I am avoiding school work so here's more story. I realized I haven't actually introduced the girl whom is narrating. So here goes. I know. Her name is hella weaboo. but it didn't feel right renaming her. If you happened to follow the original story, you'll know that she is very near and dear to my heart, even if she was just a terrible OC.

Also, sorry for such a long, drawn out intro. I'm trying not to rush into anything, and I believe it's more important to build a story than skip to the action. After this chapter, there should be lots more action and moving parts.

S/O to ChocolateWolfey for the encouragement. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it :)

Breakfast had been quite...awkward. Not solely because of the events of earlier, but that didn't help. Sebastian had accompanied us. It was more of my shock that the master of this home was a child. I had so many questions, but none that seemed appropriate to ask. And besides, I could already figure things out for myself. His parents were gone. Dead. And he had overtaken the company. He was the sole survivor of a horrible tragedy and the kid looked so hardened. As anyone should expect, I guess.

For a while, I sort of just picked at my food nervously, trying to figure out what to say. Ciel certainly didn't have much to say. Well, at least at first. He asked me small questions, like my name and occupation. But it seemed strange for him to ask, considering he'd already had some presumption of who I was, or rather my connection. So I was admittedly even more nervous, feeling as if I had plunged into some sort of quiz. I was just hoping that I was choosing the right answers.

And, all the while, I felt out of place, With such fancy food. I'd been picking at what...I believe Sebastian had called it a scone? And the reality of the nobility I had stumbled upon really sunk in when I had seen the way Ciel was dressed.

Lastly...Well. I couldn't fathom looking in Sebastian's way. I was haunted by the idea that on some perverted level he must've enjoyed seeing me so vulnerable earlier. He hadn't come across to me as being very apologetic or even embarrassed. In fact, I felt like I remembered seeing the corner of his mouth tug upwards into a smi-

"Midori Haruka," Ciel said. I jerked in surprise at the sound of my name rolling off his tongue, looking up uncomfortably to meet the child's gaze. Crumbs. He'd said my full name. Was I in trouble? Dear god, this breakfast felt like sitting in on a court case.

"I found it quite funny that you'd find your way here by chance." He went on, eyeing me warily.

I was silent, unsure of what to say. I didn't want to incriminate myself by misspeaking, but he was sort of staring at me now, awaiting a response. So I smiled sheepishly back at him.

"Uh, yeah. Quite funny!" I laughed, awkwardly. But he didn't laugh. Not even smile.

"Let me start by explaining the obvious," He spoke, reeling back in his seat. I tensed. "I am aware of your connection to the Phantomhive family. I believe your late husband worked very closely with my father, but in matters that may not have ever been discussed with you."

I looked at him, questionable and anxious. Would he finally explain the secrecy that shrouded the Phantomhives? It would answer so many questions I had.

"What sort of matters?" I asked, my brows raising.

"Charles helped in cleaning up London's most despicable criminals," he explained. "To my knowledge, he was an informant for us Watchdogs."

My Charles? Helping to clean London up? That didn't sound much like him at all. He was too...soft. Charles hadn't been a wimp, but he looked at the world with such fresh eyes and naivety. It was something that I loved about him, because it mirrored my own personality. Life was like an unsuspecting adventure with him. So I sort of just stared at Ciel with this look of disbelief, waiting for him to explain himself a bit more. Charles did regard Vincent as a close friend, and they did often talk. But I couldn't imagine him being an enforcer of justice.

"He went missing around the same time both my mother and father did with not too much explanation. I was talking this over with Sebastian, and I found it interesting you knew that my father had been murdered, a detail that hadn't really been released to the public."

I paled, remembering the words that had slipped from my mouth just last night. My eyes flickered over to Sebastian, who looked much more serious and intimidating than he had before.

"I-It was explanined to me!" I spoke up, my voice quivering. Oh my goodness. He thought I'd had something to do with it! "Charles.." I started, but my voice trailed off. Unsure. How was I going to explain this? I didn't want to misspeak again.

"W-When Charles heard about the manor burning down, he was really frightened. I couldn't console him! He wouldn't talk to me about it at all. But I remember he was afraid that he might be next. He believed there was some sort of of conspiracy to take out people of nobility." I broke my gaze with Ciel.

"Even though it happened so long ago, I can still clearly remember. It wasn't long after the Phantomhive manor burning that he disappeared. It was like he up and left one day. Nothing tampered. He had just walked away from it all. And if it hadn't been for him being so concerned about the Phantomhives in the weeks before, I wouldn't have even suspected foulplay."

I inhaled, my eyes fluttering shut.

"His hand. It had been sent to me in the mail. Chopped at the wrist. It was absolutely horrifying," My voice was becoming more strained.

"..and I can still so clearly smell rotten flesh, and see the pale shades of his skin. Even though I had been so overcome with grief, I was still under huge interrogation. His family suspected me immediately, so they had expelled me from his manor. I..I want to know who did this, too."

It was silent for a second, the boy looking between me and Sebastian.

"Interesting." Ciel spoke, leaning forward in his seat.

"Midori, you're from America correct?"

I hesitated for a moment before I managed to utter out a yes. Yes, I was from America. Charles and I had fallen in love during a trip to New York. And the rest was history. I left my life to be in his.

"You've helped me better understand the strength of my enemies," he spoke, his eyes falling shut. "Our enemies. Midori, I want you around."

"...What?" What was he saying? He wanted me? I couldn't provide him with anything besides grunt work, at the very most. After all, I didn't belong to anyone anymore.

"Well, why not? We both have something to gain. You want to capture the perpetrators as much as I. Our cases are similar. So why not stay here in the Phantomhive manor? Especially when you haven't a penny

to your name and no way to get home."

"But how could I be of use? I'm just one woman."

"I'm sure if a man like Charles Whiston married you it wasn't simply because of your looks, Miss Haruka." Sebastian interjected. Which further surprised me. How...flattering! But I wondered if he was trying to make up for earlier. I'm sure he'd noticed that I had been avoiding looking his way this whole time.

"Yes...Well, it's something to consider." Ciel spoke, eyeing Sebastian warily after the strange comment. "And after all, I'm not quite sure how I feel about you leaving and reporting on my gardener's inhumane strength." Inhumane strength? And just like that, everything suddenly came rushing back to me. How I had gotten here. What had happened. Why I'd woken up in a bed that wasn't my own. Where was my hat anyway? It didn't seem appropriate to address that, so I decided to ask later.

"Ah yes, another good point," Sebastian spoke, looking my way. I wanted to avoid meeting his gaze, but it felt rude not to. "And with such a tattered reputation already, it wouldn't serve you well if we were to publish our own complaint about your trespassing." I cringed. What was this? It felt like an offer of redemption, but at the same time it didn't feel like too much of a choice either. I felt more bullied into it than anything. It was a question of choosing to ruin my public reputation even further or do something that helped him. It helped me too. But was I ready to re-open the mystery? And just how dangerous was it to go searching for these answers?

But again, I didn't feel like I had much choice. And I wouldn't be able to live with myself at the thought of ignoring the opportunity.

"The answer is obvious then." I spoke. "Let's find out the truth together."

But, even as I said that, I felt off. Even as I toasted to the occasion with him. This feeling of dread began to bubble in me. What was I getting myself into?

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