Authors notes:

Thanks for keeping with the story. And I apologise for not updating it as quick as I would have liked.

Chapter 5

"A Lord?" Sebastian parroted, even he, who knew a lot about Ciel, never knew that. Ciel nodded in response.

"Apparently I wasn't to find out until my 20th birthday." Ciel replied, "Well that's what my parents decided, I think they wanted me to have a normal life."

"And I wouldn't blame them for doing that." Sebastian said kissing Ciel's cheek.

"By the way this is Earl Grey. He's who I was speaking to when I disappeared into the bathroom." He paused a second. "I just wanted to confirm it before I told you. Because… well… you know." He hoped that he didn't have to explain that he thought that it might have been a set-up from Trancy and Cole.

Sebastian nodded, knowing what he wanted to say, also knowing that Ciel didn't want Earl Grey or Claude to know what was happening. "Pleasure to meet you." Sebastian said to Earl Grey, with a slight bow to the head.

Earl Grey smiled a little, "Nice to see that he's got someone kind caring for him" he said.

"Well he can be a pain to handle" Sebastian joked lightly ruffling Ciel's hair, causing the boy to blush and somewhat hide.

"I bet" Earl Grey replied, in truth Earl Grey wasn't as naïve as he made out about the situation Ciel was in, he knew he was suffering. But whether he was going to help Ciel was up to the boy himself, Earl Grey would only help Ciel id he wanted it. He didn't want to offend Ciel by offering him help, after all it was Ciel's life.

"Well…" Sebastian began a little awkward, "I think I'll get him home. He'll be safe there."

"Alright." Earl Grey replied, "But remember if you need help. Any at all, please don't hesitate to call me." He paused for a moment. "I really would hate to see anything bad happen to Ciel." Sebastian nodded and escorted Earl Grey out of the room and down to the parking lot.

He paused before going to get into his car and looked at Sebastian. "I hope you know that by helping Ciel hide what's happening to him isn't going to help him." He said, "I'm not trying to interfere, I'm just concerned. At least take the boy to the hospital to get the injuries tended to. I know you brought a doctor with you, but just to be safe I think he should get it seen to, especially his eye."

"Alright." Sebastian said, agreeing with him, "I'll take him to the hospital." Okay so on the hospital part, "but I have been with Ciel through the ups and downs. I think he'll confront it when he's ready. And until then I, as his boyfriend, will support him as best as I can."

"If that's what you chose, then so be it. But like I said please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm willing to help. And just to let you know. Things are looking up in the search for his parents. I didn't want to say anything in front of him, you know, get his spirits up only to have them crushed if it does take a turn for the worse."

"Okay." Sebastian said quietly. "And thank-you." He added on softly.

Once he had safely seen Earl Grey into his car and watched him drive away from the campus, he returned to Ciel. Ciel had taken to lying down on the sofa in the room. Finding that the temporary blindness that was part 'n' parcel with the eye injury, was a little hard to get used to. Well as long as it was temporary he would be fine, he just hoped that there was no drastic damage to his eye that was permanent. No he didn't need that as a weapon for the others to use against him in their vendetta.

Sebastian glanced around the room, seeing that Claude wasn't there. He sighed as he sat next to Ceil. "I told you that I should have come with you." He chided the boy. "And now you're in this situation."

Ciel sighed, slightly irked with that. "If all you're going to do is moan at me because of this. Don't. I can't deal with it at the moment." Sebastian rolled his eyes at the boy.

"Look… I didn't mean it that way. You know. I just mean it being concerned. You do realise I'm not letting you go anywhere on your own now."

Ciel managed a weak laugh at that. "Over protective as per usual." He said with a small smile. In all honesty he liked the over protectiveness that Sebastian showed. It just proved to him how much Sebastian did love him. Just how much he cared.

"Yes, and I hope you know that it'll never change." Sebastian added. Ciel just smiled. "Ready to go home." He asked Ciel, after all Sebastian doubted that he wanted to stay at the university.

"Yeah," Ciel replied sitting up slowly so he didn't disorientate himself or get dizzy. Sebastian smiled and held out his hand for the boy, which Ciel happily took, using that to help himself stand up. Ciel was slightly uneasy on his feet but with every second he was standing his strength was coming back.

Sebastian led Ciel out of the building and into the car park, intending to get into their car. But something made them stop in their tracks, or rather some people. Ash and Alois were stood in the car park they glared haltingly at Sebastian and Ciel, well mainly Ciel. Sebastian sighed a little, choosing to avoid confrontation he ushered Ciel over to the car holding the door open for him.

