Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, I've been busy. Here's the next chapter. For those of you who don't know, Bottle Shock, my new story is actually William and Ronald's story, you may catch a glimps of Claude before Sebastian. I'm not sure if it will skip "A Taste of Heaven in Hell," and go to the happily ever after, but for now it's about before.

Chapter 32: Knife 3: Sunlight in Water

"I would like to introduce you to our guest," said Vincent as he gestured to the doors which were on the other side of the room.

William took this as his cue and pushed both doors open, his strides were long and smooth as he crossed the floor, his posture was perfect and he stood before them with a smile. The room was silent, in fact so much so it was possible to hear a pin drop from across the studio. "I would like to introduce you to William T. Spears, Sommelier from Ciel and ranked third in the world as one of the best," said Vincent. The Sommelier looked at the pair and then gazed over Sebastian's shoulder to see a smirk on Claude's face; clearly he had seen this move. It irritated him a little; Claude was again three steps ahead of him.

William nodded and looked at them and grinned, Sebastian seemed to relax a touch as Ash stiffened, clearly he knew just who had figured out the little game. "Wine is sunlight, held together by water, those are the famous words spoken by Italian astronomer, inventor, physicist and philosopher Galileo Galei. In this box are nine knives, no two are the same. Your task is to pair the wine which you have selected from the box to your dessert, you will be given a taste of that specific bottle and then cook the complimenting dish that will not only highlight the wine but the wine will highlight the dish," William explained. There was a hush around the studio, he knew this was going to explode online and really reek havoc, it had been a while since a challenge like this occurred and he was about to be one of it's judges. "For this challenge, myself and two other Sommelier have been brought into the mix as well as the traditional panel," he stated. Now the game was on, he could see the panic in Ash's eyes as he looked at the Sommelier, clearly he recognized the name. Sebastian seemed cool and collected, all William could pray for was that the chef was still as good at pairing his creations with wine as he had been in college. It wasn't a secret that he had attended each of Sebastian's open lectures and learned about the cuisine which was coupled with his wine. He had even brought samples of Sebastian's work to pairing tests, only to find the suggestions Sebastian had penned on the index cards which came with each box appropriate.

"Ash, you're first," Vincent said as he gestured to the box. William's eyes narrowed as he watched the white haired chef pull a knife, his lips parted and there was yet again a hint of panic in his eyes. Sebastian followed suit as he pulled his knife from the block and examined it. There was a moment of silence as the pair looked at the blades, a small smile formed on Sebastian's lips, William kept his face neutral, he knew that look it meant Sebastian had something up his sleeve. The pair flipped their knives around to reveal the elegant script which had covered them, William's lips cracked into a wide smile as he looked at them. He had a feeling he knew just what they would pull. His eyes fell on the knives which were glistening in the light, in blue were the words Sauvignon Blanc, a white wine. Sebastian's blade was covered in dark red script, a similar color to his eyes, ironically he had selected Merlot, a red wine. This was going to certainly be a challenge to remember.

"You have two hours to cook, William the wines," Vincent commanded. William nodded as he walked over to the benches, sitting on top of them were a number of cases with different logos on them. "For this challenge, Ash you will be working with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, specifically a bottle of 2009 Rarecat Sauvignon Blanc. Sebastian you have Château Trotanoy 2004 Pomerol, a bottle of merlot," he stated simply as he gestured to the bottles. Sebastian slowly walked over to the bench and slowly poured himself a glass of merlot from the decanter. He watched as the chef slowly lifted the glass by it's delicate stem and examined it in the light. The corners of William's lips quirked up as he watched Sebastian slowly pace through all the steps which a sommelier did. Even though the chef's skills weren't as refined as his own, they were still far more impressive than Ash who was both uncouth and a heathen as he poured a glass of wine and took a sip. Sebastian's red eyes fluttered closed as he sniffed the bouquet, he was happy Sebastian had selected that knife, it meant the chef could redeem himself. The bottle was at it's peak for enjoyment and he could only imagine the flavors as they seemed to dance on the chef's tongue.

William closed his eyes as he remembered the lush texture of the wine as it slipped through his lips and hit the tip of his tongue. The warm aroma of mocha, sappy mineralogy and just a kiss of cherry had filled his nose several hours earlier when he had gone to select the wines. It had matured greatly since he had acquired it in 2004 and become a favorite of his. Even though the wine was just under 10 years old he had selected to decant it, after all it would certainly show better. His eyes opened as he watched the Patissier slowly slosh the wine in his mouth, covering every inch of his tongue with the merlot and then promptly disposing of it in the silver bucket with a quick spit. Something which William understood too well, Sebastian couldn't aford to become hazy during this challenge, and he had a feeling he knew what the chef would make. Once the glass was on the table he watched the chef dart to the pantry and pull the same ingredients as the challenge before, it was a bold move.

