I am really sorry for the late update! Please find the kindness in your hearts to forgive me!

It was just that there is school, and I wasn't allowed electronic for a couple of weeks, so everything was put on hold.

Another thing. Because of school I will be updating less frequently, but I will try my best not to make the wait too long. I will still be updating, but it will just take me a bit more time.

Anyways, back to the story. Please R&R. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The Comforting Pain

CIEL'S POV

Excluding the part where I had a nightmare, I slept quite soundly last night. Rhea's voice really has a soothing sound to it.

Currently, I was sitting in the back of a limousine with my family butler Tanaka driving me back to Madame Red's manor. Tanaka survived the incident 7 years ago, but received substantial injuries. Once he fully recovered, he requested that he be a butler for the Durless family, cause he did swear to serve the Phantomhives until the end, and since I was still alive, his duty wasn't finished yet.

Tanaka was like a grandfather to me, so I was overjoyed when I was informed that he would continue to serve me.

"Oh yes, young master?" asked Tanaka.

I turned my head away from the window and looked at him. "Hm?"

"Mistress Angelina informed me to tell you that there is a surprise for the young master once he comes home."

I raised one of my eyebrows. A surprise? How rare.

It probably isn't that big of a deal. Maybe she purchased another outfit for me, not that I look forward to wearing them.

I looked back to the window and stared at the snow covered ground. The scenery moved past quickly because I was in a car, but it wasn't so fast that I couldn't see it for a second.

I chuckled quietly to myself.

I used to wonder how amazing it would be like to be snow. Just floating around in the air, being able to see all of London from such a high view, not having a care in the world. Then, soon land on a patch of grass, surrounded by so many others just like you, not judging but accepting how you are and just lying there together.

I shook my head slightly. If there was such a thing, I would be in paradise.

"Young master, we have arrived."

Tanaka's voice emerged me from my thoughts. I opened my eyes (when did I close them?) to see that we had indeed arrived back to the Durless Manor. I sighed and waited for Tanaka to open the door for me, which was only a few seconds.

I stepped out into the cool morning air of December, hearing the soft crackling of snow beneath my feet. I walked towards the large front steps and knocked on the door.

A maid, I believe her name is Cassandra, opened the huge oak doors and bowed when she saw me.

"Welcome home young master, the Mistress is waiting for you in the Library."

I shrugged off my coat and handed them to Cassandra. She took them from me and went to hang them in the coat room.

I headed to the library with Tanaka close behind me.

When I reached its doors, I cautiously opened them to see Madame Red sitting at one on the tables with a box at her side.

I took a step forward, and her head snapped at my direction. A big, joyous smile was plastered on her face. "Ah, Ciel!"

I looked at her with an impassive face. "I caught wind that you have a present for me?"

Madame Red viciously nodded her head. "Yes, and I think you'll absolutely love it!"

She motioned me to sit down, so sit I did. By the expression in her face, I could tell that this was going to be a long explanation before I would be told what the mysterious present was.

"So, just after you left the party, I met this nice young man named Will-"

"Madame Red, I am not interested in your love affairs,"

"Oh, my dear boy, that man is married!"

My eyes widened. "You're having an affair with a married man!?"

I truly didn't have a care with Madame Red's love life, really. She would bring a different man back once every couple of weeks, and my job was simply to remain invisible, which, by the way, I am very good at.

Madame Red's face flushed. "Ciel! I never imagined that you would think so lowly of me! Of course I'm not having an affair with him. We simply talked, and I found out something very interesting."

That perked my interest. I leaned in closer and rested my arms on the table.

"He is the headmaster of Weston College!"

I frowned. I had a feeling of where this conversation was going, and personally, I didn't like it.

"You wouldn't be referring to that top class school that even the queen attends some of their events, would you?" I asked.