"Oi." Alois shouted at them, "don't just brush us off like that." Sebastian didn't listen, he shut the door to the passenger's side of the car then went and got in the driver's side. Alois seemed to be annoyed by this.

"Hey I'm talking to you." He screamed at Sebastian, though Sebastian still took no notice.

"Right." Sebastian said to Ciel leaning over and kissing his cheek, Ciel had sort of curled up in the chair, wanting to hug himself close. It was rare for Alois to come to an attack, no he usually sat by and watched Ash and the rest of them do the dirty work, it must mean that things were getting worse. "I'm going to take you to the hospital." Sebastian continued. Ciel turned his head to his boyfriend.

"N-no I don't want to go to the hospital. Too many questions." Ciel replied.

"Just tell them what you told Claude, you fell down the stairs." Sebastian replied, "Which, minus someone pushing you, was what happened."

Ciel sighed a little and curled up on himself more. "Come on, it's just to get those injuries tended to, I don't want anything to happen to you."

"O-okay." Ciel replied quietly, just to stop Sebastian mentioning it. Sebastian smiled and kissed his cheek again, before driving out of the car park.

Alois and Ash still stood there, "How dare he just drive off like that," Alois said with a slight growl. "I will not have him ignore me."

Ash sighed a little. "Have you thought that the approach were using is a little, dead."

"How could it be a little dead?" Alois replied. "We are causing him pain. I was hoping for the brat to suicide. But I guess that this is more fun, watching him suffer as such."

"Yes but surely another approach would be better, I mean since he manages to still get back up and keep going." Ash said.

"And you expect me to come up with a plan in a matter of minutes." Alois replied.

"No." Ash mumbled. "But maybe you could speak to him and get a new plan together."

"Why would I like to speak to him" Alois asked. "He always wants something in return."

"It's a law of business that you can't get anything without giving something in return." Ash said, "Why don't you go ask him, he might make you a good deal. Anyway, don't you work for him?"

"Even if I do. He's not exactly going to listen to someone lower in the food chain."

"But…" Ash began. , "this is Grell were talking about. You convince him that he'll be able to get a certain someone he'll be willing to help you."

"So, I convince Grell to help and in return he gets Sebastian." Alois mused.

"Yeah, sound like a good idea."

"Hmm," Alois mused slightly, something was ticking over in his brain, "but what if Grell never gets something in return." He said, looking at Ash. "Would he try anything against us?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Though I would sway more towards the maybe not, after all you know his reputation, he's gotten in enough trouble with the police, I doubt coming after us if we don't give him what he wants is going to do us much harm, after all if he did all we'd have to do is say that it was his idea in hurting Phantomhive. Who they going to believe? A criminal like him, or two university students like us?"

"You have a point." Alois said with a sigh. "I will go speak to him. But you're coming with me. I want you there too." Okay so maybe Alois was a little scared, scared of getting hurt himself, oh if Alois was causing someone harm then he was happy, if someone hurt him, well that was a different story and he would go crying to the cops. That was just the kind of person Alois truly was.

"Anyway." Ash said, "I think we should get going, if we're going to Grell's then we should get it over and done with now."

"Fine" Alois said with a little sigh, walking towards the university gates. "By the way. What you said, about Ciel being an Earl, was that true?" Well Alois could always use it to his advantage in the grand scheme of his.

"Yes that was the truth." Ash replied, "It came out of the stuck up brats mouth." He added, "why, got an idea?"

"I might do…" Alois said ambiguously. He didn't want anyone to know just yet, just what his idea was, nope that had to be a surprise. "But then if I was to tell you then that would spoil all the fun wouldn't it."

"I guess" Ash said, seemingly unsure, "But then there is a fine line between fun and going too far."

"Yes but that doesn't matter." He snapped back a little. "Getting cold feet are we?" he added with a smirk, his eyes narrowing just a little.

"No… but there's a huge difference between ruffing up the boy and making him do what we want, and practically beating him to death."

"Who said I was going to beat him to death?" Alois asked. "Where in hell did you get that poppycock from?"

"Lau suggested it." Ash said, "He was getting defensive over it, when you first got the obsession with wanting Ciel and Sebastian, saying that you would go to whatever lengths to get them, even if it meant almost, or even beating the lives out of them, that he didn't want part of it. He wasn't going to hold some of the blame when judgement comes for us." He said with a sigh, "I don't think I quite know where that boy is in the head sometimes."

