TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS TOPICS THAT CAN BE UPSETTING TO SOME READERS. THESE TOPICS INCLUDE; SU*CIDE, SU*CIDAL IDEATION, MENTIONS OF DEATH, KIDNAPPING, ETC. PLEASE READ WITH CAUTION.


Cosima took a step back, not expecting such a violent reaction. "I was going to let all of you go, out of respect for our truce and all that. But if you insist on pestering me, I suppose I could go another round!" She growled, swinging her scythe at the woman. The witch fell backwards, tucking into a less than graceful somersault, resting on her hands and knees. The reaper chuckled and raised her scythe over head, bringing it down towards the cobblestone. The maid gasped and rolled away from the strike, losing her glasses in the process. She didn't have time to pick them up, choosing instead to break into a sprint away from the reaper.

"Why are you just standing there? I ordered you to protect her, didn't I?" Ciel snapped at his butler, who looked down and him in surprise.

"Sir, your order to me was to keep her alive until you no longer needed her. I don't believe Grell intends to kill her, even as stupid as they are. They know full well the consequences for killing someone like her." He explained calmly, watching as Cosima avoided another attack.

"Even still-"

"With all due respect, my Lord, I believe we should allow her to continue. Her intention is to view Cosima's record, and that should be enlightening for all of us. Perhaps her memories will hold the information she learned about our futures. Are you not curious?" The demon cajoled, smirking at the noble. His brow furrowed in worry and contemplation.

"Yes, but...I don't want that lunatic to hurt her." He replied, frowning as he looked on. She seemed to be holding her own, but he couldn't help but worry. She had still been feverish when they left the townhouse. Even in complete health, he doubted the witch could last much longer.

"As I said, she only intends to view her record. From my understanding, the process is less invasive than actually reaping a soul." Sebastian assured his master, but the Earl wasn't convinced.

"Are you sure? How can we trust her after what she did to Madame?" He challenged, refusing to look back at the body that lay behind them.

"Grell seems to have a twisted fascination with Cosima's record. She was bold enough to corner her the first night Madame left her with us."

"I'm sure you weren't any help in that situation."

"I allowed Cosima to handle it until she called upon me for assistance."

"And is that how you're choosing to handle this as well?"

"Look up there," The demon said, pointing to the roof of one of the buildings nearby. There stood the silhouette of a man. "We have an audience. If she gets out of line, he will take care of it." He finished, giving his master a knowing smirk. The noble looked between his butler and the figure for a moment before sighing in resignation.

"Fine. But if she kills her it's your head I'll be after, Sebastian." Ciel threatened, eyeing the demon. Sebastian chuckled in response.

"My, you are fearsome when you care about someone." He teased, turning his gaze back to the human and reaper. The Earl grumbled under his breath, watching the two women.

"You're slow, and not as fun as Sebastian, but the fear in your eyes as you flee makes up for what you lack in stamina." The redhead mocked cruelly, dodging a well-aimed kick from the maid. Cosima growled in frustration, breathing heavily and obviously exhausted. The sight delighted the reaper and she sent a kick of her own into the witch's stomach. The impact sent the girl into the wall, knocking out the little air she had in her lungs. With a gleefully chuckle, Grell stalked up to her prey, pinning the girl where she stood, not unlike the night they first met. "Tired already? You really didn't put up much of a fight." She said, sounding a little disappointed. Her head snapped to the side when the maid threw a suckerpunch aimed at the reaper's face. Grell rightened herself, recovering from the blow quickly. The reaper glared at the human as her nose began to bleed and bared her teeth in rage.

"How dare you?!" She hissed, closing her hand around the witch's throat. Cosima clawed at the redhead's wrist in vain. As she squeezed down on the woman's throat, the reaper realized the position of power she held. With a smirk, Grell traded her hold on the girl's throat so she could restrain her wrists as she began to unbutton the maid's coat. "I've always wondered what kind of reaper doesn't have the guts to finish the job. Let's have a look, shall we?" She mused, her eyes focused as she worked Cosima's shirt open next.

"You're making this all more provocative than it needs to be." The girl growled, blushing as her torso was exposed to the chilled November air.

"Well, provocation is my speciality, darling." The reaper replied cheekily, keeping the witch pinned with her body. With the task finished, Grell started up her scythe and aimed it at the scar on the girl's chest.

