Chapter 10: Innocent Hell

I woke up this morning to Daniel's soft pink tongue on my face. "It's Lavi's turn to feed you," I complained wanting to roll over and go back to sleep.

"I already fed him. I think he's just happy to see you," Lavi surprised me.

"What are you doing in my room this early?" I asked pulling my blankets up around my neck.

"Oh, come on. I'm helping you keep the dog a secret…" Lavi smiled at me, "He made a lot of noise when I tried to get him into my room and I didn't want to scare you by just leaving him in here."

"So you weren't trying to catch me in my underwear?" I scowled at him.

"You don't sleep in your underwear. I've seen your pajamas; they're pretty cute," he smiled sheepishly.

"Get out so I can get dressed," I barked.

"All right, all right…" Lavi said heading for the door, "We're heading off to Russia this afternoon by the way. Finders found signs of innocence and Allen should be opening a portal any minute now."

"Fine, I'll see you at the Arc then," I said, "Now… GET OUT!"

With that Lavi left and I quickly changed. Then my stomach growled and I noticed a plate of chocolate chip pancakes sitting on my nightstand. They were my favorite. I ate quickly and then left Daniel in my room hurrying toward the Arc portal. Lavi was waiting for me, as always.

"Enjoy your breakfast?" he asked as we stepped onto the Arc.

"Thank you," I said, "So what was going on that we thought innocence was involved?"

"Besides a large volume of akuma reported entering and exiting the city, it's only just become spring and there are flowers that are growing everywhere…" Lavi said.

"Lavi that does not sound strange…" I replied.

"They're growing on buildings and on carriages… One person even reported that her cat had flowers growing out of its ears," Lavi laughed.

"That is strange… but what kind of innocence would do that?" I wondered.

"Don't know… Don't really care just as long as we can get to it before the Noah do," Lavi said following golem directions to find Allen.

"Oh, good, you're here," Allen said as we reached him in a flower field.

"What's going on here?" Lavi asked.

"This was the town's square. Notice the tree in the center? The Finders said that the townsfolk recall it being a fountain," Allen said.

"So you think that it's the innocence?" I asked.

"I don't think. I know," Allen replied, "The Noah have the power to destroy innocence… I have that power too, so I can feel the power of the innocence."

"Then what's the problem?" Lavi asked.

"It won't let anyone get close enough to retrieve it," Allen stated blankly.

It was a cherry tree sitting in the middle of the courtyard, and it drew my attention. It was like looking at a memory.

"Look, something's happening in the trunk!" Lavi shouted.

"MW… BB?" Allen read off of the carving that was appearing in the trunk.

"No way!" I shrieked.

"What's wrong?" Lavi asked.

"I know that tree…" I gasped, "but how…?"

"How, what?" Allen asked.

"I used to sleep under that tree… My parent's initials… those are my parent's initials. Margo Walker and Benjamin Barely," I said.

"Is it possible that the innocence is reacting with her memory?" Lavi asked Allen.

"It's innocence… Anything's possible," Allen replied.

Then a young blonde woman appeared alongside a young man with black hair, "It can't be…" I was ready to scream this innocence was scaring me.

"Lynessa, are you all right?" Lavi asked as I collapsed onto my knees.

"That's not innocence, it's too horrible to be innocence!" I allowed a scream to escape my lips before realizing that I was trembling.

"Lynessa, come here sweetie… You can come home now," My mother's voice drifted toward me from the scene by the tree.

"NO!" I cowered against Lavi. My parents were both dead; I watched my father die and I killed the akuma wearing my mother's skin.

"Look who's waiting for you, sweetie," My mother's voice sounded again and I looked up to see Daren standing with my parents.

"Come home, Lynessa. They don't need your help anymore," Daren's voice was both angelic and demonic as it drifted on the wind toward me.

"NO! STOP IT!" I brought my hands to my ears hoping to block all sound out only to feel tears streaming down my face.

"It's just an illusion, you're fine, Lynessa," Lavi said pulling me into him.

"Lynessa, please… I miss you," Daren was standing just next to me now.

I looked up to find his green eyes staring down at me with the kindness I remembered from our youth. "No, you're not real!" I yelled trying so hard to back away but Lavi's grip prevented me.

"I'm just as real as any of these people standing around you. What's wrong, Lynessa, I thought you loved me?" Daren said.

I broke out of Lavi's grip and headed toward the tree, activating my bracelet, "I'll get rid of this, once and for all!" I rose the blade above my head and was about to come down on the tree only to have Daren's hand stop me.

