And now something a whole lot less romantic - a woman's natural dealings. In Victorian times, sadly we didn't run to the shops, nor did we advertise when we had this condition... no, we simply went on with a rag - so we get "on the rag" from. How sweet. And no, we didn't have happy periods. So, a nod to all the times we wished we had a person who just simply understood we want to be pampered and then beat the hell out of them. *sigh* Oh, ya, there is some romantic parts too. *passes the chocolate and tissues*

Punch Jelly

Mey-Rin left the bathroom and sighed. She was sure that if Sebastian and the Master had gotten back like they had planned, before the night had consumed them completely, she would not be dreading to be curled up in her monthly pains, alone. For some unknown reason, although, if pressed hard enough, she was sure to speak of the plausible reason, but one she didn't dwell on much, her monthlies, were not, in fact monthly. They came and went when they pleased, and usually were only a few months apart. But when they came, she groaned, they came. She turned into the pillow and brought her legs to her chest, squeezing her muscles, even as she tried to relax them.

As sleep slowly took over, she dreamed of the night she had Sebastian had finally made love. Had finally thrown themselves into the making of the most delicious dessert they had ever tastes. And tasted, again after they had awoken from their glorious baking session. The way his powerful arms held her and his Eclair transformed her Victorian Sponge Cake… she woke with a start. The wetness was not from the pleasant dream, but rather a reminder that for now, she was not with child, nor with her lover. She turned over and stretched a leg, tentatively letting her stomach relax. She glanced at the glowing lamp and at the clock. A few hours sleep at least. She got up and groaned; she really wanted to be off the rag.

"I'm not asking for much, just a comforting arm around me, or a back rub." She sighed and got back into bed after changing. "Honestly. It gets lonely when he is not in the house."

She moved and opened the side drawer and pulled out the picture the Master had asked them to pose for. He had stood between them all, Sebastian, the tallest, and senior servant, stood to his right, to the Master's left stood Tanaka, Bard, Finny and herself. She stood closest to the Master, and stood out in her black and white dress, the others all dressed in their fine clothes. Of course the Master, Sebastian, and Tanaka, always wore fine looking clothes. Her thumb brushed over the tall figure and the slight upturn of his lips.

"I want those lips on mine," she sighed and brought the photo to her lips and kissed his image. "I miss you. I hope you and the Master are okay, no matter what delayed you."

A crash outside her door, though faint, made her sit up and loose the photo from her hands. She grabbed it from the bed and placed it back in the drawer and slid it close. She got up and winced, but crossed the room quickly to where her rifle sat. Anther crash made her hurry to slip her feet in the slippers she kept by the bed. She opened the door to the hall and peered out.

"It's from the first floor!" Bard said, running past her, his own weapons in hand. "What a bloody time to have the Master and Mister Sebastian gone!"

"Finny? Where is Finny!" Mey-Rin called as Bard rounded the next stairs. He looked up at her and looked down below them.

"He was finishing some repairs. Working late he said," he finally said. "Hurry!"

"I'm moving as fast as I can!" she muttered. She didn't want to let him know she was on the rag. She wasn't sure he wouldn't start bleeding as well from being so embarrassed. The sounds rose louder as she finally caught up with Bard and saw Finny down the hall. "Oh, gods. Is he…."

"Yes." Bard simply said and they stood, watching their beloved Gardner cry at the end of the hall. He threw a punch and took a chunk of the wall with his fist. "Where the hell is Mister Sebastian and the Master?"

Mey-Rin shook her head and looked at Bard. "He will take the whole wall down if we don't stop him. What the hell was he working on?"

"A garden for the wedding."

"Oh," Mey-Rin said. "We need to stop him."

Bard looked at her as if she was crazy, and even as she said it, she knew it was crazy to approach the man. She remembered when he came to them and sighed. He was a scared and broken child, used to being used and mistreated. She shook her head and frowned. Between her not feeling well because of her monthly, and Finny acting out, she was quickly loosing any strength she had when she heard the noise.

"We have to find Mister Sebastian!" Bard said, fury in his voice. He turned and stalked down the hallway, toward the servants stairs. She winced as Finny put his fist in the wall again.

"Finny?"

"NO!"

"Finnian," she called, firming her voice. "Finnian you need to calm down."

"It is not perfect! It is not what should be done!"

Mey-Rin took a few steps towards him, as he now sank to his knees and was surrounded by the plaster and brick that had fallen from the wall. She glanced at the holes and bit her lip; one of the paintings of the Earl's parents was hanging sideways and she knew it could fall at any moment. She didn't have the strength on a normal day to take it off the wall. She looked back at the boy and reached her hand out to touch him.

"Finny," she whispered. "I know it's not perfect, but you need to breath. The Manor - our home - is perfect. One thing not perfect isn't wrong or bad. We can fix it."

