Summary: Catherine sees to the need to rescue Ciel and Sebastian but it's too risky to bring along her apprentice and lady so… Undertaker babysits. Includes a badass demon witch, a sweet mortician and a curious young witch…

It was morning when Catherine frowned, changing her aura so drastically that it worried Elizabeth. Both knew that Ciel and Sebastian were away on Phantomhive business and though it wasn't expected to be dangerous, Ciel had managed to talk Elizabeth into not coming by promising to bring her back a gift. Catherine saw through it and in all honesty, so did Lizzie but she pretended for his sake.

So when Elizabeth saw the change in her maid, her hand immediately brushed her foil. 'Catherine.' She called, her tone commanding.

'My brother has run into trouble. It seems like he requires help.' Catherine revealed instantly. She had no intention of sheltering Lizzie like a pathetic child.

'Does Ciel need us?' Lizzie asked, a slight fear in her eyes but mostly it was fighting spirit. Catherine analysed what she could from her powers and connection to her brother and turned sharp demon eyes on Lizzie.

'My lady, I must insist you stay behind. They indeed require my help however the circumstances are too dangerous for an inexperienced witch.' The demon witch spoke, calculating how fast she could get to her brother's side and help protect her lady's fiancée.

Lizzie didn't like that one bit. 'That won't work will it? Will you leave me here defenceless?' She questioned daringly. But Catherine smirked at her smartly.

'Not at all, my lady. I have already decided on the perfect temporary guardian.'

After several minutes of rapid arguing, Lizzie realized Catherine's logic couldn't be beaten and she sighed sharply. 'Fine, call your temporary replacement.'

'Of course, my lady.' The elder witch answered, smug with victory. Not ten seconds later, Undertaker appeared on the open window sill, humming to himself cheerfully. He entered swiftly, bowing slightly to Lizzie before taking Catherine's hand and kissing it.

'And how may I be of service to you, my dear?' Undertaker drawled adorably. Lizzie stared. Undertaker was her temporary guardian? She supposed he made sense… Catherine had told her once that he was a legendary shinigami.

'Watch over my lady, Undertaker. Sebastian is in trouble.' Catherine sighed but Undertaker saw the glint in her eyes. He played along with her exasperated charade.

'My, my, what has that demon gotten into now, I wonder?' He drawled, giggling in that cute undertaker fashion.

'It can't be helped. I'll finish fast and get back here as soon as possible.' Catherine sighed with a smile before she leaned in and whispered. 'Take care of my apprentice. I'll bring you back a souvenir. The skull of the enemy?'

'Lovely.' Undertaker chuckled quietly and with a sharp smile, Catherine faded to ashes and was taken by the wind.

Undertaker turned back to the cheerful girl with a wide grin that would've seemed creepy to some but was perfectly welcoming to Lizzie. The shinigami knew that this was a big thing. Even if she would not say it, Catherine only called Undertaker to guard Lizzie because of how valuable she was. Lizzie was not merely the lady of the demon witch but also her gifted and precious apprentice. Catherine was not willing to lose Lizzie. Lizzie was greatly important to her in a way that was hard for humans to comprehend. The young earl's bride would come to realize it only later.

PART TWO

'Oh look here, a hybrid.' Catherine spoke, materializing before her brother, his suit tattered and worn and blood on his face and body. Even Ciel seemed to be injured, his leg at an odd angle. Catherine eyed it with a frown. 'Lizzie won't like that.'

'Sister.' Sebastian greeted and Catherine's face softened slightly, seeing her brother's condition. She offered a smile to the surprised earl too. 'Don't worry. I'll take care of it.'

'Who are you?' The man hissed harshly. He was a Nephilim. The greatest enemy to a demon next to shinigami. But of course, more dangerous. Demons were genetically at a grave disadvantage with Nephilim. 'Another demon? Double the fun then.'

Catherine herself turned to look at him and smiled, licking her lips. 'Not quite but that is my brother. And you know, I happen to be fond of him and even that young earl. You probably didn't know that, so I'll give you a choice, do you want to be my lunch or would you rather rot in oblivion?'

'You think you can defeat a Nephilim?!' He dared, laughing manically as he challenged Catherine. He was mistakenly taking Catherine's red eyes and sharp canines to be common characteristics of a typical demon.

'I don't think that at all. I know it.' Catherine licked her lips again and approached her prey with a mocking sway in her steps. 'After all, it is for a witch to eradicate filthy Nephilim. But… the demon in me would like a snack.'

'W-what?' He stammered, more afraid now. Against a witch, he was destined to die and then to rest in the stomach of a demon… is to suffer for eternity. Was she really… both?

'I don't like how you've injured my brother or my lady's fiancée. I'm quite protective, you know?' She commented offhandedly. Sebastian took his master out of sight with a smile and sighed with a certain shielded fondness. He enjoyed watching his sister take apart the enemy. She was so very vindictive and such a sadist. But… he had to ensure his master's safety first.

Ciel would never forget her words or the sound of ripping flesh, breaking bones and Sebastian's somewhat proud chuckles. He realized a long time ago how deep he had sunken himself into darkness with Sebastian but only then did he realize that Elizabeth in all her devotion had followed him into the same dark pit, toting another otherworldly being. He didn't know if he should be glad or horrified.

