"Nichole, can you help me with the dishes? I need help carrying so many for the party tomorrow."

"Sure Hannah." I said, turning to her. My maid dress (it looked just like Hannah's) spun as I turned to help the demon woman. My hair was in a neat French braid Hannah made for me when I had awoken almost four hours ago, at day break. I took some filthy dishes from her and walked behind her to the kitchen.

Apparently after working for Alois for two days, you get an official Trancy Maid dress. It was cool to wear, except for the fact I had to wear a corset in order to fit into the waist. I think Alois made that part of the dress for his own enjoyment of watching me walk around in pain. I would totally do that to my servants too, so I shouldn't be talking.

"Thank you. You know, I've never seen Alois accept another maid like you into our little ragtag family." Hannah said, putting the plates down on the counter.

I copied her and placed the plates next to the ones she had. "I was surprised too. By the way, could you help me with my hair thingy?" I pointed at the bonnet hair ribbon thing Alois made Hannah and I wear. "It's digging into my scalp."

Hannah walked over to me and helped me fix it. "I know you know what we are. What Claude and I and the triplets are."

"Demons. I know."

My voice must've been edgy because Hannah smiled and chuckled at me. "I won't hurt you. Luka lives inside of me. I know you know who he is too. Is there anything you don't know about us Trancys?"

I really hope she doesn't show me her third eye, it's only 10:30am and I don't feel like throwing up my breakfast of oatmeal and milk. "I don't know. I do research."

"Nichole, I love Alois too. Don't hide it. He needs you more than he realizes. Also," she whispered the last part, as if she was scared someone would hear us maids gossiping, like we were on Downtown Abby. "Please don't hate Claude. I know you're angry at him for what he's done to Alois, but he's just trying to get by. A life of a demon is long and hard. Please don't hate him."

"I'm sorry, Hannah." I said as she finished fixing my hair, "I just can't feel sorry for Claude. I know you like him, but just as I don't get Ciel's fangirls, I don't get your love for that butler."

Hannah stepped away from me and nodded. "I understand. Just please don't be mean to him."

I'd stop being mean to him once he stops threatening to kill me.

"HEY YOU TWO!"

Hannah and I jumped at least five feet in the air as Alois laughed his girly head off. As soon as I took a second to breathe and make sure my heart was still beating, I walked over to him and gave him the I-am-going-to-murder-you-in-your-sleep stare. Alois, who was still laughing, wiped his tears of joy away as he talked to me.

"HAHAHA! You should have seen your faces! Hannah was like "EK!" and you were like "AHH!"" he said, having to lean onto the doorway to keep himself from literally ROTFLing.

It's always nice to know that the boy you're trying save loves seeing you being afraid and being embarrassed.

Hannah sighed, "Young Master, please ju-"

But before she could finish, Alois had a bipolar attack and kicked her in the crotch. I stood there, wide eyed. Alois was known for being brutal to his servants. He blamed it on his past, and said he was giving others a taste of their own medicine. I blamed it on his brain and his mental problems.

Hannah fell to the ground, were she stayed motionless. Her face screamed pain, but she kept quiet and didn't even show that she was in pain. Tears welled up in her visible eye. I felt bad for her.

"What did I say, Hannah? Don't question me! I hate when maids gossip. I can't stand not knowing what others are thinking and I don't know about it." All of Alois's happiness from a moment before had disappeared. He turned to me, squinting his eyes. "And you,"

He stalked towards me, making me back up until I hit the blue kitchen wall behind me. "Yes, Master Alois?" I could tell my voice was shaky and I felt sweat begin to form on my forehead.

"You keep up whatever you do around here. We have a dance lesson in five minutes. After, we go shopping." He shoved his face into mine, so I could only stare at his eyes. Instead of clear skies, I saw a fiery rage in them. I never saw something so beautiful and pure be so evil and dark at the same time. "Don't disobey me, or you'll end up like Hannah over there, groveling in filth. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Understood what?"

"Understood, Master Alois."

Alois got out of my face, and I stared at the ground. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hannah lift her head slightly. She looked at me with a sorrowful look.

"Good girl. I'll get ready for the lesson. I suggest you prepare too. And if you have anything on your mind, tell me first. Not Claude, not Hannah. Me." And with that, Alois left, leaving me in shock and Hannah on the ground.

"Nichole, please don't be afraid of Alois. He means well but-"

"Hannah, stop." I said, helping her up from the white tile ground. "I'm not afraid of him. I'm afraid that he doesn't realize that he doesn't need Claude's love."

Hannah stood up and smiled at me. "Thank you."

"No, don't thank me. You aren't a regular demon Hannah. You have emotions."

"Luka gave me emotions." She said, looking at the ground. "Nichole, please, I beg you please, love Alois with all your heart. Teach him how to love someone back. I've already tried, and he won't accept me. But you…you must realize that Alois hardly ever opens up to people like he did to you." She placed her hand on my shoulder, and wiped her tears away. "Please, make Alois happy again. Take him away and save his soul from my dear Claude.