"Grell," The girl snapped, making the reaper pause. Their eyes met for a moment, and Cosima tried to keep the shake out of her voice as she continued. "Please, just let me go." Cosima pleaded, eyes full of desperation and for a fraction of a second, she once again saw pity, and even hesitation as Grell looked back. But she knew it wouldn't last, and tried to wiggle out of the reapers hold when the reaper simply grinned at her.

"What kind of reaper would I be if I didn't follow through? There isn't any reason to get all worked up. Just a small cut with this scythe and I can see your record. I'll be quick, I promise." She assured the girl with a wicked look on her face. Cosima looked away from the reaper, meeting Ciel's horrified eyes. She closed her eyes quickly in shame and agony as the rotating blades tore through the scar tissue on her chest.

'Please, no. Please, please, please, don't look! Please don't look at it...Don't look at me! I don't want them to see me like this...' She thought as she screamed in pain. Reels and reels of film blossomed from the wound, all shining brightly. It was the last thing she saw before fading into her memories.

Baba Lidiya always told me that I have my mother's eyes and my father's smile. But she never kept pictures of my parents, like she did with the other people in my family. Dyeda said it was because it hurt Baba when she saw them. But I didn't understand. Why would you never want to see your loved ones? Why would you push them away, forgetting about them? I didn't think it was fair that they got to remember what my parents looked like, that I would never know for certain. I would try to imagine what they would look like; a woman with eyes like mine, and a man with the same smile as me. It drove me mad, not knowing who they were.

Growing up in a funeral home from a young age, I learned that death was a natural and inevitable part of life. These ideals were instilled further when Dyeda passed away. My grandmother was...clearly grieving, and at the time, I wasn't sure how to grieve, despite how I'd grown up. Death just...didn't make me sad. Maybe I had just grown numb to the idea. Even still, I realised it was important to pay my respects. And I did, in the way only a child knows how. My grandparents always told me not to go down into the morgue. But I wasn't afraid, even at that age. I knew, that dead was dead. That the body that lay there couldn't hurt me. And even if it could, he wouldn't. He would never hurt me. "I brought you a cherry Lifesaver. Don't tell Baba, okay? And please look after us, until I find you and mama in heaven." I whispered to him, placing the candy in his cold hand.

It wasn't until I had reached the age of eleven that I really allowed the weight of my dead family to effect me. And though I was at a loss when Dyeda passed, I didn't mourn for him in the same way I did for my parents. This only served to widen the gap between my grandmother and me. She didn't see his death the same way I did. Of course she didn't, she had lost her husband, the love of her life. I loved Dyeda and missed him dearly, but my grandfather had been suffering when he finally died. By the end, he was only able to stay alive with the aid of machines. It was his time. He was ready. In contrast, what happened to my parents had been unfair. They had been taken before their time, they still had lives to live, a child to raise. I would visit them, on nights when I couldn't sleep, kept awake by the fact that they had been cheated out of life, that I had been cheated. It was a common ritual to sneak out to them, once I started high school.

I laid there between them, wondering how it could be that I could feel numb and utterly overwhelmed with grief at the same time. I couldn't say if I was crying from genuine sorrow, or if it was out of frustration. It didn't matter how long I lay there and ponder, I never had an answer for myself. It was easier to sleep once I was drained emotionally, and I had made the mistake of allowing my eyes to close for too long. I didn't wake up until I heard a car door slam shut, jolting me awake. I squinted against the lights blinding me.

"Cosima! How many times have I told you not to come out here at night?" My grandmother scolded, pulling me up by my arm.

"I didn't mean to, I fell asleep…" I tried to defend, pulling away from her in protest.

"It isn't safe out here at this time of night. You wanna be in the ground with them that badly?" She snapped angrily. My lip wobbled as I tried to fight back tears.

"No…" I whispered, breaking down into sobs. My grandmother sighed, pulling me to her and wrapping her arms around me. She just held me for awhile, before speaking.

"Vnuchka, no matter how many tears you cry to water that soil, they won't come back. What's dead is dead. You just have to make peace that you are here, and they're in heaven." She tried to soothe me with the words she always used. But in the end that's all they were, words to placate a turbulent child.

"How is that fair? Why didn't I get to know them, to love them, why do I have to be the only one who's left out?" I bit back, as my grandmother steered me towards the car.

