A/N: Firstly, I'd like to point out, I'm sorry. You'll see why. Also, I like to point out, I didn't really have much input in the plot, I just write the thing. Mina wrote most the plot. What is about to happen is not my fault. Right. Now that's out the way. Poor everyone this chapter. Actually, Ronnie's come off pretty well compared to the others, except Grim. Cats always come out on top. It's all relative, of course. And thank you for all your lovely reviews, please keep them coming.

"Ian," Ronald growled.

Ian smiled and bowed deeply. The blonde's fever had worn off and he'd finished the last the serum. Just over a week since he'd taken custardy of him and Ronald's mind was completely his. He'd all but cast off his reaper days and had been moulded into a strong, powerful leader. Unfortunately, he had done a little too much of a good job of breaking him down and rebuilding him. Ronald was a natural leader it seemed. He'd just about managed to keep his position as his loyal advisor but he couldn't shake the feeling that Ronald was far smarter and more devious than he was letting on. He was slouched across the modest throne, watching the other hybrids training lazily.

"I'm hungry." Ian smirked. "Bring me something to eat."

"How do you suppose we should go about finding new souls, sir?" Ian said. "Our supplies are running low and we need to make sure we don't alert the other reapers."

"Didn't I tell you?" Ronald said. "Ration your supplies, feed off each other. It'll blow over. After a few months, maybe years of lying low they'll move on and forget about us. We can move onto collecting souls then. Once your supplies run out, ask me again. Now, get me something to eat."

Ian strode away to the kitchens. As he'd moved away from his old life and given into his new brutal, demonic nature, Ronald had grown from a whiny, immature child. He was the type of leader he didn't want to cross anymore. Sometimes, Ian wondered if he was losing sight of his plan the stronger and more in control Ronald became. He needed something to throw him off his game and push him back into his hands. He returned with his food on a tray and offered it to him. Of course, it wasn't long before a pretty, buxom blonde called Mary bounced over and slipped up onto his lap, feeding him. She'd been drooling over him since she first saw him and had been begging to play nurse to him when he brought him in with a fever. It had been all Ian could do to keep her away from him. However, it seemed the serum had made Ronald flirtatious and charming. Perhaps he'd always been like that but Ian couldn't see it.

"Aren't you hungry?" Mary whispered, licking the spoon. "Don't you want a soul? I'd let you feed from me any time you like, sir, my dear Ronald, if it's better than feeding off a human."

"Hmm, I'm sure you'd taste so sweet," Ronald said, twirling her hair around his fingers. "But it's better to wait. Patience is a virtue and the anticipation makes the reward so much sweeter. Soon, Mary, once there's no one thinking about us anymore."

"Sir," Ian said quietly. Mary glared up at him and Ronald smiled. "Ronald, we need to talk."

"About what?" Ronald said.

"In private."

He sighed and everyone left them to talk. Ian shut the door and stood patiently in front of Ronald. The youngster was troublesome. He really did have to get full control over him and make sure he kept it. He was getting too self reliant. He needed to be taken down a peg or two. "I found this in your jacket pocket when I was washing it."

Ronald frowned and took the note he was holding out. It was true. He'd taken Ronald's jacket for washing within the first few days and found the pink heart shaped, red penned note and kept it back for a time like this when he needed to retake control. Ronald frowned. It should have been the push he needed to get him back as putty in his hand. It was probably part of the reason Ronald had finally snapped and left William.

"Not only did he cast you aside, he was having an affair," Ian said. "All the more reason to move against them sooner rather than later, don't you think?"

Ronald clenched his fist around the paper and his eyes flashed red. "I won't act out of anger. That's how mistakes are made. Calm down, Ian, wait patiently and good things will happen."

"If we find them, we'll capture them so you can act on it then."

"I highly doubt you will manage," Ronald laughed. "Now, where's Mary gone. Send her back in."

"Ronald-"

"Out!"

Ian bowed and Ronald kicked back. "If you need to talk, Ronald, I'm here for you. You've become like a son to me."

"Ian, I..." He paused Ian smiled as Ronald clenched his jaw. "He doesn't... why would he..." His fists clenched and Ian tilted his head. "Why would he do that to me?"

