TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS TOPICS THAT CAN BE UPSETTING TO SOME READERS. THESE TOPICS INCLUDE; SOME GORE, MENTIONS OF DEATH, ETC. PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION.
Madame, Grell, and Lau left the following morning, under the pretense of wanting to give the earl space so he could actually solve this case. Sebastian seemed to be doing better, finally able to control himself and continued with his usual duty of serving his master. Cosima had yet to emerge from her room, but the demon assured the noble that she was alive and well. He was right of course, the witch had been up and about since the early afternoon and had taken it upon herself to bathe multiple times. She couldn't smell the belladonna but she assumed that this would be more beneficial for Sebastian than for her. After her third and final bath, the maid dried off, wringing the water from her hair. She wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as she had been the night before. She was still dizzy and weak, but her head felt a little bit clearer. She sighed to herself, laying back down on her bed. She went over the fuzzy events of last night in her head. She had successfully found the Viscount, allowed him to lure her into a private room, drank the wine he gave her (like a moron), and passed out. She didn't really remember much after that, most of it was too jumbled. She remembered talking to Madame, and then to Ciel. She shot up suddenly, remembering a particular detail of their conversation; more specifically that she had been bold (and stupid) enough to kiss him on the forehead.
"Oh my god, oh my god, what the fuck have I done?" She groaned, burying her face in her pillow and letting out a long muffled noise of regret. How could she have done something so stupid? She had crossed boundaries that she swore she wouldn't by doing that. She supposed it could have been worse but god, self loathing outweighed her logical thinking right now. It wasn't as if the pair were on the friendliest of terms. Sure, they would be snarky and sarcastic to one another, and they made each other laugh. But that didn't mean she should have made that leap. He was her boss! He was engaged! He was...he was going to die. Above all else, she knew that she couldn't let whatever feelings she had develop any further. He didn't seem to think too much of her, but would he think even less of her now?
The guilt was making her feel sick, or maybe it was just the fact that she still had a drug in her body and hadn't eaten in almost twenty four hours. But her conscience wasn't helping. With a sigh, she stumbled over to the wardrobe and pulled on her cotton peignoir, determined to apologize for her actions. She opened her door and tried to make her way down the hall, using the wall to keep herself from falling. Her timing was rather perfect, or not so, depending on who you asked. Sebastian opened the study door, allowing his master to exit before following after. The earl turned, his brow creased when he saw Cosima trying to make her way towards them.
"Cosima, what are you doing out of bed?" He asked, coming over to her.
"I just...ugh, I had to apologize for being such a pain last night. I didn't mean to kiss you like that-" the noble swiftly covered her mouth with his hand and lead her back to her bedroom, gritting his teeth when he heard Sebastian's muffled laughter.
"You can apologize when you're able to walk right. Right now, you need to go back to bed." He groused, opening her door and guiding her inside.
"My lord, please, just hear me out." She said, gripping his arm.
"Whatever you have to say, I'm sure it can wait until you're better." He replied, pulling her down to sit with him on the bed.
"Sir. I'm sorry, I crossed a line and I shouldn't have. It was condescending and inappropriate-" He pressed his lips against hers, firmly shutting her mouth. They parted briefly only to come together again, kissing more intensely than Cosima had ever kissed a person before. His tongue grazed her bottom lip, and her mouth fell open on instinct to let him in. But he pulled away, smirking down at the witch, clearly knowing how badly he had fogged her already jumbled mind.
"Cosima? Are you alright?" He asked, looking at the woman in concern as he pressed his hand to her forehead. She blinked slowly, trying to process what had just happened, realizing that she had completely dreamed up the passionate exchange.
"U-uh I'm fine!" She stammered, wanting to hide herself from him. How mortifying! What is wrong with me? Am I still that messed up from the Belladonna? The earl simply chuckled and placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. He met her gaze, and she felt her face turn red and hot with embarrassment.
"Pay back for embarrassing me last night." He explained, his excuse seemed justified in his eyes.
"Oh..." was all she managed to whisper.
