Ciel smiled as Michael rose to greet him. Michael smiled back.
"It has been such a long itime brother, I haven't seen you since the war." He said quietly. "May I approach you?"
"I'll meet you halfway." Ciel replied as both he and Michael walked to the center of the room. The angel knelt in front of Ciel.
"Surely you haven't forgotten in your time away from your brothers and sisters that there is a proper greeting?"Ciel's grin widened as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Michael.
"I've missed you Michael." He said as they embraced.
"And I you, Heaven simply isn't the same in your absence. I was pleased to hear that you remember me. I have never forgotten my precious little brother."After a few moments Michael released Ciel and turned to Sebastian.
"Under normal circumstances, I would not have agreed to a meeting with a demon, especially the devil's son. However, I thank you for your invitation to see Ciel. You seem to be taking good care of him and I am grateful for it." His words came in a semi hostile tone. Sebastian tried to remain calm remembering that the children were beside him.
"Ciel is my everything, there is nothing I wouldn't do to make sure he is both happy and healthy. You made a great sacrifice and I acknowledge that. I thank you for accepting the offer, it means quite a lot to both of us for this reason."
"Yes, I'm sure it does." Michael's light blue eyes narrowed at Sebastian.
"Well then, please make yourself comfortable, I'm sure you have many things to talk about together."Sebastian smiled politely, he knew it wouldn't be easy to get along with Michael but he would do exactly that for Ciel.
"Thank you." Michael lowered himself onto the chair. Ciel sat close to him.
Sebastian felt a tug on his jacket and looked down.
"Yes Evian?"
"Why is the angel man angry with you?" Evian whispered.
"I shall explain when you're older."
"Is it because Mama is with us?" Sebastian sighed.
"Partly."
"Will he be angry with us too?"
"Hopefully not."
"Daddy, can we look at the angel man closer, he has birdy wings."Michael chuckled.
"These little ones must be your children. Hello young ones." He said warmly.
"You're okay with them then?" Ciel asked.
"Of course, they are part of you brother, which makes them family, no matter what the other half may be."
"But Daddy, I am not a half Rachel, all of me is a Rachel."
"Dear one, it's true that you are in fact 'a Rachel.' However it just means that your mother's side of the family is not demon originally. You, your brothers and sisters come from two different families and when your mother and I got married the two were joined together." The young demon tilted her head.
"So I am from mommy's family and daddy's family?" Sebastian nodded.
"that's right."
"yay!" The four children cried out.
"Will it be alright with you Ciel if I meet them properly?"
"Of course, they may be a little shy." Ciel replied.
"Just as you were when you were small." The Michaelis children looked at each other.
"Yes children, I was small once too." Ciel confirmed earning a gasp from Rachel, Vincent and Rowan.
"Brother Evian, did you know about mommy being little?" Evian nodded.
"Oh yes sister, I know a lot of things that will surprise you."
"Like what?"
"Dad was as tiny as baby angel and baby Kathryn a very, very long time ago. Before Mama was a pretty angel. He is very old now but that is okay. We love you anyway dad." Ciel laughed.
"Is it true daddy?" Rachel asked.
"Yes, I was an infant once."Sebastian confirmed.
"I mean...that you are very old." She asked innocently. Michael and Ciel were both grinning.
"Yes, that part is true also."
"Oh my!"she cried placing her palms on her cheeks, a look of pure shock appeared on her face.
"I can tell that they are delightful children." Michael commented.
"Alright Children, go to your mother." Sebastian said softly. The four eldest children cautiously made their way to Ciel.
Ciel put his hand on Evian's shoulder.
"Michael, this is Evian." He said brushing a strand of hair from the boy's face.
"Hello young Evian, you are the picture of your mother save for a few details. I am Michael, your uncle." The angel smiled warmly as Evian stared into his eyes.
"You've nothing to fear from me young one. But you already knew that didn't you. You have a gift that is very rare. You see many things and you are capable of understanding the hearts of those around you. Use it wisely little one." He said.
"Mama, the angel man knows!" Evian said excitedly. "Angel man, is your name really Michael?"
"Yes." Evian giggled.
"My second name is Michael!" He announced.
"Is that so, well that is amusing. Imagine the two of us sharing such a thing."
