A/N: Today kind of sucks. Final projects, exams, I have to sing in front of people on Friday, I found out I don't have a job for the summer… But, on the bright side, this chapter is done, after much agonizing how to make everything flow properly. :) I hope you guys enjoy!

Without Power

Sebastian followed the Viscount of Druitt to a perfectly ordinary sitting room, and watched as the blond man went to one of the bookshelves, tripping a hidden switch and revealing a set of stairs. The demon couldn't help but be impressed by his cautiousness. This was a different room than he had taken Ciel the first time, and it was much better-hidden. There was probably a second exit as well, allowing nobles to abscond with their purchases without anyone who may be in the house seeing them. He followed the Viscount down the stairs, keeping one hand on the simple ironwork handrail to maintain his illusion. After all, humans couldn't see in the dark.

They reached a fairly large room after a minute or so of walking. Sebastian could hear faint footsteps behind them, knowing that it was Aberline tailing them and hoping that Druitt could not hear. The inspector had done a surprisingly good job of getting in here without being noticed. Perhaps there was something to be said for the amount of faith Ciel had in him.

There were cages in this room, and for a brief moment Sebastian was reminded of that day, three years ago now. But the room was clean and bright, and he had to assume that the Viscount treated his captives a bit better than a group of cultists, especially if his intent was to make money.

"Well?" Druitt asked, gesturing grandly around the room. "Are there any that suit your fancy?"

Sebastian made a show of looking in all of the cages, seeing some variation of fear or nervousness in the eyes of every child he passed. But he paused in front of the cage containing his young lord, who was still unconscious. Whatever drug Druitt had given him must have been strong. "Is this child a noble?"

Druitt nodded. "He's quite a troublesome brat, but quite beautiful."

"I'll take him." Sebastian noticed Aberline in the stairwell with a small camera, and though he didn't react, he was curious. How had the inspector smuggled such a thing in here? But he knew what the man's intent was, and asked the Viscount, "How much do you want?"

"As he is, as you pointed out, a noble, I'll take no less than five-hundred pounds." There was a greedy light in Druitt's eyes, and Sebastian took out the wallet he had borrowed from Ciel, counting out the notes carefully. He handed Druitt the money, shaking his hand.

"I am exceedingly grateful for this, Viscount. I have been looking forward to having such a servant for a while now." He continued to clasp the Viscount's hand, ensuring that Aberline had enough time to get his picture. Once he saw the inspector return the cap to the camera, he let go, and Druitt tucked the money away before moving to unlock the cage.

Ciel was limp in his arms, his head lolling onto Sebastian's chest as the demon scooped him up. "What did you drug him with?"

"It was a powerful sedative. I'm not sure what it was called. I put it in his tea." Druitt explained. "He was supposed to drink the tea gradually, and finally pass out, but he drank the whole cup in one swallow. I'm unsure how long he will be out."

That sounds like my young master. Sebastian smiled. "That will do fine. Less opportunities for him to fight, if he is as much trouble as you say." He glanced at Aberline, who had just finished disassembling the camera, and smirked. "And, ah, one more thing, Viscount?"

"Yes?" The blond man paused in the middle of tucking the keys to the cages back into his pocket.

Aberline walked out into the middle of the room, brandishing his badge. "Alestair Chamber, Viscount of Druitt, you are under arrest for illegal human trafficking." Druitt froze up, and Aberline strode over to cuff his hands behind his back. "There must be another door out of here. You'll show us where it is, unless you'd rather everyone at your party see you in handcuffs."

"It's over there!" The man yelped, mortified by the idea, indicating with a sharp motion of his head a single door set into the wall. "It comes out in the garden-house."

Aberline nodded, and turned to Sebastian, his eyes on the boy in the butler's arms. "Will he be all right?"

Shifting his young lord to a more comfortable position, Sebastian smiled. "I am certain he will be fine. Other than being utterly irate when he awakens. He does hate to miss the conclusion of things." Ciel would also be furious that Aberline had seen him so vulnerable, but there was no need to tell the inspector that little detail. There might not even be reason to tell Ciel, if the young earl didn't think to ask.

"Tell him that I thank him for solving this case, and that I was glad to help." Aberline yanked Druitt's handcuffs. "Go ahead and take him home. I'll deal with this." He glared at the disgraced Viscount, disgusted. His girlfriend was pregnant, and to think that there were people who could treat children like this… it was deplorable. If he had his way, the Viscount of Druitt would be behind bars for a long time.

xXx

When Ciel stirred, he didn't open his eyes at first, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He was tucked into bed, warm and comfortable, and this confused him. Shifting slightly, he could tell that he even had his favorite pillow. This was definitely his bed, but how had he gotten here? The last thing that he remembered was drinking the drugged tea…

He glanced over as Sebastian opened the drapes, turning to smile at him. "Are you awake now, Bocchan? You spent the remainder of last night asleep. It was quite the potent drug you swallowed."

