Chapter 6

His Butler,Helpful-A Shinobi,Bound

Sebastian stood at the side of the young shinobi's bed, watching the man's chest rise and fall. To most observers it would likely appear that the young man was sound asleep. But to him, the breathing was too perfectly imperfect. Granted it had taken even him more than thirty minutes to find a pattern hidden beneath those imperfections, but it was there all the same. And although he was tempted to let the man continue the farce, his orders from Ciel specifically required him to get Kakashi healthy as soon as possible for the trip back to the Manor. That left him only a very small window of opportunity before he'd be back under the watchful eyes of his Master once more. As such, he refused to waste even one precious moment alone with the shinobi.

"Mister Hatake, is there anything that I can bring you to expedite the recovery of your chakra?"

Sebastian smirked at the subtle tightening of Kakashi's muscles. Could it be that he was not as easy to sense by the man as he'd first suspected? Which, in itself, opened the door to countless possibilities for his own entertainment now, as well as in the far future when they would surely meet again. He had to restrain himself from chuckling at the look in the shinobi's eye as the young man started to sit up in the bed. Instead, Sebastian moved closer and adjusted the pillows to allow a more comfortable position for him, as any proper butler would do.

Silence reigned between the two until, at last, Kakashi spoke to him. "That would depend on whether or not you kept any of the items that were in my pockets when you originally found me."

Sebastian tapped one fingertip against his chin as he responded. "There were quite a few items which, I confess, have been placed safely in my room at the Manor. Perhaps, if you can supply a description of the items in question, I can supply you with a more definitive answer."

The shinobi's eye narrowed, making it clear that he wasn't thrilled to have his belongings in someone's hands other than his own. Still, he'd obviously recognized an opportunity when it presented itself to him.

"In one of the pouches on my vest there was a clear vial containing several large pills of varying colors."

Sebastian smiled. "Yes. I do believe that item made it through your rather forceful entry, but it is, indeed, back at the Manor house. Anything else, Sir?"

"In my hip pouch was an unmarked metal tin that would fit in the palm of your hand."

Sebastian grinned, allowing the tips of his pointed teeth to show. He reached into the breast pocket in his vest, pulled that very item out, and presented it to Kakashi with a flourish. "I thought that you might have need of this at some point. Am I correct in my deduction that it is some type of healing salve?"

The shinobi snatched the container from the palm of his hand before he responded. "If you knew what it was then why not use it on the injuries I had when you first found me?"

His grin widened. "At that time I had not had the opportunity to inspect your belongings. Nor were you in any shape to direct me to it."

He watched Kakashi work the bandages off of his shoulder. The man then opened the tin and dipped two fingers into the odorless paste within. Without hesitation, that paste was applied sparingly around the edges of the front wound, pulling a quiet curse from the shinobi's lips. The man then turned his head until it was quite clear to Sebastian that he was switching his focus to the wound on his back, which seemed odd, considering he hadn't addressed the center of the front wound. Kakashi was about to dip those long fingers of his into the tin for a second time when Sebastian's words stopped him.

"Unless you plan to contort your body in some unnatural way, which, in truth I'd likely enjoy bearing witness to, I fear that you may injure yourself further if you attempt to apply that onto the exit wound on your back." He stretched out one gloved hand toward the man. "And my Master would surely be disappointed in me if I were to let that occur after I was ordered to keep you safe. Would you allow me to see to it myself, sir?"

Sebastian's offer was met by a cold silence while the young man was likely running his options through that genius-level mind of his. He left his hand outstretched throughout that time, knowing that Kakashi's thought-process would inevitably show him the logic of such a move. Still though, it was clear by the look in the man's eye that he hated the fact that he'd have to rely on him at all. When the tin was placed onto his palm it was accompanied by terse words.

"Do not use more than what you saw me apply. And make certain that it is only placed around the edges of the wound."

Sebastian frowned at that. Generally speaking, healing balms and salves almost always were applied liberally to the wound itself to seal out the potential causes of infection. It seemed to go against the common logic to only apply this to the edges of such a serious injury. Surely it would at least be spread onto the bandages before they are reapplied.

As though sensing his train of thoughts, a low chuckle came from Kakashi. "This is a chakra focusing balm...not a healing salve. Only a thin coating is needed to help guide the healing from within. Anything more than that would negate the effect."

Sebastian raised his eyebrows as he took a closer look at what he'd assumed was something similar to his own healing ointments. He moved to dip his gloved fingertips into the unassuming paste when he felt Kakashi's hand on his wrist, stopping his movement.

"It needs to be skin to skin or the properties won't activate."

"And are you certain that my skin will meet your requirements, Mister Hatake?"

He watched a slight frown settle onto the shinobi's face. "No. I'm not."

"I see. Well then, how would you like us to proceed? Shall I wake the young master and ask for his assistance?"

