"What do we do about this?" Integra asked to the open air. Sitting with her was the demonic duo, her bodygaurd, Seras, and the Mister Quincampoix and Missus Devreaux, the French Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Research, respectively. The latter two had just been informed of the secrets that Miss Munier, their compatriot, had been keeping from them, and the overall situation at large.

"There isn't a lot you can do, really." Mister Quincampoix answered. "If you go in there, guns blazing, it will spark outrage between our government and yours."

"But, if we go in by ourselves, we might not be able to fix it on our own." Missus Devreax added. "We need experienced agents to remove the threat."

"Sending in HELLSING agents to kill one of our staff members would be a disaster!"

"But we can't just leave it to fester!"

"It'll be fine as long as we're not caught." Jim suggested, capturing the attention of both of them. The pair seemed to mull it over for a bit before they were forced to shake their heads.

"It's too much." Mister Quincampoix said. "There is no way that you wouldn't be detected."

"Not with the Minister of Foreign Affairs on our side." Ciel chimed in. "Whoever this 'Emil' character may be, they clearly want our attention. That is why they brought up the name 'Johnathan' and sent a messenger to our home. Whatever it is that they want, we have it, so I propose that you consider this information in your decision."

"What reason could they have for contacting you?"

"People get pissed off at us all the time." Jim answered for his beau. "You just piss people off every so often when you do jobs in the underworld. Sometimes, you don't even know who they are. That's just how it is."

"Good lord..." Missus Devreaux lamented, rubbing her temple. "How are we going to get out of this?"

"You do realise that if we let you go around, shooting up our staffmembers, it will be our jobs on the line?" Mister Quincampoix demanded. "It is treason! We cannot allow our government to get corrupted to that point."

"It already is. Most governments are." Ciel answered back, leaning with his palms resting on the table. "You are saying that you have a demon running the show at your organisation, putting out hits on your staff, and sending them across international boundaries to contact individuals on a non-professional basis isn't 'corrupt?' Surely, if this is the standard that you are alright with operating by, sending a few foreign hitmen is a relatively small matter."

"We have morals, Lord Phantomhive."

"So you are willing to let this demon run amok and do whatever he pleases for the sake of morality? Is it the moral thing to do to allow him access to an army that he could potentially use to incite war between our countries? Mister Quincampoix, sometimes, the moral thing to do is not the right thing to do. If you don't want him to get any bigger, you need to find a way to strike him down now before it's too late. Which is more important, the safety of your nation, or the sanctity of your morals?"

It was an uncomfortable truth. While the ideal was to do things cleanly in the most diplomatic, just, and fair way possible, sometimes, when faced with difficult situations, difficult choices had to be made. That wasn't to say that there were simply things that one never did, however, but they weren't asking to torture the demon or drop white phosphorus on him. They were asking for assistance in removing him before he devastated their two countries and possibly more. In, and then out, with no distractions or further damage. That was the way that HELLSING operated.

Mister Quincampoix, however, was still wary. "Do you have any experience with these sort of operations, Lord Phantomhive?"

"Yes. I aided the French Resistance during the war, Mister Quincampoix. I assure you, it can be done."

The two representatives of ORSAP paused, unable to really argue, but also being hesitant to commit to such grand action. Saying "no" would mean that they have to remove the threat on their own, all while said threat works against them from within the system. Saying "yes," however, would mean allowing yet another demon to run amok in their country to kill the first, possibly putting other people at risk and damaging their reputation. They had to ask themselves which was the best option out of two that weren't exactly the most desirable.

The two of them had family at home who would be at risk if Johnathan uncovered their plot. They knew that he wasn't above it. They had just been told how Damien's parents had been held over him as insurance that he would deliver.

"We would like some time to deliberate further and to make arrangements." Missus Devreaux stated. "Please give us another day."

That wasn't the answer that the demons were hoping for, but it was an answer they could understand. Time was of the essence, however, so they did not leave that meeting happy. What could they do, though? It was better to at least try and get permission so that they could acquire some kind of backing to do what they needed to do. The problem was isolated to France for now, but there could come a time where that is no longer the case.

Thus, the duo returned home, frustrated, but with no other option but to accept their powerlessness in the situation. So much for going through the proper channels. It would have been much faster if they went in unannounced. The situation was beyond that, now, and there were political powers at be that were beyond their control. All that was left to do was sit around and twiddle their thumbs until the ministers accepted their help, or the world gets plunged into war by a supernatural maniac.

Whichever came first.