His eyes drifted to Ash who had started cooking and kept the glass of wine with him, part of him wanted to scoff at the chef's inability to remember the flavor, however he knew better. Not all of them had the same skill as Sebastian, to remember a wine only after having just a sip. It wasn't something most were able to do, in fact, the few who could were Sommeliers at heart who cooked for the sake of survival. Sebastian was going to play with fire and he could tell, the young man had changed a great deal in his flavor since William had met him, yet he had a feeling that tonight he was going to get a taste of something very different, there was a determined air about the chef as he walked over to a spice rack. William felt a question buzzing around in his head as he watched the chef pull canisters of spices.

His eyes narrowed in confusion, the wine could stand up to it, however he couldn't fathom that the dark chocolate would. He watched as the chef pulled cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, strong black coffee and finally an orange. All spices which would make the wine sing, he could see Ash suppressing a snicker as Sebastian returned. He watched as the chef began combining ingredients, however he chose a torte base, "What?" he whispered as he watched the chef work. It was the very same torte base with alterations, now he really wanted to know what was going through the chef's head. In moments the pot of chocolate and butter was pulled off of the double boiler and he watched as the chef added the spices to the hot pot. The rich golden ginger fell delicately into the murky chocolate and was followed by the touch of coffee. His head was buzzing, coffee and wine didn't mix, not usually.

~~xXx~~

Sebastian ignored the smirk and almost mocking expression on Ash's face, he had gotten a white wine, something which Sebastian could work with. He had worked with merlot before, however right now it was all about instinct, he was selecting spices based on what he felt would bring the wine out, he had selected each one with care before picking up the coffee, he needed something to make the chocolate sing. He continued adding the pieces to the chocolate, it was the perfect thing to blend them all together into a delicate velvety texture. He let the chocolate cool as he began measuring the flour and salt out and putting them in the bowl. His fingers were wrapped around the handle of the pan as he poured the dark chocolate into the bowl, it may have seemed like he was repeating the same challenge, however this time he had tweaked it and no one had forbidden the dish. He watched as it fell effortlessly into the glass bowl, a dark ribbon that slowly folded itself on top of the stark white flour. He picked up the stainless steel whisk and began to fold the chocolate slowly into the mixture, he could smell the twist of citrus as it played with the ginger, cloves and cinnamon. He knew it was an odd mixture, however he couldn't resist, he could only imagine what it would taste like when combined with the wine.

He lifted the whisk from the mixture and watched as it fell from the tip in long strands, it was smooth, lush and made his lips curve with delight. His red eyes continued to watch as he determined whether the viscosity of the chocolate was to his liking. Pastries were a subtle and complex art, there was a great deal of science involved, as well as that sensual element of the unknown. The bitterness and darkness of chocolate, a forbidden spice which made the individual crave more. The smoother and closer to velvet he could get it, the better. Cloves were earthy like cinnamon and gave a dish that element to remind the dinner that everything is a gift from the earth.

His long white fingers slipped between the stiff sheets of parchment to line a pair of pans. Coffee, to highlight the chocolate and give it just a little more congruency, to bring the chocolate out but not drown the wine. He slowly pressed the parchment into the pans, his finger following the seam between it's walls and the bottom. Ginger, for heat, a subtle reminder of the fires of life, be it love, pain, spite, anger or even spirit all were relevant. The chef slowly pulled his hands away and gently tipped the glass bowl so the batter fell into the pans, slowly spreading across the surface as he continued to remember why he had every ingredient there. The orange was something he was nervous about, it could really make the wine sing, or destroy it, a little citrus to bring out the tartness of the raspberries to come and play at the tip of the tongue, tantalizing and sweet with just a bite to drive the individual insane.

The bowl tipped back as he placed it on the counter and turned to the oven, somehow he had remembered through his musing to set the temperature. He placed the pans in the oven and turned his attention to the filling, he had been careful with the spices, he had added just enough to make things interesting but not overpower the raspberries. He pulled the three cartons of raspberries and set to work on making the filling. He could feel Claude's gaze on him, Sebastian looked up for a breath to see Claude watching him, his fingers resting on his elbows as he crossed his arms, a smirk of interest had spread across his lips, those lips which had burned him. As much as Sebastian hated to admit it he couldn't forget them, their taste, heat, movements and the fire they had kindled. As usual Claude looked sinfully handsome, part of him wondered if the demon of the kitchen really was a demon. Sebastian shook his head a little and muttered, "You silly prat, focus!" He caught a cameraman snicker as Sebastian turned his attention to the filling.

