The stain of blood. Lifeless bodies. The sound of soap hitting gravel. Blue eyes.

Sebastian closed his eyes to block out the images that flashed before him. They were stopped for a moment. Taking off his hat, he ran a hand through his hair, trying to rationalize his emotions.

Over the years he had killed more people than he cared to remember, but never had any of that made him feel the smallest shred of guilt. The first time he ever raised a weapon against someone, he had known he would be able to kill without remorse.

He wasn't self righteous nor did he believe that he was free from any sin. He acknowledged every wrongdoing in his life, but the knowledge of that didn't change the fact that he felt nothing concerning what he had done. People had never meant anything to him. Their lives had no value in his eyes. And he had been able to do despicable things because of it.

But that was before he had set eyes on Ciel Phantomhive. The boy brought something more to his life, filled a void that he hadn't known he possessed. Ciel interested him in a way no other person ever had. He had convinced himself that the boy was merely a distraction, something to use until he grew tired of him, but that was far from the truth.

He had both the power and means to have done anything he wanted to the boy. But he had instead given the child a choice. Not exactly a fair one, but a choice nonetheless.

He shouldn't feel guilt. He never had before. And yet, he had felt remorse for what he was doing. It had been brief, lasting only a second, but it had been very real.

The thought of killing Ciel had come to his mind several times, but each time he dismissed it, knowing it was impossible. Somehow he knew that it wouldn't fix the problem he was faced with.

He wanted the child, even though he was aware of how despicable his lust for the boy really was. But he didn't just want Ciel's body, he wanted to possess his heart as well. He wanted the boy to accept him, even though he knew he wasn't worthy of it.

He opened his eyes and looked down at the stack of paperwork that was lying on his desk. With one quick brush of his hand, they were scattered to the floor. He had power over everything that went on in this camp. Control over the life and death of every man, woman, and child. And yet somewhere along the way he had lost the power he had held over himself.

Ash looked over at the file that was lying on his desk. Ciel Phantomhive. Claude was expecting him to carry out his orders, and Ash knew it would be foolish to waste time getting that accomplished.

Placing the file back into the cabinet in case someone happened to wander into his office, he headed down the empty halls of the medical experimentation block. Opening the front doors, he started across the lawn into the area of the compound where the officers were housed.

By Claude's description, Ash was sure Eric Slingby was the man he was looking for. The officer was a well liked soldier, solid as a rock, and completely loyal to whomever he decided to serve. Obviously the commander trusted him, and that meant that it would be almost impossible to get him to talk under normal circumstances. However, all men have a weakness, and Ash happened to know that there was one person Eric cared for more than the commander or even the Fuhrer himself.

Ash walked up the steps of the large building, nodding to a few SS officers as they walked past him. He opened the doors and made his way down the hall, knocking at room toward the back.

"It's open."

Ash turned the knob as Eric called out, entering and closing the door behind him.

The man in question glanced up from pulling on his high black boots. If he was surprised to see the doctor, it didn't show in his eyes. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, pushing it back from his face. "What can I do for you doctor?"

Ash wasted no time in getting to the point of his visit. "Ciel Phantomhive. Where were you ordered to take him?"

Eric stared up at him in silence as if measuring the man before him. He shook his head. "I have no idea what you are talking about. I have had no orders concerning someone by that name."

Ash had been expecting this. He nodded. "Ah, well I suppose I asked the wrong man." He made as if to leave, then paused. "Oh, I think you might like to know I have a letter here from a man called Alan Humphries." He paused, allowing his voice to trail off as he studied the other man's reaction.

Eric's eyes narrowed a bit before he resumed his casual demeanor. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Men shouldn't be sending other men letters filled with such incriminating words." Ash reached into his lab coat to pull out an envelope. "This was intercepted by one of the other guards here. Your lover must have trusted him to take it to you, but instead he brought it to me. I'd hate to see something happen to your dear Alan; you know what they do to men like that. He might even be sent to this very camp."

Eric stood up, towering over the other man. "You wouldn't dare."

Ash wasn't in the least intimidated, simply pushing the white piece of paper back into his coat pocket. "No, of course not. I'm more than willing to keep this a secret. But I will need to know about Ciel Phantomhive."

Eric stared down at him for a long moment. He was given a choice between betraying his commander or the man he loved. Most men might find that a difficult decision, but to him it wasn't. He was willing to break the laws of God and man if only to save Alan's life. "I was ordered to take him down to the old, unused isolation cells in the main building. He's in the last one toward the back. That's all I know. Now give me that letter."

Ash shook his head. "No, I think I'll hold onto it for a while longer, just in case you decide to tell the commander about our little chat. But don't worry, it will be safe with me." He turned and opened the door, leaving the same way he had come.

Claude ran an oiled cloth over the barrel of a silver gun, watching as the light from the window shone down upon it. Adjusting his glasses, he stared down at the blinding light that reflected off the barrel. There was only one other gun like it in all of Germany. One other man who held an exact replica of the beautiful weapon.

The gun held so many memories. Looking at it took him back to his days of childhood, the days before he knew what hatred and bloodshed could do to a man. But the pistol was also a reminder of something else. Something so painful, any other man might have buried the gun just to be rid of the torment that went along with it.

Everyday since the incident, he had forced himself to clean and load the weapon. It kept him from ever letting go of the hatred he held for the man he had once loved like a brother. Revenge had kept him alive.

Taking a cartridge from his breast pocket, he slipped it into the chamber with his only hand, giving his weapon one last look before picking it up and sliding it into the holster at his waist.