"Oh? That's all you have to say, hm?" He teased, raising a brow at the woman.
"I-I don't-"
"That's enough, Cosima. We can discuss this later tonight. You still have a fever." He reasoned, but she refused to listen. She stood and downed the glass of water beside her bed.
"We don't have time to be nursing me back to health. Let's get the evidence we need and stop them, shall we?" She insisted, unwavering on the matter. He had to say, he admired her for pushing through for the sake of ending the case.
"Yes. Let's go." He said, standing now as well while Cosima went over to the boxes that had been dropped off in her room at some point. She opened the one on top, grinning as she pulled out a black long sleeve blouse. The witch took her robe off and moved to remove her nightgown as well when Ciel began to protest.
"W-wait a moment! You can't just change with a man in your chambers!" He shouted, his face beet red. The woman rolled her eyes and turned her back to him as she removed the slip in favor of her bra.
"You're in my room. Who would have thought you'd be such a lech, Master." She teased, grabbing the shirt off of the floor.
"I am not a lech!" He said vehemently, met with a cheeky grin from his maid.
"You could at least turn around, then." She suggested, slipping her arms into the garment. With an irritated grumble the man did as he was told, facing the door instead. Cosima couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassment as she buttoned the shirt. It was fitted, the collar accented and made of a decently sturdy material. She nodded in approval and pulled out the trousers next. She pulled them on and tucked her shirt in, buttoning them as well. They matched in color with the shirt, and she delighted in the fact that they rested just above her navel, showcasing her slim build.
"You can look now, pervert." She told him as she sat down on the bed so she could put on her shoes. Ciel turned to face the woman, his face only a light pink now that he had calmed down.
"I am not a pervert." He hissed at her through clenched teeth. She didn't argue further, standing up when she was finished and made her way over to the mirror, looking herself over.
"Were you going for inconspicuous? Because those trousers will only draw more attention to you. You might even get arrested." The Earl warned as they exited the room.
"I was actually going for bitchin' but jailbird works too. Social norms be damned, I don't have the lung capacity to be wearing a corset right now. Or a dress, for that matter." Cosima explained with a shrug. He couldn't exactly fight with her logic, but he sincerely hoped that they wouldn't run into any law enforcement while they were out and about.
"Fair enough. But I'm not paying your bail." He quipped, earning a chuckle from the woman.
Cosima informed him that they would need to go to whatever hospital Madame worked at. Ciel obliged, having Sebastian drive the carriage. The demon stopped outside of the Royal London Hospital, and the pair got out, instructing him to wait there. The maid was painfully aware of all the stares and gasps she was receiving due to her free flowing hair and pants. This only spurred her to pick up the pace as they both looked for the hospital archives. They finally found the room and slipped inside with ease. They checked the room cautiously to make sure there wasn't anyone in there that could alert the hospital of their trespassing.
"We still don't have a motive." Ciel said as they dug through the hundreds of boxes of records.
"That's what these records are for. Her own medical records, and those of the victims." She replied, tossing Madame's record on the pile. They only had one more record to look for: Mary Kelly.
"Why do we need Madame's?" He asked, his brow furrowing as he picked it up and opened it.
"Remember what I said about revenge? Well, this is her revenge." Cosima began, flipping through the papers to a specific page. "Before the fire, she and her husband were hit by a runaway carriage. She had been with child at the time. In order to save her life, they had to perform a hysterectomy. Consequently, this terminated the pregnancy and left her unable to bear anymore children." She informed, her voice grave. He stared at the paper in stunned silence as he read the information for himself.
"I had no idea…" He said, looking up at the maid.
"That's her motive, Sir. She killed these women and removed their uteruses out of anger and jealousy." Cosima explained, her expression cold as she pulled out the file of the final victim. They put the boxes back in their spots and stood up.
