Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji belongs to Yana Toboso. I only own my OCs and ideas not seen in the anime/manga.

I opened up the window, leaning my head out and feeling the biting cold against my cheeks. I sucked in a breath and felt the iciness combine with the freezing temperature of my own body.

"Shut the window Janelle! It's too cold!" Mey-Rin shivered, hugging her arms.

Tanaka sipped his usual green tea while Bard struggled with lighting his cigarette.

"God dang it! My fingers are getting numb!" He rested his head on the table. "Or maybe I'm just too sleepy…"

I rolled my eyes before closing the window and snatching the matches from Bard's slacken hand, lighting a match with one swift motion and moving the tiny flame to his cigarette which hung from his mouth.

"Thanks Jane," he mumbled, the smoke beginning to sail upwards and his eyes closing for a nap.

"Don't mention it," I grinned, blowing the match out.

"AHHHH!" Finny bellowed from outside the servant headquarters.

We all groaned in unison at the loud commotion happening so early in the morning and Mey-Rin and I turned to see Finny bursting into the room, panting heavily.

"Why the hell are you so noisy Finny? Can't a guy get some sleep around here?" Bard grumbled.

Finny bent over, catching his breath before looking up at us with urgency.

"Don't you guys know what day it is?!"

Mey-Rin fixed her glasses. "Eh? Why is that so important?"

"Look at the calendar!" Finny urged and pointed at the calendar on the wall.

Mey-Rin and Bard got a closer look at the date and gasped in alarm.

Bard lifted his head, suddenly feeling energized. "That's right! Now's not the time to be lazing around! We got to get to work!"

"Wait I'm confused. What's going on today?" I questioned until Finny came up to me and whispered it in my ear. My eyes widened in realization and a grin spread on my face. "Is that so?"

Finny nodded with a wide beam on his face.

Suddenly, the door of the large room burst open again, featuring Sebastian walking in at a fast pace. The four staff members immediately got into a straight line and I, being the slow one, simply stood next to Mey-Rin.

"All of you, we have very special and important guests today so I'm counting on you all to be on your best behavior," Sebastian commanded, his hands clasped together.

"Yes sir!" We all exclaimed together.

"Tanaka, do what you see fit. Finny, make sure the entire exterior of the Phantomhive estate is in the highest standard today," Sebastian ordered, walking down along the line and the acknowledged servants nodded their heads before heading to work.

"Bard, please take care of the kitchen and Mey-Rin, the main hall."

"Yes Sebastian!" They both declared before scurrying off.

Sebastian's footsteps stopped in front of me and I looked at his shiny black shoes, my eyes slowly making their way up his body until they met his face.

He tilted his head slightly and smiled.

"Janelle, you can come with me."

I blinked before nodding and giving a small smile.

"Alright."

We walked together back down the lengthy hall towards the main entrance. I took short quick steps to match with his long strides.

"Sebastian? If I may ask, who are the guests today?" I spoke up, walking by his right side.

He glanced at me. "They are Lady Elizabeth and her mother Marchioness Frances Midford."

I paused for moment. Elizabeth…that name…it was ringing a bell!

I then snapped my fingers in realization. It hit me in the next second. Was it that Elizabeth? The one from the Viscount's social gathering?

"Who exactly are they?" I asked, tapping my lower lip with my finger in thought.

"Lady Elizabeth is Ciel's cousin and fiancé. I'm sure you'll take a liking to her," Sebastian informed me.

I nodded, completely sure it was that girl. We finally arrived at the main entrance to greet the guests, where Ciel already waited. His hair seemed less tidy than usual and he looked a little exhausted.

In front of him stood a tall woman who looked very serious and of high class, along with a young girl with blonde ringlets as her hair. I covered my open mouth, it was that girl! I knew it! I gawked in surprise at how small the world could be at times…

"It's been a while since we've last seen you Marchioness Midford. It's a pleasure to have you here and as always, you've arrived earlier than expected," Ciel stated with an uneasy expression.

The woman narrowed her eyes at him. "Enough with the formal greetings. I see that with your apparent bed head, you have just woken up, am I correct?"

"Aww! Ciel with messy hair is so cute!" Elizabeth gushed, latching herself onto Ciel with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. He let out a yelp and struggled to keep his balance while holding his fiancé.

I giggled, finding the two of them to be adorable and a great match just by looking at them.

"Elizabeth!" her mother snapped, causing the blonde girl to flinch and turn around with fear.

Her mother glared. "I realize that you may feel comfortable in this household but have I taught you nothing about manners? You are acting improperly like an animal! Are you a refined woman or aren't you?"