"It's not a matter of why. Death comes, whether we're ready or not, whether it's fair or not. Sometimes the only reason we can find, is that it teaches us to cherish the living before they, too, are gone." She reasoned. Of course she was right, but I was young, and I was angry. Angry at the world, angry at her, for keeping my parents to herself.

I knew I should cherish the living, but I cherished the dead instead. I found comfort in the finality of death, I idealized it. The dead do not suffer after death. Suffering is an ailment exclusive to the living. I didn't want to be alive if it meant this pain would never end. If it meant this hole inside my heart would never heal. I could escape this entrapment, if I was brave enough. Baba didn't realize my depressed state, still trying to navigate her own, and I used it to my advantage. When she was out of the house, I raided her medicine cabinet. There wasn't time for hesitation, and if I regretted it, I couldn't remember.

I didn't time how long it took, but it didn't seem like it was that long before I forgot how to breathe. I didn't hear Baba calling for me to help her with the groceries, and I didn't hear her heart wrenching scream when she found me slumped over the edge of the tub. I didn't register when the paramedic administered Narcan, or when they loaded me into the ambulance. There wasn't an out of body experience, like some say, there wasn't a light, either. The only thing that seemed to be true, was that my life passed before my very eyes. Just like in the movies.

I wasn't expecting the momentary consciousness that followed, which went unnoticed by the paramedic and my grandmother. A man in a black suit stood at the foot of the gurney. He was the only thing I could see. I couldn't make out his face, but it didn't matter. I knew who he was, I knew he had come for me. I wouldn't fight him, I wouldn't beg or plead, I was ready. I would come quietly, gladly. Finally. He said nothing, moved not a muscle, simply standing there. I didn't understand. "I'm ready." I said, reaching my hand out towards him. Still he did not speak, turning his face away from me. "Please!" I cried out, desperately. He couldn't leave yet, he couldn't just leave me here! "Please, don't turn your back on me..." But he was gone, and I was dragged back under into unconsciousness before I could protest further.

When I realised I was in the hospital, I couldn't muster much of anything in the form of feeling. I felt...numb, like before, and despite the steady beeping from the heart monitor that I was hooked up to, I felt pretty dead, at least. Still, hollow as I was in that moment, I managed to force myself to cry. My grandmother cried in relief, but I cried in sorrow, in frustration. Not even Death wanted me. There truly isn't any way to escape this feeling, is there?

There wasn't a reprieve after that attempt on my life. Baba insisted that I went back to school the day after I was released from the hospital. That's when I began to realize that I had eyes on me. Officer Hayes; he worked security for our school from time to time, the job rotated every month between four officers throughout the year. I hadn't spoken to Officer Hayes much during that time, I was pretty occupied by my school, work and the unyielding desire to die. What was left of my relationship with Baba seemed to have evaporated after I got out of the hospital. I knew that she was angry with me, but I also knew she was angry with herself. That didn't make the silence any less awkward and painful. After months of this, I just wanted things to go back to normal between us. I didn't want her to be angry with me anymore. So I did my best to pretend it had never happened. I brought my grades up, I hung out with friends, I smiled, dammit. I put on the perfect show for her, and she fell for it. She wanted to believe I was better, that near-death had woken me up, changed me. It didn't really matter, in the end.

I continued the self destructive habit of visiting my parents graves, opening the wound again and again. I made sure to go on my way home from school so that my grandmother didn't take notice. She didn't, but someone else did. I should have paid attention, I should have stayed alert when I noticed other people in the cemetery. It was a small plot, and it was an old one. My parents graves were the newest and last to be settled here, so it wasn't often that people came here. I should have run, when I heard their footsteps approaching, I should have been afraid when a man stood in front of me. I guess I was just naive. I figured whatever this was, they would be finished with me quickly, I hoped they would just kill me. The man behind me gripped my shoulders tightly and I bristled at the feeling as I was forced to remain on my knees. The man in front of me stepped forward, holding out a syringe. I met his eyes, they were dead, in a similar fashion to my own.

"You aren't gonna scream, are you?" He asked, his voice gravelly and low, giving away just how old he was under that mask. I shook my head no, but I still recoiled and yelped when he came forward to grab me. I have half baked memories of being shoved into a car, and then into a box.

