Hello my Lovelies!

First of all, I would like to dedicate this lovely chapter to the incredibly amazing NVCiel, who always leaves the most amazing reviews and takes the time to acknowledge the effort of my work. Thank you.

To the guest user who goes by the name PenguinLover28, I'm sorry (not sorry) to tell you that Sebastian and Ciel are going to be very romantically involved in this fic. It just builds slow.

Also, I never ruin the ending for my stories (And boy do I have an ending for you guys), but I would like to put some fears to rest. No, Sebastian will not eat Ciel's soul. Call me sappy, but I love happy endings.

And finally (Jeez, this is long authors note..) I hope you all love this chapter. This is where it really starts to break apart from the Canon storyline. I've made this chapter longer than usual because I might not update next week due to incessantly nagging desire to have an internet black out for a week.

Enjoy,

Majix

Two days had passed since the incident in the office and neither male seemed keen to bring it up.

Sebastian was almost positive that the bluenette didn't remember the end of their conversation but he couldn't be entirely sure. The smaller male was more quiet than usual and the elder suspected that the Earl's wounded pride demanded time to recover before he made any sort of mention of his tantrum.

However within the chaos of the Watchdog's thoughts, he found that he didn't have a single thing to say to Sebastian. His recollection of the night was blurry at best. He remembered drinking the alcohol, destroying the office and forcing the butler to his knees. Part of his brain remembered snippets of things he'd said but for the most part, Ciel was lost.

Sebastian wouldn't hesitate to fill in the blanks but the noble couldn't bring himself to ask the demon about his spotty memory. It gave the ancient an upper hand and Ciel would be damned before he admitted his boarder line obsessed curiosity.

Tense silence had lingered between them and the current carriage ride proved to be no different. They both sat in overly polite positions, stiff around the edges as the driver weaved through the busy streets of London. The blue haired teen could feel the intense gaze of his companion but he paid Sebastian no mind, choosing rather to stare out of the side window.

Landscape went by in a blur as as the buildings became more and more spaced apart, a knot appeared in the pit of Ciel's stomach. There was no avoiding the funeral. No avoiding the flood of distant friends and relatives, acquaintances for both the light and dark sides of the city. They would all mourn to each other, shed a few tears and share tiny stories, but it was all a lie. They would leave and nothing would change.

Nobody would know the truth about Madame Red, the late Angelina Durless. They wouldn't know how she really died or the poisoned secret that she held to her breast just days before her end. They would move on and she would be forgotten, just as he would be forgotten. Ciel's warped sense of mortality left little to be desired and as the carriage pulled to a stop before the great stone church, the Earl of Phantomhive felt older than ever. Soft red satin glided reassuringly over the boy's fingertips and he gazed down at the beautiful garment with a heavy heart.

Streams of sunlight spilled out across the roof of the magnificent structure and the silence that met his ears told him that the ceremony had already started. The lateness would've normally soured the remainder of the Earl's day, but as he approached the twin doors the teen realized that he didn't care for anything they could possibly have to say about his aunt.

They didn't know her, and they never would. That was reserved for only a select few.

With little effort, Ciel pushed the doors open and strode down the center isle with puffed up confidence. He stared straight ahead to where Angelina's body laid across the stone alter. As he approached, the Earl noticed his fianceé off to the side dressed entirely in black, her eyes puffy and red from crying. It looked so wrong on her that the teen paused for a fraction of a second before continuing forward.

Each step felt like an eternity and as he ascended the final steps he caught sight of his aunt's face. She looked peaceful in death and there wasn't a single hint that she's been mercilessly torn open by a crazed reaper.

Just as he'd predicted, Madame Red was dressed in pale whites and creams that only made her look more washed out and pale.

Ciel frowned and shook his head, "These colors do not do you justice, Madame."

He swept the beautiful red satin dress across her body and stared down at her with a soft smile. The ruffled silk laid still against the material and he recalled the memories that he'd been shown, a rare glimpse through the eyes of another.

"Red is lovely, it's the color of passion and rose petals. The dazzling shade of licorice."

