A/N: Thank you again to everyone who favorited, reviewed, and followed this story! It was always good motivation to keep writing and get the updates out quickly.

Disclaimer: I only own Faye.

Phantomhive Manor

The morning after Sebastian obtained Grell's death scythe, Ciel and Sebastian readied themselves to travel to Trancy Manor. Meanwhile, the rest of the servants would escort Faye to the Phantomhive London residence. They planned to stay with Soma and Agni until Sebastian dispatched Hannah and Claude.

Faye took one last look around her room, making sure she hadn't left anything essential behind. She anticipated they wouldn't be gone for more than a few days, but who knew how things would turn out in reality. She only hoped everything went as planned.

After patting herself down to make sure all her knives were in place Faye shut her bedroom door and walked to the front room. Small bags of luggage lay near the front door, ready to be loaded into the carriage. Faye was just about to pick up her bag when she heard shouts coming down the hall. Shouting wasn't too uncommon in the Phantomhive household, but something felt off about this. Faye extended her senses out and her stomach sank when she counted three demons other than Sebastian. They were under attack.

Palming a knife, Faye ran toward the commotion. Before she made it the hall, she sensed something behind her. She turned but only caught a glimpse of a male demon with purple hair before everything went black.

Unknown

Faye blinked awake, feeling nauseous. She put a hand to her aching head and groaned.

"I warned you," a cold voice said. Faye sat up and realized she was lying on a green hillside. No one was in sight except for the owner of the voice. Hannah. "Here I went out of my way to be kind and thoughtful to the Phantomhives. I thought that speaking woman to woman might do some good, but all my efforts were wasted in the end. The only thing left is to kill you and your brother."

Faye's eyes widened as Hannah lunged toward her. She rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding a kick from Hannah. Scrambling to her feet, Faye hurried to put some distance between herself and the demon, throwing a knife as she did so. The knife embedded in Hannah's arm near her shoulder. Hannah paused, the murderous look in her eyes dimming for a moment, to stare at the knife. Then she pulled it out and tossed it away as though it were no more of an annoyance than a sliver.

"You and Alois gave us no choice," Faye declared, angrily. "Our choices were either fight Alois or fight you. If you're so protective of him, shouldn't you be glad we chose his side rather than yours?"

"What do you comprehend of the situation?" Hannah scoffed. "You're just annoying flies buzzing around a situation far above your understanding."

Faye again noticed the different aura around Hannah than the one that emanated from Claude and Sebastian. The three demons who invaded the manor didn't have this feeling either. Speaking of which… "What happened to the rest of my household?" Faye demanded.

Hannah smiled cruelly. "What does it matter to you? You won't be alive for more than a few minutes."

Hannah leapt into the air and Faye cried out, "Hoctum irarae nym!" Multi-colored binding strings flew from her fingers to wrap around Hannah, dragging her to the ground and throwing her off target. Faye wasn't overly optimistic about her chances, though. Both Claude and Sebastian had already proven that this spell worked very poorly against demons.

"Stop getting in the way, you stupid girl! Alois has been through enough! I just want to make him happy."

"You murdered his brother!" Faye blurted out in disbelief. "Whatever obsession you may have with him, I assure you it will not bring him happiness."

Hannah twisted about until she untangled herself from Faye's strings. "I'm trying to reunite the brothers! I didn't kill Luca, I took his soul. Alois' only happiness will lie in having his soul reunited with his brother. Only I can give him this."

"All my family wants is to be left alone! That's our happiness! I don't care about you worthless demons or the worthless fake Earl and your worthless problems!" Faye threw another knife, hoping that if she hit something more vital than Hannah's arm, it would cause greater damage. Hannah ducked, easily avoiding the knife and took a few slow steps forward.

"You don't know what it's like to be a demon," Hannah said quietly and sincerely. "The monotony of a life spent doing the same thing over and over." Faye was beginning to think all demons were broken records. Why did she have to hear this speech from every demon she met? If they were all so bored with their lives, they should just let the grim reapers kill them.

"Luca and Alois were orphaned and ill-treated in their village," Hannah continued. "Luca contracted with me to kill all the villagers except his brother. Then do you know what he did? He thanked me. In all my years of living never have I met such a pure soul. I was charmed and regretted taking Luca's soul. The only way I can fix this situation is to reunite Alois with Luca."

Was Faye supposed to feel sympathy for Hannah and the two brothers? This demon was clearly insane. Although, something Hannah said stuck out to Faye. "If you've eaten Luca's soul, he's gone. There is no reuniting Alois with his brother now."

Hannah shook her head and closed her eyes, gently resting her hand on her belly. "I took Luca's soul, but I haven't consumed it. He is still inside me. When I take Alois' soul, all three of us will be together."

