A/N: I've edited some of the chapters because…I dunno…I just felt like it… And nope, you don't have to reread anything if you've seen them before. Basically the same stuff.

The Hidden Truth

Summary: Allen pays for his master once more, this time with the help of his friends. What lies at the end is the painful truth, and at the end, he finds himself wishing he could just pay bills forever.

A/N: My first fic ever… And well, just expect a lot of twists in the future. And a lot of Lavi moments too! Hope you enjoy… ",

Disclaimer: I do not own -man or any of its characters…

Chapter 1: Master is…dead?!?

Allen watched the dying torch lights as he made his way out of headquarters through the subterranean water way. Shadows creep over the rough cavern surface, all seemingly alive as they danced with the shifting of the weak flames. Somehow the young exorcist can't get off the odd feeling that something is eyeing him, no, more like following him from the darkness. His eyes caught something move from the shadows. Mist-like tentacles suddenly shot out of the black. And they're all coming for him.

Flicker…

He tried to scream when something caught his legs. The boat is gone, and he's standing on top of the water. He looked down only to find someone grabbing his left foot. He saw his scared reflection on the water. He saw himself, tentacles creeping all over his body. But then the reflection suddenly changed.

'Who are…?'

Allen cut off mid- sentence when he noticed that he is starting to sink. He tried to struggle free but for some unknown reason he can't move. Teardrops were breaking the calm surface of the water. His tears are…falling…

'Allen-kun…'

Flicker…

A figure was calling out from underneath one of the torches.

'Lenalee?'

The white- haired youth caught a glimpse of the other exorcist as the flames shifted. He heaved a sigh of relief, glad that he isn't alone. But she's not by herself. Lenalee's with someone…

She's with…himself?

'Lenalee!'

His other self was carrying Lenalee, wedding style. Allen felt a bit embarrassed but before a blush could start on his face, he noticed that something is wrong. Lenalee has a knife jutting out of her chest. Her breathing is coming in labored gasps as she tried to reach the face of the man who was smiling at her suffering.

'Allen-kun…'

Flicker…

Allen reached out his hand though he's sunk all the way to his neck. He has to..

'You have to what?'

A white figure was smiling at him from the surface of the water where his reflection should have been.

'You can't do anything…'

The figure laughed, his voice reverberating throughout the underground cavern. Allen tried to reach out one more time.

'Le…Lenalee…NOOO!!!!!

Allen woke up with a jolt with Lavi shaking him vigorously.

'Oi, Allen, wake up!!! Allen?!!!' The red- haired exorcist was tugging at his coat. He's apparently shaking him for a time now.

'Allen?!?!!' he shook Allen even harder.

'I'm fine Lavi…please stop shaking me, it makes me feel sick.' Allen managed to say.

The young bookman finally let go of his friend. But somehow, Allen has the impression that the young bookman is x-ray-ing him.

'Lavi, I'm really fine.' Allen gave his comrade a reassuring smile. The red- haired exorcist merely shrugged before picking up the book he's thrown a little while back when he noticed his friend gasping for breath while asleep. Sadly, the book was already halfway eaten by a starving Timcanpy.

'Crap, Timcanpy, do you really have to chew the pages?' Lavi protested. He tried to sort out whatever readable page there is left but ended up being bitten by the golden golem who strongly insists on finishing his meal.

' Ouch!!!! Allen, I know you eat way too much but at least share something with this fellow!! Hey, Allen?!!!! Allen?'

But Allen's not listening to Lavi. He was watching the torches. He's sure he's dreaming about torches a while ago, but what is it about? He tried to recall what the dream is but to no avail.

'The torches…remember…the torches…' Allen muttered.

However, instead of making him recall his dream, the red flames did nothing but to remind Allen of a certain red- haired someone who's the very reason why he has to head out this late at night in the first place. The very thought of his evil master is enough to make him lose interest in knowing what's he's dreamed about. He's feeling a strong urge to throw up at the moment.

