Author's Note: Thank you to all of my wonderful fans! I just wanted to let you know there is a prequel to this called "Bottle Shock," it's mainly about Ronald and William, however you will also see Claude, Sebastian, and Angela in Paris before this piece as well as a few glimpses of other characters who were in play at the time. I hope you enjoy it and this chapter.

Chapter 45: To Hold and be Held

There was a rush of foot steps once the helicopter landed outside of the Phantomhive mansion. The front doors were thrown open and everything happened so quickly that Vincent couldn't seem to keep up. He had written the protocol and yet now, he was unable to see it through. Rachel had dashed down the stairs upon hearing about the injured man, she was weak but wasn't about to allow this to stop her. She stared at the sight before her, Vincent was silent and looked lost, he was covered in blood and her heart was pounding. "Vincent!" she shouted as she ran to him and placed her hands on his shoulders, her eyes were examining the areas where there was blood in an attempt to figure out just where the blood had come from. His brown eyes lifted from the floor and he looked into Rachel's concerned blues. "Hi," he muttered sheepishly. Her lips parted before she grabbed her husband and crushed him to her chest. "I heard about the shooting, I was worried," she whispered. Vincent was stiff and didn't seem to even register that she had hugged him. His arms were at his side as he stared at the doors which Madame Red had passed through not too long ago. "Dee, he was shot," he said slowly, with a hint of uncertainty, it was as though not even he believed those words. Yet, they were true.

Rachel slowly pulled away and looked at him, she searched his blank expression only to see the mask which he usually wore in tact. She looked at him sadly and sighed, she knew that look, it was only in place when something had happened that hurt him. "What happened?" she asked softly as she began to rub his arms with her palms in an attempt to both soothe him and melt the ice which seemed to have formed around his heart. "He pushed me to the floor and took the bullets that were meant for me," he said slowly before he finally looked at Rachel once again. His eyes were filled with pain as he looked at her, "He, he thought he was dying and told me," Vincent paused as he hung his head closed his eyes. He had reverted to the tender and caring man she had met so long ago in the apple orchard. "It's okay, take your time," she whispered. Vincent had his secrets but he didn't keep many things from her, what he did it was usually because it was dangerous, but when it came to his lovers she knew that he was really bisexual. In reality he had married her because the one he loved wasn't in love with him. They had been friends for a few years and after Vincent had attempted to confess to the other person, only to find out that the man wasn't gay did he ask her to marry him. He loved her, he loved her with all his heart and wanted to spend every minute with her and his son. She smiled sadly as she remembered their wedding day, he had asked the man he loved to be his Best Man and a witness. Vincent hadn't seen it but before she had slipped into the limousine the man he loved was crying, she could remember the haunting expression as the German Noble shed tears. The only reason she knew it wasn't for her was the way he looked at Vincent. She knew, she had always known from the first day she had met Vincent's friends.

"He said he loved me," whispered Vincent as his hand covered his lips as tears began to fall from his eyes, "He," he stammered. Rachel placed a hand on his cheek and smiled softly, "I'm married, and I don't regret that," he stated as he reached for his handkerchief and looked at his wife, "but I don't know what to do, I still," he whispered. Rachel hummed knowingly, she would never be upset with him, she couldn't. The man had his heart broken and married her and loved her dearly. She sighed as she pressed a kiss to his head, she had the results of a second biopsy she had done that day and decided she had enough of the treatments. There was no point in prolonging the inevitable, she had months left and she knew that. She would be lucky if she was still beside him for Christmas. "Vincent, I love you. I always have and always will, but Dee needs you right now," she said gently as she guided him to the door. She needed a while to compose herself, she knew this was coming but also hurt, there was no denying it. Vincent slowly reached out and touched the doors, "I'll be in the way," he whispered.

Rachel shook her head and whispered, "No, just hold his hand, Madame Red should have him stabilized soon." Vincent looked at her and smiled a little before opening the doors and vanishing into the parlor which had been transformed to deal with the wounds. Once he was gone she sighed and closed her eyes, she couldn't tell him, she just couldn't. Her brown hair was pulled back in a bun and she was in a long wool sweater with billowing sleeves. She hid her hands in the gray folds of the sweater and sighed, she had thrown it on to cover the bruises that were forming and how thin she was becoming. That morning when she woke she noticed several new purpled patches of skin, she looked at her black ballerina flats and her skinny jeans which were a little too big on her. "I love you," she whispered as she eyed the doors thoughtfully. After a moment she turned and began to walk toward his study. The path to it seemed longer than usual as she examined the walls and looked at the paintings she passed. Her eyes fell on a pair of massive mahogany doors with brass fittings. Her slender fingers wrapped around the handle as she twisted it and opened it. The scent of leather, aging pages and wood filled her nose.

She grinned as she looked over to the side and noticed the French doors which lead to the patio connected to the office. The tall glass windows allowed for light to floor the office and the walls them selvers were covered with shelves, not a space was open, and every volume had a place. The hard wood floor glistened from a fresh coat of wax which had been applied and she noticed how the fire place now lay dormant, his favorite chair before it, waiting for his return. Picture frames rested on the mantle, each of the photos was of them together with Ciel, as he grew up, even the young man's graduation photo was present. She looked at each of the glistening silver frames and noticed their wedding photo among them, she smiled as she spotted other from before that day and several afterword. She could remember the cold night that they huddled up together before the same fireplace and spent the night together in each other's arms. His study held so many beautiful memories, each of them just as precious as the last. she slowly walked past the sofa, love seat and chair in the middle of the room which surrounded a glass coffee table, there were folders resting on it with their crest, in favor of walking over to his desk.

