Author's Note: i'm not english, nor am i an expert in the court system. what i do have experience in is being in a psych ward. i'm only going off of what i've researched as far as the process of bookings of someone who's been arrested and the court system. if it's incorrect, my apologies and it's not my intention to disrespect anyone or purposely produce misinformation. please, respectfully correct me if i got this wrong so i can correct it. hope y'all had a nice turkey day to those who celebrate! please forgive any and all errors
Warning: mentions of suicidal thoughts, mental health
Disclaimer: Creedmoor Psychiatric Center and Mount Sinai Hospital are real institutions, yet fictional in this context for the story (if that makes sense lol). I do NOT own Kuroshitsuji/Black Butler. All rights to Yana Toboso.
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Ciel's bloodshot puffy eyes blinks tiredly as he's escorted from vital recording to identification photos. Standing for his series of headshots Ciel is trying to register everything that is taking place. In his mind, these moments play out so quick but also in slow motion.
Lights flash and he winces. He has grown so accustomed to the darkness that his kidnapper subjected him too. He sees light rings fade in and out as he squints and tightens his repeatedly to rid the unpleasant sight.
Being hauled off to another part of processing, Ciel is told told to empty any personal property for confiscation and then strip of the clothing that his kidnapper provided from him less than an hour ago. While he had nothing to give up, the officer still took it upon himself to conduct a full body search after giving Ciel his jail uniform.
Ciel tries to endure the burn and pressure when the officer when roughly pressing against his brand mark as he searches his body. After the search, the officer asks Ciel to strip once again to change, but before he had the opportunity too, the worst of it all came that caused Ciel to break into tears.
The health check.
Once he slowly removes his top, the officer eyes him and sees the fresh burnt and raised skin of the symbol on the back left side of his waist.
"What is that?" The officer asked carefully.
Ciel looks down in shame and answers. "My kidnapper burned me." He answered lowly and the officer for a while said nothing as Ciel continued to remove his clothing and the health check begins as he is now nude and vulnerable and wave of humiliation washes over him once more. Ciel doesn't know how much more he could bear.
Ciel was healthy, mostly. He was happy. And not being spoiled, he has lived his young life without any major complaints or hardships. But what of his life now?
Not too long ago, and not even fully in the prime of his life, he had the best of life; its pleasures and fortune sitting in his hands.
All throughout grade school, he maintained his honors, groomed to succeed his father for their family business and preparing to enjoy the warm and loving holidays with his family after just successfully completing a semester at a well respected university.
How has it been snatched from him and his life completely flipped so sudden and without reason?
"I'll have you transferred to a nearby hospital to have that burn checked out before it gets infected. We just need your fingerprints and other DNA samples first." The officer states, concluding the check. Ciel's breathing heavies as he quickly puts on his jail uniform. Silently grateful for the provision of socks and shoes after spending a month of being barefoot and painful aching feet from running through snow.
The officer escorts him out of the private room for the next steps in processing as he stated. Passing him off to be fingerprinted, the officer walks away to have a word with a coworker.
Ciel has his fingerprints logged into the database and submitted his hair and saliva and an officer approaches him, the same as before.
"Before transferring you, I need to ask a few questions."
"Okay..."
"Are you gang affiliated?"
"No."
"Do you have any allergies or health conditions?"
"I've had asthma attacks before."
Asking Ciel of his first development, symptoms, physician(s); his general history of asthma and treatment, he moves to Ciel's mental health status.
"Are you experiencing any anxiety, melancholy, suicidal thoughts?"
Answering honestly, Ciel says 'yes'. Suicidal thoughts never crossed his mind especially being that his human instincts took over in his will to live and escape his attacker, but from the turn of events that clouded his life so quickly, anxiety and depression were very much present.
"Do you have any history of mental illness? Family history with mental illness?"
"Not until a month ago. And my mother and grandfather suffered from melancholy."
"We'll be transferring you to a nearby hospital, but you're allowed to make one phonemail first before you go."
"Okay... Thank you." Ciel nods, relief in his voice.
After a month of darkness, fear and the unknown, Ciel's heart races with being able to be in contact with a source of comfort and familiarity, the only other relative closest to himself and their parents.
The officer does't respond and motions for Ciel to follow. He leads Ciel to the phone near the area of the holding cells and tells Ciel he only has a few minutes. He nods and racks his brain to remember his brothers' number as he hesitantly punches in the numbers.
The phone rings.
And rings.
And rings.
"Please Alois... Please answer..." He whispers to himself.
Ciel's breathing becomes heavy and ragged. He grips the phone tightly, praying for Alois to answer, knowing the male doesn't always answer. He curses himself at the thought. Thinking that he should have called Elizabeth instead, knowing that Elizabeth never misses a call from Ciel, but he couldn't remember her full number by heart.
