*I was kind of putting off writing this chapter because I didn't want to end it…Anyway, I hope you enjoy. I do not own Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji.*

The Answer

Present time

Morning came, the sunlight filtering through a gap in the blinds, waking me from my sleep. Sitting up, I stretched and cast my gaze about the room. I was not surprised to find Michelle already dressed and ready for the day. She was always awake long before the sun.

Glancing toward me, she asked, "Good morning, my Lady. How did you sleep?"

I slipped out from under the covers, my thoughts drifting to the night before…There had been a grim reaper. I imagined that, right? Stifling a yawn, I responded, "It was restful, although I had the most peculiar dream."

There was a knock on the door. Turning toward it, I called, "A moment, please!" I dressed fairly quickly, leaving my hair loose. Luckily, it was nearly as tangled as it normally was most mornings. Walking to the door, I pulled it open and found Sebastian standing patiently.

He smiled, "Good morning, miss. I wanted to talk to you about last night, if you have the time."

I paled, "So, it wasn't a dream."

He shook his head, "It was not. Due to the threat, Mei-rin will bring up breakfast for you soon. For your safety, it would be best if you remained in your room for as much of today as possible."

I reluctantly nodded. I could understand the reasons why, but that didn't mean I liked being confined to the room.

Outside the manor, Tiff stared on. The sun had just risen and they would move soon. At that moment, however, she was crouched in a tree, across from Phantomhive Manor. She heard something and nearly fell from the branch she was on when Liana appeared next to her.

Liana commented, "I see you still plan to go through with this." Facing Tiff, she said, "Tiffany, think of your children. Forget about this. If you attack, I can't help you."

Tiff scowled, her hand moving toward a knife, "I don't want your help!"

Liana sighed, "Suit yourself." She swung down from the branch, landing gracefully on the ground.

Tiff called down, "How did Cecilia and Hector disappear from the records? After returning to England, there is nothing else. Not even any record after Natalie's death. How?"

Liana raised a hand in farewell, "The same way I did. Next time we meet, it will be as enemies."

After Liana left, Tiff considered her children. Twice, Liana had joined her without her knowing. Perhaps I would be better to withdraw. She risked her life every time she went out, why was she so worried now? Shaking her head, she gestured to Eric to let him know she was ready, knowing he was somewhere close by watching her.

Mei-rin brought up a simple breakfast for Michelle and I. The meal didn't last very long between the three of us as I insisted Mei-rin join us. Once we were satisfied, she left with empyt plates.

Not long after Mie-rin left, I heard what sounded like something shattering. Mei-rin had dropped and broken countless things in the few days I had been in the manor. Thinking she had tripped, I left the room to help her, but there was no one in the hall. Recalling the night before and what Sebastian had told me this morning, I said to Michelle, "Stay here."

She caught my arm, "With all due respect, you cannot go out there."

I hesitated a moment, the shouts from downstairs reaching our ears. "Michelle, Ciel could be in danger."

"If you go out there, you will be in danger."

Michelle had a very valid point, but I couldn't bring myself to stay in the room. Curiosity coupled with my desire to find Ciel, I soon found myself on the staircase overlooking the foyer that was once so beautiful.

The foyer of Phantomhive Manor was in disarray. The doors had been blown off their hinges. The railing of the balcony had shattered. Portraits had fallen from the wall. The walls were riddled with bullet holes…and so were people. There were bodies strewn across the floor.

I stood at the foot of the stairs as I watched the chaos. I was too stunned, too frightened to move. Ciel was hidden behind a desk, tossed on its side. Sebastian seemed to dance around the room, disarming men in black coats and killing others. The other servants were nowhere in sight.

After a moment, a handful of bullets sped straight for Ciel. Sebastian was too far and there was nothing I could possibly do, but shout, "Ciel!"

Somehow, miraculously, Sebastian was at Ciel's side and lifted the young master into his arms before leaping high onto the balcony where he was momentarily safe.

