Ash looked up quickly as the sound of a knock startled him from his concentration. He straightened up from the microscope he had been leaning over, taking a moment to calm himself. He had been on edge ever since he had overheard Claude, and even the slightest of noises were beginning to bother him. He finally took the precaution of locking himself in his lab, hoping that with that small bit of security he would finally be able to continue with his work.

He knew locking himself away could be considered a bit paranoid, but he did not want to take any chances where his life was concerned. There is one thing that every human being possesses and that is the desire to protect their own life. Ash may not have been a shining example of the human race, but he certainly was no exception.

Setting the dropper he had been using aside, he reached over the microscope, picking up a handgun that he had set near his work station. In addition to locking the door, he had also taken the precaution of arming himself.

Making sure the gun was loaded for the third time that day, he slowly made his way toward the door. He reached up to the top and unlocked it and stepping to the left as he waited for the person on the other side to open it. "Come in."

Ash's finger instinctively slid up against the trigger as the door swung open slowly.

The commander stepped into the room, his eyes coming to meet Ash's, unaware of the gun the doctor held at his side.

Realizing it was the commander, Ash relaxed his grip on the gun. He carefully slipped the weapon into his lab coat pocket, trying to act as though nothing were out of the ordinary. It would not do to have the commander think he had been trying to shoot him. Best to leave that sort of thing to Claude.

Under normal circumstances Sebastian most likely would have noticed the doctor's strange behavior, for seldom did things ever escape his watchful eye. However, he was far too upset over what this man had done to worry about what he was currently doing.

"Is there something you needed, sir?" Ash was beginning to realize that this was not simply a routine visit or a transfer of orders.

Sebastian's expression did not reflect the fiery emotions that were boiling behind the calm exterior. He looked around the lab briefly, his eyes skipping over the various forms of equipment that sat scattered across the table top. Finally he took a few steps forward, walking further into the room. "I think you already know why I am here."

In a situation such as this one, Ash knew it was best to act as if he were ignorant of everything. "Oh?"

Sebastian's expression did not change, but even so, Ash could sense the anger underneath the man's otherwise calm demeanor. He had worked under Sebastian long enough to know exactly what kind of a man he was. The commander prided himself in control and would not risk losing it under any circumstance. To do so would mean jeopardizing his position and authority, and that was not something he would risk.

Sebastian took a step forward. "Do not waste my time with your false play of innocence, Landers."

Ash decided there was no way he could avoid this, so he took another approach. "Forgive me, commander.But in my defense, I was only doing as I was ordered. By you."

"I ordered no such thing."

Ash walked toward the cluttered table, lifting a file off the counter. He held it up to silence the other man before opening it. "Yes...right here. Written permission to have any child I choose for my experiments. That is your signature isn't it?"

Sebastian glanced at the signature that lay at the bottom of the page. How could he forget about that? He cursed himself for his negligence, knowing he had been partially to blame for this. Had he only taken the words he had used into careful consideration, this may not have happened.

He said nothing to affirm or deny the doctor's statement however, snatching the file out of the other man's hands in order to have a closer look.

Ash shook his head. "There's nothing you can do about this. I had every right to do what I did."

Sebastian said nothing as he started to turn away, causing a small smirk to appear on the doctor's lips. That had gone better than he had expected. He watched as Sebastian took a step toward the door. "You know, for such a small child, he sure can produce some lovely screams. I'm sure you'll have fun with that."

The moment those words left his mouth, the doctor knew they had been a mistake.

Without warning, Sebastian tossed the file to the floor, turning to grab Ash by the collar of his shirt. He roughly shoved the doctor up against the stone wall, his fingers tightening against the other man's neck.

"You better give me one very good reason why I shouldn't simply kill you."

Ash was surprised at the level of pure, unadulterated anger he saw in Sebastian's eyes. It was so very different from the man's usual control, that for a moment Ash almost wondered if the commander would actually carry out his threat.

Despite the dangerous situation he realized he was in, he kept an outward appearance of calm. "Dangerous to be talking like that, Sebastian. Or need I remind you of the fact that I could turn you in for becoming...how shall I say this? Sympathetic to certain prisoners? You would be removed from your position here and sent off to fight in the war. Do you really want that?"

The doctor spoke the truth, but it did nothing to ease Sebastian's grip. If anything, the argument only served to fuel his anger.

