A/N: I'm thrilled by all the positive response this fic has garnered! Like seriously, I cannot thank you guys enough! I don't really understand why this got so much attention but I'm grateful nonethless! I've been struggling with this chapter forever, which explains my lack of updates tbh aha. But after a certain point, I managed to write a big portion of it today for some reason! This chapter is shorter compared to my other ones, but I'm just trying to get back into writing atm.

Thank you again for all the support! So far I've gotten over 100 reviews, 457 faves, and 482 follows! Im honestly weeping ahHHH I hope you like and that you'll tell me your thoughts! Also, I'm probably gonna change my user since its so cringe ahAHAHA And same with the old chapters im seriously crying a little at how weird they are.

Chapter 5: Dawn
The Girl, Catching Up

"I'm fine for not being cute, as long as it means I can protect you!"- Elizabeth

I blink, squinting at the pale blue ceiling above me. Huh…when did it turn blue? I could've sworn it had been a nice, tan color before. It takes me about three minutes to realize that this— was in fact, not my bedroom. Oh. Right… I was in Ciel's bed again. A glance next to me showed tangles of dark hair underneath the covers, confirming my absent thoughts.

Oh. Well, this was good. Ciel was back. He's here and safe. I can deal with this. I turn over, snuggling into the blankets once more, sighing in contentment. I usually woke up around this time to train, but five more minutes wouldn't hurt. Besides— it wasn't as if Mother was here to cat-

Sebastian!

My eyes popped open, and I pale, rising up frantically. Holy crap— I had totally forgotten about him! What time was it? When would he enter to wake Ciel up? Oh god, he would never let Ciel live this down (no doubt making some jabs about how childish he was). I would never live this down if Mother heard.

It takes me a minute to try to scramble out of the bed, fumbling and stumbling down as my legs had somehow gotten tangled in the duvet overnight. I cringed as I accidentally tugged the duvet a bit too hard, and took a quick peek at Ciel to see if he was still sleeping undisturbed. He was. Somehow.

A soft sigh left me and I began to tip toe across the carpeted floor. I grimace as I remembered what I was wearing. I had to change, immediately. On hindsight, I should have transferred my luggage over to Ciel's room, or a change of clothes at least. But hindsight could screw itself. (I tried not to think about how I kept repeating the same mistakes over and over again despite this being the second time I was in his bed.)

I quietly opened the door and shut it behind me, squinting into the hallway to see if the coast was clear before making a mad dash to my room which luckily wasn't far off. The floor was cold though, and it made me want to curl my toes. I really should have brought my slippers.

Seeing my destination made me feel a sense of relief. I could finally change into more 'proper' clothing. If anyone were to catch me in my current dress, even if it wasn't inappropriate in the least by modern standards, I would have to deal with a lot of fussing. Reprimands I really didn't need. Edward would also probably challenge Ciel for my honor or the like. Just the thought had me shaking my head. Breathing in deeply, I entered the room assigned to me.

.

I didn't meet the demon butler on my way to my room, but I certainly bumped into him on my way out. The timing was incredibly close, which made me suspect that some foul play was involved. Either way, I was properly dressed in a pink dress now, and if he had the tact required to be a butler, he wouldn't say a thing.

"Good morning, my lady," he greets with his stupid smile.

A smile slid across my own face, smooth and not at all forced. I had plenty of practice after all. "Good morning, Cie- Sebastian." I withheld the 'Ciel's dog' that was about to burst from my lips, but I think he noticed with how his eye twitched.

Ahh, I managed to make a jab in and the day had just started.

Today was going to be an awesome day!

.

"You're leaving?"

Or not.

I blink, still chewing the biscuit that was currently in my mouth. Unfortunately, I had never mastered the skill to eat and talk properly at the same time, which caused quite a bit crumbs to fall and scatter. In response, Ciel sent me a rather withering look, even pausing in the midst of drinking his tea to squint at me judgmentally.

