The Earl of Phantomhive (DemonCielXLizzy fic)

Chapter Twenty Five

How To Be A Big Brother

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"You understand that I won't be able to come and visit for a while, don't you Lizzie?"

"Yes, of course I do. I'm not dense, you know?" Edward smiled and gave his little sister a hug, "Stay in bed until you can safely move around. Let Ciel struggle with Celine for the first few days." Elizabeth shook her head, "No that won't do. I'll be fine, almost every woman goes through this at least once in her life and that isn't going to exclude me. I'll have no one stepping in to raise my child, no nanny, I must get up and move about." Elizabeth was firm in her resolve to get out of bed that next morning. Edward was against it, while Sebastian already had a hot bath lined out for her and some fresh clothes. "Well, if you're going to insist upon it.. You're crazy, but fine. Before I depart I need to see your husband." He stepped out of the room as a maid came in, to give her some privacy. "I love you, sis."

"I love you too, Edward." With that being said, he closed the door and headed toward Ciel's office. He found him there doing paperwork with a sleeping newborn on the desk wrapped in blankets right beside his vast stack of papers. She looked comfortable for the most part, her little mouth was hung open as she quietly snored. "One day old and you've already got her doing paperwork, I see."

"Well you know what they say, starting them young is the best way to do it." Sebastian stood to the side of the room with his arms crossed. "I suppose so.." Edward shifted his weight and cleared his throat, "I shall be departing soon but I have a few things to settle here first." He straightened his composure and looked at the sitting Earl as if expecting him to stop what he was doing right then, "If you would, brother?" Well that did it, he never called him that unless he wanted something. "I've very busy, Edward, so just say it already." His ink and eyes never left the papers he was sifting through. 

"I would like to know where you and your butler, Sebastian, were the night Elizabeth went into labor. You left after I had arrived, without saying a word to me."

"Forgive me for assuming you could handle your pregnant sister, we were taking care of a few errands."

"I feel like I have the right to know." Ciel placed his writing utensil on the desk and looked up at Edward. "Brother, my child didn't sleep all night and neither did I. My wife, your sister, is just now starting to feel up to walking around, I am literally doing my work with a newborn sleeping on my desk, my eyes are crossing, and I am mentally cringing at the thought of two very important meetings coming up this week. Not so much because I dread sitting there and listening to whatever God awful sales pitch they come up with, but more so because I am not comfortable leaving my loves here alone. Now, as the Earl of this establishment, I tend to disappear from time to time. My errands in which I had to run while Elizabeth was safe here with you were just as important, I assure you." 

"I can understand that, but I'm mostly concerned about the fires that erupted around England last night. You two were conveniently gone."

"Don't play Knight in my manor, visit your sister and go."

"But I have so much more to talk about." Sebastian arched a brow at him, he could tell he was getting at something, "Perhaps we should hear him out, master."

"Well stop beating around the bush."

"I suppose I could word it differently; I know one of you two set the fires last night."

"That's a strong accusation." Sebastian added before stepping over to Ciel's desk. "And what of this?"

"I trust you to protect my sister, first and before this damn company. All I have to say to you is that next time, do your job correctly so I don't have to come out here and clean up your mess."

"What mess?"

"As a Knight of the queen, I can assure you I am not dense as to what is going on here. I obviously know what you are, Sebastian Michaelis, and now what you have created, Ciel. However, I don't care all that much as long as you uphold your promise to take care of Lizzie and keep her happy." Ciel and Sebastian stared at him for a moment before he continued, "You are familiar with the name, John Von Deil?"

"You're meddling in my business, Midford." Ciel nearly growled out at him, "Well sometimes these things have to happen. I know what he was, and what he did to my mother. He sent my poor Lizzie into a spiraling sadness for weeks.."

"How much do you know exactly, Lord Midford?" Sebastian raised a brow. Edward only smiled at them, "Don't worry you two, I come here as a brother, not an enemy. I just came to lend a hand." Sebastian studied his features for a moment. He was the reason he couldn't find their vampire friend, John Von Deil. What exactly had Edward done? More importantly, how had he known all of this was transpiring? 

Ciel caught on fairly quickly, "I suppose you got there first then. Though I am thrilled for your help, Midford, it was not needed."

"I thought you might say that." He smiled and crossed his arms behind his back, "It may not have been so in your case, but I came for my sister and when she needs her big brother... Well she gets just exactly that." The more he went on, the more he sounded like his father. Ciel rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Alright, I get it. You beat me to it." Edward laughed and headed for the door. "Well, I suppose I'll be off. You know where to find me."

"How exactly did you know..?" Ciel called to him, he didn't like it when someone outplayed him in any games, especially not if it was Edward. "Do you really think Elizabeth keeps secrets from her big brother?" He called back and waved as he made his way out of the manor, "I'll see myself out, Sebastian. Thank you both, take care of my sister Ciel!" 

Sebastian and Ciel looked at each other. Elizabeth had told her brother everything?! Literally, everything! "Well, we didn't swear her to secrecy, young master, and he did take care of that pesky vampire problem." 

"I didn't need him to! How do we know if he did so correctly? How does he even know how to combat a vampire?!"

"Perhaps if you would write him every now and again you would know, darling." Elizabeth stood in the doorway of his office. She was cleaned up and looking rather well. "Elizabeth Cordelia-"

"I know, I know.." Ciel stood from his chair and lifted Celine with him. "Why on earth would you even..?" Elizabeth smiled and took her small Phantomhive sample from his arms, "Oh don't be so mad, darling, he just came to help." Ciel gave her a look, as did Sebastian, "Don't look so upset gentlemen. After all, I hadn't expected both of you would be bested by a human." She giggled mischievously and headed down the hall with her daughter. "Call if either of you need me." 

Ciel was infuriated to say the least. His own wife had went behind his back and spilled her heart out to his brother in law, then she had the audacity to make fun of him when he was doing his best to protect her! He stared down the hall as she headed for the kitchen. Sebastian could pretty much see the steam rising off of his shoulders, "Master?"

"Look at that, Sebastian, get a good look at it. That is a woman, whom the likes of which you will never find again in this generation and possibly the next. My God she makes me fall more in love with her every time she opens her mouth, can you believe she outsmarted me at my own game? She even cheated me into a contract so that I wouldn't be able to leave her after this..! Can you honestly believe that I'm married to that woman? Amazing, how did I ever get so lucky?" Sebastian looked at his master and released a sigh. He was a real glutton for punishment. 

"I'm glad you're satisfied with your choice, young master."

Ciel didn't answer him. He sat back in his seat and propped his feet up on the desk as he pondered his marriage, "Pull out the cigars, I still haven't smoked one since Celine was born. I believe I need to smoke one for my wife as well so you may as well bring the entire case." He added as he chuckled to himself. Sebastian nodded and headed out of the office to retrieve the latest shipment.  As he busied himself with his task, a question crossed his mind. "Where in the hell did the doctor go?" He mumbled to himself. Perhaps the Earl did need to start writing his brother in law.