"Why is it that you're trying to get rid of me? I thought you'd be happy to see me… I just want you to come home, come home to me," Daren said pulling my hands down and deactivating my bracelet. His eyes were true as he spoke. "I love you, Lynessa," he said pulling my chin up to join his lips to mine. His kiss was just as warm as any other might have been, but there was a sadness behind his passion as he pulled the rest of me into him. Before I knew it my head was spinning and I felt like I was going to collapse and I tried to fight Daren's grip only to find myself falling against the tree.

"How dare you kiss her? What gives you the right? When were you ever there for her?" Lavi's voice barely entered my conscious hearing.

"Lavi, don't injure her!" Allen said as I felt a burning sensation creep onto my skin.

Everything was fuzzy as I blinked trying to pull myself back to consciousness only to see the smiling face of Daren looking down on me. You're not Daren, you'll never be Daren…I thought as the blackness crept in on me.

"I think she's waking up!" Lavi's voice brought me back to consciousness.

I tried to blink a couple of times only to feel the heaviness of my body set in. "Where am I?" I barely managed to ask.

"You're back at headquarters. That innocence was really tough on your body. It was like it drained the life out of you, but it sure seemed to like you," Lavi replied and I felt his hand on my cheek.

I tried to pull myself into a sitting position only to have Lavi push me back down. "I don't like feeling helpless!" I complained.

"You're too injured to be moving yet. I mean, you've been asleep for the past three days," Lavi said.

"Three days?" my voice cracked, "How's Daniel doing?"

"He's fine. He just misses you. I'd sneak him in here tonight for you to see him but he's too noticeable between there and here. You'll be able to see him soon though, I promise," Lavi said brushing my hair away from my face; he seemed more 'loving' than usual.

"What's wrong?" I asked forcing my eyes open only to be blinded by the light.

"Nothing's wrong…" Lavi's voice trailed off.

"Tell me…now," I said.

"I know he was only an image that the innocence created but… did you even try to stop him?" Lavi asked.

I blushed and sat up, "I was taken by surprise."

"You really should save your energy…" Lavi said.

"Hey, if you were going to fight Devyn when you were this close to death I can sure as hell sit up," I growled turning to see Lavi's eyes were puffy as if he'd been crying for a while, "Have you been crying?"

"No, what makes you say that?" Lavi asked.

"Lavi… I had very little control of the situation… I didn't act when I should have and that almost got me killed. The last thing I want to think about is that horrid illusion that tried to kiss me!" I growled.

"It did kiss you! For a good two minutes!" Lavi shouted.

"Lavi, you really need to work on your jealousy issues," Allen said coming in, "How're you feeling Lynessa?"

"Well enough for practically dying," I replied.

"Good. You should be out of here by tomorrow since you're awake," Allen smiled at me, "It's good to see you're all right. We would have gotten to you sooner but the innocence wouldn't let down its barrier until you collapsed."

"Speaking of the innocence… I have a bone to pick with it… Is Hevlaska holding it?" I asked.

"It's currently being locked away… It wants to see you; it's a very odd case… It's retaining the shape of Daren…" Allen said.

"I'm going to see it now," I said standing up only to have Allen and Lavi block me from going anywhere.

"You're not well enough to go anywhere yet. Besides, it'll still be there when you're better, I'm sure of it," Allen said.

"Lynessa? Lynessa?" the voice of Daren called from just outside.

"I thought you said the innocence was locked away…" I said to Allen.

"It is… What's wrong?" Allen asked.

"But it's outside…" I said.

"No… are you sure you're alright?" Allen asked helping me back onto the bed.

"I thought I heard…" I shook my head before passing out.

When I finally woke up again there was a nurse dabbing my forehead with a cold wet rag. "Oh, you're awake," she said, "Shall I inform Master Lavi?"

"No, please don't," I said.

"Oh, well I was just dabbing the sweat from your brow. I'll see you in the morning, Miss Lynessa," she said disappearing out the door.

I waited a little while before I got out of bed and headed out. I wanted to speak with the innocence and I wanted to do it before I was confined to bed again.

It didn't take long to find the room that had been boarded off and I easily got in only to find a sleeping Daren on a couch.

"Oh, you came to see me?" It said sitting up as I closed the door behind me.

"You tried to kill me, why?" I asked.

