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Little Thaddeus was too young to understand the storm of activity that swirled through Phantomhive manor the day that his sibling entered the world.

Wanting to insure Ciel's safety as much as possible, Sebastian had been more prepared the second time around.

Two months prior, the Phantomhive butler had taken the liberty of paying Ciel's midwife and doctor to live at the manor.

The birth seemed to go surprisingly well for Ciel.

The bluenette was exhausted and weak, but she was managing and for that, Sebastian was glad.

Sebastian was worried about how long the process took.

Thaddeus had been born quickly.

With the new baby, Ciel's body seemed to stall.

After a great many hours, finally, and without Ciel hemorrhaging, the doctor pulled Sebastian and Ciel's second child into the world.

Ciel was out of breath, but she was alright.

Sebastian knew immediately, however, that something was wrong with the baby.

As a newborn, Thaddeus's skin had been red and pink, heathy.

But……..

This baby was black and blue.

If Sebastian had not seen the child move an arm, he would have been certain that it was…….

"What's wrong with him?" Sebastian demanded as Ciel let herself relax against the pillows.

"Give us just a moment, sir." The doctor replied, his voice tense with anxiety as he and the midwife worked on Sebastian and Ciel's infant, leaving Sebastian to split his attention between what was happening to his baby and making sure that Ciel was fine.

Despite trying to keep her composure, tears welled in Ciel's eyes but Sebastian was not available to comfort her at the moment.

Ciel's tears poured down her cheeks when the baby remained silent……..

A terrible sense of dreadful despair filled the room.

"What's wrong with him?!" Sebastian cried urgently.

"A little lost oxygen!" The doctor shouted to Sebastian, "And it's not a him, sir, it's a her!"

Sebastian could care less about the child's gender, his only concern was for her safety, but Ciel seemed heartbroken at the news.

"Oh dear…….." The bluenette sobbed, placing her hand over her eyes. "Oh no……."

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After nearly an hour of tremendous effort on the doctor's part and the midwife's assistance, the tiny baby looked far too pale and far too listless to survive very long.

The baby girl was breathing, but just barely.

Sebastian was morose as he stood beside his wife, with his hand on her shoulder, as they both watched their newborn suck in breath after rattling breath, hearing the crackling of her papery lungs.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid the damage was too great." The doctor said remorsefully, holding his hat in his hands while he addressed Sebastian and Ciel.

"I did better." Ciel said quietly.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, my lady, it seems that you did, but you took on a great risk, which may have contributed to the child's difficulty. I would avoid any more pregnancies if I were you, the next one will most certainly prove lethal to either you or your offspring."

Ciel looked up at the doctor, devastated.

So then, this child, really had been her one last chance……

"Perhaps she can live, after all." Sebastian reasoned, searching the doctor's face for hope, even if that hope was fleeting and futile.

"But what kind of life would it be?" The doctor asked Sebastian sadly, "I'm afraid this little lady will never walk or speak. If she does manage to survive, she'll surely live out her days as a simpleton. Although there are many good homes nowadays for people like that….."

Ciel grit her teeth.

People like that……

"Remove him from my sight, Sebastian." Ciel hissed between grit teeth.

The doctor didn't need Sebastian to tell him it was time to leave, he was more than happy to part ways with the melancholy family.

Once the doctor was gone, Ciel held her doomed child close and sobbed.

The door to Ciel's room had been left open and curious as to why his mother was crying, young Thaddeus wandered inside.

"Mummy?" Thaddeus asked as he approached the bed.

Sebastian had been so busy tending Ciel and their daughter that he didn't even hear his son enter the room.

"Not now, son, here, let's get you back to Baldroy and Mey-Rin to play." Sebastian said, grabbing Thaddeus's hand and quickly leading him out of the room.

"What's that monster that mummy's holding?" Thaddeus asked curiously, getting a peek at the injured baby in Ciel's arms.

"That's not a monster, that's your sister." Sebastian chastised his son.

"She's so ugly!" Thaddeus exclaimed.

Sebastian scowled.

Ciel heard Thaddeus as he and Sebastian left the room.

Although Ciel knew Thaddeus was just a child, his words made her chest shake with sobs.

Ciel looked down on her daughter and pitied her.

It wasn't the baby's fault that she was ugly.

It wasn't the baby's fault that about anything.

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Ciel and Sebastian began a grim task that many parents in their era had to endure, preparing to suffer an incomprehensible, unbearable loss.

Ciel named her daughter quickly so the mortician would know what to put on her gravestone.

Lavinia.

Lavinia Phantomhive-Michaelis.

Though Ciel had been insistent her and Sebastian's second son would be called Vincent, Ciel was able to nickname Lavinia "Vinnie" and to the bluenette, that was some consolation.

Sebastian and Ciel anxiously watched over their fragile newborn, as if they were waiting on her to spontaneously combust at any moment.

To Sebastian's and Ciel's happiness, Lavinia, despite the obstacles she faced, still had the ability to eat and her little body functioned enough to warrant her diapers be changed.

Over the next few days, Sebastian barely slept.

Ciel had already accepted Lavinia's death but Sebastian seemed determined to fight and give his daughter a chance to live.

Every minute during the day and every half an hour during the night, Sebastian was there, holding Vinnie, watching Vinnie, talking to Vinnie.

Whether it was partly from Sebastian's crusade to rescue her or something else, no one knew……….

But Lavinia Phantomhive-Michaelis didn't die.

One week turned into two.

Two weeks turned into three.

Three into four.

One month……….

Two months……..

Though she still wheezed for breath, Lavinia learned to sit up.

Though she was easily exhausted, even for an infant of her age, Lavinia learned to crawl.

Ciel stared in astonishment and happy tears glistened in Sebastian's eyes when Lavinia took her first, wobbly steps.

A year after that dark day when Ciel learned she would never bear another son and the doctor said her daughter was dying, a grand party was held at Phantomhive manor as little lady Lavinia celebrated her first birthday.

Sebastian and Ciel were proud as Lavinia sat, giggling at the mound of presents she received from the guests.

Lavinia shared Sebastian's rich, black hair and his dark eyes……….which made him rather proud.

But what Sebastian really took pride in was the same thing that pleased Ciel so well……….

Lavinia was delicate, but she was still alive.

And it was obvious even at her young age that nothing the doctor had said was true……..

Lavinia walked.

Lavinia could speak.

And Lavinia was not going to be a simpleton.