When Angelique returned from her 'mystery business', it was to the news that her daughter had apparently found a stray cat she intended to keep. One look told her she wanted nothing to do with it...the eyes were far too much like her missing nephews for her to take.

She named her new pet Nocturne, and agreed to keep it away from her mother.

Her attention about the new cat was diverted the second she got the news...her youngest nephew had returned, with a new butler of his own.

Unnoticed by her or Grell, the newly named Noct watched her with oddly observant eyes that were a little sad.

Noct waited until nightfall before he spoke.

"Master, why didn't you tell your mother about me?"

Rose smiled at her apprentice. She couldn't help but think of this strange turn of events, but honestly it was for the best.

When she rescued her cousin, the first thing she did once he was coherent enough was to explain who she was and what she could do. Demons weren't the only ones who could create binding magical contracts, and as a being of sufficient magical power she could legitimately claim him as her apprentice. That included certain stipulations and restrictions.

So now her oldest cousin was stuck in his animagus form, which was a small cat with fur the same shade as his hair. During the day he was an ordinary cat, being lazy and sleeping in the sun.

At night though...he was able to take human form and learned magic from Rose. She was actually a pretty good teacher, even if it was a tad awkward getting a wand and learning how to use it properly when he should have had formal training over a year ago.

Even if his younger brother now went by his name, he was fine being called Nocturne. Besides, Rose fully planned to stage his return in such a way that Ciel would never be able to live it down. She highly doubted the demon he contracted with knew who she was or would alert his master that his twin was actually alive.

The main reason she was staying silent was because of the fake butler her mother brought into their home. She didn't know why a reaper was pretending to be a butler, but she didn't trust him in the least.

It was the same reason she changed his name to Nocturne... for all intents and purposes, the twin that should have died was dead to reapers. To their senses, he was another person entirely. And his cat form was rather useful...he was able to find out so many things people wouldn't say around others who might hear.

When he saw his Master, he bounded up to her and jumped onto her shoulder. It was rather conveinent.

"Did you have fun today, Noct?"

He meowed, and curled his tail around her neck to balance himself.

Her mother was currently at the hospital, and she was learning faster than her tutors could really teach her. So long as she wasn't up to mischief, she was free to do whatever she pleased during the day.

The two calmly walked through the woods, and thanks to the contract he was able to see things he normally wouldn't be able to.

Thanks to the apprenticeship contract and the fact he was in the form of a cat, he was able to see the fair folk who generally remained hidden.

He saw the world with new eyes since he signed that contract. It was like an entirely new world had opened up to him and he was eager to see what it contained.

"I went to see him today. He's doing a bit better, but scars like the ones you both suffered don't heal easily. Some never do. However he has one hell of a butler by his side... it's amazing what having a steady rock you know will remain by your side regardless of the situation can do for your mindset," said Rose.

Noct mewled, thanking her for letting him know about his brother. He was glad Ciel was at least surviving.

Part of their contract was that he could not seek out his twin until his master allowed it. The problem was that she didn't want Grell to know about his existence.

It was too dangerous.

So she took Noct with her on her trips through the hidden paths, as her feet never strayed. The fair folk tried to tempt her often, as that was their nature, but so long as she had a clear goal in mind she rarely heard them.

Luna said it was because she had always been trapped between the living and the dead...so the shadows were the safest place for her. Even if she vanished from the world, it would continue turning.

Then again, Luna had opted to leave for the summer realms...partly because of what happened to her during the war, but mostly because she could stay with Rose longer and be her friend. She was half-changling anyway, so she was able to come and go freely.

"Are we going to see the Moon?" asked Noct.

She rubbed his ears affectionately.

"Yeah, we can go see Luna."

Noct seemed to really enjoy her stories, and she found him just as adorable. It was so hard to find someone who was willing to actually listen to her words and not dismiss them.

The days grew longer, and with every passing moment Rose watched her mother slip away. She might be there physically, but her spirit was being leeched by Grell. It was sickening, but from what she could tell the contract was made willing so there was nothing she could do.

The only thing she could do was instruct Noct to the old ways and prepare him for when he would return. She would need his help rebuilding the mansion's wards, since he was the eldest and the blood of twins would make them extra powerful. Oh, and Sebastian's as well so they wouldn't immediately kick him out.

Noct looked up when he heard Rose returning. There was an expression on her face that said volumes...of how much she was desperately trying to not laugh her ass off.

He switched to his human form, as it was night.

"What happened?"

Rose looked at him and barely held in her laughter.

"My mother..." she said, before another wave of cackles hit her. "My mother tricked your other half into a dress!"

Dead silence...Noct barely put the silencing charms up before he started laughing as well.

"Please tell me you have pictures!"

"You better believe I took pictures!" she cackled. He didn't know what that strange rectangle thing was, just that it wasn't a phone and looked ridiculously complicated.

He took one look at his twin dressed as a girl and almost died laughing.

"He managed to be kidnapped by the man he was investigating and if I heard him right he was insinuating he was looking for a 'good time'," said Rose. Noct was having trouble breathing again.

There was no way in hell his brother was living this down.

"So what was he investigating anyway?" asked Noct.

Rose's amusement dimmed a bit.

"My guess? Whatever it is that mother and Grell have been doing at night. Give me a minute to find out what it was."

Rose pulled out some strange string, attached it to the silver box and then put the other end into her ear. Her expression went from dumbfounded to incredulous in short order.

"What on earth is that?" asked Noct, curious.

"A smart phone," she replied. "Something that won't be available for anyone for at least a hundred years."

"And the reason you made such an odd face?"

