Truth and Hope or Lies and Despair

Chapter Twenty Two "Love beyond all faults.."

~* Venus's POV *~

- Dream -

It was dark. A lonely feeling settled in me, seeing no one was there. But then a light shone through the darkness, revealing my family. I froze in shock. My mother smiled at me. My father hugged his wife lovingly. My brother was waving at me.

I ran towards them, reaching out. An invisible wall slammed into me, stopping me in my tracks. I tried to get through but it was no use. I banged on the barrier desperately, not ever wanting to be alone again.

They smiled at me one last time before turning around and walking away.

"No, wait! Take me with you!"

No one went back for me. Who was I too dream of that? They were dead. They couldn't come back.

But then Chrissy turned around, coming back for me. He stepped in front of me, the invisible wall shattering as he pulled me into a tight embrace. I cried in his arms, missing this feeling of happiness. I felt safe, protected. It's been a long time since I've felt that way.

Splat!

I gasped in pain, looking down. A knife had pierced my stomach. Blood pooled around me. My brother laughed and a sinister smile played on his lips, pushing the weapon deeper into me. I stared into his evil gleaming eyes. This man in front of me was not the kind brother I knew, I couldn't even recognize him.

The pain I felt was not because of the wound but I felt betrayed and the stings of despair. That was something I couldn't bear.

I whispered helplessly, "Chrissy..?"

He sneered, "I am no longer your brother. My sister is kindhearted while you kill mercilessly. I don't know you."

That was true. I killed people. There is so much blood on my hands. People have always told me, 'I saved more than I killed'. That's not true. Some people had reasons to take lives such as a family to avenge or to save someone. I just killed because of the Queen's orders. I never asked who the victim was. I didn't care what kind of person I would have to take. All I needed was a command. That person I took could have been a father, a mother, a son, and daughter and I didn't even bother to ask. When did I become this person? When did I become a monster?

"You are now alone in this world. No one cares for you. Who could ever love a murderer?" he snarled, his words sending a dagger through my already fragile heart.

"I... I.."

'I' what? I am a monster. I am a murderer. Who could ever love those things?

I curled up in a ball, tears falling from my eyes. I was surrounded by my own blood, dying slowly. I was destined to die alone, having no one even notice I ever existed. No one notices if a monster or a killer died. No one. I am destined to be alone.

"..Venus!"

What was that? Who is calling for me?

"..up!"

That voice sounds familiar to me. For some reason, I felt a little happy to hear that voice once again.

"Wake up!"

Wake up? Aren't I already? My brother hates me, even killed me. This is reality. I am awake, only to live in this cruel world.

"Please!"

The desperation was clear in his voice. His? Who does it belong to? Though I didn't know the reason why, I followed the voice. My scenery melted away and I was taken back to the world called reality.

- Dream Over -

I opened my eyes, blinking to adjust to the sudden lighting. I was immediately greeted by Ciel, his hands gripping my shoulder tightly, having to shake me awake. Worry was written all over his face. No, I must have been mistaken. He couldn't care for a monster like me.

"Are you alright?" he questioned in concern.

I nodded blankly, "I am fine."

He reached out and brushed his thumb under my eye, his expression pained as he wiped a tear away. I hadn't even notice I was crying. I must have been crying in my sleep. That is why he woke me up.

I stood frozen as his touch made something blossom in my heart. I frowned, not knowing why I had felt this way.

"It is useless to lie. I can see it clearly. What is wrong, Venus?" the Earl asked softly.

I looked up at him, letting my guard down for a moment. His eyes that stared at me in concern. He actually looked like he genuinely cared what happened to me. I let my guard down, letting all the emotions I had kept bottled up spill into my heartbroken voice.

"Do you know how much blood is stained on my hands? I use to be an innocent child before it was taken from me, from a demon. It murdered my whole family and beat me terribly. Why? Why do demons do that, Ciel? Tell me. I need to know. What has made them so cruel to have murdered an entire family than torturing the last survivor? Why?"

He looked shocked, never having an inkling of my past until now. Sighing softly, he placed his hand on mine, staring into my eyes with his despair filled orbs, revealing his own tragedy.

"I'm afraid I do not know the answer to your question. But you and I are alike in so many ways. My mansion caught fire and killed my parents. I was captured and sold then treated worst than an animal. You and I, we tend to close off our emotions, not wanting to become hurt and betrayed. We close ourselves to anyone else, acting cold and stoic so they don't have an opening to hurt us. People view us as strong but we are just broken in the inside, trying to keep everything together."

That was exactly how I felt. Ciel knew me better than I knew myself. It felt nice to know that I had someone who understood me. My perspective of demons wavered slightly. Perhaps not all are the same.

"We act like we can take care of ourselves but really, we want someone to protect us from the dangers of the world," I continued his saying, resting my head on his shoulder, finally letting someone into my heart.

"We run away from people, saying we don't need them, but we run because we want to be chased, to be cared about," Ciel smiled sadly, wrapping an arm around my shoulder, the feeling of being safe engulfing me like a warm blanket.

"Sometimes the strongest people..." I trailed, looking up into Ciel's eyes.

"Are the ones who..." he whispered, leaning towards me.

"Love beyond all faults..."

"Cry behind closed doors..."

"And fight battles that nobody knows about.."

His lips met mine. This wasn't like the last one, where Angel was the one who did it. I was the one this time. I was the one who chose to do this. I was the one who decided I wanted this once again...

I was the one who wanted love.

A/N: My power went out right when I was about to publish this chapter  and it just started working now. I had to survive without electricity for a day -__- That's why this is late but wasn't the wait worth it ;)) Look at what I made, pic on the side -->

Vote, Comment, Fan!