Smoke encased the sky above the Midford manor until there were no more stars. Sebastian dropped Ciel to his feet outside the burning home where he had been visiting his cousins for Christmas.
"Ciel! Thank goodness, everyone's safe and sound," Aunt Frances said, grabbing her nephew in a hug.
Ciel looked around. There were his aunt and uncle, his cousin Edward, Sebastian, all the Phantomhive and Midford servants and staff...
"Where's Lizzy?"
Everyone stared at Ciel.
"Lizzy! Where is she?!" he screamed.
"Who's Lizzy?" asked Edward.
"Ciel, why don't you lay down?" Alexis Midford said. "You probably inhaled too much smoke. I'll call the doctor."
Ciel slapped his uncle's hand away. "Are you mad?! Your daughter is still in there, you imbecile!" He turned to run back into the house, but flames were everywhere. If his fiancée was still inside, she was gone.
"LIZZY!" Ciel cried, waking in a fearful pool of sweat and tears. He looked around, breathing heavily as his eye adjusted to the darkness. The Midfords' guest room, safe and unburnt, sat silently in the cold December night. Tears filled Ciel's eyepatch and spilled down his cheeks; a blissful release. Then he remembered-Lizzy.
His heart drummed a song of panic as he flew down the hall to his fiancée's bedroom. Swinging the door open, Ciel crumpled to the floor in relief. There she was, his angelic sweetheart, snuggled among her blankets, snoring softly. The beloved Phantomhive bunny was tucked under her arm.
Ciel could've watched her forever, that peaceful beauty sleeping in a shine of moonlight. Instead, he stood and went to her side, sweeping a lock of flaxen hair from her forehead, kissing her chapped lips softly. "Merry Christmas, Elizabeth," he breathed, and with one last caress of his fiancée's cheek he turned and crept in solemn contentment back to his own sleep.