The beautiful blood red berries in the bowl reminded him of what had happened to his hand. The chocolate which had to be broken up, again. He drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, he placed the knife on the board and attempted to control his nerves. Only now did he feel as though there were butterflies in his veins making them tremble with fear. He drew another soothing breath and began to count, he knew there was a time limit, but he didn't need a repeat, no matter how much relief he had felt. He could hear the whispers of several concerned crew members and he could tell everyone was nervous about this. Sebastian opened his eyes slowly as he searched for him, Claude had moved from Joker's side, he needed an anchor, someone to help him through this. Standing beside William and Vincent was Claude he was no longer lounging against the wall, he was at attention, yet unlike William and Vincent who had concern etched into their face, Claude showed confidence. Golden eyes locked with his as he gave a firm nod, Sebastian relaxed, Claude trusted his abilities. He sighed before picking up the knife and began to break up the large dark chocolate bar, it was silly to look to Claude when it came to his own abilities, but somehow those golden eyes always seemed to have the answer.

There was a crack as Sebastian broke the chocolate with the knife, his fingers were wrapped around the hilt of the blade as he continued to work. He slowly fell back into a rhythm as he walked over to the range with a pot and measured out the heavy cream, he was going to make the glaze, one of the more challenging portions of this recipe. His timer went off causing him to pivot on his toe with ease, he was gliding across the floor as he made his way to the oven. Ash was dashing around like a mad man, he honestly looked as though he had lost his head. Sebastian hummed as he slipped oven mitts on and pulled the pans from the oven. He could smell the chocolate and spices dance in the air, it was hypnotic and made his body tingle. He placed the pans on the side and allowed it to cool as he set up a serving plate with a small circular piece of parchment placed in the middle. In seconds a silver cooling rack was out as Sebastian slipped a toothpick into the cakes, they were still rather moist, in fact there was a streak which told him his torte base was ready. He flipped the pans over on top of the cooling rack and gently tapped them, the pieces fell out with ease. After they were free he turned his attention to the cream which was on low as he picked it up and walked over to metal bowl. He placed the hot pot on a glass cutting board, his fingers found the cutting board which he had chopped the chocolate on and slowly slid it into the massive silver bowl.

Once the pieces were in the cream was added, melting the chocolate ever so slowly. He snatched another whisk from his bag and began to mix the two, the cream quickly changed into a rich brown as the chocolate melted and lost all traces of its chalk like texture. He caught a cameraman out of the corner of his eye as he turned to finish the spongy layers which would give the icing more than enough time to cool. He took the smaller of the two and placed it on the bottom after leveling it off with a knife. In moments he was spreading the filling, his edge glided across the spice torte pieces leaving a crimson streak in it's wake. There was silence in the room as Sebastian lost himself in his craft, assembling the final product.

That moment when a chef took a breath to fully appreciate the look and feel of a pastry, to take the small pieces which seemed like nothing and fashion them into a treat. Sebastian's fingers wrapped around the second layer as he placed it on top of the raspberry covered bottom. He looked at the sponges and grinned. The icing was finally cool enough to work with as he picked it up and grabbed his largest edge. The silver edge slipped into the pot as he gathered a generous amount of icing on it. Crimson eyes narrowed as the silver, chocolate covered edge which had been clutched between his slender white fingers med the side of the torte. He hovered above it as he gently dragged the edge around the circumference of the cake, his critical gaze never leaving it. Sebastian could only imagine what it looked like to an outsider as he dipped the edge into the icing again, it was thick and lush, he couldn't wait for it to hit his own tongue. He pulled a fourth carton of raspberries and began to place them on top of the cake, he only put a single ring around the outside and a few in the center. "Ten minutes!" shouted Ash in a rush as Sebastian took a silver blade to the torte and slice it into beautiful pieces, each one was the same size and plated with precision on the square plates. They rested before him, all he had to do was serve the wine and cover the cake with the glass dome. The glasses were ready and he smiled as he poured the wine and waited. "Alright, let's have a look!" shouted Vincent happily. Sebastian's hands were before him as he felt his fingers tremble, he had survived so far.

The judges moved into view, there was a crowd, William was included among them. He was confident and looked as though he knew something the others didn't. Sebastian looked over to see Ash's dish, he made an apple tarte, a traditional French treat. This made Sebastian suddenly rather nervous. He had selected a far more daring idea. The judges walked over to Ash first, the tarte was a beautiful golden brown with rows of apples covering it with a touch of honey. William was the first to take a sip of the Sauvignon Blanc and then take a bite. The chefs followed suit, all of them had closed their eyes, one of the sommeliers looked repulsed and two chefs looked less than impressed. William picked up a white napkin and gently dabbed the side of his mouth, his lips were pursed slightly however he didn't have seem impressed. Hugo was the first to speak, "Why did you chose a traditional apple tarte?" he asked as he took another sip of the wine and swallowed.