"No. I have inconvenienced the Earl more than enough already. Let's try a test first."

Sebastian smirked. "A test? I suppose that would be best. What do you have in mind, Sir?"

The silver-haired man turned one hand over to expose a series of bloody scrapes which he must have received at some point during their adventure. He held his arm out toward him.

"Just place a thin line along one side of the deepest scratch."

Sebastian removed the glove from his right hand and did as he was directed. The moment his coated fingertip touched the shinobi's skin he felt...something. It wasn't quite what he'd call a shock, but it definitely tingled all the way to the palm of his hand. He glanced up at Kakashi's face and he saw a look that was most definitely not relief. It almost held an edge of fear. But as soon as the man noticed his gaze, that look transformed into a neutral mask once more. Sebastian smirked and asked the question which he already knew the answer to.

"So, Sir, did I pass your test?"

He watched long lashes flutter closed over a dark, haunted eye. "Yes."

Sebastian chuckled. "And are you recovered enough to have me apply this to your back now?"

Instead of giving him an answer, Kakashi simply turned until the wound in question was visible to him. Taking this as permission to proceed, Sebastian dutifully dipped the tip of one finger into the paste and bent to his work. He only paused slightly when the low hiss came from the patient's mouth, much as it had when the shinobi had applied it to himself earlier. The tingling that Sebastian had felt during the test occurred again with this newest application, only this time the sensation built to an almost painful level. He savored the feeling and was almost sad at its passing once he had finished his task and slipped his glove back into place.

Kakashi couldn't stand the fact that he'd needed to rely on the demon for anything. But he couldn't risk wasting his current store of chakra on creating a shadow clone to aide him, and asking the boy or his cousin to help him would only lead to uncomfortable questions about his chakra that he was unwilling to answer. But the demon...Sebastian...had been exposed to the life of the shinobi before, if he was to be believed, that is. But who was Kakashi to say that it hadn't occurred? His own father had never spoken of any of their ancestors, taking the secrets of the Hatake to the grave with him. If that man had lived, there was no saying how many of his family's secrets would have been passed on to him.

Still, thinking about the things which would never happen was a waste of energy and nothing more than a distraction at a time when he needed to be more aware than ever. After all, he couldn't be sure that the demon-butler wouldn't take advantage of this need for help as a chance to try and claim his soul. And, although his soul was likely darker than most, he had no intention to give it away. Especially not to the likes of Sebastian.

When the dark-haired demon agreed to test his ability to apply the ANBU chakra enhancer Kakashi had thought that he'd been ready for whatever happened. But seeing those tapered black nails sent his memories back to his mental imprisonment within Itachi's Tsukuyomi, so long ago. He had thought he'd managed to hide his inner struggle from the red eyes of the demon, but one look at the inquisitive gaze in front of him made it clear that he had failed.

Not trusting his voice at that moment, he simply turned his back toward the beast to hide any further signs of weakness from him. The contact, when it came, drew a hiss from his lips, but he made no other sound until the task was finished. The moment the demon's cold fingertip left his skin, Kakashi focused inward to start the healing process. As always, the applied ointment guided him unerringly to the edges of the wounds and allowed him to stretch out between them with a barely detectable amount of chakra to seal it against dirt and infection. Once the initial film was in place he let a breath out. Even with the help of the ointment he felt that it had taken much longer to react to his will than it should have. Whatever he'd been hit with was definitely not anything that he'd ever encountered before.

"Amazing. I don't recall your ancestor having anything quite this advanced in his repertoire."

The sound of the demon's voice reminded him that he had an audience. One that likely saw beyond the visible to what he was truly doing. He carefully schooled his face to neutral before turning toward Sebastian. Of course that look nearly slipped when he caught sight of the lust in those inhuman eyes before they slid back to their normal red hue. He scowled and moved to put his shirt back on, only to have gloved hands stop his movements and whisk the item away.

"Allow me, Sir. I wouldn't want you to risk further injury when we just went to such trouble to mend you."

Kakashi growled. "I've been dressing myself after injuries since I was three years old. I didn't need help then, and I certainly don't need help now."

He watched the demon's eyes sparkle with mirth as he shook the shirt out with a flourish before placing it onto Kakashi in a matter of seconds, ignoring his words completely. Now those gloved fingers were making short work of the buttons as the butler kneeled before him. He contemplated putting up more of an argument but he was starting to realize the futility of it all. Instead he let himself be dressed, all the while trying to find some way to get himself back to his own timeline.

Three days later, the fact that the shinobi had allowed Sebastian to dress him without further complaint made it clear that the young man was coming to terms with his current situation. Which, in turn, meant that perhaps now was the time to plant the first seed of his well-thought out plans to convince Kakashi and Ciel of the need to mark the man in some way to ease his journey back to his true time. So even as Sebastian reached for the man's trousers, he started the conversation that could make his future meal much closer to reality.