I woke up in the dark, my arms bound behind my back, and a cloth tied around my mouth. The soreness in my arms and the raw feel of the corners of my mouth meant I had to have been out for a good while. I could hear voices outside of the box, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. They got closer and I recognized both of the speakers as male. "Is this her?" One asked.

"Yeah, you wanna double check?" The other replied. There was the sound of metal on wood and the squeak of nails as the lid to the box was pried off. I immediately pretended to still be unconscious, closing my eyes before the bright light reached my face. A shadow loomed, blocking the light, before the lid was put back on.

"That's her." The first man confirmed.

"How will you be paying?" The second man asked.

"I won't be." Said the first, followed by the sound of a gunshot. I flinched in surprise, curling into myself as more shots rang out with the yells of more men. A few stray bullets hit the box I was in, just above my head, turning the wood into splinters and dust. I screamed in fear, the sound drowned out by the gunfire and the gag in my mouth. And then there was silence. An eerie silence, only perforated by my ragged breaths. The lid was pushed off of the box and I looked up in terror, to see a concerned and familiar face. He sighed in relief and disappeared again. There was a sound like a chair scraping against concrete and it grated my ears. He reappeared and reached in for me. I struggled to sit up so he could grab me. He pulled me out and set me down on the chair he had used earlier. I saw the men laying around in puddles of blood and quickly closed my eyes. Normally gore didn't bother me, but at the moment I wasn't in the state of mind to be handling things well. He removed the gag from my mouth and I exhaled, thankful to be able to breathe freely again. "I'm so glad you're okay. You have no idea how lucky you are that I got to you before they could load you onto that shipping container." The man said, moving to cut the rope around my arms and wrists. I could hardly think from the shock and fear, let alone speak clearly.

"O-of officer Hayes...how did...you fin-find me?" I tried to ask, my voice hoarse and cracking as tears rolled down my cheeks. Once my arms were cut free, he came back around to me, checking me over for wounds or blood.

"Good, just some bruising from that rope. Come on, let's get out of here." He insisted, helping me to my feet. I nodded in agreement and followed him to a green truck. At the time, I didn't see the obvious red flags. I didn't realize that it was weird that he wasn't in uniform, I didn't realize that it was weird that we were in his personal vehicle and not a squad car, I didn't notice how he was subtly avoiding the question I'd asked him back in the warehouse. I wouldn't know just how twisted this all was until it was too late.

As we rode in his truck, I asked again how he had found me, and he was silent for a long moment. "I was dispatched to go investigate some suspicious behavior at a warehouse, they didn't know if it was a drug operation, or maybe guns. But they knew that something was being smuggled in those crates. It's obvious now that it was a human trafficking operation." He said finally. His words horrified me. There had been other crates in that warehouse, why hadn't he checked those for victims as well? Swallowing the nervous lump in my throat, I spoke up.

"What about those other crates? Who's gonna save them?" I questioned, and the man smiled.

"Don't worry, I have backup on the way, they're aware of the situation." He replied easily.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked after another moment of tense silence.

"To the station, I need to start on a report. Who should we be calling to pick you up, by the way?" His hands seemed to tighten on the steering wheel, and I tensed up, looking at his face cautiously.

"My grandmother." I said simply. His eyebrows raised in surprise and he glanced at me.

"Grandmother? You don't have any other family?" I shook my head 'no'. The grin that spread across his thin lips made my stomach lurch. "Well, do you know how to get to her place from here? I can just drop you off there instead of having her come to get you." He asked, pointing at the street we were currently stopped at. I nodded and proceeded to give him directions to our house. If I had only known what he was about to do, I never would have opened my mouth.

When we pulled up to the house and I got out, Hayes followed. I paused to look at him and he simply smiled and gestured for me to continue. "I'll need to inform your grandmother of the situation." He informed me. It made sense, it's not like he could just drop me off, but something about it just felt...wrong. This whole thing felt wrong. I pushed down the feeling. 'He saved you.' I reminded myself as I turned back towards the house and climbed up the steps to the front door. I held my breath before entering the house, walking into the living room. Baba was sat at the dining room table and gasped when she saw me. She quickly got up and came over to me, wrapping me in a big hug.

"Cosima, where have you been? I've been trying to call you for hours-" my Grandmother began, but stopped when she noticed officer Hayes behind me and stepped back a bit in surprise. "Who is this?" She asked, wary of the man. He smiled and came closer.