Staring out the window at the back garden, Ciel looked down at the flowers in full bloom, painting the entire area a brilliant rainbow of colour. It was the same garden that Johnathan had set ablaze only a few months ago. Jim's magic and Finnian's tender, loving, care restored it to it's full glory. The Watchdog watched as Finnian and Luka tended to the plants. They were joined by Damien, who was enthusiastically shown the garden, giving him some time to somewhat decompress. It was good that those two were helping to distract him from his predicament. Maintaining the same critical levels of stress would wreak havoc on his mind and body. He was young and he was ignorant of the ways of the underworld. If the Phantomhives could help him become better adept at sitting on the border between worlds, it would be wonderful, although not ideal. Sometimes, there simply was no going back. Ciel knew this and accepted this.

Ciel didn't want to dwell on Johnathan too much. It wasn't that he hated the demon himself, but he hated the ugliness that Johnathan attempted to bring out of him. The Earl Phantomhive was able to reach the border himself, now. He could touch it and even venture over to the other side for short periods of time before it became too overwhelming. He could never return from the underworld completely. He had stayed for far too long and he no longer knew how to comfortably exist in the realm of normalcy, decency, and peace. Yet, he no longer wanted to stay trapped in complete darkness, either. He was happiest at the halfway point and he wouldn't simply let Johnathan or anyone like him drag him back down into the depths.

Turning around, he caught his husband just as he was about to strike. His arm was raised, ready to slap Ciel on the back while he seemingly wasn't paying attention. Once spotted, however, his arm fell to his side with a pout.

"Boo, you caught me."

"I'm getting sharper." the Watchdog smiled back, turning towards the window again.

"Whatcha looking at?" Jim asked, stepping closer and peering over the bluenette's shoulder. "They look like they're having fun."

"Yes, they do." Ciel nodded. "I enjoy watching them. Don't tell them."

"You can go play, too, you know..."

"I have not yet evolved to that level of whimsy."

"Aw… So you're saying you won't go skipping with me and help me pick daisies, later?" the lion jested, leaning his shoulder against the window frame as he crossed his arms.

"I'm afraid not."

"Pity." playfully huffed the menace before pausing, turning his head to watch the others as well for a moment. "I've got an update for you."

"Really? What's that?" As soon as the Watchdog asked, his beau held up a phone in front of his face. "Who's is that?"

"Damien's." Jim replied. "More accurately, the one Emil gave Damien. We charged it up and it didn't have a lock on it. There's nothing on it—no photos, no apps, nothing—except a search history detailing how to get from where the ferry docks, to our house, and—and here's the important bit: one name and number under his contacts, listed under 'Emil.' Thought you might find that interesting."

"So we have the bad guy's phone number. Lovely." Ciel stated. "Have you given him a ring, yet?"

"Nah. I wanted to see what you thought, first. See what you want to do with it. It's your double, after all. Johnathan was your baddie." the baronet held the device out to the Watchdog, prompting him to take it. Examining it, Ciel searched through the call history.

"No calls." he observed. "He was supposed to contact Emil."

"He has one more day to do it. I'd be nervous, too."

"But you wouldn't hold off on it like that." Staring at the phone, Ciel tried to burn the number into his memory, as if that did anything to help him. "I want to call it."

"Go ahead."

"We're supposed to inform Integra of these things… Then again, when has that really stopped me?"

"I consider informing her as being more of a precaution rather than a requirement." the blonde stated.

"Of course you would." Ciel didn't realise that he was making a face.

"Hey… You alright?"

"I'm… not sure yet." the bluenette replied. "I keep thinking about… I don't know… Different scenarios as to what it could be that it's hard to just find out about what it is. If it's a doppelganger, how did this happen? If it's someone shapeshifting, who is it? If it's a clone… I don't even know what to think about that."

"How do you think you'd feel?"

"No idea. Angry? Annoyed?" Ciel hesitated. "Pity? I can't imagine being born into this world as a fully formed being and having to navigate that. I also can't imagine being a Phantomhive, but 'not quite.'"

"I can, a little bit..." Jim smiled.

"You had at least some inclination as to who you are, though. I also consider you a fully-fledged Phantomhive. You're my next in line, as well, so clearly, blood isn't everything." The Watchdog stopped himself and sighed. "No… Blood isn't everything. It doesn't matter what he is. All that matters is that he is stopped and that's that. It's pointless to worry about it."

"Knowing what he is is important, because it can help us get an idea of how to beat him. It does matter, a bit." the blonde stated, reaching out and cupping the other man's face. "It's okay if it bothers you, too. You've got to process it before you can move on."

Closing his eye, the bluenette let out a sigh. Opening them again, he smiled slightly, as if he had just realised he was being silly. He took it well, too, which was a stark change from the way he used to be. He needed to take these things in stride. He knew that, now.

"You're right." Ciel answered before his smile fell. "I just don't want to think about it and become fixated on it, is all. If it were to become an obsession, I don't really think I like the idea of what that would do to me."