"Could it be that your chakra is almost to a point where you can begin healing yourself, Mister Hatake? Perhaps you would like to attempt it before we meet up with the Earl and Lady Elizabeth?"

The silver-haired man eyed him warily. "What would make you think that?"

Sebastian leaned in while maneuvering the pants into place and inhaled deeply. "Let us just say that your scent has shifted to something more than just the aroma of your wounds."

For a split second Sebastian felt something just this side of fear roll off the man, but it was quickly reigned back in. He moved to continue dressing the man and was just reaching for the next piece of clothing when he noticed slender fingers working the lid off of the salve they'd used days before. Taking the hint, Sebastian dutifully removed his glove to prepare for the application. He made quick work of uncovering the man's wounds and waited for him to make the next move.

Without a word, Kakashi handed the salve over to him and, to his credit, the man no longer seemed to be disturbed by Sebastian's touch. The task was completed very quickly, but before he had a chance to redress the wounds, a subtle glow surrounded the shinobi's right hand. He watched with unhidden curiosity as that glowing hand was placed over the front wound. What followed was as amazing as it was educational, as what he assumed was chakra flowed from that hand and into the damaged areas. There was a look of utter concentration on Kakashi's face that made it quite clear to Sebastian that the man was not in the habit of healing his own wounds – likely he was much more at home creating that ball of lightning that they'd witnessed in the field.

While Kakashi's attention was wrapped up with his task, Sebastian peeked around that thin frame to see what would become of the exit wound. His eyes widened when he witnessed that concentration of chakra seemingly pulling the tortured skin together and forming new skin when needed. A low grunt from the man, and the sudden disappearance of that glow, was the only warning given before he collapsed, falling forward off the bed. Sebastian spun into action, gracefully catching the man before he could hit the floor, and placing him back on top of the bedding in one smooth movement.

"Really now, Mister Hatake. If you didn't want to go to the flower show with the Earl you could have simply said so."

He sighed and went about the task of placing the unconscious man back into his night clothes before settling him snuggly under the duvet. He'd need to inform the young master of this change in plans for the day. Sebastian stood up and tugged his clothing back into order before glancing longingly over the prone figure on the bed. He crossed the room to the door and paused to glance back toward the bed.

"This would all be so much easier if I didn't need your agreement to mark you as mine. Ah, but what sort of failure would I be if I let such a triviality keep me from my desires, hmmm?"

With silence as his only answer he left the room, certain that this day was sure to prove quite entertaining.

The Undertaker had made a habit of trying to find as many impossible things as he could every day. And he had seen oh so many impossible things over the many, many, many years he had walked this Earth. But, until now, he had never come across a grown human that hadn't been born yet. Yes. as impossible things went, this silver-haired man, whose memories held so much pain and death and rebirth and had somehow – somehow - managed to cheat death…but no…he hadn't cheated death so much as he had died and then lived again! But even that paled next to the fact that there was no trace of the man existing in the great hall of records kept at the Reaper's headquarters. Every soul born had an entry in that vast library, so the man's absence from such paperwork could only be explained in one of two ways: either he was the subject of a clerical mistake in the records - which was utterly impossible, or this man was out of place in time.

There'd been no denying what they had all seen when Spear's scythe had pierced the miracle man's skin. The presence of the cinematic record was enough proof that he was accounted for somewhere, but the two Reapers in charge of handling the anomaly couldn't think past the current listings to actually string together the clues held in the man's own records. The largest clue had been the apparent age of the Shinigami that had definitely reaped the man. He didn't think that the Shinigami would have aged so much in the scant number of years since their last encounter, and when he'd tracked that creature down he'd confirmed that fact for himself. Unlike Reapers like himself, who would always remain ageless, the Shinigami did age ever so slightly with each soul it separated from a human. Which meant that the image of his friend was from far, far, far in the future.

So this silver-haired anomaly not only was brought back from death, but had moved in time too! He is a gem among the dull stones of the populace. And a gem like that should be appreciated and studied before its brilliance was taken from it. And what better way for him to do that than to make a visit to the young Earl's home. But, when after a few days it had become evident that the Earl hadn't returned home, he'd needed to return to Somerset to track the boy and his guest down. That proved rather easy when he'd seen the Earl and his little blond girl at the flower festival that even now was still in full swing. It had been child's play to follow them back to the quaint little house in the village, and after a few tries he'd even managed to find which room his obsession was in. Now he simply needed to wait for the right opportunity to visit that silver-haired man without interruptions.

This was made all the more challenging when he noticed that the Earl's butler was at the man's side nearly every minute of every day. Still, the Undertaker was nothing if not patient. And that patience paid off when the silver-haired man was finally left alone. Slipping in through the window was child's play and from one moment to another he was standing at the man's bedside. Unfortunately, he was sound asleep, so deeply that he could probably push him off the bed without getting so much as a moan out of him.

