Author's note: Thank you, everyone, for the amazing support you've been giving me for the D. Gray-man AU. In this chapter, we finally get to see the Earl, also I want to give my beta Hanashi a massive thank you, for putting up with my antics, including giving me advice on Legend of Zelda (breath of the wild)

... ... ... ...

A few days after the Exorcists arrived at the order, Allen told Link to ask Reever and Komui to see if they could come to his room.

"Are you sure of this, Walker?"

"If I don't, then I'm pretty sure things are gonna be difficult later," the younger male admitted, "I think it's better they know now, rather than find out and accuse me of keeping things to myself."

Link couldn't exactly argue with that. Nodding once, he turned on his heel, and went to search out the Section Chief and Branch Leader. Allen remained in his room, deciding to sort through his thoughts before anything. There were things he wanted to tell them, and of course, things he needed to inform them of. How he would do that, was another thing he had to figure out. It shouldn't be that hard, correct?

. . - * - . .

They took it as well as he figured they would. Better than he thought they would, actually. Allen had taken the time to explain who he really was, and amongst other things, Reever had the expression of a man in disbelief, whereas Komui was…Komui, for the lack of a better word. Somehow, the Chinese man took the news in stride, and Allen was very doubtful Link said anything about him being the Heart.

How strange…but he felt he could dwell on it later.

Much.

Much.

Later.

After a silence that dragged on for too long in the Heart-bearer's opinion, Komui finally spoke up, "I've got to say, this changes everything, Allen," He adjusted his glasses, giving himself an excuse to pause, perhaps to gather his thoughts, "we're going to have to assign you a body-guard that's not just your guardian here," – he gestured to Link – "and we'll have to give you a new room to help accommodate your body-guard."

"…second guard?" Allen asked with hesitance. "Who is that going to be?"

"I'm more than sufficient enough to look after him, Branch Head." Link said.

Reever ran his hand through his hair and sighed, "It's not that you're abilities are being questioned, Inspector Link, it's more like…" The section chief scratched the crown of his head with the pads of his fingers, "…it might be too much for one person alone."

Oh how Allen desperately wanted to tell them about Apocryphos then and there. However, just as he opened his mouth, the most unexpected thing was said by the eccentric man known as Komui Lee. "We'll have Kanda take that role."

"I'm sorry, what?"

. . - * - . .

To be fair, there was a part of him that should've seen that coming…not necessarily having Kanda being his newest bodyguard…but…just getting another in general.

"But, why does it have to be Kanda?" Allen questioned himself, not for the first time since the improv meeting he had with Komui and Reever. "Out of everyone, anyone in this building, it's him?" Surely there were others, weren't there?

There was really no use in trying to question it. He'd been standing in front of his new door for the past ten minutes…it was a wonder no one asked why he was just staring at the door. He quickly opened the door, and then entered his new room. It was notably larger than his original one. The floor was adorned with white tiles, and a mid-tone grout to give a subtle pop to the flooring. Against the wall to his right was a double bed, unlike the one that he recalled in his original prison – and not his old room at the Order – this wasn't a canopy bed. He felt a little relieved by this. In front of him stood a sliding glass door that led out to a small balcony which overlooked the forest and outdoor training grounds. It was a beautiful view, even if it was still one of those common cloudy days. Two bay windows stood on either side of the door, each window seat having shelving for books or knick-knacks underneath.

There were curtains to allow privacy from the sun, as this room did face east…he sighed realizing the drawing of those curtains would definitely be his new, but still very familiar alarm clock if Link had anything to say about it. And he would, Allen was sure of.

There were still a few boxes that hadn't been packed just yet, but for Allen the most important things had already found the places in this room. One of which was a picture of a much younger, rowdier version himself and Mana resting on his side-table near his bed. He walked to the table, and sat on his bed, admiring the photo from simpler times. His silver eyes caught the smaller version of his red arm, and Allen found himself grasping the one that was a part of the current him.

"And why did the heart choose me?" As far as he knew, he wasn't anyone interesting. He wasn't average looking, per se…not anymore at least, but the question still stood. Sighing, he stood, and marched towards his door, unwilling to let his thoughts wander to 'what ifs'.

Might as well go in the city and have a look round, as I never did have much time, Allen thought, Link would definitely want to come with me.

What he didn't expect, however, was Kanda tagging along after overhearing him asking Link to accompany him.

. . - * - . .