I cringed, embarrassment coloring my cheeks as I muttered a rather weak apology. A ten year old boy shouldn't be able to make me feel so ashamed, I thought rather grouchily. Stupid Ciel and his stuffiness and his stupid pretty blue eyes. I was older and (probably) more mature! To make that point, I straightened in my seat, wiping the crumbs off my lips with a napkin-

Only to make eye contact with a certain black haired butler. He gave me a polite, sparkling smile. Despite his bright visage, condescension and distaste seemed to radiate off him in waves.

I smiled at him brightly in return, my hands twitching sporadically beneath the table as I forced myself not to falter.

Must. Not. Punch. Butler. In. The. Face.

It's been about four days since I arrived at the Phantomhive Mansion, and life was... surprisingly peaceful. Nothing particularly exciting had occurred, and despite my initial worries, Ciel seemed fine for the most part. He didn't even get a nightmare! Or well, at least I thought he didn't. I had tried to stick to him at all times, but he got a bit cranky near the end of the second day- so I took that as a cue to back off. It was quite boring honestly; I spent my time writing, eating, and bugging Ciel. We'd bicker sometimes, and every time we did so— Sebastian would look as if he would rather throw himself out a window then deal with us.

Life was pretty good.

Ah.

Paula had arrived on the second day, looking quite teary and betrayed that I had left her behind. Apparently I had promised Mother to bring Paula with me? I… uh, don't remember agreeing to that though. (Memory problems already? Then again, I had also happened to be very emotionally compromised when asking Mother for permission— so I had an excuse at least.) Nothing else really happened.

I toyed with the thought of asking more questions about his sudden departure; what were the chances that he would be annoyed? Pretty high in all honesty. Ciel was in a bad mood, partly due to the fact that he could not do any actual work since he still needed rest- and partly due to Paula's pitying eyes and careful words. He was strung up basically. His injuries were mostly healed already, though he still didn't look as healthy as I would like.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

That… was quicker than I thought. I bit my lip, shooting a quick worried glance at the younger boy before huffing. Of course he would leave so early. Ciel was anything but patient. Clamping down on the worries that threatened to spill over everywhere, I gave him a cheeky smile. "Buy me a souvenir please~"

I slipped into the covers with a content sigh. Lovely, lovely bed. How I love thee.

Unfortunately, Ciel did not seem to share my cheery mood.

"…Elizabeth," he started with a glower. "How many times did I tell you? You are no longer allowed in my bedroom! It is not proper."

I internally rolled my eyes. This again. For some reason, ever since the first night's somewhat easy acquiescent— Ciel became more adamant on not allowing me in. Not that it mattered; I was still going to sneak in regardless of his— or even Paula's (and she did indeed protest) protests.

"But Ciel… you promised! You said that you doubted that you could push me out even if you wanted to!" It was a low blow I guess, but I was tired. Also, today would be the last day. Tomorrow he would be leaving for who knows how long?

Ciel sputtered, face turning red as I basically quoted his slightly cheesy words back to him. "Well! You hit in your sleep! And you take the blankets too!" He tugged at the blankets as if to prove his point.

I squawked, "I do not!" I did not have bad sleeping habits! "Take that back!"

"No!"

I would have normally cooed over the discomfited pout on his face, but I was too busy glaring at him to care. No one slandered my sleeping habits and got away with it. Not even Ciel.

We stared at each other for a while, both yanking on the blankets before I decided to make the first move. I dropped the duvet and lunged.

It… ended up into a squabble of wiggling fingers and scrawny elbows. I held back of course, being the calm, mature adult I am. Ciel was thin and still weak— I would be an asshole if I took advantage of that. Even if he wasn't weak, I would be an asshole regardless as I had years on him.

Also, I think he weighed less than me.

Suddenly, Ciel stiffened— eyes wide before he started coughing.

!?