The desk was clutter, papers were everywhere and he looked as though he were attempting to dig himself out of a mountain of pages. A cup of tea which had long gone cold had been abandoned on it and his computer was asleep. She could smell his cologne and smiled as she admired how the glass desk glistened in the light of the dying sun. She was so worried he had been injured, and that moment when he had walked in covered in blood, she honestly thought it was his until she realized Diederich had been shot. She wouldn't lie about feeling relieved until Vincent told her that Diederich had finally confessed. She ran her finger across the top of the desk and hummed as she walked toward his chair. It was cold and slick, her eyes fell on his parchment and she took a seat in his black leather chair. Her husbands chair, and she hummed, she felt her heart break a little as she leaned on the desk. Her emotions were running wild as she attempted to figure out what to do. She closed her eyes as she looked at the familiar letter head of all of his pages. Time for her was fleeting but there was one thing she had to do before she left him, just one last thing and she had to do it at that moment before she second guessed herself.

"I suppose I will have to do this sooner or later," she stated as she grabbed a sheet and picked up a pen. The pen was heavy in her hand as she uncapped it and the golden tip of the fountain pen hovered a breath over the page. After a moment she wrote in her elegant hand the last letter she would ever write. "It's better to prepare for the ending now, so that no one is in for a shock," she whispered as she wrote. It hurt, but she had a feeling that the man would need a nudge in the future once she died.

~~xXx~~

The car ride back to Claude's flat was perhaps the longest of any rides he had ever been on, the night was coming to a close and to be honest all he wanted to do was get some food in Sebastian and then cuddle with the man. He didn't want sex, or to ignore him but to cuddle and hold the man. His eyes shifted and he looked at Sebastian who was currently wearing Claude's clean gym clothes from the bag which he had thrown onto the back seat of the Elise. Sebastian was practically curled into himself. His red eyes stared out the windshield, he was still rather shaken after the incident, to the point that he didn't even look at Claude. He was lucky to have managed to get away from Ciel, the restaurant was also closed after the press had suddenly learned of Sebastian being kidnapped. Thankfully they had managed to pull Sebastian out before the press could go too wild. The only issue was he honestly had no idea what the headlines of the paper would be and the news stories which would assault them the next morning. There was just one thing which urked him, the business cards. He had no idea where they were from, and he was certain it wasn't on his car when he left. He sighed as he turned the car, "What do you want for dinner?" he asked smoothly.

Sebastian was quiet before he looked at him, "I'm not that hungry," he replied, his hands were still shaking and Claude felt a stab in his chest. The man had just shot someone, only to see the demon of his nightmares be shot next by a cop. He had been kidnapped, they attempted to rape him and finally he was still riding the emotions of winning. Claude's golden eyes glanced over at him with concern, Sebastian was already thin and he honestly didn't like the idea of the man not eating. "You need to eat something, you've had one hell of a night and I'd feel better if you ate something love. How about a sandwich? Nothing heavy but a little meat and some cheese," he commented. Sebastian looked at Claude and hummed, "I don't feel like meat, do you have eggplant?" asked Sebastian curiously. The Head Chef smiled as he looked at the raven haired Patissier and grinned. He was happy that Sebastian was even speaking to him, let alone it being about food. "I do, it's been breaded and baked though," he commented. Sebastian's lips curled into a smile as he looked at Claude, "Tomatoes, peppers, some onions, and a little goat cheese on wraps?" he asked.

He smiled and looked at Claude happily, "Of course love," Claude replied as he pulled into the parking garage under his building. There was a pause as Claude turned the car off and he smiled a little, he was going to share a bed with Sebastian again. Sebastian slipped out of Claude's car and began to walk toward the lift and Claude followed suit with Sebastian's knife bag in hand. He stood in the lift beside Sebastian without thinking he wrapped an arm around the man and pulled his head into his chest. Soft black hair was under his fingertips and it soothed Claude to know where the young man was, and not have to worry much longer. The lift came to a halt and the doors slid open, Claude smiled, he had never been so happy to see his flat in his life. "Home," he breathed as he pulled his key card out of his wallet, he slipped it into the lock and sighed. He looked over his shoulder at Sebastian who looked as though he were drowning in his gym clothing, a bright smile broke out on the Patissier's lips as he whispered, "Home." At that second Claude felt warmth sweep over him, he loved the fact that Sebastian considered his flat home.