"We're ending this tonight." The earl proclaimed, slipping the files inside his greatcoat as he reached for the door. The knob jiggled and the witch inhaled sharply, pulling Ciel away. She dragged him to the back of the room to a space between the wall and the shelves, pressing them both flush against the wall. The door opened, two pairs of footsteps entered and moved about the room, searching for something in the boxes. The redhead couldn't think straight as she held her breath. After all that had happened in these last two days, it took everything in her to keep her composure. Uncomfortable didn't even begin to cover how she felt in their current position. Thankfully, they didn't linger, finding what they needed quickly and left. The witch exhaled in relief and backed away from the noble, only to grab his hand and pull him back to the door. He trailed behind her dumbly, not bothering to scold her when she continued to hold his hand as they walked back into the hall of the hospital. The noble unconsciously savored it until she released him.
"We'll have to stakeout Mary's lodgings in order to catch them." She finally spoke, walking beside her master.
"We could still stop them?" He asked, though he had a feeling that it would be rather pointless when facing Grell, given that she wasn't even human.
"You can try, but I doubt Grell will restrain herself if you throw yourself between her and her target." She told him casually. Damn, no luck there.
"There's no helping it, then. We'll need Sebastian." He muttered, pushing open the front door of the hospital.
"Ciel," The witch called, causing the man to stop mid-stride. Having the name spoken in such a way sent an involuntary shiver up his spine. He turned to her, meeting her gaze. "You cannot hesitate tonight. Madame won't. When the time comes, defend yourself." She warned, her voice stern. Madame had hesitated in the story, but things were different now. He wasn't a child anymore, and she couldn't count on the Baroness to have a change of heart. That, coupled with the tarot reading she had a few days prior, they had to be ready for anything.
"I never hesitate." He said, turning towards the carriage. Cosima withheld a sigh. He had been apologizing not even twenty four hours ago for being stubborn, and here he was, being stubborn once again. She had figured as much from his character, but that didn't make it any less frustrating for her. If I die tonight because of his stupidity, I'll haunt him for sure. She thought venomously.
With the evidence compiled, the trio returned home to properly organize the information. Ciel had changed into less conspicuous clothes to avoid drawing attention from thieves or other prostitutes that might be running about in Whitechapel. Cosima had pulled her hair up under a cap, removed her bra and thrown on a greatcoat to hide her feminine features and avoid harassment. Sebastian's aura was more than enough to ward off undesirables, and so he remained in his uniform and coat. As luck would have it, the trio spotted Mary while en route to their destination. The earl had wanted to confront and warn her, but the maid dissuaded him from that idea, suggesting that they follow her instead.
And that lead them to their position now, the lot of them waiting from afar outside of Mary Kelly's place of residence. They had watched Mary enter her room, and now it seemed that all they could do was wait. It had been half an hour of pure anticipation, the only sound being the faint drizzle of rain on the cobblestone streets. Suddenly, the sounds of a struggle from within the small dwelling could be heard, followed by a blood curdling shriek that made them all flinch. Then there was nothing. Not a sound, and somehow, that was more unsettling. Regaining his senses, the noble took off towards the front door of the flat, his servants hot on his heels. He yanked it open, spraying blood on his face in the process. The demon grabbed his master, pulling him away from the massacred carcass that had once been a living human being. Needless to say, the deceivingly gentle man vomited at the sight alone. Cosima almost wanted to laugh at him for his weak stomach, but even she felt a bit queasy at the sight. The witch likened the scene to a human piñata with internal organs for confetti, as morbid as that was. The way her muscles and skin hung limply off her bones looked very similar to what one might see in a butcher shop. But the very thought that this flesh and gore had once belonged to a person made it disturbing beyond comprehension for her.
"Good God. Even for me, this is over the top." She growled, backing away from the door.
"You've made a bloody mess of things in there, haven't you, Grell?" Sebastian called out, his voice mockingly cheerful. A figure slowly emerged from the shadows of the darkened room, and the moon illuminated a familiar brunet butler, covered in Mary's blood. The reaper looked like a frightened animal, and the maid had to give it to her, at least her facial expression was convincing.
"No, you don't understand! I heard a scream, and when I went to check, she was already-" She tried to say, but Cosima cut her off.
