Chapter 5: In the Morning Light

Lenalee stood quietly before Allen's door, one hand raised to knock, the other clasped over her heart as she hesitated. Maybe I should get some rest before I check on Allen. But then…she had walked all this way, and she'd already checked on the others who'd been along on the Paris assignment. Allen was the only one left, but…surely he would be sleeping right now. She didn't want to disturb him if he was resting. And then there was Link. Lenalee lowered her hand and crossed her arms. The Inspector was probably recovering from the mission as well. From what Marie had told her, he'd taken on some damage of his own in the fighting. She really wanted to make sure Allen was okay. It wouldn't be right if she didn't, and he was feeling isolated enough with the threat of the Fourteenth and Central's oppression looming over him.

And then there was Link….

Sighing, the young woman raised her hand and gently rapped her knuckles against the wooden surface. Her heart hammered nervously and, for few moments, she hoped they were both asleep and no one would answer. At least she tried, right? This prayer was quickly dashed by the sound of prompt footsteps before the brass knob turned and the door swung silently open on well-oiled hinges.

"Miss Lee." Link greeted her with a cordial nod. To her relief, he looked as though he'd been awake for some time, but she couldn't help but frown at the bandages wrapped around his head and the patch over his cheek. "Are you here to see Walker?"

"How is he?"

"He is asleep right now." The Inspector looked at something behind him, and just passed his arm, Lenalee could make out the unkempt sheets on Allen's bed as well as a shock of white hair against the pillow. "But he will recover. Exorcists Marie and Kanda are the same."

Lenalee bowed her head, feeling a pang in her heart. Marie had lost a couple fingers to a Level IV in Paris, and Kanda had been shot all to hell by the same demon and was still recovering from the akuma poison in his system. Allen's all bruises and broken ribs, I hear. She raised her head, making sure she looked the Inspector in the eye as she spoke clearly, "Is it all right if I see him?"

"Of course." Link stood aside, holding the door open for her. "Please, come in Miss Lee."

Three months ago, he wouldn't have done that. Stepping past the threshold, Lenalee offered a gracious nod and a smile she hoped didn't look as nervous as it felt. Three months ago, when they first met, the Inspector would've insisted she remain outside, as an unmarried lady entering the sleeping quarters of a man was highly improper. Now he simply let her in without any questions. Maybe he realized blocking her was pointless, as she would just argue her way past him. Or maybe he understood the exorcists were, despite all their differences, a very tight-knit family. If she wanted to check up on her little brother, then who was he to stop her?

Lenalee stood silently beside Allen's bed, looking him up and down for any critical injuries, although she already knew from the Head Nurse there were none. He looked better than she'd expected, not as well off as Marie and not as bad as Kanda. In typical Marie fashion, their elder comrade had taken the loss of his appendages in stride. In contrast, she'd left Kanda coughing up pentacle-stained blood and shaking like a alcoholic in the throes of withdrawal. Allen, she realized, was somewhere in between, covered in injuries yet sleeping soundly with Timcanpy beside him. Lenalee bit her lip and knelt, brushing the younger boy's hair from his face. "How long has he been asleep?" She whispered.

"Quite some time now." Link gently shut the door. "The Head Nurse gave him some painkillers to help him rest. He's been out like a light ever since."

Lenalee nodded. She'd figured as much.

"What of you, Miss Lee?" She looked up and startled to find the Inspector frowning at her in concern. "You seem to have run afoul of your own trouble on your last assignment."

The girl winced and brought a hand to her cheek, hoping her face wasn't turning red. "Oh, this? It's nothing serious. Really, I'm just tired."

"You should be getting some rest."

"I will. I just wanted to see my friends first." She cocked her head to the side as he took a seat at his desk, facing her and Allen. "What about you, Inspector?"

Link frowned. "Pardon?"

"Marie told me you had suffered a fever from the Dark Matter effects, too. Are you all right?"

