A/N: Again, it's been a long time and I am sorry...but I've promised not to give up so this story will end! I think you will find things taking a turn now anyway. For those who still are reading, I thank you so much! For those who are still reviewing...*showers you all with virtual cookies* do people still do that? Maybe just not on this fanbase? Huh, anyway,

Disclaimer: I haven't even bought the second volume yet. How could I afford Toboso Yana's Kuroshitsuji? Her characters, people.

Ch. 9: Reestablish

Pain. Sudden pain and pure shock were all that Sebastian was able to register. One minute he was rushing to open a door and the next: red. And he felt as though his face was being torn open.

"Sebastian!"

Staggering, the demon gathered what had just happened. Anticipating his entrance, Verin had attacked him before he could even gage what was inside the room. Gaining balance, now, he looked up at the smirking demon. Verin raised his eyebrows, eyes yellow and goat-like. "What a shame; I've sullied the perfect face of every human's favorite Hellion." He spoke with a cocky, prideful tone.

"Where is he?" Sebastian demanded, placing Grell down to touch his bleeding face.

"S-Sebastian…" Both butler and Reaper froze and turned in shock. Apparently Verin had only just arrived, for William remained untouched and unmoving on the bed. And crouching behind a desk, eyes wide with terror, was Ciel. From the looks of things, the intruder had been hoping to make a quick snack out of him.

The intruder gave a snigger as Grell stepped forward, looking at the boy who refused to break his gaze with the black-haired man. "Earl, you told me to bring him back. A promise is a promise, eh?"

"Impossible…" he whispered. "You came back willingly?"

Sebastian bowed, feeling more blood rush out of the gash along his face at the motion. "I live to serve my Young Master. That is what I intend to do. I'm done playing childish games with these fools," he motioned to his fellow demon. "I will do as you ask and we can reestablish the Contract later—for I do intend to get that soul of yours that is rightfully mine."

It was unexplainable. For a moment, Ciel had been certain his death was at hand. And suddenly, with his butler, his loyal servant, in the room again, he felt his strength return. "If that's so, then get rid of him!" he cried, pointing at Verin.

"That's the earl I recognize," the redhead whispered, smiling maliciously at the outnumbered intruder. "Shall I leave this to you, Sebby?"

"I wish you would," he answered, eyes glowing as Verin's did the same. "My master's orders were for me to carry out alone. Don't let him watch; this is nothing a child should see, owner of Funtom Company or not."

The two Hellions seemed content to fight one-on-one, and Grell hurried over to Ciel, scooping him up with one arm. "Wh-what are you doing?" the child demanded.

"Vacating you and Will from the premises," he answered cheerily, grabbing William with his other hand and lurching out the window, managing to land with little harm, albeit little grace as well. "It should be safe in the gardens; this mansion is so close to London that I can see the smoke of its fires from here, but Sebby should set things right before you are put in further danger."

He dropped the blue-eyed boy down and continued to carry his Overseer quickly towards the gardens, one of the few places on the estate he knew well.

"No! I need to go back to Sebastian! I need—"

"There's nothing you can do, Earl. Face it: you're a tiny human. Even if you wanted to, you couldn't help him fight in any way. And I'm almost totally certain that he will return to reestablish the Contract." Grell spoke a bit tiredly, his wound ached and the nauseating truth that his friends were still a few miles away fighting for their lives was discouraging. Nonetheless, he was thinking with more clarity than was characteristic of him, and it seemed to be working wonders on Ciel, who stared at him silently as their walk ended in a small gazebo.

"You're telling the truth," he spoke slowly. "So then, mind telling me just what you did to get Sebastian to listen to you? To trust and even obey you?"

The redhead turned to see that the boy's stoic and slightly arrogant look had returned. His strength was back but curiosity lit the backmost depths of his wide blue eye; Grell understood exactly why. He was still wondering himself. "Well," he turned and grinned girlishly "Sebby just couldn't resist me, you know? I mean, I'm so cute he just—"

"Your stupidity never ceases to amaze me. Stop talking; I'm done." He answered. "On second thought, I'll just ask Sebastian about it later myself."

In response, he feigned insult and pouted, but the stirring of his boss wiped his expression clear.

In his arms, the dark-haired man was beginning to awaken, eyelids fluttering like a nervous bird's wings, and the tight corners of his lips loosening a bit. Grell looked surprised-enough to drop the Reaper where he stood, but maintained the self-control and discretion to kneel down inside the shady wooden enclosure instead, allowing his boss to lie down and come to his senses.

"See, Earl? Everything's going to be fine! If Sebastian cannot fix everything, I know William can!" The waves of exhaust which had just grasped Grell tightly were suddenly broken and disappeared at the sight of his powerful coworker regaining consciousness.

Ciel watched, surprised. "I really didn't think he was going to survive…you Death Gods are dogged."

Though his eyes remained closed, William suddenly spoke in a subdued rasp. "I will ask you both to keep your voices down. I find that I have quite a splitting headache, and would appreciate a bit of quiet."

The young earl looked ready to retort with equal pompousness, but a toothy grin from the long-haired man assured him that no offence was meant. "Honestly, Spears. You put up with me everyday and suddenly a headache his going to stop you? Get up so a lady doesn't have to do all the work herself, you rude man."

