I apologize for not uploading yesterday. We lost power in our area and I kind of didn't have a computer. So here is the post that should have been yesterday.

After having her apartment broken into and finding her brother's preserved hand in a jar which had been placed in her fridge. She runs to Jodi's home to stay the night. As the anxiety builds she feels ill, what will happen when Sebastian sees how ill she has become?

Claude, William, Grell and Ronald investigate the break in and attempt to discover who is behind this. Only there is on slight problem… Hannah's research left out a very important fact which changes the entire game.

I hope you enjoy,

~The Dark Ringmaster

I do not own Kuroshituji.

Chapter 9: Dreams of Crimson and Gold

Alex was sitting on the couch in Jodi's living room, the image of her brother's hand in a jar and the nightmare were fresh in her mind. She wanted to sleep but she knew if she closed her eyes she would return to that dreaded place. Jodi was purely concerned about her and yet Alex couldn't bring herself to tell Jodi what had happened to her. She desired no pity and was desperately afraid that she would be thrown on the streets. "Al?" Jodi asked as she entered the living room, "You look worse than you did last night," she said in shock. Alex had dark circles under her eyes and she was pale as snow. "Don't worry about it, I've seen worse," she said softly as she swung her bag over her shoulder. Inside she was begging to tell someone about what she went through but she couldn't. She didn't want to endanger her friends, the faces of Sebastian and Claude flickered in her mind. Alex shook her head and was quick to usher those thoughts out of her head.

Jodi lived much closer to the office than she did so it took only a quarter of the time to get there, the down side was a pair of twin boys which took forever to get ready for school. Alex opened the door and walked across the lobby, she yawned and stretched, "Today is going to be a long day," she whispered as she hit the button for the lift. The silver doors slid apart and she stepped in blindly. She ran into something hard and fell backward. "Ow," she mumbled and looked up, looking down at her was the last person she wanted to see, Sebastian. She slowly stood up and noticed how he didn't even look at her; she sighed and said, "Good morning," her voice was horse and distant. Sebastian glanced at her and replied, "Good morning," she felt his gaze on her. She couldn't bear to look at him; she was disgusted with herself for even believing that someone actually cared. Jodi did but at the same time Jodi was always asking for favors, Sebastian was the first to ask for nothing in return. Then she turned around and hurt him, she looked at the floor and walked out once the lift door has opened again.

She wandered to her cubical and began finishing off the advertisement for Martinez and the bottle design for "Fascination". Stylus ran across the tablet as she adjusted color temperature and layered images. Nothing else mattered anymore; all that mattered was fulfilling these contracts.

Claude was standing in his office; the conversation with the shigami was fresh in his mind. It wasn't simply the last few months which souls had gone missing but the past eight years. He looked down at her file and asked, "Who on earth wants to hurt you?" Sebastian was depressed ever since that fight and he became more and more concerned about him. He sighed and pushed his glasses up his nose, he needed air. Claude slipped off his tie and put it in his jacket pocket before slipping the jacket on. He locked the door to his office as he went out, he wasn't concerned about humans but who ever was doing this was causing a great deal of trouble. Someone had enough power to make investigators look the other way, which indicated something demonic. He continued down the sidewalk, it amazed him how the people of London were clueless to the fact that walking down the same street as them was a demon. He heard his cell phone ring and was quick to answer, "Yes?" he asked. There was a paused and then he heard William's voice crack through, "I can't find her Claude, she didn't return to her apartment and it reeks of that stench." Claude froze and then asked, "What?" He turned around and looked behind him, he felt as though there were a pair of eyes on him. "Its bad, good thing mortals can't smell it, but I don't think its simply a soul this time," said William. Claude continued to walk and asked, "What do you mean?" He turned the corner and ducked into a café hopping to loose what ever tail he had acquired. "There's something else and it's pungent," said William, "How soon can you get here?"

Claude stared a pair of men in matching black suites entered and he slowly got up. "I'm not sure, honey I know there is a shadow behind me," said Claude as he walked out of the café. William responded, "Do I look like your lover to you? And what do you mean you have a tail?" Claude continued down the street and noticed the two men from the café were behind him again, they were defiantly trailing him. "Please tell me you haven't gone in," said Claude, he stopped in front of a shop window and pretended to look at the chocker on display. "No I haven't, we may be shigami but breaking and entering isn't our thing," responded William angrily. Claude sighed and said, "That wasn't the reason I asked, if they see you enter they will know something's up." William let out a huff and said, "Just take care of that tail of yours before you grown horns." Claude was instantly offended however he figured he mind as well let it slide, he was about to say one more thing when William hung up.