"That's why you left them, remember?" Ian said, leaning forwards to look him in the eyes. "That's why I helped you escape them. You're happier now, aren't you? Do you know what? I'll capture him for you, let you throw him in the dungeon and then you can devour his soul." Ronald's eyes flashed and he licked his lips. "I know you're hungry, Ronald. I can see if in your eyes. You want to feed so badly, don't you?

"No," Ronald groaned, holding his head. "No. I'm not going to feed. I'm stronger than that."

There was still that resistance. If he could get Ronald to feed then he'd be one hundred percent his. Feeding would mean finally letting go of his instincts as a reaper once and for all. He would finally give in. He sighed and closed his eyes. Would bringing William to his knees in front of him be the final push he needed to let go of his old self, to finally feed?

"Strength has nothing to do with it, Ronald." The blonde glared up at him. "Is it strong to let him walk over you and not do a thing about it? Is that showing strength? Let him walk all over you and just become a doormat and you'll be a pushover forever. Be strong, Ronald, punish him."

"You're my advisor, not my boss," Ronald snapped. "So, get lost and send Mary back in."

Ian opened the door and beckoned Mary back in. Giggling like a schoolgirl, Mary slipped back up onto his lap, wrapping his arms around Ronald's neck and kissing his cheek. The grin on Ronald's lips was disgusting but at least she was keeping him on their side rather than thinking about the reapers. He stormed out and slammed the doors. The gathered crowd was staring at him.

"The reapers he worked with," he said quietly. "We're going to bring them in and make sure Ronald can make them suffer for what they've done to him. Let's go."

They nodded and followed him out, grabbed their weapons as they went. Mary would keep Ronald entertained for now. If Ronald wasn't going to deal with William and his friends, he'd have to make deal with them himself. He'd take great pleasure in killing William, preferably right in front of Ronald so he could watch him break.

"Does anyone else find that woman Daniel's working for kind of suspicious?" Alan said.

"I didn't see her," Eric said.

"Neither did I," William said and Grell shook his head. "Was there something you noticed?"

"Other than the fact that she had the latest copy of the rule book," Alan replied. William glanced down at him. "She was wearing the perfume as Michelle."

Grell frowned. "Alan-"

"I recognise it, ok," he snapped. "I spend a lot of time with her when Eric was supposed to be dead. Look, I know this seems crazy, but... demons have been transferring souls for years. We all know about the Phantomhive demons losing his master soul as he was about to feed. And then later, somehow, his soul merged with the memories of that other master through brainwashing. It is possible, isn't it?"

"He'd have to have obtained her soul," William said. "How would that be possible?"

"If they collected her soul in her scythe without realising it, and I doubt it's been sorted," Eric said. "But doesn't the Undertaker have her scythe?"

"He and Michelle and Daniel have been playing their own games for longer than we can imagine," he said. "It's best to just work around them. Whatever they've done, let them do it. We should be thinking about Ronald. And if it hadn't taken the Undertaker a whole damn week to tell us where Daniel was hiding he might have a better chance of being found safe and well."

They nodded and continued on through the woods Daniel had directed them to. If Ronald was there, they had to find him. There was movement behind them and Grell spun around. William frowned and glanced back. Ian smiled and stepped out from the shadows. William growled and he smirked.

"Hello again, Mr Spears," he said quietly. "What are you doing in my neck of the woods?"

"You know why we're here," Eric snapped.

"Yes," he said. "I suppose I do. And I suppose I could take you to him. He does miss you, would you like to see him?"

William glanced at the others, who nodded slightly, before turning back to Ian. "Alright."

"Good answer. Please, don't try to resist." A dozen or so hybrids stepped out from the trees and William growled, raising his scythe with the others, ready to strike the second they cam any closer. "Please, Mr Spears. Didn't I say not to resist? You do want to see Ronald, don't you?"

"Will," Grell said. "We need to see him."

"We've been in worse situations," Eric said. "And survived."

"Like what?" Alan muttered. Grell glared down at him. "Never mind..."