With Hannah's eyes closed, she didn't see the feral grin that crossed Faye's face. Faye's magic worked poorly against demons, but evil human souls were her specialty. "What a tragic turn of events for you."

Hannah's eyes snapped open and she frowned.

Faye lifted her hands towards Hannah and murmured, "Fastroc iat ren." Her voice resonated with power as she uttered the spell to banish an evil soul.

Hannah looked panicked and crossed her arms over her stomach, as though she could protect herself and Luca's soul by doing so. Faye repeated the spell and Hannah paled, stumbling backwards.

"This isn't possible," Hannah cried. "Luca is a pure soul. Such a spell can't work on him!"

"You're view of souls is obviously sickly twisted," Faye said calmly. "The soul of a child who wishes to massacre an entire village cannot be pure unless the pure you're referring to is pure evil. Your obsession with these two souls will be your downfall." Faye closed her eyes and pretended like Hannah wasn't there, focusing only on Luca's soul as she repeated the spell a third time. With an evil soul inside Hannah, Faye could use Luca's soul as an anchor to banish the demon as well.

Hannah screamed and Faye opened her eyes to see the demon's human form warping and wavering. Piece by piece, Hannah began to disappear, her form slowly dissolving downwards into the ground. Faye dropped to her knees, both from relief and exhaustion. Now she just needed to figure out where she was and how to get home.

Trancy Manor

"Surely you've been keeping track of Hannah at least half as much as you have of me," Ciel demanded of Alois angrily. "You must have some idea of where she is and where she's taken Faye." Half an hour earlier, Sebastian had returned to Phantomhive Manor after two hours of fruitlessly trying to follow Faye's kidnappers' trail. After that they immediately set out for Trancy Manor, hoping Alois or Claude would have some idea of where Faye may have been taken. They burst into the house to find Alois in the front drawing room alone.

"Calm down," Alois said in an infuriatingly arrogant voice. "This is the perfect opportunity for us to all get what we want. Other than the simple matter that I haven't changed my contract with Claude yet."

"What?!" Ciel growled out angrily, gripping the lapels of Alois' jacket and pulling him in close. "You stupid, worthless boy! Do you spend every moment of every day doing nothing more than being insufferable?"

"Claude!" Alois called in alarm, fearful of the rage in Ciel's glare.

"We don't have time for this, my Lord," Sebastian ground out. "We've no idea what Hannah is planning. Faye may already be dead." In which case, Sebastian would kill them all. Hannah, her demon lackeys, Claude, Alois, and Ciel. Well, with Ciel he'd eat his soul, but it was the same principle.

Claude, who had appeared in the doorway a moment before, froze at Sebastian's words. "What do you mean?" He demanded. "What's happened to Faye?"

"You're stupid nemesis took her!" Ciel ground out. "Hannah sent demons to Phantomhive Manor to kidnap either her or me and they took her."

Claude's eyes widened in panic before he turned to glare at Sebastian. "Then why are you here? You should be out there saving her!"

"By all means," Sebastian returned coldly, "tell me where to start looking and I'll leave immediately."

"This is useless," Ciel declared, turning toward Sebastian. "If there's nothing they can do to help us, our time would be better spent aimlessly running around London searching for Faye, Hannah, or one of those purple-haired demons."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Claude cautioned, adjusting his glasses and turning a cold look on Alois. "Hannah keeps close track of Alois to ensure he remains in good health. If his life was endangered, it may draw her out."

Alois' eyes went wide with betrayal and panic as he backed up. "Wh-what are you saying, Claude? Aren't I your priority?" His voice turned angry and desperate. "You're contract is with me! You should be worried about me! All your thoughts and actions should be for me and me alone! Why are you so obsessed with the Phantomhive girl? What does she have that I don't?"

"Calm yourself, your Highness," Claude said, taking slow, measured steps toward Alois. "You'd be no good to us dead. Hannah just needs to think your life is in danger."

"No!" Alois lashed out, cowering again the wall. "I don't like this plan. I order you to stop Claude! You can't do this to me. Let the Phantomhive girl die. That's an order!"

"What a charming little boy you are," a voice drawled from the entryway into the drawing room. They all turned in shock to see Faye standing there. Sebastian wondered if her magic allowed her to sneak up on him, or if he had been that distracted in his fear for her.

"Faye!" Ciel cried out in relief, making a beeline for her. "How did you get here?"

"Snake, of course. How else?"

"But how did you get away from Hannah?" Ciel asked after embracing her.

"I banished her," Faye said simply, as though it had been easy. "She still had an evil human soul inside her that she had yet to consume. It wasn't all that difficult to attack the human soul and get rid of her in the process."

"No!" Alois shrieked in blind rage, peeling himself away from the wall. "You stupid woman, what have you done?" Alois whirled towards Claude and pointed an accusing finger at Faye. "Break her! Rip the bones from her body. That will be my revenge, then you can have my soul!" Ragged breaths tore from Alois' body as everyone stared at him in silence.

