A/N: Again, please forgive my rusty German. I really don't get as much practice as I'd like. Translations below the story, but I wrote the narrative so what Finny was saying, for the most part, was understood. It was so the flow of the story wouldn't be interrupted.

Also, I don't know why I'm heaping so much abuse on Grell; I do like him.

Part 10:

Snake felt Finny's forehead and was alarmed at how icy his skin felt. He looked over at Grell, now fast asleep in a chair across the room. Snake was about to wake him, because the grim reaper knew more than he did about the supernatural realm. Finny started to groan, so that made Snake freeze and drew his attention back towards the bed.

"Finny?" Snake asked softly and gave a tight squeeze to his mate's hand. "Please wake up. Come back to me. I beg you to stay with me."

Those wide, green eyes cracked open and he gave Snake a weary look. "Wo bin ich? Sind Sie ein Wissenschaftler?"

Snake shook his head vigorously; now he understood just enough German to know what Finny was asking. They had been practicing for several weeks now. He replied that he wasn't a scientist and that they were in a safe, hidden place. Snake was worried.

Finny was sounding as if he didn't know the footman. He was also aware that Finny's eyes were growing wide and scary eyes. They were empty and murderous eyes; Snake was sure Jumbo had seen them right before his death. His instincts told him to be very, very careful right now. Finny may love him, but it didn't mean Finny could recognize Snake right now.

Snake ventured to declare his alliance. "Ich bin ein Freund von Ihnen."

"Freund? Ich habe keine Freunde," Finny said with a hint of sorrow. Those, wide eyes seemed so empty, and then focused suddenly.

Snake's heart had felt as if an icy dart had run through it when Finny declared he had no friends. Finny somehow thought he was back in those dark days when he was in a lab and didn't remember his life since then. Snake wasn't yet proficient enough in German to express his heart to Finny in this state. He stroked Finny's bangs back and put on a smile in hopes of alleviating the younger boy's anxiety.

"Ich bin ein Freund von Ihnen." Snake promise to be his friend, making sure he stroked Finny's hair very slow and very soft. He tried to urge Finny to lay back. Snake felt relieved when he felt Finny's shoulders untense. Finny's eyes grew cold in seconds. He sprang up on the bed and lunged at Snake's throat.

"Lassen Sie mich allein!"

Snake's quick reflexes barely avoided Finny's balled fists. Snake had no idea what Finny just said! He sprang back off the bed from a thrown punch and this woke Grell. Finny leaped off the bed and stalked towards the footman.

"Now what's this? A lover's spat?" Grell asked, shaking off his grogginess. "Settle down because I have to deliver you two unscathed!"

Snake couldn't avoid Finny's lightning-fast, roundhouse kick to his gut. He flew through the air and slammed against the brick wall. He was now totally winded. His ribs weren't cracked on his left side only due to his reptilian half, but he was certainly bruised.

Finny didn't know him right now; the gardener felt threatened by Snake and was lashing out. Finny was approaching slowly as Snake struggled to breath. He tried to push off the wall to get away from Finny's raised fists, but stumbled. Snake felt his forehead and realized, seeing blood on his fingers, Finny had injured him a lot more than the footman first realized.

Grell skidded in between Finny and Snake. The grim reaper shouted, "Enough! You'll kill him if you don't behave like a good boy!"

"Ich verstehe Sie nicht!" Finny shouted at Grell and turned those frighting eyes towards the grim reaper.

Grell flinched back in shock and said to Snake, "Well, this isn't the cute, little thing I used to know."

"He has his moments," Snake murmured after getting his breath.

Grell pointed at Finny's nose and said, "You get back on that bed and rest before you destroy all my hard work! I'm not breaking another nail over you!"

"He won't understand you," Snake warned right before Finny sunk his fist into Grell's jaw, sending the grim reaper crashing, hard, through a window. Finny then start towards Snake again. Snake clenched his fists and decided he had no choice but to attempt to subdue his mate. He certain wouldn't abandon Finnian by running away. Still, fighting Finnian would be far easier said than done.

The door flung open before Finny's could raise a fist to Snake. The footman saw Sebastian move lightning-fast, take Finny by the wrist, and slam him to the ground. The dark butler gave a flat handed chop to Finny's neck and the boy fell unconscious again.

"I hated to do that, but you left me little choice," Sebastian softly murmured in Finny's ear after he took a thread-bare quilt and wrapped it around the gardener. He stood and looked at Snake. "You're injured. Let Grell look at you," Sebastian said with authority. Snake relaxed, trusting the butler hadn't injured Finny.

Grell dragged himself over the window sill and back into the flophouse with crossed-eyes and said, "I need to be looked after myself, Bessy! Ohhhh... I'll never do another favor for Adrian again! Ohhhh... that cute, little thing packs quite a punch. Ohhhh..." Grell stood on shaky feet, shook off his stun, and walked over to tend Snake.

"Wait! Is he a ghoul?" Snake demanded.

"No, he has his soul back. I see that much," Grell said, as he examined Snake's head wound. "So it's other issues that's making him confused."

"Speaking of issues, we have some." Grell stiffened at that voice and looked over in the doorway. Snake's eyes followed.

