Hey! Thanks for all the reviews, guys! Just so you know, I'm going to try to update once a week. (That's about the best I can do with my schedule right now.) As for some of the people that just recently followed/favorited this story, welcome! I love every single one of my readers, regardless of whether or not they review.

Ern Estine 13624: I'm glad you couldn't wait for more! I don't think even I could keep waiting.

xFullmetalSoulx: Thanks for understanding! (And I'm glad I'm back, too!) Reading your reviews makes me one of the happiest people alive. You always are so enthusiastic, and I'm ridiculously happy you haven't lost interest in this story. I'm thinking that I'll make the sequel part of this story so it becomes a longer one. (Or possibly break it into parts, but it'll be listed under the same name.)

Roseahal: Thanks for the support! I'm really glad you're still enjoying my writing.

DarkAngelAnise: Thank you for the support, too! Family problems suck, but I've been in a much better place lately, so hence why I'm working on writing again. I'm glad you're looking forward to the sequel! I'm planning all kinds of things for it, so I'm super excited, too, since it'll be moving past the manga back to my own story again. Stay tuned!

SisBloodCarnivalOtaku: I promise the story gets better! (It might get a little worse before it does, but I guarantee it will get better for Kanda and Allen!

AliceXxX: Get better! I've never broken an arm before, but oh my god, getting a sprain in my wrist and thumb was bad enough. I hope you feel better! I'm glad you're still reading this story. It makes me extremely happy! (Like, seriously, I could start bouncing off the walls with happiness.)

Metiko: It's about time I came back to all you lovely people. Thanks for understanding how I feel. I'm sorry you can't write anything right now, but I promise, it does get better. Thanks for asking me to go my pace, too, because I can't express how nice it feels to have someone tell me it's okay. Seriously, thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Hopefully you'll love this one, too!

Thanks for all the reviews! You have no idea how happy I am that I can bring you some entertainment.

Chapter 13- Unrest

Three months. It had been three months since Allen had left. Three months of anguish, anger, horror, and unimaginable suffering. Johnny saw it all. It was in his all of his friends' eyes and it weighed them down like lead. It made Johnny even more determined to help Allen and help them.

He was sick of sitting behind a desk filing paperwork and making uniforms. There was so little he could do there. The people he could help the most weren't there; Lavi, Bookman, and Allen. With Kanda dead, Allen was entirely alone. He always felt like he had to do something. Somehow, in the months of unrest, he found the determination to help Allen, and he knew exactly what he was going to do.

For the past three months, Johnny had been working out and pushing himself as hard as he could. By no means was he up to par with Allen or any of the other exorcists, but he needed the stamina if he was really going to really set his plan into motion and see it through to the end.

After running what he assumed was about three miles, he decided to go inside and take the first step to activate his plan. He ran to where Allen's effects were in a restricted area inside the Order. Not long after he pulled out the box, he was startled to hear, "What do you think you're doing, Johnny?"

He nearly dropped the box in surprise. Internally, he scolded himself for not realizing sooner that he was followed to the vault. "You know that removing Allen's effects is forbidden. Put them back on the shelf." Reever's voice was sharp and clear, but Johnny didn't move an inch. "Put them back!"

"Johnny, what do you want with that?" Jiji asked from behind him.

With speed that surprised even himself, he turned around and remembered his perfect excuse. "Section Leader Reever, I'm quitting the science section. My grandmother is bedridden because of her bad feet and I'm the only one who can carry on the family business. I've done the work I had and passed on my duties to others." Somehow, he managed to stay relatively calm while he stared at the shocked and slightly horrified faces of his friends.

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you… going to search for Allen?" Reever asked in a quiet voice. The terror he felt was radiating off of him in giant waves. It was hard for Johnny to ignore the guilt that began to weigh down on his chest. Even with the extra weight, his resolve didn't weaken. The drive to save Allen far outweighed any fear he had.

His calm composure left him as he said, "Thank you for everything you've done for me!"

…

It was a peaceful day in France. Lenalee sat with Mari on a bench in the heart of Provence. For a while, it was quiet, and they both took in the calm beauty of city and didn't say anything to each other. It was the first time in a long time where Lenalee felt comfortable and relaxed. She could almost believe that the world she lived in was a dreadful nightmare and that things were always this easy.

Eventually, they began to talk to each other. The wait to go through the ark was longer than they thought it would be. The topic of Johnny came up while they watched a group of kids playing ball across from them.

"He's leaving?" she asked with concern laced into her soft voice.