He was beaming as he walked through the door and listened as Sebastian followed him inside, internally he was dancing like a school boy, happy that his crush actually considered his place home. Claude walked into his kitchen and began to wash his hands, only to see Sebastian follow suit. He picked up a green dish towel and began to dry his hands he watched Sebastian with confusion as the Patissier began to wash his hands with dish soap, his fingers slid over each other with ease as he created a lather and then rinsed them. "What?" asked the Patissier as he looked over at the other chef, Claude was leaning on the counter and held the towel out to him. "Nothing, I just didn't think you would help," commented Claude. Sebastian snatched the towel from Claude's hand and sighed as he began to wipe away the excess water. "Why?" he asked before sliding the towel back on the towel bar. Claude walked to his fridge and began to pull out the ingredients for their dinner. "Nothing, I figured you would want to relax after the challenges," he commented as he placed a plastic container containing the breaded eggplant on the counter, he had wrapped the pieces in parchment to keep them from getting soggy. Sebastian hummed as he opened a cabinet and pulled out a can of black olives and then reached for a can opener. "I find cooking relaxing, and after the night I've had I just need to escape," Sebastian commented as he stabbed the can with the canning knife and began to cut the lid away. Claude was quiet for a moment, there was something which had been bugging him, but he didn't want to go there quite yet, he couldn't stress Sebastian out, he needed to get the man to relax. "Do you want to talk?" asked Claude slowly, "I don't mind listening," he added, hoping that the last part would loosen Sebastian's tongue. If this were a bad review he would have opened a bottle of wine and sulked alongside the chef, but this wasn't that simple and liquor would only make it worse. He didn't want Sebastian to escape into a bottle, he would rather the chef talk to him. Sebastian looked at him, there was apprehension in those crimson orbs, an emotion which Claude prayed he would never have to see in them again.

"Later," whispered Sebastian as he finished opening the can and went to drain it in the sink. Claude nodded as he pulled an onion and pulled another wooden board and large chopping knife. The sharpening rod was in his hands in moments and with a few strikes he had the blade razor sharp and ready to cut the onion. "Should we Saute the onions and peppers?" asked Claude curiously, "It would caramelize the onion and make it a little sweeter, which would reduce the change in it overpowering the eggplant which is delicate," he reasoned. Sebastian looked at the onion and the bright red, yellow and orange peppers, "Sounds like a plan, where's the goat cheese?" he asked. Claude held out the white log and Sebastian was quick to pull out a bowl and began to unwrap the cheese, "I'm adding a little olive oil, some basil and a little wine to sweeten it," he stated as he grabbed the open bottle of merlot and added less than a teaspoon of it. Claude watched as the chef began to work the stiff cheese into something creamy and smooth, clearly it did pay off to be a Patissier. The pair worked quietly, enjoying one another's company and handing each other utensils before the other asked. It was as though they were on the same wave length, moving together and effortlessly. Claude sighed with content, he had never been able to share his kitchen with anyone who was able to read his every move and he could do the same. Usually he was sidestepping people and trying to fight for space, and yet with Sebastian it was as easy as breathing. There was a soft sizzle as Claude added the onions and peppers to the pan which he had coated with olive oil. The vibrant scent of peppers and onions filled the space as the oil popped and sizzled, it was a wonderful scent. Sebastian had taken the liberty of throwing the eggplant slices into the oven for a quick reheat and crispen. "Will you play for me tonight?" asked Sebastian curiously.

Claude looked over his shoulder when he heard the oven open and grinned, "Pick a piece and I'll play it," he replied as he turned the stove off and moved the hot pan onto a glass cutting board and opened the package of flats. "Any piece?" asked Sebastian as Claude went to grab a butter knife only to find one being presented to him by Sebastian. He smiled and nodded as he took the knife and replied, "Any of them." He listened to the raven hum as he became lost in thought. Sebastian looked as though he were sifting through his mental CD collection, it was actually a rather cute sight to watch as the man attempted to choose one piece. It was like asking a child to select one chocolate from the case of a Chocolaterie, impossible. A smile curved Claude's lips as he added the eggplant and then the onions and peppers. "Surprise me," Sebastian decided at last. Claude chuckled as he finished rolling the two wraps and placing them on a single plate, there was no point in using two plates. He handed the white plate to Sebastian and nodded, "Alright," he said as he stretched his arms out and cracked his knuckles, it was a nasty habit but it did help loosen his stiff fingers.

He sauntered over to the piano and opened the lid before taking a seat on the bench. Sebastian placed the plate on the coffee table and took to leaning on the polished black grand piano. He positioned his fingers over the keys he knew just what to play, that blush earlier said it all. He opened with a bright and quick opening, the notes swayed with ease as he hit each of his favorite Jazz chords. The piece was joyous and a little mischievous, Sebastian looked puzzled until Claude smiled knowingly and sang brightly, "You couldn't be cuter," his voice echoed through the room, he had been told that he was an excellent baritone, well now he would show his raven just how cute he thought he was. A bright pink blushed covered Sebastian's cheeks as Claude continued, "Plus that you couldn't be smarter, plus that intelligent face, you have a disgraceful charm on me." Sebastian looked as though he wanted to hide under a rock and was awestruck at the same time. Claude was only praying that he was awestruck about the singing and not about the lyrics. "You couldn't be keener, you would look so fresh from the cleaner, you are the little grand slam I'll bring to my family," he chirped as he swayed a little and began to improvise on the harmony line. "My ma' will show you an album of me that will bore you to tears. And you'll attract all the relative's we've dodged for years and years," oh there was so much truth in that line, his father was a pain but his grandparents, as soon as they saw Sebastian he was certain the albums would come out. "What will they tell me, exactly? What will they say?" he grimaced at the second part and then began the long string of compliments of just what he would hear in return and he was pretty certain they would be just the same, "They'll say, you couldn't be nicer, couldn't be sweeter, couldn't be smarter, couldn't be smoother, couldn't be cuter," he decided to cut the second portion of the piece and looped to the end, since Sebastian now was tomato red, "Baby than you are, baby than you are," he paused and looked at Sebastian sincerely before singing the final line, "Ba-by, than... you... are," he slowly added a sweet regression on the end before choosing his favorite chord to finish it off.