"Now this isn't very faiiir, is it? And after I went to such extreeeemes too!"

He bent over the sleeping man, leaning in until their noses nearly met. He was intrigued by the scar that intersected the man's left eyelid, imagining all types of reasons for its presence, and was sorely tempted to pry the lid open to see just what lay behind that marred skin. But that could wait. After all, there was no saying when the butler might reappear, and there were other topics far more intriguing that he was eager to explore.

"Let's have us a looksie at Spear's handiwork, shall weeee?"

Nimble fingers loosened the ties of the man's night shirt before pushing aside the fabric until he had a clear view of where the reaper's scythe had impaled the young man.

"Thiiiis can't be right."

Those fingers now ghosted over the area where Spear's blades had skewered this man. Gone was the gaping opening and in its place was a rough patch of skin. What was going on with this man? First he survived being reaped…not once – but twice. Next he actually managed to break the unbreakable – a point which likely Spears was still sulking about. And now his wound was nearly erased! Would the wonders ever cease?

There were oh so many mysteries that he wanted to delve into, but the sound of the doorknob turning was all the warning he had of his time being up, and he barely managed to slip back out of the window without being caught.

Sebastian pushed the door open into Kakashi's bedroom and knew immediately that something was different. A quick scan showed that the only window in the room was wide open with the drapes being blown about by a brisk breeze. Which was quite odd, considering he hadn't left the window open more than a crack.

"Is there a reason that you haven't moved out of the way yet, Sebastian?"

Ciel's tone made it quite clear that he was not pleased, and after one more glance around the room to confirm that there were no enemies hidden in the corners, he stepped aside to let his diminutive master through the door.

"No reason, my Lord."

He watched Ciel's eye narrow, as though thinking he'd been lied to. But, instead of challenging him, the boy turned away and strode over to where their guest was laying. After a moment, Sebastian pulled the door closed and moved to the opposite side of the bed. He glanced down at the sleeping ninja and noticed that the man's night shirt had been loosened and was exposing his recently mended shoulder. A frown settled on his lips when he realized that Kakashi was still in no shape to have done so himself, and Sebastian knew that the garment had been properly tied prior to his departure earlier in the day. So clearly someone had been here. The question was – who?

"So you weren't lying when you had said that the wounds were healed."

Sebastian pouted. "My Lord, you make it sound like you'd thought that I had lied. Surely even you can remember that our covenant forbids such a thing."

The young boy waved dismissively. "You can't blame me for doubting your words when they'd sounded so far-fetched. But here's the proof right before my eyes. And you say that this Chakra of his is what allowed for such a miraculous healing of so grievous a wound?"

"Yes my Lord. However, as you can see, it took quite a bit out of the man in return."

"Hmm. So it has." The boy turned his gaze toward him. "Will it be safe to move him in such a state?"

Sebastian chuckled. "In truth, my Lord, I feel that the return trip will be infinitely easier with Mister Hatake's current state."

A sharp snort preceded Ciel's reply. "You may have a point there. Make sure that he is comfortable for the night, Sebastian, and have him ready to leave in the morning."

Sebastian lowered his head and placed one hand on his chest. "As you command, my Lord. He will be ready with the dawn."

Ciel turned on his heel and moved to leave the room. Sebastian met him at the door, opening it wide. The boy paused a few steps beyond the door, looking back over his shoulder.

"Oh, and Sebastian, do make sure to have dinner ready for Lizzy and I in the front parlor promptly at seven."

He bowed his head. "As you wish, my young Master."

The moment that the Earl had left, Sebastian strode across the room to where the open window taunted him. He leaned out to see if there was any sign of who their visitor might have been, but there was nothing – not a hair or even a trace of scent to provide him with even the slightest clue. He took a moment to lower the window and secure it in place before drawing the heavy drapes closed and pitching the room into darkness. He moved to the bed and made short work of refastening Kakashi's night-shirt, not hindered by the lack of light in the least.

"One cannot help but wonder who your visitor could possibly have been to have left behind no trace – even with my heightened senses. I shall need to be a far more diligent watchdog or I fear that someone else might snatch you out of my very hands."

He tucked the covers firmly under the unconscious man's chin.

"Now then, Mister Hatake, rest well. For once we have returned to the Manor I will find a way to make you beg to be marked as mine,"

Sebastian took out his pocket watch and flipped it open to show that it was ten minutes to seven. "Tsk, tsk. Is that really the time?. Well then. There is no time to spare if I'm to have dinner ready for Seven o'clock."

With that said, he left to prepare his Master's dinner, all the while confident that whoever this visitor ended up being, they would prove to be no challenge to him in the end.