Alois giggled a little, "That's why he's with us. Because he's not one hundred percent there in the mind. He's easy to manipulate. All you have to do is make sure the right words are in his head, keep him drugged up on opium and well subsidised and he'll follow us around like a love sick puppy or a lost sheep, or however you wish to put it."

Ash shrugged, "maybe" he replied, "but he does have some good ideas." Alois merely nodded in response.

"Well I guess I'll go and speak to Grell." Alois said waving a hand dismissively at Ash, Ash simply nodded, he didn't have anything else to say on the topic, and he didn't have anything else that he wanted to say either.

It was 'late' when Alois finally reached where Grell lived. Okay so not overly late, more like 7pm or around that time, but Alois wasn't really paying much attention to the time, he just needed Grell's help, that's all, nothing more, nothing less.

He stopped momentarily at the door, composing himself slightly as he knocked on the door and waited patiently, well as patient as Alois could handle. It seemed to drag like hell, was Grell even in? If he wasn't then well Alois was certainly going to be pissed. A wasted journey.

After waiting for about half 'n' hour or so Alois' patience had ran out and he turned to leave the residence, a slight anger building around him, it had just been a time waste. As he turned the front door opened, the red-head stood at the door, he eyed Alois over.

"What do you want?" he asked curiously. "It's not like your lot to come over here." Alois shifted slightly. So his group of friends had a reputation did they? Well that didn't really matter. They had their eyes on a goal and they were certainly going to get what they wanted.

He looked up at the senior, clearing his throat. "I was wondering if you could help me." Alois asked.

"Help…" Grell mused, "With what?" after all if Grell was going to help then it had to be worth his while.

"Do you know a boy called Phantomhive." The blond asked, it would be good if Grell actually knew who he was going to be dealing with.

"That boy whose parents are missing?" Grell said with a raised eyebrow. Alois nodded in response. "Yeah I know who he is." He added, "What's your tiff with him?"

"Well, let's just say he's becoming a pain. And nothing I seem to do makes him suffer outwardly. Well thanks to that bloody boyfriend of his."

Grell chuckled a little. "He's still with Michaelis. I thought that relationship would have derailed by now."

"Whys that?" Alois questioned, "They're pretty loved up to be fair."

"So you don't know who dated Michaelis before he found Ciel?" Grell said with a chuckle. "I must admit he didn't chose well, after all little Phantomhive is a skinny brat, he can't be any good in bed."

Alois looked at Grell. "You used to date Sebastian."

"Yeah, it was when we were in like secondary school, he was in the year below. But he decided to break it off when I came to university, he said that the relationship couldn't work out, too much distance."

"I see, but he's here now, have you ever thought about getting back together."

"Thought about it, yes." Grell said, "But it's clear he's amused with his little pet at the moment and that's not likely to change any time soon."

Alois simply shrugged, "what if I said I had an idea so you and Sebastian could possibly hook up again." He began, "I can't promise that he will, but it's worth a shot right?"

"And what would this idea be exactly?" the red-head asked curious.

"Well it involves 'kidnapping' and handing him over to us. Then as a result you can have Sebastian."

"And how do you intend to go about it?" Grell asked, he was sold at the point where Alois had said that he'd get Sebastian.

"Well that's why I've come to see you." Alois said, "I was wondering if you had any ideas as to how we can kidnap Ciel."

"Hmmmmmmm," Grell hummed slightly, starting to muse on the idea. "I'll have a think. Why don't you come in?" Alois nodded and stepped into Grell's home, looking around curiously at what it was like as he followed Grell into the living room. Grell's house was practically painted red, it was his favourite colour after all, but it didn't look over the top. There were different shades of red in each room all complementing each other well. Alois was mildly impressed. After all his flat was simply a mess, and his usual home wasn't any better.

Grell plonked himself down motioning for Alois to sit down too, which the blond did. "So ways to get Ciel Phantomhive." Grell began, "but first what's your real motivation for wanting him?"

"Oh. I, I just want to cause him pain, he's always so happy, and well he turned me down for Sebastian and I want to make him pay. I also want to make Sebastian suffer as a result." Grell nodded.

"I see. So I guess then I could play the one who comes to comfort him in his time of need, and at the same time make him take me back."

"If that's what you wish to do to Sebastian then that's what you chose, but getting Ciel away from him, that might be more troublesome." Alois said, "After all Sebastian is very over protective of him."

"Okay. So where are they now?" Grell asked.