PART THREE

'You should not worry as you do, dear.' Undertaker sang cheerfully, smoothing out Lizzie's forehead gently with his fingers. 'Wrinkles will ruin your face!'

Lizzie relaxed her face and turning to her guardian, her thoughts wandered away from Ciel for the first time. She began to think about all the things that Catherine told her concerning shinigamis and this one in particular. In one quick move, she removed his hat and the movement caused his fringe to lift for a moment, showing his surprised face and yellow-green eyes. 'How do you see without glasses, Undertaker? Grell and that William person use them.'

Undertaker covered his shock with a smile. What a bold child indeed. 'You seem to know much about my kind, Lizzie dear. Did Catherine tell you that?'

'Yes. As a young witch, I have to learn about all the beings there are.' Lizzie said with a shy smile. She quite liked the idea of being a witch but never got to talk about it to many people.

'I see. Well, I've lived long enough that my eyes learned to improve without my glasses. I haven't worn them in years!' Undertaker chuckled, explaining. Why not? He had no reason to lie to her and it was keeping her occupied.

'How long have you lived, Undertaker? Sometimes, I can't tell.' She said slyly but Undertaker caught that. This wasn't a question he wanted to answer. He liked people to continue guessing his age.

'Well, I haven't lived very long at all. I was twenty five when I died.' Undertaker expertly wormed his way out. But this new information left Lizzie confused.

'I don't understand.' She said bluntly, her lips making an adorable pout.

Undertaker grinned. 'All shinigamis, are dead, Lizzie dear. Our hearts do not beat. We don't need to breathe. Even if I'm warm and I move, I'm as dead as my clients.' He giggled but Lizzie, daring and curious as she was, didn't take his word for it.

Instead, she thumped her hand to his chest. It was warm as he said but sure enough, there was no rhythmic beating. He was crouching down to her level and so stumbled back a step, causing his fringe to sweep to one side as he laughed at her actions. 'It's so quiet!' She exclaimed, making him laugh louder still.

'You didn't believe me?' He giggled, attempting to make the laughter subside. He did love the feeling of humour tickling through his frame. When she looked up to answer him, she was distracted by another possible question.

'Where did you get that scar, Undertaker?' She asked and at once, he was quiet. He merely blinked at her. Should he tell the truth? Was there reason to lie? She wasn't the child everyone thought she was but was it wise to tell her?

'Why would you want to know how an old mortician got some ragged scars?' He chuckled, covering it up with humour as was his specialty. It didn't work this time.

'They look painful.'

And it was the compassion in her voice that decided Undertaker's reply. 'They were once upon a time but no longer. They were given to me by my young shinigami student. She was possessed by a demon during a time when my skills were less than now. And because she was so dear to me, I could not fight her.'

Lizzie began to tear up, seeing his face, thoughtful but not far away in memory, she pressed on. 'Then how did you survive?'

'I was an important shinigami, I suppose you could say. So other shinigami decided to save my life by ending hers.' Undertaker sighed. 'She wouldn't have ended me though, she maimed be but the wounds were never fatal. She was able to fight off the demon inside just enough.'

And Lizzie began to cry. She threw herself at him and cried for his pain, shocking him. 'Why are you crying, my dear?' He asked in wonderment.

'Because I'm so sorry for you!' she wailed and continued to cry. Undertaker let a soft smile grace his lips and lifted a long taloned hand to pet her head gently.

'Do not cry, Lizzie dear. It happened many years ago, longer years before you were born. It is not for you to mourn.' He said, wiping her tears and grinning at her jade green eyes. 'My dear demon witch really caught a prize, didn't she? An apprenticing witch with compassion and a lack of cowardice. How rare!'

And flattered by his words, Lizzie laughed with the humorous shinigami for a moment. Their entire exchange lasted perhaps fifteen minutes. Directly after that, her thoughts went right back to her beloved Ciel.

PART FOUR

After Catherine had healed Ciel's broken leg, The two supernatural siblings were off, Sebastian carrying the young boy so he wouldn't slow them down. Catherine twirled a perfectly cleaned skull in her hand, her gift to Undertaker, the skull of a Nephilim. 'Honestly, brother, you should know better than to take a fight with an advanced Nephilim so light-heartedly.' She chided him.

Sebastian sighed sharply, his brow irritated. 'Not that you should complain, sister. You love being the heroine.' He retorted simply.

'You could have changed to your demonic form and saved Master Ciel a broken limb.' Catherine stated bluntly. Sebastian actually scowled. It was a surprise for his contractor.

'That happened in the beginning before I got there and he's likely to die of fear if he saw my true form.' The powerful demon grimaced. Ciel simmered in fury and Catherine noticed. Everyone seemed to think Ciel was completely helpless.

'You underestimate him, you know. He's stronger than he looks. He summoned you after all.'

And Sebastian had nothing to say to that comment. Not that he could anyway. At that moment, they had arrived at the Middleford Manor and Lizzie rushed to clasp her arms around her fiancée protectively, not making a sound but releasing a quiet sigh of relief. Catherine smirked at the adorable scene as Ciel calmed her down and silently throwing the white skull to a pleased Undertaker.