Sebastian was both speechless and red at this point, "You don't mean that," he commented nervously, "do you?" A boyish grin broke out across the Head Chef's face as he replied, "Every word Love, every single word," he winked teasingly as the Patissier gaped at him. Claude was smug at this point, he did love the expression on Sebastian's face and had a feeling he was going to remember this moment for the rest of his life. "You sing?" asked Sebastian. Claude sighed and looked at the piano, "I suppose, I personally think I'm practicing scaring dogs but hey, if you thought it sounded like singing who am I to object. Personally Diana Krall sounds better when she sings it," he commented.

A beautiful ring of laughter fell from the chef's lips as he closed his eyes and leaned over the piano. It was a beautiful sound, joyous, free and unguarded. Claude silently vowed to make the Patissier do that more often, it was such a nice sound he wanted to hear it more. Sebastian wiped the tears from his eyes with the side of his hand and replied, "Perhaps she was better, but I think your voice is more than adequate." Sebastian leaned on the piano, his lips were a breath away and Claude felt his chest constrict, he was a bundle of nerves around Sebastian. He was always afraid of hurting the man, to the point that he thought even now that the Patissier would run from him. "I love you," Claude said slowly as he looked at Sebastian, his golden eyes were locked on Sebastian's crimson ones. He watched as those beautiful lips curled into a knowing smile and felt long fingers pleat through his hair, he loved the feeling and prayed that this man would never run from him. He honestly didn't know what he would do if that happened. Sebastian took a seat beside Claude and whispered, "I love you too."

Claude was about to say something when a pair of soft warm lips ghosted over his, he could smell the green tea, and dirt, as well as blood on the man. Claude closed his eyes and listened as Sebastian whispered into his ear, "Always." Claude wrapped his arms around the man and held him closed, "How about we take a shower, I feel disgusting," he commented. Sebastian hesitated, he seemed to need a moment to think, and oddly that didn't bother Claude, he could understand why the man needed time.

Sebastian looked at Claude and smiled softly, "Only if you're join me," Sebastian replied hesitantly. This seemed to be the only invitation which Claude required and he hummed as he followed Sebastian into the bathroom, he was thankful to have remodeled it. The pair moved slowly and quietly into the bathroom, in all honestly Claude couldn't wait to get the grime off of Sebastian's skin, it was a reminder of the events which had transpired a few hours ago, a dark one which he hoped with a tender touch, some soap and a little water he could wash away. Claude watched as his raven slowly began to peel off each article, slowly doing so and allowing it to flutter to the bathroom floor, with each piece the pile grew and his skin became more and more visible. Each and every scar, every trace of the darkness which had surrounded him to this point, the evidence of him being survivor. Finally his demons had been slain and yet Claude felt uneasy, he slowly walked up behind Sebastian as the Patissier reached to shimmy out of his shorts. He wrapped his arms around Sebastian's waist and pulled him into his chest. His nimble fingers wrapped around Sebastian's as he pressed a kiss to the side of the man's neck. "No, allow me," he whispered into the man's ear, he could smell Sebastian's skin and feel his silky ink black hair against his nose, it was long and soft.

Claude looked at their reflection in the mirror, he loved the way they looked together and noticed the haunted look in Sebastian's eyes, those red eyes which had been blamed for his pain, the justification of a demon's actions, how much those eyes had seen, the number of tears they must have shed as he cried in silence tore him to pieces. "Let me take care of you, you're not alone anymore," he whispered as he closed his eyes and clutched the slender Patissier closer to his body. He could feel the man's soft skin against his own and he slowly slipped his fingers under the waistband of his gym shorts. He could feel the warmth under his skin, the moment that his blood had run cold when he thought that he would lose that warmth. The notion of him losing Sebastian was too close for comfort, he was falling fast and he knew it. "I can't lose you, if I do, I don't know what will happen to me," he confessed as he slowly began to pull the black shorts down Sebastian's slender hips. The patissier was thin but no where near as thin as he had been when they met. "Please, don't leave me, if you died today," he whispered in pain as he buried his nose in Sebastian's neck. Claude began to feel selfish for his pleas, Sebastian had been kidnapped and yet he felt violated, it was as though someone had attempted to steal part of his soul and break it.