Ash decided to try another approach. "If you kill me you'll only be doing Faustus a favor. Besides, you wouldn't want anything to happen to your precious little toy now would you? I'm sure Claude would love nothing more than to finish what he started with him."

"Son of a bitch." Sebastian relinquished his hold on the doctor, backing up. He shook his head. "Tell Faustus he won't get away with this."

Ash raised an eyebrow as he carefully fixed his shirt collar. "Why not tell him yourself?"

Sebastian knew there was nothing more he could do, at least not where the doctor was concerned. It bothered him that he had lost control over what Ash had said, knowing it was the very reaction Claude no doubt wanted from him. He had been playing right into the other man's waiting hands ever since the very first day.

Not bothering to grace Ash's remark with a reply, Sebastian turned and walked out of the room.

Ash watched him leave, a short sigh escaping his lips. He wondered why he still did so much for a man who wanted nothing more than to see him dead.

Tap..tap...tap...tap.

Ciel drummed his fingers along the wall as he paced the small cell. He had been feeling rather restless and uneasy over the last few hours, though he couldn't quite pin the feeling on anything in particular. He knew he should try to think of something that would help him forget the strange apprehension, but was difficult to keep his mind occupied when there was nothing to do.

It didn't help that the cell he was in was completely silent. The room almost remind him of a tomb; somewhat dark, quiet, and cut off from the world of the living. Ciel wondered briefly if that was what it was like to be dead. Hearing nothing at all, alone in a empty darkness. It wasn't necessarily a comforting thought, especially not with the feelings he had recently been having.

He paused as he turned to walk the length of the cell once again, reaching up to touch the sensitive skin around his eyelid. It had gradually been lessening in pain, though it was still sore and a bit swollen.

He sighed heavily. He understood what it would be like to lose the use of his eye, but coming to accept the situation was far more difficult than he had ever imagined. Depression was the first emotion he felt after the initial shock of it all, and though he realized he shouldn't allow himself to wallow in those feelings, they still tormented him mercilessly.

The only small bit of comfort he would allow himself was the knowledge that Sebastian had not been a part of what had happened. The commander's anger, though frightening, had been a relief to see. That deep hatred Sebastian held for what had been done and those who had done it, meant more to him than he would ever care to admit.

And that was why he was worried. Worried that Sebastian would do something terrible because of that anger. As much as he would have liked to see both Ash and Claude dead, he knew he didn't want Sebastian to be the one to do it.

There was something else as well. Something that had bothered him for quite some time.

Claude's plan to murder Sebastian.

He had been too emotional to remember to warn Sebastian of it before he left, but he had been wishing he had done so ever since. He only hoped the commander would heed the words he had spoken to him before he had gone.

Knowing he shouldn't dwell on such heavy thoughts, Ciel allowed his gaze to wander around the room in search of anything that would provide a distraction. His attention was diverted to the small wooden desk that sat in the other corner of the cell. He had thought to explore it earlier, but decided against it, fearing his curiosity would incite wrath from the commander. That didn't seem like a possibility now, and he figured it wouldn't bother Sebastian if he were to see what was inside of it.

He walked up to it, running his palm lightly over the dusty surface of the wood, his gaze drawn toward the first drawer on the left. Slowly he reached down and pulled it out. The compartment was filled with blank sheets of white stationery paper. Taking one out, he closed the drawer and started to open the one below it. It was mostly empty except for a few sharpened pencils and one ink pen.

Ciel reached in and took the pen, closing the drawer slowly. He set the pen and paper on the surface of the desk, then bent to look into the third and final drawer. It turned out out be empty, so he closed it and directed his attention back to the items he had found.

He had never been particularly fond of learning, thinking it a rather tedious process. Right now however, he was very glad of the education his mother had so diligently stressed that he have.

Sitting down on the chair that stood behind the desk, Ciel picked up the pen and stared down at the blank page. After a moment of thought, he started to write his aunt's name at the top. He knew the letter would never reach her, but continued writing anyway. It was simply a way to pass the time.

Though it was addressed to his aunt, Ciel used the letter as a diary. He wrote personal things; things he wouldn't have wanted her, or anyone else to read.

He wrote about his feelings for Sebastian, and how he felt about what had happened to him. His words weren't well thought out or carefully planned. He only wrote what came immediately to mind and then moved on, not bothering to reread what was already done. By the time he was finished, he had used the front and back of several sheets of paper.