Madame Red threw her head back and laughed. "Of course I am talking about that school." She finally stopped giggling and looked back at me. "Anyways, he had a nice long conversation, and I somehow ended up mentioning that you are homeschooled." My eyes became hard and my face became stiff. Madame Red noticed this and added, "Only that you were homeschooled, nothing more."

I relaxed and settled back into the chair. "Continue," I said.

She nodded. "To make a long story short, I managed to convince him to enroll you into highschool."

I froze. "You what!?" I hissed.

Madame Red hardened her expression. "You should be starting your first year around your age. will begin your first day tomorrow. Your uniform is in the box, as well as all of the other supplies you shall need."

"Going to school is not necessary," I spat.

Madame Red's face held a very stern expression. "Ciel, don't think of me as deaf. I know Rhea continues to pester you with advice to go to school or a club. Be thankful I didn't add you on to one of those."

She stood up and started to head out of the library. She suddenly stopped at the door and looked back at me. "I didn't tell anyone who you really are, so your name will be Ciel Durless." A creepy smile crawled onto her face. "You don't have a choice in this matter, Ciel. Oh yes, could you call Rhea for me and inform her on the good news? Thanks,"

Madame Red turned her back and exited the quiet library, leaving a seething me to collect my murderous thoughts.

"How dare her," I yell to no one in particular. "Damn her, why did she enroll me to school of all places?"

I slammed my fists down onto the table, hard. I rubbed my throbbing temples. Oh, why did I have to deal with this in the morning?

I let out an exasperated sigh. I really didn't have the energy to argue right now.

Instead, I decided to call Rhea, hoping it would help clear my mind.

I pulled my iPhone out of my pocket and dial up Rhea's number.

It rung for a few seconds before I heard a ruffle on the other side.

"Hello?"

"Rhea, it's me."

"Ah, Ciel, what's up? Did you forget something at my house?"

"Uh, no. Actually, I have news you will find, um, quite satisfactory. You see, Madame Red met up with this man at the gala last night-"

"Ciel, I don't need to know about your aunt's love life unless it somehow is traumatizing you."

"No, it's nothing like that. The guy's married."

"Your aunt's having an affair with a married man!?"

"NO, no. I asked the same question, it's not like that. The guy is the headmaster of Weston College, y'know, that elite school going from grades 5 to college."

"Yeah,"

"Well, Madame Red talked him into enrolling me to school."

Silence.

"EEEEEHHHHHH? She managed to do that!? I heard that the headmaster is an emotionless guy. Your aunt must have amazing persuasive powers! This is wonderful Ciel. What a great chance for you to open up!"

I groaned. "To you it may seem so, but to me it seems like a big pain in the arse. You're not the one who has to go Rhea,"

I heard a soft chuckle from the other side of the line. "Oh, Ciel. Imagine all of the looks I had to put aside when I was back in Yale. I'll tell you, it wasn't easy."

I flinched when she suddenly gasped. "That's it! It's the perfect solution."

"What is Rhea?"

"Why don't I go to school with you?"

Silence.

"EEEEEEEEEHHHHHH? You're joking right? Why on earth would you want to go back to school?"

"Well, you would prefer if someone you knew was going with you, for example, me, right?"

"Yes, but how would you manage to convince the school board that you are an honest to God fourteen year old girl?"

"I can always just change my last name and create a fake identity, or I could just bribe the school board. You'd be surprised about how many dirty secrets they have,"

"Well. The first option is illegal, and might I ask why you have knowledge of the school boards darkest secret?"

I could hear the smile on her face. "Trust me, you don't want to know. Anyways, it's decided, alright? I'll just brie the school board and then I'll talk to Madame Red to see if I could pass off as a distant relative,"

"Wait, I never-"

"I'll be over in a few minutes. We need to get you a few things if you want to appear as ordinary as possible. See you then."

I spent a few moments glaring at my phone before I tossed it across the room.

"Uuugggghh! Why is everyone I know a blithering idiot?"

I continued to curse and stomp around until I finally noticed the soft raps against the large wooden doors of the library. I ribbed my temples, walked over to where my phone laid, picked it up, and released a long and tired sigh.

