"What's wrong, Lenalee?" Allen asked, craning his head, looking for an answer in her eyes.

"Oh, nothing." Lenalee replied, giving a smile, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. They had been having tea together, but Lenalee had been acting strange since that morning. She had been quiet, thoughtful and solitary. She even seemed depressed like back when she first came to the castle.

This worried Allen and his attempts at getting her to talk about it with him turned up nothing. Any conversations he started petered off when she showed no signs of interest. Allen put his tea cup down and walked over to Lenalee. He put a hand on her shoulder and bent down slightly to peer into her eyes.

"Please tell me. How can I make it better if I don't know what's bothering you? I don't like seeing you sad." By the last sentence, his voice was barely above a whisper and held a whimpering tone. Lenalee felt her heart constrict not in sadness, as it had been all day, but out of guilt for having neglected and worried Allen.

"It's just that...I've been feeling sad lately and I don't know why."

Allen began to panic, but kept his voice mildly calm. "Why? Have you been unhappy here? Is the castle too big or..."

"No!" Lenalee cut him off as she gestured around the room. "I actually like it here and Lavi has been really sweet and Kanda, almost nice."

"And me?" Allen asked while wringing his hands, no longer trying to hide his worries.

"The best." Lenalee said, honestly. She seemed to think about something and then she spoke. "But I miss my brother's home. I miss my brother and I think I'm homesick..."

"...And it's making you miserable." Allen finished for her. Lenalee looked ashamed and she bent her head low to avoid his gaze. "Timcampy!" Allen bellowed, loudly. A shiny, golden ball flew into the room and Lenalee looked up at it in wonder. The ball landed in Allen's hand and, gently grabbing Lenalee's hands, deposited Tim into them. Lenalee looked at Allen in question. "Tell Tim whatever or whoever you wish to see," He drew in a shaky breath. "and he will show it to you."

Lenalee's eyes widened as she heard this and she turned to the tiny Timcampy. "Show me Komui Lee." She said, desperately, but clearly.

Without heitation, Timcampy opened his mouth and displayed what she asked. Lenalee was greeted with the sight off her brother...collapsed on his desk with grief. The sound wasn't great, but she could slightly hear him bemoaning the loss of his sister. His hair looked matted and greasy. Allen stood behind her, seeing what she saw. Allen could see the misery that the man was experiencing by losing his precious sister. For the first time, Allen fully realized what his actions had caused and the guilt was crushing. That was when Lenalee saw it. The beads of sweat on her brother's forehead and neck. She noticed his heavy breathing. He really hadn't been taking care of himself.

"He's sick!" She jerked back, frightened.

Timcampy ould have falen to the ground if he didn't have wings. Though she was too scared by what she saw to focus on Timcampy, she shot him a quick apologetic look. Seeing her brother ill, calling her name into the emptiness of their house brought her to tears.

"Brother..." She breathed the word out like a life-saving prayer.

"Do you want to go to him?" Allen asked, quietly, but he already knew the answer.

"What?" Was Lenalee's shocked answer.

"I've kept you here long enoug. You and your brother need each other, so if you wish to leave and go back to him, I wish you the best." He wouldn't meet her eyes at first, but, upon hearing a choked gasp, his head shot up to see her eyes glistening with tears.

"Really?" She asked, shakily. "Honestly?" This was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for her.

Staring deeply into her eyes, Allen brought his discolored hand to her cheek and rubbed his thumb against it gently, affectionetly. "I've never been more honest in my entire life." His voice had lowered substantially. The air thickened between them and there was only the two of them, everything dropped away. They both stared at the one in front of them. The moment was shattered by a loud bang as the door to the room was violently kicked in. This was followed by the sound of a scuffle and shouting. In stomped Kanda, kicking a thoroughly beaten Tyki in front of him and into the room.

"Tyki?!" Lenalee cried, shock evident in her voice.

Tyki wobbled after one final kick from Kanda before regaining his balance. "Good afternoon, Princess." Tyki wheezed.