Elizabeth squeaked in fright and let go of Ciel, lowering her head in shame. "I'm sorry mother! I...I got a little excited…"

Lady Midford scoffed in disgust before eying Sebastian, who came up to Ciel's side. He bowed politely in his usual way.

"I'm pleased that you are here my lady, welcome. I'd like to say that I appreciate your time to travel all the way…"

Sebastian trailed off with his sentence and we both noticed that she was giving him a very intense stare of disapproval. I gave a nervous smile as she approached him with a grimace.

"Might I ask…is there something on my face, my lady?" Sebastian asked, unsure of what to say.

She crossed her arms. "Your face…is not an appropriate image to present," she finally stated.

I hid my surprise and inside I was completely appalled at her statement. I held back the urge to defend Sebastian, not believing what she just said. Was she serious? Sebastian's face was…I paused.

My mind hesitated on the next thought that followed and I quickly shook off those personal and embarrassing thoughts.

Sebastian tried to laugh it off. "Well…my lady, I can't help it. I was just born like this…"

The next thing she did caught the butler completely off guard.

"There is something here that desperately needs dire improvement."

She suddenly grabbed Sebastian's bangs, pulling them up over his forehead.

I tried to stifle back a laugh, knowing it was bad to find it humorous, but it was amusing to see Sebastian being taken advantage of by a woman like her.

"The master and his butler are both clearly male and yet they have such long fringes! It's disgusting! Take a lesson from Tanaka!"

She pointed towards the house steward, who had popped out of nowhere.

Ciel and Sebastian merely twitched at her bold statement. She promptly let go of Sebastian, who frowned before reaching a hand up to his hair and fixing it back in place.

I was staring at the ground, trying hard not to burst out laughing until I heard her footsteps stop before me.

"And who may this woman be? I've never seen her before."

I quickly snapped out of my foolishness and maintained my composure, bowing.

"Hello my lady, my name is Janelle and I recently joined the Phantomhive staff."

She narrowed her eyes at me with a hint of suspicion.

"I see… and what is your position exactly? Don't tell me you're just some street rat that the master picked up off the street to stay here for free."

My eyes grew blank. It was as if she could see right through me. A pang of guilt stabbed my side. Actually, I wasn't really sure what my place was here. I kind of just…helped.

"She is not a freeloader Aunt Frances and if I may add, I don't appreciate you insulting any of my staff members," Ciel spoke up in a stern tone.

She raised an eyebrow at him, finding his sudden seriousness to be interesting.

"Is that so? You would tell your aunt not to do that?"

Ciel pondered for a moment before nodding confidently.

"Yes, I would if I see that it's right. Also, Janelle works here as my tutor."

My eyes widened at Ciel's kind words. I couldn't believe he was defending someone like me.

"A tutor?" Lady Midford didn't seem impressed. "Is she any good?"

Ciel nodded again. "Very. And she's helpful in keeping the other servants working smoothly as well."

I bit my lip, not used to being the center of attention. I shifted my legs and gripped my hands behind my back.

She directed her attention back to me and took my face in her hands. She glared. "If she is a tutor, she should also keep her hair out of her face. It's not professional to teach with messy hair like a slob. I want all three of you to fix the problem at once. I won't be pleased until you do."

Ciel's eyebrow twitched in annoyance.

"What are you all waiting for? Take Tanaka as your model and hop to it! We don't have all day and so far, the master is not proving himself with my surprise check-up on this mansion," she stated, waving her hand to shoo us off.

Sebastian bowed and walked to another direction with Ciel, who begrudgingly trudged forward. Before I went on my way, a hand tugged on the back of my dress and I turned around to see Elizabeth smiling up at me.

"Hey miss? I've seen you before I think…but I'm not sure where, am I wrong?"

I smiled at her warmly and kneeled down to her level. "No you're not. I met you back when we were at the Viscount's gathering."

Her emerald green eyes shined, finally remembering. "Oh yes! You were that woman with the pretty white dress right?"

I giggled. "Wow, you remember that small detail?"

"Of course! I love dresses!" She took hold of my hand. "So your name is Janelle? It's nice to know your name. I was fussing over that matter when I was there." She grinned at me.

Her mother watched us chatting with a wary eye. "Elizabeth, you know this woman?"

"Yes, well...not really. But we've met briefly before!"

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Where exactly are you from Miss Janelle?"

I shifted my eyes slightly. "Well…you were right about me earlier, my lady. I don't exactly have a good background. It's a long and bad story…"

She scoffed. "Well, I expected as much."