The Earl of Phantomhive ran the back of his knuckles across her soft cheek before turning away from her and striding back the way he came. Half way down the isle, a flood of silky maroon rose petals drifted down from the ceiling. Rays of sunlight caught them, giving the room a brilliant burst of vivid color as they drifted toward the ground, making the attendants gasp in awe of the display. Ciel knew without a doubt that it was due to Sebastian. He wanted to smile at the thoughtful gesture but his pride kept his face blank.

The demon watched his contracted from the churches lawn. He hadn't planned to do anything for the woman's funeral besides attending with the teen but as he stood watching the calm mask of his master, he couldn't purge the last conversation he'd had with Angelina Durless from his mind. Her emotional strength as she faced down an unknown monster. Her bold nature and the protective way she cared for Ciel. It made her stand out and Sebastian couldn't pull his eyes from the bluenette's face as he remembered his promise to Angelina.

The promise to keep the boy safe.

Sebastian disappeared into the shadows as he caught sight of the Earl making a turn and walking back behind the church. A field of neatly trimmed grass laid behind the holy building and upon the smallest hill to the west, two figures in black stood stark against the landscape beside a single headstone.

Ciel approached the silver haired man in silence and stood in front of the plain grave marker, staring down at the neatly etched name of Jack the Ripper's final victim, the victim he'd failed to save.

The Undertaker flashed Ciel a mischievous smile, "A very generous donation, my little Earl."

A wall of detachment quickly surrounded his thoughts and the Earl soon pushed aside any strand of guilt that he might've carried. Her death, though tragic and unnecessary, was not his fault and it never would be. He would take that weight, as the underworld demanded but he felt nothing as he carried it upon his shoulders.

"It isn't generous. I'll be paid for the service at a later date."

All three of them knew it was a lie but neither immortal commented on it.

The Undertaker chose instead to pick at the teen's armour, "Such a cold exterior for one such as yourself."

Ciel turned to look at the odd man and he let his gaze go flat as he stared at the silverette, "I am the Queen's Watchdog. It's my job to be cold and ruthless to the fiends of the Underworld. I have no room for mercy."

He glanced down at the grave and let the usual indifference define his features, "Sometimes people get caught in the cross fire. Innocent and corrupt alike. There's no stopping it."

"And which one is she, itty bitty Earl? Innocent or corrupt." The corky man leaned over the grave marker as if it were a luxury high back chair, awaiting Ciel's answer.

Ciel stared at the newly placed dirt and thought back to the woman who'd found herself caught in the middle of a supernatural conflict. He knew nothing of her innocence or the darkness she held close.

His thoughts were interrupted by the odd man invading his space, "And what of you? Are you corrupt?"

Deathly pale fingers darted out with lightning precision and grabbed the caravat around the Earl's throat, pulling him up on his tip toes to face the eerie male, "Does the Queen know of your darker side, my ickle bitty Earl, our notorious noble."

Ciel gave the mortician a last piercing glare before forcing the elder away, almost stumbling backwards as he did so. He turned to Sebastian and nodded, setting off down the hill and back towards the cobblestone street, ignoring the Undertaker's question all together.

The two immortals watched the boy walk away in a flurry of cold pride before the reaper turned to the dark haired man and flashed him a haunting smile, "Careful, don't let the boy fly to high, he may find himself caught in the web of another before the sun melts his wings and sends him crashing into the unforgiving sea."

The Undertaker cackled and made a graceful retreat before Sebastian found himself turning away and following the footsteps of his Master.

Obsession danced within the depth of liquid gold irises as the spider demon slid quietly from web to web, shamelessly examining the many potential lives of Ciel Phantomhive.

Some people only have a few webs. They live their lives just as they're meant to, and they die with little alteration. Very few things could change their path and they remained one of the many tasteless examples of humanity.

However, there were some lives that could change in the most drastic of ways at the drop of a coin. They lead many, and followed very few. Their lives were governed by pain and often times power was thrust upon them. So many choices. Many lives that could've been, endless possibilities.

The arachnid glided his fingers across silken strands, yet another possible collection of life choices flashed before his eyes and he sighed in aggravation as he saw no possibility of encountering Ciel Phantomhive in the flesh.

He'd viewed countless lifetimes, seen the horror of the boy's past, his desire for revenge and it left the dark haired demon desperate for the bluenette's soul. His mouth watered at the very thought of it and he would do absolutely anything to acquire it, including bending the rules.