Finally, William sighed and nodded. They didn't really have much choice so they set down their scythes. The hybrids stepped forward and pulled their wrists back behind them, locking them in place with chains and shackles. And, much to William's disgust, the last thing he saw before his glasses were pulled off and he was blindfolded, was Ian smirking triumphantly. They were pulled away and guided through the woods. After perhaps half an hour of walking, they entered what seemed like a hall. Doors opened in front of them and they were pushed into another, colder room, their footsteps echoing quietly above a soft murmur and shrill giggle. Moments later they were pushed to their ground on their knees.

"Food, Ian?" Ian sighed as she giggled again. "Oh, but didn't the boss say not to misbehave? He said no more souls."

"Out," Ian snapped. "Everyone who's not essential get out." There was a pause and quiet footsteps before the doors closed. "You're not essential, Mary."

"Who says?"

"I say. Now get out." She giggled and squealed and Ian sighed. "Sir-"

"Let her stay, Ian. Get their blindfolds off. Let them have their glasses back." William suddenly felt sick to his stomach, even before the blindfold was removed. He knew that voice. They all knew his voice. The world focused again and he lifted his head. "So, I suppose I should welcome you to my lair."

William swallowed heavily, knowing his fears had been proven correct. Sitting on his throne, with the pretty blonde William assumed was Mary slouched across his lap, was Ronald. He smirked down at him. After taking a moment of glancing over him to check for injuries, William's eyes were drawn to the emerald skull pin on Ronald's tie, plainly visible without his jacket to hide it. He knew it, he'd given it to Michelle when they were young as a birthday present.

"Ron," Eric called. "What's going on?"

Ronald smirked and leant against Mary's shoulder. "It's a good question. Ian?"

"Well," Ian said. "After what you said earlier, I thought you might be pleased. You did say you didn't think we could capture them. And you are so hungry, aren't you?" Ronald's eyes flashed red, his gaze flickering over them for a moment before he turned his attention back to Ian. "They did want to see you."

"Why?" Ronald said, locking his gaze on William. "What the hell do I matter to you?"

"You're our friend, Ronnie," Grell cried. "You're like the closest thing we have to family. We love you, idiot."

"Don't you dare talk to Ronald like that," Mary snapped, wrapping her arms around Ronald's neck and kissing his cheek. "You're in no position to be talking so flippantly. You can't talk to him like that, look at you. What are you? You look like a man and act like a woman. What do you-"

"Mary," Ronald said quietly, cupping his chin and tilting her head to face him. "Shh, don't insult our guests, Mary. That's not how a lady acts, is it?" Mary sighed and nodded, leaning against his shoulder and nuzzling against his cheek. "So, you've seen me, I'm fine. I'm managing on my own. I'm not useless anymore. That's what you said, I was too weak to look after myself and I always needed saving. I don't anymore, go home, stop worrying."

"We're not just leaving you, Ronald," William said. "Listen, we can find a way to-"

"To reverse this?" he laughed. He shook his head and closed his eyes. "Don't I get a say in this? I don't to be cured. It's not a disease or sickness. We're not something you can cure. You guys just want to find some reason to turn me into a victim so you can save me again. Because I always need saving, don't I? You really can't stand the fact that I'm stronger than you now, that I can stand on my own two feet. But, since you seem to want to play heroes, you can spend a bit of time in the dungeons, can't you?"

"Ronnie! This isn't you, just think about this. We're you're friends," Grell snapped as they were pulled up. The little blonde smirked and waved teasingly as they were dragged from the room. "You little- you wait until I get my hands on you, you traitor!"

Ronald just smirked and waved as the doors were slammed shut. William just walked along quietly, not fighting at all, just numb. Ronald, his Ronald, was leading those hybrids. He'd all but called him useless, and to prove he wasn't he'd ended up as that cold, cruel monster. They were thrown into a cell and Grell growled, kicking the bars. William frowned and sat against the wall. It had only been a fortnight. How had they got such a hold on him so quickly? Was Ronald really so damaged he was that susceptible to their tricks and lies? What he'd said certainly hadn't helped.

"How'd you do that?" Grell snapped.