Ash replied simply, "I like acid and the apples would bring that out." Hugo was silent, Sebastian felt even more nervous, Hugo was another person who favored acid. The chef hummed as a sommelier spoke up, "Did you observe all the flavors of the wine as they crossed your tongue or where you only concerned with the acidic nature of the bottle?" he asked with irritation. Sebastian paused, he thought that tone was reserved for when William was irritated and yet another sommelier shared it, perhaps it was something they acquired over the years of study. "The bottle screamed apples," he replied. William grinned as though Ash had fallen for a trap and turned his attention to the young chef as he adjusted his glasses. His fingers were wrapped elegantly around the stem of the wine glass. He held it up to the light and examined it, there was silence among them as the cameramen moved in on a shot that was honestly too good to pass up. Now Sebastian could see how Ronald had fallen in love with this man. "Sauvignon Blanc it a very fickle white wine, based on the notes in which she bears different flavors are paired. Too much acid and you destroy the delicate wine, too much sweetness and you mask it's elegance, you have committed a crime," William stated as he swirled the glass and grinned like a Cheshire cat, a look which oddly suited the man. "You allowed your blatant lack of knowledge to show as you attempted to cover it with your skill and attempt to pull on a classic, I didn't ask for a traditional pairing. I wanted you to dazzle me, this tarte," he said as he gestured to it with his hand, "Lacks in creativity, in style and finally the ability to complement a wine. You focus too much on the acidity of the apple, which brings out the tarteness of the wine to the point it becomes unbearable. Even the bouquet isn't appreciated," William stated.

The chefs stared at William as he turned his attention to Ash, "An amateur mistake which would have cost you the dinner," he stated. Ash turned red with irritation as he clenched his fists, "Amateur? You're the sommelier! You are supposed to pair a wine with a dish, not the other way around," Ash retorted. This caused a murmur to erupt among them, William's judgment was firm however he could tell there was discord. Hugo was about to say something when the youngest of the group held up his hand to stop him. "Oh? You have a palate of your own, with knowledge of ingredients far more advanced than a simple sommelier can offer. It's more of an embarrassment to not be able to craft a dish that may be married to a wine than it is to pair the wrong wine with a dish," he stated coolly, Neil Harmon had come out of the shadows. The man was a legend for selecting just the right compliment.

Porrot nodded in accord as he looked at them, "Naturally, this is a well executed tarte however, and the wine is paired properly according to tradition," he remarked. Sebastian noticed they were relentless and began to wonder just how his desert would go over. The chefs looked at the Sommeliers who were clearly unhappy, "Traditional and well executed. Those are the key words in that fraise. Taking a classic and using it is acceptable, however it's only well executed it could be better," Renoir stated with a hint of irritation. There was a pause as they all glared at the man, "The crust isn't right, it makes the wine taste too tarte," he commented. Renoir looked at the group and sighed, "Such a mistake, all you really needed to do was add a touch of honey and pay more attention to your crust, are you sure you're a chef?" he asked sadly. Landers tensed as he looked at the men, clearly that was a blow which no one was expecting to hear. There was silence before the man continued, "Clearly not." The group left Ash in his silent stupor and turned to Sebastian, who now felt like hiding again. The Sommeliers weren't going to like this dish and he knew it. Yet, he couldn't figure out how Ash would fair, there was a schism between the judges, those for tradition and those who were less than impressed.

Hugo was standing before them, his green eyes were locked on the plate with the tort. "I see you're going to redeem yourself," he commented as he slowly slipped a silver fork into the cake. The other judges seemed confused until Hugo looked up and chuckled, "He made a torte base that last time, don't tell me you didn't realize that," he chided before slipping the fork into his mouth. Green eyes fluttered closed as he hummed, causing the others to tentatively taste the cake and then the wine. Sebastian watched each of them slowly melt before him, William's eyes were closed and he watched as the man seemed to purr with delight. There was silence as the group took another sip of wine and savored it on their tongues. All Sebastian could do was wait for judgment and pray that they would enjoy it.

~~xXx~~

"Splendid," whispered a French sommelier after a moment, he opened his hazel eyes and looked at Sebastian, Richard Carrow. "So passionate," he remarked as he looked at the glass of merlot, "I must admit I was concerned, a chocolate raspberry spice torte isn't common, or even thought as a common pairing with this particular vintage," he remarked. William looked over at the sommelier with chocolate eyes and stared, the man was slightly larger than he had been when they had first met, however Carrow was one of the best in Europe. While William had a reputation for being the youngest in the field, Carrow was the one with the most wisdom, he had been around for decades and was there when the Judgment of Paris was decided. With gray hair and deep wrinkled, Carrow wasn't one to be impressed easily and said very little, usually. William had yet to taste the torte, he slowly slipped the fork into the moist sponge and took a bite. his eyes closed as he felt the velvety smooth chocolate hit his tongue and caress it with care. The spices danced subtly and mingled with the raspberries making the dessert ever so interesting. It sounded intimidating and over powering and yet when it was in his mouth it wasn't, each note complimented one another, he honestly felt as though he were tasting wine. All that was missing was the kiss of wood at the end. He slowly swallowed and turned his attention to the glass. He had a feeling this pairing, while unconventional, was the best executed of every attempt to pair this bottle with a desert. William had tried many times to pair it with just the right desert, only to discover it didn't seem right, and yet here he was with Sebastian's desert.