"Yes, but Reever hasn't given his approval. Johnny insists that the family business needs him, but… he's probably going to look for Allen." Lenalee looked to the ground, not surprised by the idea of it. It sounded like Johnny to her. She just felt uncomfortable with the idea of him out there alone. It didn't seem right to her. Meanwhile, Mari continued on. "Of all the divisions of the Order, those in the science section possess the most sensitive data and specialized knowledge, so the restrictions on them when they leave the Order are especially strict. A violation means life imprisonment. I suppose the section chief is worried about that."

When would the danger end? Lenalee pondered that question in her head before more thoughts of Allen resurfaced. His departure had been especially hard on her. The memory was etched into her mind like a tattoo. It never faded and was always there, ever present and on the forefront of her thoughts. "What's it like to be a friend, Mari?" the Chinese girl asked darkly. "I mean, I couldn't say anything. I always said I believed in him, but when he tried to leave us without saying a word, I couldn't say anything. At the same time, I realized that I wasn't prepared to help him. I claimed to be his friend, but… I chose the Order over Allen."

Mari wasn't surprised by her outburst. He knew she'd been keeping most of her feelings locked away in her heart. It was really quite touching that she let her guard down around him. With a smile on his face, he said, "That wasn't wrong. You have ties to Komui and the others at the Order that go back many years. I do, too. I have ties to everyone. That's why I'm here… but that doesn't mean I don't have ties to Allen, too… and Kanda. Ties to so many people I've fought alongside and laughed with. No matter how far apart we are, we'll always be connected."

With those words, Lenalee felt reassured. She suddenly had the feeling that she would see Allen again sometime. Her ties with him would be stronger. She had to keep the hope of seeing him again. Giving in to doubt wasn't going to honor Allen or Kanda. Fighting the darkness was the only way to do that.

When they stood to go to the ark gate, in the crowd, long raven black hair caught her eye. She could have sworn her heart skipped a few beats. Her suitcase almost slipped from her hand at the sight of her presumed dead friend.

"What's the matter, Lena—?" her partner cut off as he paid closer attention to his hearing aid.

"Fool. Why did you come back? You were supposed to be free," Mari said to the unbelievable samurai before him. "Allen set you free."

Kanda gave them a smirk and said, "Come on. Just say 'welcome home' and leave it at that."

Lenalee couldn't help but shed tears of joy. Having Kanda there by her side once again made her feel less empty. She hadn't realized just how strong that emotion used to be until it was replaced with happiness, temporary or not.

"Let's go home," Lenalee said with a smile, now leading the group to the ark gate. Together, the three exorcists entered the ark.

Ultimately, they didn't go "home" quite yet. Kanda needed Mugen back, so they went to the Asia branch. He stayed quiet and aloof the entire time. His heart was in agony over any news he could possibly receive about Allen. Something told him that he wasn't anywhere near the Order…

Kanda couldn't ignore the tormenting questions that kept surfacing in his mind. Was Allen okay? Where was he? What had happened while Kanda was gone? Why hasn't anybody mentioned him? Why did Lenalee seem so crestfallen?

The unimaginable pain and anguish of his uncontrollable thoughts were attacking his heart. Somewhere in the swirl of emotions, déjà vu rose to the surface. He remembered when Allen was missing, how he cursed his emotions for existing. Once yet again, he found himself tangled in a web of feelings and thoughts he couldn't escape from and wished them to be gone.

With a slight shake of his head, he recalled one of the moments he shared with Allen, so long ago now.

As the boy in his arms ceased his crying, he looked up to Kanda slowly. "I'm sorry… I'm so pathetic, crying like this…"

"No. You're not," Kanda said instantly. "Don't you dare say that."

"It's true… I shouldn't cry. I should just ignore all my emotions and do what's right…"

"Damn it, don't shut down your emotions," Kanda said apprehensively before pulling Allen closer to him and kissing his neck. "If you do, you wouldn't feel this," the samurai whispered as he moved a hand to his cheek. "Or this." With intensity, he moved his lips to meet the pale pink ones. Allen melted into the kiss and softly moaned at the sweet sensation. He couldn't help but move a hand to pull off the hair tie the samurai always wore. When Kanda nibbled on Allen's lower lip, the snow haired teen opened his lips and allowed the samurai's tongue to enter. As Kanda explored Allen's mouth, Allen let his hands tangle in the flowing black hair. An airy moan escaped the dark haired teen at the feeling of hands twisting in his hair. His head had always been rather sensitive.

