AN: Hi! It's me again. Don't kill me! It's been ages since I updated 'Switched' and truth is, I didn't know where I would take this story. But recently I have new ideas so I decided to continue. However, I lost my account under the name 'Chuu', didn't remember email addressed or password I made, so I made new account and I will re-post 'Switched' as well as continue it. Basically, 'Switched' follows two parallel universes. One was the world of Ikeda's RoV where Andre was Oscar's servant and one was the world where Andre was a debauched nobleman. I like to toy with the idea of Andre born into nobility. This was supposed to be just for fun fanfic, it does not have anything to do with the 'real' historical events or persons. I hope you enjoy!

Switched

Chapter 1

It had been a week since that fateful night and the tension in Jarjayes mansion hadn't faltered. Andre was feeling guilty, sick and most of all, helpless. For more than ten years he had kept everything in silence. He had kept still when he saw her making decision to live as a man, when she fell in love with the Swedish count, when she struggled with her Black Mask obsession, but that night...

It was one moment of weakness and had scattered everything he held dear. He broke her trust, betrayed her friendship and crossed the line of sincere platonic relationship.

He was nobody. He was supposed to be content with simply being able to be by her side. Maybe his grandmother was right, maybe he had took the liberty given by Oscar since they were kids much too far.

All he wanted was for her to see her true self. He wanted her to understand that she was still a woman, no matter how many times she had told herself otherwise. She was a woman and she deserved to be taken care of, to be loved, to be protected. And instead she decided to live among lions who called themselves men. She wouldn't listen and she shut him up. Any other time he would be quiet. Any other time he would stay aside and watch her back. But not that night. Not when she had stepped too far into destroying the woman in her.

But maybe he'd done it for his own selfish reason. Because he didn't want to lose that woman. He wouldn't let, couldn't let anyone take her away. Not even Oscar. His best friend Oscar... deserved to be happy and he, like so many men in her life, had hurt her.

Never again, he swore to himself. He would never again touch her.

They tried so much to pretend that night never happened. Putting necessary distance, avoiding eye contact. And it hurt to see someone he cared more than anything in the world slowly slipped away. So he sat here, alone, in a bar where he used to hang out with Oscar so many times, trying to get drunk. Trying to get her and all the problems that come with her far from his mind.

"It's not common to see you without that rather attractive blond companion of yours," a soft voice came from his side.

Andre lifted his head a little and looked between his bangs. A woman, probably in her late twenties, with auburn hair and grey eyes. She wore dark green dress with a very low cleavage. Andre looked away; a faint blush crept on his face. "It's not common for a lady to be in the bar at this hour," he replied.

The woman looked amused and chuckled. "Trying to get drunk I see," she commented when Andre took another big gulp of his whiskey. She took a seat beside him.

"People come to a bar to get drunk," he said shortly.

"Not everyone," she replied. "Most of them come just for small talks with friends. Or seek for companion."

"I didn't seek for companion."

"Well, I just said you are trying to get drunk," she said and leaned closer to his face.

In normal circumstances Andre would politely back away, feeling uncomfortable being so close with a woman. But everything ever since that god damned 'rose is a rose' night was not normal. He stayed still while learning her face. She indeed had intriguing eyes. Grey ones, mystifying. Small nose, high cheek-bone and red lips. Andre looked lower. The way she leaned to him made her cleavage even more... accessible.

"I didn't mind to offer some company, though," she said slowly, eyes barring into his.

This time Andre chuckled and turned his head straight. He lifted his glass to his lips but found it empty. He frowned and turned his head facing the woman again. "You come here every night?"

"Not every night," the woman finally looked away. "Just when I wanted too. I lived just a couple blocks from here. I see you're coming here quite often."

"I guess I tend to want to get drunk quite often."

The woman laughed. "That goes with your companion too."

"That rather attractive blonde?" Andre, a bit tipsy from alcohol, bent his body closer to the auburn head.

The woman turned her head. Their faces were just mere inches from each other. "I prefer dark hair," she said in low tone.

Her breath caressed his face, sending warmth to his stomach almost like alcohol. A thought of Oscar suddenly crossed his mind. But why he should stop anyway? Oscar had told him to stay out of her life. It wasn't like him being with other girl would bother her.

"Maybe I could use some company," he whispered.

The woman just smiled mischievously and closed the distance between them. Her lips barely touch his. Then a little peck. Then another one. Then another one. Then her tongue touched his lower lips and he added more pressure to the kiss. She opened her mouth and inserted her tongue into his. Then the battle of tongue began.

Andre, intoxicated by the taste of her mouth and his raging alcohol-triggered hormone, gave in completely into the kiss. His hands rested on her hips and he stood up from his chair without breaking the kiss, pulled the woman into his embrace in process.

"Upstairs..." the woman said between kisses. "Room... upstairs..."

Andre never could tell exactly how, but the next thing he knew he was pinning the girl to the wall in a room upstairs. Hands pulling her hips closer to his. The woman had her hand in his hair, as if their faces still wasn't close enough, while the other hand trying desperately to free his jacket.

