Author's Notes: Damn, y'all! I wasn't expecting such a positive turnout for just one chapter! You guys are the best!

As far as I know, there's no set age for either Grey or Snake at this point, but I personally see Snake somewhere in the 17-19 range and Grey in the 21-23 range. Johanna is 19 at the start of the story, but I do have a birthday chapter planned.

I also wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be taking prompts and requests from you guys regarding what kinds of stuff you'd like to see. Feel free to send me a review or PM with anything you'd like me to try to write and I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't totally suck.

"Say, do you lot know anythin' about this guest that's comin'?" Bardroy asked as he and the rest of the servants, minus Sebastian, set about getting the manor ready. "The Master seemed almost excited that this person was comin' to pay us a visit."

"That would make sense," Tanaka replied. "The lady coming to visit us is an old friend of the young Master's. Her full name is Lady Johanna Juliette Sweeney."

"'Sweeney'?" Mei-Rin repeated. "You mean the elusive noble family in Ireland?"

Tanaka nodded. "The very same. The Sweeney and Phantomhive families have been both business associates and close friends for generations. The young Master and Lady Johanna are no exception; she and her twin brother, Nicholas, have known the Master since they were small children. I have also heard that the current head of the family, Baroness Isabel, is a close personal friend of Queen Victoria."

Bardroy whistled. "A family with royal connections, eh? I bet they've got a decent amount of pull around here, don't they?"

"Hang on," Finny interjected. "If the Master is so close to these people, how come they've never come to visit until now?"

"Well, I'm not sure about all of the details, but I know that the family's line of work keeps them pretty busy," Tanaka explained. "If I recall correctly, the twins and their grandmother did come to visit the Master a few years ago. That was before he had hired you all, though. Even though they can't come by as much as they'd like to, Lady Johanna and Lord Nicholas write to the Master as often as they are able. I believe they view him as a younger brother of sorts and I have a feeling that he sees them in a similar light. To that end, we must strive to make sure that everything goes smoothly during the Lady's visit. The young Master's reunion with his old friend should be as enjoyable as possible."

"Right!" the remaining servants agreed with a quick salute before rushing off to complete their duties.

"I have to say, my Lord, this is most eager I've seen you in quite some time," Sebastian commented as he and Ciel waited near the docks. Johanna had informed him that she would be arriving to London by boat and Ciel was fairly quick to jump at the chance to greet her personally.

"Quiet, you. What I'm eager to do is close this case as quickly as possible," Ciel grunted. In truth, he was happy that he'd finally found a reason to call Johanna back to England, but he couldn't let Sebastian know that. For all that he enjoyed the correspondence between them, it just wasn't the same as actually having his surrogate sister close by. It was regrettable that her stay in London wouldn't be for more than a few days, but he would take what he could get.

"Ciel, my boy!" a voice called out as the Earl found himself startled out of his thoughts and pulled into a tight hug. He looked up to see a young woman with black hair falling in gentle waves down to her mid-back, her bright aquamarine eyes sparking with amusement. "I dare say you've gotten a little taller since the last time I saw you."

"It's been too long, Johanna," Ciel replied. He didn't return the hug but Sebastian noticed that his visible eye turned just a touch warmer. "I'm glad to see you've been doing well. I'm sorry to cut this greeting short, but would it be alright if we continued catching up in the carriage? Her Majesty requested that I bring you to see her once you arrived."

Johanna nodded before reluctantly releasing the boy. "Of course. Grandmother had mentioned that the Queen would likely want to see me once I made it here. We shouldn't keep her waiting."

"In that case, please allow me to take those bags for you, my lady," Sebastian interjected as he stepped up beside Johanna and picked up the suitcases she had set down next to her.

"Efficient as ever, aren't you Sebastian?" Johanna replied. "It's good to know that Ciel has someone like you to rely on, especially with all that's been happening."

"Your praise is too much, my lady," Sebastian said with a bow. "After all, a Phantomhive butler that can't ensure the wellbeing of his master isn't worth his salt."

"So what can you tell me about this case you've been working on?" Johanna asked as she, Ciel, and Sebastian began the carriage ride to Buckingham Palace.

"There have been a number of young women going missing over the past month," Ciel explained. "All of the kidnappings have taken place in London, so I'm fairly certain the person or people committing the kidnappings lives in or close to the city."

Johanna nodded. "That makes locating them easier, then. You also mentioned in your letter to my grandmother that you have a prime suspect."

"That's correct," Ciel affirmed. "I suspect that a nobleman by the name of Geoffrey Turpin is behind most, if not all, of the kidnappings. A number of the women that have gone missing were reportedly last seen at parties he was hosting; I do have witness statements that the women were last seen with him before disappearing as well. Unfortunately I'm unable to bring him in without any proof."

"I'm assuming that's what you need me for," Johanna said. "Is there anything the women that have been taken have in common besides their sex?"

"Yes, but I'm afraid it isn't much to go on. All of the women reported missing have been young and unmarried. I suspect this is because it's easier to get them alone."

"Not having a husband or fiancee in the picture might also make it easier for Turpin to charm the women into doing what he wants," Johanna added.

Ciel nodded. "That's true. I've also spoken with Undertaker and he says that none of the missing women have been his 'customers'. This indicates the possibility they're still alive somewhere. That's where you come in. Lord Turpin will be hosting another party in three days time; I need you to figure set yourself up to become his next target. With any luck, we'll be able to figure out where he's been keeping the women and what he does with them once they're taken." He glanced out the carriage window. "We can work out the details of our plan later. We've arrived at the palace now."

