A/N: This story was completed ahead of time so you don't have to worry about it ending while the story is still incomplete. This is the first of several chapters I will be uploading each week.

I do not own this show. Though I do own the OC's.

Thank you and Enjoy

I stare at my watch while slouching and sigh, "It's only five minutes past five," I say with slight tension in my voice. There's still an hour before my shift ends.

"Don't look so upset, at least the day's almost over," chirps one of the girls who works here. She's a student working with Toma, goes by the name Lilith or something… I sigh again at her and she chips, "Oh, come on, if you're that bored why not come inside and I'll show you what we're working on."

"Just let him be Lilith. The oaf probably couldn't understand it anyways," says Toma.

"Oh please," I bark, "don't give me that, you little shrimp. Whatever it is, I'm sure I can understand it just fine."

"Yeah sure," he says without an ounce of belief, his eyes half lidded. He moves his hand over the mouse and begins explaining.

I turn to see Lilith giving me a pleasant smile. She normally isn't this happy, there are probably only a few times I've seen her truly smile. It's kind of cute. "Stiyl!" wines one of the other female students. Iri is her name. She wouldn't let me forget it… She grabs my bicep, smushing it against her chest and moans, "Finally you came to see the hard work I've been doing, slaving away down here!" Iri is the head of the research project Toma, Lilith, and herself are doing and she's two years older than both of them. For some reason, she felt the need to attach herself to me and I've barely gotten a moment's peace ever since.

Lilith's smile seems to have darkened just a bit, "We all worked really hard to make this happen, right Toma?"

"Right." At that moment, the automatic door slides open and Index walks in dressed in a tight school uniform, none too pleased.

"Tomaaa!" She yells, "Where is my food! We have nothing for dinner!"

"What? But there should have been more than enough for a few days… wait, how much did you eat? You couldn't possibly have eaten all that so quickly."

"Hmph!" she says snarkily, "I'm a growing girl, you should know that!" At her comment, Toma can't help noticing where exactly she had grown. And boy had she grown. Index notices his gaze has fallen to her chest and screams, "Toma!" She chomps down on his head and Toma yells in pain, falling out of his chair.

"Rotten… luck…" he moans, tears pricking his eyes.

I see Lilith's worried gaze brighten into a laugh as her hand comes up to cover her smile. I find myself smirking at them. It's been a while since the last time we were attacked and things seem pretty quiet at the moment. Peace like this is a wonderful thing even though I would never admit that out loud. Lilith notices I'm still looking at her and smiles at me, her glasses twinkling under the artificial light. I look back at the others before returning to my post. Yep, hopefully we can enjoy some peace and quiet before the next evil mastermind attacks.

An hour later the others clear out of the lab and I begin locking up the facility for the night. "Yay! Toma and I are going drinking tonight!"

"Index, you're not old enough to drink," drones Toma, rubbing his head.

"Oh come on Toma, lighten up. Just one little drink won't hurt me."

"Yes it will!" they continue. I see little Lilith looking up at me again. Her brown hair swaying at her sides. To myself, I think she must not be over 5'2''. "Why don't you come with us Stiyl?"

"I still have to finish up here."

"That's okay, we'll wait," she says sweetly with her hands clasped in front of her. She must have been really popular in high school with a look like that. Her baby blue blouse clings to her petite chest and her brown ruffled skirt hides shapely hips and dark tights cover her soft thighs.

"What is it Stiyl?" she asks innocently. I turn away. She hasn't noticed me ogling her yet.

"Oh, nothing. I'm a bit busy…" I know she's looking at me. Damn. If I look back, I'm never getting out of this. I don't really want to go drinking with them. Don't do it, I tell myself. Don't-

Despite my best intentions, I look back at her and her chocolaty brown eyes are begging me. "Alright. I'll come. Just give me a second."

She smiles a cute smile again. I turn around to try and hide it, but I know I'm blushing. Damnit.

"Oh, I can't wait to get so drunk!" exclaims Iri, clapping her hands together in excitement as I take out my key to lock up the lab.

It's gonna be a long night…

A few hours later we drop Iri off at her apartment. She managed to get so drunk, Toma and I had to carry her out of the taxi while she was giggling about some award she was going to win for their project. But that isn't my problem at the moment. It's been a half out since then and right now, I'm stuck alone with Lilith who seems so oblivious and the alcohol is just making it worse. She walks along beside me just fine but I can see a slight shade of pink dusting her smooth cheeks and a giddy smile on her face. Toma and Index are just ahead of us and I try to keep my eyes on them to avoid looking at the girl next to me. "So do you enjoy your job?" asks Lilith.

"Where is this coming from?" I respond casually.

"I was just curious. You've been with us for a while, longer than I think most people would stay at a job if they didn't like it."

I don't know what kind of an answer she's expecting, but I tell her as much as I can. "Well, I don't exactly have a choice. I guess you could say my situation is… unique."

"Huh?" she says with glazed eyes'.

"There's not much I can really say about it." I might be a little drunk too.

