Welcome to The Lost Years. I recently reread the Chrono Crusade manga and couldn't help but wonder what trials Chrono and Rosette faced before the beginning of the series. Expect some episodic bits, new characters, monsters and a lot of roaring twenties fun.

This is rated T so you can anticipate angst, mild violence, descriptions of blood, romantic/sexual subject matter (the latter not involving Chrono or Rosette), etc. A unique warning for Chapter 8 because it does contain subtextual references to pedophilia - sometimes humans that become evil poltergeists weren't the most virtuous in life.

As of 2019 I am specifically looking to cover the first year of Rosette's life with the Order. More info in the auhor's note at the bottom of Chapter 10.

Disclaimer: I don't own Chrono Crusade.

-CHAPTER 1-

Night Of The Contract

"In return, I'll give you what you need. So let's go, just the three of us."

Rosette Christopher's lips broke into a smile as she reached for Chrono. His heart trembled in his chest. More than anything he wanted to dissuade her, to convince her that she was making a mistake, but as he sought out the power of speech a sharp pain assaulted his body. He shuddered, barely managing to maintain his hold on the young girl who was still cradled in his arms from their flight across the valley.

This was the same weakness that had forced his wings to give out, and for the second time he found Rosette's very living soul calling out to his empty core. It radiated like sunlight, provoking him to the point of desperation. It had been so long since he was vitalized with Astral energy. He had been able to feel it housed within every human since departing Pandemonium, but he was truly hungering for it now—for the living force contained within this young girl. She possessed a strength he did not; a strength they both needed to survive.

Rosette's hand came to rest on his cheek then, and he had to stop himself from flinching, the warmth of her skin an unwelcome comfort. He wanted to shy away from it, but her eyes implored otherwise. They remained trained on him, a silent invitation to partake of their compassion.

Was she really trying to console him?

It should be the other way around, he thought sadly. I should be the one to take away your pain.

He was older and more experienced. He had seen and done things Rosette could never even imagine, but on the little hill overlooking Seventh Bell where he, Rosette and Joshua had spent so many lazy days over the past summer, Chrono felt like the weaker being.

Her gaze put him in such a state of vulnerability that when another spasm of agony wracked him he was unable to hide its effects, forcing his eyes shut and working to maintain control over his Legion. He breathed heavily, sweat trickling down his forehead, chest rising and falling almost to the beat of Rosette's tiny heart.

In the end it was not his own need that convinced him, but the look of absolute determination on her face. This was the same expression she had worn upon discovering him in the old tomb. It was hard for him to believe he was actually looking at a human child. Something in her countenance gave off a sense of courage that made the ancient Devil want to bow down and serve her for as long as he lived.

"Very well…" he conceded, his true voice seeming to echo with the wind. "We shall form a Contract, Rosette Christopher."

Chrono released her from his arms as gently as he could, positioning her on the soft grass of the knoll. A light breeze ruffled his hair as he crouched down on one knee, lowering is head. He needed her to know just how strong the yielding in his heart was. He would not make light of her sacrifice. As brave as she might have been, she was still only a child. She had a lot of growing up to do, and he wasn't about to let her do it alone. He would be whatever Rosette needed—a weapon, a teacher, a guardian, a companion. He would be hers, and he would fulfill her dream. He would save Joshua.

"An exchange of blood binds the Seal…" he murmured, repeating what had been told to him many years ago. He raised a clawed hand to his lips, sinking sharp fangs into the side of his palm. Blood gathered to the surface from the wound. Rosette gasped lightly, but Chrono forced her to forget her concern when he gestured for her.

"You next."

She inclined her head, taking a step forward and presenting him with her hand. Chrono did not want to make a mistake, but repeating the same process he had undergone with the Holy Woman seemed several steps too cruel. He flexed his fingers absently, remembering the feeling of them puncturing her chest.

No, he couldn't do that. A bite had to be enough.

His eyes never left hers as he brought her hand up to the level of his mouth, closing his jaws down hard enough to produce another pattern of punctures. Rosette's twitch of pain was evident to him, but she was too proud to speak. Not even when he drew his tongue across the wound, the metallic taste filling his mouth. He expected her to flinch in disgust, but to his surprise all she did was grasp his hand, brows-knit as she repeated his movements. She lowered her face to touch his blood to her lips.