For a moment, he didn't answer, and a strange look came into his red eyes. Lenalee held his gaze, though her heart began to speed up and she nervously clenched her fists at her side. He looked so surprised, as if no one had bothered to ask him how he was. That was entirely possible. It was hard for anyone, even gentle Marie or herself, to forgive the Crows, but…she broke eye contact and turned back to Allen. It's not like Link personally chased me down all those times I tried to escape…

But he would have if he'd been ordered to. Said the crueler voice in her head.

Shut up. Don't talk like that.

"I…am quite well." Link's voice caught her attention. "Thank you for your concern, Miss Lee."

She smiled. "Nasty stuff, the akuma fever, isn't it."

"Quite."

She was about to ask how bad it had been, when the room suddenly brightened, the clouds clearing away in the dawn. Lenalee turned to the window. The sunrise was golden that morning and the frost on the glass shimmered into spiraling, silver patterns. Outside, she could see the bronze expanse of the ocean, the waves crashing against the isle's rocky shore. Part of her wished to open the window for a better view, but a small snore from Allen reminded her where she was and she didn't want to wake him up with a blast of frozen air. The Inspector surely wouldn't appreciate it either. She loved gold and silver mornings like this. They reminded her of when Daisya used to smuggle her and Kanda out of the old headquarters, just to sit at the edge of that precarious rock column and watch the sun rising in the east. Sometimes Marie came with them. Other times, it was General Tiedoll. Or General Yeegar. Lenalee smiled wistfully at the memory of sitting together with everyone and enjoying the light of a new day.

The chair creaked slightly as her companion rose to his feet. Lenalee didn't turn, swallowing a lump that had formed in her throat as he came to stand next to her, moving the curtain further aside.

Silence.

"Schön, nicht wahr?"

"Ja. It's very beautiful." I wonder if mornings like this remind him of anything special. Lenalee closed her eyes. Then again, did Crows place any sentimental value in something as silly as memories? Surely, they must. How about it, Inspector? What was it like growing up in Germany? How did it feel to cast a Crow spell for the first time? Did you have any friends who came to the Order with you? But she said nothing, crossing her arms and watching the world beyond the window.

Part of her wondered what he would do if she leaned against his shoulder, just as she'd done with all her brothers at some point or other. Would he chastise her for indecency? Or would he let her be, accepting her presence on the basis she considered him family? Did she think of him as family? What did he think of her? Lenalee closed her eyes. Everything about the man was a mystery. Would she ever have answers to those questions she asked herself?

They remained in silence for the better part of a quarter hour, standing side by side and staring solemnly out the window, then Link broke the spell by turning to her, "I beg your pardon, Miss Lee, but might I trouble you for a favor?"

"Hm?" She looked at him curiously.

"There's a file in the archives I'd like to retrieve. Will you stay and watch over Walker while I fetch it?"

That she certainly didn't expect. "Of course. I'll stay right here until you get back."

"Thank you. I'll be brief."

"Take your time." Lenalee murmured as he nodded and strode briskly out the door, closing it behind him. Was it only because Allen was sleeping? Or did he really trust her that much to keep an eye on things in the short time he was gone? Yawning, Lenalee took a seat on the edge of the Inspector's bed. The library wasn't too far away though. He'd probably back in five minutes.

Lenalee breathed a long, weary sigh. Really, that one? She asked herself, echoing Kanda's words. So far, her childhood friend was the only one who knew, and true to his word, he would never tell. Although she suspected Marie had noticed through her odd heart rates whenever Link was around. However, the elder accommodator only smiled and never made any comments. As for the rest of the Order, none seemed the wiser, least of all Link himself. That was good, she supposed. In all the romance novels she ever read, she'd always thought it was silly when the heroine thought she would die of embarrassment. Now, however, the idea seemed entirely plausible. If the Inspector ever found out about this infatuation of hers…Lenalee would've shuddered if she'd had the energy.

So sleepy… She slumped onto her side and closed her eyes. I really should've gotten some rest before checking on everyone…

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Author's Notes: My final update of 2016. Happy New Year.

D. Gray Man is owned by Katsura Hoshino.