"Hey… It'll be alright. I'm here for you. We all are and we support everyone getting out of this unscathed, just like always. If you don't and start going nutty, I'll kick your ass until you stop throwing a tantrum. No worries. Just lead us on and we'll let you know if we think it's time for you to chill."

"Thank you." the Watchdog replied. It had taken him a long time to get the hang of saying that, but he was getting much better. While the Mackens were never really phased by it, it certainly took Sebastian and Finnian by surprise. "I want to call this 'Emil Stark' person. If he's gone through such trouble to contact me, then I should at least give him the courtesy of replying directly, now, shouldn't I?"

"Fuck yeah, you funky cyclops. Give him the business." Jim laughed. "You need a second to get into character?"

"Oh, Jimmy…" the bluenette said, pushing the button and bringing the phone to his ear. "Never."

The bluenette stood there and listened to it ring. Then, the ringing stopped and a voice answered. "It's about time, Damien." it said. Ciel couldn't recognise it, but it was hard for one to recognise one's own voice. "I was beginning to think you didn't care about mummy and daddy dearest. Did you deliver my message to the Earl?"

"He certainly did." Ciel answered, smiling into the phone. There was a pause and then a chuckle.

"Well, well, well… Speak of the devil." Johnathan grinned. "Now, that's service. I ought to give him 5 stars."

"I take it that you're Mister Stark, then?" the Watchdog questioned. "I hear that you've caused quite a stir over on the mainland. I also hear that you're associated with a former coworker of mine."

"My goodness, so direct and to the point. Like always." the other demon said. "But yes, I have been going by that name lately. It's only an alias, I assure you."

"A fake name and using someone else's face? Is there anything authentic about you, good sir? To whom am I really speaking to, if not Emil Stark or Ciel Phantomhive?"

"Johnathan." the other demon said. "Johnathan Beattie. It's the name you gave me, after all." The haughtiness on Ciel's face fell for a moment, but soon returned as a facade.

"Oh dear, that is alarming, given that Mister Beattie is dead."

"It wounds me that you don't believe me, Ciel, but I understand." Johnathan began. "We haven't seen each other in so long and you definitely did kill me. I assume you found my body, correct?"

Furrowing his brow, Ciel frowned. "Indeed. Are you informing me that that body was in fact, empty?"

"Precisely. You're very quick. Then again, you've already run through all of the horrible scenarios of my return, haven't you? Have you theorised about it? Go on, give me your best guess!"

The Watchdog grimmaced as he was forced to play along, but did so, all the same just to keep the other man talking. "You placed your soul into another vessel."

"Well done. You earn a gold star. But that just leaves the question, doesn't it? 'Where did I get my new body?'"

"I don't know. Demonic possession?"

"Partial points for the guess. I did hitch a ride with Ceasar so he'd carry me a little ways." Ciel could hear the other demon smile as he spoke into the phone. "Do you remember how I cloned your father? Or rather, tried to… Your reaction would have been so wonderful, had it worked. I take it that you found out about Caesar's efforts to clone Cornelius Wainwright, yes?"

A wave of anger washed over the bluenette as he snarled, baring his grit teeth and clenching his fist. He knew exactly what Johnathan did. He knew and the revulsion of it made him angry. Now, he stood there, silently fuming as he waited for the other demon to confirm it.

"It didn't turn out the way he wanted, so he was about to scrap it, when I found out about it." Johnathan said. "So, when Caesar escaped Abhartach's Greenhouse, he marked it as a failure and used it as a bartering chip so I'd help him escape. I hid him from Abhartach and I kept the clone as a backup in case your father wasn't enough to make you hate me. It wasn't fully developed yet, but I made it my home. It's my body now, Ciel. Isn't that just horrible?"

Ciel listened to the other demon as he smiled through every word, explaining with utmost glee about how he stole the Watchdog's face, his genes, and his bloodline, claiming it for himself in an effort to provoke Ciel. It did disgust him and it did make him angry. He was furious with a grim look on his face and the urge to wipe that grin off of his own stolen face. Yet, as the other man continued on, the feeling began to fade. The tension that Ciel held in his body began to dissipate as what Johnathan was saying sunk in. Words that were meant to provoke him into action and hatred inspired a completely different emotion instead. After a moment of silence, Ciel uttered a sigh.

"Not really." he said, surprising both his beau who was listening in and the demon on the other end of the phoneline. "I'm far more interested in your reasons for interfering with French government operations and trying to contact me. What do you want, Johnathan?"

"I see..." That wasn't what Johnathan wanted to hear. "All I want is for you to pay me a little visit. For old time's sake. That's all. Just a little attention from my big brother, you see..."

