Author's Notes: The first Prime Minister of Canada was actually the Prime Minister for a total of 29 years, two separate times. He remained Prime Minister until his death on June 6, 1891. His first time in office was from 1867 - 1873 and then from 1878 - 1891. Serena, Erica, Raelinn, Adrian and Vernon all belong to my friend. Sabrina belongs to me. All canons belong to Yana Toboso.

Chapter 1 - Aftermath

(June 10, 1888)

Hearing quiet noises and feeling herself in a bed, it was quite disorienting for Sabrina Parker. How did she end up there? Too confused on where she was, she opened her eyes to find herself in a relaxing room with lots of pale colours. She couldn't remember what happened or where she was for several moments. As her eyes darted around, she saw she was in the hospital. Well the place best suited for medical practice. Canada was still too new to fully have everything.

The hospital wasn't very big and currently only had one floor. In one wing was for those who were poor, while there was another wing set for the rich. There was a wing for operations and the last wing was for those who were waiting. The wing designated for the poor, the room was large with several beds. They didn't get as good of service as those who were more wealthy, which that wing had several private rooms.

"What happened?" she asked herself at the same time as someone walked in.

"You were found inured three days ago," a man stated. "This gentleman found you and brought you in for help."

She looked up to see another man walked in. One was clearly a doctor. Carefully, she sat up so she could look at the men better. She was taught to never lay down while talking with the doctor.

The other man had honey blonde hair done up in a sophisticated style. He wore a light blue suit with a black vest underneath. Over his gabot, a silver cross hung from his neck with a red ruby in the shape of a diamond resting in the center of it. He had warm blue grey eyes and his expression was calm and emotionless except for a slight hint of sadness on his features. He looked like the perfect gentleman standing with his arms behind his back. He looked over to the woman on the bed as he entered the room.

"It's good to see you're awake," he replied.

"Who are you?" she asked the blonde. It was easy to see she had yet to remember the events that led her into the hospital.

The doctor went over to check in on her vitals, by first checking her blood pressure and then her heart.

The other man bowed before standing upright again. Very politely replied, "My apologizes... my name is Vernon. I am visiting from Europe to run errands for a friend when I came across you." His explanation gave her no reason to think he was leaving something out. He did find her, which was the truth, but how he found her was not yet known.

"I'm Sabrina. Sabrina Parker," she answered.

"As in Lady Sabrina Parker, heiress to the Estec Jewellery Company, which was founded in Europe?" he asked.

"Yes, actually," she blinked. "How did you know?"

The man went to answer but stopped abruptly.

"Miss Parker," the doctor interrupted. From the first night she was brought in, he knew immediately who she was and knew she was soon to marry. "You're injuries are doing very well. More than I expected in such a short time."

"What do you mean, doctor?" she asked, slightly confused, turning to the doctor.

The Doctor sighed. "There really is no better way to say this, is there? Unfortunately the day you were attacked, your male companion didn't make it. I'm terribly sorry."

Her eyes widened. "What?!" she gasped. "Edward... is... is..." tears welled up in her eyes. "No..." She brought her hands up to cover her face as hard sobs came from behind the hands. The memories of the attack immediately came flooding back, which was overloading her mind with grief. For several minutes she sobbed until they turned to sniffles and whimpers.

Vernon looked down, looking very apologetic. He knew what losing love was like. Allowing her to cry a few moments, he waited patiently to allow everything to sink in before speaking. "I'm sorry I didn't get there in time to help him..."

Through the noise, she heard the young man's words and slightly looked up to him. Her eyes were puffy and swollen. "You...you saved me?" she sniffled as she watched the man nod.

"You're a very lucky woman, Miss Parker," the doctor stated. "You've been unconscious until now."

"How...how long was I out?"

"Three days..." The man known as Vernon answered for the doctor.

Her eyes widened. "Three...days..." Her face turned nearly white like she just saw a ghost.

"Milady, are you alright?" the doctor asked.

For several moments she was quiet. She looked down at her engagement ring. "Today...today is...was... my wedding day..."

The room went silent a moment with that realization. It was the simple irony of cruel fate that she would wake on the morning she was supposed to become a wife to an heir.

Finally Vernon approached the bed slowly sitting down beside her as if to comfort her, placing his hand on her shoulder. The look on his face was sympathetic.

As if Sabrina went into shock, she allowed the strange man to comfort her. The doctor felt bad for her. He had heard about a series of murders that were happening recently with happy couples. She was very fortunate to have survived. All the other victims both the male and the female were dead.