"I'm Officer Hayes, I work security at your granddaughter's school. I found her being harassed by a group of students on her way home and stepped in. She's pretty shaken up." He lied smoothly. I didn't understand the point of lying about where I'd been. But I didn't correct him, too relieved to be home that I couldn't process anything else. He must have had a reason for lying.

"Are you alright, baby?" She asked, wiping the tears away from my face. I didn't answer, burying my face in her chest instead. I was just thankful to be here, safe from whatever fate had awaited me in that box.

"I hate to impose, but would it be okay if I used your bathroom?" The man inquired.

"Sure, it's just down the hall." She said pointing him in the right direction. He nodded and passed us.

"I'm so glad you're alright. Did they hurt you?" Baba asked, pulling me away from her chest. She caught sight of my wrists and examined them, brows furrowed in worry. "My God, where did these bruises come from? Did those kids do this to you?" She demanded, her tone angry as she gently cupped my face. Just as I opened my mouth to speak, a muted shot rang out, making me jolt, as I felt warm blood trickling over the top of my head and down my face. I looked up in horror to find it coming from my grandmother's nose, like a running faucet. I shrieked and backed away, her body immediately tumbling to the floor with a sickening thud. I stared at her as she lay there in a growing pool of blood. Trembling, I finally forced myself to look at the man who had shot her. He met my gaze with a cold demeanor I had never seen from him before.

"Looks like you'll have to come with me." He murmured sinisterly.

Cosima struggled against the reaper, her eyes wide as she watched her life pass her by. Tears streamed down her face as she finally closed her eyes tightly, causing the film to shudder as the cinematic record came to a sudden halt. She slowly regained her senses, seeing Grell stare at her in shock.

"H-how did you stop the record?" The reaper stammered in astonishment. Cosima gritted her teeth in anger as an aura began to form around her. The young woman sent the redhead flying back with a wall of the same energy that seemed to radiate from her. But Grell was quick, catching herself before colliding with a wall. The reaper could only stare at the woman in complete bewilderment, as did the other two who bore witness to the sudden burst of energy. The witch crumpled to the ground, her body trembling as she glared up at the reaper. She got to her feet and charged towards Grell, her eyes and hands alight with an unearthly red glow. Ciel intercepted her before she could reach the reaper, wrapping his arms tightly around her torso. He winced as he struggled to keep her in place, putting a strain on his injured arm.

"Are you satisfied now?! You spilled my fucking guts for everyone to see! I hope you're happy!" The witch snarled, her eyes burning intensely.

"Happy? You almost ruined my mascara with that Greek tragedy you call a cinematic record!" She spat back, carefully wiping away a tear before it could fall.

"Oh, excuse the fuck out of me, you're the one who couldn't leave well enough alone!" Cosima yelled, breaking free from the earl's hold on her. Before she could step any closer, a pair of pruning blades touched down, cutting off her path to the redhead.

"I think I've seen quite enough." A voice announced from the top of a building. The four looked up to see a dark haired man in a suit and glasses, with chartreuse eyes just like Grell's.

"Will? Oh, William, thank goodness you're here! I found the-" William was sure to kick Grell in the face on his way down from the roof, sending the blood red reaper into the cobblestones.

"Spare me, Grell. I saw everything." He spat coldly, landing easily on his feet.

"Everything?" They all seemed to say as one.

"Everything." William confirmed, glaring at the lot of them. Remembering her exposed state, Cosima quickly closed her coat and wrapped her arms around herself, wincing in pain when the fabric pressed against the wound on her chest. She realized that whatever weird red glow that had been on her hands a moment ago was gone now.

"Is that another reaper?" Ciel asked, looking at Cosima for answers.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is-"

"William T. Spears, from the Management Division of the Reaper Dispatch." The witch interjected obnoxiously, smiling smugly at the dark haired reaper. He regarded her with a contemptuous glare before speaking.

"Yes. And you are wanted by the Council. Originally, I came to collect Grell, but I see that luck is on my side this evening. I can now collect two rogues for the price of one." He stated, taking a step towards the woman.

"No! You can't take her, I still need her!" Ciel protested, stepping between the reaper and the maid. William's brow furrowed in irritation as his focus shifted to the young man.