Perhaps the "rules" would be bent and splintered, but it mattered very little to the golden eyed man. His desire overcame the fear of repercussions.

As the ancient laid his fingers upon the next bundle of silk, he stilled.

This one was different from the rest.

A trip to a remote village named Houndsworth. The legend of a demon dog and a terrible curse. It lead the Earl down a path of misery, and into the arms of a power corrupted angel. Greedy eyes watched as the teen fought through the control that gripped his mind, as well as his body, and held on to his hate and his anger.

Gold eyes became two sets of four blood red ones and the elder stared through the eyes of his prey as his life continued to play out like a dream. He encountered the crumbling structure where the crow demon planned to take the bluenette's soul and a flicker of disappointment tasted bitter on the man's tongue before he realized that the fallen castle wasn't the end of the story.

Eyes glazed with lust filled greed as he skipped ahead through the muddled swamp of confusion and lost memories before he caught sight of himself through Ciel's eyes.

He stood tall and silent beside a hyper blonde teen in shorts and a long purple coat with dazzling gold buttons. The ice blue eyes pierced him and he could practically taste the rage consuming the blonde. It sung for the demon and the dark haired man realized that the other boy must have formed a contract with him at some point.

Alois.

The name ghosted across his tongue like a foreign language as clouded memories of a life that'd never happened in this reality filled his cortex.

Waves of emotion danced across the blonde's features as the two boy's faced off, but observant eyes caught sight of the blackened rose within his own breast pocket.

His eyes narrowed before widening in almost comical surprise.

A demon's bet?

There was no question in his mind that Sebastian was the other demon but a bet between immortals was nothing to joke around with. It tended to create serious grudges and though the spider demon was no stranger to a well kept grudge, forever was an awfully long time. Actions within the mortal world tended to pass unnoticed by demons, even if they were pitted against each other by their masters. No offense was generally taken but all bets were off when two immortals knowingly gambled within the realm of humans.

Sharp lips thinned and the dark haired male worked through his thoughts as he proceeded to watch the sword fight between the teens.

It quickly became apparent to the ancient that the token of the bet was Phantomhive's soul. His greedy heart lurched as he watched his alternate self try to force the Trancy boy's soul into Ciel's body.

Risky actions borderlining on careless. It was a brilliant plan but he shouldn't have been so wasteful. Two quality souls. He took a great gamble by assuming that Alois' soul would linger within the red gem stone set in gold.

He would've expected as much from Ciel, but Alois had never been an Earl. He wasn't attached to the possessions of his ancestors as the bluenette was. Without even having to view the course of the blonde's life, the raven haired man knew that the elaborate manor and the lavish lifestyle weren't bred into the boy. He lacked the grace and utter ease that typically accompanied a man of noble upbringing.

However as time progressed he caught more and more errors in his plan. Though he hadn't reached the end of the tale, he was more than positive that Hannah Annafellows would become a problem.

Impatience forced him further along into the edges of the web and his brows scrunched in confusion at the flickering of black out perspectives as the blue haired teen stood above a giant hedge maze. In a moment of clarity he realized with bitter irony that the soul of Alois Trancy had not merged easily with the other boy's, despite their emotional similarities. They fought for control and the ancient was alight with excitement as he awaited the winner of the contest.

A low grown pulled from his throat as his suspicions were confirmed when the Alois controlled Ciel stepped into the dark cave with the violet haired maid. He watched with surprise lined features as he heard the conditions of their contract and the spider demon shook his head for underestimating the sheer devious and cunning nature of Alois.

Frustration consumed the elder as he heard the conditions of his fated battle with Sebastian but was unable to view it for himself. Though able to view the many potential lives of humans, demons were a different breed and it was impossible to view anything through their eyes. He pinched his nose and sighed heavily as he watched the final moments of the young Earl's life before it ended abruptly.

There were only two things that could've happened. Either the arachnid won the battle with Sebastian and was forced to accept that he wouldn't get Ciel's soul, or he would be killed and the crow demon was "free" to serve the newborn demon for all of eternity. Neither option particularly appealed to the ancient.

It was an altogether ingenious plan, but working with unstable variables was an amature mistake. The interesting nature of the interactions between Ciel and "Sebastian" only made the immortal crave his soul more, but this time he would be tactful.