William slowly sniffed the bouquet of the familiar wine, the spices from the cake still mingled and he moaned as they mingled, it was sinuous and honestly sinful. He took a sip of the dark merlot; he became lost in a world he had dreamed of that peaceful taste of harmony. The earthiness, bitterness, spiciness and tartness of the tort brought out the once muffled sweet notes of the wine, layer upon layer of flavor danced on his tongue as he attempted to deconstruct it. All he could think of was Ronald's lips, this was what it was like to kiss another person, the excitement, the thrill, the rush, the heat, and even the intensity were all there. William's eyes snapped open once he swallowed the wine and he looked at Sebastian, Claude had kissed him but there was no way such a sensual desert would be crafted if Sebastian didn't like the Head Chef. William smiled knowingly, as he placed the glass on the table. The first challenge he was giving the opportunity to taste Sebastian's soul and now he was tasting the man's desire, coupled with a nectar he knew all too well. Although people say that the eyes are the doors to the human soul, this chef seemed to serve his soul on a platter for a person to taste.

William was at a loss for words, it was a rare event, however welcome at this moment in time. His eyes fell on Sebastian, the chef was still like water, however he had a feeling that his emotions were in overdrive. Hugo was the next to break the silences which had seemed to wrap it's self around them. "Technically and artistically, this is the best desert I've had to date," he remarked as he took another sip of wine. William stared at Sebastian, it was clear who had won this challenge, "Paired skillfully with just the right wine, however I am wondering one thing, why a Spice cake base?" he asked. Sebastian looked at him in confusion, obviously the chef wasn't willing to say, "You are right that this wine would be accentuated with spices, however, I was wondering if there was something else," Hugo continued. Sebastian looked down at the torte and a blush covered his cheeks, this only confirmed his suspicion, "Oh, I didn't mean to make you blush," Hugo teased with a smile, obviously he had picked up on it as well.

"We will adjourn to the High Table and call for each of you in a moment," stated Vincent as he walked with the group over to the back of the set. William watched Claude out of the corner of his eye, he could tell the chef was interested in the torte. His golden eyes were locked on it, William's lips quirked up, "If only you realized it," he whispered in an amused tone as he followed the chefs to the High Table. This was going to be an interesting debate over whether tradition would beat out flavor and skill. He walked into the room and noticed the chairs which had been added to the table. Vincent was the first to speak, "It appears we have some disagreement," he said with ease. William settled in one of the chairs and was happy to see that a bottle of the merlot he had selected was resting on the table. Strauss sighed as he took a seat across from William, "Yes, however I must compliment William for selecting wonderful wines, each of them has it's challenges," he said smoothly with a smile. Applause filled the room as they thanked him and he sighed, of course he was going through formalities before the real fire fight began.

"Who do we start with? Ash or Sebastian?" asked Renoir, wasting no time getting down to business, as always. William had seen this side of the show and knew all too well that Renoir was about to argue, the question was who's side he was on. "Ash, since he's the first," stated Porrot. Renoir simply nodded and looked over the group, his eyes were cold as ice as he gazed at each of them. "It was a traditional dessert which complimented the wine well," stated Strauss simply. There was a hum and murmur, he could hear Hugo expressing his irritation at the word, "well." Which was to be expected, Hugo had set the bar very high, after all. "However, the flavors weren't impressive," Hugo stated. This caused a ripple to crossed through the table and established where Hugo stood. If there was anything to be understood about the chef, it was that Hugo never swayed from his position once he had placed himself there. It was one of the few redeeming qualities the chef had, it was also the most irritating.

"I agree, the wine was bitter and it masked the flavors, emphasizing acid," stated Harmon, "If I wanted that much acid I would go suck on a lemon." William swore he could hear a knife striking a rod after that comment, if that wasn't a direct jab at the dish he didn't know what was. "It was traditional, I haven't had Un Tarte au Pomme, that wasn't like that with that bottle," stated Porrot simply. William was quiet as he watched Carrow practically jumped to his feet, "The point was to accentuate the wine and the dish! It has no redeeming qualities! In fact I thought the chef's goal was to impress us! I would have been impressed if he actually managed to make it taste less like acid and more like wine!" he shouted with irritation. William made a mental note to not irritate Carrow, he had forgotten about the man's infamous short fuse and violent temper. "It's traditional," stated Porrot, obviously rising to the dish's defence. William was reaching his limits as he watched Hugo turn red, "Traditional or not, it doesn't excuse the lack of skill used as well as the understanding of flavor!" he hissed venomously.

