AN: Wanted to put this chapter out a week ago, but caught a summer cold. Blah! It sucks...still sucks cause I'm still getting over it.

Anyways, this chapter was hard to write. Like...really, really hard.

ENJOY!

Warnings: Contains major spoilers from chapter 129 & 130 (don't say I didn't warn you)

Chapter VI

Ordinary People

April 13, 1889

Finnian, Mey-Rin, and Badroy thought it would be perfect to ruin my day. Sebastian believes I didn't know, but I did. Do they think they can trick me? Those idiots! They were making me look like a complete fool in front of my guest this evening. I will be having a talk with them about respecting the one they serve tomorrow. They must learn or face consequences. Perhaps I should hire more servants. At least Tanaka and Snake are still loyal to me.

Lotte's eyes remained on the page before closing it and walking to the window.

Five….Why did Sebastian say there were only four servants?

She moved the cold silver of the Phantomhive ring between her fingers. Her eyes were gazed outside the dry windows. She could see the light of London from her window. The city's dim aura reached into the sky and could be seen for miles, but the light wasn't enough to erase the stars that hung over the manor. They twinkled at her; she remembers as a child, before leaving to America, she would wish on them. It was her earliest memory with her father. Watching the stars and wishing on a long life.

Now she was living day by day – as a hunter, - it was the only way to live.

Her eyes cast down at the sapphire stone, wondering what her grandfather had hidden inside the inherited stone. She shook her head at the piece of jewellery. How could this help stop Sebastian? Why couldn't you tell me in your letter what to do, Grandfather? She looked back outside and frowned. Why would I even want to stop Sebastian? It's Lilith that killed Father, not him. Besides… she eyed the ring once more, tracing the Phantomhive crest on the side, "…Sebastian…I think I…

The song of the clock rang quietly, telling her 3am, the witching hour, had struck. She turned her head to her right and came face to face with the same orb that had visited her the night before. It floated, bright and white, like it was staring right at her.

"Okay, whatever you are, I'm here and I'm listening. Who or…what are you?" she spoke softly, trying to stop her subconscious to force her to run screaming out the door.

It remained floating on the spot. Her hands clenched the sapphire ring in her hand.

"What do you want?"

The sphere remained still.

Lotte's eyes widened. She glanced at the ring momentarily before looking back at the ghostly shape.

"Grandfather…is that you?"

The ring turned ice cold on her palm. Lotte yelped at the sudden change of the metal's temperature and drop the ring on the ground. She watched the jewellery bounce once, twice, until becoming still. She stared at it for a second then back up to the orb which had disappeared from her sight. She shook her head. "Maybe I am crazy," she mumbled, bending down to retrieve the ring.

But when her hand hit the floor and her eyes move to where the ring had fallen, she found it gone. She looked around, thinking she must've kicked it, but couldn't find it anywhere. She stood up, placing her hands on her hips. "Alright, I'm done playing games with you. Where is my ring?" she spoke in a clear, demanding voice.

She blinked at the silent, dark room, and her hands fell to her side. She sighed deeply.

"Great, now I know I've gone crazy. I'm talking to a ghost like it's a child." She bit her lip, looking up at the clock on the fireplace mantle. "Maybe I am just seeing things." I guess the lack of sleep has gotten to my head.

Lotte walked over to her bed, yawning, wanting nothing more than to wake up to her old apartment in Brooklynn. Over and over in her head she repeated at the strange orb she was seeing was from the lack of sleep and psychosis playing with her thoughts.

Then something gazed against her left cheek, and banged against the wall in front of her. She gasped, breathing hard from the sudden rush of adrenaline. She looked down at the ground to see the sapphire ring laying there. She blinked, swallowing the lump in her throat, turning around slowly to see the ghostly orb on the other side of the room. She bent over, not removing her eyes from the white orb floating casually in her room. Her fingers touched the cold metal, moving it against her fingers to warm it up. When she finally stood up fully, she started to walk slowly towards the moving sphere, watching it carefully, trying to figure what it really wanted. Then she stopped when it started to come closer to her. She held the ring up, showing the orb.

