Charlotte looked up at the Phantomhive manor anxiously. Was the man she needed to see still inside? She didn't know; it had been years since she'd been to England. Four, in fact. Four years of wandering and wondering, trying to come home. She knocked on the door and pulled nervously at her skirt.

"Hello?" the door opened.

"Oh." Charlotte said, looking up at the butler that had greeted her. "I was expecting Tanaka."

"Tanaka is still here, however I am the Head Butler now." the butler replied smoothly/

"Oh."

"Are you here to visit Tanaka?"

Charlotte looked up. "It would be nice to see him again, but I'm actually here to see Lord Phantomhive. He's expecting me."

The butler moved to the side. "I see. What name should I give?"

Charlotte slowly walked in, looking around to see if the manor had changed. It hadn't. "Wressel. Charlotte Wressel."

The butler bowed. "Very well, My Lady. I am Sebastian Michealis. Should you need anything, please let me know."

Nodding, Charlotte continued to look around the room.

"Miss Wressel."

Charlotte turned. "Ciel! You've grown!"

He stiffened. "You are an old acquaintance of my father's, yes?"

"Business partner, but yes. Where is he? On business from the Queen?"

Charlotte gulped slightly as Ciel's eyes narrowed. "My father has been dead for two years."

"Impossible. I received a letter from him three months ago, requesting that I return."

"That was from the late Lord Phantomhive; however it was I who sent it."

Charlotte whirled around. "Tanaka!"

The old man smiled and opened his arms. Charlotte flew into then and hugged her old friend tightly.

"It is good to see you well, Lottie."

Charlotte smiled. "You too, Tanaka. But what happened to Vincent?"

Tanaka sighed and turned to Ciel. "With your permission, sir, I would like to explain to Charlotte what happened in the past four years."

Charlotte looked hopefully at Ciel, who nodded. "I'll be in my study."

"Thank you, Ciel." Charlotte smiled sadly.

…...

"That's awful!"

Tanaka nodded. "It changed the young master. He is no longer the child we knew."

"I could see that." Charlotte nodded. "How long has Sebastian been with him?"

"Since the young master returned, He has been nothing but exemplary. He has protected the master with his life."

Charlotte hummed. "He's different. So are you, Tanaka."

"I'm better, now that you're back."

Smiling, Charlotte kissed her friend's cheek lightly. "I should go see Ciel."

Tanaka nodded. "Charlotte?"

Charlotte turned around. "Hmm?"

"Why did you leave?"

A sad smile crept onto Charlotte's face. "I had to."

As Charlotte walked through the manor, her thoughts drifted to the Ciel she had seen walk down the stairs. Physically, he was the perfect mix of Vincent and Rachel, he always had been, but there was nothing of their personality there. All she saw was the cold efficiency of Vincent, the Queen's Guard Dog. She reached the door to the study and knocked lightly before opening the door and slipping inside.

"I didn't say you could come in."

Charlotte froze. She'd completely forgotten. "I'm sorry. Old habits die hard."

Ciel looked up from his papers and raised his eyebrows at her. "My father let you into his workplace uninvited?"

"He preferred it." Charlotte sat on the corned of the desk. "There was also a chair for me."

"I…I see."

Charlotte bit back a smile as she caught a look of longing on Ciel's face. "I can tell you what he was like, if you want."

"I knew him. There's no need." Ciel looked out of the window, thinking.

Getting up, Charlotte smiled. "Then I guess you'll already know that he used to look out of the window like that when he was thinking too."

Ciel spun round, a look of shock on his face, as Charlotte left the study and promptly bumped into Sebastian.

"Miss Wressel."

"Sebastian."

He looked at her suspiciously. "What were you saying to the young master?"

Charlotte smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

…...

The roof had always been an inviting place to Charlotte. On the roof she could feel the wind, watch the sky change from a soft light blue to the dark shade that signalled to usual start of her working day. At least, that's what she'd done when Vincent Phantomhive had lived. Now she had nothing to do but mourn the loss of her master and wait until her new one called her, if he called her at all.

She sighed and shuffled to the edge of the roof. Ciel was in the garden, Sebastian by his side. Frowning to herself, she peered closer. "There's something strange about him."

Tanaka came out, and Charlotte smiled as he handed Ciel a diary that Charlotte knew to be Vincent's. Well, one of Vincent's, which she had kept with her. The cover was a greyish-blue, so Charlotte knew it was his diary of the British Underworld. And her.

…...

Charlotte stood in front of Ciel, twisting her fingers slightly.

"You worked for my father."

"Yes."

"And his father before that?"

"Yes."

Ciel slammed the diary onto the desk. "Who the Hell are you?!"

Charlotte sighed. "Did you read what you father wrote about me?"

Ciel nodded.

"Then you'll know who I am."

"The 'protector' of the Phantomhive family."

Charlotte nodded and Ciel sighed in defeat. "How are you still alive?"