But I wasn't. My shout must have drawn their attention because now, of the remaining eight men, three were facing me. Two threw knives in my direction and the third fired his handgun. Knives and bullets sped my way and I couldn't help but wonder if I'd die quickly or not…

Everything in the room slowed to a stop, freezing entirely. The Undertaker walked in casually, dressed in black, as usual. He looked around the room, "My, my, there's quite a lot of death here, isn't there." Still glancing around, he continued, "This is where we began this story."

His eyes landing on Lady Cecilia's face, frozen in shock and fear, he finished, "Why don't we see what happens next, shall we?" The scene quickly resumed, the battle continuing.

I saw the bullets and knives speeding my way, but my body would not obey me. I could have ducked or hid somewhere, but I couldn't move. I was terrified. The last thing I remembered was a dark form reaching me before the deadly projectiles, cradling me in its arms and carrying me to safety…Sebastian? Could it…No, he was on the other side of the room with Ciel. There was no way he could have reached me before…Could he have…

Liana cast her eyes to the staircase. She had heard Cecilia call to Ciel and put herself in danger. Thankfully, Sebastian had been able to reach her in time to carry her to safety. As Sebastian moved to deal with the remaining assassin's, Liana ran to her niece, who was unconscious, but alive.

She knelt down beside Cecilia, completely ignoring the chaos around her. She brushed a few strands of hair from her niece's face and saw her eye lids flutter.

When I opened my eyes, I was not sure what I was seeing, "M-Mother?"

The woman shook her head, and smiled sadly, "No. I'm her sister." Turning away, she stood, "We will meet again, Cecilia." Then she was gone from my field of vision.

I sat up quickly, "Wait!" Then I realized where I was. I slowly got to my feet as my eyes scanned the room. There were only two people left. A man who Sebastian was walking toward and a woman who stood close to the woman who so resembled my mother. Scattered on the floor were dead bodies, splintered wood and shattered glass. I took a few steps toward the woman.

Liana held a gun pointed at Tiff, "You should not have come."

Tiff also had a gun aimed at Liana, "I could say the same to you."

Liana was unfazed by the gun aimed at her, "You are out of bullets, Tiff."

The assassin shrugged, dropping her gun, "True, but you won't shoot me. Not in front of your niece."

Liana cast a sideways glance in the direction Tiff had gestured and spotted Cecilia watching her. She returned her attention to the assassin, "I may not kill you while she's here, but that doesn't mean I won't shoot."

"What's stopping you?"

Liana hesitated, "I want to know what happened. We grew up together, the three of us. What changed for you to choose such a dark, blood-stained path?"

Tiff shrugged, "It's no different from the path you've chosen for yourself. Only…we are on different sides."

Before Liana could respond, gunfire drew their attention to Sebastian and the other assassin.

I knew what I saw, but I didn't believe it…not at all…That man shot Sebastian, yet the butler was unharmed, the only indication of him having been shot were the holes in his waistcoat. That wasn't possible.

The man stuttered, "W-Wha-What are you?!"

Sebastian gave no answer, but ended the man's life. The woman shouted, "Eric!" But she didn't linger. As soon as Sebastian turned his attention to her, she ran.

The woman who resembled my mother muttered something under her breath and Ciel called to Sebastian, "Leave her. She isn't worth the trouble."

Sebastian nodded his understanding and the other woman turned to me, "I'm sorry I have to leave so soon, but it cannot wait. My name is Liana. I know you have questions, Cecilia, but they will have to wait." With that, she was gone, leaving me with far more questions than answers.

My eyes fell on the grim reaper, Grell. I couldn't at all understand what he was doing, but he would approach a body and read something he called a "cinematic record". It was too strange for me to understand. My attention was drawn to Sebastian who I could not understand at all. How was he still alive? He had been shot at such close range and had remained unfazed.

Fear and wonder taking ahold of me, I asked, "Who are you?"

Sebastian just smiled, "I am simply one hell of a butler."

*And that ends this story…Of course, with so many unanswered questions between Cecilia and Liana, I may write a sequel. Anyway, leave a comment/review if you enjoyed; it is always appreciated.*