"I'm binding the Seal to a conduit right away this time," he explained, pulling his arm back and turning his attention to the brass timepiece around his neck. He closed his palm over the clock-face. The Devil-made instrument instantly absorbed it with a mechanical clicking noise, doing only what it was created for. Recollection seemed to pass over Rosette as she took in the watch. He imagined she had noticed it before, wondered what it was even, but not once had she inquired about it.

Chrono inhaled sharply as she took the clock from him with her good hand, hanging it around her neck. The image caused him to involuntarily remember the last woman whose neck it had adorned. They were so similar. Like Magdalene, Rosette wasn't afraid. Chrono envied her naivety.

No… she's not naive, he chastised himself. She is stronger than I ever was.

From the moment Chrono had laid eyes on Rosette in the dusty tomb he had been involuntarily influenced by not only her strength, but her charming sense of humor and honesty. Her smile had given him something he had not had the pleasure of experiencing in far too long: a reason to go on living. Beyond his need for her soul, Chrono knew there was a part of him that didn't want to be separated from her so soon. He couldn't say exactly why, but he wanted to protect her. He needed to be there for her, as she had been there for him.

"We have consumed a small piece of each other, but you're the only one who can enter the Contract. State your promise, Rosette."

Rosette beamed, her innocent face lighting up in a way that made Chrono's heart flutter. Without a hint of regret she proclaimed once more that she, Rosette Christopher, accepted the Contract of her soul to his. Then she pressed her bloody hand to the life clock.

As soon as her words rang out and her essence mixed with his the device clicked open and a gleam seemed to emanate from within. The glow ebbed, engulfing the hill, filling Chrono's starved Legion with more energy than they had been gifted with in decades. It was like taking a deep breath after being forced underwater for too long. His head seemed to break the surface and for a long moment he couldn't help but let his Contractor's life flow freely into him, reigniting a fire that had long-ago been extinguished.

"Enough, Chrono..." a voice commanded, and Chrono's eyes snapped open just as the light was beginning to recede back inside the was about to rush forward to instruct Rosette to close the Seal with a voice suddenly drifted to the hill from below.

"J-JOSHUA!? ROSETTE!?"

Chrono swiveled on the spot, looking down at what remained of Seventh Bell, nestled snugly in the valley. From this distance it appeared so peaceful; the whirlwind had ceased with Aion's departure, but the unmoving forms spread across the lawn were a reminder of Rosette's brother's complete loss of control—but wait, they weren't all still.

Chrono's eyes narrowed as they fell on a shadowy figure hurrying to the steps of the building, his movements frantic and unsteady. Darkness smothered him as he zigzagged between the statues. Chrono was unable to ascertain the man's features from so far away, but Rosette apparently didn't need to see him. As soon as she heard the man's voice call out her name her face became wrought with distress.

"F-Father Remington..." she said softly, and with a lurch she stumbled forward. Chrono caught her around the waist, making her look back with surprise. She fought against his hold. "Let go, Chrono! He's looking for me! We need to tell him what happened. He can help!"

Chrono didn't want her to go, but he couldn't let his own indecision get the better of him. He had to trust Rosette.

He nodded his head, and she thanked him with a soft smile.

With a surge he lifted Rosette into his arms, gaze fixed on the form of the man below. He kicked off, much to Rosette's surprise. She gasped and clutched at his armor, but his hold on her was firm. His wings carried them quickly through the sky, his whole form radiating a brilliant golden color. Wind buffeted his face briefly before he angled downward. The ground shook when he touched down, wings folded protectively around his Contractor.

The man, who had turned instantly at the sound of Chrono's approach, nearly dropped the sword from his grasp when his eyes fell on the Devil. His mouth gaped open in shock. He was tall and dressed in a deep blue overcoat that gave him the look of a proud general. He had light blond hair and an angled face. A strange sensation of familiarity nagged at Chrono as he looked at the man, but he disregarded it.

When Chrono deposited her Rosette leaped from the shroud of his wings and ran in the man's direction. He seemed even further taken aback by the girl's sudden emergence, but stammered with relief nonetheless.

"R-Rosette, thank God! Are you hurt?"

"N-no, Father," she said, clutching her knees with exhaustion. She panted heavily as the man—Father Remington, Rosette called him—questioned her in a reassuring tone, demanding to know what had happened. A soon as she started talking it seemed she couldn't stop. She skipped things—namely the Contract—but relayed enough of the story for his lips to twist into a concerned frown. "He took Joshua..." she went on, sounding even more strained. "I... I don't even know where they went. W-we have to follow them! Chrono can help us... h-he can..."