"I hope that I'll be able to prove that I'm good…different now. Please allow me to have that chance," I bowed my head.

She watched my fuchsia hair slipping down my shoulders. "Well first, if you want to prove yourself, fix your hair like the boys are doing now."

I looked up and nodded. "Right away, my lady."

And with that, I scurried off out of there sight.

Elizabeth sighed and stared at her mother. "Mother, do you really have to be so…"

"So what, Elizabeth? Do you not approve of the way I set things straight around here?" Lady Midford questioned, waiting for an answer.

She shut her mouth and shook her head.

"No mother, never mind. You're right."

I stared in the mirror as I pulled my hair up, wrapping it into a loose bun. I frowned, letting at least a few strands frame one side of my face. My cold hand clasped onto my left shoulder self-consciously.

"This is bad…I can't go out there…" I muttered to myself, spotting the ragged scar left from Madam Red's dagger back then. I shook my head.

"No…no…no…"

"What's the matter Janelle?" the smooth voice of Sebastian asked, hearing him approach me from behind.

I turned my gaze away from the mirror and stared at the marble floor of the bathroom.

"It's nothing important. Just being a drama queen."

Sebastian frowned. "You are being negative again. Perhaps I need to instill some sunshine into your brain. Your mind is getting ill from the constant rain clouds in there," he stated with a laugh.

"That's right Sebastian. I am sick. And seeing…this… just proves it once more…" I replied back, bitterness in my tone.

He raised an eyebrow before noticing that my hand was covering my shoulder. He gently removed my hand and noticed what I was talking about.

I suddenly felt both of his gloved hands grabbing my shoulders before something warm and soft hit my shoulder. I gasped and realized that his lips connected with my skin as he placed a small kiss on my back.

I couldn't help but smile at his unexpected move. He smirked and spun me around so that he could look at my face.

"Remember Janelle, think positive. Because I see past these scars you have, and what I see is something remarkable."

My eyes watered. "You think so?"

He smiled. "Yes, of course."

"Sebastian, you're being so nice," I said thoughtfully.

He smirked and chuckled darkly. "If you want to see the other side of me, I can show you Janelle. Very easily. After all, you know what I am."

I stared up into his eyes, seeing the devilish glint in them. I shook my head.

"No Sebastian, just stay as you are now. Perfect and…"

I finally noticed his hair was now slicked backwards like Tanaka's and I snickered.

"Wow…you look…"

He sighed. "Don't say it. I already know. But it's only for the Lady's request."

"No, you don't look bad Sebastian. Just different in a good way," I grinned.

He smirked. "You should see the Young Master. Of course, I had to help him with his hair."

I laughed. "I bet he looks cute nonetheless." I then walked past him. "Well, I think it's best if I check up on the other three and see how they are doing."

"Ah yes, I was just about to tell you to do that. I insist you hurry though. I'll be starting the inspection for the Lady soon," Sebastian warned me and I nodded in understanding before leaving.

"Hmm…maybe I should start with Finny first since his job's pretty big," I mumbled to myself and rushed outside.

I gawked in horror when I saw that Finny was cutting the winter roses that had just been added by Sebastian.

"Finny? What do you think you're doing?" I shouted, running up to him.

He turned to me and waved. "Oh hi Janelle! Aren't these flowers so beautiful? And there's so many of them too!"

I grasped my forehead, shaking my head. "No Finny, you're not supposed to cut them! That's destroying the garden!"

"Eh?!"

Finny stood up and realized the destruction he had caused. He clenched both sides of his head.

"OH NO! I FAILED AGAIN! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?" He started running around in circles with his panic.

I stumbled after him and managed to snag his arm. "Finny stop and take a deep breath. One…Two…"

"…Three…" Finny said and exhaled, placing a hand on his chest. He then groaned in frustration. "Oh I never do anything right! What am I going to do?"

I thought for a moment, rubbing my chin. "Well, we can't save the roses, except we can keep the ones you've already cut for something else. Here, let's put them aside."

Finny and I quickly set them on a stone bench.

"Now what?" he asked.

"Right now, I think you should concentrate on making at least everything else look good so that the Lady won't necessarily concentrate on what happened to the roses…"

Finny nodded nervously before running to get all the gardening tools we need.

"I'll start with mowing the lawn then!" Finny hollered after me and I nodded before working on sweeping the leaves and removing the weeds.

After a while, I looked back and noticed that Finny was halfway done but at this rate, Sebastian and the others were bound to come around.