'Hey, Allen?! Are you sure you're fine?' Lavi, who has reluctantly given up on his precious book queried. Allen turned to reassure his friend that he was fine but Lavi's hair, which reminds him of his master a lot, made him feel even worse. He decided the torches were more bearable to look at.

'Did you put something on your skin? It looks amazingly green!' Lavi's voice sounds excited. He seems to have already forgotten the nightmare incident a little while back.

Allen, not sure if he should be thanking the young bookman or not, merely replied with a weak smile before murmuring his answer a couple of moments later.

'I…Lavi…I think I'm gonna die.' Allen answered.

'Haha, quite optimistic of you…'

'Che! Can't you fucking shut your traps, you idiots?!?' an outraged Kanda Yuu protested from behind the two other exorcists. He's obviously reached his limit of his recommended daily intake of stupid chatter that he decided to butt in at the moment.

Lavi turned on his seat to face hell. 'Hey, Yuu-chan! When did youuuu get there?! I thought it was only Allen and the finder with meee!'

'Don't you ever call me by my first name, baka- usagi!!' Lavi barely avoided a deathly slash, courtesy by an outraged Kanda Yuu.

'And tell that rotting beansprout that he can go die and go to hell whenever he wants!!'

'What the hell did you say, BA-KANDA?!!!' Allen, hearing what Kanda said, commented back.

'Got a problem with it beansprout?!'

And so, the usual festive exchange of curses and Mugen-slashing ensues…

Meanwhile, with the boat rocking violently back and forth due to two exorcists' doing, a young bookman was going through the record of a certain letter he has seen a little while back.

Flashback:

The exorcist headquarters was in such a buzz after discovering two letters written by Marshall Cross deftly hidden inside the room where he was supposedly killed a few days ago. Inspector Howard Link accidentally dropped his fountain pen under a wooden cabinet and was in the process of searching for it when he noticed the sheets of paper jutting out from its hiding place at a nook on the wall. The letters were addressed to two people in particular, the supervisor Komui Lee, and the man's apprentice Allen Walker.

'This is good news everyone.' Komui took a sip of his coffee as he waved the crumpled sheet of paper to the crowd in front of him. Every exorcist, the three remaining generals, the science section, Malcolm C. Leverrier and his assistant Link, were all gathered at the supervisor's office, all seemingly struck by the news except for the last two.

'In this letter addressed to me, the Marshall Cross directly confirmed his safety though he didn't go about the details of the events that happened that night nor how he managed to escape from the culprit.' Komui paused, waiting for questions if there are any, and seeing that there are none, continued with what he's going to say.

'Furthermore, he also wrote that he cannot say where he is staying at at the moment for his own safety and the Order's as well and to not worry about him. Even though he didn't have judgment with him, he says he's still with another Innocence, Maria, so he says he should be fine. He also mentioned that we have to take care of ourselves as well for the culprit for his supposed death was nearby though he didn't say who it is.'

The room turned suddenly quiet as every eye darted to Malcolm C. Leverrier, who was calmly sipping his tea at a corner, unperturbed by the gazes he received from everybody else. He slowly lowered his empty cup then motioned for Komui to continue.

Komui caught himself also looking at the Secretary before continuing with his report.

'Ahm, y-yes,' he half stuttered.

'Another thing, I really don't know why he wrote this in my letter instead of telling this to Allen but he says that what he told Allen in his letter is enough to find the truth.'

Komui paused when he noticed that everyone else was looking at Allen Walker expectantly- at him and the letter which supposedly will reveal the 'truth.' Allen, on the other hand, looks like he would rather not know what his master's letter says. After all, every single letter he received from the Marshall only speaks of his debts and where the hell Allen should work to pay for them. It really makes him feel miserable to see anything at all that comes from the General, much less to find a letter that reminds him so much of those miserable days. However, feeling all the eyes looking at him, and with Timcanpy trying to munch at the paper, he reluctantly reached for the letter and started reading out the contents for everyone to hear:

Dear Allen,

Debt in the Arturoe Marqo docks,

has 6185135.

Cross

Allen heard a bunch of disappointed yells and a glimpse of something red rolling like crazy on the floor before he let unconsciousness to take, even temporarily, the worse of his nightmares away.