"Spare us the terrible acting." She quipped, annoyed with the subpar delivery of her lines. Grell's face seemed to transform instantaneously from prey to predator, flashing her razor sharp grin.
"Terrible? How cruel of you to say…I'm a damn good actress!" She snarled, taking her hair down from its ponytail. The brown color melted from her hair as the rain picked up, revealing its true, vivacious red shade. Ciel finally took Sebastian's hand away from his eye, glaring at the reaper.
"I must say, when Cosima first told me about a reaper playing a butler, I was dubious. However, after meeting you, there was no doubt what you are." The butler said, smirking knowingly at the reaper. Grell scoffed, narrowing her phosphorus green eyes.
"You're one to talk, darling. I don't believe I've ever seen a demon take on the role of a servant, either. Though it is so fitting for your nature, Sebastian. You play the faithful dog well, but I think we both know that's not who you really are." She fired back, her voice rumbling lowly as she replaced her plain spectacles with a pair of red framed lenses.
"Sebastian is the name given to me by my master, so that is who I am. For now." The demon replied simply, and the witch rolled her eyes.
"Hm, at any rate, I suppose I should reintroduce myself. I am the Barnett butler, Grell Sutcliffe. What do you say, shall we get to know each other better?" The reaper winked, blowing a kiss at Sebastian. The demon seemed to shiver with disgust at her proposition, but didn't react to it otherwise.
"I'll ask the questions first, then. Why would a divine being like yourself chose servitude, of all things?" He inquired, his brow furrowed in bewilderment.
"Why, indeed. Let's just say it was out of love for a certain woman." She answered vaguely, batting her lashes.
"That woman would be?" Cosima coaxed, glowering at the redhead.
"You don't really need to ask, do you?" Came a voice from the long forgotten room. Madame Red stepped out, looking much more pristine than her bloodsoaked partner.
"Aunt Angelina…" Ciel murmured. The Baroness sighed, giving a sardonic smile.
"Well, I hadn't counted on this. I didn't think anyone would be able to see Grell for who she truly is." She admitted, wrapping her arms around herself.
"You were one of the first people on the list of suspects, however your alibi was airtight." The Earl told her coldly, and she raised a brow.
"You really suspected your own aunt from the beginning?" She asked in disbelief.
"The criteria was set to match a murderer, degree of relation to me was irrelevant. After finding the medical records of you and the prostitutes you performed the abortions on, it was enough to form a motive. But as I said, your alibi was flawless." The noble explained, his expression hardened.
"That lead us to the conclusion that someone was acting on your behalf. Someone who was not easily noticed, who could blend in easily and disappear without a trace." Sebastian added.
"And how did you make the connection that Grell isn't human?" Madame challenged, eager to know what had given it away.
"Aside from her eyes, I had an edge on you from the start." Cosima answered easily. The noblewoman turned her attention to the witch.
"That's right, Grell told me about where you really came from. Well, this is unfortunate. I wanted this all to work out, for all of us to continue on with our merry lives. If only you lot had let it go...but you've gone and ruined everything!" She shouted angrily, her voice reverberating off of the brick and mortar structures that made up the alley. The grating sound of a chainsaw cut through the tension as Grell moved almost too quickly to catch. She raised her deathscythe, ready to swing it downward and kill the Guard Dog. But Sebastian was faster, catching the blade before it could meet its target. The reaper jumped back, chuckling in amusement.
"What is that thing?" Ciel asked, his eye wide with astonishment. The maid pulled him further away from the pair and stood in front of him.
"Reapers use tools to view and collect the souls of the dying. That's her death scythe." She replied, catching Grell's attention.
"This is so much more than a deathscythe! I worked so hard to design it myself! I've been docile for much too long, I'm afraid I've lost my edge. But I'd love to show you my skills. So, shall we play, Sebas-chan?" She flirted, pursing her lips playfully. The demon became rigid with disdain for the reaper.