"Ciel!" I scrambled away from him, trying to give him space as he continued to cough, his body shaking with the impact. His eyes were squeezed shut, brows creased in pain, and suddenly— all I could see were flashes of memories— of a much younger Ciel, face red and shaking beneath heavy covers. Tiny hands gripping much larger ones; my flaxen haired aunt's figure crouched over the bed.

"Is Ciel okay?"

A sad smile. Bright blue eyes.

A pause.

"…He will be."

My hands shook, was Ciel having an attack? "Ciel, breathe! Calm down!" I grabbed a hold of his hand, and tried to soothe him by gently gliding my fingers over his back and patting it.

It didn't help. My hands were still shaking.

There was no water nearby, and I couldn't leave Ciel alone. I wouldn't.

OhGOdOHgoDwhattodoohGOd

I wasn't good at handling… this, or anything that put a lot of pressure on me— anything that made my role in it crucial. I would always freeze. I was the type of person to practice until I got something right, only to fail when it really mattered. It wasn't the first time seeing Ciel practically cough up his guts, but it certainly was the first time that I was alone. There was no Aunt Rachel, nor Uncle Vincent, (oh right, they were deaddeaddead) and I was terrified. There weren't any servants either, no Tanaka, or—

Sebastian!

He would know what to do! "Sebastian!" Ciel was still coughing. "Sebastian!" He wasn't coming. Is it because I was the one calling? Sebastian wouldn't let his food get away would he? I moved closer, hands tightening as I murmured to him. "C-Ciel, call for Sebastian. He will help."

He cracked open one eye, face still twisted in pain. His lone blue eye looked tired… and there was something else in it too. For a moment, his coughing stopped, and I grew hopeful that his coughing fit was finally over. Ciel took in deep breaths, trying to calm his shaking. It did not surprise me however, when he resumed coughing. "Eliza— cough!" He grimaced, reaching a hand to my shoulder before his coughs began to once again die out.

"What is it, Ciel?" The shaking must've been contagious, as my voice was now wavering as well.

"I…" The only sign I got was the slight twitch of his lips before he knocked me over.

Wait what—

I blinked, stunned as I suddenly had a nice view of the ceiling.

…What?

What just happened?

The wonderful view of the ceiling was soon replaced by Ciel's smug face. Oh. Ohhhh.

…I think I preferred the ceiling.

"That was a dirty move, Ciel." Maybe I should be angry that he had manipulated me in such a way, but I was just grateful that he was okay. That my incompetence hadn't gotten him killed.

"'All's fair in love and war' as you used to say. Now remove yourself from my room, Elizabeth."

Ew. I made a face, rolling away from him on the overly large bed. "No."

"Elizabeth." Ciel's tone was stern, and if I had been the real Elizabeth, I probably would have flinched. But I wasn't, so that was a moot point. I really should stop comparing myself to her though. I don't think it's helping my confident levels at all. Gosh, I was an independent teenage girl; I didn't need to compare myself to a child.

I pursed my lips, face mushed against the pillow. Not hearing anything else, I turned just a bit to take a small peek at him.

Ciel didn't look too happy, so I quickly burrowed my face into the pillow again. Maybe if I ignored him long enough, he'll have no choice but to accept it. I didn't know how long I had my face pressed into the pillow, but I finally couldn't take it anymore and flopped around. It was hot, and my face was surely red, but the fresh air made me sigh happily. I could finally breathe.

Ciel was still looking at me, his lone blue eye sharp. Was something wrong?

"Ciel?"

I sat up, concerned as I crawled closer to him. "Whats the matter?" I hesitantly reached out to touch his cheek, but he moved his head. I stopped immediately.

"I'm fine."

He looked directly into my eyes and repeated it once more.

"I'm fine."

Was he trying to convince me or...?

I opened my mouth, at a loss. What do I say to that? You're not fine? Its okay to tell me the truth?

Instead, I could only parrot him. "You're fine."

Ciel blinked, and then smiled brilliantly. And just like that, he collapsed onto the bed, pulling the pillow closer.

Leaving me completely confused.