Ciel supposed that it must have taken him a few hours at the very least. Yet the cell still looked the same, as if no time had passed at all. He sighed as he pushed the papers out of the way, laying his head on the table.

He wondered how the other prisoners were faring, or more specifically, how Abberline was. He knew the other man could very well be dead right now, but he chose not to dwell on that. Still, he couldn't help but wonder what had become of him. He wished he could at least get word to him that he was safe. Abberline was no doubt worried about him.

He figured Sebastian might be willing to make sure Abberline was still alive and maybe get a message to him, if he could only build up the courage to ask. Perhaps if he gave the commander something in return...

That thought made his face heat up, and he was sincerely thankful that there was no one else in the room to witness his blushing. It was strange to openly admit these feelings to himself, for up until he had last seen Sebastian, he had been filled with doubt. And he would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that he still did have doubts. It was such a troublesome feeling.

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair as he stood on the lawn outside the officer's barracks. As much as he wished he did not have to do this, he felt he had no choice.

Eric Slingby had served him well for the several years they had worked together, and he had even come so far as to think of the other man as an ally. But Eric had been the only person to whom he had entrusted Ciel, and as such, he was the only man who could have betrayed him.

Walking up the stairs, he opened the large double doors. Two men who were talking inside the entrance snapped to attention as he passed. He ignored them, making his way down the hall to the room at the very end. He knew Eric would be there, for the man had a habit of retiring to his quarters when he had a couple of off duty hours to spare.

Sebastian gave the courtesy of a single knock, though he opened the door before there was any acknowledgement from inside.

Eric glanced up from where he lay on his bed. Seeing that it was the commander who entered, he stayed silent, waiting for him to speak. He could already tell that Sebastian was not in the best of moods, and he was wise enough to guess the cause of it.

Sebastian shut the door, leaning against it as he regarded the man lying on the bed. "I trusted you."

Eric stared at him for a full minute, saying nothing. Finally he looked away, unable to hold the other man's intense gaze. "You think I betrayed you."

"Didn't you?"

"I don't think that you would understand."

Sebastian straightened after a few minutes, his heavy boots breaking the silence as he crossed the room. He placed a hand against the wall above the bed's headboard, leaning against it as he looked down at the other man. "Trust and betrayal are not things I take lightly. I think you at least owe me an explanation."

Eric turned his head, glancing up at the man who stood over him. He was quite possibly the only person besides Claude who did not hold a certain amount of fear for the dark haired commander. He did respect him however, and he figured he did at least owe him an explanation for his actions.

Sitting up, he motioned for the commander to seat himself in the chair that stood across from the bed. He remembered the warning Ash had left him with the day he had threatened him, but he decided to disregard it. It seemed Sebastian already knew what had happened, so it wasn't likely that the doctor would still hold him to silence.

"Ash was here," Eric began as soon as Sebastian had seated himself. He could see the commander's eyes darken slightly at those first words, but continued. "He asked me where Ciel had been taken. Naturally I denied any and all knowledge of it. However, he had something that forced me to change my mind." The blonde man paused and leaned forward slightly, his eyes downcast.

Sebastian leaned back, watching him. He said nothing, waiting for the other man to continue whenever he was ready.

"I am in love with another man. His name is Alan Humphries and he is not in the military. We have been keeping our relationship a secret for obvious reasons, and have been corresponding through letters since I was posted here. Somehow one of those letters came into the hands of Ash Landers. He threatened to have Alan arrested unless I told him what he wanted to know. I had no other choice but to do as he asked." Eric looked up, catching Sebastian's gaze. The red eyes that stared back at him were cold and unreadable. He could feel them judging him.

"You betrayed your commanding officer for the sake of a civilian."

Eric shook his head slowly. "No commander, I may have betrayed you, but I did it for the man I love. Is that so difficult for you to understand?"

When Sebastian did not reply, he continued, "I don't know what you have with that boy Ciel. Maybe you love him, or perhaps you just want to use him. Whatever the truth may be, you've become angry over what must have happened to him. If you could have, I'm guessing you would have prevented it. It's the same with Alan. I want to protect him, no matter what the cost."

Sebastian sat silent for a moment after Eric finished speaking. A week ago he would have despised this man for betraying him. He might have even gone so far as to report both him and his lover. But though those thoughts crossed his mind, he felt as if he could not carry them out.