The two broke apart for air, and Kanda snaked his hands around Allen's waist, drawing him closer. "Do you still want to ignore your emotions?" he asked breathlessly.

Allen decided he absolutely couldn't get enough of that tone from Kanda. "No," he replied, closing his eyes and leaning into Kanda's chest.

"Good, baka moyashi. I don't want you to," he responded, leaning back to lie down on the couch, pulling Allen on top of him. He softly planted a kiss on his forehead before wrapping his arms around the smaller teen tighter than before.

The pain in Kanda's chest intensified at thought of how happy he felt then. It was by no means the most perfect moment, but… it was the first time they kissed. It was when Kanda knew that he was hopelessly in love with the stupid moyashi. That moment held so much significance, despite all the things that were going to hell at the time.

Somehow, that moment had become one he held onto. When he was wandering around, trying to decide what to do and to clear his mind after the stuff with Alma, that moment kept him going. There were a few others, of course, but… that moment stood out so strongly in his mind. That memory was vivid; it was when he felt the most alive.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts and memories that he didn't even hear Lenalee at first. "Kanda? Didn't you hear me?" she asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Stop it. What did you say?" he asked, still a little distracted.

"I asked you if you wanted to know what happened while you were gone," she said, her tone of voice now crestfallen. "I'm sure you want to know about Allen." The samurai's composure stiffened ever so softly, but it did not go unnoticed by the female exorcist. "I figured as much… Kanda," Lenalee said, the beginnings of tears in her eyes. She reached out for the samurai's hand. "Allen was imprisoned for protecting you and Alma."

Kanda's suspicions had been confirmed. Allen had committed a very serious act of treason to send them to Mater. Knowing him, he wouldn't have said a single word about where they were. It was part of his damn martyr complex. It brought sorrow to him, imagining Allen rotting away in the prison of the Black Order simply because Allen acted to protect Kanda. "Go on," he managed to say calmly.

The tears began to fall from Lenalee's violet eyes. "He… he wouldn't say anything about you. He wouldn't take food and water from what I heard. They didn't let any of us see him. And then, three months ago…" By now, she was distraught. Kanda braced himself for the worst. "The Noah attacked HQ to rescue him. They say Allen killed Link and left with the Noah, but… I saw him, Kanda. I saw him leave. He used the ark, and he was himself. The Noah were nowhere to be found. The Order stripped him of his Exorcist title and deemed him an enemy. He told me that whatever happens, he was an exorcist."

"Whatever happens, I am an exorcist," Kanda murmured softly. "That sounds like something he would say."

"The Order is employing its full resources to find him. After all, he is Cross's protégé," Mari replied, still in awe that his friend was here and alive. "I'm surprised you knew we were there."

"I didn't. I was just watching that gate," Kanda answered as he pushed the door open to the office.

He wasn't surprised to see Komui and Leverrier. Nor was he surprised when Leverrier asked about Alma. Very aware of his audience, Kanda coldly said, "I won't tell you anything except that I haven't forgiven the Order."

"Watch your tongue!" a Crow Kanda didn't know said.

"Then why did you come back?" Leverrier asked with scrutiny in his eyes. "You understand that Allen Walker betrayed the Order in order to hide the two of you."

Like he needed a reminder. Trying not to lose his composure, he pulled back the curtain in front of him. Lying in the bed was the sword smith who made Mugen. That very sword was clenched tight in the old man's hands.

"He's been asleep for a while," Bak said, looking towards Kanda with an anxious expression.

"That's Mugen," he commented at the rusted blade in the man's wrinkled hands.

"At his request, we've taken temporary possession of it."

"Why… why did you come back?" the dying man before them asked to the disheveled samurai. "Alma… your fight with him… has your body healed?" Kanda only gave him a blank stare. "You must have figured it out by now. It was me. The Order's human experimentation to strengthen exorcists for the holy war; I led them all. I am the one who began that dreadful story. Long ago, I upheld Central Agency's authority. I was proud and cruel. I made many suffer for the sake of the Chan family. Tui and the others had no choice but to perpetuate my mistake. The truly sinful person… is me."

Now that the old man was done, Kanda reached for his sword. When their hands touched, Kanda saw lotus blossoms surrounding Zu Mei Chan. The soft pink flowers that haunted him were now haunting the old man, too.

"What… is this? Lotus flowers?"

With a sad smile, Kanda said, "Then you're going to hell, too." The samurai gripped his sword with both hands. "Awaken, Mugen."