"Calm down, child. You're tired," Remington said, stepping in front of Rosette in order to acknowledge the Devil. His brows were furrowed. "Now then, how to address this little predicament? Hmm." He held up his sword again, brandishing it in Chrono's direction. "Don't think I am foolish enough not to recognize the face of the Devil who took our Holy Maiden's life. You haven't aged a day."

"Funny, I could say the same about you," Chrono responded, memories of that night in the Order of Magdalene coming back to him—flashes of a blond priest reaching for Magdalene as Chrono hoisted her into his arms and crashed through the skylight. He looked much the same now, and Chrono knew that shouldn't have been the case.

"Fifty years. That's how long it's been since you were shut in that godforsaken tomb. I don't know how you escaped, but I think it would be best if you were on your way now."

"Chrono didn't do anything!" Rosette protested, but Remington held her back.

"I can't go," Chrono said, folding his arms over his chest. "That girl is in my charge."

"Y-your charge? Surely you jest. A being of your caliber would have no use for a human child unless..." his eyes widened, and he suddenly looked very angry. "Tell me you didn't make a Contract with this hornless Devil." He snapped at Rosette, who flinched. When she didn't respond he said her voice loudly. "Rosette!"

"H-he needed help..." she said, fingering the life clock around her neck. Chrono desperately wanted to go to her, but Remington wouldn't have it.

"To think that you would make a victim out of another innocent. Can you not help yourself?"

Chrono's face softened. Perhaps Remington's insinuations should have upset him, but they didn't. The irony of it was almost too much to accept. Remington was right.

"Maybe I can't," Chrono said quietly. "But I made her a promise, and I intend to keep it."

"Is that so?" Remington swung his sword once through the air, then, with hardly a sign he was rushing in Chrono's direction. He cried out as he raised the blade, "Forgive me, but if I kill you now she will be free of this wretched burden!"

Chrono easily dodged Remington's initial attack, his speed and reflexes not on-par with his hornless self, but far better than they had been before his connection to Rosette's life-giving soul. He didn't want to hurt Remington, and any defensive blow might have left the man with a gaping wound, if not dead. He continued to out-maneuver the Minister, wings stretching out as Remington slashed and hacked with his sword, swinging it wildly in an attempt to catch the Devil off-guard. The moment finally presented itself, not because of Chrono's carelessness, but his distraction when Rosette suddenly cried out.

"C-Chrono..."

The Devil's eyes snapped to her, and he could only watch as she crumpled to the ground, clutching the life clock with both hands. Chrono could practically feel it himself—the agony of Rosette's soul being drained too quickly. Instantly he dropped his guard, releasing the Astral from his form as he abandoned all desire to continue defending himself against Remington. The Minister too gave up on the chase, pivoting to regard the girl with a look of utter anguish. Their fight suddenly meant absolutely nothing. Remington didn't even try to stop Chrono when he dashed in Rosette's direction, heart thudding with fear.

"Close the Seal!" Chrono said, his tone very serious, grasping Rosette by the arm with a clawed talon. "Close it!" Her trembling continued for a few seconds after Chrono heard the telltale click of the Seal reverting to its original state. Chrono's body immediately responded to the absence of Astral. Heat licked his skin as his form suddenly began to diminish. He did not fight the transformation. In seconds he was Rosette's height, blinking concerned red eyes in her direction. "Rosette..." he said, squeezing her arm again. To his relief she raised her head, vision teary.

"Chrono... it's you."

Chrono knew she was talking about the body he had taken upon relinquishing her Astral. It was evident that she was much more comfortable in this state because all the tension in her seemed to release at once. She jumped up, crying out happily as she wrapped her deceptively strong arms around him. He blushed at the abrupt physical contact, but was not about to let his skittishness ruin her moment. Unfortunately it was shattered by another bought of exhaustion. Rosette stumbled once more, nearly slipping out of Chrono's embrace as her knees buckled. With a jolt he caught her by the shoulders, his own fleeting relief quickly being replaced by guilt. This had to be his fault. In his desperation to stop Remington he had unwittingly taken more of her Astral than he should have. Her tiny body had not been able to handle the strain of it. She gave a little shudder, looking as though she was in pain.

"Rosette... I'm so sorry. It had been so long since I... I didn't mean to take so much at once."