"Well they'd either be at home or Sebastian might have taken Ciel to A&E, since, well I had someone attack the brat and he fell down the stars in the process."

"Hmmmmm, well it takes a while at A&E and I'm guessing since he fell down some stairs they'll want to do a thorough examination to see what other injuries he may have." Grell mused, "I could take you to A&E and help you kidnap him in that setting. I'll make sure Sebastian's attention is diverted and then you and whomever you wish to assist you can take Ciel away."

"But you don't have a medical degree how can you even pull off something like that."

"Alois, my friend, I am a master of disguise." Grell replied with a small smirk. "It'll be easy. Doctors are usually changing shift around now so it provides a perfect opportunity for you to grab Ciel."

"Sounds good. I'll have someone meet us there with a car for a quick getaway on our behalf, what about you?"

"Well I'll drive us down there." Grell said with a roll of his eyes, he stood up and walked out of the room to grab a couple of things. Alois stood and went to the front door and waited for Grell, as he did that he sent a text to Cole, to get him to meet them at A&E.

Alois couldn't believe this, two years. Nearly two years he has been wanting this to happen, and it was now a few moments away from occurring. Something seemed to be working in his favour for once. He was finally going to get his hands on Ciel Phantomhive. The boy was going to be his. The blond started to feel feint with happiness, oh all the things he could do to him, all the fun the pair were going to have, okay so maybe not Ciel, but Alois was certainly going to have fun.

Grell came to the front door a few minutes later a doctor's uniform in one hand, and a needle containing a clear liquid in the other. Alois looked at the needed intrigued. "I don't think you want Phantomhive to put up a struggle now do you. That would just draw attention to you."

"That's good thinking." Alois replied, "My associates Cole and Knox said they'd meet us there." Grell nodded and ushered Alois out of the house and into his car before driving him to the hospital.

At the hospital Ciel was being seen to by the triage* nurse. "We'll have to send him for an x-ray and a MRI scan to see if there is any other damage." She said as she gave Ciel a dose of painkillers. "A doctor will come and tend to that in a bit, there is a bit of a waiting queue." Sebastian nodded at the nurse.

"Thank-you" he said, but the nurse just waved it away, going to the next patient on her list. Sebastian sat next to Ciel, who was becoming slightly drowsy from the painkillers, he kissed his cheek. "Trust you to get hurt like this." Sebastian teased Ciel slightly.

"I, I told you that I didn't want to come to the hospital." Ciel whined a little.

Sebastian ruffled Ciel's hair a little, "I'm not taking any chances. You fell down some stairs." Ciel glared at him a little and Sebastian knew why, so he corrected what he said. "Okay so you were pushed down some stairs. Nether the less you still fell down them." Ciel just shrugged.

"So you're just being concerned and protective, wanting to see the full extent of the damage to me." Sebastian nodded at what Ciel said.

"Got it in one,"

"Well, why didn't you just say that instead of talking in riddles, it's simpler to say and it wouldn't have made me think of what you meant?"

Sebastian chuckled, "Well since you missed seminars today I was just giving you mind a little work out." Ciel rolled his eyes.

"Not funny." He said with a whine. "My head hurts enough without having the added strain of dealing with puzzled."

"Fine. I won't pester you anymore with puzzles and things." Sebastian said kissing Ciel's nose. He sneezed as a result, earning a giggle from Sebastian. Ciel pouted then pulled the covers over him so Sebastian couldn't do anything else. However Sebastian just laughed at that. Well at least he was making the boredom disappear for Ciel.

Sometime later, a 'doctor' and a couple of porters came to where Ciel and Sebastian were. "We're going to take him have his x-rays and tests done." The 'doctor' spoke. Okay so this wasn't a doctor, this was Grell in disguise. And the disguise was working, Sebastian hadn't noticed that it was Grell. The porters were just general porters who worked in the hospital, for now.

Sebastian nodded, and stood up, letting the porters take the now sleeping Ciel to where he needed to go. "Can I go with him?" Sebastian asked.

"We would prefer you to wait in the waiting room, we'll call you when he's out." Grell said,

"Alright" Sebastian replied quietly, knowing that the 'doctor' was the most experienced in this matter. He watched Ciel go, despite there being this horrible sinking feeling in his stomach and heart.

Author's notes

*when I refer to triage, I reference the UK style system, where a nurse is seen to ascertain just exactly what is wrong and to direct the lesser cases to a doctors or the out of hours clinic, or even just sending them home with directions to take painkillers. – I don't know what the systems are like in other countries so I thought I should just clarify that.