A child no older than eight or nine witnessed the birth of a new Akuma. The boy — with his eyes wide and momentarily petrified by what he was seeing — had short, messy, brown hair hidden beneath an aviators' hat with the goggles pushed up. His clothes, consisting of a red and white striped shirt and a pair of darkly-colored shorts were dirtied from his startled fall from the shock of seeing what he just saw. In-line skates were a definite disadvantage when in his current state.

But like with many kids, the shock vanished, and was soon replaced with glee as he quickly stood, not at all thinking that he'd been seen so soon.

Wow, that's so cool! Thought the child. There was only one thing he should do, and that was to leave the alleyway and tell the members of the public of the danger he discovered.

Which he did the moment he skated out of the alley.

He didn't notice two Exorcists and the CROW walking past. "Walker, don't listen to him!" Link commanded Allen.

"But, Link what if it's true?" Allen argued, but couldn't say more as his eye suddenly proved him right as it came to life, alerting of the danger nearby. "Akuma!"

"Don't you dare moyashi," Kanda warned Allen as he noticed the younger Exorcist's determination burning in his eyes.

Allen Walker otherwise ignored Kanda's warning ("Of-fucking-course you ignore me, you damn brat!") and quickly found the Akuma and destroyed it. He didn't immediately realize that there was a child who noticed.

A child that had been caught just moments prior Allen getting there. Just before he destroyed the Akuma that was just about to kill the kid he didn't notice was there at first.

The aforementioned child was quick to chase after Allen and his 'guards' the moment the realized what just transpired.

"Hey, you!" shouted the young boy as he was running to the teenagers. The trio in question all stopped, and turned to see their purser. "Are you an exorcist?" Kanda clucked his tongue in annoyance and quickly grabbed Allen's wrist. His annoyed, and silent demand that Allan return to headquarters, but Allen countered by forcefully pushing Kanda's hand back.

"I am," Allen said, while smiling, "How do you know about Exorcists?" He asked the little boy, before quickly asking, "Ah, and what's your name?"

"Well my dad works for the Order as a scientist!" The boy said with a prideful grin, "I found a bunch of his notes once, so I shared it with my friend, Leo, and we patrol the streets to alert everybody about the Akuma!"

"Uh…and your name is…?"

"…oh, I'm Jean Russel!"

Jean. Allen nodded solemnly, and sighed, kneeling so he could be at eye-level with the boy, "Jean, you shouldn't hunt for Akuma. It's too dangerous." He couldn't bear it if something happened, and this innocent child ended up in a situation he himself had been in around the boy's age.

"You should say that for yourself," Jean argued back with cheekiness in his voice.

Both Link and Kanda tried but failed to hold their laughter in. Allen glowered at the older men behind him. With a huff and a pout – he would deny it as such – he marched towards HQ.

"Other way, moyashi." Kanda called out.

"I knew that!"

(* - *)

The journey back to the HQ was quiet, to say the least. As Allen and his guards arrived at the Black Order again, however, he did have an alternative motive to complete.

Jean was young. Too young to be messing with things he didn't understand. As a responsible young adult, Allen felt he should alert the boy's father of what he was up to. "Reever!"

"Oh, welcome back, Allen." Reever greeted. "Enjoy the visit to the town? I thought Kanda and Link were with you."

"I did, yes. I also wanted to ask if you knew anyone who has a son named Jean?" Allen chose to ignore the bit of his shadows for now. It took him forever to lose them…it wouldn't do him any good if they thought he was up to anything…which he wasn't. Not really…

To their knowledge at this point in time, of course.

"Oh, you must be looking for Jake Russell," Reever summarized. "He's over there by that piles of paperwork and books."

The white-haired Exorcist nodded his thanks, and headed towards the desk that had papers and books neatly stacked as high as the mess of mountains in Komui's office. Maybe this Jake Russel could organize that typhoon-hit office of their branch head's?

"Um, excuse me…?" He went to place his hand on a stack, only to quickly jump up in shock as one side of the pile moved, revealing a man who looked annoyed.

"Don't touch anything. Everything here is perfectly balanced, and one wrong touch could send it falling everywhere." This must've been Jake Russel. Allen realized. The man was taller than Allen, and he could only tell because while sitting at his desk, Russel came up to his shoulder. He must've been somewhere in his thirties, but was still a well-built man with hair and a Donegal beard that is primarily a sandy blond, with a dark strip of brown running down where his part would be.