"...Apparently my mother and Grell are the most notorious serial killers in English history, one that was never actually caught by the police and who inadvertently caused a revolution in how the police handled evidence."

Seriously, out of all the people her mother could have turned out to be, why in the name of the gods did it have to be Jack the Ripper? She was never going to hear the end of it from Luna!

She had seen the newspaper articles, but she hadn't made the connection. But now it made perfect sense...her mother resented having to do abortions after losing her own ability to have children on top of losing her unborn infant and her husband on the same day. And if she bothered to look, she would bet that each of the women killed her her patients.

No wonder a reaper had attached itself to her.

Well there was really only one thing for it. Something told her Ciel was going to catch her mother soon and then things would turn...messy.

She sighed and started going through her list of contacts.

"What are you doing?" asked Noct.

"Reapers are a pain in the ass to deal with, but they also have technology unavailable to the living centuries before it's even possible," she replied. She tapped something and put the box next to her ear.

Noct watched baffled as Rose had a rather odd one-sided conversation. Was she talking to someone? How?

"No matter what office you call, they always insist on using that generic music that just sounds tacky," she griped to herself. "Yes I'm still here. I'd like to file an anonymous report on an errant reaper. No, I really don't feel like explaining why I know this number. Yes, I know what I'm doing you halfwit. If you were paying attention then maybe that idiot Grell Sutcliff wouldn't be causing me so many headaches!"

Rose looked very much annoyed.

"Last I checked, Reapers weren't supposed to make contracts with the living. I could confirm that, but why in the name of the old ones would I do your job for you?"

Rose's expression became even more pissed off. Suddenly she tapped the phone again and glare at it.

Noct blushed a tad and made sure to reinforce the silencing charms as Rose swore vehemently enough to make even a sailor blush...and not just in English either.

"What was that about?"

"Reapers are not supposed to kill the living. Their job is restricted to the dead and those who mess with souls in general. I know England's branch is rather shoddy, but his behavior isn't something they can brush off easily, especially now that someone has lodged a formal complaint. They'll have to investigate."

"What about Aunt An?" asked Noct.

Rose's expression turned sad.

"Mother's fate was sealed the moment she made a pact with Grell. Humans aren't supposed to have contracts with them and even if she wasn't killed in whatever it is she's doing, her life force wouldn't be able to sustain him for much longer...there have been four murders and from what I recall in history class, Jack the Ripper only had five confirmed kills. However the method and state the corpses were left in on top of the fact he was never caught is why his name remains in infamy," said Rose tiredly.

Noct didn't look happy, but understood his aunt had made her choice.

"I'm heading to bed... things are going to hit a boiling point soon, and when it does I'm going to surprise Ciel since I highly doubt Grell is going to return here."

Noct took that for what it was and returned to his cat form. He had his own little bed in the corner and he always made a point to face the other way when Rose got dressed for propriety's sake.

Rose made sure to bring him with her to the inevitable funeral, and he felt grief over losing one of his favorite aunts. Ciel decided to be dramatic and brought a red dress that was custom made for her mother and laid it across her body. It was clear he was also grieving, but wanted to honor her the best way possible.

Rose insured her mother's body was discreetly changed into the new dress and buried with it. She was sure Angelique would be happy now as she was with her family.

Meanwhile she had quite a bit to do as she had to deal with the paperwork that came from being the new Countess Dalles, even if she wasn't blood. A bit of a step down from her original titles, but at least this time she had the training needed for it.

Plus side, Grell hadn't been seen since that night, and she made it abundantly clear he was not welcomed back.

Once the sudden loss of her mother died down a bit, Rose took Nocturne out of the house to a fairy glen. He was in human form and she was in her original one.

"What's this about?" asked Noct.

"I'm releasing you from the contract we made that night. You're free to return to your brother and live out your life as you see fit."

Noct looked shocked at this.

"What about my apprenticeship."

Rose smiled at him.

"Are you saying you would like to make a proper apprenticeship contract? If you do, you will no longer be able to return to the life of a normal human. You'll forever be caught between this one and the hidden realms," said Rose.

Noct looked her dead in the eyes and said "To be perfectly honest, the human realm didn't save me. And while the other realms can be terrifying, it has done more to help me than the humans have. Besides, it's far more interesting."

Rose walked towards him, and he felt a shiver. But it was the good kind, the type of shiver that one felt when something powerful and dangerous was approaching.

"Do you wish to cast aside your chances at being human, and accept the requirement of staying in the summer realms for a period of no less than fifty years of service?" she asked.

"What do you mean by service?"

"Time passes differently in the fairy realms. Ever heard the story of the man who sleep for decades and thought only a night had passed?"

Noct nodded.

"That's because he accidentally wandered into the fairy realms, or at least the outskirts of it. Entire seasons can pass outside, while inside it feels like only a week."

He was beyond fascinated, and knew exactly what he wanted to do.

He wanted to become a knight, one that would protect Rose. Luna had been very open about why Rose was so protective of her family.

She had saved him...had saved his aunt from her depression. That was why he wanted to save her one day too.

She saw the resolve in his eyes, and something between them settled.

A scroll appeared before Nocturne. He read through the whole thing, as being around the faeries had taught him such things were very important and that he should look for anything that felt off.

Essentially he was entering into a 'master/apprentice' contract and that at the end of his training he agreed to a fifty year service contract to his master. Whether it was as a subordinate or something else was entirely up to him.

Noct signed it, and felt the magic take effect.

As part of the agreement, he would drop the name Phantomhive and would henceforth be known as "Nocturne Black".

He honestly couldn't wait to spring this little surprise on his brother. It was going to be hilarious.