By the time Kakashi woke, two things became abundantly clear to him. First: he'd overdone it with his chakra when he'd pumped it into his healing, and Second: he was back at the Earl's Manor house.

The idea of him being moved when he'd been so vulnerable was enough to turn his stomach, but add to that fact the notion that it had likely been the demon that had done so and he supposed he should count his lucky stars that nothing else had occurred. He wondered briefly just how long he'd been out of it, and hoped that it hadn't been more than a day. Not that it would really matter in the end. After all, he would be returning to his own timeline with luck, and in theory that meant he should be able to arrive shortly after he left.

He pushed himself up to a seated position and frowned at how stiff his muscles were. So much for the hope of being unconscious for just a few days. The last time he'd been in this shape was after he'd drained his reserves in a fight that had nearly seen the end of his and his ANBU teammates' lives. They'd had to watch over him for two weeks before he'd finally regained consciousness. His joints and muscles had ached just a tiny bit more than they did right now. Which meant that he would be in no shape for much of anything if he remained in bed being served like some sort of invalid.

Kakashi growled and swung his legs clear of the confining layers of blankets pinning him to the bed. Why anyone would see fit to restrict their movement in such a way was beyond him. A single cover had served him well for decades, and would continue to do so for many years to come. So his very first act once he was standing next to the bed was to strip off the first five layers of bedding. When he was finished, there was a sizeable pile on the floor and Kakashi felt a deep ache in the shoulder which he'd expended so much chakra on. Not at all what he'd hoped for, considering how much he'd pushed into that wound. Still though, it was far better than having a gaping hole.

Kakashi crossed the room to stand in front of the mirror perched on top of an enormous wooden chest of drawers. It was angled to allow him full view of his body, and one look made it clear that he was far from fully recovered. He had dark circles under his eyes and even he thought that he'd looked far too pale. He pulled his borrowed nightshirt off and saw a mass of red-tinged skin the size of a large fist on his left shoulder. He pressed against it with two fingers and was pleased when all it did was ache a bit more. That was a good sign that he may have actually healed himself properly. Which in turn meant that it was time to get back to shaping himself up and figuring out just how the hell he was going to get home.

He quickly rifled through the drawers until he found a pair of pants and an undershirt that would be suitable for a work out. Once dressed, he started with simple calisthenics before slipping into the first of several lower level katas to limber his muscles and see just how far he was from battle-ready. Because he knew that no matter what was happening here, in this time, when he returned to his own time he'd be thrust back into a full out war. And the last thing that Kakashi wanted was to return only to be a burden for his fellow shinobi. No – he would ensure that he was in better condition than when this whole nightmare began.

His mind made up, he threw himself into routines which steadily increased in difficulty with each new level. Soon his skin was covered in sweat and his mind was focused on what truly mattered – getting back to Konoha and his friends.

When Sebastian had gone to check on their guest he'd been mildly surprised to find the man out of bed and in the middle of one of his training sessions. He smiled in appreciation of the natural fluidity that the man had, even so soon after what should have been a fatal injury. Perhaps that other Hatake might have been more thorough in his request for cleansing his clan if he'd known that one such as this would be the result of those who they had obviously overlooked. Perhaps his ancestors had been out on a mission when Sebastian's former master had ordered the purge of all those within the village's boundaries. Whatever the reason, obviously a strong branch of the Hatake had made it through.

While he'd been musing, he'd somehow lost track of the shinobi. It was as though the man had simply disappeared. It was then that he felt something cold and metal press against his neck and a new appreciation rose for the man, even as words were whispered into his ear.

"I need to get back to my own time, Demon. And I know that you are the key to it."

He chuckled and responded in the language being used. "I see. And you thought that threatening me would bring that about? How amusing!"

Sebastian ducked free of the shinobi's hold and pivoted to face the man, but he was no longer there. "A hunt, is it? How delightful! But do you truly want to be my prey, Mister Hatake?"

"What I want is to get back to where I belong." The voice echoed within the room, giving no hint of which direction it originated from.

"Again, Mister Hatake, did you think that you could achieve such a feat by threatening me?"

Sebastian had to duck to avoid a piece of the Earl's silver thrown unerringly toward his head. This was followed promptly by three more silver butter knives, each thrown to impale vital targets on an average human anatomy…but, of course, he was neither average, nor human.

A series of dodges, with the last one requiring him to bend backward until his head nearly touched the floor, resulted in Sebastian finally putting all the pieces together regarding the man's strange behavior. He stood back up and straightened his clothing before grinning slyly.

"I see that you have decided to include me in your training today, Mister Hatake." He caught three more knives between his fingers as he continued. "Although I am honored, and quite overjoyed to see you bounce back so quickly, I believe that a discussion about your trip home might better occur in a more civilized format." He blocked a roundhouse kick and leapt over the man's head as the shinobi had transitioned directly into a move meant to sweep his legs out from under him. "Perhaps over some tea with the Earl and Lady Elizabeth?"