"What happened…with Druitt?" Ciel asked.

"He is locked up soundly in Scotland Yard for questioning." Sebastian replied calmly, placing a tray of hot scones topped with cinnamon and sugar on the bed. Ciel reached for one immediately, allowing his curious expression to speak for him. The demon smirked. "He offered you to me for five hundred pounds. Inspector Aberline had in his possession a small camera, which he used to obtain a picture to use as evidence. I doubt that the Viscount will be getting out of this charge."

Ciel glared into his scones. Sebastian was positive he was either contemplating the possible indignity of the situation, or thinking about the Viscount in general. So he was very surprised when Ciel took another, vicious bite of scone and ground out angrily, "I'm worth so much more than five hundred pounds… Idiotic man…" Thought it wasn't clear whether the boy was speaking of Sebastian or Druitt, the butler couldn't help but chuckle quietly, earning a glare of his own, and poured the tea to offer Ciel a cup.

The young earl huffed, but accepted his tea without further complaint. The morning proceeded normally from that point on. Ciel waited impatiently for news from Scotland Yard, but none seemed to be forthcoming.

Prince Soma finally got out of bed at almost noon. The party had continued without Druitt, and he had stayed until the end, near three in the morning. Agni convinced him to wait until lunch to satisfy how hungry he was, and in the meantime, he perched in Ciel's office, asking about how the case went.

"So you're sure you're okay?" the violet-haired boy asked for about the fifth time. Ciel nodded dully, looking over some of the Funtom Company's paperwork, and Soma chimed, "So you arrested that Viscount person. Has there been any word on whether he's going to get convicted?"

"No." Ciel groused. "Aberline ought to send word soon, unless Lord Randall is stopping him for some reason." He tossed the papers he'd been reading to the desk, and folded his arms irritably. "I want to make sure that bastard is behind bars for a long time."

"Well, you can't sit here all day worrying about it!" Like a burst of sunshine in comparison to Ciel's gloomy demeanor, Soma dragged the young earl from his chair with surprising force. "Come on! Let's go see what's for lunch, and you can worry about it on a full stomach later!"

All of Ciel's protests went ignored as he was pulled along to the dining room, where, with Agni and Sebastian cooking, lunch was spectacular as always. And as it turned out, Prince Soma had been correct. Just as Ciel was polishing off a dark chocolate and cherry torte, a messenger arrived at the front door. When Sebastian returned with the simple handwritten note, Ciel snatched it, beginning to read eagerly. The Viscount had been convicted, and would spend at least twenty years in a dank cell in Newgate Prison. Aberline did, however, request Ciel's presence at the Scotland Yard headquarters. The note did not explain why.

xXx

The entire walk to Scotland Yard, Ciel had a sinking feeling in his gut that he knew why Aberline had called upon him. There had been another murder. It was the only explanation. Sebastian was a silent shadow at his heels, and Soma had thankfully been left at home after a vicious bout of pleading and whining. Agni had talked him down, however, and had wished Ciel good luck.

An officer was waiting to escort them to Aberline's office, and the young inspector looked relieved to see them. "Ciel, I'm glad you're here."

"I came as soon as I received your note, Inspector. What is so important that you would call me away from my afternoon appointments?" All that waited back at the townhouse was paperwork, but Ciel was not willing to share that bit of information.

Aberline leaned over behind his desk and lifted a moderately-sized box into his lap. "This was found at the scene of a shooting in one of the alleys in East End." He opened the box and set a perfectly scale miniature of the alley on the desk. A little dark-haired doll sprawled on its back, red blooming on the chest of the tiny, worn shirt. "He was shot point-blank. No witnesses. Nothing unusual about the crime scene until one of our junior officers found this. I wanted to see what you thought of it."

Sebastian stepped to the side of the desk, studying the miniature curiously. He had not gotten to see the first one, and was impressed by the level of detail that human hands were able to create. And this human was very skilled at erasing evidence. When Ciel glanced at him curiously, the demon shook his head faintly. There was nothing on this little model that he could use to track the culprit.

Ciel frowned, picking up the doll gingerly to examine it. "Who was he?" he asked, poking at the dried miniature bloodstain.

"He was identified as Charles Merryweather." Aberline replied. "We're not sure of much else about him."

"Merryweather… Merryweather… Why do I know that name?" Ciel set the doll back into the miniature, making sure he put it back perfectly.