William glanced up to see Alan with his hands now in front of him, smiling slightly. "It's not hard when you know how. It's just a knack. So... what are we going to do?"

"What can we do?" he said. "He's betrayed us. He's one of them now. Will, what are we supposed to do? He's turned on us, he's betrayed us and locked us up. The longer we're gone the more suspicious higher ups will get and the more likely they are to notice he's gone. We don't have any choice, Will, we have to kill him."

"No," Eric said, sitting back on the bunk. "We're not killing him."

"We don't have a choice anymore," Grell said. "We can't leave him after this? He's obviously a danger. We've got to get out, get our scythes and finish him before he becomes even more of a danger or kills us."

"He's not," he argued. "And even if he is, there's still plan B."

Plan B. Lock him up until they could find a cure... but Ronald said he didn't want to be cured. Was that the truth or the serum talking? William frowned. "Perhaps it's worth considering he'd been brainwashed."

"Do you think he has been?" Eric said, glancing over.

"It's very possible," Alan said. William glanced up and Alan sat in Eric's lap. "People can become fully sympathetic with their captures in seventy-two hours but the symptoms can start in less the twenty-four. It's a matter of punishment or fear and then small acts of kindness. Take Ronald's condition, assuming that it's similar to what he suffered the first time round. With his fever and nightmares and being away from home, it would be easy to give him sedatives or painkillers or just comfort and a night chat and Ronald might start thinking he's not such a bad guy. He'd start listening to his point of view. Lots of case, they make the captive think it's their own fault. 'Look at what you make me do', you know. So when he behaves he gets rewarded and the behaviour becomes ingrained. It's much like domestic abuse really, I suppose. Two weeks is plenty of time and the longer he believes it, or even pretends to get believe it, the harder it becomes to fight. Like when you have an idea, and at first it seems like a bad idea, but you toy with it, and the longer you think about it, the more sense it makes, the harder it is resist."

"Like when I was killing to save you," he muttered. "I started out thinking it was a silly idea, I couldn't kill a thousand people. But then, when I thought about it, I started thinking I could. I shouldn't but I could. It wouldn't be so hard. And then Michelle came along and I started thinking I could hide it. It wouldn't be so hard, I could do it. And then the next thing you know, I'm killing dozens of people a week and firmly believing I can kill a thousand. That fact that by some miracle I managed doesn't make it any less of a stupid idea thinking back on it."

"So, it is possible he's been brainwashed and they're manipulating him into thinking what they want him to think?" Grell said. "We can still bring back the old Ronnie?"

"Perhaps, yes," Alan said.

"Alan was right though," William said. "Daniel's new mistress isn't new at all. It's Michelle. What she's up to is beyond me, but it's her."

"What makes you so sure?" Grell snapped. "I'd recognise her."

"The broach on Ronald's tie. You saw it, didn't you?"

"Michelle had one just like it," Eric said.

William nodded. "It's one of a kind. I brought it for her when we were in the academy."

"You saved up for months," Grell muttered. "What's she doing this time? And making us worry like that?"

"You should be more worried about yourself," Ronald said, walking in. He stopped outside the door and leant against the bars, sneering down at them as he held out a heart shaped note. Grell frowned, recognising the paper as well as the rest of them did. Alan got up and took it slowly. "It might go some way to explaining why I'm so tempted to give into that burning hungry and finally feed."

"Grell," Alan said, glaring over. "William... How could you?"

"Sutcliff, what the hell have you done this time?" William snapped.

Alan held out the note to Grell to read. His eyes widened and the colour drained from his face, not easing William's fears. Had Grell been partly responsible for Ronald's change? Grell stared up Ronald and shook his head. "Ronnie, I was joking. I didn't mean it. Is that why you stopped writing back? Ronnie-"

"What is going on?" William said annoyed that he was still being ignored. "What have you done?"

"I- when we were writing back and forth, I said I was going to look after you and he said I had been looking for a chance to look after you forever and I..." He frowned and William glared over. "I'm sorry, Ronnie, I didn't think you'd take it seriously."

"Sutcliff?"

"'That's alright, we've been together behind your back for years', that's what he wrote," Ronald said. "Isn't it?"

