Hello, darling readers!

Okay, that was creepy. I probably scared away half of you now...

For the other remaining half, I will explain what this is.

It's set in the 'Evillous Chronicles' (I love Akuno-P.), Clockwork Lullaby Series, and while not canon, features one of my favorite shippings: Kaito/Miku. Although, in here, it would be Gear/Doll.

The second one of one of my interferences, the first one being 'Thoughts of the Sorceress', I give you...

Clockwork Bonding

"Father?" the clockwork doll ran around the theater, desperately searching for the man no longer here.

Gear sighed. She should have known by now. It had been what? Three months? Four? The Collector had certainly left an impression on her.

"Gear!" a commanding tone called him "Where is father?" Fierce teal eyes met cool blue.

"Dead." Croaked the trapped soul. "Most likely in the Hellish Yard." It was the same answer he had given to the strangely familiar woman yesterday, and the day before, and the day before, and the day before.

And just like all the previous days, she began to cry.

And just like before, he took her in his arms and soothed her, trying to calm her. Somehow, his arms around her felt right and familiar, as if he'd done this before.

-.-.-

"Father used to call me Michelle." Announced the doll. "Is that a good thing, Gear?"

"Certainly, Master of the Court." Anything to make her happy. That was his duty, wasn't it? To take care of her?

That, and seeing her content pleased him.

"Well, if it's a good thing-." Abruptly, she halted and crumpled. Gear jerked around, and tried to pick her up.

"Master? Doll?" He shook her. No response. "Michelle?"

"It won't work." A soft voice chided. The blue-haired man turned to see MA, the lonely Magi. "She's dying. Great. After all that effort to get it, the Vessel of Sloth is dying." With a huff, the sorceress walked away. Not very helpful at all, but the only chance of finding out what was wrong.

In despair, he carried the unconscious body after her. "Wait!" called Gear. "What do I do?"

"Whatever you want." Replied MA, not looking back or stopping. "You can leave, or you can save her."

"How do I save her?" he asked, finally catching up.

She stopped and looked at him. "You know how."

He shook his head. "No, I don't."

The black haired woman rolled her eyes. "She's connected to the clocktower. If the gears in it stops," she paused ominously, making him lean back in fear. "If the second hand stops," she corrected herself. "It signifies her end."

She began to walk away once more, probably to enjoy a book or a scroll. "The gears need to be replaced, Adam!" were the last words to him before she turned a corner and disappeared from sight.

For a moment, he grimaced. Perhaps it was too much to hope that no one would know of his pasts and errors, and his wife's folly.

He ran out, still carrying the girl. While he was doing so, he noticed burn marks on Doll's ankle. Ah, she had been damaged in the fire. The burn marks would stay with her forever.

Glancing at the clock, he saw that time was short. How would he replace and fix all the gears in the tower?

Gear never knew whether it had been MA, or something else. He just remembered unconsciously being aware of the fact that he needed to sacrifice himself for the Doll to live. Fitting, how he would become part of the clockwork tower so the clockwork doll could live, to make sure she did not perish from the former master's mistakes.

Carefully, he squeezed the dying girl in his arms one last time in an awkward hug, and put her down. Then, he ran to the tower.

-.-.-

"Not much time remaining." Muttered the well-dressed man. Dusting his epaulets, he carefully walked into the mass of gears, and sat in the middle, where he was surrounded by six coloured gears, the ones he knew to be special. Three of them, the red, yellow, and teal were moving, although the teal was slowing. The rest, pink, purple and blue, were still, but dust-free. No dust dared settle on them.

Some unknown force was guiding his steps through this ritual. He just hoped it would work.

Taking a deep breath, he placed a hand over his heart, and thrust, knowing his spring would now join them.

-.-.-

"I'm alive?" Gear wondered. After the sacrifice, he had thought that he would die, or fade away into nothing. Anything but continue living.

"Yes." He whirled around to face MA. "Someone needs to take care of the doll and her child. We figured you would be the best candidate."

He ignored the other parts, and the hidden jibe that he was nothing but a lowly babysitter. "Is she alive? Alright?" he demanded.

"Yes, your little girlfriend is right as sunshine." She said dismissively. "Although you lost most of your power saving her, hero." She snickered. He failed to see the humor.

He didn't care. As long as Doll was there, he would do his duty. Unlike her 'father', he would make no mistakes, and keep her safe.

After all, he had no deadly sin to endanger her. He only represented it.

For those of you confused, Adam's soul is supposedly trapped and Gear. He likes and cares for Doll because she looks like Eve, and he wants her safe 'this' time. Even if it means endangering himself.

Doll just likes him because he cares for her. (-.-')

The child is Irregular, or Len, MA is Luka, and I'm sure you know the rest. This takes place in Heartbeat Clocktower, Clockwork Lullaby 4.

Thank you for reading, please review and/or vote on my poll!

~Ten-Faced~