"I-I'm sorry…" Allen quickly apologized for nearly ruining the stacks. "I was just going to get your attention and—"

Russel interrupted the young man's rambling with, "You must be Allen Walker, the new exorcist?"

"Yes." Allen replied. "And you must be Jean's father?"

"You had a run in with my son then?" The bespectacled man inquired in turn.

Allen nodded, "I met him on the way back to the headquarters along with Link and Kanda."

"If you don't mind me asking, was he on 'Akuma Patrol'?"

"Yes, but I've warned him not to patrol any more, it's far too dangerous for him." Allen explained.

Russel nodded, sighing in what could only be exhaustion. "That boy…"

Lenalee then entered the science division with a tray that was filled up to the brim with many cups of coffees.

"Hello, Lenalee." Allen greeted.

"Hello, Allen," Lenalee greeted back with a smile on her face. "Oh, before I forget Kanda and Link are looking for you."

"…why would they be?"

"Because you ran off from them, I would assume." Lenalee said, as she gave Jake Russel a mug of coffee. "You might as well go to them before you're dragged off."

"…where are they then?"

"Those two are waiting at the entrance that will take you to Hevlaska."

Allen nodded, but turned to face Russel one more time, "Mr. Russel, please talk to your son about what he's doing. It's dangerous, and I am worried about his safety."

After that, he left the science division and went to the Hevlaska chamber entrance.

"What was that about?" Lenalee asked Russel.

"I think I got scolded by a fifteen-year-old brat." Russel said with a hint of mirth.

. . - * - . .

As Allen neared the entrance, he quickly noticed that not only were Kanda and Link there, but Komui too. Something didn't bode well with him seeing this set up, as Link's expression stated that he'd either A) Get a lecture or worse B) No dango for at least a year…

"You're late Walker!" Scolded the German CROW.

"I'm sorry Link," Allen was quick to excuse himself, "but I needed to see Jean's father and let him know that what his son is doing is dangerous."

Kanda looked at Allen and quickly worked out why Allen was worked up about Jean's so-called patrol. 'So, one of moyashi's relatives got turned into an Akuma.'

As Allen gave Hevlaska the innocence she then explained what she did for the order.

"Allen, you have the Innocence heart and that my brother Apocryphos is your other guardian," Hevlaska said.

"So, isn't just me who can hear innocence?" Allen questioned Hevlaska.

"I can only hear their voices not their emotions, but you, the destroyer of time, can feel the emotions of innocence and hear their wishes. Tell me what you hear?"

Allen closed his eyes and allowed his soul to feel and hear the innocence, the voices and feelings of the emotions all said the same thing 'We want to help in the war!'

Allen then quickly opened his eyes and looked at Hevlaska and said: "I don't want to be a destroyer of lives, the innocence chooses their accommodators, not the other way around!"

Allen then quickly stormed out of the room, leaving everyone but Link shocked.

(* - *)

Allen was walking the streets of London and quickly saw Jean and another young boy with fair hair and Gray eyes. While wearing a blue jacket over a black shirt and light-coloured pants.

However, Allen's cursed eye changed and instantly realised that this boy is an Akuma.

"Jean, get away from that boy!" Allen shouted in alarm as he was running towards them.

"What? Why?" Jean asked in confusion.

"Leo here is an Akuma!"

Allen then heard the familiar laugh that he remembers from his past. The millennium Earl.

"Hello dear heart~" Greeted the Earl as he noticed Allen. "It seems you still have the cursed eye that your father gave you~"

"No thanks to you!" Growled Allen.

"Miss, what does he mean by your father?" Asked a very confused Jean, before Allen can answer Link and Kanda arrived, ready to defend their charge.

Allen then looked at the two scientists in shock and thought Oh well fucking shit.

… … … …

Beta's Note: So, not-so-fun fact for this chapter from your friendly neighborhood beta-reader of this fic. I had this edited, but then for some reason when I pulled the document up again to send to Rose, all my hard work was gone. Like, 'bai, bitch' gone. And I didn't have time to actually re-edit until now, soooo that became a thing that shouldn't have become a thing.

And ah…a few months later after that first B/N up there…I didn't even realize I finished editing… until I got curious and checked over what I did get done…

I'm gonna go cry now, bai /3

Oh! And then apparently I did re-edit, and then totally forgot about it~ Woo! :D

Hope y'all enjoyed this late chapterrrr 3