Hurts…everything. Nothing. There is…nothing. Hasn't it always been like that? Just pain…always pain. Ahhhh… I'm cold. It hurts.

"Come on Walker. You can hear me, I know it. Listen"

Who? Someone… a person. With blood and breath and warmth.

"I'm going to get you out, but I need you to understand. Do you hear me? I need you to listen. You want to go home right? Listen to me! Walker!"

Home? Home…Home. Home. Home. HOME

Lenalee breathes in the cold air, little puffs forming before her mouth as she walks towards her brother's office, marvelling in how the whole Order is bathed in the pale light of winter. It is bitterly cold, the relocation of the headquarters meant getting used to a whole new weather system. It warms her heart slightly and makes it ache painfully to note that not much has really changed. At least in the sense of routine. There are still missions to do, and now Kanda and Lavi are back, she doesn't go on them alone. She missed them so much and with their return she managed to drag herself out of the enclosing darkness and focus on her world again. But it isn't the same. She knows the feeling is shared too. Sometimes she wakes in the night with a squirming feeling of anxiety in her stomach, confused and blindly searching for the cause of it and then she knows. She knows its because he has gone. She knows it's because she did nothing to stop him. It has been 5 months since Allen Walker disappeared. It's been 5 months that the hole in her world has remained ripped open, a wound that bleeds through into her dreams and corrupts them with darkness and leaves her cold and gasping for breath.

It's a busy morning in her brother's office. Komui makes a fuss of her appearance as per usual, knocking over copious amounts of paper. She smiles and scolds him. Like always. Jonny and Reever are there, tutting at their boss' behaviour and clearing up the mess he has made. Lenalee thinks back to how not long ago Jonny was begging to leave. How strange she had felt jealous of his actions at that point. And then Komui is staring at her strangely and she realises she is still smiling and patting him even though he has stopped making a fuss and has actually been trying to talk to her for a while. She apologises and Komui's eyes turn so very soft. Ahhh it's that look again, the one that makes her heart thrum painfully in her chest. She has worried him and she did not want to. She has had enough of being weak and yet she always found herself like this. She opens her mouth to reassure her brother when a huge deafening sound revertibrates around the room, hell, around the whole of the order. Shock is evident on their faces and she is sure on hers too before she automatically schools her expression into one of determinism, Dark Boots activating in seconds. Lenalee's mind flicks back to the Level 4 incident, her heart hammering loudly as adrenaline fills her veins and fighting instinct blinds her panic.

It is not hard to follow the source of chaos. Dust billows through the corridor and into the room the second the door is opened, a thick clogging mist. There are loud angry sounds and the steely pitch of fighting coming from the main atrium in the floor below them. From her position on the second floor she reaches the balcony and assess the situation with a calm disposition despite the tingling of her body to fight, to protect.

Running. He is running with nowhere to go. He has forgotten he reasons to do so, but he knows he must not stop running. They are behind him, the ones in masks. He knows them well and this only spurs on this need to keep moving. He is escaping them, even if he can't remember why. When the dead end of the tedious grey walls he has only ever seen present themselves he is aware that this time his body is his. He experiments with bringing his arms forward, to push away the wall. And then its gone, just crumbling brick work and dust remains, a beautiful sight to the symphony of cries and shouts behind him. He moves on. He is not sure where to.

"Stop him, he's making his way up to the main area of the Order!"

"He must not get through!"

"No, let him! He cannot go anywhere after that with so many people around!"

"No matter what, we must catch him"

Lenalee freezes in shock and surprise, no longer calm. In the middle of the broken and cracked brickwork was some kind of akuma she had never seen. It had blasted through the floor of the bottom of the Order and attempted to flee before being surrounded by innumerable Crow members. Several got ahead of the monster and set up a defence barrier, throwing the creature back as he sped in blind panic forwards. A cry was heard from it as it hit the wall with a deafening crack, before it's muscles bunched and bones cracked and it righted itself, crouched defensively on the floor looking ready to strike. The dust was making visibility hard but she could see it more clearly now, could see its human shape.

"What the fuck is that"

She heard a shocked sucked in breath by her side and turned to see Lavi, hammer in hand and single eye wide and frozen on the scene before them. Lenalee shook her head.

"I don't know"

"What the fuck are you two standing around for? Fucking move" A low growl was heard from behind them, as a streak of black swept past them. Kanda jumped from the balcony they were on and gracefully landed right in front of the monster. Next to her, Lavi swore as he invoked his hammer and ran down the steps after him.