"Enter," I mumbled.

Despite his age, Tanaka had great hearing. He slowly opened the large doors and bowed. "Young master, breakfast is ready,"

I raked my hand through my hair. "I will not be eating breakfast; I already had some pancakes back at Rhea's. Inform Madame Red that I will be out."

Tanaka bowed again and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

I sigh and looked at my watch. 10:27, huh?

I walked out of the library and made my way to my bedroom. The manor was slightly like a maze, but so was mine.

I smiled at the memory of when I got lost and cried until my father finally found me. He had picked me up carried me out of the long corridor back to my mother who looked relieved, tears streaming down her face. She was half crying half laughing.

Unconsciously, a tear escaped from my left eye. I quickly wiped it away and stopped myself from walking into my bedroom door.

I took a few slow steps forward and then ran the rest of the way to my huge king sized bed.

I stayed in that position for a few seconds before I turned my face sideways for air. I then pushed my self up and walked to my closet containing all of my clothes.

I stripped myself of my formal attire, leaving them on the floor, knowing Tanaka would take care of them.

Winter in London wasn't that cold in my view, so I put on a pair of black cargo shorts that stopped just before my knees. I slipped in an orange shirt that read: If you are reading this, then you are too close to me.

I thought it suited me perfectly. I tugged on a pair of black socks and shoved on a pair of black leather combat boots that went all the way to my knees, leaving only a small chunk of leg skin showing.

I took off the topaz studs I wore and replaced them with small silver rings.

I made sure my eye patch was tied snug and tight, and then headed back down stairs.

Cassandra stood by the door and bowed when she saw me.

"Go get my black parka please," I commanded. She nodded and scurried to the coat room. Seconds later, she came back with what I had asked for.

I shrugged on the jacket. It pretty much was just a thick black jacket lined with cotton inside with a hood with beige fake fur on the edges of the hood.

Suddenly, Rhea burst in with a big grin on her face.

She wore a light orange scarf loosely hanging around her neck. A dark t-shirt with white polka dots clung tightly to her body, showing off her body's natural curves. Short denim short-shorts rested firmly on her waist, but she wore fishnet stockings and a pair of turquoise pumps with bright orange heels. A beige trench coat finished the deal.

"Ciel! Ready to go?"

I nodded and followed Rhea outside.

Don't ask me how Rhea managed this, but she was able to give me and her permission to ride our street sport motorbikes in the city.

I am going to take a guess that she bribed the government with secrets that I know nothing of, but sure enough, when a police car comes by to see us driving on our motorbikes, they shoot a dirty glance, but that's it.

Mine of course is navy blue and shiny black while Rhea's id yellow with streaks of purplish blue.

Naturally I wear a helmet, and Rhea's made sure to let me know that I look pretty damn fine in it, but I still love the feeling of rebellion and no worries of being arrested or anything.

I placed on my helmet and climbed onto my bike. I started the ignition and looked at Rhea, who was getting her helmet out.

"Where to?" I asked.

""Just follow me,"

I nodded. She finally put her helmet on and climbed onto her own bike. Only a thin layer of snow laid on the ground and it was barely cold out, so we didn't need to worry about our bikes breaking down.

Rhea kicked the stand up and let the engine give off a couple of roars before she sped off.

I leaned in and raced after.

The feeling of the wind blowing against your body and endless speed is quite addicting. My adrenaline quickly rose, and I had to fight the urge to let loose a yell of excitement.

Unfortunately, there is such thing as a speed limit (Stupid, fucking, #$&* %#$^* speed limit), so we did need to slow down once we reached the city boundaries.

I kept my eyes on Rhea, since I had no idea where I was going, but I made sure to memorize what path we were taking so I could come back on my own.

Rhea and I received a few strange glances from pedestrians, but I just smiled a wicked smile. They wish they could be doing what I was at the moment. Of course I was wearing a helmet so no one could see my face, but whatever.

