Forever Noire

Sebastian's Dead and Noire's sick.

(I apologize for the shorter chapters, it's just hard to write. I don't want to bore anyone, but It ends up shortening the chapters. I guess you could say each chapter of the manga ends up as a chapter here for this arc.)

Ciel woke up and was confused to be waking up on his own, he woke up Mr. Wordsmith and explained to him Sebastian usually woke him up earlier. Takana came in. "Please, Excuse me. I'm sorry to be this late." Both he and Mr. Wordsmith were confused. Everyone was already gathered around. Noire was looking on with sad but knowing eyes. Ciel was about halfway over to Sebastian when someone wrapped their arms around his waste. It was Noire. "I know he's not dead but I still bothers me to see him like this." It was quiet enough so only he could here. He patted her head and she let go, but still had a hold of his hand. She saw Mey-Rin and Finny were crying. She would comfort them but she didn't know what Ciel what do. "Don't act out of character, don't pull out the hysterics, Just look on like a sad little puppy until the police start questioning you.. that is what you learn as a runaway who became a witness." Ciel was shocked that she said that to him. She seemed truly upset about this, even with knowing. She was trying her damned hardest not to let something surface he concluded. He pulled her to the corner of the room as everyone else was talking, some looking at then, it just looked like he was trying to comfort her so they were fine. "What happened to you that has you so upset?" She looked over to Sebastian and back. "I was a witness to one of the Jack the Ripper murders. The Yard questioned me and I had to lie through my teeth. I don't think they'd believe me if I said the famous Madame Red and some nut job with what he called a 'Death Scythe' murdered her." She was shaking a bit. "It bothers me so much because I knew the woman who was murdered and lied. It bothers me even more now because it was Sebastian and I'm lying again, acting like the little innocent girl I pretended to be for the public." Her voice was shaky. He put his hand on her shoulder, she had been through hell and back more than once and she was better off than him. He gave her a reassuring smile and she smiled back. "You're tougher than I am Noire. You went through the same hell as me, gave up, and came right back." She looked down. I'll never be completely back. He seemed to understand her, but he didn't know how much more she had been through. Bard did though, he saw the scars and was brave enough to ask. She was willing to talk, it made her feel better. She put makeup on to cover the scars from most. Sebastian didn't even know as far as she knew. Ciel walked over to where they were before. "You'll never know the hell we've been through." She muttered quietly to herself. "He was stabbed with the poker alright. How brutal."

He lifted his head. "There are also traces of being hit in the head. He must have been hit while collecting ashes." Mr. Wordsmith suggested there were two attackers. Noire had had enough of this and left the room, she wasn't feeling great either. "Where are you going?" Grey asked getting the attention of everyone. "Back to my room. I'm not feeling well." She gave a reassuring smile and turned around walking back to her room quickly and quietly, she was feeling unwell more mentally than physically though. The servants started chatting between each other, so she probably was sick, stressing her out was probably making her suddenly feel ill. All but Mey-Rin headed to the dining hall. She headed to Noire's room to check on her. She opened her door to find Noire buried under the covers holding her stuffed bear close. She went to get a cold cloth and some water. It was unfortunate, Sebastian was dead and Noire was sick. Noire being stressed out wouldn't be good for her health either. Maybe they'd have Takana make her some tea to help her relax. She sighed and walked out, leaving a glass of water for when she woke up.

She walked into the kitchen and the others seemed to jump to life. They seemed disheartened by her gloomy demeanor though. "How is she?" Mey-Rin dusted off her dress nervously. "She's sick alright. So far she only has a fever, but we'd best be careful." Bard sighed. "Poor girl, been through so much and now Sebastian's dead." They were all confused, Takana finally spoke up. "What do you mean?" Bard looked to then all glumly. "She's been through more than just a circus. She told me how they accidentally left her behind once and she ended up kidnapped within the day. She has burns from cigarettes and scars from whips, they tried to brand the poor girl too." They all were shocked, she had it that bad and she was only six, yet she always was bringing some cheerful spirit in the manor even on her worst of days.