End of flashback

'Arturoe Marqo, huh?' Lavi mused, still ignoring the other two exorcists' fight that was almost knocking the boat they're in. The finder who was earlier leading their boat was trying to get himself back on board after falling off the edge only to fall off again because of the boat's violent shaking. Lavi, having realized something interesting from his deep thought, finally decided to join with the other's 'fun.'

'Oi, Yuu-chaaann!!!Allen!! Seems like fun!!!!' Lavi jumped into the commotion as if there's no Mugen slashing at Allen. The white- haired exorcist tried to stop Lavi, but it was way too late.

And so, moments later, a huge splash freed the poor boat of its earlier predicament.

Four days after…

'Lenaleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Komui wailed as he tried to stop his younger sister from following Allen's group. Reever and the rest of the science team were trying their best to restrain their idiot of a supervisor from doing…heaven knows what…just to stop Lenalee.

'Come on, supervisor, Lenalee's right!' Reever shouted amidst the noise of Komui's crying.

'Just think of what Lenalee feels about being exempted from working with the others just because her brother's the supervisor!! And stop scattering your snot on my coat, dammit!'

'NONONONONONONONONONOOOOOO!!!!!! I DON'T WANT MY SWEET LENALEE TO BE WORKING WITH SNOTTY, DIRTY DOCK RATS!!!!!!NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

'Nii- san, please let go of me.' Lenalee said patiently, her voice laced with a little annoyance over her brother's behavior. Not that she expects anything less from his overprotective sibling anyway. She continued her walk towards the ark gate, with her brother holding on to the hem of her dress as if for dear life. But whatever her brother might say, she won't allow Allen, Kanda and Lavi to shoulder all of Cross' debts by themselves. She is, after all, a member of the Cross squad during the Edo event and is thus equally liable for whatever amount of debt the Marshall has accumulated. Besides, another hand to help would mean paying the debt faster. The Order cannot lose that much manpower for a long duration of time, nor can they let Allen get killed by the Earl while working alone for his master, the very reason why Kanda and Lavi has to come as well.

After about fifteen minutes of slow walking (Komui was wailing and tugging at her dress' hem for the entire duration of the walk), Lenalee finally managed to reach the ark gate. She gave her sobbing brother a reassuring smile before pulling the hem out of her nii- san's grasp.

'I'm going now nii- san. Wish me well.' She gave her brother her usual kind and sweet smile.

LENALEEE!!!

'I'll be back in no time nii- san, neh?!'

Komui, who has finally accepted his defeat, only continued his noisy sobbing, so Lenalee addressed Reever instead.

'Wish us well. And please take care of brother, Reever- san.'

Reever shrugged. 'Like were not taking care of this idiot all the time.'

'You're so mean Reever!!! You guys never cared about MEEEE!!!!!'

'Fine, fine.' Reever turned to Lenalee leaving Johnny and the others to continuously restrain Komui, just in case he changes his mind again.

'You sure you want to go, Leverrier said…'

'I don't care what he says, Reever- san' Lenalee said, a little bit too forceful.

Lenalee can't go worrying about what the secretary has to say when she knows that Allen and the others are at great danger. There's just no way will she leave Allen's side again even if it means going against that cursed man's will. She won't leave Allen again like what she did when the two of them were trying to save Suman. That time, she really thought she's lost him for good. And the experience was extremely unbearable. She's not going to….

Wait, what am I thinking about? Did I…Reever? Lenalee was shocked. Did she just talk to Reever like that?

Meanwhile, the science section head was clearly taken aback. Is this really Lenalee Lee? That firm statement against Leverrier, the epitome of all her sufferings during her earlier days in the Order, were words he never expected would come from her. And to hear her say she dosn't give a damn what the secretary says. This girl has surely grown a lot.

'I'm sor-'

'No, you don't have to.' Reever gave her a knowing smile.

'But…'

'It's fine Lenalee, I understand. Well, take care then. And make sure Allen and Lavi gets back alive.'

'Eh?' Lenalee asked, confused by Reever's comment.