William sighed he had just about enough when he finally slipped his glasses off his nose and placed them on the table. This decision was going to take longer than anyother. Several hours passed as they shouted about Ash's desert. "And Sebastian's?" asked William after a while. There was silence as all the judges looked at him, "Sebastian's dish, will we condemn it for it's individuality and charm to go with a classic or will we embrace it and admire it because of it?" he asked after a moment. There was a pause as they looked at him, "Sebastain's desert was anything but traditional, it was skillful, well thought out and so elegantly exicuted I don't even think he can make it a second time," William remarked. Hugo hummed and crossed his arms, Porrot had fallen silent, Renoir was looking at the table and Harmon was staring at Carrow.

"That's what I thought," commented William as he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

~~xXx~~

Hours had past as the two chefs seemed to lounge in their green rooms, it wasn't much of a surprise, the pair had done a very difficult challenge. Sebastian was sitting silently wondering just how his food went over, he honestly wasn't sure how he did, Ash had proven to be technically skilled but from the questions he could tell the flavor was off. Sebastian was about to say something when Beast walked in, she was swinging her hips with a pair of massive silver cans on her head. Her eyes were closed as he continued to sing along, she honestly looked different as she danced in her tight jeans, with her heels sliding on the floor. Her eyes were closed as she nodded her head, one of her hands was resting on one of the cans, it honestly looked as though she was having a personal party. It was odd to see how comfortable she was. A smile curved her lips as she closed the door, her eyes opened only for Beast to jump several feet in the air with a loud gasp.

"Shesh Sebastian announce when you are in the room!" she shouted. He hummed and looked at her, "You wouldn't have been able to hear me," he stated and pointed to his ear. She blushed brightly and then sighed, "Okay you have a point," she commented. He nodded as he sat back and swept his hand through his hair. She was so carefree, Sebastian began to wonder when he had lost that ability, it must have been long ago. A chill ran down his spine, one of foreboding and fear, he had felt it many times in his life. All of which he had been beaten within inches of his life. "Sebastian?" asked nervously. The Patissier looked at her tiredly. He slowly adjusted his position and asked, "Have you ever had this chill run through you, as though you know something bad is coming, you just don't know what?" he seemed haunted. Beast had turned her music off and was now looking at him in confusion, "What do you mean? Are you in trouble?"

Sebastian was silent, for the first time in his life there was someone else who cared enough to ask, it was heart wrenching to think this, but at the same time soothing. "Aren't we all?" he asked after a moment, he could never tell her what Ciel was doing to him, or what he planned to do, it was all too much. "You're not alone," she stated after a moment. Sebastian was quiet as his eyes widened, he had always been alone and yet she was saying he wasn't. "What?" he asked slowly. She sighed as she grabbed a folding chair and flipped it around so she could lean her arms on the back, "You are not alone," he said simply, "You have us, me, Claude, Joker, Dagger, Alois, Hugo, and even Vincent, you have us."

Sebastian was about to say more when the door opened, Dagger was standing in the doorway, he looked slightly apologetic as he did so. "Apparently they finally made up their minds, took them long enough," he remarked with irritation as he motioned for Sebastian to follow. The crimson eyed raven followed the shorter of the pair toward the doors where Landers was waiting. "Now then, you guys are going to the High Table," he commented. Sebastian zoned out for the rest of the argument, he wasn't interested in hearing the procedure again. He simply wanted to escape it all. The doors opened as Ash walked in first, he was wearing his trademark white look and smiling with ease, honestly the chef looked as though he were a cat and had managed to consume the cannery which had been taunting him. Standing before them was none other than Vincent Phantomhive, the other judges were lined up behind him, it was a large and diverse group which had only hours ago taste a piece of Sebastian's desires.

"This challenge was difficult, we asked the both of you to step outside of your comfort zones and craft something truly extraordinary," Vincent began, "Tonight both of you clearly brought your cards to the table." There was a pause as the slate haired earl smiled and continued, "However, only one wins the challenge." He looked over his shoulder to Renoir who looked more than ready to speak. "Ash, you reverted to tradition to bring out the best in deserts and wine. It's a well known fact that your pairing is traditionally viewed as a safe route to take. However, it wasn't spectacular, it lacked in creativity and maturity, even though the wine was young you didn't tkae the medley of flavors into account," Hugo stated simply. Ash simply nodded, it was apparent he knew he had messed up, yet he didn't seem too pleased about it. Part of Sebastian wondered just how good this chef actually was. He may have talked a big game, yet he didn't seem to pull anything out that he would have to worry about.