Lenalee remained frozen. She realised her Dark Boots had stopped their invocation, though she did not remember doing so. Perhaps it had something to do with the strange sense of trepidation crawling around in her mind. She could clearly see a threat in front of her. It wasn't the suddenness of the change of events, as an Exorcist she had to be ready for anything. It was... she bit her lip, as a surge of emotions swelled around her. The force of them making her squeeze her eyes shut. She did not want to recall this feeling, a creeping darkness that threatened to overwhelm her. A further blast jerked her out of her own mind.

The monster snarled, rushing forward to greet Kanda with a clash as its arm sparked against Mugen. She could see the surprise in Kanda's eyes at having his sword countered so easily. The monster took advantage and pushed Kanda back, hurtling into the many crow members surrounding them. That was enough for her. She cleared her mind of any hesitation and invocated.

Kanda snarled angrily as he picked himself up quickly, just in time to see Lenalee attempt to clash with the monster who fleetingly dodged her attacks with inhuman speed. Just what the fuck was that thing?

"Stay back! You need to let us Crow handle this!"

Kanda glared at the Crow who had spoken, obsidian gaze cold.

"What the fuck can you Crow do against an Akuma then" he sneered. Honestly, this was fucking ridiculous. He didn't even know why these stupid magic users were here. He raised Mugen again, ready to strike,

"It's not an Akuma"

Kanda stopped at that. He whipped his head around to look at the man walking towards them. Fucking great. The last person he wanted to see was Leveiller wandering around.

Even now, he could recognise the resentment he felt towards the man, and he found it strange. It pissed him off. He tried to tell himself it was his fault that Alma had ended up the way he did. But something inside him stirred when he saw that man that had nothing to do with his past, or with Alma. It stirred guilt and anger. And images of a pale face being slowly tainted by darkness.

"What the fuck is it then?" he hissed, in no mood to play games.

The inspector regarded him with a cold stare, giving nothing away.

"It is none of your business. I suggest you step aside, we have it under control"

Kanda was about to bite out a retort when he saw Lenalee flung to the side and several Crow crumple to the group as the monster screeched in the most blood curdling way. The cry was agony filled, and Kanda found himself flinching at the sound. It was fucking creepy, the way the monster moved like a wounded beast but still seemed to look relatively human. Fuck under control he thought, as he brought Mugen up.

Lavi was trying to take it all in. His brain moved quickly through his memories, trying desperately to associate the creature that was currently in front of him with something, anything in the Bookman records. But he has not seen anything like it. He couldn't tell what it was, an animal, a monster… no, he could tell, could see what it was essentially. A human But the mummified creature left little to go on. Bandages wrapped around the entire body, dirty and red. Little could be seen underneath except red raw skin in certain places where the bandages had come loose. The mouth of the creature was more like a maw of an animal, and was sewn shut. Yet the stitching has snapped and the monster opened its mouth to cry, stretching the stitching open, creating a terrifying chasm to which horrific sounds could be heard. Across his eyes was a metal strip acting as a blindfold, chained in place. The chains followed the bandages, wrapping around the monsters head and torso. The creature was all bones, a skeletal structure that snapped and cracked and yet, it did not stop. Lavi was panting, taking in gulps of air in an effort to calm himself. It was hard for him to recognise the pulsing in his body, the adrenaline caused by fear. It has been so long since he had felt fear. But it was unknown, and the blind range of the monster was terrifying. He watched as Lenalee got thrown to the ground, as it barraged through members of Crow shooting endless spells at it.

Then he saw Kanda approach Lenalee. Lavi recognised the gaze Kanda shot at him. They were to take it down together. He grinned sardonically. Fuck, he would not loose face now.

"Do not kill it"

He whirled around to see Bookman there, watching with a calculated look.

"What?"

"Do not kill it. Levellier has said they are orders from the higher ups. Tell the others"

Lavi was confused but did not question. He could feel that pounding going stronger, pushing though his veins with such strength he thought he might explode if he did not get out there now. He merely nodded and extended his hammer at the same time both Kanda and Lenalee shot forwards, the three of them descending on the creature.

"Oi! I told you, we're not meant to kill it Yuu!" Lavi shouted as Kanda drove his sword straight at the creatures chest. It dodged yet again, but in that second, Lenalee has swung her leg from nowhere. The connection to the monsters ribcage was heard as a sickening crack echoed in the space around them before the monster went flying, yet again, into the walls of the Order

"Shut the fuck UP, Usagi! Do not call me that!"

Lenalee tutted in annoyance as she landed, tensing herself ready for whatever happened.