"Why do you think I came here to do? I promise Hannah, I will save Alois from your gothic boyfriend." I looked at the ground, "But what you said two days ago…"

…..Two Hours and Five Minutes Later…..….

A bad smelling, sweaty, and a worn out Alois sat down on the Living Room (I'm pretty sure it's the living room, or the parlor, I'm not quite sure…) couch, breathing heavily.

"Come on! I'm the one who can barely breathe in this stupid corset! You still haven't perfected your technique that I've gone over a lot!"

Alois wiped the sweat from his brow and stared at me, "Hey, I tried, okay?"

He removed his purple jacket, which made me nearly vomit. He really needed deodorant. Alois's smell was worse than the boys at my school after the Mile Run in June.

"Well you improved, to say the least." I said, covering my nose, "Just work on your spin and when you dip me, don't drop me. That hurt."

"Sorry." Alois said, relaxing on the red velvet couch and raising his arms (which only made that awful smell worse). "I think I did pretty good for my second day…oh, I smell don't I?"

"Badly, I may add, Master. Your sweat stains go from your armpits down to your side. It's rather unbecoming and STINKS!"

I stepped back from him, not wanting to breathe in anymore. I had just gotten a nice warm bath yesterday, and I was determined to, at least, last one day in this dirty place without wishing for a bath.

"I'll make Claude run a bath for myself. Anyway, I had a thought-."

Oh crap, he has a thought. Everyone duck in cover and hope he isn't coming for your eyes!

"-I want us, at the costume ball, to perform a Tango dance! Ole! Just to show everyone I invited that I can dance, and with a lowly American maid. That's you. Wouldn't that be fun?!"

NO! "Master Alois, please rethink this. You've only just begun learning, and to perform in front of all those people! What if we mess up in front of everyone!?"

"We'll be fine. Trust me." Alois said, checking his nails.

Why would Alois want to dance in front of everyone! I was new with this too, and the whole thing just didn't add up...unless…

"You want to show off you can dance to a girl you invited, don't you?" I said, smirking. I'm a girl; I know how this stuff works out.

My idea seemed to be right, seeing how quickly Alois's face got beet red.

"WHAT?! Who told you that!? Was it Hannah? I'll make sure to whip her…"

Okay, that went a bit too far. "Whoa, Master Alois. Don't hurt Hannah! I figured it out myself. All girls aren't as dumb as you think." I sat down on the couch facing opposite to him, and smiled, "Who is she? Is she pretty? Oh, I feel like I'm talking to friends from America!"

Alois, who seemed pretty surprised that I had figured out his secret crush, scowled. "Her name is Elizabeth Middleford. I fell for her the second I saw her. But there's one problem. I, being kidnapped at birth, was never given a future wife, like I should've been. But I'm sure you know that."

This time my cheeks turned red. "Yes, I know that. But continue please."

Alois leaned on the couch arm, not looking at me. "Well, her hand was promised to that stupid Ciel."

"Is that why you hate him?"

"No, I have many other reasons to hate him. As I was saying, we could never be together. Fate seems to hate me, doesn't it? Do you know anything about Elizabeth Middleford, Nichole?"

Well, she was an annoying girl my age with gravity-defying blonde hair and giant green eyes. Her favorite color was pink, and she refused to wear anything other than things she labeled as 'cute'. Blah. Girls like her made me want to throw up. She'd never feel the feelings I felt for Alois. However, he had made his feeling towards me clear.

I had totally been friend-zoned. No, worse. Maid-zoned.

"What I know about her is that she only likes Earl Phantomhive. I doubt that showing off will make her fall for you." I said, sighing, "Besides, even if you got her to like you, it would never work out. You'll find some noble girl that will love you."

"Don't say love. I hate that word. It means nothing but suffering to me." Alois commanded me, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, like he was going to scream.

I quickly put my hands over my ears as Alois shouted bloody murder to Claude, "CLAUDE! RUN A WARM BATH FOR ME! I'M SWEATY! NOW!"

Immediately, I heard the water pipes creak from inside of the mansion walls. Claude may be evil, but you must admit, he was a pretty good butler.

Alois cleared his throat then talked normally again. "After I clean myself up, Claude will escort us to town. I nearly forgot to tell you, Juniper is back. Claude went to find her late last night, and found her in someone's yard eating their grass. She had a few minor cuts, but she's fine now."

I don't think Alois realized how much I was afraid that horse had died. She was so perfect! "That's great to hear, Master Alois."

Claude then entered the room, wiping his glasses. "Master, your bath is ready." He caught sight of me and frowned. "Still talking with your new maid I see? In all honesty, I think you two spend too much time together."

"No one could ever replace you, my dear Claude." Alois said, walking up to Claude and poking the butler's stomach. "Now carry me up to the bath."

With one mighty scoop, Claude picked up the boy (who must've been 130 pounds) with one hand and held him. Alois smirked and grabbed Claude's bow thing around his neck for support. I'm surprised that it didn't choke the butler.

"We'll be back in a bit. Until then, just clean with Hannah. No more gossiping." Alois said, smiling as Claude carried him out of the room.

"I won't." I murmured, looking at the ground. But I had other plans. And no, they didn't include cleaning.