They all went back out to see everyone walking somewhere, they ran after. Grey cut the door down and they found Mr. Phelps dead. He seemed to have died at 2:38. Noire walked in and knelt down to the body, examining it with Mr. Wordsmith. "There doesn't seem to be any physical evidence on the body." Noire tapped his shoulder and pointed to his neck, where it looked like something bit him. Bard said that he and Finny had been visited by Sebastian at around 2:40. "So he was killed around 2:40." Noire shook her head. "He came in to my room around 2:50 to make sure I was alright. The door opening had woken me up so after I fell asleep he left." Everyone smiled a little at the thought of Sebastian checking on Noire. Bard explained that checked the stocks and gave him instructions, and Finny was to tend to the hearths. Mey-Rin said that she was asked to release an owl. They all turned to Noire. "He walked into my room after accidentally waking me up saying it would all be alright, then he put me back to sleep." She started chewing on her sweater sleeve again. I know he's not dead though, so why does it bother me so much? Her book(Remember that it's not a regular book.) came with a quick reply. He was your protector, not only that, but your friend. Both sides feel a need to keep each other out of harm, so when they can't they feel like they failed or kind of empty without that persons presence. Yes he isn't dead, but it still hurts doesn't it? She brought her attention back to reality when they started accusing Lau. She had her sketchpad with her and started drawing, thinking about why it made her so sad to see him like that. She knew he wasn't dead so that should make her feel a little better, right? It doesn't in the slightest. She was only half listening to them throw accusations at Lau. It's a possibility, but needles wouldn't leave a mark like that. It's highly unlikely they would be so perfectly aligned. She actually started to listen when Arthur spoke up. "The only one's who have an alibi for all three are me and Noire." She looked up and finally spoke up. "So wouldn't that mean that no one could have committed all three of the murders by themselves?" Arthur nodded and smiled, so she was listening, or she was at least listening to him. She went back to sketching, She was sketching the Double Charles in front of a Queen piece, the King piece was drawn next to it, a bit lighter and cracked, both pieces are white though. She looked up when Mr. Woodley lost it. She sent a glare his way that probably would have made even Sebastian want to slowly back away. He accused Ciel and Noire was continuing her glare. Everyone else was getting nervous that he wasn't noticing how unhappy she looked right now. He punched Arthur after he tried to get him to sit down. She finally spoke up. "Mr. Woodley?" She asked as sweetly as possible as to not anger him. He looked over to her. "Calm down, yes we all get that no one wants to get murdered, but there is no need to go punching another guest because they simply suggested that you should sit down. He's right, where would you go? It's pouring buckets outside and you'd be soaked to the bone within a second." He seemed to calm down a bit, but got riled up when Ciel demanded he sit down. She shivered at his harsh tone. "Ciel is scary.." She muttered to herself quietly. He went to hit him too until Takana pinned him down. She finally had had enough of this lunatic and put her sketchpad down. "Please forgive me Master Woodley. If someone means to harm the young master in this mansion, no matter who they are, will be shown no mercy by these servants." He looked to Noire only to see her giving him one of the iciest glares he had ever seen. "I am not your ally. If anyone tries to harm Ciel I will not hesitate to act accordingly. I'm not afraid to abandon appearance in order to protect someone I care for. So under no circumstances will I allow anyone who harms him to walk off freely. Understand, Mr. Woodley?" He nodded his head vigorously. She smiled. "Good." She went back to her sketching. Grey kept trying to get a sneak peak of it until she hit him with it, lightening the mood of the room just a bit. They decided Mr. Wordsmith would be in charge. Noire would be his little mini helper. At least that's how Bard put it. Ciel gave him a haunting smile. Noire's eyes widened. She quickly drew his face on another page. She'd use that.