"What's happened since I've been out?" he demanded in response, sitting up slowly, stiffly. Flesh slid over gaping wounds and dried blood and he had to be content to sit up, supported on bent elbows, and try to look as powerful as he once had. "Grell Sutcliffe…" he drew a jagged breath; overwhelmed by how much the wounds from his coworker's scythe still hurt. "Tell me."

"In order to explain all that has happened," he spoke sternly, "I will have to make you swear to remain sitting until I have finished, no matter how horrible our current situation may be."

Ciel read the horror on William's face despite his stoic façade. "Then it's war?"

Grell sighed. "Just listen, please."

XXX

It would be easy to leave.

Black feathers slowly drifted through the air and as if by magic, ceased to exist, overcome by the stagnancy of the English air and the heavy smell of blood and the faint breezes cast by flapping black wings. After a full minute, Sebastian was himself again; a modest butler standing amidst a gruesome murder scene; chunks of Verin lying in abstract heaps across the guest room.

His uniform was fairly dirtied by his handiwork, but, recalling an unexpected barrage of bullets from another task he had performed for the young earl, he considered his wounds to be child's play. At least his clothes weren't so torn. He considered how easy it would be to leave. Lifting his thumb to lick away a dab of crimson, he strode across the room to the door. Looking back one last time, he considered his fellow Hellion, who had audaciously tried to kill Ciel Phantomhive. Tufts of black hair and a smear of gray matter, sitting in the open shell of a skull like porridge in a cracked China bowl. A splintered femur bone, dripping marrow onto the sheets of the bed, a few ribs on the desk and a few more by the window. Simply pathetic, Verin.

Sebastian Michaelis snapped his fingers. A few ravens and crows with eyes like glimmering rubies flew in through the open window and fell upon the remains of the demon. "Eat him. And don't leave a single eyeball or tendon for me to clean up, thank you. Quickly now."

Beaks snapped against bone and muscle.

And it would be perfectly easy to leave.

So simple, to return to Hell and live in the shelter of his father, Sonnellion, for a few decades until Decora's rage simmered down. Or perhaps she would win after all and humanity would fall. But that, he seriously doubted. Ever the methodical man, the butler considered which choice would be the preferable one. To leave the Phantomhive earl to defend himself and choose not to choose sides…or to reestablish the Contract and return to the past in essence; he had to admit that working for the child had been entertaining and easy. He walked outside, towards the gazebo, when he heard raised voices and broke out of his reveries.

William was struggling, staggering, fighting to push off and ascend into the treetops, heading in the direction of London. Behind him was Grell, grabbing at him and screaming shrilly.

Grell…

"Stop it, William! There's nothing you can do in your condition! Just wait for Sebastian please—stop!"

"I can't let just sit here and do nothing Sutcliffe, so let go of me! I can't let them die!"

In an instant, Sebastian stood between them, holding the dark-haired Death God's shoulder firmly and Grell's wrist as well.

"Well, well, well. I cannot say that it's pleasant to see you standing once again, Mr. Spears."

William's viridian orbs darkened and narrowed to slits. "Sebastian Michaelis." He spoke as though the name was acid on his tongue.

"As much as I would love to catch up on everything I have missed with you," the demon sneered, his eyes flitted to Grell, and the bile that had risen in his throat in the presence of the Dispatch Manager disappeared. This was the reason he would stay on earth and see things through to the end…this was what he wanted…

"Sebby? You're staring at me. Are you going to faint?" the redhead asked.

The dark-haired man collected himself with ease. Silly, silly Grell. "No. Excuse me. As I was saying, Mr. Spears, I have something I must attend to. I'm staying here so I may associate with your employee, Mr. Sutcliffe—"

"Miss Sutcliffe—"

"Shut up, Grell." It was a chorus between William and Sebastian, and they looked at each other with distaste at having said the same thing.

"So I may associate with Grell. But first," he grinned down like a hungry wolf at the gazebo, from which Ciel was staring at him in amazement. "I have some business I must attend to with Earl Phantomhive. Such a rare treat does not present itself often, and this soul I am most desirous to taste sometime soon."

He leapt down to stand before the small boy. Ciel opened his mouth, closed it. Opened it again. "You will…serve me once again?"

"For a price, Young Master."

Ciel's expression wavered, then became hard-set. "Fine. I accept your terms, same as before. Restore to me what I have lost!"

It was a swift, fluid motion in which Sebastian leapt at the child, knocking him back into the wooden enclosure. Both Reapers flinched, and William made to run after them, but Grell held his arm fast.

"Don't interrupt, Will." His voice was severe, his favoritism clear. "I don't want to be the one to reopen your wounds."

"You're love-drunk, Sutcliffe. It will get you killed," the taller man responded. But he saw nothing to gain by going against his coworker's words, and he held still, stifling the occasional shudder that ran down his spine as the Contract was sealed once more. It took less time than either man expected; a mere few minutes after the two figures had disappeared into blackness, the shadows lifted and Sebastian reemerged from the gazebo, holding the small boy in his arms, a smirk on his face. He sauntered over to where Grell and William stood and gave a brief, shallow bow, so as not to disrupt the unconscious Ciel sleeping peacefully in his arms.

"If you are both prepared then, I believe a trip to London is in order."

London? But there's danger there, you guys! So, still liking the story I hope? Please let me know what you think as I scramble to get another chapter up before 2012 XD Thank you very much for reading so far! Feel free to leave a review. (And if critisism is in order, please try to make it constructive and rational! Thankies!)