"Did you just throw this at me?" she asked with a hint of anger in her tone.

Silence.

"Why?"

More silence.

Then the orb started to move towards the exit. It rushed out through the wooden door. Lotte quickly followed, opening the door to the dark corridors. She ran, trying to catch up. It moved through the corridors with speed.

"Wait!" She cried out, and then she realized where it was headed. It had brought her there before.

When she saw the orb disappear behind the same locked doors she knew it was telling her to find the key and go inside. She breathed deeply, trying to regain her composure. Her hand touched the door, feeling the cold iron on her hand. What is behind here?

"What are you trying to tell me?"

xXx

Lotte picked at her food like a fifteen-year-old child deep in thought. She stared at the creases of the white table cloth in front of her, almost studying it while she thought of a way to convince Sebastian to let her into that room, or at least tell her what that room was. But telling him would mean telling him about the ghostly orb and she wasn't sure she could tell him yet. He was a starving demon…the orb is a soul just asking to be captured and eaten. "Grandfather…" she muttered under her breath.

"Pardon?" Sebastian's voice brought her back.

She lifted her head to him. "Oh, nothing."

"Deep in thought, Lotte?" Sebastian grinned, pouring her more coffee.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, sipping the coffee.

"You haven't touched your food and you've been staring at the table for the last fifteen minutes."

She swallowed the hot liquid, feeling it burn her throat. She coughed, clearing her throat. "Have I? Guess I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping well lately…or the last few weeks."

"Being visited by ghosts late at night, have you?"

She choked back her coffee. "What? What makes you say that? There is nothing like that happening. Not in my house. Besides," she started to smile and laugh, standing up and walking around the table, "if there were ghosts, you would definitely know about it."

He smirked at her. "Would I?"

She blinked up at him, blushing slightly. "Yes, you would. For one, I would probably scream 'ghost' like a little girl and of course you would hear it; especially at night when it's quiet; and second, I would be acting strangely and I would be speaking very fast like …"

She drifted off when she realized something: Sebastian had walked her back against the wall without her realizing, trapping her. Her hands were pressed against the painted maroon wall behind her, as her eyes moved to lock with his red ones. Her breathing grew heavy as she watched him. He was so close to her. His face only inches away.

"Like…" she repeated as he came closer.

"…you are now?" he finished, feeling his breath on her skin. Strange thing was…it was cold. Human's breath was warm, but a demon's…his…it was icy. It reminded her that the figure in front of her wasn't human.

Her eyes moved away from him. She pushed him away with her hand on his chest, and moved around him. Her breathing was still heavy and with her back facing him, she said in a low tone. "I have an appointment with Mr. Wilson. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Lotte," he called her, making her pause at the door. "You have no reason to lie to me."

Her eyes widened for a moment before sadly softening. She could feel the weight of the ring in her jacket pocket. She tightened her fists. "I have no reason to tell you the truth, and until I can trust you enough, I can't. I'll be back soon."

She could feel his eyes burning into her backside as she left the manor. Not only that, but she knew he could smell the salt in her eyes before it appeared. Once she shut the front door behind her, she leaned against it, feeling the rain land on her face and mix with the falling tears. She ran to her motorcycle, feeling the heaviness in her heart increase, and rode away on the dirt road.

The rain pelted against her skin, as she blinked fast through both tears and hitting water. Her mind wandered back to the dining room where Sebastian had her against the wall. His red eyes. His pale skin. His lips…the way they came closer to her like he was going to kiss her.

Lotte's heart leaped again, and she roared the engine as she sped faster down the windy road.

I can't be!

She breathed heavily through the windy rain.

I can't!

A lonely cow appeared on the road in front of her, and she slammed on the breaks just stopping in time.