"Well you seem to be doing a lot better now. It's a bit strange how you're awake now after only three days. You did have trauma on your head. Guess it might as well be pointed out to be luck." The doctor sighed. "Excuse me now, I have other patients." He then stepped out, leaving the woman with Vernon.

Vernon had remained beside her, rubbing her back gently. Even though he didn't know her well, he had a good heart. And he did feel sympathy for those who have suffered. Especially when he knew the attacks were out of a human's jurisdiction to solve. Her attacker was someone from his own past and it made him fearful for her.

It would have been at least a good half hour before Sabrina finally came out of her state of shock. More focused, she carefully looked up to the man beside her. It surprised her to see he was being this kind to her. She was a stranger to him and the two were actually in two different classes of society.

"Why be so kind?" she whispered. From her sobbing, she lost her voice.

"It's just how I am," he said softly. "I don't really have a reason...other than I don't like to see others hurting," handing her a handkerchief.

Pulling away from him, she took his offering, using the handkerchief to wipe her eyes. "Thank you." She looked at her hand. "What will I do now? My parents died a few years ago from an illness. Edward and I were going to live in my parents' house together. But with him gone... I'll have to leave... No woman is allowed to own property. My family's estate will become government property."

Knowing staying in Ottawa, there was a certain danger for her, Vernon had an idea in mind. "Perhaps a hometown?"

"I've lived here most of my life. My family immigrated here when I was three but we are originally from London."

"Perhaps you could go there then," he reasoned with her. Europe sounded like a perfect place for her to go since her companion was from there, though she didn't know that. "London would be a good place for a new start. However, you will need to recover from your injuries first."

"But surely you must know, even after I heal from my injuries, I alone cannot get a ticket to travel to London. I may be a Lady of her majesty's court, however I can not simply do things like the other noblemen's do." Her mind wasn't fully registering that he probably could get her a ticket. "I'm the daughter of a Countess and an Earl but with no husband, I have no standings. All my fiancés will be held up in the bank until someone can take over the estate holdings."

"I have an extra ticket," Vernon told her covering up the fact that he had thought of this earlier "I'll be passing by London on the way back to Paris." He knew about her status as unmarried Countess. In the eyes of Canada, she was considered a Countess but in the eyes of the British monarchy, she was a royal highness. That was what they called unmarried ladies who would one day become a Countess when she would marry.

She sniffled. "Why would you help someone like me? I'm a complete stranger and just lost..." Her eyes closed as tears fell from her cheeks. She didn't need to finish the sentence. He knew whom she was referring to.

The man's warm eyes fell on her "Because... I was like you once..." Not sure if he meant being lost or lost love or both at the same time.

She blinked. "You don't look like you have." She rubbed at her eyes. "You don't have a wife?" If only she knew the truth.

Vernon, blocking the emotion, as that question would bring some unwanted memories if he were not suppressing it. "No... I am not promised to anyone."

More tears surfaced. "Neither am..." she paused. "At least… not anymore..." Again there was a pause. "I'm sorry." She was apologizing for constantly falling apart.

"You needn't apologize to me..." he replied softly. One arm wrapped around her from behind, giving her a sense of support.

Being so lost as she was, she took comfort in the man being there and allowed herself to lean against him. Feeling his arms around her, she continued to cry until a yawn interrupted her. Exhausted, her eyes closed and she fell asleep on the gentleman, who was more than just a man.

Feeling her body go limp in his arms, he looked down at the woman to find she had drifted off to sleep. The exhaustion of crying and learning of the fate of her fiancé was too much for her. He felt really bad for her and even worse knowing her fiancé was taken away from her by means not humanly possible. For several moments, he remained where he was until finally he knew without a shadow of a doubt she was asleep. With great carefulness, he leaned her back on the bed, careful not to disturb her, and made sure she was comfortable before standing up from the bed and left the room.

Making his way down the hall. The activity in the building had calmed down for the night as it often did. The hospitals here in Canada were very different for him, but then again the country had only been born a little over 20 years ago and it has taken time to get structures built up to par. Of course the land and its people had been around for probably at least 100 years but now as a country there were now certain rules all hospitals had to abide by.

Going to the nurses' station, he asked for some paper, envelope and a pen. The nurse gladly gave him what he wanted. Standing where he was and began writing a letter. It took him several moments to get down what he wanted before finishing and folded the paper up and then slid it into the envelope. Reaching over, he pulled at a wax sealer and heated it over the nearby candle. In moments he had the letter sealed.