"I don't change."

"At all?"

Smiling, Charlotte shook her head. "I haven't changed since I was told to serve the first Phantomhive. I change my hair and eye colour occasionally, but other than that, I am the same as I was with Lukia."

Ciel frowned. "Lukia?"

"The first Phantomhive." Charlotte smiled as she remembered the day she met him. "He looked at me with such awe, the first time we met. When he was told I belonged to him, he was so happy."

Leaning forward slightly, Ciel looked Charlotte in the eye. "And what about me? Do you belong to me?"

Charlotte kissed the tips of her fingers than pressed the same hand over her heart and bowed. "My entire being is yours, until the day I cannot prevent your death."

"And how do you intend to stop my demise?" Ciel said thoughtfully. "Could you keep me alive and live?"

Charlotte knew that Ciel was talking to himself, Vincent had done it too when he was thinking things over, but she answered him anyway. "I can't die. Believe me, people have tried."

Ciel chuckled darkly. "Very well. You said that you could tell me about my father. Tell me."

So Charlotte told him. She told him of letters and agreements she had helped Vincent to write, the fights they had both been in, the visits Vincent had made to Ciel's mother and she told him of the Underworld his father had ruled.

"And that is what you will do for me?" Ciel's eyes were wide.

Nodding, Charlotte smiled. "I am yours. Your chess piece. Move me where you will, except off the board. That I cannot do."

"You left my father." Ciel muttered.

"I had no choice. I was ordered to leave your family by the same one who put me with you. If I could have stayed, I would have done."

Ciel sighed. "Sebastian."

Charlotte narrowed her eyes as the butler walked in. There was something off about him…

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Charlotte will be staying with us. Prepare her a room."

Sebastian nodded but Charlotte stepped forwards. "Actually, I have a room."

Sighing again, Ciel turned to Charlotte. "And how long have you had this room?"

"Since the manor was first built. You should remember it; you slept in it when you had measles."

She could see Ciel thinking. Eventually, comprehension dawned on his face and he nodded. "Sebastian, prepare the room she takes you to. Make it suitable for her."

Sebastian bowed and Charlotte followed him out.

"So tell me, how long have you bee in service to the Phantomhives?"

"You were listening, I'm sure."

He smiled tightly. "I tried, but heard nothing. I'd like to hear it, if I might."

Charlotte smirked. "I don't like repeating myself."

Sighing, he shook his head. "You are a difficult woman, Miss Wressel."

"I try, Sebastian. I try."

Sebastian chuckled. "Where is this room that you already have?"

"The attic."

Sebastian froze and Charlotte laughed. "Don't worry. Your cats are safe. I'd know if you'd been in my room."

"Oh, good. I would hate to have to get rid of them."

Charlotte smiled as she saw the door to her room. She could tell it was the same as she'd left it. Sebastian stiffened slightly and Charlotte smirked. Yes, it was exactly how she'd left it. Well, everything she'd put in it before the fire had been returned to her. Opening the door and quickly crossing the threshold, Charlotte relished in Sebastian's pained hiss.

"Well, at least now I know what you are." she sneered.

His eyes widened. "What?" he breathed.

"Demon!" she spat.

He snarled and leaped for her, eyes glowing, but she shook her head and grinned. "You won't be able to come in. After the last demon tried to kill me while I slept, I made sure to protect myself."

Growling, he glared at her. "What are you? Why do you…repel me so?"

…...

Charlotte smiled from her seat next to Ciel. Sebastian had been giving her a wide berth ever since she'd told him that she knew what he was.

"Charlotte, read this."

Taking the letter from her young master, she read it, her eyes widening. "I see."

Ciel hummed in agreement. "So you see my problem?"

Charlotte nodded. "And the demon won't be any help either."

Ciel spat out his tea. "What?!"

"Oh, didn't I tell you that I'd found out?"

He shook his head slowly.

"Oh, well." Charlotte shrugged. "If we're going to an active church that truly worships God, not just some fake idol, then he won't be any good."

"Why not?"

The door opened and Sebastian walked in, shooting Charlotte a glare.

Chuckling, Charlotte turned back to Ciel. "He'd be focusing more on the pain rather than helping you, that's if he was able to enter at all."

"Pain?" Ciel frowned.

"Yes, my Lord." Sebastian broke into the conversation. "Demons cannot usually enter an active church without feeling pain from the people's faith."

Ciel nodded in thought. "Sebastian, pack my things, and Charlotte's too."

Smirking at Sebastian's stunned expression, Charlotte gracefully unfolded herself from her chair. "I'll pack my own things. I learned over the years never to trust a demon with anything."

Sebastian hissed at her, his eyes glowing, but Charlotte just laughed and skipped through the door.

A.N. - Written as a Christmas present for one of my friends, who has allowed me to put it up. Any complaints will be used to feed her marshmallow fire.