The monster was struggling, they could see that. But the Crow had not yet restrained it for fear of it not being weakened enough. She could see that they needed to have it out before anything more could be done. Suddenly the monster shot forward with a shriek. It tore through Lavi and Kanda in an instant, and she watched as they crashed to the side. It came towards her and she cried out as it was nearly upon her. Her breath caught when she realised that the monster has stopped, hand inches from her face. She did not know what to do. The creatures hot breath was on her face and she couldn't think.

"Le…"

She froze

"Le..naaaa….le…"

The creatures head twisted, body shaking and she could only gape as it brought its hand down gently to try to touch her face.

"HiBan!"

A giant coil of fire smashed the creature into the floor, crushing him. In that instant, Kanda jumped, driving Mugen down and into the stomach of the monster, pinning him to the floor. It howled, and twisted.

Lenalee couldn't move. What as going on. Had it just stopped itself from hurting her? And her name. She knew that voice. She knew this feeling.

"Now!"

The voice of Leveiller rose above the screeching. Kanda quickly withdrew as several spikes appeared above and pierced the monster. Bindings quickly wound around the twisting and writhing body that was desperately trying to escape the spikes pinning it to the floor. Blood flowed freely from the creature as a barrier was put around it, casting the scene in eerily silence as the horrible screeches of the monster were cut out.

"Lenalee?"

Lavi was there; hand on her shoulder shaking her out of her reprise

"Are you okay, did it hurt you?"

She looked into the emerald eye, stirring with concern and tried to make her voice work. After gulping air and making no sound, Lenalee settled with merely nodding. Lavi remained concerned and opened his mouth to ask her if she was okay before Leveillers voice demanded their attention.

"Well, I must thank you for your help on this matter. Unfortunately I am not required to answer any of your questions. Crow members, if you would please"

"Please wait a minute"

Lenalee turned at her brother's voice as he and Reever made their way towards them. She had not realised they had followed her.

"Despite what you say, we need an explanation."

Leveiller glared and clenched his teeth.

"As I said, I am not obliged to give you one"

Komui opened his mouth to be interrupted by Kanda,

"Like fuck your not. Tell us what the fuck is that thing, now"

He pointed to the still writhing, but now silent creature, bleeding out on the floor surrounded by Crows.

Lavi was watching the argument unfold. His heart steady now, something more to do with knowing that Bookman was watching over his shoulder than anything. He knew it would not matter either way, as a Bookman he would find out what that creature was. But he wanted the answer now anyway. His curiosity was burning. He had not felt so intereseted in something since… well since a certain exorcist arrived in the Order. He pushed those thoughts away. He hated to be reminded of such memories. They made him realise how much he missed the certain exorcist. As a bookman with no emotions, it was hard to explain why he missed someone he was not supposed to care about. Lost in his own thoughts, he snapped back to the present to notice something no one else had not.

Lenalee was steadily moving towards to the creature. Lavi watched as she ignored the protests of the surrounding Crows and attempted to enter the barrier. The loud exclamations brought Lenalees actions to everyone's attention, as just as Lavi was about to ask what she was doing, Levellier boomed across him

"What do you think your doing! Stop her!"

The Crows made to grab Lenalee, who completely ignored Levellier and the surrounding chaos, as Kanda, Lavi and Komui all angrily demanded they remove their hands from her.

Lenalee looked at the creature through the barrier. It must has notice her presence as it stopped screeching and trying to escape. It turned its head towards her and waited stilly, attempting to lift its left arm despite it being pinned to the ground. The stillness of the creature as it looked at her reassured her that it would be alright. She had to find out. She touched the barrier, effectively breaking it. This time, not only was it Leviellers voice but her brothers worried one calling after her, asking what she was doing.

In truth, she did not know. She was overcome with a desperate need to validate that she was being stupid. That there was no way this creature could be… She swallowed down the thought. She bent down right in front of the upturned face. She knew how she could reassure herself. The metal blindfold was cracked. She moved to snap it away from its face. As she did so, she heard a wet tearing sound. She broke of the blindfold and gently shifted the bandage away from the creatures eyes. In her peripheral vision, she saw a hand slowly moving towards her cheek. The bandaged were loose. A black hand, with black nails and a green cross embedded in the centre came down slowly to softly stroke her face as she looked into the grey eye that stared back at her, a jagged red scar slowly spreading across the feature.

She stifled a sob that threatened to escape.

"Le…naa…"

She shook as the force of the realisation hit her. A finger caressed the side of her face.

"Le..naa. lee…"

"Allen…"