"I would have thought you'd ask me why I took this form rather than that…but if you want to know that then I'll comply," it said, "I needed life energy to continue living. I've spent a good hundred or so years trapped in that fountain and I couldn't figure out any way to get out. Then one day I heard rumors that strange phenomenon brought exorcists in. I was just going to kill one of them and drink their life from their body but you showed up and your memories screamed at me. I knew then that you'd try to help me if I could only get you close enough. I had intended on drawing every last drop of life out of you but as I dug through your memories searching for a way to bring you to me I started sprouting my own emotions. When I found a memory that I thought would work I used it but I saw easily that my form frightened you and fell in love with a cowering girl. Which brings me to why I took the form of this man…"

"I don't care why you took the form of Daren! I just want you to go away, leave me alone!" I shouted.

"Oh, but you came to see me. I didn't know just how much you cared for this… Daren, I mean the way that you took comfort from the other exorcist I thought that you might care more for him but your memories betrayed you there. That Lavi person means nothing to you compared to Daren, and that is why I took on his form rather than the other," the innocence said.

"What gave you the right to take Daren's form?" I asked.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying? I can see your memories, I can feel emotions, if you love this Daren so much I can become exactly like him and you can leave that silly exorcist behind," the innocence said, "I can make it like you never lost him. You can be happy with me."

"STOP IT! You'll never be Daren! NEVER!" I screamed.

"Oh Nessa, but I always promised you that I'd be here for you," the innocence said.

"STOP IT!" I shouted, "JUST STOP IT!"

"Lynessa?" Lavi's voice broke through to me from the door.

"Forget him, he means little to you anyway," the voice of the innocence was starting to sound more and more like Daren.

"Just because he means little to me doesn't mean that he means nothing! Compared to you he means everything! I may never get to see Daren again but I'm perfectly happy settling with Lavi!" I shouted turning to see Lavi had broken through the door.

"You're settling for me?" Lavi asked collapsing to his knees.

"You're not innocence! You're worse than the akuma!" I growled at the image of Daren.

"Forget him, come with me," it said.

"Settling?" Lavi's voice was broken.

I stood and walked slowly over to Lavi, "I didn't mean to hurt you… Right now, you're the most important person to me." I tried to place my hand on Lavi's shoulder but he hit it away.

"I don't want your pity. I gave up my world, my destiny, as a Bookman for you! I gave my heart to you and all you did was cast it aside because you thought Daren was going to come to your rescue! Well, forget it! I'm done! Go make someone else your toy!" Lavi's eyes were streaming with tears as he got up, pulled himself together and left.

"Lavi!" I cried after him only to have the innocence shut the door before I could run after him.

"You're pathetic, you know that? Tormenting the poor guy. What would your parents think? What would Daren think?" it said.

"YOU… you monster!" I cried collapsing to my knees, "How could you do that to me?"

"You didn't care for him, you were only fooling yourself by seeing Daren in him. Come with me, you can see your family and friends again, you can be happy," it said.

"You're worse than the Noah!" I said pounding on the door that somehow would lead to Lavi. I didn't care anymore about Daren. Seeing that pain on Lavi's face and hearing the pain in his voice tore through me like I was nothing but paper. I promised myself, right then, that if I made it out of that room alive Lavi would know how much he really meant to me.

"NO! How are you breaking my barrier?" the voice of the innocence changed from male to female.

I'm coming Lavi. I thought pushing at the door. "I'm coming!"

"No, you have to stay here with me!" it said as I opened the door, "You're mine to play with for all eternity!"

As I broke through the door I noticed Lavi standing not too far off, tears still in his eyes. "Lavi," I sighed walking over to him, "Lavi, I'm sorry. I didn't realize until now… but you're the only thing that matters to me in the whole world. I wouldn't care if the world ended right now just as long as your smile was the last thing I got to see." I placed my hand on his cheek and reached up to kiss him.

Then everything went black and I woke up sitting under the tree amidst a battle between Allen, Lavi and a couple Noah.

"She's awake! Road didn't break her!" Allen called to Lavi as he landed next to me, "Are you all right? We could use some of your help in this fight."

I was confused but nodded at Allen standing up and activating my innocence spinning around to face Road, "If you ever do something like that to me again, you'd better hide your body really well!"

"But you didn't do any damage to me while you were there," Road replied before three long pieces of sharp wood appeared at various places in her torso, they were bloody.

"Oh, but didn't you see those shards of wood fly at you?" I smiled, "You're just lucky that I wanted to see Lavi so badly or I would have taken your head off."

"Well then… You're pretty impressive, until we meet again," she smiled and then called to her comrades and the battle stopped.

"Thanks for protecting the innocence," Allen said coming to stand next to me.

"I did what?" I asked.

"Or well, I guess the innocence more protected you, but they weren't able to get it thanks to you," Allen said.

"I saw everything in that nightmare that Road put you through," the image of Daren walked over to me.

"Don't come anywhere near me!" I said taking a step back.