"It makes you happy?"
"It does indeed." Michael held out his arms and Evian looked to his mother for permission.
"It's alright." With his mother's words, Evian moved forward and received a hug.
"Mama, I like Uncle Michael lots. He is so nice." When Evian stepped aside, Rachel and Vincent took their turn.
"Twins, my goodness and you both look like your father."
"I have mommy's color eyes." Rachel told him.
"So I see. Young Rachel, you are so like your mother. You might be a demon, but you hold such innocence within your heart. You are very sweet and giving. When your mother was a small angel that is what he was like. You have some light in you my dear."Rachel smiled.
"I try to be a good baby Rachel, was Mommy a good baby mommy?" Michael chuckled.
"Yes, he was. I could tell you so many stories of your dear mother. " Rachel's eyes lit up.
"Oh will you please, I want to hear about baby mommy!"
"Perhaps. That is if your parents allow it."
"That would be so happy!" Rachel cried twirling around and clapping her hands.
"what is your name little one?" He asked Vincent.
"I am Vincent, I am named after my grandpa Vincent and my dad. I am a twin brother."
"Yes, a twin means that two babies live together in mommy's tummy." Rachel explained.
"That's right. You're such intelligent children. I can see why your family has such pride in you all."
"Angel Man,do you like kitties?"
"Yes, and puppies and all sorts of animals."
"We have kitties and a puppy that is very big. I am not allowed to play with the puppy by myself but my kitty likes to give snuggles, do you want to see her?"
"Rachel." Ciel said as a means to quiet her.
"I am sorry Angel man." She said quietly.
"it's quite alright Rachel, I would love to see your kitty, I consider it a great honor to have you share something of such importance with me." He gave her a hug and watched her skip back to Ciel.
"Now then Vincent, you also have a light inside you. You know what it means to love your family and do all you can to help, such a thing is rare when it is as genuine as it is in you. "
"Does the light stay even when i am being a scary Vincent?"
"It will always be with you. Your mother seems to have had the ability to hold onto certain things from his former existences and passed some on to you children."
"I love mommy. He is the best one ever." Vincent said.
"There is no doubt in my mind that your mother is excellent at parenting and giving love. I see it in all of you."
"How Mr. Angel Man?" Vincent was confused by the angel in front of him.
"You are all very healthy and happy. You know joy and love. That Vincent is what makes good parents, ones who care for their children."
"Mommy and Dad both do that. We are never hungry for very long and they play with us but mommy does not believe it when we tell him he is the very best one."
"I see. Well, you must understand that your mother just wants the best for you. That means that both your parents will always have doubts that will force them to keep improving."
"I've heard that before." Ciel admitted.
"Yes, from your mother and father, before you were born into the human life, I told them that. I thought that they might need that advice and as it turns out, I was right, they passed it on to you." Michael was thoroughly amazed by the family, he had expected Ciel to be much different and the Michaelis children to be like their grandfather.
"This is Rowan, my youngest son, he's very shy. It's alright Rowan, come say hello." Ciel called. Rowan walked over slowly, he wasn't sure what he would say, he felt a twinge of nervousness as he reached his mother and leaned into him for comfort.
"Hello Rowan, you don't have to be worried. I see that you have concerns.
"Yes." He said shortly.
"Will you share them with me?" Rowan shook his head.
"Why not?" The angel asked.
"I am not supposed to talk to anyone I don't know. Bad things happened when I did."
"Rowan, it's alright now. You didn't know." Ciel rubbed the child's back comfortingly.
"I didn't like it Mum." Rowan snuggled closer to Ciel.
"I know. Michael won't do that, he's safe to talk to." Michael looked over the child, he was clearly different from his brothers and sisters.
"But I did not live in your tummy Mum, he will never like me." Ciel sighed and reached out pulling the golden chain around his son's neck into view.
"do you remember what this is?" He asked.
"A promise from you and dad."
"That's right. You're my little Rowan no matter how you came into the world. What matters now is that we have you now and you're loved." Ciel held him close.
"I love you Mum, you are good at making my heart happy." Rowan kissed Ciel's cheek .
"I love you too Rowan,very much."