He stood up without a word, starting for the door.

Eric watched him with resignation. Sebastian had said nothing, but then again he hadn't expected him to. He knew he would most likely be sent off to the front lines for what he had confessed. He could only hope the commander would leave Alan out of this. "I don't expect you to forgive me for my betrayal, neither do I regret what I did. But I hope you'll try to understand."

Sebastian stopped as he reached the door, turning to look back at the other man. He had only wanted to make eye contact and nothing more, but those words struck a chord within him. "There is no reason for me to try to understand. I already do." He turned away, his hand on the doorknob. "Do whatever it takes to protect your man. That's an order."

Eric watched as he walked away, surprised by those words. He had not expected the commander to be willing to understand, nor had he expected to be forgiven. There was a definite change in Sebastian, something that until this day, he had not thought possible. And because of that, he came to respect the commander far more than he ever had before.

Ash had not been able to relax since Sebastian had paid him a visit. Though he had pretended to be unaffected, he had been slightly intimidated by the commander and it only served as a reminder of another, more dangerous problem he had.

The situation involving Claude had to be dealt with. And it had to be done tonight. Perhaps it was foolish on his part to believe he could persuade the other man to change his mind, but he felt he had no other option.

He wrote up a quick note, slipping it through the slot on the door of Claude's office. Now there was nothing left to do but wait.

Of course he wasn't simply going to meet the other man without the proper planning. He made sure to take every available precaution.

He still had the handgun from earlier and was ready to use it should it come to that. But he still held out hope that it wouldn't. It wasn't as if he cared whether or not Claude lived or died, but he knew that the military would send an investigation should any one of the staff be found dead. That was not something he wanted to deal with.

He hoped to put Claude in a position where he was forced to listen to what he had to say. He was sure the other man would find the information concerning Sebastian to be quite helpful.

Claude was a man who acted when opportunity arose. As he stooped to pick up the note that lay below his door, he couldn't help but realize that this was one such time.

His reason for wanting Ash dead went far beyond believing the man to be a risk. It was not about that at all, though he had used that reason as an excuse. No, Ash's death would be far more than a simple murder. It had far more meaning than that.

The dark haired man took a black leather glove from the drawer of his desk. Biting down on the smooth fabric, he pulled the glove over his hand. His pistol lay on the desk within reach, but he made a point of leaving it behind. He would go to meet the other man unarmed.

"You wanted to see me?" Claude stood in the doorway.

Ash nodded slowly, straightening from the table he had been leaning against. On the outside he appeared perfectly calm, though that was far from how he felt. He was just now beginning to wonder why he had invited Claude to meet him alone in the dead of night. Surely it had not been the wisest of his decisions. "You got my note."

Claude reached into his pocket, pulling out the small white envelope. He held it up a moment before tossing it to the table. The note slid under the pile of paperwork, lodging somewhere inside the stack of files.

Ash's eyes never left Claude's face.

Claude turned to close the door, then walked further into the lab, looking around briefly. "I see you cleaned the place up a bit since that boy of Michaelis' was here." The words were meant to be sarcastic, though the unemotional way the man spoke them did not give that impression.

Ash nodded again, keeping his hands rigidly by his sides. It took all his self control to keep them from straying toward the gun in his pocket. "Yes, I couldn't bear the filth that I knew had been here."

Claude's stoic gaze leveled on Ash as if he was very much aware of the doctor's implication. He chose to ignore it however, instead walking up to the table.

"Michaelis paid this block a visit this morning," Ash said, searching the other man for any reaction. He thought he caught a faint glow of interest in Claude's eyes, but couldn't be sure.

"Oh?" The dark haired man paused, leaning his only arm against the table as he waited for the other to continue.

Seeing Claude in such a relaxed position brought the doctor's guard down slightly. "It seems harming the child did exactly what you predicted. He was furious."

A slight smirk played around the edges of Claude's lips, changing his otherwise blank expression. He had figured Sebastian would act in this way, and it was exactly what he wanted. "You don't say."

"Yes, and it seems he knows you were behind it." Ash simply wanted to keep Claude interested in what he was saying, keep him distracted. And that was where he made his first mistake. "He even went so far as to threaten me."

Claude's eyes narrowed minutely. The odds definitely were in his favor. "What a fool he is to become so strongly attached to others."