"Mister Sebastian will hate me! He ordered all the stones and told me he would help with the garden today - but he isn't back! And I ran out of stones before I could finish the fountain! I wanted to show him I could do it on my own. And now... it's not perfect!"

"I can see how that's not perfect. But," she said, sliding closer and placing her hand on his back, rubbing small circles over his dusty shirt, "I know Mister Sebastian will fix it. And he will not be mad. He certainly will not hate you."

"You don't know that."

"I do."

He turned and wiped his nose on his sleeve and eyed her. "No you don't. You just say things like that because you are kind."

Mey-Rin smiled and ducked her head. "I try to be kind all the time, but I get mad and frustrated too. There are times when I mess up too - you know that. And Mister Sebastian is nothing but patient with me. He is patient with all of us. He is kind. Loving, sweet." She felt her cheeks warm. "He knows what we needs and gives us it to us."

"I needed a home," he said very quietly.

Mey-Rin nodded and saw the front door open quickly, and two very familiar figures stepped in. "And I needed safety," she answered just as quietly. "And Mister Sebastian and the Master gave it to us. And will continue to give us what we need." She sat back and smiled as she watched Finny stuff his fists into his eyes and rub them dry. She looked past him at the figures of Sebastian and the Master as they moved up the stairs, surveying the damage. "Finny?"

He slowly looked up and blinked. "Yes, Mey-Rin?"

"Do you believe that Mister Sebastian and the Master will not punish you for not getting the garden perfect? For…" she looked at them and the hole in the wall, "getting angry at yourself?"

He sucked in a deep breath and looked around, the dust much more visible as the lights had been turned on sometime as he and Mey-Rin talked. He looked at her and nodded slowly. "Yes," he said in the most boyish voice she heard. Her heart broke and she reached out and hugged him.

Sebastian came beside them and knelt down, holding her gaze before reaching out and placing a hand on Finny's back. She felt the Gardner stiffen and she pulled back and gave him a warm smile and nod.

"Finny," Sebastian said softly. "The garden looks perfect. I was mistaken in my ordering of materials. Please, it was my fault."

Finny turned and Mey-Rin watched as Sebastian, the Head Butler, and her secret lover, bowed his head, beseeching forgiveness when it wasn't really his fault. She looked at their Master and saw he had the same soft smile and nodded to Mey-Rin.

"I'll get some tea and some cleaning supplies," he said and turned and walked back down the stairs, leaving the three of them. "Bard! Help me get some tea."

"Mister Sebastian you never make mistakes!" Finny finally gasped and moved to kneel in front of him. "You are… perfect!"

Mey-Rin smiled and blushed as Sebastian raised his head and met the Gardeners wide stare. "Not everything I do is as perfect as it appears. This mistake, in making the garden, you see? Mine and mine alone. Please, don't worry yourself. If our meetings hadn't gone longer, I would have been here to see my mistake."

"I made a mess," Finny said as he once more looked around. "And I scared Mey-Rin and Bard. I was bad."

Mey-Rin shuffled through the plaster and felt her insides twist painfully. "No, you are not bad. And yes, it scared us, but we are all fine."

Finny finally stood, looked around and hung his head as he moved and walked down the stairs a bit as the Master and Bard brought brooms and tea. Sebastian came over to Mey-Rin and hooked his arm around her waist and helped her up. He looked at her for a moment and frowned.

"You are not doing well yourself," he whispered as she tried to stand straight. She threw him a look and he blushed a bit. "A guess from the way you moved."

"It will pass."

"Go upstairs, relax." He paused and he walked her down the hall a bit. "Please? Take a bath, you have have done so much already and I can see the exhaustion in your eyes. Use my bath is bigger than the one you share, and curl up in my bed."

"Sebastian that is kind, but -"

"I can take care of your needs in other ways," he simply said. "I'll make sure to bring clean clothes."

She blushed deeper. "Sebastian!"

"It's a natural thing, and I will understand if you wish to sleep on your own till it passes."

She turned as she opened the door to the staircase and placed a hand on his arm. "My dear," she whispered. "I can't possibly sleep well without your arms around me. Especially at the moment. You don't know how desperately I wanted you to hold me earlier."

He leaned over and kissed her softly. "About as badly as I wish to do nothing but hold you, I am sure. Now, up to a hot bath. Don't worry about anything. I will launder your bedding and nightgown."

She looked down and could see, even in the dimmer light of the stairs that her menstrual blood had sept through her rag and had stained her gown. "Oh, damn."

"Shed the clothes and I will lend you mine, if you need them."

She looked up and leaned into him briefly, not wanting to stain his suit. "One of your shirts?"

"If it would make you feel better."

"I think that and your arms would be perfect."

"As you wish my Sponge Cake," he whispered and kissed her softly on the forehead. "I will be there as soon as I can."

"But Bard and the Master -"

"Will have to deal with not having you here. You are tired. Go. Take a bath and clean yourself. I know you are tired and we will rest when I am there."

