A/N: Hello, everyone! My goodness, I can't believe it's actually been THREE YEARS since I've updated this story. Truly shameful. I have no excuses. I'll never make an excuse again to not be doing what I love to do, which is creating stories. With all that's going on in the world, we have to live our lives to the fullest while we have them. But enough of that: back to the story, shall we?

Phantomhive Manor was deathly silent as its occupants sat around the study, their countenances grave as they each held cups of tea that had long gone cold. Elizabeth glanced up at Ciel, who stood at the windows a silent sentry, staring toward the gates of the compound. Night had fallen hours ago, and still no sign of Sebastian. The joys of the day seemed like a short lived dream . . .

Ciel suddenly gasped, his tea cup rattling with his surprise. Everyone instantly sailed to his sides to watch Sebastian slowly creep up the path, a shadow over his face as he kept his head down. Ciel turned and hastily shoved his tea into Mey-Rin's free hand as he swept out of the study, the rest following suit.

As soon as the door opened, Ciel sprang into Sebastian's arms, squeezing him as tightly as he could muster. Sebastian barely registered what was happening until his bride pulled apart from him to search every inch of his body.

"You're not hurt, are you?" he asked frantically, his hands diving in and out of every flap and fold they could reach. That's when Sebastian ceased his actions, offering him a strained smile.

"I'm unscathed, my love," he replied, looking up at the gaunt faces of the others. They collectively breathed a sigh of relief, but he could see the burning question in everyone's eyes. "Unfortunately . . . my investigation yielded no results."

"What?" Mey-Rin and Elizabeth gasped, but it was the look on Ciel's face that drove a dagger through him.

"Well . . . I'm sure you did your best," he whispered, but the rage in his eyes communicated very well that it wasn't good enough. His husband, a failure? It was unheard of in all of their history.

"Ciel, I promise you, I won't rest until I get to the bottom of this," he said, but Ciel gave him a halfhearted smile as he touched his cheek.

"Nonsense, my dear. There's no point taking blind shots in the dark," he replied, turning to Elizabeth, who looked just as unsatisfied but resigned herself to the state of affairs.

"In that case, I should return home to Johnathan," she said with a nervous laugh. "He's probably going crazy, wondering where I am-"

"Absolutely not," Sebastian scoffed. "I made sure to stop by and fill him in on things. He insisted on coming back here with me, but I convinced him it's safer to stay where he is. We needn't involve anyone else until I know what's going on."

"R-right. I suppose that's sensible," she replied, rubbing her stomach. He could tell she was totally against leaving her husband alone, but he was indeed safe, so long as whomever they were up against knew nothing about him.

"Well, allow me to show you to the guest quarters then," Mey-Rin offered, and the marchioness gracefully took her arm and bowed her head to everyone.

"I'll whip up something quick and bring it to your room," Bard said, nodding towards Finnian as they exited together.

Just then, standing there alone with Ciel felt agonizing. He was permeated by the fury radiating from his bride, but Ciel turned toward him and offered him a more earnest smile.

"Let's get you a bath drawn, yeah?" he supplied. "You look haggard after everything today. Thank you for all your hard work."

Before he could say anything close to a protest, he stormed out of the room, and Sebastian was left standing there, the weight of what seemed like the whole world crushing his shoulders.

The rest of the night carried on without a hitch. He had to admit, the bath was quite refreshing, but it was hard to enjoy the effects once he came to bed, where Ciel was practically curled up on the edge, leaving as much space between them as possible. Not to mention, there was no lack of anger hanging in the air. At this point, he couldn't tell if his bride was worked up about the situation, or the fact that he had utterly failed to resolve it after being gone so long. Both realities made perfect sense.

He slowly and carefully eased his way into the bed, not wanting to incite his ire further by waking him up - if he was even really asleep. He never imagined he'd be walking on eggshells this soon into their union, but could he really blame him for feeling as he did? Someone was threatening the life of their unborn child, and he had no idea who. For the first time in his existence, he felt inadequate, and that was honestly terrifying.

It definitely didn't help to leave his bride in the dark about what had actually transpired during his disappearance, but he couldn't bear to endanger him, too . . .

Sebastian paced steadily down the bustling street, his eyes darting to and fro for anything that was remotely suspicious. Everyone kept a wide berth of him, undoubtedly recognizing the dark tension in his gait. The further he walked, the more maddening it became. There was nothing, not even a small slither of a hint to what he should be looking for. There was no way that being married was causing him to lose his touch . . . had he mistakenly destroyed his only clue back at the cafe?