Taking his leave from the nurses station, he made his way to the entrance of the hospital, exiting and going straight to a nearby tree. In a tree, concealing itself was a small demonic creature, an Imp. The man looked up to it with a calm expression, holding out the letter to it. It scurried down the tree trunk, taking it vanished through a red portal.

Meanwhile, in London the imp reappeared in the garden of a manor where a tall slim man was attending to some gardening. "What's this?" the man called out as he walked over to the imp. Taking the piece of parchment from the imp, the little creature then vanished as if it was never there to begin with.

Taking a moment to pause in his duties, he made his way inside where he could then pull at the still cooling seal. Once pulling the seal off, he pulled out the paper inside and unfolded to read what was written. He then gave a smile. "How interesting... Young master will be interested in this."

The next morning, Sabrina woke to find herself alone in the room. With no one to talk to, she had nothing to do but wait for a nurse or doctor to enter and speak with her. She didn't have to wait long when a nurse walked in and with a gentle smile helped the woman with her needs by giving her a bedpan. Sabrina was disgusted by the idea of using it but there was nothing she could do. She had sustained an injury on her leg and they wanted her off it.

For someone who normally sustained the type of injuries Sabrina had would be led up in the hospital for weeks if not months, but it would appear her injuries more seemed superficial, which was rarely unheard of.

Not long after the bathroom needs were dealt with and Sabrina was given fresh clothes to wear, there was a knock on the door and a doctor entered with a well-dressed man and woman.

"Good to see you're awake," the doctor answered.

Sabrina looked up and gasped. Right before her eyes were the grieving parents of her fiancé. She opened her mouth.

"I just wish to know what happened," replied the mother. "Our son… is…" She abruptly turned away, unable to speak the words. The pain of losing a child was completely unbearable.

The man gave a stern look but pain was evident in his eyes. "Sabrina, what happened?" he asked quietly, keeping his own pain of loss in check. The night of the attack and Sabrina was taken to hospital, Edward's parents were contacted and they were given the worse news of their life. It was never easy when a Constable of the law would be forced to inform the parents of their child's passing. It didn't matter if that child was a child or an adult a parent would be grief stricken.

She shook her head. She understood how they felt though she knew her pain could never compare to theirs. They lost a son, she only lost her betrothed. "Honestly, I don't know. We were walking in the park after the rehearsal dinner and suddenly from out of nowhere... just like that he was gone... Someone saved me before I could join him..." She tried to keep her voice from cracking, but she couldn't.

The mother turned to Sabrina. Some anger in her eyes, which resembled resentment, but there was no full way to tell. "Your things have been packed and be sent back to London." Her son was gone, there was no need to keep the reminder of the loss in her face.

"What!? Why?" Sabrina tried to move but winced in pain.

"Please try and understand," the father replied. "We promised your parents we would take care of you until you two were to marry. But that is not happening anymore. There is too much to deal with. We cannot continue to house you, as you're no longer part of the family. I'm sorry. You have no ability to retain the property of your family, which is why we took you in after your parents died."

"You need to understand," the mother replied as tears poured down her face. "I'm glad you're alive but you're a constant reminder of us losing our son." She quickly turned away and left the room.

The father watched his wife leave, sad. "I wish there was something we can do for you. We met a man earlier by the name of Vernon, he has informed us that he will take care of you from now on. If he doesn't come through for you, I will help you to get a ticket to leave back to our homeland."

"But..." Sabrina tried as tears flowed. Never before had they been so harsh to her. Countess and Earl Powell were always so generous to her and even more so since her parents had passed away. Why now of all times they turn their back on her?

"His funeral will be in two days, which is the same day you're being released from the hospital and be leaving these shores. If you can make it, we'd appreciate it. Once you arrive in London, please write to us to be sure you're doing well. Again, I'm sorry." With that, the man turned and also left.

"Well that could have gone a little better," the doctor answered. He looked at Sabrina. "So what will you do now then?"

"What can I do?" she asked, grief gripping a strong hold of her heart. "They have abandoned me. My fiancés are frozen. Vernon has offered me a ticket to go back to my homeland."

"Perhaps that is a good place to go." The doctor finished what he was doing and then soon left.