The sword began to shine brightly and blinded all who looked at it. When the light diminished, it changed into a tiny little cube. His audience looked at the cubed innocence in awe.

"A crystal type?" Bak exclaimed aloud.

Before the innocence could fall back into his hand, Lenalee grabbed it, astonishing the samurai. "Wait, Kanda! Is this okay with you? The Order has you bound longer than any of us. It took away your past and the one you loved. You'll never get away again… you could have been free!"

Kanda didn't respond to her. He couldn't put into words all the reasons why he needed to do this, so instead of explaining himself, he opened up her hands to take back his innocence. "Hmm… it became a liquid. Don't be angry." The samurai moved the girl's hands to his lips. He drank every drop of the innocence, ignoring the random outbursts from Komui and Bak. As the crosses appeared on his forearms, he murmured, "I'm truly free now. I decided that this time, I'd choose for myself to be an exorcist." The blood that flowed from his arms began to form his old sword slowly. Everyone was enticed by the incredible sight before them.

"Long ago, there was an exorcist who likened himself to a flower. Why didn't I remember those words? It isn't an illusion, Kanda… You grow straight towards heaven. You are a mighty lotus," Zu said with his final breath as the samurai fully activated his crystal-type innocence.

…

Reever was on the phone, and Johnny was getting antsy. The longer he spent here waiting for his superior to understand, the longer Allen was alone out there doing who knows what. Johnny had never been very patient, so right now was unbearable.

He decided to listen to Reever's conversation. "I see… Master Zu… I'll make it so nothing stands in the way and have them attend the funeral… Yes. Master Zu looked after everyone in the Science Section, so yes." A longer pause on Reever's behalf and the look on his face told Johnny that he was being told something important from whoever was on the other side. "Was Kanda alright?" he asked with his shock still evident on his face. "He went to the Asia branch, so I haven't seen him yet. Is he hurt?" Johnny found himself listening intently now. "He seemed alright to you? What's with him? He went somewhere? You sound like it doesn't concern you!" Reever sounded annoyed now. "Huh? You looked for Kanda and got lost yourself?"

The second Reever hung up the phone, Johnny begged, "Please, Section Leader!"

"You're persistent, aren't you? Whine all you want, but I won't accept your letter of resignation!" Reever snapped, frustrated with the younger scientist.

"My grandma's feet are bad! She needs me to take over the family business!" he repeated himself for the thousandth time. He knew he would need to come up with something better, but he didn't know what to do with himself. He felt uneasy, like he didn't have the time to think about something new to say.

"What do I care? I'm sick of hearing that line!" Reever ranted, sending Johnny a heated glare. "What's the family business anyway? Aren't you a rich kid? Isn't that why you're such a wimp?"

"That's not fair to rich kids… And my family has a tailor's shop. A small one!"

"That's why you're so good at needlework and design…" Reever muttered. "But I know you're really going to find Allen!"

"I won't, I won't, I won't!" Johnny insisted, looking up at him for an answer.

The chief's demeanor changed on a dime. His furrowed eyebrows and scrunched lips relaxed and his shoulders drooped. "Do you know what it means if you do that?" he inquired cautiously. "Think about it. What if Allen doesn't defeat the Fourteenth? You'll be hunted by the Noah and the Order. You'll have nowhere to run… and Allen himself could turn into a Noah and kill you. Have you thought of that?" The anger was back, but this time, Johnny realized it was out of concern. "I know it's hard to accept what happened to him, bu—"

"Why?! Why? I'm sure Allen's all alone right now! That's the way he is! He feels sadness more acutely than others do. He's reached his limit, but he puts on a smile and goes alone. That's the kind of idiot he is. He's completely alone!" A pregnant pause filled the air. "I… I can't express it very well, but he can't do it alone. The Science Section exists to support exorcists! Leaving Allen alone makes it more likely he'll lose to the Fourteenth!" he shouted passionately.

With a heavy sigh, Reever slammed his fist against the table next to him. "You… when you saw Alma Karma at the North American Branch, you asked me why I brought you. I expected things from you, not just as a scientist… but as someone who understands the exorcists. I thought… maybe… that you were like me. I also have an idiot who supports me, no matter what happens. This really does make me mad… I understand how you feel, so... I can't bring myself to tell you no!"

Sorry about the abrupt ending. To be honest, there was no good way to end this since from here on, there's almost nothing but action. I either would have had to end it after Kanda saves Johnny from the CROWS or now, and, well, now seemed to work best with the story. Also, this chapter would have been too long.

Thanks for reading! If you drop a review, I'd love to read it!