Kakashi stood and seemed only slightly winded. Again, a good sign that whatever the man had done to heal himself had truly done the job. "Very well."

Sebastian returned to his side and held out his hand, responding in kind in the Queen's English. "I believe that there are still three more knives unaccounted for from my waistcoat, Mr. Hatake."

The shinobi fished the remaining cutlery from his own jacket before laying them across Sebastian's gloved hand. "They are a bit unbalanced, but I'm sure you have no problem with that."

He closed his fingers around them and smiled at the man. "I would have to say that it was hardly a hindrance to you, either, sir. And I must say that this is the first time that anyone has ever been able to use my own supply against me. You do continue to astonish me at every turn."

"That wasn't my intention." Kakashi moved toward the chest of drawers. "I assume that there will be a dress code for this tea?"

Sebastian was already opening the top drawer and removing the needed clothing by the time the man arrived at them. "Of course, Mister Hatake. We are not animals, after all."

He left the shinobi alone to change while he quickly went about increasing the settings for tea, and making sure to include some decidedly Japanese cuisine in the tasting menu. By the time he was finished, Kakashi had already made his way to the solarium just as Ciel and Lady Elizabeth entered as well.

Of all the things Ciel had expected to see as he crossed into the Solarium, Kakashi Hatake up and dressed and waiting for him was not even on the list. But there he was, sitting comfortably across from him looking as though he hadn't been at death's door mere days before. Sebastian seemed as nonplussed as usual, and Elizabeth was barely hiding her appreciation of the man, based by the light blush dusting her cheeks.

He frowned. On one hand he wanted to learn so much more about this man, certain that his skills could definitely come in handy to the Queen's Guard dog. On the other hand, he truly wanted to see this man return from where he came so that they could all return to some semblance of normalcy. The sooner he was gone the sooner Lizzy would behave properly, and the sooner Sebastian and he could return to their own daily activities. Not that he was necessarily looking forward to returning to his studies and such, but he could feel the Reapers' eyes on them ever since they'd met them in the Vivery.

So he settled into his own chair and waited for whatever was to come. Because one thing was dreadfully clear to him – his butler knew something he did not, and was evidently eager to share it based on the unsettling grin gracing his lips. But instead of launching into an explanation after he finished pouring the tea and dolling out the snacks, the maddening man just stood there, straight-backed with a service towel draped over one arm. He glared at the creature to no avail, and after far too long in his opinion, Ciel'd had quite enough of it.

"Sebastian, I assume that there is a reason that you look like the cat that ate the canary?"

His servant's grin stretched into quite a disturbing smile. "Sharp as ever, my young Lord. It is simply that Mister Hatake is ready to return to his home, and he knows that he will need your blessing to do so."

Ciel frowned. "I had already told you, Kakashi, that I would help in whatever way needed to see you safely home. Why would you need something more than that?"

He watched as a matching frown pulled at his guest's lips. But before that man had the chance to speak, Sebastian stepped forward.

"I believe that such discussions might prove tedious to Lady Elizabeth. Wouldn't you agree, my Lord?"

Ciel couldn't believe how close he'd come to discussing things that Lizzy should never be a part of. In his opinion, this was just one more reason why he needed to return to normal, before things were said that could not be unsaid.

"Ciel, do I really have to go?" Elizabeth placed one of her hands on his wrist. "I promise I won't be in the way."

He turned to look her in the eyes with a stern look on his own face. "Now Lizzy, you know what your mother thinks of my work. Do you really think that she would stand for you being involved in it?"

The pout on her lips told Ciel that he'd won long before she spoke. "I know you're right, Ciel. But I just wanted to hear more about Mister Hatake's plans. He is ever so interesting, don't you think?"

The blush on her cheeks again gave away her real desire to want to stay. He was about to point it out when Sebastian stepped forward.

"Lady Elizabeth, the coach is waiting at the door for your return home." He brought a small parcel out from behind his back and presented to her. "I took the liberty of preparing a handful of deserts for you to savor at your leisure."

For a moment she looked torn between wanting to stay and wanting what was in the box. But the deserts won out, and after a quick goodbye to him and Kakashi, Lizzy was on her way home and the conversation could now return to more serious issues.

Ceil turned his gaze toward his butler. "I believe you were going to explain, Sebastian?"

"My Lord, Mister Hatake has realized that the only way that he will be able to return safely to where he came from is with my aid."

Ciel waited a few moments, expecting the frustrating man to continue, before he spoke. "It hardly takes a genius to recognize that, Sebastian. What is this really about? Out with it, already."