I concentrated hard, focusing on inner energy. Maybe for now, my skills as a vampire could come in handy…

A burst of adrenaline rushed through me and the next thing I knew, I was working at a much faster speed, finishing the task in minutes before moving on to sweep the steps leading to the garden.

"I'm done Janelle! I'm gonna cut the hedges now!" Finny called, moving the lawn mower aside.

"Okay, be careful!"

I brushed hair aside from my face and finished up with sweeping. I looked around, scanning the area for anything else but saw that the rest of the flowers weren't damaged. I then came back to Finny and saw that the hedges were unevenly cut.

"H-How am I doing Janelle?" he called, shaking dangerously on the ladder.

"Well, it's a little…uneven," I commented with a sympathetic smile and I saw him slump over in disappointment.

"Aw…and here I thought I was-WHOA!"

I gasped when the ladder Finny was standing on gave out and fell over, making him sail to the ground.

"Finny!" I called and quickly moved under him, catching him in my arms and wincing when the ladder came down with a crash.

I set Finny on his feet and he sighed. "I'm sorry Janelle…" He moved to pick up the ladder.

I smiled. "Don't apologize. It's okay! Here, let me stand next the ladder so you don't fall and you can try again. I'll keep telling you if the hedges are uneven or not."

His eyes lit up. "Alright!"

I held the ladder secure and he worked his hardest, making sure he didn't cut too much or too little as he tried to sculpt the hedges with creativity.

"Hey, Finny, that's fantastic! It looks a little like a bird!" I clapped my hands at his accomplishment.

Finny grinned. "Yeah! I was inspired by my love for animals!"

I nodded. "I think we should pick up the pace because they may come by any time soon!"

"Right!"

I was amazed at how Finny worked quickly and efficiently with the rest of the tall hedges, seeing that he wanted to impress the guests as much as possible. His determination was clear in his actions.

After a few more minutes, I heard voices and recognized it to be the group. "Finny they're here!"

"What! But I'm not finished yet!" Finny panicked.

"It's okay! Continue what you're doing, stay calm, and put a smile on your face!" I gave him a wink and thumbs up. "I'll see you later Finny!"

He grinned at my encouragement as I bent over, speeding out of sight before Sebastian led Elizabeth and her mother into the garden, Ciel following close behind.

"Here's the garden my lady. We just got in some new-" Sebastian stopped midsentence when he realized the roses were gone.

"I mean…"

He surveyed the area and spotted Finny cutting the hedges. Finny met eye contact with Sebastian and waved enthusiastically.

Sebastian sighed. "As you can see, our 'creative' gardener has shaped the hedges into what looks like…" He twitched. "Animals…"

"Aww! That's so cute! Finny's a genius!" Elizabeth complemented.

Lady Midford scoffed. "Hmph, a little childish, but I suppose I'll let that slide since Ciel is still a child himself."

Ciel crossed his arms and glared. "No I'm not. I'm the proud head of the Phantomhive family."

She tapped his forehead with her hand. "Of course you are, but don't deny it."

Behind the bushes, I watched the group going back inside the mansion.

"Better move on to Mey-Rin I guess…" I said and then dashed to the next destination.

"AHHHH!" A woman's cries were heard through the main hall.

I gulped, that was certainly not something I wanted to hear. I cracked open the door, seeing that Mey-Rin was bustling among the catastrophe of broken plates and excessive soap clinging to the windows.

"Mey-Rin?"

At the sound of my voice, she skidded to a halt. But since the hard wood floors were also slippery with too much water, she tripped and the plates in her arms flew in the air. I quickly dived forward, my arms catching Mey-Rin but then falling on my back from her weight.

"Ow…are you okay Mey-Rin?" I winced; her body sprawled over my stomach.

"Y-Yes! Oh no! The plates!" she shouted, pointing at the fragile items descending right at us.

"Catch them quick!" I said and barely caught three of them with my fingers while she slid forward and caught the rest, one of them landing safely on her back.

She groaned in exhaustion. "Oh dear…that was close…"

"Why do you always insist on running while carrying so many things?" I sighed with a smile.

"I-it's a habit I suppose. I was just trying to get things done faster, I was!" she replied shakily.

I exhaled deeply, placing my hands on my hips and looking around. "Here, hand me the plates and I'll put them away. I think we need to re-clean the floors and windows…"

"Y-Yes, you have a point there." She scratched her cheek with a sheepish laugh before racing to get the cleaning supplies.