"Could you bear to be a bit more professional, in solidarity of my current position?" He ground out past his clenched teeth. Grell giggled, spinning herself in a circle.
"Oh ho, such a stoic man. That only makes you more irresistible!" She gushed, making Cosima roll her eyes for the umpteenth time that night.
"Flirt on your own time." She muttered, causing the reaper to frown. Grell cleared her throat, preparing to monologue once again.
"You know, red is my favorite color. It suits anyone and anything! That's why I painted those ugly women with pretty red blood. So, Sebas-chan, now I'll make you even more handsome than you already are! You'll be as lovely as scattered rose petals!" She promised, holding up her deathscythe. Sebastian moved to take off his greatcoat.
"You're a grim reaper. Your job is to quietly collect the souls of the dying, and as a butler, your job is to follow your master like a shadow," He began, turning to hand the coat to Cosima. "You have violated both of these expectations, and if I may be so bold, I find your behavior sickening." He scolded, turning back to the redhead.
"Oh, Sebas-chan, you wound me. I'm more deathly efficient than I seem." She assured him, brandishing her sharp teeth in a murderous smile.
"Sebastian, in my name and that of the Queen, I order you to put an end to them!" Ciel commanded, removing his eyepatch. The faustian symbol on his eye glowed brightly, and so did Sebastian's eyes in acknowledgment of the direct order.
"Yes, my Lord." The demon said, tugging his gloves back into place. Grell revved up her chainsaw and lunged first, causing Cosima to push both her and the Earl out of the line of fire. The pair fell to the ground and watched as the demon retreated to avoid being hit by the reapers attacks.
"Ooh! Yes, please run away! We'll play tag, dear Sebas-chan!" She growled, swinging belligerently at the butler. Soon, there was nowhere left for the demon to escape and the reaper pinned him to a wall. "But if you aren't quick enough," she cooed, sinking her blade into Sebastian's shoulder. "You get cut! It's more fun when it hurts a little bit, though, isn't it?" She teased, grinning madly at the demon as he grimaced in pain. The three humans watched on, mesmerized by the battle of two inhuman beings. Madame was the first to turn her attention away from the fight and focus on the two young adults before her.
"So, it's come to this. As the Queen's Guard Dog, it is your duty to exterminate those who oppose her." The Baroness stated, looking down at her nephew with sad eyes. Cosima quickly scrambled back to her feet, determined to keep herself between the Baroness and her Master. "And since I'm the one being hunted, you leave me no choice!" She cried, pulling a blade from the sleeve of her coat. The witch steeled herself, ready to block the downward strike. But an arm wrapped around her waist and another came between her and the dagger as it sliced through linen and flesh. Both women's eyes widened in shock and Cosima turned in his grasp, taking in the look of pain on her master's face.
"What the hell are you doing?" She demanded furiously, applying pressure to the gash in his forearm. Before he could answer, a chuckle erupted from his aunt's mouth. She looked at the pair with a small genuine smile.
"I told you, that boy cares for you." She said, narrowing her hazel eyes at the witch. Cosima set her jaw, glaring back at the woman.
"You made me promise to protect him...and I'll stand by that, even if it means taking your life." She hissed, turning back to face the Baroness. Madame frowned at those words and moved to strike again.
"Bold last words from a foolish girl!" She snarled, the tip of her blade making contact with the witch's neck as she tried to back away. Cosima's eyes widened in terror as she fell to the ground, feeling warm blood trailing down her neck.
"Cosima!" The Earl called out, reaching for the woman, but Madame swung at him, making him stumble backward to dodge the attack. The maid felt her wound with shaking fingers, almost crying in relief when she found that it was only a superficial cut. She chose to stay down, thoroughly shaken from the close call.
"Aunt Angelina, please, don't-" Ciel tried to say, but Madame wouldn't let him finish, pinning him against a wall. She wrapped a hand around his neck, squeezing as hard as she could.
