The Birth of Claude

Chapter Three: {Part Three}

"You look pale," Sebastian handed Ciel a cup of tea. The student's tears had finally stopped. "Are you regretting your decision to blackmail me into seeing my spouse?"

"I thought your spouse was a blonde woman bitch and your kid was a nuisance. I didn't realize you had a husband with such a terrible childhood," Ciel sipped the tea. He was still shaken by what he had seen. It wasn't often that he gazed into the eyes of someone and witnessed such a vivid trauma. Most of the time he just got sensations, as he put them, soft feelings of the general personality. The last time he'd experienced real memories was such a long time ago, when he'd met his father's male concubine.

Sebastian had never heard a thing about William's parents, family, or childhood. He was beginning to understand why Terada was such an important person in his life. This only increased his sense of guilt about that situation. This situation was different. Who was that redhead? Why had he rushed after William so quickly? Quicker than he had? Was Sebastian jealous or simply angry with himself for being more concerned about his student (that had blackmailed him and traumatized his husband) over William?

"Are you feeling guilty?" Sebastian asked. He sat down and crossed his legs. Maybe he'd finally be free of Ciel if he'd realized what he'd done.

"I certainly feel guilty for bringing up his memories," Ciel confessed. "He doesn't deserve to live through that again," Ciel cringed just thinking about what he'd seen. "I feel a bit bad that I've caused you to betray him. He doesn't deserve that either. But, Mr. Michaelis, I will not feel bad for claiming you. You are not his soulmate. I'll prove that to you eventually."

"Something has happened to father!" Claude rushed into the room. He'd been there when William ran out but he'd left to calm down in some hideaway. Now he was back, looking frantic, and unsure of what to do.

"Try to relax," Sebastian leaned forward to face his child. "What do you mean?"

"Something has happened. I can feel it. I know it," Claude began to cry. The sound of sirens and an ambulance whizzing by was ill timed. Was that...? William was he...?

"Claude, this is my student Ciel, he is going to look after you," Sebastian tried not to sound panicked in any way. "I'm going to go see what happened to your father. Be good for him, okay?" Claude nodded. He wanted to follow Sebastian but he didn't bother asking to, he somehow knew the answer to that question.

Sebastian left to follow the ambulance to the nearest hospital. Was William even there? Hopefully not. He didn't bother to grab his coat or lock the door behind him. He just left. He saw the redhead in the corner of his eye. Ugh. Who was this guy? Irritated and agitated he tried to maintain a sense of calmness. He wasn't jealous. Why should he be? William would never have the guts to cheat on him. William wasn't like Sebastian, after all. He was too straight-laced.

"You're Dr. Spears' husband, right?" The redhead ran over to him. "Do you know anything about what's going on with him right now?" he asked. "I'm his student, Grell Sutcliff. I hope he is okay. I live in the same apartment complex as you so it's really easy to ask him questions about things. It's so weird being caught up in this. I feel as if I barely know a thing about him."

"You're his student," Sebastian replied, rather harshly. "How much are you supposed to know about him?" Sebastian hadn't intended to be so rude. He didn't know Grell. He just didn't like the idea of someone being closer to William than him. Call it possession, call it love, call it whatever you want, but Sebastian refused to accept that there was someone out there that was closer to that stonecold man than he was.

"I suppose that's true," Grell laughed, albeit nervously. "I just hope he is okay. It's normal to be concerned, isn't it?"

. . .

"Are you his family member?" a nurse asked. Sebastian nodded. "I have good news, he is perfectly healthy. There isn't anything wrong with him physically but we will be keeping him overnight just to be certain," the nurse smiled and led Sebastian to William's room. The sight of William in a hospital bed brought back memories of William's sister on the day that she died. A sickening feeling overcame Sebastian. Would he manage to ruin two people's lives? To kill these two siblings? Just by existing?

"Mr. Sutcliff," William looked at Grell, "Michaelis," he looked at Sebastian. "Why are you here?"

"Are you joking?" Sebastian scoffed. "You're in a hospital, William, why wouldn't I be here?"

"I'm not dying, Michaelis, there really isn't a need for you to be here," William said. He was being completely serious.

"Did the thought not cross your mind that I might be worried about you?" Sebastian asked. The question came out of nowhere. He wasn't sure what kind of response he'd get, but he certainly didn't think William would take it so seriously. He wanted some stupid retort. He wanted William to roll his eyes and respond with some sarcastic answer. Sebastian got neither of those things.

William looked at his hands and then up at Sebastian. His lips turned slightly upward in the smallest smile and his eyes overflowing with a sadness Sebastian never wanted to see again. "No, the thought has never crossed my mind that anyone would ever be worried about me. Michaelis, there hasn't been a person worried about me since the day I was born. Don't take it personally when I tell you I don't understand how humans function because I have never once been treated as a human," William looked out the window of the hospital room before whispering, "not once."