"As you wish, my Lord. I can indeed help guide your guest home, however it will require a bit more than I had originally thought. Part of it will be simple, as I can use my memories of this moment to remember what the plan is in the centuries to come, but a larger part will require your explicit approval as it will occur in this time and place where you are, indeed, currently my one and only Master."

Although Ciel wasn't quite clear on what exactly Sebastian was expecting from him, it was very evident that Kakashi was. The man nearly leapt out of his seat, his fists tightly clenched at his side and a glare firmly locked on his butler. When he spoke it was in his own language, but he let that pass for the moment being, content to watch what happened next. After all, he'd make sure to direct Sebastian to clearly explain once it was all over.

Kakashi's heart raced as the words from the demon sank in, and he was on his feet confronting him before the creature had finished speaking.

"You've never said anything about needing to agree to any sort of deal with you before now, Demon. What makes you think I would ever do that?"

He watched the ends of Sebastian's lips twitch. "Shall I use your own words to explain it, Mister Hatake? You need to get back to your own time and you know that I am the key to it. Did you think that I would be able to send you back by snapping my fingers? Surely you cannot be that naïve, sir."

Kakashi's frown deepened. Perhaps he was being a tad naïve. He had, after all, hoped that it would be that simple. But with each passing moment it became crystal clear to him that the only way he'd get back to his time was to agree to the demon's terms. Now he'd need to stay acutely aware of everything required to try and ensure that he wasn't agreeing to more than he was willing to part with.

Calmer now, he settled back into his seat. "Explain your conditions, Demon."

He heard a barely controlled snort of laughter from the young Earl at his comment and caught a glare from the butler aimed at the boy. That glare intensified at Ciel's words.

"You heard our guest. Explain your conditions, Demon."

The butler released a puff of air before settling back into the conversation. "In order to send you home, sir, we must first gain the knowledge of where you came from. For that, the two of us will hold some rather detailed discussions in the near future to allow me to know precisely when and where I need to be to guarantee your return to that point in time and space. Every little detail that you can provide, no matter how small, will make this journey far safer for you.

"Fortunately for you, Mister Hatake, traveling through time is far easier moving forward than it is going backward.

"Honestly, the fact that you came through the original journey relatively unscathed is testament to your skill." Sebastian smiled at him. "...or, perhaps it is testament to your luck."

As much as Kakashi hated the idea that he needed this creature, he'd require far more information before he'd agree to anything. "Why should it matter which way I move through time?"

Sebastian leaned forward until he was mere inches away from him. "Because, my dear boy, if you are moving forward in time, especially when you are relying on an outside source to propel you there, there will be memories to leverage."

The butler stood back up and continued speaking with a wave of his hand. "Whereas, if you are aiming for a specific time in the past to return to, there is no memory of your action to ground the movement. In short, you would be making a blind leap."

Kakashi tried to find fault with the theory, but couldn't. Meanwhile, Ciel challenged it himself.

"Are you honestly saying that the only way for Kakashi to return to his time is if you have a memory of causing it?"

"That would be correct, my young Lord. In essence, years from now I will remember what I am about to do, but, if I am aiming to the past, it can only ever be unprepared for, as I will have no memories to prepare me for your arrival."

Kakashi hated the words he was about to use before the first one passed his lips. "I understand the logic behind your theory. But if you only need the memory of this happening, shouldn't that be enough?"

The butler's attention swung back toward him. "The memory itself is only the first of a multistep process, sir. Knowing that you should be arriving cannot make it so. I will still need some method to pull you from this time back to where you belong. Think of it as something like a life preserver to allow me to reel you in, so to speak."

The thought of this creature reeling him in, whether metaphorically or not, did not sit right with Kakashi, but he couldn't come up with one alternative method that would do the trick. He'd likely never have enough chakra himself to trigger his Mangekyo technique with enough force to pierce the veil of time. And even if anyone like Madara was alive at this time, he couldn't count on the freak side effect of colliding techniques to do the trick either. He swallowed back his disgust at just what this might mean and asked the question whose answer would likely make him sick to his stomach.

"Just how will you be able to provide this life preserver?"

Now the Demon grinned a bit too eagerly. "I will need to place a certain mark upon your body that will seal you to me, and me to you."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "At what cost to me?"

Sebastian's lips parted to show the tips of his pointed teeth. "Why, there will be no coast at all to place the mark, Mister Hatake. Just a bit of pain. And surely, if one as weak as Master Ciel can survive it, you should have no problem at all."

Ciel chose that moment to join the conversation. "Will it actually be the same mark as mine, Sebastian?"

Kakashi watched the grin widen a bit more. "Yes, my Lord, the mark is the same."

"And how is that supposed to work? You had told me that you only serve one master at a time. Were you lying to me, you bastard?"