A warm hand ran through his hair as he felt the body in his arms flex, he opened his eyes to see a pair of red eyes staring into his, "You didn't, and you won't," whispered the raven with a soft smile before he placed a chaste kiss on Claude's lips. He slowly ran his fingers through Claude's hair and asked, "Hold me?" The Head Chef smiled as he slid the shorts further down his lover's waist, "Always, till the very end I will hold you and even beyond," he replied. Sebastian's closed his eyes as he felt the shorts fall from his trim waist and land on the floor. Claude loosened his arms and watched as the chef turned around to face him and placed his hands on Claude's chest, he was still dressed in his dress shirt and slacks. His golden eyes fell on slender white fingers as they slowly unfastened each of the buttons on his shirt. Tracing the seam in between each of them, it was tantalizing to feel Sebastian's light touch on his chest through the fabric. He ached to feel Sebastian's hands on him and longed to feel Sebastian under his fingers. One button at a time was Sebastian's pace, he watched as the chef tugged his shirt tails free of his trousers so that his shirt was now completely open. Crimson eyes combed over him as though he were a statue on display, he looked as though he wanted to touch, but just wasn't sure if he was allowed to. Claude wrapped his hand around Sebastian's and placed it on his sternum, "Do as you like, I'm yours," he stated firmly, he flashed a reassuring smile as he noticed Sebastian place his other hand on his chest.

~~xXx~~

To worship and be worshiped were concepts which were alien to the Patissier, Claude had shown him tenderness that he had never experienced. He felt Claude's hot skin under his palms, it was soft and reassuring to feel, he slowly traced the man's chest with his fingers and felt the desire to memorize him, to commit every detail to memory, each scar, every mole and every curve of his muscles. Sebastian tentatively began to lean closer and pressed a kiss to the man's collarbone, he didn't know what to do, Francis was always violent and only wanted Sebastian to give him a blow job, he didn't know what would make Claude feel good without jumping the gun. He stared at the beautifully sculpted chest before him, he ached to nip the man's skin and run his tongue down his abs, to press a kiss to every inch of skin, yet he wasn't sure if he was allowed. "Sebastian, touch me the way you want to," whispered Claude sweetly, "I will never hurt you, touch me because you want to, not because I told you to."

Sebastian licked his lips, they were dry and he felt a little nervous before gently pressing them once again to Claude's collarbone, he loved the feeling of the man's hands on his back as they gently stroked down it. He grew a little more confident and gently nibbled on the bone, he heard a hiss from above and was about to stop until Claude moaned. Sebastian felt a surge of confidence run through him, he had made Claude moan with need, he didn't have to simply reach bellow to do that. He smiled against lightly tanned skin before running his tongue over the place he had bit the man as a form of apology and began to moved his hand more boldly over Claude's body. Without a second thought they slid up from the man's waist, over tight abs, then his chest and slipped over his collarbone. Claude's eyes were closed now and his mouth was open as he savored the man's touch, Sebastian had control for once in his life he had control. His fingers slipped under the shirt as he began to gently slide the shirt off of the man's shoulders, he felt the supple fabric beneath his fingers and the warm skin which had been hidden by the piece of clothing. His fingers brushed over powerful biceps as they went lightly tracing them before sliding the shirt off of Claude's powerful body entirely and tossing it carelessly to the floor. His eyes never left Claude as he pressed a kiss to the man's neck and moved slowly downward. His tongue tracing the ripples of muscles under Claude's skin, the scent of wood and spices drove him insane. At first Sebastian had thought that those were his spices of preference, however, Claude never used them. He honestly didn't know why but those spices were Claude.

His tongue dipped into Claude's navel and he watched golden eyes flicker open, they were hazy from lust and he could see Claude's desires. Sebastian gently palmed Claude's need and ran his fingers up it lightly, Claude groaned and Sebastian stared as the chef's pink tongue slipped out from between his lips and ran over the lower one slowly, and to make matters worse, the man's eyes were filled with mischief. Sebastian smiled, oh how he loved that look, Claude's hair was a mess, eyes half lidded and lips swollen, he could get used to the sight. Sebastian stared at Claude's belt nervously, he had serviced a man hundreds of times, but he didn't know if Claude would want it. His fingers went for Claude's belt, he could tell that the man was in pain since his arousal was now pressed firmly against his pants. He touched the metal buckle only for a hand to gently grab his wrist, he looked up to see a pair of confused and concerned golden orbs staring back at him. "I don't want you to do this because you think you have to," Claude said firmly, "You never have to do anything, except stay safe. This, you don't have to do unless you desire to."

Sebastian felt warm as he realized that Claude could tell he was nervous, after all he had been confronted with Francis' arousal by force a number of times. "Please, I want to," he said softly, "I want to trace every inch of you with my lips and tongue, this included," he gently caressed Claude's length through his slacks. He watched the man hiss with pleasure. He felt powerful hands release his gently and pull away, "Alright," he said sweetly as he smiled a little. Sebastian finished unfastening Claude's belt and proceeded to unbuttoning the wine colored slacks. He had to admit they looked wonderful on Claude, he wasn't sure if it was the man's eyes or not, but the rich red that bordered on a purple mad his eyes glow. Sebastian had managed to unzip Claude's fly and gently pushed Claude's slacks down his legs and was faced with the man's silk boxers, a tent was forming in the front of them and he blushed. He was the reason Claude was so aroused, just a few touches and the chef looked as though he were going to unravel.