"It's so good to see you again, Johanna!" Queen Victoria chirped, Grey and Phipps ever present at her side as Johanna and Ciel stood before her. She motioned for Johanna to come closer. "Come here, my dear. Let me get a good look at you." She reached out her hands to cup Johanna's face once the girl had knelt before her. "You've grown so much since the last time I saw you. You look just like your dear, departed mother." She sighed before shaking her head and smiling again. "From what I understand, you and your brother are making quite a name for yourselves. Isabel must be very proud; she always said the two of held more potential than even your father."

"Insofar as one can make a name for themselves without anyone actually knowing their name," Ciel commented.

Johanna laughed at the comment before smiling back at the Queen. "It's true. Grandmother always told us we'd surpass our father someday, though I imagine his demise, along with our mother's, is what spurred us on to become stronger in the first place."

Victoria's smile grew sympathetic and she withdrew her hands from Johanna's face. "Yes. What a horrible tragedy their deaths were. I can't fathom how hard that must have been for the two of you. I know Isabel was extremely distraught to have to bury her son and daughter-in-law."

"Grandmother is a very resilient woman, though, Your Majesty," Johanna replied as she stood again. "We all mourned for my father and mother, but it's an unspoken understanding in our family that death is an occupational hazard. Each time one of us takes an assignment, we accept the fact that we might not make it back alive."

"You cannot be serious," Grey interjected. He reached out to gently trail the back of his hand down Johanna's cheek. "Forgive me, my darling, but I simply cannot believe that someone as small and delicate as you is one of the Vipers of Belfast. I mean no offense but you're about as intimidating as rabb-"

Grey found himself forced to the floor of the throne room before he could finish the sentence, the arm that had been reaching toward Johanna now pinned behind his back and Johanna's weight settled on top of him with one of her knees pressed in between his shoulder blades. He was able to catch the smug smirk on Ciel's face as well as the amused smile on the queen's face. Phipps appeared outwardly impassive, as he always did, but Grey could see amusement lining his features as well.

"For the record, if you were one of my targets and I actually had a weapon on me, you'd be dead right now," Johanna said, her once warm and affectionate voice now cold and unfeeling. "I'm a woman that wears many faces, depending on what's called for. I'm not sure what you were expecting a trained assassin to look and act like but, in my line of work, unassuming is the look that benefits us the most; it tends to lead people to underestimate us and therefore makes them easier to eliminate." She smirked before leaning down so that her mouth was right next to his ear, her tone becoming more teasing. "Do you understand now, darling?"

Grey took a breath and cleared his throat in an attempt to suppress the shiver that traveled up his spine at the sound of Johanna's voice. "Lord Grey, actually. Charles Grey."

Ciel cleared his throat. "Forgive me, Your Majesty, but Johanna and I must be getting back to the manor. She and I have some things to discuss concerning our plan for the kidnapping case and we need to give ourselves enough time to get everything ready."

"Oh, of course!" Victoria replied, before turning a kind smile to Johanna. "I know you've had a long day of traveling as well, Johanna. It was wonderful to see you again, my dear. I do hope you'll come with Earl Phantomhive to report on the case's outcome."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Johanna agreed before moving her weight off of Grey and standing straight again. She smiled warmly and curtsied before the queen as Grey moved back to his place beside the throne. "It was an honor to see you again. Earl Phantomhive and I will be touch once all is done. By your leave." Johanna had made her way back to Ciel before she turned around to face the queen and her butlers again. "Oh, and Lord Grey?"

"Mmm?" the butler grunted, turning his head to look at her.

Johanna smirked before curtsying again. "Thank you...for your cooperation." With that, Ciel and Johanna exited the throne room.

"Well, that was interesting," Victoria commented, her amused smile hidden behind her fan.

"How do you mean, Your Majesty?" Grey asked.

"I am well aware of what Johanna is capable of, but I'm also aware of how strong you are, Lord Grey. Johanna might be the faster of the twins but I know that she isn't anywhere near as strong as her brother," Victoria explained. "You could have easily thrown her off of you at any time, yet you didn't."

"She just surprised me, that's all," Grey reasoned.

"That still doesn't explain why you allowed her to stay perched on top of you for as long as she did," Phipps chimed in. "Even if she had managed to get the drop on you, your recovery time should have enabled you to force her off after a few seconds. I suspect that she realized this as well, hence her comment to you before she left." He paused. "Unless, of course, you just enjoyed having her there."

"It wasn't like that!" Grey retorted, trying in vain to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks. "She just... I was..."

Victoria chuckled. "Even so, it's a shame she won't be staying in London for very long." Her smile only widened when Grey glanced at her in confusion. "Once the case has been closed, she'll most likely be heading back to Belfast. Unless, of course, someone was able to convince her to stay."

Grey merely grunted in response as he tried in vain to get the sweet scent of Johanna's fragrance and the softness of her body out of his mind.

Ending Notes: Well, we've got the beginning of Johanna and Grey's relationship going. Something tells me he'd be more likely to fall for a fighter than a woman who remains constantly quiet and demure. His relationship with Johanna is going to be full of playful teasing and flirtation. Something also tells me that 'darling' is going to end up becoming a playful petname between the two of them.

Snake is going to appear in the next chapter. His relationship with Johanna is going to be much more traditionally fluffy since I can't really see him being courageous enough to openly flirt with her (unless it's through one of his snakes). I'm also thinking of writing two separate endings where Johanna ends up with either Snake or Grey depending on which ending the reader picks.

Let me know what you guys think! Feedback and constructive criticism are always welcome! Thank you all so much for reading! Geekinthepink, out!