"Word for word," Grell said. "I'm so sorry. It was a joke, we-" Ronald stepped back and turned away, heading back towards the doors. "Ronnie!"

"How could you be so stupid?" William snarled. "Did you really think that was a sensible idea?"

"Ronald?" Eric said quietly.

William fell silent at Eric's hushed, wary tone, as did Grell, slowly turning to see Ronald had stopped only a few steps away. That wasn't what the problem though. His eyes were glowing softly. He turned slowly, a smug grin plastered across his face that sent chills down his spine.

"I'm so hungry."

"Ronald," William said as he turned. "You have to fight it. If you give in to that hunger then it's all over. There's nothing else we can do for you if you feed off a soul."

"But I'm sooo hungry," he laughed. "Guards!" They stepped in and ran to Ronald's side. "I'm starving. I want him."

"Yes, sir."

They opened the door to the cell and pulled William up, dragging him out into the hallway. The door slammed and locked, leaving the other three behind calling after him. Ian was waiting in the doorway, frowning as Ronald walked passed and quickly caught up, walking at his side.

"What's going on, Ronald?"

Ronald grinned up at him. "I thought I'd take your advice for once, Ian."

William frowned slightly as they were pulled into a rather empty, large room. There was a soft looking bed and a desk on the far side and that was about it. The chair was pulled around and they pushed him down into it. He sat quietly, watching Ronald's glimmering pink-red eyes. If there was any hope of getting through to him and breaking the hold the hybrids had over him he had to get Ronald alone. This was his best option. He couldn't see any other way this would work. Ronald dismissed the guards and Ian glared over.

"You know," Ian said quietly. "I could just deal with him for you, Ronald."

"Wasn't it you encouraging me to feed, Ian?" Ronald said, sauntering over and leaning over William with a small smirk that, much to William's embarrassment and horror, was unbelievably sexy. "On him no less? Why take away my fun now you're getting your way?"

"I just thought it would be easier for you perhaps to feed on someone else first," he said. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"I'm not uncomfortable," he said, slipping up to sit astride William's lap, resting his arms on his shoulders. "Are you uncomfortable, William?"

William stared up at him, his lips parted slightly. It would be so easy to lift his head and kiss him but those glimmering eyes reminded him of what Ronald was and what he was threatening to do.

"I'd be more comfortable if unchained my wrists," he said matter-of-factly.

Smiling fondly, Ronald ran his fingers along his jaw, tilting his head up slightly. "My William. Hmm, boss, any last requests?"

"If you're going to go through with this," William said slowly. "If you really are going to feed off my soul and end my life, then get rid of him. It should be just the two of us."

"You do have some of the best idea." He turned and glared at Ian. "Get out."

"Ronald-"

"Get out," Ronald yelled, before settling down and smiling softly. "I want to have my fun with my William before I feed. Go on, I'll be ok."

Ian sighed and bowed before turning and shutting the door. William gazed up at Ronald for a few long, awkward moments, not entirely sure what Ronald intended to do now. He seemed to want more than just to feed. Perhaps that was the opening he needed to get him free from Ian.

"You know, Sutcliff was joking," he said. "We weren't having an affair, I swear. What I said when we were at the Undertaker's, I didn't mean it. No... I did mean it." Ronald frowned and his eyes darkened. "I want to protect you, Ronald, I do and I keep failing, but after losing Michelle I just got a bit overprotective I suppose. I'm sorry."

"That's sweet," Ronald said, leaning over him again. "But I am so hungry, William, it won't save you. Still, don't you want one last kiss?"

"Ronald, you don't... have to do this..."

Ronald's eyes darkened to a violent, bloody red and William couldn't help staring up at him, at those unnatural, glimmering eyes. Still, they were beautiful. Those gorgeous big, catlike eyes that had always been so enchanting, glinting in the fading light as he pressed their lips together in a fleeting, gentle kiss. And it hit home in that moment what Ronald was going to do. Ronald was going to kill him. He was going to feed on his soul, ending his life. He was going to die.

Their lips parted slowly and Ronald smiled. "Don't struggle. It'll only take a moment."