Chapter 8

Just as promised Luciana had arrived bright and early in the morning. They still had a few more preparations to manage before making their way to the church. And for some inexplicable reason the mortician had suddenly needed a few dozen roses, so just as the girl had entered the back parlor she had been sent to fetch them. 'Because he couldn't have gotten them himself...' she rolled her eyes at the memory.

Then, when they arrived Undertaker had left Luciana to handle matters within the church while he prepared the roses. So after she had finally finished setting up the coffin of that red haired noble she went to search for her boss. She didn't think he would take that long but today being his assistant apparently meant handling things herself. His behavior was odd- well odder than his usual crazed self. She just hoped he would be okay. He was kind of growing on her.

When she found him chatting away with a few kids, she sighed. Apparently there was nothing for her to worry about. He was back to normal. Well, judging by the kids' faces, they may not have appreciated that. If someone had seen that in her time he would have probably been dubbed a pedophile. She snickered at the thought and joining the group. Undertaker just loved scaring people. "It's only natural for a child not to understand~" The combination of his grin and ominous voice was frightening for the kids but it made her laugh. He turned to grin at his assistant. "Today... is a particular woman's special gala. Right Luce~"

"That's right." She managed to giggle out an answer. Well, in all honesty she wouldn't call it a gala but she wasn't going to spoil his fun.

"Ga-la?" The kids looked mighty frightened by now. So much so she would have believed they were being told a ghost story. It was amusing.

"Yes~ the great final ceremony in each human's life." He paused for dramatic effect. "A funeral." The pair chuckled as the kids backed away in fright.

"I think you scarred them for life." Luciana had fun despite the depressing atmosphere that surrounded the people gathered within the church.

"He he he~ But funerals are sooo important~" Grinning the pair walked back to the church. "It's a human's last celebration." She shook her head lightly. He was saying that as if he weren't one. "I'll make sure yours is the most fabulous~ he he he~"

She laughed as they approached the entrance where the Phantomhive butler was waiting. Sebastian turned to the laughing pair with a look of curiosity. "Well, I plan to live for quite a while longer." She smirked at the Undertaker and greeted Mr. Tall-dark-and-handsome with a subtle nod. "But since your planning my funeral, you should know I prefer a wake."

The mortician had to muffle his laugh. "He he he~ A true celebration then?"

"Of course, would you expect any less of me?" Her eyes twinkled in mischief making even the butler smirk. Looking back to the procession Luciana sighed. She wouldn't want her own funeral to be like this. It was such a depressing mood and life should be celebrated. Something simple but cool; like reliving memories and drinking the night away while looking over London. She wouldn't want it to be in a church like this. No matter how beautiful they looked, she just didn't feel all that comfortable in them. It wasn't like she hated them or despised religion. They just brought up unwanted memories. Her parents' funeral, the months she spent in a radical christian foster home, the previous years spent in her school. It all came with lots of scolding, enforcement of strict virtues and her apparent 'redemption'. She scoffed gaining the attention of Undertaker and the butler. 'They would faint seeing me now.'

"He he he~ You look agitated Luce~" A long nailed finger poked her cheek. She wasn't agitated more like grumpy. And his prodding didn't exactly help change her mood. "He he he~ Luce like Lucifer-" The mortician muffled another bout of laughter.

"How original..." She rolled her eyes at his grinning face. She didn't feel the need to spill her past while literally stuck between a demon and a church. She frowned a little. Just that situation by itself was odd. Who would have thought the supernatural really existed. But it brought up a lot of interesting questions. One of them being why Sebastian was standing here, was it because he couldn't enter? 'I wonder-' "So why aren't you in there?" She looked up at red eyes.

His ever stoic face hiding any thoughts he may have had while he answered. "I am merely a butler." Well, he may not know it but Luciana didn't believe a single word in that sentence. Despite that she just nodded and went back to her own thoughts. He was anything but a simple butler. A damned demon playing butler was more like it. 'And let's not forget- hot as hell.' No pun intended. She shook her head lightly just as the funeral came to an end and red rose petals twirled into the church. 'Ah, so that's why he needed them.' She had to admit it was a good idea. 'Beautiful.' A gentle smile graced her lips.

Afterwards Undertaker and she went to bury the last victim of Jack the Ripper. Apparently the kid earl had asked them to make her a proper burial. 'A nice thought I suppose.' She mused silently looking at the grave with boredom as they waited there for who knows what. It wasn't like there was anyone coming. She scoffed. That dead noble had a whole event set up but no one came for poor Mary. It was kind of sad.

"Undertaker. Are you done?" Undertaker and Luciana both turned to the approaching earl and butler. 'So he actually decided to come?' That somehow surprised her. Maybe out of guilt? Luciana didn't know nor really care.

"But of course. I gave her a beautiful little burial." Undertaker gestured at the simple but finely done gravestone. There wasn't anything special about it but she supposed for 'just another brass' it was glorious. Plus the demon looked shocked. It was so evident on his usual stoic face that she had to stifle a giggle as Undertaker continued his explanation. "The final victim of Jack the Ripper. Turns out she was a foreign immigrant. No one came forward to claim the corpse. That's why our kind little earl here gave her, a nameless prostitute, her own grave." He poked the kid's cheek with his long nails and a huge knowing grin.

"I'm not kind. I-" Luciana cocked a brow at the kid's pensive face. He did seem much older than he looked. "I came to realise why I could not save this woman. On that night, had I made her life my priority then I could have saved her. However, I did not." Everyone was silent listening for what the earl would say next. "I knew there was a chance to save her but I made the capture of Jack the Ripper my priority." Well, wasn't that interesting. There was no news of him being captured neither in the papers nor in the east end. And Luciana knew for a fact that people still speculated what happened in her time. "I let her die. Even my own relative."

Luciana couldn't help but scoff. "Ye didn't really capture good ol' Jack, now did ye?" Her sudden question made the kid turn to her in shock and anger. "Upset?" Humored, she looked at his face. "Life ain't fair kiddo. The world's too messed up for tha'." Both she and Undertaker chuckled. Damn right it wasn't fair. She had learnt that early on. And there was really no use in fighting all the time. Sometimes it was just not meant to be. So Luciana made the most of what she could have and grasped the opportunities that did present themselves. For her it was the little things that made her life enjoyable.

"Do you regret it?" Undertaker asked curiously for once his ever present smile was replaced by a thoughtful look.

"I do not." Luciana smirked at his answer. Life was too short for regret. "Jack the Ripper is gone. Queen Victoria's melancholy has been put to rest."

"Victoria aye? Can't say I'm a fan." Undertaker noted thoughtfully. "She sits so high above everyone else- then leaves all the painful, dirty work to the earl." 'To a puny kid like this? Kinda harsh...'

"It is my family's fate. It was passed down to me with this ring."

"Seems more like a collar to me." Undertaker's wide grin reappeared as he creepily hung to the kid's shoulders.

"The one who decided to wear this 'collar' was me" His conviction was clear in his voice.

Suddenly the mortician forcibly tugged the kid close. "I hope that one day that collar chokes you." Luciana frowned at the words. 'What did he mean by that?' "Well~ if the earl ever needs help, my door is open. He he he~" Then a maniacal grin adorned the mortician's face. The kind that made Luce think of the Joker. "Luce~" Her brow twitched. She didn't like that tone. "She'll be working for you now, earl. Tee~he~" She rubbed her face with a groan as the butler and earl watched the idiot skip away.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Till wednesday!