I stepped on a stool and placed the plates back safely in the glass cabinet and heard Mey-Rin rushing into the room with mops, buckets, and towels.

She stood there for a moment as if she was forgetting something.

"Polishing materials?" I suggested.

She clenched her fist. "Oh yes! I'll be right back!"

"You don't have to run!" I reminded her and she obeyed, walking at a less reckless but fast pace.

Upon her return, we went straight to work. She was mopping the floor while I hastily cleaned and polished the soapy windows.

When I finished, I saw that Mey-Rin was a lot calmer now and taking care of things perfectly, making the floor look shiny and good as new.

"Mey-Rin! Wow! Brilliant job!" I praised her.

She looked up in surprise and fixed her glasses. "Eh? What did you say Janelle?"

I smiled. "I said you were doing splendidly! You didn't notice?"

She gasped and stopped to look at what she had done. "Oh yay! I did something right, I did!" she squealed with joy.

I laughed. "Of course, you just need to stop worrying about time and you'll get the job done well!"

Her cheeks turned bright pink. "Y-You think Sebastian will be happy with me?"

I nodded. "Definitely!"

She grinned and then finished up the floor. Upon setting down the mop, we heard voices approaching the room we were in. She squeaked in fright and I put a finger to my lips.

"Just be yourself, Mey-Rin. You did the job; now all you have to do is act presentable." I whispered. "I must go now."

"W-wait! Janelle! Where are you-"

The door opened as I was tiptoeing to the opposite exit and Mey-Rin immediately stood straight and ready.

"…you can see that I took the liberty of ordering lovely wallpaper from France," Sebastian said, allowing the ladies to walk in the main hall.

"Hmm, well I'll admit, this isn't bad," Lady Midford admitted, examining the sparkly clean and neat hall.

"It's really pretty! Mey-Rin did all this?" Elizabeth stared in awe.

Sebastian looked at Mey-Rin with a hint of surprise and she chuckled nervously, brushing off the front of her dress.

"I…I tried my best, I did…" she replied, a little embarrassed.

"Good job Mey-Rin, shall we move on then?" Ciel commented, turning to leave.

As they all exited and moved on, Mey-Rin let out a sigh of relief and sank to the floor. She held her burning face.

"Oh wow, Sebastian actually looked…pleased!"

I fast-walked towards the kitchen and poked my head inside to see Bard about to use explosives…again!

"Freeze mister! Put your hands in the air!" I shouted like a cop though I had a grin on my face.

"I'm innocent!" Bard exclaimed, setting down the grenade and turning around with a large strap of bullets attached to him.

I laughed and pointed at the weaponry. "You call yourself innocent? Excuse me sir, I'll have to confiscate your weapons for the day."

"WHAT? But that's not fair!" Bard complained as I gathered up all the dangerous items and stuffed them in his closet.

"Do you have any chains?" I asked and he looked the other way innocently.

"I...I don't know, why on earth would I know where the chains are?"

"Hmm…is this breakable? I think so…" I offered, weighing the rifle in my hand before grasping it with both hands and positioning it to my knee as if I were to split it in half.

His cigarette popped out of his mouth and he reached his hand out. "W-wait! Don't do it! I-I know where the chains are!"

I grinned and patted his cheek. "I knew that was lodged somewhere in your memory Bard…"

He released crocodile tears when he gave me the chains and I locked up his weapon cabinet.

I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keep your chin up soldier. It was for the innocent bystanders' and your own good."

He looked sad at first but then shook it off and saluted to me, winking. "Sure thing missy."

Footsteps approached.

"Oops! That's my cue!" I waved goodbye and then escaped in a flash.

He stared after me in confusion before prepping himself for their entrance. Sebastian entered the kitchen first.

"Bard, do you have the Spanish tangerines and the Ceylon tea?"

"Yes sir." He moved to the counter and handed him the basket of fruit and tea. "Here you go!"

Sebastian took it from him before looking around. Bard grinned proudly and spread his arms out.

"See, Sebastian? I didn't blow anything up! Eh? EH? Everything's still intact!" He did a little victory dance.

The butler sighed. "Well it would seem so. For now, that is."

Bard forced a laugh, Sebastian giving him a warning glance before stepping out the door.

I stood at the main entrance, tapping my chin in thought.

"I still feel that I'm forgetting something…let's see…"

I used my fingers as a checklist.

"Finny's fine. So is Mey-Rin, Bard…"

Light bulb!

"Pluto! Bingo!" I brought a finger in the air.

After realizing that it was Pluto I had forgotten about, horror began to rise.