"I…" she spoke out. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO ME!"

The cow mooed in response.

She clenched her teeth. "I wasn't asking for your opinion, cow. Move!"

And she turned the throttle making the engine roar, scaring the cow off the road. Then she started to laugh. She laughed loudly through the rain, leaning her head back to the dark clouds. Why am I having these foreign thoughts?

She opened her eyes, riding towards her destination.

Thunder moved above her. Giants hammered drums in the heavens, and Lotte stopped in front of an old castle like building holding care for the elderly. She looked up at the dark clouds that rained down on her, eyeing the shattering sounds and the lightning that flashed frequently miles away. She ran up to the front entrance, soaked and shivering from the wind. Her body had caught up to the weather and she would probably catch a cold if she didn't get warm fast. She knocked, waiting.

A woman in her mid-forties answered. Her thick rimmed glasses, red lipstick, and white uniform told Lotte she was the resident nurse. Her hair was pinned up perfectly with no strand out of place, but Lotte could see it in her tired brown eyes that this woman hadn't slept in days.

"Can I help you?" she said in a raspy, smoker voice.

"Yes, I was wondering if…" she paused trying to remember the names of the servants she read in her grandfather's journal the night before. "…Finnian, Mey-Rin, and Bodroy lived here?"

The woman raised an eyebrow at her. "And who is asking?"

Lotte opened her mouth. "I'm a reporter working for the London Press and I'm doing research on the Phantomhive Family. I heard these three worked there at one point and wanted to ask them a few questions."

The lady looked her over and clicked her tongue. "Well, you aren't going to get much out of two of them. One is deaf as a bat and the other is always asleep."

"And the other?"

The lady turned her head and looked over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to Lotte. "You can ask her, but doubt she'll say anything remotely sane to you. She talks nonsense all the time. You won't get a good answer out of her."

She must be speaking about Mey-Rin. "That's alright. An answer is enough."

"Very well," she stepped aside, "come in and follow me. They're in the lounge."

Lotte followed the lady to the right and through a pair of old double doors into a spacious living room full of couches and reading chairs. In one of the chairs, a small old man with a straw hat snored lightly. At one of the tables, another older man slowly played chess with nobody. He spoke loudly: "CHECK MATE!" before he moved another piece to another square. Lotte gave him an odd look. Near the window sat an old woman in a rocking chair, gazing outside at the rain. She wore thicker glasses than the nurse and was very quiet.

"Miss Mey-Rin, you have a visitor." The nurse announced.

Mey-Rin didn't move nor acknowledge Lotte.

"She's blind, so don't expect her to look at any old photos you may have," the nurse whispered in Lotte's ear.

Lotte nodded and waited for the nurse to disappear before glancing through the room again. These three people were at least one-hundred years old. The woman in front of her was obviously passed her due date and she wondered how a human could ever live this long. She sat down in the empty chair beside the woman, and leaned forward, looking deeply at Mey-Rin. Then she grabbed the old woman's hand and spoke softly, but loud enough for the woman to hear.

"Miss Mey-Rin, you don't know me, but my name is Charlotte Phantomhive. I'm Ciel Phantomhive's Granddaughter and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

Then the old woman froze, and turned her head to Lotte's direction. She could not see the woman's eyes through her clouded glasses, but the cracks in the glass and the dirt that had built up told Lotte the glasses were as old as she was. "You're a Phantomhive?"

"Yes, I'm Ciel's Granddaughter. The man you served many decades ago." She answered again.

"Ciel? Oh yes, the child…" her voice grew distant for a moment. "…how is he?"

Lotte's eyebrows burrowed, confused at the woman's question. Didn't Sebastian say to her these people left shortly after her grandfather's death? Perhaps they had dementia due to their age. Lotte swallowed and gripped the woman's hand with her other hand, rubbing the wrinkled skin. "Miss Mey-Rin, my grandfather died twenty-five years ago."

"No…that's impossible. He came here…just a month ago."