"Hello?" Alois asks, confusion with a hint of excited interest in his voice.
"Alois?" Ciel's eyes widen and lets out a relieving sigh.
"Ciel?!" Alois exclaims.
'Ciel called me! He's on the phone!' Ciel hears Alois say to someone in the background and hears loud shifting, assuming whoever Alois was taking too was gathering around him.
"I... I'm so happy to hear your voice. Finally..." Ciel's voice cracks, failing to hold back the tears that quickly built up in his eyes.
"I'm happy to hear from you too, but Ciel... What the fuck happened to you?"
"Alois, I don't know! After you left, we had dinner, I woke up again and the house was on fire." He puts a hand to his forehead.
"Ciel, you've been on the news. Everywhere in London. I'm pretty sure that the rest of the country knows your name and face by now if they haven't already. They're accusing you of murder."
"What?" His brows furrow, now having his first and trusts confirmation that what the officers said as they arrested him earlier.
"Ciel, they're saying you killed Rachel and Vincent and set the house on fire! There's been a warrant out for your arrest for almost a month, but they couldn't find you. Just a half hour ago, the news reported you being found and taken into custody." Elizabeth took over.
"But I didn't! After I woke up to the fire, I was knocked out and woke up in a cage. I just escaped tonight before I was arrested."
"Kidnapped?" Alois questioned.
"You know me. You both know me... I wouldn't do something like that! No one's listening to me..." Ciel's body begins to quiver.
"We are listening to you. We just..." Elizabeth trails off.
"You don't believe me..." His voice cracks.
"I believe you, Ciel." Alois assures him.
After the fire and recovery of Vincent and Rachel's bodies, everyone in close connection with the Phantomhive family were brought in for questioning. Alois, initially being one of the main suspects, was questioned extensively.
Questioned, providing to submit DNA samples and prod with accusations of jealousy that turned into a rage, leading to the murder and possible death and/or kidnapping of Ciel, their biological son, from inheriting the family business and him being a second thought due to his adoption.
Alois was staunch in reserving his innocence and eventually his statements and alibi of where he was the night of the fire and murder proved him innocent. That, and the DNA extraction evidence that compared and matched to Ciel's DNA that was found in the manor.
What remained unscathed in the manor that belonged to Ciel was items such as his tooth brush, hair brush, comb; contains both his finger prints and either saliva or hair. Items that were surprisingly untouched in the fire. Also, the murder weapons that were used to take the lives of Rachel and Vincent and set the manor on fire.
Days pass after the extraction and Alois was removed from being the number one suspect, to Ciel being his replacement.
"There's just too much pointing towards you that you did this..." Alois trails off.
"I didn't... I swear I didn't." Ciel's tears flow.
"Ciel, we're here for you. I'm here for you. We just have to figure this out." Alois tries to provide as much reassurance and comfort to Ciel to let him know that he's not alone.
"We're gonna come to see you, Ciel." Elizabeth says, adding to the comfort.
"Thank you..." Ciel chokes out. "They're taking me to the hospital now and I don't know what'll happen after."
"The hospital?" Elizabeth asks.
"What for?" Concern heavy in Alois's voice.
"I have a burn on my side. They want to make sure it doesn't get infected."
"Which hospital?" Alois asks.
"I-... I don't know. I didn't ask."
"It's probably Sinai. That's the closest hospital to the station he's at." Elizabeth says too Alois.
"We'll meet you there Ciel. We'll see you in a few, okay?" Alois reassures once more.
"Okay. See you then." Ciel says sadly, already feeling the separation of contact before Alois hangs up. Alois and Elizabeth hang up in a rush to get to Ciel and Ciel slowly places the phone back on its holder and places a hand to his now wet face to wipe away the tears.
"Finished?" The officer asks as he approaches Ciel.
Ciel nods and the officer cuffs him once more for transferring. He guides Ciel with him and another holding a bag of Ciel's belongings.
Outside, Ciel looks up at the night sky to see light flakes gracefully fall to the ground, adding to the light blanket of snow covers the ground. A door is held open for him to climb into as he is driven to Mount Sinai Hospital.
Amend
At Ciel's time at Sinai, Alois and Elizabeth never came.
His hope that he had someone on his side and familial comfort shattered and found himself crying himself to sleep that night at the disappointment and feeling of abandonment. His hope somewhat numbed after two days of admittance when he realized that they weren't coming at all, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that they couldn't make it that night, that it was too late for visitation. But not a visit or a phone call came.