"Oh no…Pluto, not good. What will Lady Midford think if she sees him?"

I took a deep breath before pushing the large double doors and walking down the steps, immediately spotting the monster-sized dog sleeping near the water fountain. I tip-toed to Pluto and gently placed a hand on him.

"Pluto! Hey buddy, wake up! I need to move you somewhere else!"

Pluto's ear twitched and he shifted his head under his paw.

"There's a nice shady area in the back," I sang but he still didn't move.

I sighed heavily, standing there with my arms crossed and tapping my foot. I then decided that perhaps force was the last resort.

"Pluto! Come on! Be a good boy like you are with Angela!" I said through clenched teeth as I took hold of his front leg and tried pulling him.

Pluto growled and pushed me away. The strong force knocked me back and made me fall on my butt.

"Ugh…" I hissed, dusting my hands of pebbles.

"Janelle!" Someone called.

My spirits immediately lifted at hearing that voice.

"Finny! I'm so glad to see you!"

Finny raced towards me. "What are you trying to do?"

"Think what will happen if the guests see Pluto! We need to hide him somewhere quick!" I replied.

Finny snapped his fingers. "I know where! There's an empty shed near the forest that's big enough for him. We can keep him there for now and it's perfectly safe!"

"Brilliant! Now I'm nowhere near as strong as you so could you help me out?" I asked.

"With what you did for me, there's no way I'd say no!" Finny beamed before grabbing hold of Pluto's leg. "Let's go! Nice doggie! Time to take a nap in the nice comfy shed!"

Pluto let out a loud throaty growl, his red eyes opening as he lifted his head and sniffed Finny's head. Finny pushed Pluto's nose away and began dragging the large mutt while I went behind Pluto and exerted force.

"Come on! Move ya mangy mutt!" I snapped in annoyance.

Pluto's claws grazed on the ground, whining and overall making too much of a ruckus.

"Shh! Please be quiet Pluto! The shed's not far, I promise boy!" Finny assured him.

Pluto was barely moving at all, despite our best efforts.

I panted heavily as did Finny. "No good, we need more help!"

Finny looked at me behind Pluto's body. "I'll go and get Mey-Rin and Bard!"

"Yes, good idea! But hurry, I'll hold off Pluto for now!" I said and he nodded, running into the mansion.

Pluto rested back down on the ground with a quaking thud. I cautiously looked behind me before sitting beside Pluto, stroking his fur for a moment.

"You know, I guess you're not that bad…and you could be cute, if I squint my eyes that is," I joked, rubbing Pluto's stomach and he growled in pleasure.

I shielded my eyes from the sun and looked ahead of me, scanning the area until I saw a familiar figure in the distance. My eyes widened and I shot up to my feet. Sebastian!

I looked to the main entrance, biting my lip. "Oh Finny…please hurry…"

I could see the group was approaching and Pluto suddenly shot his eyes open, having smelled their scent. A force of wind blew behind me and when I turned around, Pluto was in his human form. That meant he was naked-which was bad.

"No Pluto! Down boy!" I caught his arm when he tried to run after the group. I began to feel anxious and pulled on Pluto, eventually using my other hand to pull both his arms back.

Pluto continued to resist and whine, kicking the air. But eventually during the struggle, he turned around and licked my face, catching me by surprise. I closed my eyes and kept him a good distance away but then he started licking my hands.

"Stop Pluto! Work with me here, stop fooling around!" I demanded.

Finally, I heard footsteps behind me and saw the three running up to us.

"Thank god you guys are here! Sebastian and the others are coming! Take Pluto to the shed and I'll think of some kind of distraction to buy you all some time!"

The three of them nodded in response.

"Ugh...did he really have to transform?" Bard stated in disgust before he and Mey-Rin took hold of him.

"W-well, look on the bright side! If he was in his dog form, this would be harder!" Mey-Rin stated, turning red and pinching her nose just in case.

"Oh no! They're getting closer!" Finny warned and helped the two.

I looked back and forth between the group and Pluto before the first distraction I thought of came to my head.

"Yes…everything seems to be in top shape in the front of the mansion, though what's going on over there…?" Lady Midford tried to peer behind Sebastian, hearing the rabble.

Sebastian began to turn around but instead of seeing Pluto and the others, he saw me launching myself at him.

"Sebastian!" I shouted excitedly and threw my arms around his neck, taking him off guard as he spun around, keeping balance from my sudden collision.

"Janelle? What is the meaning of-" Sebastian started but I cut him off by saying something that surprised everyone.