Claude took a few more steps toward Alois, reached out to grasp the young man's neck and snap! Faye jumped in surprise at the sharp noise and watched in horror as Alois limp body dropped to the ground. "Your soul wouldn't have been that appetizing anyway," Claude said, staring down dispassionately at Alois' dead from. Faye held no love for the fake Earl, but it was shocking to see Claude kill him so easily.

Claude lifted his head, his eyes darting towards Faye before settling on Sebastian. "Why don't we end this peacefully? Let me have the Phantomhive woman and be content with the Earl. Alois and Hannah are gone, so no one will bother you anymore."

Sebastian's eyes went cold and he pulled out Grell's death scythe. "I'm afraid that if you're too foolish to let this go, the only solution is for one of us to die."

Claude eyed the death scythe warily, instantly recognizing the weapon for what it was. His gaze flickered to Faye again, taking her in. "Have it your way. I'll take your master's soul and then have Faye to myself."

Sebastian lunged at Claude, wielding the chainsaw like a sword. Faye grabbed Ciel's arm and pulled him out of the room. As much as she wanted to watch this fight, the last thing they needed was for her or Ciel to get caught in the crossfire.

When they heard the sound of shattering glass, Ciel raced into the room and Faye followed. They caught sight of the two demons plummeting through the window and then the fighting began again. Sebastian and Claude battled around the Trancy grounds, most of the time moving too quickly for Faye and Ciel to truly follow what was happening. Both demons dripped blood and the chainsaw switched hands multiple times.

"How long does it take for a demon to heal from the cut of a death scythe?" Faye asked Ciel. She knew Sebastian healed from normal wounds instantly and that a killing blow from a death scythe caused a demon true death, but did it have to be a killing blow to work, or would even a cut from a death scythe damage a demon?

"Longer than from a mortal weapon," Ciel said, his eyes darting back and forth as he tried to keep track of Sebastian's form. "Sebastian's only ever been hurt by one once, and it took a few days to heal completely." That could either be a benefit or a detriment, depending on which demon received the most wounds.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Ciel finally asked.

Faye twitched in irritation, immediately feeling defensive. "They're moving too fast. I'd be as likely to bind Sebastian as I would Claude."

Ciel's hands fisted at his sides. "Maybe there's something we can do to distract him."

"Anything we did to distract Claude could just as likely distract Sebastian." The water from the Trancy fountain spewed up as the battling duo crashed into it. There was the sound of a large crack and an explosion of dirt and miasma, then nothing.

Faye and Ciel stood still, holding their breath. Finally, they glanced at each other and took off for the front door. Ciel was gasping for breath by the time they made it to the fountain. Faye stopped abruptly when she caught sight of it all. There was a giant crack in the ground spanning several feet longer than the length of the fountain. All the water had drained and Claude and Sebastian were nowhere in sight.

Epilogue

Phantomhive Manor

Faye and Ciel stared at their meager in breakfast in silence. It had been one week since Claude and Sebastian's battle. Faye and Ciel still weren't sure what had happened. All they knew was that both demon butlers disappeared that night. The atmosphere at Phantomhive Manor since then had been quiet and solemn.

After picking at Bard's rubbery eggs and black bacon and potatoes for several minutes, the Phantomhive siblings finally pushed the sorry breakfast away. Mey-Rin came shuffling into the room, her head down as she collected the plates.

Ciel ground his teeth in irritation. "Sebastian is gone and that's that, you lot all need to stop moping around!" Mey-Rin flinched, but nodded quietly, her eyes rimmed in red. Faye knew the servants understood this was how Ciel dealt with his emotions. As the Earl of the manor, he couldn't admit to feeling anything. It was his duty to go on as though nothing had happened, though Faye wondered if he really could. How well would Ciel function with Sebastian? The entire Phantomhive household relied upon him. Perhaps they should invite Agni and Soma to live with them permanently and have Agni take the place of head butler.

Faye's stomach twisted as Ciel got up and left without looking at her. She didn't know for certain, but she felt as though Ciel blamed her for what happened to Sebastian. That he felt for all Faye's magic, she was only useless in the end. It hurt to think that her brother might value a demon who only wanted to eat his soul more than his own sister.

Faye got up lethargically and slowly made her way out to the garden, sitting herself down on the steps as she looked out over the grounds. If this had happened months ago, she would have been ecstatic. It was the perfect escape for the Phantomhive family. Now, she wasn't sure how she felt. She had resigned herself to believe that her future, whatever it may hold, would feature Sebastian in it. She had given up all chances and hope of marriage and children, putting her future in the hands of Sebastian and all for the sake of her little brother. She didn't know what she wanted from her life now. What she should expect.