'Kanda, I mean.'

Lenalee couldn't help but chuckle despite what happened a while ago. 'Yes, I won't let him kill them. I'm off then, Reever- san.'

With that she waved everybody goodbye then turned to enter the ark towards the Asian branch.

Despite the quiet interior of the ark, Lenalee don't feel her usual calm self at all. Why did she react to the Reever's words that way? Is it because of the science head chief reminding her of Leverrier? No, that's not it.

Lenalee, you're not your usual strong self now…

'Allen…kun?' Lenalee suddenly came to a stop. That's exactly what Allen told her when they were trapped inside this very same ark which was then at the brink of destruction because of the download. That time, she really thought Krory and Kanda would be gone for good after the rest of their company left them behind to face the Noahs. But then, Allen made her believe, even if there's just too little of hope, that they would certainly get back home safely together with all of their friends.

Lenalee could still remember those blue grayish orbs that reminded her so much of an ashen sky promising rain. She can even remember the way he held her on her cheeks just to stop her from risking her life to save their friends. That firm but deliberate touch of his that tried to impose while at the same time heedful and considerate of her feelings. Allen is always the gentleman no matter how pinched the situation might become.

A small smile tugged at the corner of the exorcist's lips. 'No, I'm just remembering that because I'm inside the ark. And I want to reassure myself that I will be going home safely with everyone else. I want to protect them just like what Allen- kun did here before.' She nodded as to tell herself that her logic's right.

Maybe that sister complex of her brother is somewhat contagious. Ever since what happened with Suman, she felt as if she always needed to stay by Allen's side. Is it because of guilt for having left him alone that night? But whatever the reason might be, she feels that she needs to stay by his side to support him.

'How's that Allen- kun, you've just earned an older sister with a little brother complex, neh?!'

Somehow, the words didn't sound convincing to Lenalee Lee.

Meanwhile, somewhere in mainland China, three exorcists are already having the time of their lives working off some red- headed womanizer's debt…

..uhm, so what do you think? Is it that bad? It's actually my first time writing a fanfic and I don't go well with grammar either so I would really appreciate constructive criticisms. I'm not that good at making conversations as well. Anyhow, here are some things I would want to point out with regards to the story (note: some spoilers ahead):

-The HQ I was referring to in the story is the new one in London.

-In chapter 165, when Allen, Lenalee, Johnny, and Komui are about to set up an ark gate connecting old and new hq, the boat they were in was shown entering something like a cave from the sea. I'm assuming it's an underground waterway, well what else could it be?!?(I'm really sorry if I spoiled this to anyone)

-You must be wondering how the Marshall Cross managed to hide the letter so I'm making up an explanation here. Well, the Marshall was fully aware of the threat on his life so he made the letter even before the attack and hid it there. It's kind of dumb but I can't think of any better explanation. Sorry 'bout that.

-How did they know it was really Cross' letter? Allen confirmed his handwriting.

-This story happened right after the Cross incident so the science team consists of only the usual (Reever and company). So no Pecks here yet.

-And why did Allen, Kanda, and Lavi have to travel all the way to where they are going instead of jumping to the Asian hq then setting off from there? Leverrier's seriously pissed about what Allen's letter contains that he forbids the three exorcists to use the ark. Haha…

And as I've said in the summary, this is absolutely an AllenxLenalee fic. I don't hate people who read yaoi or anything (it's their choice so I can't complain) but I have a friend who's read a yaoi of Kanda and Allen somewhere (out of curiosity) before watching the series and now she doesn't have any plan of watching it because seeing the anime reminds her of the yaoi she read. To make it short, I don't want to make anything that might discourage other people from watching/reading an awesome anime/manga like –Man. So, there.

And of course, thanks to everybody who read! And I'm sorry for any typos and/or grammar mistakes. English is, after all, not my language, which explains why my vocabulary isn't that extensive. And also, I'm sorry for the foul language courtesy of Kanda. Hehe, can't do anything 'bout that, can I? I seriously don't know if I should continue this so please tell me your thoughts. Again, thanks to everyone who read...!