He would soon have the revenge he craved so deeply, and perhaps then he would finally be free.

Ciel sat on the floor between the wall and the bed, his blue-gray hair draped across his face. He sat staring at the washbasin that stood across the room, now filled with cold water. The bath he had taken hours before had felt wonderful, but he hadn't been able to enjoy it because of the unanswered questions that swarmed through his head.

Food had been sent to him, shoved through a panel that opened at the bottom of the door. It was far better than what he had been given in the barracks, and he could only suppose Sebastian had ordered it.

Try as he may, he was at a loss to understand why the commander had left so suddenly. He couldn't possibly see what he might have done to make the man react the way he had. But what puzzled him even more was what he had seen in Sebastian's eyes. He hadn't expected the commander to have any conscience, and yet he had clearly seen regret in his eyes.

Regret for what? That question bothered the boy. Was it regret for having forced him into surrendering his body for information? Or simply regret for something Ciel knew nothing about?

Whatever it may have been, Ciel hadn't exactly wanted him to leave. And more than a part of him hoped Sebastian would return. He had been waiting for hours, only going to sleep when exhaustion took finally took over.

Perhaps the commander was merely busy. Surely a man like him had more important things to do than waste time with a Jewish boy. Or maybe Sebastian was avoiding him. That was a logical explanation seeing as how he left. Common sense told Ciel that he should be glad for the time he had to be alone. But he couldn't keep from thinking about the raven haired man.

With a shuddering sigh, he pulled himself to the bed, lying down on the smooth blankets. Placing his head against the pillow, he closed his eyes, unmindful of the small tear that traced its way down his cheek.

Sebastian finished his paperwork, having for the moment successfully rid his thoughts of Ciel. He picked up an order that had been sent earlier that morning, signing it before calling to his secretary Bard who sat outside the door. The man didn't answer. He tried again. A moment passed before the door was opened.

The man who walked in was not Bard, but another guard who worked within the building. He stared at Sebastian a moment, not even bothering to salute his commanding officer. "What do you need?"

Sebastian looked over at him, immediately put into bad humor because of the insubordination. He chose to ignore it however, having far more on his mind than the punishment of one man. "Where is Bard?"

"I don't know." The man shrugged.

Sebastian stood, holding his hand out with the orders. "Alright then, see to it that this is carried out."

The man stared at him, but made no move toward the paper he held out.

Sebastian grew impatient. "I gave you an order soldier. Do I have to repeat myself?"

The man casually walked forward, glancing down at the papers. He took them from the commander before turning away.

Sebastian knew exactly what was happening. This time he wasn't going to let it pass. This camp had run of the strict discipline he had been so well known for, and he couldn't allow that reputation to be sullied. "I'm putting you on report for this."

The guard stopped and turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing. "Well, I'll see what commander Faustus has to say about that." He left without closing the door.

Sebastian stood staring at the open doorway, his eyes narrowing as he thought about what had just taken place. While he had been busy worrying about a certain young boy, he had failed to remember that there was a war going on inside the camp itself. Claude was already disregarding his power, turning his men against him in open rebellion. He knew this to be a fact, but he couldn't prove it. Not yet. They would have to play this little game through until one of them blundered. Claude had just made the first move.

The large metal door creaked against its hinges, startling Ciel who sat up and looked toward it expectantly. He forced himself to stay seated, though a part of him wanted to run toward Sebastian when he came in. The door opened slowly, but to his surprise, it was not the commander who faced him, but the doctor.

Ciel pressed himself up against the wall, his eyes wide as he watched the other man. Ash was followed into the room by a guard clad in a long black coat. He was someone Ciel had never seen before.

"Take him," Ash ordered.

The mysterious man nodded, his lengthy gray hair swaying as he moved forward. He rolled up the long, black sleeves of the coat, revealing thin hands with black nails. "Heheheh."

Ciel stared at him, not quite sure what to think. He took a deep breath and sat perfectly still, knowing that it would do no good to scream or otherwise protest.

Why were these men here? He didn't think anyone but the commander knew where he was. Perhaps it was Sebastian who had sent them. No, he didn't believe the commander would do that. He could only go back to what he had heard outside his barracks that one fateful night. Perhaps the doctor knew he had been listening and had finally come to silence him.

The black clad man grabbed both his arms, pulling him roughly from the bed. He was dragged across the short distance and shoved to his knees in front of the doctor.

Ciel looked up at Ash, unsure of what the other man's intentions were. The doctor stared down at him, a dark look in his eyes. He wasn't difficult to read, at least not in the way Sebastian was. Ciel could see clearly that the man intended on causing him harm.

Ash reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a thin syringe. He kept his eyes on Ciel as he got it ready, glancing up at the man who was helping him once he was finished. "Hold him still."

Ciel didn't struggle, knowing it would do him no good. He ignored the strange shiver that went up his spine from the way the guard's nails dug into his flesh, keeping his eyes on the doctor. Hatred poured out of his gaze as he stared up at him with those two sapphire eyes.

Ash grabbed Ciel's wrist, pressing the needle into the vein in the crook of his arm. The clear liquid was slowly injected into his bloodstream.

Ciel stared up at him, blinking as his eyes began to feel heavy. He was barely able to keep them open to see Ash remove the syringe. His body felt unstable, and he took a deep breath, trying to keep himself upright.

It was no use. His vision blurred completely and he slumped into the man's arms, the world going black around him.

A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to update. Life has been busy. But just a note for the future; I intend on finishing this story. I'm not going to abandon it, no matter how long it might take me to update.

Thanks again for everyone who reviewed, favorited or alerted this story. I love you all.