Sebastian touched him on the shoulder lightly to gain his attention. "Is there not a Mr. Merryweather who deals in opium for Mr. Lau?" He smirked faintly as Ciel groaned. Lau's opium business was one of the things that Ciel was forced to ignore, as despite the Chinese man's sometimes thoroughly irritating personality, he was a useful pawn in the game the Queen's Watchdog played.

Ciel met Aberline's gaze with one intense blue eye. "This is clearly the work of a serial killer. He would not go through such trouble to construct the models if it were random acts of violence. They are well thought-out and planned attacks." The young earl paused, glancing at the miniature again before huffing, "Unfortunately, I cannot act with the powers of my position unless the Queen sends an official request."

Aberline shook his head. "Any help you offer, no matter how small, is welcome, Ciel." He watched the boy gather his cape and hat and prepare to leave, and added, "I am glad that you recovered well. You were pretty heavily drugged last night."

Ciel bristled slightly at the idea that Aberline had seen him looking so weak, and instead forced a polite tone as he replied, "Thank you, Inspector." Without another word, he left the office, striding purposefully out of Scotland Yard headquarters and back towards the townhouse, Sebastian following obediently behind. "There is nothing you can use to track the murderer? Nothing at all?"

"Nothing, my Lord." Sebastian replied. "The miniature was remarkably clean, for something made by a human. I detected nothing supernatural about its origins, however."

"That's a start." Ciel huffed. "The last thing we need is another crazed angel on our hands." He paused, stopping on the sidewalk and looking around, puzzled, as a squeal of happiness split the air.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute, that's him! The nice man who came and found out where we all were!"

Ciel blinked, and glimpsed a small blonde girl of about ten years old pull away from a Scotland Yard officer and race across the street, hugging Sebastian around the waist. "The Inspector said that the Earl of Phantomhive tricked the Viscount into getting caught! That's you, isn't it, mister?"

Sebastian showed no surprise to the sudden attack, recognizing the child currently clinging to him. "I am afraid not, Miss Ellismore. I am simply one hell of a butler." He gently detached her, turning her to face Ciel. "Lisse Ellismoor, this is my master, Earl Ciel Phantomhive. My Lord, this is Lisse Ellismoor, one of the children kidnapped by the Viscount of Druitt."

Ciel stared at her, looking vaguely disapproving. Hypocritical or not, he didn't like children, mostly because he no longer saw himself as a child. He was waiting for her to make some comment as to his age, since most everyone did, but instead she squealed and hugged him, leaving him in shock.

"Lisse!" The officer she had been with hurried across the street, apologizing profusely. "I'm terribly sorry, Earl. Lisse, come along, your mother is terribly worried about you."

Lisse released Ciel after squeezing him one last time, waving cheerily as she took the officer's hand. "Goodbye, Earl Phantomhive! Thank you!"

Ciel stared until they disappeared around a corner, and then glanced at his butler. Sebastian was doing his best not to grin, and Ciel shot him a venomous glare before turning in the direction of home. "Not a word, Sebastian."

xXx

Soma and Agni had gone out when they returned to the townhouse, so Ciel was left alone for the afternoon and evening. He was quietly grateful. After the previous night and dealing with the new murder today, not to mention that girl, he wanted nothing but a bit of quiet time to himself.

As Sebastian dressed him in a clean nightshirt for bed, he chanced asking the demon, "Do you think this killer is looking for revenge on those of the Underworld? After all, so far we've had a thief and a drug-dealer. Could it be vigilantism?"

"My, my." Sebastian chuckled, finishing with the buttons and untying Ciel's eyepatch. "Are you asking me for help, Bocchan?" It wasn't often that his young lord asked for his opinion, choosing instead to plan on his own and then issue orders.

Ciel scowled at him. "Of course not. I was merely thinking out loud." He climbed into bed, waiting for Sebastian to tuck him in, fuming. Did the demon have to make everything into an opportunity to tease him? "We'll probably have to go talk to Lau at some point. He ought to know at least some details as to why one of his men was murdered."

After making sure that the blankets were smoothed and the pillows properly fluffed, Sebastian picked up the candelabrum and bowed slightly. "Shall I make the arrangements?"

"Not right now. We'll wait a few days and see what turns up." Ciel turned over, facing away from Sebastian. "You can go."

The butler stood quietly for a moment, just looking at his little master. Such a tiny, fragile human, who looked even tinier in the large bed. He looked as though, if the blankets were any heavier, they would crush him. Sebastian placed his marked hand over his heart, just for a moment, before turning to leave.

"As you wish. Pleasant dreams, Young Master."