Somehow during his thoughts Claude's boxers ended up on the floor and he was staring at the man's length. His eyes widened as he looked at it, he hadn't realized how large Claude was till now. He slowly wrapped his hand around Claude's length, his fingers barely touched as he began to rub the thick member, he stared at how long it was, he wasn't even sure if it would fit in his mouth. Sebastian slowly licked the head of Claude's member and heard the man gasp as the caress of his tongue, his member was salty but not revolting like Francis, in fact it was a tad sweet. He ran his tongue around the man's head once more before flicking the slit with his tongue, his hand traveled up and down the man's shaft, lightly squeezing as he went, he could feel it grow even larger and the heat of the man's desires. Sebastian closed his eyes as he wrapped his lips around the engorged member, and slowly descended. He had been right about not being able to fit Claude in only his mouth, his lips sheathed his teeth as he took Claude further into his hot wet mouth. He could feel the man's length slipping down his throat and moaned. With Francis this was revolting but when he heard Claude growl and felt the man's fingers grip his hair with need, he felt different, some how he felt hotter and even more confident. Sebastian hummed before slowly pulling back and tracing the underside of the mans' sensitive length with his tongue. "Dear god," moaned Claude as he felt the man tense, Sebastian took Claude into his mouth even further and constricted his throat to make it even tighter, he heard a hiss of pleasure and smirked internally. Without warning Sebastian moved faster, savoring every inch of Claude's now dripping member. "Oh fuck," hissed Claude and he could tell it was taking the man everything he had not to thrust into his mouth.

Sebastian released the man's member with an audible pop, Claude stared at him in confusion, he could feel the man's questioning gaze on him. Sebastian grinned as he ran his teeth teasingly over the man's cock string and gently took one of Claude's balls into his mouth. "Fuck," he gently sucked on it and teased the slit with his thumb, "Sebastian," he breathed before tipping his head back. The Patissier released it and slowly ran his tongue up the underside of Claude's leaking member. He gently took it between his lips and began to suck once more. "Sebastian, I can't," he gasped as he grasped Sebastian's hair, his dick was throbbing in the Raven's mouth and Sebastian could tell if he continued the man was going to release too soon. He gave the length one more caress before looking up at the man, he could feel Claude's hands on the sides of his face, "Come here," he whispered as he pulled Sebastian up gently and led him to the shower. Sebastian smiled as he reached out and turned the glistening golden knob to hot and was greeted with cool water. He yelped with shock and Claude chuckled as he cradled Sebastian from behind. "It'll warm up soon," Claude commented as he ran his hands tenderly up and down Sebastian's sides. He was about to shout at the man until his lips were claimed by a very hungry chef.

Fire spread as Sebastian wrapped his arms around Claude's shoulders, he wasn't sure if it was because he was adjusting to the water, the water was warming or Claude's hands that were now caressing every inch of skin they could possibly reach. They were slick as they slid over his now wet skin and he felt the spray of water hit him. Claude picked up a bar of soap, and began to wash his skin, he loved the feeling of calloused hands sliding over it, as though it were as smooth as velvet. His body arched when the man's slick hands ran over his niples. "Ah," he cried as his eyes shot and he bit his lip. He could feel Claude smirking against his skin as he took the two nubs between his fingers and traced them. His butterfly light touch made Sebastian shiver and moan, "Please," he moaned as he felt one of Claude's hands released one of his nipples and slide down his chest, it was slow but he knew where it was going, lower and lower, ever so slow it was tantalizing, painful and driving him insane. A warm experienced and tender hand slid over his hip bone as he felt a pair of lips caress his neck, "Oh, Claude," he whimpered as his hand slipped into the man's now soaked hair. Claude's daring hand moved even lower until it gently grasped his hard length and began to stroke him. Sebastian felt his head spin as the man continued to fondle his chest and kiss his neck, it was too much. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, he could feel the water droplets slipping down his face, his neck, his chest and some how it made his skin tingle. Claude stroked him more rapidly and Sebastian bucked his hips in reply, "Claude, I- I," he gasped as the man's fingers slipped over his slit.

"What is it?" asked Claude deviously, obviously enjoying the mess he was making of Sebastian. That hard body at his back was hot and he could feel the water slide between them, his soaked hair was in his fingers and that voice, that lush voiced echoed through the room. "I need," he moaned as he leaned into the man and turned his head to face Claude. Golden eyes were narrowed, water was sliding from his now soaked black hair down his face, his skin glistened and was pink from the water. "What?" asked Claude as he continued to stroke Sebastian, he could feel the man's hard length against his ass and he unconsciously began to grind. "Y-You," he gasped as he felt Claude unwrap his arms and whispered, "Hands against the wall, I need to stretch you." Sebastian nodded and complied, he could feel the cold wet tiles under his hands, even though he hated it he understood why his spider wanted him to do it. He felt one of Claude's fingers circle his hole and a snap as a container was opened. He knew just what it was and smiled as he felt a warmth spread over him, the familiar sticky liquid coated the man's fingers before he slid one into Sebastian. He moaned at the feeling of the slick digit being slowly dipped inside of him.

The first time Claude had stretched him it felt alien, Francis never did, but now Sebastian couldn't get enough of the man's skilled fingers. He felt his spider slowly thrust his finger in and out of the tight opening, careful and tender, as though he were holding glass, hot lips seared a kiss into his shoulder before another digit was added. He moaned as he felt the second finger slip in, he could feel them stretching, coaxing and rubbing his insides. Sebastian moaned wantonly begging for Claude to thrust further into him. He wanted to feel Claude inside of him, to fill the emptiness that had filled him in those moments of fear. He felt those talented fingers brush over his prostate and he cried out. His hips began rocking by themselves as he felt the spray of the shower run down his back, his cried echoed in the room and only made this feel even more real. "Turn around," Claude commanded huskily as he withdrew his fingers from Sebastian's entrance.