"What you need is none of my concern. In fact, things would be much better for everyone if you just let me do my job. This has already been dragged out long enough. Hand the girl over, and I won't have to use force." He threatened, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"Do you even have a warrant to detain me?" Cosima challenged, peeking her head over her master's shoulder.

"Really, a warrant?" The earl asked, looking annoyed.

"I don't know, he's basically just a bureaucrat with pruning shears." She said with a shrug.

"In this situation, a formal warrant isn't necessary. I can take you back to Headquarters without one." The reaper replied coolly.

"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that, sir." Sebastian interjected, approaching the three. William narrowed his eyes, aiming his shears at the demon. He sidestepped the scythe with a calm smile and showed the reaper the mark on Cosima's hand. "You see, I have entered a blood pact with her. She is bound to me, for the time being." This revelation was met with Grell and Ciel voicing their disapproval.

"Dissolve the pact then, leech. Unlike your unfortunate master, you can sever the bond with the girl without consequences. You're making this all harder than it needs to be." William seethed, his tone tight with annoyance.

"I cannot do that. My master needs her in order to fulfill our contract." The butler replied, placing a hand over his heart with a smug smile.

"You're really in such a hurry to have your soul devoured?" The dark haired reaper demanded, glaring at Ciel, who only bothered to glare back.

"Perhaps he will change his mind, but until then, she belongs to me. Do you really want to waste anymore of your time fighting over this?" Sebastian challenged, pulling both young adults closer to him. Without further protest, William turned towards the opening of the ally. He grabbed Grell by her ear and pulled her along, causing her to cry out in protest.

"Come along, Grell. We're leaving, for now. Protect her with your pathetic life, demon. The result could be catastrophic, should you fail." He called over his shoulder.

"Certainly, sir. You can trust me." The demon answered, bowing mockingly.

"I have no other choice, until I can return with reinforcements." The reaper growled before disappearing with his underling. When the servants returned their attention to their master, he was knelt beside his aunt's body. He closed her glazed over eyes and covered her with his coat to keep the light rain off of her. He stayed that way for a long time, Cosima had lost track at some point. Noting the late hour, Sebastian stepped forward, placing a hand on the noble's shoulder.

"Are you ready, sir? We should leave before someone sees us." The demon urged, keeping his tone gentle. The earl nodded, moving to stand up.

"Yes, let's go." He said, turning to his servants. He hadn't shed a tear, and the maid knew as much, but she understood that while he may mask it, he was not well.

"I'll prepare you some tea when we return." The butler offered with a smile, guiding his master towards the exit of the alley. Ciel brushed him off and shook his head.

"You will do no such thing." He argued, his words stern but his voice passive.

"Master…"

"You're injured, aren't you? We all are...tending to your wound is priority. Tea can wait." He explained, and the butler smiled down at him.

"That won't be necessary, I heal at a much more accelerated rate-"

"Sebastian, that was a death scythe she ran you through with. I can't imagine your accelerated healing will help much against a wound like that." Cosima interjected, eyeing the blood-crusted wound.

"She's right, we should get you patched up, before you end up hurting yourself more." The earl added. Ciel just wanted the attention to be on someone else while he tried to process the events of the night. Cosima understood this and couldn't blame him, he looked so...empty. She could feel that much, and she felt pretty dead inside herself, after having to relive those memories against her will. The ride back was silent and tense, everyone preoccupied by their own thoughts. The witch went over the sequence of events that had lead to Grell viewing her record and realized something she hadn't in the moment; Sebastian hadn't moved to stop her, and Ciel didn't give him the order to, otherwise he would have without question. Her eyes narrowed at the thought and she felt angry tears burn her eyes, wiping them away before they had the chance to fall.

When they finally arrived at the townhouse, they made their way to the young master's chambers so that they could begin treating the wounds that everyone sustained from the fight. Cosima went to her room to retrieve the medicine bag that Madame had left behind as well as rags to mop up the inevitable mess.

"Let's take care of you first." She said quietly, offering to help the earl out of his damp and bloody shirt. She examined the wound, her brow furrowed in concentration. "Its not as bad as it looks. How do you want to treat it?" She asked, looking up at the man. He glanced at his butler and shook his head.

"Do you know what you're doing?" He inquired, offering his arm to her again.