Handcuffed to the bed, Ciel was examined for his burn, given antibiotic cream and provided medication for his asthma.
During his stay, Ciel woke up in the middle of the night from night terrors. Claiming to a nurse that responded to his cries that the man stood in the corner of his room, holding the same burning iron that was used to mark him. Only to find that when the nurse rushed in to his aid and turned on the lights, the man was gone.
He was questioned by a nurse of his mental health status and being honest with the nurse that he was experiencing anxiety and what he believed to be depression and visions, Ciel was evaluated by one of the hospitals' psychiatrists where he was once again questioned on his and families history of mental illness and asked to explain what he was feeling.
This bled into Ciel telling his story of his day and night of the fire, kidnapping and escape, resulting in Ciel being placed into a psych ward until his first court appearance.
Another day passes until the police escorted Ciel from the hospital's psych ward and to the court house. Nine hours pass before Ciel is waiting to be brought before a judge.
Trying to keep his composure yet unsure of what to expect when coming before the judge, Ciel's mind fogs.
Will he be sent to prison? Alois says that there is too much pointing towards him; Does this mean that Ciel should be expecting to go back to jail until his trial?
Ciel lifts his head to the voice of a court officer informing him that Ciel was next to see the judge. He stands and follows him to the courtroom and his eyes widen, light with re-sparked hope when they set on Alois and Elizabeth sitting in the back. They look back at him with mourning and sad eyes, but with a small smile of comfort.
'They didn't abandon me...' Ciel thought to himself.
Standing behind the defendant podium was a tall brown skinned man in a suit, short white hair with two long locks adorned with beads and grey eyes, waiting for Ciel to join him.
Being brought to the man's side, he quickly introduced himself to Ciel before the hearing starts.
"Mr. Phantomhive, I am Agni Iyer. I'll be your legal representative."
Ciel nods. "Am I going back to jail?" Ciel asks.
"It's a possibility. Your appearance today is to inform you of your charges and rights. The judge will also grant you bail and determine your custody status. I'll be in touch with you regularly."
Before Ciel could respond, they were asked to rise before the judge as she entered.
A very pale woman with silver platinum hair and amethyst eyes. She keeps a blank expression as she makes her way to her seat. Ciel looks at her name plaque on the front of the judge bench.
Judge Angela Blanc
Taking their seats once more, Ciel looks at the judge, trying to hint at any expression he can read in her face to guess which direction this hearing will lead to.
Ciel was read his rights and informed that he was being charged for aggravated arson and first degree murder and that he was facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Asking Ciel's representative how he pleaded, Agni informed the judge that due to Ciel's quick arrest, he has not been able to meet Ciel before his first appearance, he has not been able to come up with an initial plea.
The judge sighed. She hesitated and before she could speak, granting Ciel and his attorney additional time to come up with a plea, Ciel spoke.
"I plead not guilty, your honor."
Angela eyes him and Agni snaps his head to look at Ciel.
"Mr. Phantomhive, you can't speak to a judge until spoken to." Agni whispered to Ciel.
"Mr. Phantomhive..." Angela leans back and crosses her arms. "Because of the nature of this crime, you do realize that this plea will result in a trial and if found guilty... You'll receive the maximum sentence without the possibility of parole?" She asks with a raised brow.
"Y-yes..." Ciel chokes out. "I'm not guilty! Someone else did this... The person that kidnapped me! He branded me!" Ciel exclaims as he stands up, still handcuffed but lifting up the left side of his jail uniform, turning and showing the judge his burn mark.
Officers shift to stand guard at Ciel's sudden movements and Angela furrows her brows at the sight of the mark. Not knowing what to make of it, she stays silent and continues to watch Ciel carefully; his face and mannerisms, clearly indicating emotional and mental instability and distress.
"Mr. Phantomhive, please..." Agni begs as he pulls Ciel back down to his seat.
Ciel's breathing fastens as he looks down in sadness.
"I just... I..." He trails off, voice cracking.
"Mr. Phantomhive..." Angela starts, Ciel and Agni redirecting their attention back to her. "You've been in Mount Sinai Hospitals Psych Ward after the time of your arrest, am I correct?"
"Yes, your honor."
"You've mentioned to the hospital's psychiatrist that you've been experiencing melancholy and... Seeing visions?"
Not wanting to be argumentative to the judge that what he was seeing weren't hallucinations, he agreed once more.
A heavy exhale left Angela and a silence before she spoke once more.
"For security and safety risk reasons and also to ensure that you get the proper treatment you require, I won't be granting you a bail. Instead, I'll be placing you at Creedmoor Psychiatric Center until your trial date. Is that understood?"
"Yes... Your honor."