Ash caught the underlying meaning behind those words. He brought his hand up to his head, running it through his hair to ease the nervousness he felt. "I suppose you think anyone who doesn't agree with you is a fool." He paused, getting no reaction out of the other man. "I overheard you talking on the phone a day ago."

Had he not been skilled in controlling his emotions, Claude might actually have shown surprise at that revelation. He had not known about that, nor had he anticipated it. "I see."

Ash hadn't known what to expect from the unpredictable man, but that answer somewhat bewildered him. No apology, no defending himself or trying to pretend that the other man may have misunderstood. Claude simply admitted it as if it were nothing more than serious than having a conversation with his mother. "You have no more use for me. That's what I heard you say."

"I don't believe that was exactly what I said or how I phrased it, but yes, I do suppose it was something to that effect." Claude straightened, starting to slowly walk around the table.

Ash kept an eye on him lest he make any sudden moves. "After all I've done to help you, all I've risked. You think I'm just going to sell you out? Why would I do that? I can still help you Claude. I know much more than you think. I can still be useful."

Claude let his gloved hand run along the surface of the cluttered table, fingers closing around the top of a small object. The movement was blocked from the other man's view. "Oh don't worry, dear doctor. I've since changed my mind."

Ash allowed his guard to slip even more, turning to face the other man. "You have?"

Claude stopped in front of the doctor. "Yes. I've come to the conclusion that you will be extremely useful." His hand lay at his side casually, giving no indication of his intentions.

If Ash had been thinking rationally, he would have not been so quick to trust the other man. But he had held out the hope he would be able to change Claude's mind, and it was because of that hope that he believed the blatant lie he was told. He sighed in relief, looking down for a split second.

That second was all the other man needed.

Claude took a step closer and raised his arm, bringing the syringe he had picked up from the table forward. The needle went right through the thin shirt the doctor wore, stabbing him close to the heart.

Of course that alone would not have killed him, for the needle was not a very thick one. However, before Ash could react, the clear looking liquid that had been in the syringe was pushed slowly into his bloodstream by gloved fingers.

Ash stared at Claude in shock at the initial pain, his eyes widening in realization. He looked down at his chest, though he already knew what had been in that particular syringe. His muscles were starting to cramp and he fell to his knees in front of the other man. "You...bas..tard.."

Claude simply stared at him.

Ash's brain was working perfectly, however his motor functions were becoming labored. He was finding it difficult to speak and even more difficult to keep himself upright. He fell backward onto the floor, unable to move. He could still see Claude standing over him, yet could do nothing.

The gun in his pocket had seemed like a good idea, but now he could not even so much as reach for it. He could only stare up at Claude, knowing the man found him pathetic. He could see the cold, merciless way Claude stared at him. It was as if he were looking at a pile of trash.

Claude's eyes drifted from the paralyzed man lying on the floor, traveling around the room. His gaze settled on a blanket that lay folded on a shelf in the corner. He reached for it, walking back toward the doctor whom he knelt beside.

Ash started up at him, his pale eyes meeting Claude's cruel golden ones before his vision was obscured by the heavy blanket.

It was not long before Claude was sure the doctor was no longer breathing. Not one to leave anything to chance however, he reached down to feel Ash's pulse. The body twitched slightly, muscles spasming as a result of the drug, but there was no other signs of life. He tossed the blanket to the side, standing up.

Most people would feel something for what they had done, a small pang of guilt, the quiet voice of their conscience telling them they had done wrong. Claude however, felt nothing at all. He stepped over the body carelessly, glancing around the room to make sure he had not missed anything.

This murder could not really be pinned on Sebastian, not unless there was proof. Of course he would have some help in that department, but then again he did want to make this appear believable.

He turned, his eyes scanning the room once more. The typewriter on the table caught his eye and he walked toward it. There was already a piece of paper in it, a few lines of writing imprinted upon the page. It seemed to be a daily log of the doctor's, a record of the events of the day. At the top was the date, and from there it was divided into sections.

Claude quickly started to type in the blank space of the page, his eyes shifting to the clock as it chimed one in the morning.

A/N: I'm sorry for making everyone wait so long for another chapter. I've been super busy lately and haven't had much time to write. I feared people would think I abandoned it, which is far from the case.

Thanks for all the faves, follows and reviews~ They make me very happy.