned, first dull, then with a sudden sharpness.

"Ellen? Does your scar hurt you?" he asked in concern, putting his hand on her leg. Ellen shook her head. Rabi saw how pale her face looked in the dim light of his room, how it glistened with peals of sweat forming on her forehead. Both were silent as outside of the window the skies continued to darken. The wind blew strongly, rattling the shutters and howling through the leaves of the trees and bushes.

"A summer storm is brewing outside," Rabi commented, "I hope that the electricity won't go out again!" He sighed deeply, gesticulating to all the books lying on the floor, on the tables and even the bed next to Ellen. "That would be stupid. I still have a lot of reading to-" Ellen stopped him mid-sentence, her hand grasping his. It was trembling and sweaty, but the grip was strong. Rabi winced at the sudden pain and looked at her. Her eyes were wide open and she was clutching her stomach, the white fabric of her dress creasing.

"Rabi…," she whispered into the sudden silence of the room. Rabi widened his eyes in fear. The girl looked up at him, a lost and terrified look on her face. And she repeated his name, echoing in the darkness.

"Rabi."

The rain started with the loud crash of lightning.

To be continued

-o-

Notes:

And suddenly, the thunder isn't so distant anymore!