His hand moved to cup her breast and she let out a small moan. He sucked her neck and squeezed her breast, feeling her nipple hardened through the fabric. And just when he's about to slip his hand to feel her bare breast, the thought of Oscar popped again into his mind. Realization hit him hard and this time he did stop.

"What? What's wrong?" the woman asked while still showered his face with butterfly kisses.

He grabbed her arms and pushed her from his body. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

The woman knitted her eyebrows, but then chuckled and lowered her head. She gently shook her head. "You had a woman," she said simply.

"I'm really sorry. I wasn't thinking and—"

"Sshh..." The woman put a finger on his lips, silencing him. "She made you unhappy. Why refuse a little happiness like tonight?"

"I love her."

"She won't care."

"I will. I wouldn't be able to look at her in the eyes if anything ever happen ton—" And suddenly he couldn't breathe. He pushed her and looked at her with widened eyes. Unable to utter a single word.

The woman looked at him, more confused than ever. "What's wrong?"

Andre fell to his knees and the woman screamed. She threw herself on her knees beside him and tried to support him. "Are you okay? Answer me! Are you hurt? Oh God! Help! Someone's hurt here! Help! Hang on…"

Andre fell backward; hands clutched the woman's arms as he hopelessly fought to catch some air. The woman cried as she screamed for help and grasped his arms, unsure what to do. Andre heard her voice slowly faded away. His eye lids felt heavy. The last thing he saw was the woman's panicked face and yet... sparkling grey eyes.

oOo

The first thing he noticed when he woke up was pain. His back hurt. His head hurt. And his left arm hurt. He opened his eyes and the sun light from the window across his bed made his eyes hurt.

"Damn," he cursed under his breath.

He heard a small gasp beside his bed and saw a familiar face of golden haired woman. Only she's wearing rather odd clothes.

"Oscar?" he said with hoarse voice.

Oscar looked relieved, then awkward. She mumbled words he couldn't quite catch, something about the nanny.

She looked like she's about to leave, so Andre extended his hand and grabbed hers, asking her in silence to sit back down. Oscar's eyes widened but she complied. "How are you feeling?" she asked hesitantly.

Andre brought one hand to his head. "Bad," he answered, earning a small smile from Oscar. "What happened?"

"We're not sure. Two guys from the bar brought you home unconscious. We think someone might poison you last night. What were you doing there, Andre? You remember anyone giving you a drink or something?"

Andre was still massaging his temple. Boy, his head sure felt heavy. He never felt like this since teenager when he had the worst hang over from previous drunken rendezvous. "Nothing but the whiskies that bartender kept giving me."

"We had arrested and interrogated him yesterday. He denied having poisoned you but we keep him in lockup still. Are you sure there's no one else?"

He suddenly remembered that strange woman with grey eyes but shook the thought away. He didn't take anything from the woman and Oscar certainly didn't have to know she existed.

"Nah, I'm sure. How long I have been passed out?"

"Two days. Nanny was so worried. I told her to sleep while I watch you. She hadn't slept since they brought you here."

Andre knitted his brows, found Oscar's words weird. Is this some kind of trick she pulled on him? But his head still throbbed so hard, he let this one slide. "Where's Rose? And why you're dressing like that?"

Now Oscar knitted her brows. She didn't know how to respond. Who the hell was Rose and why did he ask her? "This is my new uniform, Andre. I joined the French Guards."

Her words were bitter, but Andre didn't seem to notice. Instead, he looked at her as if she's grown two heads. "What? Why the hell you join the French Guards?"

Oscar tensed. Did he really want to bring this up now? "I believe we've had this conversation before."

Andre groaned in frustration. His head throbbed even more but he ignored it. He didn't need this. He definitely didn't need to wake up after two days and deal with her antics. "We never had this conversation! What were you thinking? What did your father think? God! And I only passed out for two days! What about Rose?"

Now Oscar was totally confused. What did he mean? And he said Rose again. And what did Rose have to do with her disposition? Decided she didn't want to lose her temper to sick Andre, she got up from her chair. "I will inform Nanny you're awake."

"We haven't finished talking. Sit down!"

Oscar froze. Too shocked, she even did sit.

"I really don't know what you're up to, Oscar," Andre began with tiredness clearly evident in his voice. He made Oscar feel like going back to when she'd done some kind of prank as a kid and her mother was scolding her. "Why you want the nanny to come after me for God's sake? And…" Andre looked around the nine meter-square room in confusion, "…and where am I? And you're dressing like that? You really want to put this crap on me now Oscar?"

Oscar could only look at Andre with confused eyes. Her friend must be sicker than she initially thought. This rarely happened in her life, but this time she really didn't know what to do. Her first instinct was to run out of his room and demand the doctor to check upon him this very instance. But before she could do so, a cracking voice startled both of them. Nanny was already at the door.

Oscar felt relieved. Full of tears, the old Nanny was ready to give Andre bone-cracking hug and few kicks for ever letting everyone so worried. But when Oscar caught a glimpse of Andre's expression, he looked very pale. Strangely pale. Oscar stood up immediately to check him out and Nanny almost run to him. But Andre's scream made both women freeze in their places. His eyes looked at his grandmother with dreadful fear. "Stay back! You're dead!"