"Oh," she sighs. She would not usually give up on getting an answer so quickly. Perhaps it was the alcohol. Her brown eyes are wavering as she looks at me, they sparkle in the moonlight. No, what's wrong with me? I have a mission to protect Index. I can't be thinking of this girl like that. I feel a warm hand on my arm, "Is something wrong Stiyl?" Crap, she must have noticed my face.

I almost flinch at her question but relax, collecting myself. "No."

She still looks unsatisfied, but appears to let it go. "Hey, why don't we all go to my house? We can stay up and watch movies and stuff."

Index giggles, "Sounds fun!"

Toma and I look at each other dejectedly but neither of us has the heart to ruin their fun.

"This is your house?!" exclaims Toma. The cigarette falls from my mouth. It's huge. Two stories and wide enough to fit a small apartment complex inside. The sign at the gate says VonCrass. I knew from her light hair Lilith was European but I wasn't expecting a noble. Index happily runs inside and the rest of us follow.

A few hours later, I walk in from the kitchen, glass of chardonnay in hand to find Index has fallen asleep on Toma's lap while Toma lays unconscious against the couch on which Lilith has fallen asleep herself. I smile coyly, thinking what a picture they all make together.

But something isn't right. I can feel an ominous presence outside. I decide I'll check the doors in a minute, but as I raise my glass to take another sip, a tremor shakes the home and the wall is blown wide open. Pieces of dry wall, wood, and concrete fly past. I barely manage to stay on my feet as the others are startled awake.

"Well hey there Kami, didn't expect to see you here," calls a familiar voice.

"Tsuchimikado, what are you doing here?"

Next to Tsuchimikado stands our friend, Kaori Kanzaki. "Oh don't worry, we're not here for you or Index. The one we're after is that girl," says Tsuchimikado pointing an accusatory finger at Lilith. "You see, she's actually heir to a bloodline the church previously thought had died out. It's said they hold a power that is extremely detrimental to the church and we need to make sure that bloodline stays buried."

"What are you talking about? Lilith would never hurt anyone! She's just a girl!" yells Toma.

"I don't think so Kami."

Kaori raises her sword and a bright light whizzes towards us. Toma moves his right hand to counter the spell but Lilith, unaware of his power and fearing for her friend, grabs Toma around the waist and pushes him out of the way of the blast. As it flies by her, the spell rakes through her back, leaving a deep bloody red gash from her waist to her shoulder. When I see the girl I've spent countless days with at the lab lying on the floor in her own blood, a sick feeling of dread drops into my stomach, twisting and fueling my anger. A vain bulges in my neck. Pulling the magic rune cards from beneath my clothes, I begin chanting the spell.

Toma yells, "You won't get away with this Tsuchimikado!"

I'm about to put up a wall of flames when Tsuchimikado stop me, "Wow, hold on there. What's with all the rage?" He asks, looking towards me with a smirk. His eyes are like a cats, hiding behind his shades. "You should be helping us, Stiyl. You're a member of the English puritan church too, or have you forgotten?" He retorts.

Grinding my teeth together, I hate to admit it though he's right, damnit. But that doesn't mean I support this. "What? Were you going to kill her? She's done nothing wrong." I sound like Kamijo, maybe I have been spending too much time around them… A sidelong glance towards the others and I notice Toma has managed to free himself from under Lilith's limp body. He and Index are holding her and Index looks panicked. I can see tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry Index," Lilith, barely conscious, comforts her as she lays mortally injured. "Toma is okay." A dribble of blood falls from the side of her mouth. "I don't think… they mean to hurt you. You don't have to worry."

"You idiot, I don't care about that! Think about yourself!" cries Index.

It's no use, her eyes are closing.

What's going on here? Did the Church really order this? I can't believe that. Then was this all just a mistake? I cry out in anger and throw a barrage of flames at Tsuchimikado and Kanzaki. I know I can't hurt them, but I can at least keep them from reaching the others. "Lilith!" screams Index. I put everything I have into trying to push back the intruders, but they won't budge. She doesn't deserve to die like this! A moment ago we were just sitting together happily. She can't.

Something amazing happens and everyone turns to look at Lilith as she sits up, despite the wound on her back. Her eyes are still closed with an otherworldly look about her, as if possessed by something. The blood from the wound seems to wrap itself around her. Glowing, it returns, flowing back inside her and the wound vanishes as if it never happened.

Unsure of the situation, Kanzaki waves away my flames and the pair disappear with the wind. All that's left is the gaping hole in the wall. I run over to Toma and Index and collapse in front of them as they hold Lilith. She's still unconscious. "Lilith!" Her eyelids wobble at my voice and open tiredly. "Wha-what… happened?"

Index squeals and hugs her friend close to her. Their bodies press firmly against one another. They continue to hold tight for several long moments. If they did this under any other circumstances, I'm sure Toma would have thoroughly enjoyed the sight of the girls embracing their ample teenage bodies together. But frankly we're too relieved to really enjoy it. Thank goodness they're safe, but for how long?