Suddenly, a mysterious voice whispered past his ear. He pivoted to his left where he'd heard it, and then to his right. People slowed down to gaze at him, startled by his dogged expression. Who the hell had said that? What did they even say? Like a trigger, the whispers began again, ahead of him somewhere. He quickly followed, his hastened walk soon turning into a sprint. The voice was leading him away from the crowd; he found himself diving into the trees. His nerve endings screamed that he was being lured into a trap, and yet he couldn't resist the beckoning call.

He burst out the other side of the brush and found himself in a different part of town that, aside from the still well-manicured buildings, seemed virtually abandoned. He slowly walked pass the storefronts, merchandise lining the windows but no merchants to sell them. The houses above all had their windows tightly shuttered. Somehow, although he'd never set foot here, this place seemed oddly familiar. There was indeed not a soul around. But still, that whisper was drawing him deeper in, and so he kept pushing, his head on a swivel for any surprise attacks.

He walked forever, if the sun setting in the sky was any indication, before he finally happened upon the only thing that was out of place in this strange part of town. An old and ransacked two-story house. His heart began to gallop when he noticed the same petals from the Black Dahlia littering the doorstep. Before he could bend to take a closer look, something moved in his peripheral, and his eyes darted up to the second floor window, where someone - or something - was peering at him before the head quickly disappeared back behind the wall.

Having had enough of this wild goose chase, he delivered a swift kick to the door. It fell and splintered with no hesitation, and he was shocked to find that the house was gutted: just one giant room with no fixings aside from the windows. He slowly stepped inside and looked up at the window where he'd just seen the apparition. Nothing and no one was here, he thought, until his eyes landed on a figure in the far right corner. His hairs stood on end as every muscle in his body tensed. How had he not sensed whatever it was? A soft sob broke the silence in the room, and he realized the figure was that of a child huddled down, their face in their knees.

"H-hey," he said, clearing his painfully parched throat. "How did you wander here? It isn't safe here alone. Where are your parents?"

He made to draw near the child, but their crying suddenly stopped. Sebastian's eyes slowly widened as the child stood up, their height climbing to an impossible seven feet tall. He staggered back as what appeared to be the lenses of a pair of glasses flashed red in whatever little light filtered in through the windows. The most troubling part was that he could make nothing of the suddenly violent energy coming towards him in waves. It wasn't human, nor demonic.

"Do I have your attention now?" the entity spoke, undeniably male. His voice certainly sounded like that of a demon . . .

"Who the hell are you?" Sebastian growled back. The way he chuckled, he hated to admit, sent a bone-cold chill down his spine.

"That simply won't do, father."

Father?

"I have summoned you to atone for your sins."

Without a second thought, Sebastian drew his weapons, shooting off razor sharp knives into the corner. The man easily evaded it, moving as if he were made of smoke. A bead of sweat formed on his temple. Was he underestimating this guy?

"I truly have no desire to harm anyone," he continued, stepping just close enough that Sebastian could make out a tailcoat, bowler hat, and mustache. His stomach dropped at the realization that he really didn't know this person. "This is between the two of us, so I advise you don't involve anyone else."

"Too late for that, don't you think?" he hissed. "Your actions toward my pregnant friend says otherwise!" He doubled up his attack, but the man dodged it effortlessly, and for a shocking moment, he was immediately before Sebastian.

"That was simply a warning," he said, before jumping back as Sebastian attempted to helicopter kick him. "I only wish for you to repent of your actions."

"I haven't a damn thing to repent for!" Sebastian roared, his eyes a bright crimson as he lunged for the man. He was finally able to topple him to the ground, his thick body falling hard as a tree trunk. Using his razor sharp claws, he ripped the man's head from his body, but he wasn't met with the gratifying spray of his enemy's piping hot blood. Instead, he was rewarded with the hollow thump of his head bouncing off into the dark corner he'd once stood in. Sebastian lifted his torso and found no innards as he gazed down the neck stump. No wonder . . . he was simply a doll. A doll with bloodlust?

"You have until the birth of your precious child to right your wrong, father," the voice came again, but this time, it was that of a child. "Otherwise, you and your entire family will pay the price for the rest of your existence."

"Sebastian."

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the curt sound of Ciel's voice breaking through the dark silence.

"I don't know what you're hiding from me, but don't think I'm unaware."

Sebastian swallowed thickly, glancing over at the back of his beloved's head.

"I trust that you'll take care of this and secure the safety of this family, so stop killing yourself thinking about it," he finished, yanking the covers up over his bare shoulder. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, my love," Sebastian answered, slowly turning his back as well. This was such a humiliating position to be in, but Ciel was right. As he'd promised him once before, everything he set out to do, he accomplished without the slightest hiccup. What happened to Elizabeth was a very close call, but he vowed to himself right then that there wouldn't be another. He closed his eyes, trying to suppress the storm brewing in his body, but it was far too late for that.

Whomever this person was, he would soon wish he'd killed him while he had the chance.