Lotte blinked at her response in confusion. Was it possible the woman was visited by someone she thought was her grandfather? The woman was blind after all.

"I saw him." Mey-Rin finished.

And Lotte paused. "You saw him?"

"Yes, he was a little older than I remembered, it being over twenty years since, but his blue eyes were the same."

"Miss Mey-Rin, please excuse me if I come off of being a little rude, but aren't you blind?"

She let out a small laugh. "Blind? What gives you that idea child? I'm not blind. Why do you think I wear these glasses?"

"Sorry…just an assumption." Lotte narrowed her eyes slightly. "May I see your glasses for a moment?"

"Oh…I'm afraid I can't. You see these were given to me long ago by someone I admire greatly." The old woman rambled like she was reading a children's story. "But I can take them off for you."

"Please." Lotte replied. Seeing her eyes will be good enough. And the old woman took them off. Lotte smiled at the beauty of the eyes. They made her look so much younger. "You have beautiful eyes, Miss Mey-Rin. You shouldn't hide them all the time."

The woman placed her hand on Lotte's cheek. "You also have beautiful eyes. I can see clearly that you really are a Phantomhive. Nobody had bluer eyes than a Phantomhive." She removed her hand and placed her glasses back on. "My eyes must always be hidden. They aren't normal, you see. But neither is yours. Phantomhive eyes are easily recognizable."

"CHECK MATE!" the voice of the old man made Lotte jump suddenly. She blinked, and looked at the woman in front of her, seeing that she wasn't even fazed.

"Miss Mey-Rin, going back to when you thought you saw my grandfather here a month ago, are you sure it wasn't somebody else?"

"I didn't think, dear. I know I saw him. He was here."

"You also mentioned his eyes – plural."

"Yes. Blue Phantomhive eyes like yours."

Lotte shook her head. "But my grandfather wore an eye-patch. Was this man not wearing an eye-patch?"

The old woman paused then, and looked back outside. "I see. You're his granddaughter. The old Master's Granddaughter."

Lotte's eyes narrowed. "Yes, that's what I've been telling you. I'm Ciel's Granddaughter."

"Wait, I'm confused now, dear. Are you Ciel's Granddaughter or my old Master's Granddaughter?"

Wait…she's speaking about two separate people. Lotte leaned forward. "Miss Mey-Rin, are you saying that my Grandfather, your old master, had a brother named Ciel?"

"Not just a brother, but a twin." The old woman replied. "I thought you already knew."

Lotte leaned back, trying to figure out everything. She came in wanting to ask the old woman more about her grandfather and perhaps something on Sebastian, and ended up with a whole other secret. Sebastian had not mentioned anything about her grandfather having a twin brother. Her grandfather didn't write anything about it in his journal entries and the fact the name "Ciel Phantomhive was carved into her grandfather's crypt, told Lotte that there was only one Ciel. But there were two?

And one of them was possibly alive.

"I didn't…" she stood up. "I'm sorry, Miss Mey-Rin, I have to go."

"CHECK MATE!" the man at the table laughed loudly. "I KILLED THE QUEEN!"

Lotte stared at him before walking quickly out of the room. She had only closed to the doors when she came face to face with the smaller elderly man that had been asleep on the lounge chair. He was small and looked at her silently before saying: "Don't trust the stars. Don't trust the night. He'll remember…" she moved around him, feeling air decrease around her. "…he'll remember!"

And she ran out of the building, onto her motorcycle, and rode away.

Not looking back.

xXx

Lotte sped on the road back to the manor. She couldn't even think as the words of the woman's voice echoed through her thoughts, repeating the crazy reality Lotte didn't want to believe. Only Sebastian would know the truth. But would he tell her the truth? This senile woman didn't seem senile regardless of her age.

She gritted her teeth fighting through the stormy weather. She blinked away the oncoming wind and rain pattering her face. She could barely see anything right now. Nothing in front of her or in her family history. She was so blind that she didn't notice the cow in the middle of the road.