"Sebastian, your desert was daring. Using such bold flavors with chocolate, raspberries and merlot was beyond daring. To be honest I was nervous as I watched you assemble it, I never thought those flavors could work so beautifully together," William commented. Sebastian, who had been fearing persecution looked up in confusion. "You're dish was beautifully assembled, the flavors complimented the wine and the wine complimented the dish. In fact it was so beautiful I would suggest adding it to the menu," stated William simply. There was a nod from the other chefs at the table. Crimson eyes lifted as he looked at each of them, they were all serious, "Sebastian, it was superb, so beautiful that to be honest I don't think you could even produce that kind of flavor again," commented Carrow with chuckle, which caused a fit of snickering in the room. William rose from his seat with grace that rivaled a ballerina, yet a presence that made even Vincent seem small. "Congratulations Sebastian, you have won the second challenge," William said with a smile. Sebastian simply nodded, he didn't notice the glare which Ash had been sending his direction.

~~xXx~~

Lizzy looked at Tanaka in confusion, "What do you mean you aren't going to tell him and neither am I?" she hissed. The elderly butler sighed and shook his head, "I'm not going to, Rachel has been diagnosed with Cancer, this time she won't survive, the competition is threatening a number of his investments and finally, there has been an increase in crime in London, you and I both know that Vincent has to take care of it," the butler stated as he looked at the young blonde. He sighed, he had a feeling Ciel was torturing Sebastian but this was drastic even for the young owner, in fact it was far too drastic. Part of him wanted to sweep Sebastian away from the pain, however that would leave a damaged Claude, a chef without a soul. He couldn't do that to the young man again. He didn't have the strength to, not after what Ash had done. In reality, Claude needed Sebastian now more than ever, since Ash had returned and was no doubt tormenting him. "Then what am I supposed to do?" she asked slowly, there was anger in her voice, an emotion which Tanaka also understood. After all Ciel had betrayed her, "That you must figure out on your own, I suggest looking for happiness," he stated as he pulled a sheet of paper with the words Non-Disclosure Agreement, across the top.

"Wherever and who ever you are the happiest with, is what I suggest you do. Lizzy, maraige is about happiness and love, you love him however can he return your feelings?" asked Tanaka as he placed the parchment page before her with a pen. "That's to ensure that you don't say anything about what you had seen with Ciel, but what you chose to do from here on out is up to you," he stated simply as he looked at her earnestly. He didn't want her to become trapped, but he also knew that she had been paired with Ciel before either of the pair could reject. Her hand shook as she held the pen over the line in which she was to sign, "I was always happy with him," she replied, after a soft sob the only other sound which could be heard with the gliding of a pen on the page. "Happier than anything else, I just wanted to be the woman he loved," she stated simply as she dropped the pen and shoved the sheet toward Tanaka. Tears were leaking from her eyes, "It's hopeless isn't it?" she asked softly, her voice was hoarse and coarse compared to it's usually melodic tones. Tanaka was silent as he pulled out a handkerchief and held it out to her, it seemed to be the only thing he could do at this moment to soothe her.

~~xXx~~

Claude was about to see Sebastian when his mobile chimed violently in his pocket, it was his father, again. The man honestly didn't seem to know when it was time to give up, and this only irritated the Head Chef more. "Bloody hell Claude, how many times is that thing going to go off?" asked Joker as he glared at the source of irritation. Claude's shoulders fell after he heaved a sigh. "As many times as it takes for me to answer," he stated simply before answering the call and holding his hand up to wave goodbye. He was honestly hoping to take Sebastian out for a drink, however that didn't seem to be in the cards for the evening. He grumbled before responding with a curt hello.

"I see you're still irritated," commented Lucius, causing Claude to groan. "Forgive me for not being your largest supporter, what is it?" he asked after a moment. There was silence for a moment, "I thought you would be out drinking with your award winning chef," he stated. Claude walked down the hallway and paused before leaning against one of the stark white walls. "I thought I would too, however you called," he sneered. He could hear his father chuckle, it was an infuriating sound, his father was always a difficult man. "That I did, I'm here in London, I saw that board cast, Sebastian is talented," commented Lucius, Claude knew this tactic, it was his father's way of luring people into conversations that they didn't want to have. "He is," he responded as he waited to hear his father's next move. "Why doesn't he own his own place?" asked Lucius simply, Claude doubted this was about Sebastian but knew better than to rush his father. "You'd have to ask him," he replied as he ran a hand through his hair. He himself had been wondering that, there would be plenty of sponsors more than willing to invest with his sheer skill alone. He was slaughtering Landers and now Ciel was beyond flooded with customers looking for Sebastian's distinct works. He found himself caressing his lower lip, he could remember that last dessert, it was hot, sinful and honestly drove him insane. Part of him wanted to know what had inspired such a delectable treat, while the other part had a feeling it knew. It was hot, sweet and sensational like a first kiss.