Sebastian was walking around the design floor when he noticed how Alex didn't leave for lunch, he had seen her dark circles but this time there was something disturbing about it. She looked pale and frightened, she jumped at even the slightest noise. His brow furrowed and he began to wonder what she was thinking. It was painful enough for her to not make eye contact with him in the lift, but seeing her in this state was too much. Jodi walked by him with two cups of coffee in her hands and he watched her enter Alex's cubical. He heard the mug tap the table and noticed how Alex smiled and thanked her. He felt pain stab him in the chest and noticed something odd. Alex didn't take a single sip, she set the mug down and went back to work, this was very unusual, she always drank coffee. No matter what time it was he could rely on seeing her with a cup of coffee in her hand. Sebastian was about to walk over to her when he noticed her gaze, it was one of agitation and he turned away. She didn't want him nor need him, her eyes told him that.

Day turned to night and Jodi had to leave to take care of the twins, she had told Alex to take care of herself. "Hurts," Alex muttered as she reached in her desk for antacid pills. She clutched her stomach for a moment. It was a wrenching motion which made her feel horrible. She had felt this before when she was under stress but nothing to this degree. She got up slowly and staggered down the hallway. It got worse as she moved and she felt stomach acid moving up her esophagus. She entered the bathroom and left the door ajar.

Sebastian was walking through the floor, "If she doesn't want to see me, the least I can do is make sure she didn't fall asleep again," he said softly. He noticed that once again the Mac and lights had been left on at her desk. He walked over to turn them off when he realized that she wasn't done for the day. The coffee from earlier was ice cold and he spotted antacid pills on the desk. He turned to the bathroom when he heard her muffled cries, "Hurts," she whimpered. Without hesitation he sprinted toward the bathroom and threw the door open. She was kneeling on the floor with her head over the toilet, he could smell the stomach acid in the room. She didn't respond which meant she hadn't heard him.

Alex began to gag again, she whished someone would say it's alright, and not to fear. She doubled over the toilet and expected her hair to fall in her face when she noticed it didn't. "It's okay let it all out," said Sebastian softly. He held her hair until she was down to dry heaves. Alex's legs nearly went out from under her and Sebastian caught her. "I've go you, you're safe," he cooed as he held her close to him. Alex wanted to fight but she just couldn't, he was holding her and saying it was alright. Finally someone had heard her crying.

Sebastian touched her forehead and said in shock, "You have a fever!" Alex looked up at him sleepily and mumbled, "I can't think anymore." Sebastian didn't understand until she fell asleep leaning against him. Sebastian pulled out his cell phone and called Claude, "She's sick, and sleeping against me," said Sebastian in a panic. Claude was silent and Sebastian could tell he was in shock, "Take her to the mansion, she can leave once she's well again but for now have her rest there," responded Claude. Sebastian looked down at her and whispered, "I wish she would smile." He heard the lift come up the floor and noticed it was Jodi. "Alex?" she called down the hallway. He looked down at the sleeping girl and said, "I'll take her to the mansion," before hanging up with Claude. He then lifted her and carried her in his arms. "Oh my god!" screamed Jodi when she spotted Sebastian walking out of the bathroom with her. "She got sick to the stomach, I happened to be walking by when I heard her," said Sebastian smoothly. Jodi looked slightly guilty and said, "She hasn't been doing well ever since last night." Sebastian tilted his head and Jodi continued, "Some one broke into her apartment and scared her pretty good. She also had one hell of a nightmare she screamed, 'Don't Kill Me' and woke up. It gave my husband and I a shock." Sebastian looked down at her and back to Jodi, "I'll take her with me, if I remember correctly you have twin boys, you don't need a sick girl on top of that," he said, there was a certain ring to his voice. Jodi simply couldn't refuse him, "I'll pack her Mac Book up with her sketches and carry it to your car, give me a minute," she said quickly as she rushed back to Alex's work space.

"Got it," said Jodi as she fallowed Sebastian to his car. She stared in shock at it, "Wow," she stammered. Sebastian placed Alex in the passenger side and then took her bag, "Thank you," he said with a smiled. Jodi blushed and responded, "No problem, I just hope she isn't too much of a burden." Sebastian shook his head as he got in the car, "She most certainly isn't," he responded and Jodi took that as a sign to leave. Sebastian closed the car door, started the car and was quick to start driving to the mansion. He was slightly concerned with the fact that once again she had passed out and it occurred to him that all of these incidents were caused by those two missing years. Two years where she must have been subjected to the cruelest things.