"More or less. Mey-rin taught me a few things." She told him, and he nodded. The witch washed the wound and surrounding skin, revealing that the cut was much smaller than she had initially thought. Relieved, she moved on, disinfecting the wound with antiseptic she had found in the medicine bag. Ciel grimaced at the burning sensation and the maid blew air on it to lessen the feeling. She finally packed and wrapped the wound snugly.

"Thank you." He said, examining the bandages. She nodded and turned her attention to Sebastian next.

"Ladies first." He insisted, and the girl sighed, shedding her wet clothes. The demon moved stiffly as he worked to clean the blood from her chest with a wet rag. "The bleeding has slowed considerably, however, you'll need stitches. We need to take you to the hospital." He concluded, carefully prodding at the torn flesh.

"No. No hospitals." She rebuffed firmly.

"Cosima-"

"William knows that I'm hurt, I'm sure he has other reapers surveillancing the hospitals in the city. They'll be waiting for me to show up at one." She explained to the earl.

"I apologise in advance." The demon said and the woman nodded, closing her eyes as he did what he needed to. She was thankful when the pain turned into a dull, sore sort of sensation. The witch thanked him before struggling back into her damp blouse, buttoning it halfway.

"Go on and undress." She ordered, digging around in the bag for something sharp. A little irritated when she found nothing, she picked up the scissors she had used to cut the bandages. She opened them and dragged the sharp end of the blade down the palm of her unmarked hand. With wide eyes, Ciel grabbed the scissors from her.

"What are you doing!?" He snapped, looking at the laceration on her hand. Cosima looked at him like he was overreacting and pulled her hand away, going back over to the butler.

"Healing him. That book detailed virgin blood and its uses. Whoever owned the book at one point must have worked closely with demons." She informed him, letting the wound bleed over Sebastian's wound. The humans both watched in astonishment as the flesh slowly began to close. It was an agonizing process though, and she had made several more cuts up her arm to yield more blood. After what seemed like hours, the demon gently guided her arm away.

"You've sacrificed enough for one night, my lady. Any more and we would be forced to have you seen by a medical professional. Thank you for your generosity." He said with a kind smile. Cosima nodded mutely and took a seat while he worked to heal her fresh wounds.

"What seems to be troubling you?" He asked, finally finished treating her.

"You let her see my record, you just...stood by and watched." She replied coldly, not bothering to meet the butler's gaze. He smirked somewhat.

"To be perfectly fair, I was only asked that I keep you alive, not that I protect your secrets." He said, sounding amused. The condescending undertone set the witch off.

"I don't care what the order was! That was a shitty thing to do and you know it." She snapped, glaring at the demon. She turned to Ciel next. "And you, I understand that you wanted the information from my memories, but records don't work like that, mindlessly spewing out memories. The memories that play are those of significance to the person. Didn't you realize that when we saw Madame's?" She demanded, her face reflecting the hurt and anger she felt. The earl was speechless, he truly didn't know how to answer for what he'd done. He knew it was selfish of him, to once again let her get hurt for his own gain.

"Forgive me, my lady." Sebastian tried to say but Cosima shook her head, standing up.

"If either of you try to grill me about what you saw tonight, I'm done." She grumbled, picking up her wet clothes and the rest of the soiled laundry.

"What do you mean by that?" Ciel asked, his brow furrowing in frustration.

"I'll leave." She threatened, glowering at her master. It was his turn to be angry now as he watched the woman march to the door. He grabbed her, forcing her to look at him.

"You can't just leave over something like that!" He barked. She winced, but refused to be bullied over the matter.

"Watch me! What happened to me was no one's business but my own and you both let her rip it out of me!" She shouted back, tears of frustration once again burning her eyes.

"How is that fair, Cosima? You and I are finally even and you want to run because it hurts? Because it's embarrassing?" He assumed, returning the witch's heated glare.

"That's different!" She argued, tears crawling down her cheeks.

"You know things about me that no one should, things that I would never share with anyone. How is it any different?" He challenged, crossing his arms stubbornly.

"Because you weren't supposed to be real!" She said fiercely, earning a look of what seemed to be hurt from the noble. She hung her head, desperately trying to keep herself together. "None of this was ever supposed to be real." She breathed, her hold on the clothes tightening. Jaw clenched, Ciel stood in front of her and reached out to grab her face.