"Never, my Lord. You are well aware that I cannot do so. This sealing cannot occur without your agreement to temporarily allow me to mark this man. And even then, it will not take precedence over your own covenant with me. After all, Mister Hatake will be removed from this time soon after the mark is applied."

Kakashi ran his fingers through his hair. "So this is to be only a temporary mark?"

Sebastian turned his gaze toward him. "All of my marks are temporary, Mister Hatake. They will disappear once a covenant is completed."

"And your covenant with the boy is until his death?"

Ciel responded before Sebastian could say a word. "It is not his place to tell you the details of my covenant. And I would appreciate it if you would stick to your own situation, Mister Hatake."

Kakashi lowered his head slightly. "Forgive me, Earl Phantomhive. I was simply trying to determine what the demon's definition of temporary was."

Sebastian stepped between them. "Perhaps this will put your mind at ease, Mister Hatake. I will not require your soul in payment for this trip. After all, it is my current master's desire to have you returned to your home, therefore it is part of his covenant. Once you are safely back where you belong, the mark can be removed."

Kakashi was still a bit uneasy with agreeing to anything this beast suggested, but Ciel seemed fine with it all, and he needed to accept that there'd be no way for him to return otherwise.

"Very well. If Lord Phantomhive agrees to this, then so will I."

He watched the butler turn toward Ciel. "My Lord, do you authorize this transaction?"

The young boy let out a tired sigh. "If you truly wish to return to your own people, Mister Hatake, then who am I to stop you. We can consider it payment in full for your keeping Mister Spears from skewering me, shall we?"

Kakashi stood and gave the boy a deep bow. "I will accept your terms. Thank you for your aid."

When he stood back up Ciel's lips held a faint smile, while the demon's eyes showed he was quite pleased at the declaration. All he could do now was hope that he wouldn't regret this agreement down the road.

Later that day, Kakashi began the first of several planned sessions to explain to Sebastian exactly how to locate the area where the battle he'd been removed from was being fought. He'd tried to keep certain things vague, particularly when it came to his village of Konoha's location, but he'd needed to go into exacting details when it came to describing the area where he'd clashed with Madara. This entire plan pivoted on whether Sebastian could manage to find the location at exactly the right moment in time. If the creature could manage that, and if he himself could be at top form for the trip, then this might just be the boost that the allied shinobi forces needed to win this war once and for all.

And in the end, even he had to admit that winning that war would be worth losing his soul if it came down to it. But he'd be damned if he'd let Sebastian know that now.

Two more weeks went by, filled with information sessions and training routines, until at last both he and the butler felt that they were ready for the attempt. At that time, after Kakashi had said his farewells to the Earl and his staff, he and Sebastian moved to the grove of trees where he had first made his unique entry. He stood stone still as the demon pulled off one white glove, revealing a seal on the back of his hand that glowed a light purple in the gloomy light of the trees.

"Mister Hatake, we need to decide where to place the seal of the covenant. You should know that the more pronounced or visible the area, the stronger the bond will be. And I am quite certain that you understand that this plan would work best with a stronger bond. But in the end, the location is a choice that you, and you alone, must make."

Kakashi'd had a feeling that this would be the case, and he had been weighing the pros and cons of the placement. Knowing now that the strongest bond would be if the damned thing was visible narrowed his choices down to only a few. After all, he was not known for baring his skin. The small amount of his face showing when he was in his uniform was barely enough for a seal of any sort. And he wasn't looking forward to explaining its sudden appearance in the heat of the battle that he should be returning to.

No, the only logical place for the damned thing would be his inner forearm. It would still be noticeable, which met the requirements of the demon, but shouldn't result in any immediate questions about it was he arrived. And if he was extremely lucky, everyone would be too busy to notice, giving him time to figure out what he was going to say when he was finally asked to explain it.

"Right inner forearm."

He watched Sebastian's brow rise. "An interesting choice, Mister Hatake. And, if I may say so, your pale skin will make a marvelous backdrop for the mark."

Kakashi growled. "Just get on with it already."

"As you wish, although I do feel I should remind you that this will not be a painless procedure."

"You've already told me that Now stop stalling and do what was promised."

Sebastian sighed and shook his head slightly. "I understand your desire to return to your time, sir, but is a bit of polite etiquette too much to ask for?"

Kakashi didn't justify that with an answer. Instead, he held out his right arm and waited for the process to begin. He didn't need to wait long, as Sebastian gripped his wrist with his gloved hand, twisting the arm until the inner forearm was facing upward. The demon never let go of his grip and laid his ungloved hand palm down onto his skin. The arcane mark on the back of that hand flared to life, glowing with a bright purple light so bright that he needed to close his eye to it. The searing pain that followed was enough to make his breath catch in his throat and he'd barely heard the words from Sebastian's lips as the world was pulled out from under his feet.

"I shall count the centuries until we meet again, Mister Hatake."