"Excuse me, my lady, but don't you think Sebastian is sexy?" I said giddily, nuzzling myself against the butler's chest.

Everyone gawked at me in an awkward silence.

"I beg your pardon! How disgusting! What kind of woman are you to just jump on him like that! And why on earth would I think of him as that inappropriate adjective you just uttered!" Lady Midford snarled.

"B-but look at him! He's got such a fine figure," I slurred, trailing my hand down his chest.

Lady Midford's mouth dropped open and she turned to his nephew, who looked humiliated. "Ciel, are you sure she's your tutor?"

"P-positive Auntie…she doesn't act like this all the time I assure you!" he tried to explain.

Elizabeth couldn't help but giggle at my behavior as I continued to act like I was drunk, clinging onto Sebastian, who tried to pull me off.

Ciel was about to reach his last nerve and just when he was about to scold me, in the corner of his eye, he spotted the Phantomhive servants dragging Pluto away. They managed to disappear behind the building. Seeing that, he immediately understood why I had acted out the way I did, letting all thoughts of anger vanish.

"Aunt Frances, shall we go and head to the stables instead? Sebastian, aren't there some horses that you'd like to show her?" Ciel asked.

Sebastian grinned. "Why yes my lord, thank you for bringing that up."

Ciel nodded. "Please follow me, and I shall lead you two there. Sebastian will join us after dealing with the current matter at hand."

Lady Midford didn't look back once as Ciel walked in front, Elizabeth grabbing onto his arm.

"Phew, that was close…" I wiped my forehead and looked up to see that Sebastian was giving me a creepy smile.

"Janelle, explain yourself at once." His eyes glowed and a dark aura surrounded him.

I laughed nervously, rubbing the back of my head. "I'm terribly sorry about that Sebastian, but that was the only thing I could think of as a distraction. You see, the others and I were trying to get Pluto out of sight. But it proved to be a struggle…"

I stared down at the ground. "Then you all were coming and…we panicked…"

I stood there awkwardly, expecting him to scold me or walk away but instead he laughed. I looked up to see him smiling.

"So that was all? I thought you were trying to pull a fast one on me. Then I really would have punished you." His smirk grew in amusement.

"Oh…so that means you're still going to punish me?" I asked in a playful manner.

"Indeed. You're going to get it Janelle," he replied, his eyes flashing.

I sighed. "Well…there goes my chances of proving that I'm good to the Lady…"

He stroked my face. "Don't give up Janelle. Besides," His finger grazed my lip. "There's nothing wrong with being bad from time to time."

He then leaned close to me when another thought came to mind. "And what was all that you said about me? Would you be so kind as to refresh my memory?" he teased.

I grew warm with embarrassment and stepped away. "I...I guess I got a little carried away…"

"I'm curious, could those be truths?" he continued to press.

"Uh…" I turned and made a run for it. "Don't you have to get back to the Young Master?" I reminded him before escaping like my life depended on it.

Sebastian watched me leave, shaking his head before catching up to his master.

When I arrived back inside the mansion, the three servants were already rushing back and forth with party preparations.

"So, where is it taking place?" I asked the three.

"In the ballroom of course! Come, we've already decorated the place and everything!" Finny stated, pushing me into the large room.

Once inside, I saw that Finny had used the roses he had cut to adorn the tables and curtains. Mey-Rin tried her best to copy Sebastian's style and Bard created a combination of the Young Master's favorite foods.

Bard shrugged. "Yeah I know, it's not the best and Sebastian and the Young Master are probably gonna think it's bad. But we wanted to do this ourselves."

I smiled, patting him on the back. "I think it's just fine. All of you worked so hard today."

"Not without your help!" The three of them shouted in unison.

I shook my head. "No. I believe that you all have the capability to do it yourselves. You just need to bring that skill out from inside you."

"Ho, ho, ho!" Tanaka spoke up and we all turned to see the steward sitting Japanese style in the corner.

I laughed. "Yea, good job to you too Tanaka. Drinking tea, being a good hair model!"

"Oh Janelle! There's one last thing!" Mey-Rin pulled me aside and pointed out the piano in the corner of the ballroom. "We brought it in here because we thought you could…"

I gave her hand a squeeze. "Of course! This'll be great!"

Finny pressed his ear against the door. "They're coming everyone! Tanaka, lead them inside and everyone take your positions!"

Tanaka got up and walked out the door as the three stood in the center. I took my seat on the piano bench, opening it up to reveal the keys and recalling the specific tune I was to play.

"Shhh! It's time to hide!" Mey-Rin whispered and they disappeared behind their specific places.