The patissier did as he was told and felt one of Claude's hands slip down his backside and then his thigh, it cupped just below his knee and with little warning he lifted Sebastian's leg up and pressed the slender patissier into the wall. His erection was lined up with Sebastian's entrance and he paused. His eyes met golden orbs, they were silently seeking permission to do what Sebastian was aching to do. "Take me," Sebastian plead. Claude smiled as he lifted Sebastian's other leg and leaned the chef against the wall, he could feel the hard and unforgiving tiles against his back and yet he was upset, all that mattered was the swift upward thrust into him. Sebastian's eyes widened as he tipped his head back and shouted in suprise. He felt as though he were going to be split in two. With little warning Claude began to move, unlike the first night the gentle worship transformed into something far more primitive, almost primal as he felt Claude pound into him. The friction he felt inside of him was making his head spin he loved the feeling of the man burrowing himself inside of him. Sebastian' wrapped his arms around Claude's wet shoulder and gripped his skin, his legs were wrapped around the chef as he begged, "Harder."

Claude growled before complying to the request and thrust even harder into the Patissier, he could feel Claude's length reaching deeper than it had before inside of him and he gave up on suppressing his moans. His lips fell open as he gave into the pleasure his spider was giving him. he could feel all the fear, the sadness and terror from the day wash away. All that mattered was then and there, the feeling of Claude's toned body against his, his scent, his touch, his afection, his voice and those hands which held him, that was all that mattered. Claude picked up pace and growled as he slammed into Sebastian's prostate. The Patissier's eyes widened and his body tensed, he saw white and shouted out, "CLAUDE, MORE!" The Head Chef smirked as he kissed the side of Sebastian's neck and continued to assault that place buried deep inside the chef. With each thrus release drew nearer, everyone of them brought him closer to that feeling of freedom. He clung to Claude as he felt the Chef's muscles ripple under the man's skin, this man wanted him, regardless of what had happened before. He could feel the man's member throbbing and could tell Claude was close, "Claude, so," he panted, "close."

"Me too," he whispered as his thrusting became more erratic. Sebastian felt his insides tighten before he finally reached the tipping point. His body tightened it's grip around Claude, his nails dug into the man's skin, his legs forced the chef further into him as his entrance clutched the chef. "CLAUDE!" he cried before feeling the world spin, there was nothing but numbness and warmth, it was a good feeling as he felt something released inside of him. The tension and fear was gone and he felt safe. He was vaguely aware of Claude lowing his feet to the floor and felt a kiss pressed to his head. His knees were shaky and he almost collapsed if it wasn't for Claude's strong arms wrapped around him. He opened his eyes and smiled at the man who kissed his head and whispered, "I love you so much."

Sebastian smiled as he felt Claude turn the shower off and guide him out of it. He leaned against the counter as the chef grabbed a beautiful blue towel and began to dry the Patissier. He smiled as he watched the man drape the towel over his head and began to ruffle it, Sebastian chuckled, the last time someone had done this was Amelie. Claude was grinning like a fool as he pulled the towel off of the man's head and placed a chaste kiss on Sebastian's now swollen lips. "You know, we forgot about dinner," commented the Patissier. He watched the chef pause and look at him in shock, clearly this was a first. He wrapped a towel around his waste and looked out the bathroom door, "I guess we did," he commented. He sighed which caused Sebastian to wander over only to see Nightshade on the table helping himself to the food. "Chinese?" asked Sebastian teasingly. Claude sighed as he ran his hand through his wet hair, slicking it back, "I guess we don't' have a choice," he replied as he walked into the bedroom in search of pants.

~~xXx~~

London rolled by, it was the city that never slept, it was always on the move. People were constantly working to get from point A to point B, never slowing in pace. It was a relentless march forward toward an uncertain goal that somehow seemed to be the focal point of society. Innovation was key, motivation essential and vision a demand in a worldwide highway a buzz as a single reporter managed to achieve his 15 minutes of car sped forward into the heart of the city, never slowing and William sighed before looking at his wrist watch. The black numbers stood out starkly against the white face of the watch as the lights from the window illuminated it. It was getting later and later, by now Sebastian had been pulled from that hell hole and now things were going to explode on the internet. In moments Ronald had managed to topple an entire regime of crime lords, by simply redirecting funds. "How long?" he asked after a moment. Ronald who was sitting beside him was looking at his phone and running diagnostics, "We haven't been tracked, I managed to ditch MI6 back at the cafe, so we are in the clear. The money has just been generously donated to a foundation, I need a real station to get into those towers," commented the blonde as he looked at William out of the corner of his eye. William sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "How long do you think it will be before we get to our destination?" he asked.