"Mr. Iyer?"
"Yes, your honor."
Ciel's first appearance is at an end.
"I'll be seeing you soon, Mr. Phantomhive." Agni states and Ciel nods.
He stands up with the rest of the court and immediately turns his head to look back at Elizabeth and Alois. They look at him with remorseful eyes. Before he could speak, Ciel was forcefully rushed out of the courtroom and to the vehicle that will transport him to his new home.
Amend
Ciel is led out of the vehicle that parked in front of the enormous grey building.
Clearly the building has stood long before his time and probably his grandfathers. He can only fathom the amount of people who have been confined behind its walls.
Taken inside the the centers library, Ciel is released from his handcuffs and os handed off to the director. A tall man, holding an only shaped staff who wore a suit with glasses and piercing green eyes behind them with a stoic expression.
"Do you need assistance in escorting him up?" One of the officers said.
"No, thank you. I can take it from here." His voice unmoved and void of emotion.
The officers nod, hands the director a bag containing Ciel's belongings, antibiotic cream and asthma pump, and take their leave, large solid door closing behind them as Ciel is left with the man.
The man with glasses throws the bag at Ciel, hitting his chest rather roughly.
He looks down at Ciel blankly as Ciel bends down to pick up his bag. "Managing to get this nation to believe something like you is capable of murder..." He says under his breath, unimpressed.
"Huh..." Ciel's brows furrow as he looks up, but the man turns around and begins to walk away, Ciel following behind him as they approach the stairs.
"William T. Spears, I am the director of Creedmoor." He introduces. "This institution runs routinely. Throughout the day, you will spend it in the dayroom where recreational activities are held to keep yourselves entertained. Behavioral outbursts are prohibited and the consequences for actions are absolute and vary. You will bathe once a day, be fed three times a day, and the time to retire has been and will be at 9PM. To ensure the safety of both staff and other patients, patients are assigned individual rooms. You'll place your belongings in your room and head to the dayroom directly after. You'll be searched and required to change into patient attire."
Ciel nods and keeps quiet as he continues to follow William up the stairs that seemed like a lifetime, giving Ciel quite the workout and most movement he's had in over a month.
Once reaching the unit, Ciel is taken to be searched once more for any contraband. Fortunately, there was not another health screening where he was forced to have someone watch him perform instructions in the nude.
He was given privacy to change into patient uniform and place his belongings in a small dresser bolted down to the floor along with his bed.
Afterwards, William led Ciel into the dayroom and closed the double doors behind him. Ciel stood by the door and scanned the room of the patients that congregated there.
Everyone seemed to separate themselves from one another and immersed in their own activities.
Sadness filled Ciel as he watched them, some of them showing true absence of consciousness and sanity, engaging in abnormal activities. Wondering what happened in these individuals lives' that led them here.
Continuing to observe his surroundings, Ciel turned his head to one staff member that guarded the door and another to the mid-left, standing in between two tables.
One table where a pale man with white hair and red eyes sat almost nude and panted and barked to himself. The other table sat three others, a maroon-haired woman with circular cracked glasses and two blond men, one younger than the other. All of them engaged in separate activities.
Ciel then began looking for somewhere to sit, not wanting to stand out and attract further attention to himself outside of being a new face.
His eyes glazed over the room once more before finding an empty table in the far right corner of the room.
He begins to walk to the table and as he approached, he noticed a chessboard on the table.
He sits down, back to the wall and inhales deeply. He looks down at the chessboard with sorrow, but finding a source of comfort in that. A memory of him and his father playing and Ciel wishing to amount to a great player as Vincent once was.
Hot tears build up behind Ciel's eye and he can feel them ready to pour at the thought of his father. Vincent... The fear and defeat he felt as a father and husband for not being able to protect his wife and child. And then his loving mother... Rachel. How mortified she must have been to find herself hopeless and at the mercy of her killer, not being able to escape with her husband and child. He could only hope that they remained asleep before their lives being taken.
Ciel tries to get a grip on his breathing to prevent him from heaving but only resort to it becoming heavy.
'Mom... Dad... I didn't... I swear I didn't...' He thinks to himself, praying that somehow, wherever his parents were could hear his internal cries and provide some type of comfort and guidance.
While Ciel was lost in thought and sorrows, he had not taken notice to the tall slender man that walked towards him.
Now standing in front of him for several seconds, almost as if he was waiting for acknowledgement, Ciel comes back to present time. Holding back tears from flowing, Ciel slowly looks up at the raven haired man standing on the opposite side of the small table.
The man gives a small smile. Deep crimson eyes soften and a voice that is deep, rich and of velvet speaks. "I guess I have company again."
Amend