Until it was too late.

She hit the brakes too late and too hard, swerving off the road and into the ditch to the side. There she spent lying on her back, facing the heavens. Rain still hit her face, and she blinked away the wetness in her eyes. She breathed hard, grunting when she sat up. She felt the blood under her jacket sleeve, and she sighed in annoyance. Her stitches had opened, and if she didn't hurry back she would soon feel the effects of blood loss.

She collected her bike lying feet away, carefully assessing the damage taken. Only a few scratches and most of them were on her. She climbed on, hissing from the sudden pain in her hip. There would be a giant purple bruise later.

Carefully and slowly she rode back to the manor to face the demon that could possibly have lied to her, but also held a grasp on her heart…

…and soul.

xXx

It was mid-day when Lotte returned. The rain still fell like the curse over the city, and the night would not fall for another few hours. For that, Lotte was almost relieved. The other voice of the small elderly man scared her. His words rang loudly in her mind as well, and she was pretty sure who he was warning her about.

She opened the front door and walked in. The foyer was lit, but eeriness hovered in the atmosphere. Fuck…not demons again. "Sebastian?" she called.

But instead of the demon butler, another figure came around the corner: a man with a bowler hat and a long trench coat, wearing a grandfather-like smile.

"Mr. Wilson," Lotte's eyes widened, swallowing the lump in her throat, "what are you doing here?"

"He came to drop off something for you, Lotte." Another familiar voice answered, and Sebastian appeared from behind Wilson. "You're hurt." He announced, as Lotte looked down momentarily at the dripping blood at her arm. The demon had a disappointed expression on his face, causing Lotte to look away. "Where did you go? And please do not lie to me."

Lotte's hands curled into a tight fist as she felt her blood boil. She was only seconds from shooting this demon in the head for his words. She stepped forward towards the two. "You have no right to call me a liar! Not after you…both of you have hid something very important to me about my family."

Sebastian gave her an eye brow raise and Wilson gave her a curious frown. "Which is?" Sebastian asked.

She marched forward and hissed. "Why didn't you tell me my grandfather had a twin?"

The two men froze and Wilson cleared his throat. "I thought you would've known since you have possession of your grandfather's journal."

"How do you-?" Lotte began to ask, then shook her head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. He didn't write anything about it. What does matter is the fact you lied, Mr. Wilson. You told me I was the last member of the Phantomhive family. Well, I was just told by one of the servants who used to work here that he is still alive. And do you both want to know who he is?" She started to laugh. "Because I, honestly, found it hilarious.

"Ciel Phantomhive." She paused, waiting for their reactions. Sebastian had his eyes narrowed while Wilson returned to his smile. "Isn't it strange? The fact that there are not one, but two 'Ciel Phantomhive's'. Now I would love to hear that all of this isn't true and the woman I spoke to was nothing but a senile, century-old lady, but I think I already know the answer." She looked at Sebastian, blinking away the oncoming tears. Her voice became a soft, saddened whisper. "Besides, demons can't lie."

She wasn't sure if it was loud enough for the old man beside her to hear, but she didn't care. She knew the old man knew about the supernatural world and the activities her grandfather did. He was well aware what Sebastian was.

"It's a long story," Mr. Wilson answered.

Lotte, with arms crossed, turned her head to him, waiting.

"And it should be told over some brandy, yes?"

He stepped forward and opened his eyes to Lotte. It was the first time she saw them clearly, and chills ran down her spine when she saw those bright, green eyes behind those glasses.

"But first, I believe you want something I have."

He opened his palm to her to reveal an old, iron key. She opened her hand to him and it was dropped onto her skin. It was cold and weighed down on her palm. "What does this go to, exactly?" she asked.

"It goes to the one room you have yet to see."

And the old man gave her his most gleaming smile yet.

So yeah...that happened. Crazy chapter? Review?