"I'm sorry that I started that problem. I was enamored by the pretty exorcist that came to protect me," it smiled.

"Are you all right?" Lavi's voice startled me from behind.

"I'm fine," my eyes started watering as I saw the depressed look on his face, "What's wrong?"

"I heard what you said. I guess I always knew but I didn't want to believe it…" Lavi said, "So let's just get the damn innocence and get out of here."

"What did he hear?" I asked Allen.

"Something about settling for him… That he wasn't important…" Allen sighed, "I thought it was Road playing mind tricks on us but you looked so awake…"

I felt tears start to fall from my eyes, "Can you get the innocence by yourself? I need a moment alone with him."

"Sure, take all the time you need," Allen said.

I ran after Lavi, tears still flowing freely and stopped in front of him, "You're an idiot!" I said looking up at the tears forming in his eyes, he was obviously holding back a lot of choked up emotion.

"What are you talking about? No, why do you even care? I'm the least important person to you anyway!" Lavi growled.

"Do you know how much it hurts me to hear you say that?" I asked, "God Lavi, I thought you knew that I had strong feelings for you! I may have felt like I was settling in the past but I would have never said you weren't important to me even if I felt like I was settling for you!"

"So you are settling for me? God Lynessa, you're such a hypocrite!" Lavi shouted.

"I said 'was' Lavi, was…" I felt the tears running from my eyes so heavily that I was starting to choke on my words, "Lavi… I…I lo… I love you!"

"What?" Lavi's voice cracked.

"I love you! I was stupid not to see it sooner but I would die if you were gone! I have no reason to live without you! Lavi…" I couldn't finish my rant before his lips met mine. There were tears streaming down his face now too and I could feel the wetness of his face against mine as his lips moved with mine. Up until now I'd held myself back when he kissed me but I couldn't allow myself to control my emotions. Suddenly there was no room for Daren in my heart and I found myself wanting, more than anything that Allen would fail in his fight with the Millennium Earl so that I would have no future to go back to. I wanted so badly to stay here with Lavi in this moment, forever.

Then Lavi broke his embrace on me and brushed the tears from my eyes, "Do you know how good it felt to hear you say that?" he asked.

"Oh, shut up and kiss me!" I said wrapping my arms up around his neck and pressing my lips back against his. He did not hesitate before pulling me into him and kissing me fast and hard. The way his mouth moved against mine cause my lips to part and I found his teeth on my bottom lip as he pulled I felt a sort of pain, but it was a good pain. My breath was coming in gasps before long and I could feel his breath coming in short gasps too. I could feel my body against his and somehow I wanted to be closer though it seemed completely impossible.

"All right you two… break it up!" Allen's voice broke my train of emotions and Lavi broke out of my grasp.

"Thanks for ruining the mood, Allen!" Lavi growled.

"Only returning the favor, after all… how many times did you barge in when Lenalee and I wanted to be alone?" Allen laughed, "Besides, we have to hurry up and get this innocence back to headquarters.

"Does it still have a crush on Lynessa?" Lavi asked.

"Yes and no. It's agreed to leave her to you, Lavi," Allen laughed, "I didn't know innocence could have emotion quite like that. Usually it just reacts to its user but it almost seems to be it's own user…"

"Well then, let's get going," Lavi said wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me along with him.

Upon arriving back at headquarters we were greeted by Daniel and Komui. Komui was extremely unhappy, "What the hell were the two of you thinking? Keeping a dog in headquarters?" he yelled.

"I just couldn't leave him out on the street!" I said.

"You kept the dog?" Allen growled, "I thought I told you to leave it in the woods?"

"You did, but I couldn't…" I said.

Just then the innocence that Allen had just collected started resonating a high-pitched sound before spinning out of control and hitting Daniel in the forehead. Almost instantaneously his fur turned silver looking almost like metal and his eyes started glowing green.

"Daniel?" I asked kneeling down by the dog I'd made my friend. Lavi joined me and Daniel nodded his head wagging his tail.

"Three pieces of innocence?" Komui gasped, "That's never been heard of before…"

I smiled at Daniel patting him on the head, "Looks like they'll let you stay after all."

"He wouldn't have gone anywhere anyway," Lavi said rubbing my shoulders.

A/N: Yay ubberly long chapter! Sorry for the mini cliffy but I'm too tired to continue this chapter. So I'd just like to say thanks everyone for reading I really appreciate the views but you know what I'd love even more? A REVIEW! What can I do better? Do you love parts? Do you hate parts? Do you like characters? Do you hate characters? Is there anything you'd like to see? ANSWER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS PLEASE! REVIEW!