Not long after he left, Vernon arrived and he was given the shocker of his life. He had wondered why Sabrina was so much more in a wreck and it didn't take him long to learn of what Edward's parents had said to her. He had met them in the hallway, not long ago. It didn't take him long to learn why she was so upset and it slightly bugged him that her fiancé's parents no longer wanted anything to do with her. It took her awhile for Vernon to calm her down and let her know that things would be ok.

As Sabrina continued to get better with no explanation of how, her new friend Vernon. However, during her time in the hospital news was spreading fast of a serial killer on the loose. The killer was targeting couples and leaving the bodies in a very graphic bloody mess. Some couples were very hard to recognize. The couples ranged from the peasants to noblemen.

The Prime Minister, who was Sir John A. MacDonald, immediately, decided it was high time to send word to her majesty about the situation. However it would take nearly a week before the Royal court would get word of the killings and then either send help or recommendations, which would take another week.

In that time new preparations were being made, unknowingly for Sabrina. Through Vernon and his mysterious ways, he was going to give Sabrina a new home, using his own money to help her, only because he knew more than what was really going on and unfortunately he couldn't help everyone. There was something about Sabrina that lured him to her and he felt compelled to help.

During that time Vernon had visited her a few times everyday. Almost to the point where they had became friends. On the day Sabrina was released from the hospital, Vernon had a ticket ready for her as promised. He accompanied her to the home she had lived in for a while and packed her things before heading to the port where her things could be boarded while they attended Edward's funeral. There was no way Vernon was going to let her go by herself. Something was off about the Powell's.

Both dressed in black, they arrived at the cemetery where Edward was to be buried. The day was beautiful with the sun shining, warming everything up. Sabrina stood by Edward's family as they said goodbye to their loved one.

Vernon stood off to the side and waited with his typical sad expression. He often seemed sad so with the funeral in progress, he was able to blend in well. When the funeral service was over, Sabrina was last to leave, leaning her head against the coffin that would soon be lowered down in the ground.

"Goodbye, Edward," she cried, as she rested a rose on his coffin.

Vernon took this moment to step over to her, putting a hand over her shoulder to raise her up. "Come, you have said your goodbyes. We must now go so you can catch the ship. It leaves in an hour."

"I can't leave him," she whimpered.

"I know, but it can't be helped," he reasoned. "He's in your heart."

She leaned against him as he pulled her away from the gravesite. The men around the grave were then able to start their job, which was to put the coffin into the ground and bury it.

Vernon had a carriage ready for them and once helping her into the carriage and then he climbed in, the two made their way to the port. During their drive, she managed to get her tears under control. Getting there, he was the first to exit and then helped her out. Taking her hand and putting it into the crook of her arm, they walked down the pier to the passenger loading area.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Lady Sabrina. Perhaps we will meet again someday." She was totally unaware of how true that statement was going to become.

She was still heavily stricken with grief, but with the long string of murders and she was the luck of the draw, she knew leaving her home of 21 years was the best choice. She was the only child of her parents, which meant now she had an inheritance but that was highly frowned upon because no woman was really allowed to own property.

She got ready to board the ship that would take her to New York and then transfer, taking her to London. "Thank you so much for your help, Vernon. I will never forget you." She leaned forward, kissing his cheek.

To her surprise the man blushed ever so slightly, not used to such a gesture. That would have been the first time she saw his expression change in days. Averting his gaze as it faded. "Have a safe journey... and good luck."

She gave a small sad smile seeing the blush. With a nod, she stepped away from him, heading up the ramp to board the ship. Once getting on board and showed her ticket to the man at the entrance, he gave her a nod and showed her which way to go. She didn't bother to go up on deck and made her way to her room.

In her stateroom, she took one look before going over to the bed and was about to crash on the bed when she noticed something sticking out of her over coat.

"What's this?" Pulling it out only to find it was a letter. Pulling it open, she began to read.

The letter was addressed to her from Vernon.

I have a friend in London that may be able to help you get settled in. Look for Earl Phantomhive and his butler Sebastian. They should meet you there.

Sincerely,

Vernon

"Earl Phantomhive? As in the toy maker?" With a shrug, she put the letter away and laid down on the bed, crying herself to sleep. She had just attended her fiancé's funeral and it was breaking her heart that his family now wanted nothing to do with her. They blamed her for his death. When she attended his funeral she learnt her things were packed and sent on a cargo ship to be taken back to England for her family. There was no other family member with the name Parker. Unknown to her, danger was just ahead of her.