Hurry, hurry...

My aching bare feet slapped against the cobblestones, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. I could hear them behind me, their shouts, the pounding of their boots as they chased after me. They wouldn't stop - they'd never stop, not until they finally caught me.

I sharply turned a corner, nearly slipping as I ran through a puddle of gutter water, but quickly regained my balance by clinging onto a wall, the skin of my fingertips being scraped raw. I hissed in pain as I pushed myself forward, tears streaming down my dirty cheeks. My tiny lungs heaved with effort, and it felt like I was going to collapse at any second.

Hurry, hurry...

I wouldn't go back there. Not again, not after having tasted freedom. I wouldn't allow myself to be chained down, abused and tortured like some animal. Not again...

Never again!

I let out a shriek at the top of my lungs, adrenaline pumping vigorously through my veins. I felt the wind blowing through my hair and felt the sunlight on my face. I wouldn't, couldn't allow myself to go back to that dark place.

But I couldn't keep running forever, I knew this all too well. But no one would stop to help me; no one would even glance my way, despite my pleading cries. I was alone.

'Lies. I'm not alone...They, they will help me. I just need to find them. My ange-...'

A shot rang out, and I jolted as I felt something white hot blaze past my ear. I was now avoiding a hailstorm of bullets, but could hear the men behind me screaming at one another to not shoot to kill. If I was killed, most certainly they would follow me to the grave.

Was I that important, so important that they would not let me leave? Not let me live?

I squeezed my eyes tightly shut, shaking my head vigorously as memories of that place flashed in my mind. I had been snatched, been taken from the one that cared for me...they had no right to keep me locked away!

I turned another corner, the long maze of London's alleyways making me dizzy. It seemed no matter how far I ran that I was never going to get out.

'Do not fret, dear one. The light will always snuff out the darkness. For it is unclean, and that which is unclean, will always be cleansed.'

Their words came back to me, like a candle lighting up the night. I could see the light – it was like I was in a dark tunnel, and the light was the end. I stretched out my hand, and unlike the dreams that plagued me night after night, it didn't disappear. My surroundings gradually became lighter, and I grasped that light in my small hands. I was engulfed in it, the blinding light that wrapped itself around me like a mother wraps her arms around her child.

I was free, I was safe. I was...free.


Hm?

The black-clad butler froze, crimson hues narrowing as a very familiar scent assaulted his acute senses.

"Sebastian, what is it?" The young earl stopped and turned, regarding his butler with a bored expression; he watched as the demon's eyes glowed a soft fuchsia, before fading back to their normal shade of dull crimson.

"Forgive me, my lord, but I'm – not quite certain myself," Sebastian mused, scanning the near empty street behind them. It was late in the afternoon, and the two had just come from visiting the Undertaker's shop for a recent case. The sun was beginning to set, casting its last few rays of light over London's rooftops. The butler turned, bowing slightly to his young master. "I apologize for getting distracted. Shall we be on our way? I have to start dinner preparations soon. Tonight will be freshwater lobster soufflé, and for dessert I have planned to make gateau chocolat," Sebastian said, a perfect smile spread over his features.

Ciel sighed, turning his back on the man. "Then let's hurry. I'm already getting hungry after today's work." He began walking once again, his cane tapping rhythmically against the cobblestones. The sound of a gunshot drew his attention, and he was quickly on alert as he heard the sounds of someone running towards him from a side alleyway they were passing.

"Sebastian!"

The butler was in front of the young boy in the blink of an eye, his hand shooting out to tightly grip the arm of the one who had suddenly come upon the two in a flurry of movement.

"No! Let go of me!"

Sebastian looked down at the girl flailing in his grasp, crimson orbs widening in disbelief. He reached out to grasp her other arm, holding her in a vise-like grip as he looked down at her. The girl thrashing in his arms was dressed in the tattered rags of what seemed to be a ceremonial robe and covered in dirt, but for him, there was no mistaking her. She was slender, with an exquisite little face with small features, very fair; loose flaxen ringlets, or rather golden, hung loose on her delicate neck; and eyes - her frightened, doe-like eyes were the color of warm honey struck by rays of sunlight. He had never met this child before - and yet... He could sense it, could tell clear as day. Merely by her smell – that her soul…

"Tch, Sebastian, let go of her," Ciel said in an irritant tone, exasperated by what he thought had been an attack. The child had probably just stolen something that didn't belong to her. In his eyes, there was no need for the two of them to get involved in commoner affairs. Seeing that his butler still held on firmly to the girl, almost as if he hadn't heard him, Ciel scowled up at the demon. "Sebastian, I ordered you to let go of her!"

Ciel's eye widened in shock as he saw the demon's eyes flash crimson, dark pupils turning to slits. His teeth were bared viciously as he continued to look down at the frightened girl still struggling in his grasp, his terrifying visage that of… a demon.

"Sebastian!"

The earl swung a gloved hand at the butler, slapping him across the cheek. The butler seemed to come to his senses, his grip loosening on the girl enough for her to finally claw free of his grip. She took no time at all in bolting down the street in terror, Sebastian staring wide-eyed after her.

"What the hell Sebastian!? I told you to let go of her!" Ciel yelled angrily, all too preoccupied to notice the men with guns also running down the street after the child. Sebastian however, was all too well aware.

"Master – do please forgive me. I will be back momentarily," he answered distractedly, eyes narrowing dangerously at the men turning a corner. Before Ciel could get another word out, his butler clad in black disappeared.