"Suit! What are you doing here?" Snake asked in amazement at seeing the former circus performer trainee in dark, formal clothing similar to Grell's. The only odd thing was the hydrangea stem in the man's lapel.

The man with pruning sheers brushed off his left shoulder with a crinkled nose and said in a frosty tone, "My name is Will T. Spears. Please address me as such."

"Well, it's turning out to be a regular reunion party," Sebastian said, lofting Finny in his arms and flashing "Suit" a bright, mocking smile. Snake wanted to be the one holding Finny, but he was just too injured and knew he couldn't manage it.

Snake looked over to Grell, who nodded in anticipation of the question, "Yes, Will is my kind." Grell finished cleaning up Snake and got him righted on his feet. Snake's head was now starting to throb, but at least he wasn't bleeding thanks to Grell's winding gauze over his forehead. Grell asked, "How did you know about Will anyway?"

"I remember him from the circus. He had no heat or scent like you, but I didn't know what he was at the time."

"And you didn't tell your cohorts when he could be dangerous?" Sebastian asked.

"I had come at odds with Joker, and Suit seemed harmless. Besides, Emily was watching him for me," Snake explained. Suit was now glaring coolly at him.

"Will T. Spears," the man insisted with an icy, vexed tone. He then turned to Grell, who started chuckling nervelessly and scratching the back of his head. "And I see you've made a mess of things, again, Grell. Where is Adrian Crevan?"

"I'm fairly certain he's in pursuit of Van Bogart. He seemed rather put out with that chap, and I think he wanted to reap the man, even though, he's not on anyone's books, but who knows where they've run off to?" Grell sighed and shrugged. "Adrian is certifiable, you know."

"I can get that information for you," Sebastian said, shifting Finny in his arms. "I'll need to check the lobby at the Langham Hotel."

Grell said, batting his eyes, "Well, Sebby, this isn't how I pictured visiting a hotel with you."

"Oh, do keep those comments to yourself," Sebastian said coolly after a deep sigh. He left with Finny firmly in his arms. Snake and Grell were supporting each other as they walked after the butler; Will was trailing behind and looking rather vexed.

Bard drove the motorcycle through the dark night, following the truck from a safe distance. Mey-rin wrapped her arms tighter around his waist as the cobblestone grew shabby around the edge of Paris and made the motorcycle ride bumpy.

"I hope they don't leave town! We told Sebastian Paris!" Bard said, referring to the message the telegraphed to the Langham Hotel, the agreed on communication point.

"Bardroy, keep a steady speed and be prepared to stop!" she shouted back over the wind.

Bard heard one of her guns rack and saw the barrel of the gun resting against his arm. He steadied himself right before the loud boom. The truck started skidding when the rear tire blew out. Bard's quick reflexes turned the motorcycle towards the cover of some bushes and trees. Bard said, "Good thinking. That should slow them down."

"I just hope Sebastian gets here soon."

"Hey, there's some good luck!" Bard pointed off to the distance where a snow storm was headed towards them. "Let's hope that keeps them bogged down for a while. In the meanwhile, lets try to get that scientist! You know I don't like to be shown up by that butler."

Snake held Finny close to his chest and kept his weary eyes moving around the room. Suit, or rather Will, was sitting in a chair in a corner, arms crossed, eyes shut. The man looked decidedly irritated. Grell kept pacing around the ritzy hotel's servant quarters. He was still in his subdued, servant's form.

Snake adjust Finny on his lap and lowered part of the quilt that had been covering his mate's face. He buried his face in that soft, blond hair. Finny was starting to warm a little, but he was still in a deep sleep. At least his soul was back, but what if he was changing already? What if Finny was already starting to die from all those chemicals those evil bastards pumped through his veins? Snake felt angry and out of control over this situation.

The anger was for the scientists that would steal a child and warp him into a deranged weapon. They had not one ounce of pity or care that Finny would feel pain or would suffer in the future. Now Finny had a pathological fear of pain and couldn't deal with it normally. Not only that, he'd die too soon.

Snake also felt out of control because there were so many things moving around him that he couldn't influence to help Finny. There were a lot of powerful people that wanted to use him and Finny for their own purposes. This was starting to bring his anger to a boil against everyone in his life right now, except for Finny. He had enough of that feeling when he was under Kelvin's influence; he wasn't going back to that way of living. The out of control feeling also brought about a fierce protectiveness over Finnian, unlike before.

The only thing that calmed Snake about this situation was that Sebastian hadn't killed Finny, but merely knocked him out. He didn't kid himself; Sebastian was supernatural and could have harmed Finny. The butler didn't deliver a killing blow, therefor he assumed there was still hope for Finny's life.

He held Finny tighter in spite of his aching ribs and throbbing head. He didn't hold Finny responsible in the least for any of his pain. He'd never tell Finny what happened! Finny would only sob and take on all sorts of guilt; that wouldn't happen.

Finny started to stir and murmured incoherently in a mix of German and English. Snake stroked his hair and whispered "Ruhe" over and and over, hoping the word would calm his mate. Finny's body relaxed and Snake felt a little more relieved.