He rewound the visual path of the boy's life and focused on Alois. He was positive that the battered blonde boy would be his ticket to success. For the first time in weeks, the dark haired man left the corridor that housed the possibilities of Ciel Phantomhive and made his way through the winding tunnels.

The elder would prepare this time, research every angle he could, and Alois was going to be the next angle under his scrutiny.

Both souls would be his and this time the golden eyed male would settle for no less than perfection.

Sebastian frowned as he sat opposite of Ciel. Though he found the Undertaker's company distasteful, receiving two separate warnings from the enigmatic man left him weary.

Reapers tended to be maddeningly vague on principle alone. The demon didn't pretend to be an expert on the otherly beings, but he'd encountered them from time to time. It was practically impossible not to. After such meetings, he'd always walked away with the same conclusion: that they lived to be dramatic in their own way. Whether it was through dare devil choices, flashy cross dressing or painfully strict regulations.

However he couldn't pull his thoughts from the Undertaker's words. He spoke with riddles and mystery laced tones; hushed truths and hidden knowledge, but Sebastian couldn't keep from thinking that the warning had been very real.

The maroon eyed man thought back to the previous encounter and he recalled that the mortician mentioned spiders in that warning as well. The demon was unsure of the symbolism behind the reference but he filed it away for further investigation.

Silence reigned supreme in the carriage ride back to the manor and within the quiet, Sebastian's conscious turned back to the confrontation in the study. The demon could still feel the ghost of alcohol and peppermint on his memories and he cast his attention to the irritated teen across from him.

His posture screamed defensive and the ravenette longed to pry past the words spoken at the grave of the prostitute. He would never speak out against his master in the company of others, especially another key figure of the Underworld but within the confines of their own space Sebastian felt it was his duty to prod at the Earl.

He considered the male across from him and organized his chosen barbs carefully before speaking, "Though incredibly prideful, I always considered you to be quiet direct, young Master."

Ciel bristled at the tone of his butler's voice and he turned his attention to the black clad man.

Sebastian leaned forward for affect and let the condescension lace his words, "But it seems deceitful and hypocrisy are also present."

Mismatched eyes narrowed and Ciel glared at the man across from him, "I'm not in the mood to put up with your mouth, Sebastian, but I assure you that deceit is your area of expertise."

The ravenette smirked and leaned back in his seat, "How many times must I assure you that I don't lie, my Lord?" Crimson eyes studied the teen with amusement, "Lies are for mortals."

Pale lips thinned at the subtle barb and the fragile thread of patience the Earl held was rapidly slipping but he remained silent, raising his eyebrows with indifferent questioning, "Would you care to shed some light on your "subtle" implications?"

"I have no room for mercy." The demon repeated in a mocking tone.

Ciel's gaze turned icy and his jaw clenched, "I recommend that you tread very carefully, demon." He hissed quietly, his calm voice thick with escaped anger.

Sebastian knew the moment the bluenette called out his true nature that he had him. The hooks were in deep beneath the skin, "My apologies, young Master. I merely sought to point out the lapse in honesty, whether accidental or otherwise."

Petite fingers clenched and the Earl of Phantomhive stared, unflinching, into his butler's headstrong gaze, "You are mistaken, Sebastian."

Ciel smoothed out his stirred quills and he sat up straight, crossing his legs at the knee as he slipped back into a more relaxed demenor.

The demon knew Ciel expected him to take the hint and know his place but the temptation was to great, "But there is, my Lord."

He smiled darkly, "You held mercy for your kin, did you not? She was in the position to kill you, attempting to snuff out your life and you spared her from me." Eyes filled with edgeless malice slid over the Earl's tensing form, "Could it be that you didn't have the necessary chilled heart to murder your own flesh and blood?" A mocking smirk kinked Sebastian's lips, "Or perhaps I was mistaken when I spoke of deceit. Should I have called it cowardice?"

Barely restrained fury rolled from the Earl in palpable waves and Sebastian basked in his ability to drive his words home beneath the bluenette's skin.

"I don't appreciate your tone. You dare to imply that I can't do what needs to be done?" Ciel uncrossed his legs but betrayed his false sense of calm when he immediately laced his fingers, "Madame Red was no longer a threat."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows as he waited for the Earl to elaborate, amusement still apparent within his features.