What was that?!

.

I ended up sleeping in his bed anyways, though I was so confused to the extent that I didn't even get to gloat over it.

Ciel did indeed leave the next day, just like he had declared. It left me a little lonely, but since Ciel was for sure breathing and well protected, I could finally relax.

And with that, I could finally concentrate and build my own networks.

.

Paula looked at the store dubiously, but I simply smiled, pulling her along.

The store wasn't shoddy, but it certainly wasn't a place an upstanding young lady would go to either. Thankfully, I wasn't an upstanding young lady, so that was a moot point. I smiled as I entered the store, greeting the man who was manning the front.

"Welcome! Miss Midford, here to pick up your order I see," the man grinned.

"Yep! I can't wait to see it."

"In just a moment," he promised, going to the back to find her order. It didn't take long for him to reappear with a rather long box. "Heres your custom order!"

I smiled, holding onto the box delicately. "I'll come again."

He laughed, and waved me off.

.

"My lady..." Paula began, unsure if she should broach the topic.

"Hmm?" I didn't look up, too busy opening the box. Inside was a fluttery parasol made of a soft but firm fabric. I slid my fingers across it in reverence. It was more than that however, but I wanted to test out that other aspect when I got home. It would be silly to pull a sword out in such a cramped carriage after all.

Paula peeked at the box, and sighed in relief that it was just a parasol. "Never mind..." What did she think it was? Some kind of dangerous weapon? Did I look like I was that irresponsible?

I smiled, and tried not to look too mischievous.

From how she paled, I guess I didn't succeed.

Next step: find minions!

Or something of the sort. I've been planning for a while now, and while I couldn't act on these plans before (I was too weak, too distressed and-) I could certainly do that now. I squint at my list again, before shaking my head. Finding minions would be a lot harder.

As the carriage approached the Midford Mansion, I ran the plan through my head.

I didn't have many connections; I didn't have a reliable source of information either. There was just one place I could afford to go to without attracting too much suspicion. I worried my lips. It was a rather dangerous place all considering, therefore it was a much debated action. Was it worth it? I didn't have Ciel's connections, so it was obvious I would need my own source. If I wanted to keep up at least. In the end, I had decided that yes, it was worth it. I sure as heck am not backing down now of all times.

I pursed my lips, finally looking up as we slowed to a stop. Paula stepped down first, reaching a hand up to help me. I handed her the box before jumping down myself. She looked at my disapprovingly and I laughed, taking the box back. With a cheeky wave, I flew into the house and hopped up the steps to reach my room.

Shutting the door and locking it, I placed the box down to change. I tugged at the bottom of my dress and tried to lift it up and off with little success. Oh boy. Taking another breath and sucking my stomach in, I finally managed to get it off.

I really, really hated these damn dresses. Luckily, I could take this one off. Some of the other dresses required help. Wheezing, I stripped off my shoes and tights. Next, I made my way to my rather large closet. I crawled for a while, trying to find where I put the garments, before finally finding them. I had stuck them behind a dresser, with a bit of the fabric poking out.

Yanking the fabric out, I quickly wiggled myself into the shirt and trousers. Pinning my hair up, I quickly snapped a newspaper boy cap on. By the time I emerged from the closet, I didn't look like a lady anymore. I grinned at the mirror, liking the look. I straightened out the sleeves a bit, before deciding better of it and rumpling it up again. A street brat didn't have neat clothing after all. In fact, my current attire was still too neat. Some dirt and muck would fix that I figured.

I pulled at a strand of my bright hair. That had to go too. I cringed at the thought of mussing up my hair, but it was necessary. I really did wish I had found a wig in time. The one I had requested was unfortunately still in the works. Ah well. Nothing was perfect after all, and this would have to do.

.

