"-The gates of heaven will forever be out of your reach." The voice said to me. It was dark, damning, and evil to the core. The mere sound of it sent shivers down my spine and ants crawling over my skin. Though it's demonic and frightening voice was in fact, horrible to my ears, it brought a strange feeling of comfort; protection. As I reached my hand out to seal the contract, another voice filled my ears and echoed in my head.

"Ciel!" It yelled my name, yet the voice was more familiar and it brought a sharp pang to my heart.

"Father..?" The word did not come easily as I turned my body to face the direction of the voice. Sure enough, my father, Vincent Phantomhive, stood there along with my mother. They looked fearful and angry. Both of them opened their mouths to speak to me, but no more voices swarmed my head. They were mute.

"What is your decision?" The demon said again. Turning back to him a tormenting pain struck my whole body and I moaned loudly in agony before falling to the ground.

"Help me!" I screamed, but my parents did not move. I was paralyzed and vulnerable at the feet of true evil. "SEBASTIAN!"

Silence.

"SEBASTIAN! I WANT NO MORE OF THIS NONSENSE!" I shrieked as tears began to blur my sight. "S-SEBASTIAN!"

"I'm right here, young Master. There is no need to fret." This time, the voice was softer, calmer, and it put my mind at ease. Like a lullaby, Sebastian's sweet voice ended my suffering. I opened my eyes and tried to relax my quickened breath. My sleeping gown was drenched in my own sweat, and I could not bring myself to stop shaking. Sebastian's face was right above me, smiling as he held me in his arms.

"A dream.." I sighed and let my body sink into the arms of my butler.

"My, what a dream you must have had to be in such a condition." I wasn't looking at him, but I could *feel *him smirking at me. I would never know how, but he knew what I dreamt about.

"Oh, shut up and put me down," I growled. He did just as I asked and carefully put me back down in my bed before handing me my cup of hot tea. Earl Grey, it smelled like, not that I cared too much of it. As I sipped the drink, Sebastian began to roll the tea cart out of my room. He wasn't nearly halfway to the door before I stopped him.

"Sebastian..!" He halted and I had forgotten why I had stopped him. I gulped and put down my teacup. What I had just thought of, what I wanted so desperately to do, was quite childish and certainly not the way an earl ought to carry himself, yet, in my condition, I couldn't resist. "Come here. Quickly."

Before I could finish speaking, my butler had come to my side. I looked up at him with an expression of neutrality. My face began to flush as I lifted my arms. The act made me want to vomit, but I needed it, and I knew that I did. He was hesitant, but soon enough, he lifted me up from my bed and I was in his arms once again.

I wrapped my own around his neck and rested my chin on his shoulder. He smelled of lavender, which caught me off guard. I had never taken the time to think of such things, but the knowledge of it brought me some peace. Without thinking, I pressed my nose against the skin of his neck and inhaled the sweet scent.

"Master," he hummed softly, tightening his grip on me ever-so-slightly. "Might I ask, what is the purpose of this?"

Without a word, I pulled my face away and huffed. I had let my curiosity best me and I felt no need to answer his question. "What is the schedule for today, Sebastian?"

"Nothing, My Lord. Today is a holiday and you have no lessons or business to take care of."

"Wonderful," I muttered under my breath, silently grateful for the free day. "Make breakfast at once then. After that, I suppose I'll think of some activities for the day."

With haste, Sebastian put me down to sit on my bed and bowed.

"Of course, My Lord."