"I brought a young woman named Monica, she's quite lovely and doesn't seem to mind that you can cook," Lucius said smoothly, snapping Claude from his musings and causing the chef to become irritated, "What?" he hissed. He had told Lucius now twice that he had no interest in women, "You know I like men and I don't intend to marry only to hurt the girl," he spat. He was about to say more when his father quickly lept into action, only Lucius would have a defense prepped. "You have no idea what you being gay is doing to me. I need someone to run my company, it's bad enough you work under Phantomhive, but now you refuse to even accept the bride I have selected," Lucius fumed. Claude glared daggers at the tiles; a glint of silver caught the corner of his eye causing the man to look up. Not too far from him was a slick cold mirror, his own reflection was displayed for him to see. His eyes were narrowed and he looked even more irritated than before. "I'm not going to live forever," he remarked, "I want my son to marry, have an heir and continue my company." Claude thought the entire ordeal of having an heir just so the company would survive was ludicrous, "You have no idea how out dated that sounds, it's the 21st century not the 17th or even 18th for that matter. The days of establishing an heir are over," he commented as he pushed himself off the wall.

"I want a legacy!" Lucius shot back only causing Claude to lean against the wall with the mirror and rest his head against the glass. "I'm aware, however not interested, I write my own history," Claude replied. He heard his father snort on the other end, "Ah yes because everyone knows it was Adam and Steve not Adam and Eve," sneered Lucius. Claude hummed as he looked in the mirror, standing down the hallway was Sebastian, his red eyes bore into him through the mirror which made the chef smile. "I'm going to have to turn you down, you see I met someone," he stated and grinned madly, Sebastian may not have been his but he wasn't about to tell his father. "I don't care what you think, I don't care what you do, but I'm going to live my life," he replied as he hastily hung up. He slipped the phone back in his pocket and hummed as he walked down the hallway, "Let's go celebrate," said Claude warmly as he stopped before Sebastian. The Patissier stared at him at a loss which made Claude only smile brightly, "Come on, I know a great place," he stated. He was about to say more when William appeared, "Oh just in time, I was going to invite both of you to a drink," said the Sommelier, standing beside him dressed in leather was Ronald Knox, his blonde hair was a mess which made him look somehow even younger.

Claude looked over to Sebastian who looked amused, "Sure I would love to, Claude?" he asked nervously. The Head Chef sighed before smiling softly, he may not be able to get Sebastian to himself, but he would at least would still be able to spend time with him. Which was better than being alone.

~~xXx~~

There was stillness in the office of Ciel Phantomhive, it was cold, Agni and Soma had left a while ago which only caused the slate haired young man to contemplate a number of topics. One of which was what he was going to do once Lizzy told Vincent, it was only a matter of time, at least he thought it was. He knew the blonde was heart broken and doubted she would stay with him, oddly, part of him was relieved to say the least. He heard the office door slowly swing open, yet he didn't hear any foot steps. Ciel glanced over his shoulder and looked up to see Alois had taken a seat on his desk. "Sebastian really delivered a harsh blow to Ash tonight," he commented. Ciel simply nodded and looked out the window. "I've been wondering though, there had to be more than just cutting his hand to make him black out, he wasn't even able to walk and I know Claude wasn't with him," Alois mused. Ciel froze, Alois was observant however he didn't think he would notice anything that pointed to his relationship with the patissier. "I also noticed some odd looking bruises and cuts," he stated darkly, Alois' voice grew even darker. "I have no idea what you are talking about," Ciel lied smoothly in hopes of throwing the bartender off. The slate haired owner got out of his seat and continued to look out the window.

Alois leapt off the desk and grabbed Ciel by the lapels of his suit roughly as he slammed the young man into the desk. Ciel felt the top of the desk dig into his spine, it was harsh however not as unnerving as the look in Alois' eyes. His azure eyes were clouded with rage, "You bastard, what have you done to him!" growled Alois. Ciel acted indifferent, "He was shaking so badly that day, and he had scars, you. You did something, I don't know what you did and I pray you didn't dare do something as foul as what my father had done to me," he hissed. Ciel was silent, he couldn't dig himself out of this, however he could postpone it. He knew Alois had been raped as a child, but wasn't about to tell him what he had been doing to Sebastian. He was trapped between Alois and the desk, with no where to run.

~~xXx~~

Ash watched with envy as the four men left the hallway of the recording studio, all he could think about were the comments which had been made about his dish. His sister was right, there was no way he could beat Sebastian, the chef was just too creative. His fingers swept his white hair into place as he remembered the night in the warehouse, obviously something sinister had been going on. Francis was frightened of being found and from what his sister had said, he had something to do with Sebastian. Now all he had to do was figure out what. The Patissier slipped out of the studio and picked up his mobile, he figured now was a good time as any to see if he could hurt Sebastian outside of the kitchen, he needed something to level the playing field and this seemed to be the only way.