"We aren't siblings. That's a clone body." Ciel's tone was almost monotone as he retorted. "You want me to fight you again, is that it? Is that really why you've gone through all of this trouble? Haven't I already proven enough how pointless it is?"

"You're harder to break than I thought, but I will prove you wrong, Ciel. I promise you." Johnathan grimly stated. "Come to France. We'll fight here."

"And what if I refuse?"

"'What if,' indeed? I don't think that I have to remind you of exactly what it is that I have at my fingertips. You know what sorts of things I can get my hands into. You can't ignore me, Ciel. I won't let you."

The Phantomhive didn't answer right away. His expression fell, but not out of anger. No, he couldn't quite place it at the start of the conversation, but as Johnathan persisted, Ciel realised something. He was tired. There was more to it than that, but that's the thought that immediately came to mind. He wanted to tell the other man to just let it go, but that wasn't an option. Johnathan would follow through with whatever it was that he had in mind.

"You want me to fight you again, right?" Ciel questioned. "If you want it so bad, why don't you come and get me?"

"Ciel… I'm not stupid. I know you'll just call your little friends to help you and I'm not too partial on the idea of getting mowed down by a hail of machine gunfire." Johnathan replied. "Come over here and solve the problem like the man you say you are. Stop me if you feel so strongly about it, but if you truly aren't bothered, then you can stay put. You can't complain about what I do next, if you choose the latter, though."

"Fair enough." the Phantomhive stated. "I would be more than happy to accept your challenge. The only problem, though, is getting approval to get there. Don't start anything serious until then."

"Very well." Johnathan grinned. "I'm a sporting man. I won't do too much damage until you get here. I won't stop, though. If I do, then you might just forget. In the meantime, I'll be getting cozy with this person and that person… Well… I'm so glad I got to talk to you, Ciel. Really, I am, but I've got to go discipline an unruly staff member. It's a full moon tonight, you know. Call me back if you want to chat."

"Will do." With that, Ciel hung up on the other man, refusing to let the other demon do it first. His arm fell to his side as he stared ahead, pondering the call. What had he just experienced?

Johnathan was back. At least, it appeared that he was. All that Ciel really had to go by was the word of some strange-sounding man on the phone. He knew things that only Johnathan or Caesar should know and his story seemed plausible, but Ciel wasn't quite sure what to believe. If anything, he felt that he believed it a bit too readily. Gods, he was tired.

His husband seemed to be the only one of the pair who seemed at all concerned. The look on his face was worried as he scanned Ciel's visage for any signs of distress. Somehow, when he didn't respond in an expected way, that made the menace even more worried! Ciel, who had been utterly filled with disgust and anger moments ago, was now completely calm and neither of them really understood why.

"Are you okay, Ciel?" questioned the menace, but the bluenette only nodded.

"I'm fine." Ciel answered. "Just thinking. Unfortunately, I don't really know what to think. Regardless, we should call Integra and let her know about what we found."

"Yeah, but… What about you? You looked..."

"Upset?"

"Well, yeah..."

"I was. I just… I just don't feel that way anymore, I suppose. I don't really know why." the bluenette replied. "It's disgusting. The idea of him having the same genes as me is repulsive. The fact that he could walk around, claiming to be a Phantomhive is an absolute insult and he will not gain any ground on that front. I simply one let him. Yet… He's already done it, hasn't he? Is it worth worrying about if I'm just going to kill him anyway? More than that, though… Well, it's sort of difficult to explain."

"Just do your best." Jim said. "I'll try my best to understand."

"It just… It feels like… Almost like kicking an injured animal." Ciel tried to explain. "I don't really know how else to put it. Even though I know he's a credible threat, especially with the sort of territory he's claimed, there's just something… I find it a bit hard to take him seriously..." Sighing, he slouched his shoulders as he put the phone in his pocket. "I know that's not an attitude I should have when in a situation like this and I'll definitely treat him like the threat that he is presenting, but honestly..."

"Yeah… Don't you just hate it when your enemies just won't stay dead?" the blonde jested, only to furrow his brows as the other man pinched his cheek.

"Only if they aren't as cute as you." the Watchdog replied. "Come on. Let's get to work."


A/N: Hello~ everyone~! How is everyone doing?

I've been home all week because of the you-know-what and I've had time to write this. I've just been... dicking around, mostly, but I've also been thinking about an original story that I might post on AO3 or something once this is over or after I have like, a good number of chapters. It's some gay shit. Shockingly, without any kind of monsters? There's a time and a place, you know...

So that's what I've been doing instead of writing lmao. I'm hoping to pick up the pace, though! I'm not quite happy with how this chapter turned out, but we'll keep moving anyway. I'm still working on how all of this is going to go... The next chapter should be quick, though? Hopefully? I might've just jinxed it...

Until the next chapter, my duckies~!