It was hot, Alex felt as though she were burning. Suddenly things felt cool again, and soft. It was a pleasant feeling, "Mhm?" she moaned in a daze. She slowly opened her eyes to find Sebastian at her bedside, his red eyes gazing down at her and a soft towel on her forehead. Claude entered with a basin of ice water and sat on the edge of the bed. Alex was about to say something when Claude whispered, "Shhh, just rest." Alex was even more confused she was lying in the bed again for that night. She couldn't remember going to the mansion and began to believe she was dreaming. "I'm sorry," she said weakly, the pair were silent and looked at her. "I didn't mean what I said, I was just hurt and scared," she continued. Claude sighed and ruffled her hair like he had in the hospital. His hands were relatively cool and soothing, "I know," he said and looked at Sebastian. He noticed the look of sadness in his eyes and she said, "I really didn't mean it, I thought if I had someone to blame the nightmares would go away." Sebastian placed his hand in hers and asked, "Nightmares?" Alex nodded weakly, since it was a dream she figured she could tell them. After all it wasn't like she would receive any pity from them, they weren't real. "When I close my eyes I can hear their screams. The sound of a leather switch and the suffocating rope around my neck," she shuddered and continued, "I just want to sleep." Sebastian's eyes widened a little and a soft smile spread across his lips, she really was suffering alone. "You can sleep now, you're safe. We won't let anything happen to you," he whispered. Claude looked at Sebastian and noted the sincerity in his eyes. Alex sighed and smiled with relief; she slowly closed her eyes and returned to sleep.

Claude and Sebastian watched as she drifted to sleep, "Do you think she realizes what she just said?" whispered Claude so softly that only Sebastian could hear. Sebastian shook his head and replied, "She probably thought this were a dream." Sebastian's hand still rested on hers, the fever was still high but at least he could watch over her. Claude wrapped his arm around him and whispered, "She's safe now, even if she thought we were part of her dream." Sebastian slowly touched Claude's arm with his free hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I just wish she would smile happily," said Sebastian as he leaned his head on Claude's shoulder. Claude didn't think he pulled his raven into his arms and whispered, "She will in time, for now let her dream happily. She's suffered long enough." Sebastian nodded and continued to sit beside her. Claude sighed and slowly released Sebastian, he didn't want to leave him but he could hear the redhead shigami running up the stairs. "I'm going to go intercept Grell before he gets in here and wakes her up," he whispered and kissed the side of Sebastian's neck.

Grell was about to burst through the doors when Claude opened the bed room door, "Yes?" asked Claude softly. Grell was about to shout when he noticed a girl in the bed, "Who's that?" asked Grell curiously. Claude responded, "Mrs. Stark." Grell shook his head and said, "That can't be Mrs. Stark." Claude realized what he was saying and sighed, "I thought we went through this she's actually Alexandra Ross." Grell looked at the girl and responded, "Not technically." Claude looked even more confused. "What do you mean not technically?" asked Claude, he was certain Hannah had the right person. "Do you have her birth certificate and Kindergarten records?" asked Grell. Claude closed the door and said, "Fallow me." Grell did as he asked and fallowed Claude into the study. In moments Claude was shifting through the pages and realized that there weren't any records. "Alexandra Ross was adopted. Her real birth parents left on a trip to China and never returned, abandoning both her and her elder brother," said Grell as he opened a book, containing her cinematic record. "What?" asked Claude and realized it now made sense that was why her background was so difficult to find. "Alexandra Ross died August 10th about 22 years ago; she was the daughter of Doctor Kimball. He adopted the siblings after learning of their parent's disappearance; her real last name is Campbell." Claude froze Campbell was a very powerful name in Europe; the Campbell family was established as Earl of Essex in the 1800s and remained there to this day. "As in Earl of Essex?" said Claude and Grell shrugged. "That's why she's so difficult to find anything on as far as the family is concerned she never existed," said Grell. Claude pushed his glasses up his nose and realized there was something more going on that no one was telling him. "Her parents?" asked Claude Grell shook his head and replied, "Sadly we don't have a record of their death, such a shame, I mean he was and Earl and all." Claude pushed his glasses up his nose. This was a lot to take in, she was adopted, and then kidnapped, tortured and then acquired a new name in the hospital. It was convoluted yet he began wondering who the doctor was, few had that kind of power. "Why is it so bad that her parent's aren't dead?" asked Claude. Grell responded, "Easy we would know where they were then."

Claude paused and realized the truth Grell was saying. It would be a comforting thought to know where they were. Claude closed his eyes for a moment in an attempt to understand what Grell had said. If she really was a Campbell than that would explain a great deal, they played a crucial role in keeping illegal markets in the shadows. They had taken over after the disappearance of Ciel Phantomhive, which Claude knew in great detail what had happened to him. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and sighed, "We need to find out who is tormenting her and get rid of them," he said. Grell was shocked, Claude served as an attorney and now he wanted to make someone disappear. "I thought you were supposed to be a good guy," said Grell. Claude turned on his heel and said, "I'm not a good guy, I'm a demon protecting his own interests." Grell shivered; somehow the tone of his voice was enough to tell him not to push it any further.