Sebastian came back in and avoided Grell trying to glomp onto him. "Will, they're in Paris. The other two Phantomhive servants are pursuing them."

"Paris! That's where Adrian took me to so he could reap that Jean-Paul Arnoul chap. He had something to do with those clockwork cyborg's he's bookmarked. Van Bogart, from what I understand of Adrian's prattling, was after them." Grell's face got thoughtful. "It would make sense, then, they'd end up in Paris."

"Good. We'll go retrieve the Undertaker and get a hold of the scientist we need," Sebastian said, looking at his pocket watch. "We'll take a dirigible, since it'll be the quickest mode of transportation." Grell and Will were following Sebastian out of the servants' quarters. The dark butler paused and looked over his shoulder when Snake hadn't moved a muscle from the corner he was sitting in with Finny. "Snake, come along with Finnian."

"No! I will not! He's been through so much, and he'll be in danger again. I will not allow him to go with us."

Sebastian slightly frowned, walked over to Snake, and crouched down. Sebastian then took Finny's left wrist and push aside the quilt. He exposed the underside of Finny's wrist that had developed that odd lump last month. Snake had been worrying over it.

"You know he has a deep aversion to pain because of his life before being a Phantomhive servant?" Sebastian asked, to which, Snake nodded. "It seems he overcame his fear and he agreed to accept pain for the Christmas gifts he gave you. That ushanka you're wearing and those gloves, even the kaleidescope in your pocket. Pain is the way he is going to pay for them."

"He told me he had worked off the price at some sort of shop. It made no sense, really," Snake said as the blood drained from his face. The very last thing he'd want was Finny to experience pain of any kind. He clutched Finny tightly and said, "You should have never done this, you little fool. Don't you know I'd be fine without a thing from you?"

"It's a jewel in his wrist and it needs to be delivered. Paris is our destination. The sooner we deliver it, the sooner we can help him. Do you understand now?" Sebastian asked.

Snake reluctantly nodded. He carefully rose with Finny in his arms, with Sebastian's help, and followed along. As they made their way towards the dirigible platform, Snake's mind drifted from worry over Finny towards the one named that had caught his attention: Van Bogart.

Snake had to sort out who Van Bogart was to him, and he had to figure out how he became half reptilian if his mother and father were both humans. He still wasn't clear on anything involved with that man claiming to be his father.

Watanuki watched Black Mokona's eyes flare wide as he finished waking up. He put his glasses on and sat up on Yuuko's bed. The gem in Black Mokona's forehead flared to life and projected Syaoran, Kurogane, and Fai's images against the bedroom's wall.

"Good morning," Watanuki greeted them warmly. "So you've arrived at your new destination? Safe and sound?"

"Yes, it's a place called Autozam. It's like Piffle World only a lot dirtier, almost like it's starting to decay. We ran into Eagle, Lantis, and Geo, but they weren't the same ones from Infinity," Syaoran reported.

"No, I would imagine not," Watanuki said. "There is someone there you need to find for me. He only goes by the name 001, now. He will appear to be my age and is also heterochromatic. You need to tell him it's time for him to give up all of his blood so the price of his wish will be complete."

"All of his blood? But won't this person die?" Syaoran asked.

"Die? No, he's set aside his humanity a long time ago. You could say he's been dead for centuries. There is nothing left to him but a hollow machine. After you've retrieved every last drop, I'll have Fuuma come and transport it to the next owner."

Kurogane frowned and asked, "Why didn't you have your errand boy go fetch it in the first place?"

"Because he has three others mechanisms, 002, 003, and 004, that will make it a challenge. But," Watanuki then gave them a serene smile, "you three should be able to get around them. Go back to Eagle and his cohorts. They know where 001 is, but you may have to persuade them to give you the information. Have this done within two days. Fuuma will know how to store the blood."

"Taking someone's blood who isn't willing? We're not vampires, Shop Owner," Kurogane said, openly scowling.

"Don't knock it until you tried it, Kuro-sama," Fai joked. He gave a slight chuckle when Kurogane turned his scowling on him.

Syaoran gave Watanuki a determined look and said, "Someone needs this pretty badly?"

"He will. Just trust me that I'm fulfilling a wish by having you taking 001's blood. Worlds hang in the balance. It is very serious," Watanuki said, dropping his smile.

The projection closed after Syaoran gave Watanuki a firm nod. Watanuki stretched as the girls came bursting in with gleeful shouts of "Master is awake! Master is awake."

Bard watched Mey-rin's back as she took another pot-shot and made the group scatter. The man in a black mask, the obvious leader, ordered his men to find their attackers.

"Let's take them out and get that scientist!" Bard ordered, drawing his own gun as the snow and goons advanced.

To be continued.

A/N: Translations

"Wo bin ich? Sind Sie ein Wissenschaftler?" = "Where am I? Are you a scientist?"

"Ich bin ein Freund von Ihnen." = "I'm a friend of yours."

"Freund? Ich habe keine Freunde," = "Friend? I have no friends,"

"Lassen Sie mich allein!" = "Leave me alone!"

"Ich verstehe Sie nicht!" = "I don't understand you!"

"Ruhe" = "Peace"