She watched as he turned and closed the door to the stairs and she slowly climbed the stairs, frowning at the stains on her nightgown and cursing her monthly, which wasn't monthly, so she didn't curse it too much. As she moved past her bedroom, she replaced her rifle and took out a new pair of undergarments and rags, and walked to the now familiar bedroom of the Butler and her associate dessert maker. She had only ventured into his bathroom once, after their last dessert making, and struck a match and lit the gas lamp above the freestanding bathtub. It was bigger then the one she and the boys shared, and she watched as the water flooded it, filling it slowly. She shed her gown and brought it to the sink and ran cold water over the stains, washing the blood out. How many times had she done the same but not for her monthly? So many times she had gotten blood on her from a job. Or defending the Manor. Finally she did the same to her rag and undergarments, feeling self-conscious as she stood naked in the Butler's bathroom, a warm bath beckoning to her as she finished trying to clean up after herself. She knew Sebastian would take care of it, but she was a Maid, and that was her job.

Finally she slipped into the bath and felt the twinges of her muscles as she let the hot water cover her up to her breasts. She curled up and stretched out, according to her pains. She was soaping her arms as Sebastian knocked on the door and looked in.

"Mey-Rin?"

"Come in. It's your bathroom."

"Yes, but I didn't want to come in if you are not wanting me here."

"No, I do. Come in."

He smiled and glanced at the wet heap of clothes that were near the door. "You didn't have to clean them."

"It's my job - I am a Maid."

He brought a small stool and sat down beside the tub, smiling a bit as she reached out for his hand. He curled his gloved hands around her one offered and leaned down and kissed her fingers. "I wish I could take the pain away."

"There are only a few ways a man can do that," she answered. Her eyes danced with laughter as he looked up. "One is to wait it out - a woman's cycle stops some time. Another is to make her feel like she is special even so she doesn't feel like it." She smiled and brushed her thumb over his hand. "You have that down to an art, but the way."

"And the other?"

She gave a small laugh and groaned as her muscles twinged. "The other? The other is to give her a child."

Sebastian's hand stilled and he looked down at her hand and then slowly back at her. "A child."

She nodded and smiled a bit. "A very special outcome in eating the most delicious dessert one can have." She looked down at the water and slowly back at him. "But with us, having a child is a very low chance of happening."

He tilted his head. "Why?"

"I… I had things happen to me when I was younger," she said finally, softly, sadly. "I don't know if I can have children."

"That would be very sad," Sebastian said finally. "The world needs more beautiful woman like you."

She blushed. "You already have me in your bathtub and willingly going to your bed. You don't have to be so thick about the complements."

"Perhaps, but it is still true." He slipped his hands from hers and smiled. "A towel is waiting, and some new clothes. And one of my shirts, as requested, my dear." He kissed her forehead and scooped up the soiled clothes.

"Eclair?"

He stilled and turned in the doorway. "Sponge Cake?"

"I love you… for this."

He smiled and nodded. "I'll be right back. And then I am not going anywhere else, unless you tell me to."

Mey-Rin sighed and finished soaping up before unplugging the water and splashing new water over her body to rinse off. The towel was warm and fluffy, and she hurried to dry her legs and stomach, placing the undergarments and rag in place before drying her breasts and hair. Finally she was satisfied she was dry and a small chill was going through her, making her breasts stand tall as Sebastian had demanded from her when they had sampled their desserts. She glanced at the folded shirt.

"No, when we made love - simply made love," she said softly as she unfolded the shirt. She pressed it to her and inhaled his unique scent and the lavender soap she used to wash it with. "Love…"

She finished buttoning it over her chest and smiled; it was a size too big, and hung past her waist, but it was perfect in all the imperfections. She started crying as she left the bathroom and stopped walking as she saw Sebastian removing his coat and placing it over the chair by the door.

"My dear?"

"Happy tears, no worries," she said hastily, rubbing her hands across her face. "Don't… don't worry."

His arms folded around her and she started to sob into his shirt, the replica of the one she wore now. "Oh love. I don't remember it ever being this bad," he said, rubbing her back.

"You… you know when I am my monthly?"

He chuckled. "Yes. Your… smell is a bit different."

"Sebastian?"

He pulled back and looked down at her. "Yes?"

"You know that's not very romantic, right?"

"Yes, but it did stop the tears."

She playfully hit him, the long arms of the borrowed shirt slipping over her shorter arm and making it flop. She giggled and soon he was chuckling too as he caught the extra fabric. He rolled it down, slowly revealing her hand and did the same on her other sleeve.

"I'll alter this tomorrow."

"No, it's yours."

"I have plenty. This one," he said as he smoothed the shirt over her slender shoulders, "is yours."

"Oh gods, you are sexy."

"A sexy Eclair?"

She hugged him tight and turned her head up to look at him. "A sexy everything."

She slept in his arms, dreaming of him altering a shirt, of taking baths together, of having a baby with him.