Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji

XXV.

What? What in the great heavens am I doing?

I was going to stay away from her.

Undertaker kept worrying that he was breaking his principles and he couldn't do anything about it. Soon as he left Ravenna, he felt extremely confused. His thoughts were still with her. And exactly that frightened him. Everything was linked with her.

He was crossing the London streets as fast as he could, one with the shadows that were spreading throughout the city. Darkness embraced the streets and houses, they grew more quiet and more stealthy with the lack of the sunlight and the warmth that it brings.

It was then in that almost complete darkness of a small street that he stopped and surprised himself with the realization that he had grown fond of Ravenna. That was the feeling that made him feel bad. He wasn't sure why was that constant worrying about her.

It wasn't just that his mind was kind of surrounding her. He felt like he was holding a rare diamond in his hands and the simple task of keeping it safe was somehow indispensable. It was too obsessing, this connection with her.

Obsessing with things was bad. He knew that from his own experience. He knew that whenever he got too close to something it was surely breaking, he couldn't allow this to happen to her.

On the other side he couldn't shake off this bad feeling inside him. The thought of Ravenna hurt was terrifying him, the thought of Ravenna being alive was bothering him very deeply.

His father was a cold-blooded killer, there was absolutely no chance of her to be left alone after she saw and heard him.

I am missing something.

Something very, very important.

What is so special about her that my father wants to keep?

A scream pierced the flow of his thoughts. It wasn't hard to find it's source, for shinigami were gifted or maybe cursed with painfully high sensibility.

He was fast, but not fast enough. On the pavement, in a not very wide, dark alley was lying a woman. Her tough breathing was telling him that there wasn't much time left for her. He ran to the end of the alley, but it was dark and quiet.

The only thing that moved was the flickering flame of the black lantern on the main street. He turned around sharply, the killer probably has run away through the rooftops of one of the two buildings in front of him. But whoever did that was incredibly rapid and probably long gone.

The Undertaker returned to the woman. She had huddled up on the wall and coughed blood.

There was a big wound in her chest. That really surprised The Undertaker. He hadn't seen a breathing human with an already extracted soul. He always thought that such thing was impossible. He had tried to create such phenomenon, but he never succeeded.

Could it be?

"What's your name?" He kneeled in front of her.

"Kim." She forced herself to smile, but her words scalded him like a burning sting. The next letter. He took her hand and turned the palm. He saw his name carved there.

"How are you still alive?"

"I didn't know death was so beautiful." The woman reached for him with her last strength, almost touching his face.

"Did you see him?" He asked persistently. "The one who did this to you."

"I've always thought Death rejoices... over the ones who are... finally ready to leave this world." Her breath was scanty and her voice was weaker with every word. There was no fear in Kim's eyes, she was curious and secure, despite her condition. "But you are cold... and sad. Unearthly sad."

"Did you see him?! Did he say something? Please, tell me.'' Undertaker demanded.

"Those scars... you carry the pain of the world... within you.'' She continued slowly.

"I need to know who did this to you, dear... Help me save others."

"But pain is good.'' A tear fell down her cheek.

"Wh- What? Stop it. Your killer... " His voice suddenly faded away, his eyes went clearer. He looked at her like he saw her for the first time. Then he continued quietly. ''How is pain good?''

"You are different from him. You know what's important. That's good too."

"You are talking like you know me."

"I don't... " She smiled brightly, although her shivers were turning her expression into a ghastly grimace. "You only look like him. It doesn't mean you have to be like him."

She exhaled one last time and her body slacked in, sinking in an eternal slumber. He continued looking at her for god knows how long. Then he finally closed her eyes.

Undertaker stood up slowly and lightly, his eyes still fixed on the woman. He had sensed Ronald coming, but he was sure his colleague had not heard the conversation between him and the woman. He was a bit late, running to reach and reap a soul that wasn't there.

"Goodness, William is going to kill me, I'm late again."

"Too bad you have no soul to take. It was stolen."

"Kimberly Grant, 42, murdered on Friday, at 19:23 pm." Ronald Knox ran out of the shadows of the alley. He seemed really bored. "Well, I guess your father aga-"

"He's not my father!'' The Undertaker cut Ronald off and shove him on the wall behind. "Don't you ever say this monster is my father..."

Ronald decided to stay silent and still. He wasn't frightened though, Undertaker wouldn't kill him with no reason. But he was somehow more terrifying than ever.

Of all the faces, characters and critical points Ronald had seen the last one was the most scary. Because he was completely capable of destroying the world if he wanted to, he knew hundreds of ways to kill and torture, he knew every weak spot of the body, every strategy that his victim can make up against him.

It wasn't even worth trying to escape him. Yet his last incarnation was withering, because his voice was too soft to answer his rage. And his eyes were too full of emotion to belong to a great shinigami like himself.

"Damn it, Ronald. I..." He released Ronald and took a few steps backward until his back reached the cold wall on the other side of the alley. All that Ronald was seeing was his toxic green eyes and silver hair. "There is something really wrong with me.'

"Yes, that's correct. Everyone should remember the day when you finally realized that." Ronald fixed his glasses cheerfully like nothing happened.

"No." Undertaker whispered as he brushed his hair backwards, his glowing green eyes locked once again in their constant melancholic depth. "No."

He sighed.

"The problem is not that I can't find and take down this bastard. The problem is that I'm not sure if I want to."

"You should really go and get some sleep. And not in a coffin, but in a bed. You should try it. It's nice."

"I am serious."

"I don't believe what you're saying. And I think you don't believe it too."

"I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want to have anything to do with murders, killing and family issues anymore."

"We have to stop Teryx Cron in some way." Ronald shrugged. "It's not necessary for you to kill him. He'll get what he deserves once we catch him. Help us catch him and we won't bother you with anything else."

"And how exactly do you expect me to catch him? Tie him up like a dog and lead him into the Department on leash? You can't negotiate with a psycho."

Ronald didn't answer.

"What did William tell you? "They are the same blood, the same insanity runs in their veins, he should be the most capable of stopping him?" Undertaker laughed, but his thoughts were running wild in his head.

Is my father trying to do the same thing?

The same thing I wanted so badly? But... what if he has found...a way?

To stop it all. Endless life. No, impossible. Or is it?

"Well. Too bad. I have no idea what is he planning to do. I still don't know why he's killing people, what does he need souls for. Or why the hell did he team up with a demon."

"What about the girl? Maybe the answers are in her."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Undertaker decided to keep his thoughts in secret for now.

"I guess we'll find out." Ronald lowered his gaze on the woman laying languid on the ground. "Soon enough."

I'm sorry that I was late with the update and the new chapter. I really hope you are not mad at me ;3 I just have so much work to do lately, I am sorry (again). I don't know if the story's interesting enough, but I'll keep writing and hopefully find out if it's all worth it. Tell me if you find any mistakes.

Thanks for reading, have a great day! 3