"Where is everybody?" We heard Ciel's voice coming closer.

As soon as the door opened, I cracked my knuckles and began my own spin on the tune first. Once I reached the notable part, Mey-Rin was the first to pop up from beside the piano. "Happy Birthday to you!"

"Happy Birthday to you!" Finny continued happily, appearing from below the table.

"Happy Birthday dear Young Master!" Bard sang, standing up on a chair.

I played the last few notes, seeing Ciel and the rest of them looking shocked.

"Happy Birthday to you!" The four of us sang in unison and I ended the tune with a nice little touch.

We cheered and clapped for Ciel, who still looked absolutely shocked. "What was…I can't believe…"

Lady Midford actually clapped as well, coming up behind Ciel. "Well now, it looks like your thoughtful staff members beat me to it."

Ciel turned around to face his aunt. She gave a genuine smile and placed her hand on his head like a mother would.

"I came here especially to say, 'Happy 13th Birthday' Ciel."

I grinned and squealed in excitement with Mey-Rin. Elizabeth beamed at her mother and fiancé and Sebastian smiled at the scene along with the other guys.

"Ciel, I'm putting my faith in you to take care of my daughter as her future husband," Lady Midford added.

Ciel finally smiled and nodded. "Yes I will, thank you so much." He turned around to us. "Thank you everyone, it means a lot."

We all cheered for him once again before everyone began crowding together, Bard suggesting booze while Elizabeth suggested dancing.

Lady Midford approached me when I stood up from the piano. "You play very well Miss Janelle. How did you learn to play?"

I smiled proudly. "My father taught me. He was the best." I then bowed my head to her. "I sincerely apologize for my behavior earlier. I understand if I failed to prove that I was more than just a lowly woman…"

She clasped my shoulder and I looked up to see her smiling.

"There's no need. I know. I also know that you make quite the assistant around here," she chuckled. "You can't fool me."

"You saw me?" I smiled bashfully and she nodded.

"Keep it up Janelle. Don't fool around too much, if you know what I mean…" she said, winking.

I laughed. "Yes, I'll try not to," I played along.

In the end, the dancing was incorporated into the party but Bard's fun idea was left in the dust.

I watched as Ciel and Elizabeth danced the waltz together, her mother watching with a proud look on her face. Bard, Finny, and Mey-Rin all took turns dancing in circles with Tanaka marching around them like a soldier.

I peered to the side and spotted Sebastian placing the cake he had prepared beforehand onto the long table, looking with disapproval at the clumsy decorations Finny and Mey-Rin had created.

I pondered for a moment, fighting with my shy side before I took a deep breath and approached the butler.

"Ahem...Sebastian?"

"Yes Janelle?" he replied without looking at me, frowning at the roses he had gotten which were now strung carelessly on the curtains.

I bit my lip. "W-would you like to dance?"

His hand let go of his chin and he turned to me with surprise. I fidgeted with my hair, cursing myself for sounding so awkward.

He blinked before smirking. "Why of course. In fact, I should be the one asking the lovely lady," he said, bowing and then taking my hand.

His other hand wrapped around my waist and my left hand rested on his chest. A sudden spark ran through my fingertips at this déjà vu moment and I smiled to myself. We danced among the others, getting into step with the music.

Sebastian led me around gracefully and I followed him, our movements not faltering at all. It was just us two once again, floating sky high. Like magic…

"This…" I started to say and he glanced down at me.

"…is like the first time we met, isn't it?" I asked him, wandering into the depth of his eyes.

He chuckled, knowing exactly what I was talking about.

"Yes, it is. Except now, I get to see your beautiful face."

I smiled at his comment, replaying the scene of our first dance and feeling happy that I was able to do it all over again.

Eventually, we slowed down our steps when the music began to end, stopping to clap for Ciel and Elizabeth.

"It's not over yet!" Lady Midford insisted with a laugh, continuing on with new music.

I looked up at Sebastian. "Do you mind coming closer for a moment? I need to tell you something…"

He raised an eyebrow before obeying and bending his head down.

I grinned, moving close to his ear before tricking him by gently holding his face between my hands and kissing his cheek.

His eyes widened in surprise, his hand brushing the place where my lips touched.

"Thank you for lifting my spirits, Sebastian," I whispered.

He smirked and grabbed a few strands of my hair, letting it fall between his fingers.

"Oh Janelle, you won't get away with tricking me twice." His eyes glinted pink. "I suggest you watch your back."

I grinned mischievously. "Then I'll be waiting."