Hey guys!

Welcome to the second chapter of 'To Be a Mother'. I apologise for the slight delay! This week has been super hectic for me, but I hope things will calm down soon! My aim is to post a new chapter every week at some point, so make sure to keep your eyes and ears open so you don't miss out!

Anyway, I've had a few questions about why this story is controversial, and I'm just going to say that you will see soon enough! I'm just going to let the story confirm it for you! Although, do keep in mind that this story is NOT YAOI and DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY SEXUAL CONTENT.

Thank you to all the amazing reviews I've received already! Your support is always highly appreciated!

Enjoy!

HeartElyse

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TO BE A MOTHER - CHAPTER TWO

A week lapsed, and Ciel's condition did not ease. Each morning would be just as it was the morning before, with Ciel stirring in a fit of painful nausea and vomiting. However, Sebastian had seen himself to be more prepared for the daily ritual, with a rubbish container always at his disposal in case his Lord did not quite arrive at the bathroom in time. The sickness grew more demanding with each passing day until eventually, the butler was forced to confine his master to bedrest, fearing the daily strains of expectation were causing the child's grievances to escalate all the more. By early Sunday afternoon - with his master dilapidated to the point in which he could barely move - the child finally caved. He commanded his butler to call for a doctor immediately, to which the demon complied, dialling for the most reliable of the Phantomhive doctors; a Mr Peter Marat.

"Dr Marat?" Sebastian sussed into the speaker of the brass telephone. "Ah, what a pleasure to speak with you once again, good sir. This is the Phantomhive Butler, Sebastian Michaelis, from the Phantomhive Estate… Yes, and to you. Now, you see, I was wondering if it wouldn't be a bother to you to come for a visit. The Young Lord has been most poorly as of late and I am starting to become concerned for his wellbeing… That would be most appreciated… Thank you."

With the preparations made, Sebastian veered back up the stairs to his Lord with a speed that not even a Grim Reaper could begin to comprehend, and invited himself into the child's gloomy chambers, only to find the boy as he was before; veiled in the darkness that had been produced by the curtains as he lay sprawled upon the mattress, swallowed by the blankets, his flushed and clammy face peeking out from the boastful plumes of the pillows. Sebastian may have given himself leeway to snigger, if it had been another circumstance.

"Dr Marat will arrive within the hour. Is there anything you need, my Lord?"

"S-some water," the fourteen-year-old boy husked in reply, the sound just managing to leave his flaking lips.

Inclining his head a slight margin, Sebastian whirled around, willing to handle this errand with as much swiftness as he could possibly employ.

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True to his word, the front doorbell shrieked at exactly one minute before the next hour begun. Answering it, Sebastian was not at all bewildered to discover Dr Marat standing by the threshold, an exceedingly humble man with puffs of white-grey hair dancing over his doe-like eyes and his ivory coat as immaculately pristine as ever.

"Ah, Dr Marat," Sebastian greeted with his most benevolent of smirks, stooping low in a bow of welcome. "Earl Phantomhive has been expecting you."

"Yes, as I've heard," the doctor answered with his cheeriest of grins, the corners of his lips stretching so wide that his eyes wrinkled.

Sebastian stepped aside and opened the door wide in a mannerly fashion. "Well, let's not keep him waiting."

"I couldn't agree more," Dr Marat obliged, striding through the expansive double doors of the mansion and following the butler up the adjacent stairway and into the winding labyrinth beyond.

After a slim bout of silence, the doctor finally asked, "Do forgive me, Mr Michaelis, but just how poorly is the Young Earl?"

Sebastian sighed wearily, a mere dramatisation of his true (or rather nonexistent) emotions, but a dramatisation that served its purpose all the same. "Very poorly, I'm afraid, good doctor," he stated, but instead of ending his speech right there, he went so far as to mention every possible symptom that he'd encountered not only in the week that had passed, but in the several before it. He spoke of the boy's unrequited nausea and vomiting; his constant fatigue; his persistent headaches; even his odd cravings for foods he had never been able to stand and even more unusual sickliness towards foods he had once enjoyed. But to cap it all off, he mentioned how the boy was still gaining weight, despite his daily habit of barfing, which was the most peculiar thing of all.

The doctor appeared most put out by this statement, possibly more due to the quickness of its delivery than the actual oddness of the symptoms provided.

"Peculiar indeed," added the doctor, his gaze contemplative as he combed his fingers over the fine stubble of his chin. "These are most unusual symptoms. I think it was wise to call on me; leaving this issue any longer might have been quite hazardous."

"I'm glad you agree, Doctor," Sebastian stated over his shoulder, his lips curving slightly.

Reaching the door to his master's bedchambers, Sebastian graciously rapped his knuckles upon its polished wooden surface, coaxing a pitiful "Enter" from the residence within. With permission granted, Sebastian entered the room, the doctor in toe, finding his master still as he had been before.

"My Lord, Dr Marat is here to see you."

On ceremony, Ciel hefted himself upwards slightly - not regarding how it pained him profusely to do so - feeling it rude to lay about in the presence of guests, in spite of how ill he was.

The doctor fashioned himself a bow of respect before rushing over the boy's side, most enthused to determine the source of the problem. "Please, my Lord, do not sit up if it proves uncomfortable to do so."

Immediately, the child submitted, sinking back downwards into the covers with the meekest of whimpers, anguish blazing in his single sapphire eye.

Satisfied, Dr Marat began to reveal a petite collection of tools and trinkets from the leather-bound suitcase that he was clad with. Turning back to the Earl, he conjured an assuring smile to his vast lips, speaking gently, as though he feared that a tone louder might cause damage to his aggrieved patient. "Now, I am just going to give you a once over, and hopefully through that, we will be able to discover what the issue is."

He followed a protocol of medical tradition and habit, monitoring pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, glands, ears, eyes (or eye, in Ciel's case), and so forth. However, Dr Marat could not detect anything that might physically be able to hint to the crux of the problem, and ended up being more perplexed than when he had started. Finally, he huffed, defeat shinning like a beacon from his eyes as he addressed the Earl and his butler, informing the two to keep sincere watch on the condition for the next week that followed, and to call him again if the illness had not subsided by the end of it.

The doctor then conceived a small laugh, stating in blatant humour, "Please do forgive me, my Lord, but this would make perfect sense if you were female."

"And how so?" Ciel questioned in a tight, curious manner.

"Because in females, these symptoms are most common if one is pregnant."

This warranted a hearty chortle from the Young Earl, broken and strained, but hearty nonetheless. "But that would be preposterous; me, being pregnant? How amusing."

However, as Sebastian saw the doctor to the door and bid him fair well, he could sense the very tiny fronds of dread within him only increasing. Could his Young Lord be pregnant?