"Hello Angel man, Mum says you're nice and Mum doesn't lie to us. I trust Mum and he says that you're safe so I guess it would be okay to talk to you."
"Well Rowan, that was a nice gesture to your mother." Michael told him gently.
"Mum is good, do you miss him?"
"Very much yes."
"Are you going to take him away?"
"I couldn't if I tried Rowan, would you like to know why?" The young demon nodded.
"I couldn't because you all mean absolutely everything to him and no one could possibly convince him to leave."
"You're nice?"
"When I can be yes and you don't have to be from your mother's tummy to be his baby you just have to allow your hearts to connect and you're family. I'd say that's already happened."
"I really can be?"
"Absolutely, remember that I happen to be an angel and we are not liars."
"No, you just put heavy chains around your own kind in order to control them."
"Sebastian!" Ciel hissed.
"Did I say that out loud, I do apologize I didn't realize my thoughts had been-"
"Would you like to leave the room?"Ciel asked glaring at him.
"No dear one, I can be nice." Ciel walked over to Sebastian taking Kathryn from his arms.
"You better, you arranged this so I can be happy didn't you, how is that supposed to happen if you're saying things like that?" He whispered.
"I am sorry Ciel, it's only that he knew, he saw you with it and did nothing at all."Sebastian replied.
"We were already fighting, you saw the difference when it was taken off. I would've stopped and then I would've been killed, is that what you want?"
"Absolutely not, of course the whole bloody thing could have been avoided if he had protected you in the first place."
"Like you did in Paris when you left me, you have no room to talk about what he could've or should've done. There were so many things that could be said about you now stop it."Sebastian bowed his head. He knew it was true he could have easily stayed with him. Angelina lifted her head from his shoulder and gently tapped his face as if to comfort her father.
"Thank you my little one. You are in fact far too kind on your more relaxed days."He smiled sadly at his infant daughter.
"This is Kathryn, and Angelina is over there with Sebastian, she needs...special attention sometimes. She takes after her father's side mostly." Ciel explained.
"I see, the poor girl. I'm sure she'll come around." Before Ciel could reply, Angelina began to growl and wiggle restlessly in Sebastian's arms. Ciel again walked to his mate handing Kathryn to him and Taking Angelina.
"I know that what was said was merely you trying to make a point to me Ciel, but I want you to know that what I did back then was unforgivable. You have both the power to make me feel such joy in my heart and the power to completely destroy me. There is nothing I can do about it because you are and always have been my heart. I could never hurt you again, please forgive my behavior and know that I love you more than anything." Ciel stood in silence. It was only then that he realized how painful not only his words were but in the angry tone he had used, the words had turned to daggers in Sebastian's heart. He walked to the door and look out finding Mey-Rin and Alois in the hall. He called out to them to enter the room.
"Everything alright?"Alois asked before being handed a fussy Angelina. Kathryn was then given to the maid.
"Young Master, are you sure you want me to hold miss Kathryn, I'm not very good at holding things." Mey-Rin said nervously.
"You'll be fine, you're not holding a thing. If there's one thing I can say about you Mey-Rin it's that you've never dropped any of my children. Though they're about the only things you managed to keep a hold of, that's all that matters and I trust you." Ciel said before turning to his mate who was clearly puzzled.
"What exactly do you want forgiveness for?"
"Everything. Abandoning you, hurting you and my words tonight. I wanted this to make you happy and I failed in my wish to bring you -" Ciel wrapped his arms around him and felt Sebastian rest his head on his shoulder.
"If I hadn't forgiven you, we wouldn't be here now. I would've said no to being your mate and we wouldn't have six beautiful children. Aa for tonight, maybe I made my point a little too sharp. I'm sorry Sebastian and I love you. Can you forgive me?" Sebastian held him a little tighter.
"My love, no matter what you do or say, I will always forgive you as you have for me. I will always love you so much." Ciel kissed him softly.
"And I'll always love you too, no matter how many times we argue. You're still my mate and father of my children, my family. Never think differently."
"Mr. Angel Man, Mama loves Dad so much and Dad loves Mama lots too. Thank you for giving Mama to dad so they could be happy." Evian said smiling. Michael smiled too.
"It was not easy to lose my brother, but if he is truly as happy as all this, I am glad to have been able to give him the chance.