Rhea turned right, and I had to physically move my head so I could see my right since, well, you know, my right was kind of gouged out. I always made sure I was weary of what was going on to my right because of my, impairment.

I looked up, and Rhea was motioning to a sport big enough to fit both of our bikes. I gave her thumbs up and followed her once again to the available parking space.

We parked and set the stands down. When we purchased the bikes, Rhea had given me this extremely heavy duty lock, but also a piece of weather proof paper with a weird design on it. She said even the most amateur bike thief wouldn't dare touch anything, whether it be a solid block of gold or a simple bicycle, with this insignia. But if they did, they soon would return it in one piece were they found it.

She didn't say why, but I had a very strong feeling it wasn't pretty.

I got off my bike and put on the insignia and placed the lock. I placed my helmet, which had the insignia spray painted on the back, on the handle and stepped onto the sidewalk. Rhea did the same, and you could visibly see the people quietly edge away from us.

Rhea grabbed my arm and pulled me into a store. I blinked and turned around to see shelves and shelves of glass eyes staring at me. I almost yelped from surprise.

Rhea walked forward to what appeared to be a desk, and rung the bell. I jumped as a man emerged from underneath the desk.

He had long silver hair and a nasty scar going across his face, his bangs covered his eyes, but you could feel them peering at you.

He wore a simple black top hat with a long black ribbon falling from the top. He wore simple black robes with a long gray sash, ending at his hips.

"Ah, Rhea, how are you? I haven't seen you in years." He started laughing as if he made a joke.

Rhea simply smiled. "Good day Undertaker."

Undertaker, what kind of bloody name is that?

"Come to purchase something I see? For the Phantomhive boy? Hhhhhmmmmm?"

My brows furrowed and I was about to say something, but Rhea whipped her arm out and shot me the do-not-say-anything-or-do-anything look.

I immediately shut up.

"I would like to buy a glass eye. One that matches this young man's face and is the same color."

The Undertaker stood up. "I would like my payment first, pleaassse." He then plopped back down, giggling.

Rhea rolled her eyes and walked up to the strange man. She whispered something in his ear and stepped away.

One second passed.

Two seconds passed.

"BBBBWWWWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! Oh, that was hilarious!" He fell back tears pouring out of his eyes.

Rhea however, wore a face full of distain. "Do we have a deal?" she asked, simply, but full of venom.

Undertaker slowly stood back up and nodded before falling back down, laughing.

He suddenly stood up again, and slithered over to me. I took a cautious step back, but nothing more.

Next thing I knew, my eye patch was lying on the floor and the man's face was way too close to mine.

He peered at my right eye, and then shuffled into the shadows of the store. Rhea bent down and picked up my eye patch, and handed it to me.

I gingerly took and put it back in my face.

"That was the Undertaker," stated Rhea.

"I gathered that much." I looked at her. "Is he really an undertaker?"

Rhea nodded. "He is many things, and thankfully, an ocularist is one of them." She said it as if that explained everything.

I nodded and stopped asking questions.

Eventually, the Undertaker emerged from the shadows with three glass eyes perched on a dark green cushion within a glass cube.

"Here ya go, three sapphire glass eyes." The Undertaker looked at me, still grinning. "Do you know how to use a glass eye, boy?"

I shook my head. "Well, little Miss Rhea will take care of that, won't she?"

Rhea smiled again. "Of course," she said. "May we borrow the room in the back?"

The Undertaker bowed slightly and pointed to the shadows.

Rhea walked forwards and I quickly paced after her, not wanting to stay any longer than necessary with the strange man.

She led me to what seemed to be an office, but it was cleared out, only a few plush chairs left out. Rhea gestured me to sit in one of the chairs.

I sat down while she pulled out a bag she must've hid within her trench coat. She opened it, and inside laid an array of surgical instruments.

"Uh, Rhea, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to implant the glass eye."