"What's going on here?" Allen asked the room, but his eyes were on Kanda.

Taking up the hint, Kanda explained irritatedly. "I found this bum sleeping in town." His gruff voice must have set Tyki off because the previously rather quiet man burst out a single sentence with vigor.

"I came to rescue Lenalee and bring her back home!"

Tyki had a look on his tired that could be considered a cross between heroic and prideful. He must have had a great deal of confidence in his abilities to "rescue" Lenalee. Too bad no one else in the room thought the same. Lenalee was caught somewhere between wondering at his stupidity, anger that he went ahead and did this without her permission (not that she could have given it at all) and supposing she should feel thankful for his concern. Allen was wondering what was up with this weird new guy and trying not to beat the hell out of him for even suggesting that he could be slayed by the man. Kanda was clearly displeased, but had an almost amusedly annoyed expression on his face. Tyki never seemed to notice the difference.

"So you're here to take Ms. Lee home, correct?" Allen asked, in his usual regal voice. Lenalee felt a little pain in her heart at hearing Allen revert to calling her by her last name. She didn't like the feeling of distance it was giving her. Tyki blinked in surprise. Whether that was because he hadn't expected the boy to address him directly or because of the boy's surprising grace and manners, is unclear.

Gathering his wits, Tyki shook his head readily in agreement. "Yes, I am." He stated.

"Alright, then. You may take her." Allen replied without missing a beat, a secretly forced, but still shining smile gracing his features. Allen then turned to Lenalee and addressed her. "It seems as if your night in shining armor has come." While she stared at him in shock, Allen flashed her one of those brilliant smiles of his that she loved so much. "That's quite fortunate since we now don't have to find an escort for you to ensure you have a safe trip back."

Lenalee's face alighted with understanding at what he meant. Since she was to go home anyway, he would have Tyki take her home. The two turned their attention back to Kanda and Tyki who both looked shell shocked. Kanda was wondering what the heck was going on with everybody and why Allen was suddenly willing to give Lenalee up, especially after things were going so well. Tyki was equally shocked for almost the same reasons. He honestly had expected to go through hell and back. He thought that the "beast" would fight for her and stuff. And after he'd been captured, he was trying not to think about how he was pretty much a sitting duck. But, now, they were practically giving Lenalee to him. To say he was astounded would be an understatement.

With a slight nudge from Allen, Lenalee began to walk to Tyki's side. She seemed to have a hard time leaving Allen's side even if she was now free to go. Her legs, to her, seemed like they were wading through thick mud and each step took enourmous effort. She would have liked nothing more than to turn and go back to Allen's side and then she would likely meet with no resistance from her legs, but she didn't. Instead, sh e continued until she was standing directly next to, but not touching, her "savior" Tyki Mikk. Kanda had a death hold on Tyki's arm and didn't seem too keen on letting go. Not until he understood what was going on, anyway.

"You two are free to go." Allen stated, his voice both regal and booming. He sent a quick glare Kanda's way, a look laced with threats if he didn't release Tyki and promises of explanations to come later. Angrily, Kanda let go of Tyki and basically kicked him towards the door effectively knocking Tyki out of his stupor.

"Alright! Alright! We're going!" Straightening himself, Tyki extended his hand towards Lenalee. "Come, Sweet Lenalee. I'll take you home. Komui has been worried sick about you."

These were the words Lenalee had wanted to hear since she came to that place. Now, though, the words were dull and, aside from mention of her brother, unenticing. She hesitently took his hand and allowed herself to be led out of the castle. She looked back several times to see Allen before he was out of eyesight. The last time she looked, she caught the heartbroken look on his face and accidentily burned it into her mind's eye. She swore she would never forget that look. Lenalee made her way back to the forest that had brought her brother here and then away. And now, as she too made her way to the forest that brought her here and would now take her back home, one clear thought came to her mind through the haze of unfamiliar emotions.

I wanted to stay.