Paula luckily wasn't around when I finally went out, and I beamed, leaving the mansion home free. On the way out, I had smeared some of the dirt on my sleeves and trousers, even adding some to my hair and face. Adjusting the hat once more, I hoped my face wasn't too clear. It would mess everything up if someone recognized me after all. I patted my pocket, feeling the bulge of the pistol still there. Hidden in my baggy sleeves were daggers, one that could hopefully appear as soon as I recognized an danger. Swords were still what I worked best with, but I couldn't afford to carry one around. It'd be too obvious. Brushing a strand of my hair back, I continued to walk down the streets. No one seemed to bat an eye.

Alright, it was time to make a trip to the slums.

Vincent's POV Extra

She was odd. Unnatural. Wary.

.

Deft fingers plucked the wooden piece off the board before smoothly releasing it once more. The familiar sound of wood clacking against the checkered board brought him little amusement— but it was still satisfying to his ears nonetheless.

"Check mate." A small and cordial smile spread across his face as the other party groaned in defeat.

"You have won once again!"

Vincent Phantomhive chuckled modestly, "Ah, but it was a close game this time."

(It was always a close game.)

.

It didn't take long for him to notice the wary stares and stilted words. Those bright green eyes of hers followed him constantly, observing his every movement— almost as if she was trying to take apart his actions in order to figure him out. It amused and puzzled him at the same time. He had done nothing (in front of her) to warrant such suspicion after all. Occasionally, he wondered if this wariness merely stemmed from the fact that he had rarely spoken to her; that he was distant to her compared to his wife and son. Perhaps she simply found him intimidating?

And then she would wrinkle her brows, green eyes almost drilling into him and that thought would dissipate like smoke rising from a chimney.

She was wary of him, and one could say she was even scared. But it was more than that.

There was something about her that was… abnormal. It felt as if he was missing not only one piece— but several pieces of the puzzle.

.

"Father!" Cherubic arms wrapped around his leg before the excited blue eyes of his son peered up at him. "Welcome back!"

Vincent smiled, indulging his son as he picked him up and propped him against his chest. "I'm back, Ciel." He pressed his lips against the child's forehead and Ciel giggled as he wrapped his arms around Vincent's neck. "How was your day?"

The boy perked up, "I played with Lizzy! It was fun!" Vincent smiled, his dark eyes drifting to the figure at the side. Elizabeth.

The little girl blinked up at him, looking almost startled as they made eye contact. She gave him a sheepish smile, before curtseying. "Hello, Uncle Vincent."

"Hello, Lizzy." The older man almost chuckled at her twitch, it was clear that she did not like the nickname. "Where's Rachel?"

"Mother is having tea with Aunt Francis," Ciel told him giddily, and Vincent tilted his head. Ah. Of course. "Why don't you call for her for me, Ciel?" The boy nodded eagerly, and escaped from his father's grasp as he lowered him.

This left him with the peculiar blond. He rose a brow, having expected that she would run off with his son.

Elizabeth pursed her lips, as if she wanted to say something but was not willing to open her mouth. Her face might have looked quite solemn if it wasn't on such a cherubic face. She was quite an adorable little girl, if not too observant for her own good.

Vincent smiled and waited, and his patience was soon rewarded.

"Must Ciel learn swordsmanship?"

Ah.

Vincent smiled once more before crouching down. "Well, Lizzy, Ciel will take over the Phantomhive family one day, and he needs these lessons."

The blonde frowned at him, not convinced. "I'll protect him. With his body, he doesn't need to learn such a thing."

Vincent's smile shrunk, brown eyes narrowing. He had heard that the blonde was rather prodigious with the sword, but was she that confident in her skills?

"As he is the man, he needs to learn. A bird can't be caged forever," he murmurs. "He needs to grow."

Elizabeth shrunk back, seeming to understand. No. She had long already understood this, but had wanted to ask anyways. What a precocious little girl. Vincent smiled, placing a hand on her hand and tousling her hair. If something happened to him, he supposed he always had her to count on. There was no doubt she would protect him.

Thank you again! Please tell me your thoughts as always, and what other omakes you'd like to see!