"Shut up! This...all of this is your fault. If it hadn't been for you, he and I could have been together!" She bellowed, raising the dagger above her head. Something changed in her eyes, as if she'd seen something and her grip on her nephew loosened. She took a step back, tears welling in her eyes as she stared at Ciel. She dropped the weapon, stepping further away from the Earl and covered her face.
"Master!" Sebastian called out, forcing himself against the blade of the deathscythe so he could escape to protect his master. His shadowy form appeared behind the Baroness, ready to grab her. This snapped the noble out of his stupor.
"Stop, Sebastian! Don't kill her!" He ordered firmly. The demon obeyed, placing a hand over the massive wound on his shoulder. The sight unsettled Ciel, his butler had been shot at and cut many times, but it had never garnered any attention from the demon. But now, he could see the pain in his eyes as he backed away from his target. Sebastian looked down and offered his good hand to the witch. She took it, nodding when he asked her if she was okay. Grell yanked her scythe out of the brick and mortar and turned to the group with a grin.
"How impressive, you sacrificed your own arm just to save that brat. Really, what a prince you are. But Madame, I must say I'm very disappointed in your hesitation. Hurry up and kill the bastard!" She yelled, glowering at the Baroness. She shook her head, taking her hands away from her face.
"I loved my sister, I loved her husband, and I loved their child. I can't...I can't do it. I can't kill their beloved son!" She argued, tears running down her cheeks. Grell's shoulders slumped and she rolled her eyes.
"Really now, you're losing your resolve after all we've been through? Are you forgetting that your life is at stake here? Either you end him, or he'll end you." She told her sternly, pointing her finger at the Earl.
"But…this child, he's all I have-" She would never finish that thought, as the reaper mercilessly ran her through with her scythe. She pulled the spinning chain of blades from the woman's chest, producing a disgusting symphony of squelching blood and shattered bones.
"I'm afraid it's too late for that. How disappointing, what use do I have for you if you're just another spineless woman?" The reaper snapped, as a reel of film exploded from the wound. Cosima came over to the Earl, checking his wound, seemingly disinterested in the woman that was frozen mid fall.
"What's that coming out of her chest?" Ciel questioned, in awe of what he was seeing. The maid pulled her eyes away to glance at Madame before looking back at her master.
"That is her cinematic record. It is the stored memories of a human throughout their life. Reapers review these and decide if the person is worth sparing, or if they will die." She replied, watching as it played before their very eyes. It detailed everything: the accident, the first woman she killed, how she met Grell, everything. As the record came to a close, Madame seemed to focus on one memory in particular. From the night before, when she had talked to Cosima after the Viscounts party.
"Please, keep looking after Ciel. He's lost so much already, and he'll only lose more as he continues down this path. He needs someone to guide him through the darkness of this world, to keep him from surrendering to it. Promise me that you'll be that light for him."
It was almost as if she was trying to reaffirm those words the girl, and Cosima held tightly to the nobleman's arm. 'I will, Madame.' She thought, closing her eyes sorrowfully as the woman finally hit the ground.
"How beautiful you were, dyed crimson with your victim's blood. I loved you so. What a disappointment you turned out to be in the end. You don't have what it takes to wear red." The reaper growled, removing the red coat from the Baroness's body. "Your cheap little melodrama ends now, this is goodbye, Madame." She finished, her voice softer now. She wore the coat around her elbows as she made her way towards the exit of the alley.
"Grell," Cosima snapped, catching the woman's attention. The witch got to her feet, glaring at the reaper.
"We aren't finished with you just yet." She said, her tone full of promise. Grell chuckled, turning on her heels to face the young woman with a twisted smile. Her grip tightened around her deathscythe and she yanked on the starter rope, the chainsaw roaring to life.
A/N: Long time no see! So, uh, tbh i thought I had already posted this chapter...I guess I didn't. Oopy Doopy...I've been putting off posting because I'm really nervous about chapter 16. You guys will get to see some of Cosima's cinematic record, which is what actually got me started writing this entire story. So hopefully you guys won't hate it. I rewrote it a couple of times and I'm comfortable enough now to post it. Thank you for reading and being so patient!