"She showed restraint, hesitancy." Ciel's visible eye narrowed, "It might not mean much to savage beasts such as yourself, but humans are not so barbaric."

Sebastian ignored the blunt jab at his nature and snickered, "Perhaps. However, hypocrisy remains a distinguishing human trait."

The Earl looked like he was about to snap as he glared daggers at the ancient, "What are you getting at, demon?"

His smirk deepened, "What I mean to say is that you are so inescapibly human it's pitiful."

Sebastian almost laughed at the shocked expression on his master's face, "Have you forgotten Grell so easily? He was ready to walk away without fight."

Flickers of doubt echoed through Ciel's heart as he thought of the way he'd inexplicately ordered Sebastian to torture and eventually kill the reaper.

"Get out."

Twin brows rose in surprise as Sebastian took in the stone cold features of the teen's face. He'd expected a sharp retort and the butler wondered if he'd pushed the bluenette to far with his word choice, "Pardon?"

"Get out, Sebastian. It's a simple order. Painfully so. Must I break it down for you, demon? Remove yourself from my carriage."

A neutral expression blanketed the elder's face but he nodded regardless, "Yes, my Lord. I shall eagerly await your arrival at the manor."

Ciel turned his attention from the butler and was barely aware when the immortal disappeared from the moving vehicle without pause.

Frustration and anger arced through the boy's psyche like free flowing electricity. The nature of Sebastian's statements had burrowed into his skin like small thorns but what really disturbed him was the underlying truth behind the words, and how he felt about that truth.

What Ciel said about Madame Red was true. Though he didn't enjoy the idea of needlessly harming anybody, he would have let Sebastian attack her if she hadn't hesitated and tried to move away. The fact that she was his kin had absolutely nothing to do with it.

However, the reaper's terrified features lingered behind his eyes. He'd allowed his revenge driven lust to cloud his judgement. Grell Sutcliff was immortal, so they couldn't very well hand him over to the Scotland Yard, but he'd lowered his weapon and prepared to exit peacefully; an exit Ciel had denied.

In his anger and his shock, the Earl had ordered Sebastian to not only kill the redheaded man but to torture him, and make his death agonizingly painful.

However, what bothered the bluenette most of all was that he really couldn't bring himself to care about his mistake. Within his own mind, it wasn't a mistake and it never would be.

Though not driven mad with power, Ciel loved the way it tasted on his tongue. The sheer power his demon allowed him excited his taste buds and left him hungry for more. The teen took great care in keeping his appetite in check but the small slip proved to be just as tempting as any sweet treat.

Ciel lazily wondered if this was the point that Sebastian was trying to make: That he enjoyed his power over others. Somehow the lesson itself seemed much less important than the ability to see and accept it for himself. He assumed, quite easily, that his self acceptance was what the demon had been aiming for.

However accepting and giving in to temptation were two very different things.

Ciel suspected that Sebastian wouldn't allow him to abuse his power to much, but he couldn't be entirely sure. Sebastian was a demon and his limits differed quite a bit from human standards. But Sebastian knew enough about humans to help guide the Earl, didn't he?

Sebastian always seemed to steer the teen in the right direction in some round about way. Ciel could think and problem solve just fine on his own, but there were just some things he couldn't account for and wouldn't know how to handle or answer for.

The boy briefly wondered what purpose the demon's ghosted guidance served. Was he indirectly leading Ciel to the truth about his parents, and in turn serving only himself or was it deeper than that? Did the demon take pity on him and try to fill in the blanks? Or perhaps Sebastian was merely striving to make the boy honest with himself.

As he recalled, Sebastian tended to pick apart his arguments and his excuses only when they were in each others company. His sharp words were for the bluenette alone. The things spoken between them never seemed to change anything, aside from the way Ciel tended to view them afterwards.

Thoughts of Sebastian and his intentions left the bluenette trapped in his own thoughts and guesses. As time passed, the teen found that he steadily began growing more and more curious about the mystery man in black. He'd once believed that souls and boredum alone drove the man but now he wasn't so sure. Was there more to Sebastian than just the surface?

The carriage ride dragged on and Ciel found that the distance from the church all the way to his manor wasn't nearly enough time for the Earl to get his thoughts straight: on himself or his butler.