Ronald shrugged and tapped on the divider, which was between the driver and the passengers. "Sir?" he called. The driver didn't respond and the blonde shrugged, he honestly didn't understand why he wasn't responding. "Perhaps he was told not to," commented William. Ronald tilted his head to the side, his eyes glared at the divider pensively, and commented, "I don't think so, I don't even know where we are going." The car then began to slow down just before the exit to reach the London Eye. He stared at the massive wheel and then looked at William, Ronald honestly didn't understand why they were there. The car stopped and the door opened on it's own, "Freaky," commented William. Ronald took a step out of the car into the nippy evening air and paused, the door opened on it's own. He looked at the side of the sleek black car and then slipped around to the back, a thin blue accent caught his attention, it wasn't like the black lines on a car which had acted like chrome, no this was something different, it was new. His lips curled in a smile as he looked at the plates, "Oh this is hot," he cried with glee as he walked around the car. "What is?" asked William in confusion, clearly he thought it was simply a limo, but this was anything but. Ronald laughed brightly as he clapped his hand together and pointed at the windshield, "Look! The reason why we couldn't talk to the driver!" he shouted happily, he looked like a child during Christmas.

William rounded the car and his eyes widened, "What?" he stammered. His jaw dropped when he finally realized no one was in the driver's seat. Other than the door in which they had left through, none of the others had opened since they had gotten out and he blanched. "If there wasn't anyone in the driver's seat, who was driving?" he asked curiously. Ronald laughed and pointed to the wheel. "See those plates?" he asked as he pointed to the long plates, "The last four numbers are an experiment number. This car is remote controlled. The driver is miles away!" he chimed as he touched the hood of the car and marveled at the ingenuity of it. "The boys in Oxford have been busy, I know ,but this," he whispered as he looked at the car with awe, "This is a work of art."

William adjusted his glasses on his nose and finally asked, "How much would this kind of thing cost?" Ronald paused and did a rough calculation in his head, he pursed his lips and then replied, "Honestly the technology itself is practically priceless, it would cost millions to wire up a car." The pair stared at the sleek black vehicle as it flashed its lights, turned on its directional and proceeded to pulling out of the space which it had parallel parked in. "What was the flash for?" asked William in confusion until he noticed a young man approach with a hat on and snake skin print pants. He was smiling broadly and had white hair, his eyes were a haunting hazel and his skin looked as though it had belonged to a reptile. "Spears and Knox right?" he called as he walked over and stopped before them, only now did they notice the serpent around the boy's shoulders. "I'm Snake, I was told that you two needed a hook up," he commented.

William and Ronald looked at Snake and noticed a bag over his shoulder, "Which of you is the hacker?" he asked. Ronald looked at the young man with distrust and sighed, "How do I know you're not a cop?" Snake smiled crookedly and laughed, he looked as though he considered it to be obvious. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the young man, Ronald didn't like it when people acted like Snake. "No, I'm the cavalry," he said simply as he held out a bag to Ronald. William and Ronald looked at Snake in confusion, they weren't told that when they had gotten the note and the white business card. He flashed a smile and looked at William, "If he's the hacker then what are you?" he narrowed his eyes skeptically and hissed with irritation.

William sighed and rubbed his temples, "There should be a third notebook, we are both hackers, banks are his specialty," he commented. Snake crossed his arms and leaned back as if to asses the Sommelier who was still in a suit. "Mainframes are mine," William stated after a moment. The young man shook his head and commented, "How old are you 40?" Ronald was immediately up in arms as he stood in front of William and replied, "No he's not that old, honestly don't diss my lover." Snake fell silent and looked at them before he handed William the other bag, "Come on, we are about to bounce our signal around the globe, I just hope you can keep up," he commented. The Sommelier took the bag and followed Snake, "Where?" asked William. Snake chuckled as he walked down the steps which lead to the London Eye and pointed, "There," he stated, "The proxies are set up and we have total access to the internet, with a secure firewall. By using a satellite we can bounce out IP's around the globe, and no one can find us."

Ronald's jaw hit the ground as he scrambled to catch up to the young man who was leading the way. "You will have an hour to do so, there is one more hacker on board already, his job is look out. His name is Pluto, don't worry he may not look like much but when it comes down to it, he knows his stuff," he stated. The pair followed the young man to the massive wheel and looked up, it was even larger than William realized as they stepped into one of the lifts, it was then he noticed that the ride was empty. "Two rotations?" asked William after a moment, it only took half an hour for the eye to do a complete rotation. Snake looked over his shoulder as he decided to take a seat. "Yes, scared of heights?" he asked teasingly as he opened his laptop, it was then they noticed a shaggy gray haired gentleman with a pair of brown eyes and silver laptop on his lap. William pursed his lips and replied, "No I'm just not a fan."

Ronald chuckled as Snake replied seriously, "Then don't look down."

~~xXx~~

Photos of the raid flashed across Ciel's computer screen. He was furious. Claude had saved Sebastian and Angela had failed to get rid of him. He was praying that if Angela had gotten her hands on Sebastian that she would be able to dispose of him. Now it looked like he was going to have to figure it out. He growled in frustration as his fingers slid through his slate blue hair. Image after image was just of Claude and Sebastian leaving until he say it. He smiled darkly at the image, it would destroy them both. It was of Claude kissing Sebastian openly and holding the man close as though he were a part of his soul. Even though England was open to Gay relationships, it wouldn't be ready for London's number one bachelor to be taken off the single list for a man. On top of the fact that it would also mean that the stigma of cooking being a gay trait would only be emphasized. Ciel smiled at the picture as he opened a blank email and addressed it to the Star, "This will get rid of you."

Review Replies:

Maya: You lived in Switzerland, vey cool. I'm glad that you liked the chapter, sorry for such a short reply but I wanted to get thisposted before work.