Traded to the Archbishop of Hell (Black Butler Fanfic)

Ch 12- The Aftermath

Okay, I know last chapter was probably pretty boring. But there's one of those in every book. I think you all will like this one better! ;)

Maria awoke with a searing pain in her torso and head. It was as if her head were going to explode.

Maria opened her eyes and pressed her hands into her head. After a moment or so, the pain in her head subsided.

She opened her eyes and looked around the room. She was lying in Sebastian's bed... in a nightgown.

Had he changed her? That thought made her cheeks burn red.

She tentatively sat up, her torso screaming at her to lye back down.

'No!' she thought. 'I need to see if Luca is alright. He is all that matters at the moment.'

She stood from the bed and had to grab hold of one of the bed posts to steady herself, her legs aching and wobbling.

It took her a while, and a few slips and falls, but she made it to the stairs where she could hear people talking downstairs.

Her body was trembling now, begging her to stop and rest, but she would not be detoured.

She put her foot on the first step and stepped down. She nearly fell, but she steadied herself.

She did not particularly like it, but she took each step one at a time, as slow as possible.

When she reached the bottom step, she was nearly out of breath.

Just then, Alois walked out of the parlor. His eyes fell on a heavily breathing Maria, her head bent down as she gripped the railing for support, and he ran back into the parlor.

Not even five seconds later, Sebastian was at the stairs, his hands on either side of her face. He tilted her head so she was looking at him, and her eyes were met with his very worried looking ones.

Maria suddenly fell forward into his arms and he wrapped them around her, keeping her up.

"You should have stayed in bed," Sebastian said, worry on the edge of his voice.

"Where... is... Luca?" Maria asked, trying to control her breathing, and ignoring his statement.

Sebastian sighed through his nose and swept her into his arms, carrying her into the parlor as she laid her head against his shoulder.

All eyes fell on them as they entered the parlor, all except Meena, who starred blankly ahead. All servants and members of the household were in the parlor.

Maria turned to them with tired eyes and scanned the room. Her eyes fell on Luca, who was starring intently at her.

Maria pushed herself out of Sebastian's arms. Sebastian reluctantly set her on the ground, afraid of hurting her further if he tried to hold her there.

Maria took shaky steps toward Luca as he walked toward her. She knelt in front of him and put her hand on the side of his face.

Tears formed in his large brown eyes and he dove into her arms, making her gasp slightly as he bumped into the scar on her torso.

Sebastian was about to step forward before Maria shook her head at him as she wrapped her arms around the weeping child.

"You should have let me get shot. Then you would not be in pain," Luca cried.

"Do not say that. I did what anyone else would have done," Maria replied, stroking his hair.

"You almost died," Luca sobbed.