The normal life of a Countess in her position had seemed so far away from her and her life for so long. First she worked as an associate to the grim reapers for three years, then she handed off her life to Sebastian. She wasn't sure she wanted the normal life of a Countess at this point. It wasn't something she'd seriously contemplated since she was fifteen years old. But if not that, then what did Faye want?

Faye leaned back on her hands and sighed, looking up at the clear blue skies. She supposed she had plenty of time to sort it out. Maybe she could dedicate her time to the Funtom Company, or train harder to be a more effective Watch dog for the Queen. She could even work for the grim reapers again. With Sebastian out of the picture, there was no longer any conflict of interest, and maybe Ciel would appreciate Faye being away for a while.

Midford Manor

Faye swirled her drink and looked dully out at the dance floor. Aunt Francis had not given up her crusade to see Faye engaged and so here she was at another insufferable ball. She had no real reason to fight against her aunt on this now, but she still didn't appreciate being paraded like wares at a market. She understood the importance of a good match, but she wasn't for sale. With the wealth and power her family already had, she didn't need to be.

Faye looked over disinterestedly as a wave of excitement seemed to flow through the crowd. A group of young women walked near Faye, speaking conspiratorially to one another. "Is there anyone here more handsome than the Marquis from Whales?" One of them twittered.

"Is there anyone in England more handsome?" Another corrected.

"There's none that are more charming," a third swooned, her hands clasped to her chest.

One of the women pushed through the others. "I will be his wife," she declared.

"You?" The first woman demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "What's so special about you?"

The pushy woman's eyebrows lowered in anger as she crossed her arms. "He's the only one here worthy of me," she declared, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "Only he has the wealth, looks, and power to match mine, and didn't you hear that he came to find a wife?"

"We've all heard it," the second woman said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. "That's why he came to England, to find a true genteel woman to be his wife."

"No you fool," Pushy said with a smirk and a shake of her head. "He said he plans to find a wife tonight." The woman gasped and scattered, each pushing the other out of the way as they frantically searched the ballroom.

Faye laughed as the women scattered. Was that the reason behind all the fuss at the ball tonight? Some handsome Marquis from Whales wanted to find a wife? She hoped Aunt Francis hadn't invited him for the express purpose of meeting Faye, though she was curious about how one man could cause such a stir. There were plenty of eligible noblemen here tonight.

"Excuse me, may I have this dance?" A voice to the side of Faye asked. Faye glared at her drink like it had betrayed her. She'd hoped no one would ask her to dance with this in hand. Schooling her face, Faye turned. The man stood in shadow and all she could make out was that he was tall and dark haired.

It was on her lips to refuse, but Aunt Francis would have a fit if she found out Faye refused to dance with anyone. Faye narrowed her lips and put her drink on the tray of a passing waiter. "Might I have your name first?" Faye asked.

"Certainly," the man said stepping out of the shadows. Faye gasped as he put one hand to his heart and gave a short bow. "I am Marquis Michaelis of Whales. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Phantomhive."

"Sebastian," Faye breathed, stunned beyond belief.

Sebastian smiled and took Faye's hand, bringing it to his lips. "I believe you promised me a dance, my Lady." Faye numbly let Sebastian lead her out onto the dance floor, putting one hand on his should and placing her other hand in his.

Faye stared up into Sebastian's face, wondering if she was seeing things. "How are you here?" Faye finally asked.

"A carriage, of course. How else would a proper Marquis appear at a ball?"

Faye scowled as Sebastian twirled her. "You know what I mean."

"Did you miss me?" Sebastian asked, holding her scandalously close, his lips mere inches from hers.

"I—" Faye broke off, not sure what to say. She hadn't felt devastated by his disappearance, but she had been confused and lost. She couldn't deny that she was happy to see him, that it felt good to be in his arms.

"To answer your question, it appears Trancy Manor was built upon on a nexus between the underworld and the human world. Claude and I broke through it in our fighting and finished our battle there."

"Why did it take you so long to return?" It had been three weeks since his disappearance.

Sebastian looked taken back by her question before a pleased smile covered his face. "I had business I needed to take care of first. I could hardly formally make you mine as a butler, could I?" Faye stopped dancing and looked up at Sebastian in surprise. The words from the gaggle of women rang through her mind. They said the Marquis from Whales was looking to get engaged tonight.

Sebastian titled Faye's face up and stared into her eyes. "Faye Phantomhive, will you marry me?"

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this and the prequel. Too much, I think. As I was stumped on planning the end of this fic, I started thinking up ideas for a sequel instead. I don't know how likely another sequel is, but I do think it would be fun to cover Sebastian and Faye's engagement. A sequel would also probably feature more of Undertaker's undead and an explanation for the Queen Victoria imposter.