"W-what are you apologizing for, silly?" She said after a few deep breaths, flashing Chrono a familiar huge grin. "I'm Jake, just a little tired."

Her words did nothing to appease him, and his frown deepened. He was thankful Rosette didn't seem to notice as she pushed herself up, grasping his arm for support. When she was safely on her feet again he watched her turn in Remington's direction, her gaze much sterner than he was accustomed to seeing. Chrono did not expect her to do what she did.

"Father," she began. "I don't care about how you know Chrono, or what he did in the past. I need him. Nothing is going to change that. But I need you too..."

"Rosette, you're a child. I can't expect you to understand. That beast cannot be allowed to roam freely, not when every breath he takes siphons your very life-force! He is a parasite, you, his wiling host. He cannot be trusted."

"I trust him," came Rosette's steady voice, and out of nowhere she grasped Chrono's hand. "He's my friend."

Chrono's cheeks flushed bright red at her touch and words, and he averted his gaze. The power of what she said meant more to him than she could ever hope to realize, but that didn't matter to him. Despite everything that had happened, she truly didn't hate him. It would have been the most natural reaction, but this young girl didn't care.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured, his tone very hesitant. "If I had been stronger... if I had realized sooner..." He clenched his teeth frustratedly.

"I told you already, you have nothing to say sorry for," she said, fingering the watch around her neck. "Because of this we can work together. You should know better than anybody, my life wouldn't be worth living without Joshua. We'll all be together again. We'll save him. We'll get back your horns."

Does she really mean that? Chrono wondered, unable to prevent himself from relishing in the warmth her hand provided. Since Magdalene's fall he had resigned himself to the fact that he would never truly feel happy again, but upon meeting Rosette this promise had begun to feel more and more arbitrary. Even if he was a Devil, even if he was already beginning to steal her life, as Remington said, he wanted to stay with her. Was that selfish on his part? Probably. Devils, as he knew better than anybody, were selfish beings. They took and never gave—slaughtered, devoured, destroyed. He might not have been possessed the power to kill one-hundred of his kind at once anymore, but he was still a demon through-and-through.

"Is that really so bad?" A female voice chimed in the back of his head, and he knew he was remembering the Holy Woman again. He generally did not allow himself to think of her. The recollections were much too painful, but in that moment he was unable to stop himself from wondering what Magdalene would think if she could see him now. He would never know, but he couldn't help but want to know if she was watching over him, the sweetest of souls looking down on an imperfect being from the Heavenly Lines above. He knew it was a silly thought. As if someone as pure and perfect as Magdalene would preside over the one who had taken away her life. He was not deserving of her sympathy. Still, he fantasized that she could see him, and her voice echoed within him once more.

"It is in the nature of all beings with hearts to need others. You are are no different."

He bowed his head.

Things will be different this time, Magdalene... I won't let Rosette share your fate.

He felt Rosette's hand twitch then, and looked over, woken from his spell of memory.

"Ummm... Chrono," Rosette said, her face suddenly wrought with worry. "Where exactly are we going to go now?"

As the thought that they were effectively homeless struck him Chrono couldn't help but look dejectedly at his feet. Rosette did the same for a few seconds, then Chrono felt a hard slap on his shoulder. He cried out with pain, massaging the spot tenderly. He might have felt a bit more upset had Rosette's sudden outrage not reminded him that she was exactly the same. She was still Rosette, and Rosette's wallowing never lasted long.

"You have an idea?" He said with a bit too much desperation, still rubbing his shoulder.

"Father Remington can take us back to the Magdalene Order. Isn't that right, Father?" A sly smile twisted across her entire face.

Magdalene Order... Chrono's eyes narrowed. So it was still in operation all these years later. But for what purpose?

The Father did not look pleased by Rosette's declaration. He gaped at her, arms drooping. "B-but the Devil—"

"Will be on his very best behavior. If not I'll be sure to scold him properly."

The emphasis she put on the final word almost scared Chrono, and he eyed her wearily. They had lost so much, but regardless of it all this was still the same hyperactive, controlling, sometimes terrifying girl who had dragged him out of the tomb and into the light of day.

"Ohhh, alright." Came Remington's voice. Rosette and Chrono both turned toward him again in time to see him rubbing his temple with frustration. "You know I can't leave a little girl to fend for herself, not to mention the fact that you might make a decent exorcist! Both of you, get in the car before I change my mind. It's going to be a long drive. Never mind the fact that Sister Kate is not going to let me leave her office alive..."