"Shouldn't we do that at a hospital?"

She shrugged. "Don't feel like it."

I started to sweat. "Look, Rhea. I trust you and everything, but not really to this extent, and-"

Rhea turned around with a syringe on her hand. "Don't worry Ciel, I'm a doctor,"

I felt a prick on my arm and soon blacked out.

I HOUR LATER

I woke up with a heavy feeling in my right eye. I slowly opened my sticky eye lids and looked around. I spotted a mirror lying on the floor in front of me, and picked it up.

When I saw my reflection I almost dropped it. Two blue eyes stared right back at me. I slowly raised my hand to touch my right eye. I blinked a few times, and so did my other eye.

"The trick is to not make people notice that you're wearing a glass eye." I whipped around to see Rhea walking in wiping her hands on a towel. "Since your eye nerves are dead, you will not be able to move the glass eye, so if you're talking to someone on you're right, your either pay no mind to them or completely turn your head. The thing s that you can still blink with both eye lids, thank god. It saved a lot of hassle for me. Eye surgery is not my cup of tea."

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"About an hour,"

"Hmmm." I still had my jacket on, and Rhea was currently putting hers on.

"Come on," she said. "There is one more place I want to go to, but first let's eat lunch. I'm starving. Oh yeah, your eye patch is in your left pocket, just in case you were wondering."

I nodded, checked, stood up, and followed her out the door. The Undertaker wasn't there, but I wasn't complaining or anything.

Once we were outside, I took a deep breath of the crisp air. I slightly closed my eyes, only to walk into someone.

I small oof was all I said before my butt landed hard onto the ice cold sidewalk.

"Ow," I mumbled. I lifted my head to see who I ran into.

The other person had also fallen down, and like me was getting up. He had shiny black hair, but not so much it looked greasy, but rather silky, and a perfectly formed face. A large hand covered his eyes, and I could still see his full lips and straight nose. He looked around my age, but was definitely taller.

"Ouch," I heard him murmur. "Oi, watch were you're going next time-"

The stranger moved his hand, and scarlet eyes met sapphire look alike. His eyes were slightly slanted while mine where slightly larger and wider, giving off that innocent look, but neither of us could take our eyes off each other. I was mesmerized on how endless the strangers gaze was.

"Ciel! Are you okay?" I whipped my head, snapping out of the trance. Rhea was kneeling next to me, worry swimming in her eyes. "Sorry, maybe we should've waited to make sure the anesthetic had completely worn off-"

"I'm fine," I said, cutting her off. "I just ran into this guy by accident."

Rhea's face lightened up. "Oh, are you okay?"

"Fine," I repeated, allowing Rhea to help me back up. I turned to look at the stranger who had also stood up and was still staring at me. "Sorry about that,"

"Huh," His eyes suddenly became clear and he shook his head a couple of times, shaking the red beats he wore around his neck. "Oh yeah, um no prob."

"Well, then, if you would excuse us," I said, grabbing Rhea's arm, steering us both away from the man. I was feeling funny. When I looked into the guy's eyes, I completely forgot about everything. Rhea, Madame Red, my parents, school, everything.

The funny thing is that I never wanted to forget. No matter how much my past tortures me, I never want to forget. The pain continues to remind me that I'm human, and so, I hope I never meet that man ever again.

Because I know. I know that if I look into those eyes again, I will forget everything.

And that scares me.

Thank you for reading, and again I apologize for the late update.

That was a long chapter! Well, to me it was at least. But, yay! Ciel finally met Sebby, and yes, they'll be seeing more of each other in the next chapter ;)

Anyways, I need help deciding what Rhea's fake last name should be! I would LOVE it if you guys could send suggestions in your reviews! I promise I will use one of the ones you guys give me.

Now, if I don't choose yours, it's not because I hate you or anything, I just feel like using that last name, but do know I am thankful to anybody who will use a bit of their time thinking of a fake last name for Rhea!

-BrokenWings66