"Look at me. I am real. All of this is real. This is my life, not some story for you to entertain yourself with! So don't try to make me out to be the villain now that your life has been exposed in the same manner." He snarled, letting go of her. She wet her lips and nodded curtly.

"I'll leave you to rest." She murmured, shutting the door quietly. She allowed herself to cry freely as she made her way down to the laundry. Finally alone, the witch fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. What the hell was she doing here? Why was she sent here, of all places? She always thought of herself as strong, as a survivor, a fighter. But tonight had proved her wrong. Reliving her past after shoving it all to the deepest part of her mind only showcased how weak she still was. Really, she should be used to being exposed against her will for others. She thanked the powers that be that she had been able to stop the record before it showed any of her time in captivity. It would have completely destroyed her if Ciel had seen her like that. The thought alone made her want to vomit. He would never look at her the same if he knew what she had done just to survive those long months.

With a heavy sigh, Cosima cleaned off her face and stood up. She left the dirty clothes down there while she changed into dry clothes, before coming back down to wash them. She smiled a little as she used the techniques that Mey-rin had taught her. She didn't realize it would come in handy so often, then again, she probably should have figured as much now that she was working for a man with such a dangerous job. She hung everything out to dry on the line in the garden, and made her way back to her room. She was ever thankful for the sleeping arrangements here at the townhouse, as she was staying in a guest room, and had access to her own private bath. She was still chilled to the bone from being in the rain, and losing all that blood hadn't helped either. She stepped into the steaming water she had painstakingly heated (the only downside to this bath: no running water). She cringed as she stubbornly slid into the water up to her neck, gasping when the hot water touched the slash on her neck. She and Sebastian both must have forgotten about it. As if on cue, there was a knock on the bathroom door and a familiar voice.

"May I come in?" The demon asked, and Cosima eased further into the water up to her cupid's bow.

"No, you may not. I'm not interested in talking to either of you for the remainder of this evening. I just want to sleep this off." She thought, her brow creasing in anger. The bastard really couldn't take a hint.

"As you wish. Though, you should keep in mind that the young master made a good point." The butler replied, his tone neutral. The witch exhaled loudly through her nose and sat up.

"I know he did!" She shot back, her face flushing. She shut her eyes tightly and exhaled slowly, tilting her head back against the porcelain. "I just...I need time to think. I'll talk to him in the morning." She finished, her voice just above a whisper as she rubbed her throbbing temples.

"Very well, goodnight." He said, his footsteps retreating from the door. Cosima sighed again, fully submerging herself under the water. She stayed that way, until her lungs could take it no more and she broke through the surface of the water, gasping for breath. Satisfied, the woman dried off and dressed herself in her nightgown before working to drain the tub. She was thankful that she had yet to be tasked with water duty at the manor, as it seemed like a very tedious task. As she got ready to lay down, she noticed something lying on top of the comforter. She reached out to grab it, realizing that it was her glasses. She sighed, smiling somewhat as she set them on her bedside table. Well, he may have let her get hacked to bits, but at least the demon had been kind enough to keep her glasses in one piece. With a sigh, the maid crawled onto her bed, sprawling out like a starfish. She spent the next two hours staring up at the ceiling, hoping her brain would give out eventually and let her sleep.


A/N: Alright so its been…a hot fucking minute since I've updated and for that I apologize. I've just been really anxious about posting this chapter because I feel like peoples interest in this story could easily fall off after this chapter. If it isn't obvious, this story is going to center very heavily around my OC and with that, I'm including her past and part of her record. What you're going to read is the tamer half of her story and I'll probably post the entirety of her record separately so that you guys aren't forced to read it if you don't want to. Tbh, Cosima's record was a vent piece for me during a really dark time in my life. Earlier this year I was struggling a lot with nightmares regarding my trauma and this was my way of trying to get it out. It's totally fine if you hate it, this isn't even the whole fucking cinematic record I have for her. Like, I…really took the whole Hayes situation and dove head first into creating a terrifying situation for my character. So I guess whether or not I decide to include the heavier stuff later on will be based on how people receive this chapter. In another fic I wrote, I had a character with anxiety and depression and someone was not very fond of it so now I'm like nervous to even talk about things like this in my fics anymore because it'll come off as "edgy" or "dramatic". I'm just self conscious about writing characters with mental illness because I know not everyone is going to be able to connect with that, and that's okay. Feel free to skip over her record if her backstory doesn't interest you.