The carriage awaits me and Sebastian. Sebastian opens the door and helps me inside. His gloved hands grasp mine gently. I could again feel my face grow pink. Sebastian closes the door behind me and climbs in from the other side. The rain from a few days ago caused the grasses and flowers along the road to grow brighter, but it may have been because I'm so giddy with excitement . I always have loved a carriage ride because I used to travel across the countryside sightseeing... with my father. I quickly push those thoughts aside and continue to observe the flourishing woods as we pass them. I begin to notice Sebastian's gaze upon me. I turn to him.

"Is something on my face?" I ask.

"No, why do you ask?" Sebastian questions.

"Because you keep staring at me," I say.

A smirk grows on his lips. "Your reactions to the scenery are priceless. Your smile is like that of a child who was just given candy before dinner. You like carriage rides don't you, ________?"

"I do-" I almost say that I would ride with my father, but I can't reveal my lineage at all otherwise my name and the name of my children will be ruined. I just know that one day I will have to marry a lord or someone of high standards, but no lord would marry a girl who was once a petty servant for an earl. I decide to make up a story. "I used to accompany my old employer on trips."

He nods politely and gazes out the window. "I myself always enjoy the countryside. Where I'm from, there's little beauty such as this."

"Where are you from?" I ask.

He turns and gives another smirk. "My! Aren't you ever so curious."

I look to my feet. "I didn't mean to pry."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Curiosity is a very attractive trait." Just as I grasp what he said, he says, "Oh look, it seems we're almost there."

I look away from Sebastian and to the window. The dirt roads have changed to cobbled ones. Houses become more frequent until finally, we arrive in London. People walk the sidewalks: paperboys earning a living, peddlers enticing innocent tourists to buy their wares, and couples walking arm in arm.   We stop in front of a tailor's shop. Sebastian steps out, opens my door, and assists me out.

Compared to what's in the shop window, my blue dress is rags. Elegant ball gowns, saucy dinner dresses, and even the casual outfits are extremely brilliant. Suits are made with royal quality. I assume we're here to pick something up for Ciel. I follow Sebastian into the shop. Inside, there are numerous high quality fabrics strewn about. At a sewing machine in the back is a small man sewing a blush pink bodice.

"Hello, Mr. Alexander," Sebastian calls as we walk over to him.

Mr. Alexander looks up from his work. "Ah, Mr. Michaelis, good to see you! I assume you're here to get something made for your master?"

"Not today. We're here to get Miss ________ fitted for a few new dresses," Sebastian says gesturing to me.

"Me? But Sebastian, I can't aff-" I start out.

"That's been taken care of already," Sebastian interrupts, pulling out a wallet. He hands Mr. Alexander a large amount of money. "I believe that is enough for 2 new dresses, Mr. Alexander." He turns to me. "I'll be back before you're done, ________." Then, he simply walks back out the door.

"Now-Miss ________ was it?- let's get you fitted!" Mr. Alexander says excitedly. He ushers me into a fitting room. "Change into your undergarments, no need to be shy!" He shuts the curtain behind me. I hear him drag out some dividers from across the room.

I slip off my dress as quickly as possible because I'm sure Mr. Alexander will become impatient before long. "Mr. Alexander? I'm finished..?" I say.

"Step out then, miss, and please call me Samuel. All my clients call me by my first name. The only reason I bother not to with Michaelis is because he insists upon such formalities. It's such poppycock."

He ushers me to a stool and pulls a tape measure over every inch of my body. Then, he puts the tape measure back into his pocket and heads to a pile of rolled fabrics. He grabs two rolls. He holds them out to me. An azure blue silk and the palest white silk are extended towards me.

"Now," Samuel says, "How do you feel about for the ball gown, this snow white with purple laces and ribbons? And for a casual gown made with this blue fabric and black ribbons and white ruffles?"

"I- I don't know anything about fashion. I'll leave the decisions up to you, Samuel," I say, overwhelmed by everything.

"In that case, your dresses should be finished tomorrow. Would you like help getting dressed, Miss ________?" Samuel offers.

"No, but thank you anyway, Samuel." I slip back into the dressing room and pull back on my dress. When I step back out, the dividers have been pulled away and Sebastian and Samuel seem to be having a friendly conversation. I catch the end of it,"... and that must be hard on such a mortal man as yourself." Samuel laughs.

"Ah, you can say that again, Mr. Alexander. I am mortal, yes, but I am simply one hell of a butler," Sebastian smirks.

"And that you are, Mr. Michaelis- Ms. _______! You're finished!" Samuel says, startled by my entrance.

"Mr. Alexander here says that his masterpieces shall be complete by tomorrow. I think that we may just stay in the young master's townhouse instead of wasting time. Say, it's about lunchtime. There's a nice café nearby. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes, I'm quite hungry after doing nothing," I say feeling my stomach rumble. "It was nice meeting you, Samuel!" I grab Sebastian's extended arm and follow him out the door and around the corner to a neat little outdoor café with little green umbrellas shading the neat white tables. As I look at the sky, it seems like I shall be needing the umbrella to protect me from the creeping rain clouds.

Sebastian pulls out a chair for me and I quickly sit. He seats himself and calls a server. A stout little woman scurries over.

"Yes? How may I help such a lovely couple as yourselves?" She beams.

I feel my stomach turn. C..couple? The thought gives me a flurry of nervous butterflies.

"I would like the lunch special and what would you like, Ms. ________?" Sebastian asks, not bothering to correct the waitress.

"The same please," I quickly say. She nods and dashes inside. "Funny," I say to Sebastian. "She thought we were a couple. Does it appear like that?"

"Hmm... to any person of intellect, it would not be likely that a woman of your unparalleled beauty and a man in a butler's outfit would be paired, but to everyone else... we would look madly in love." Sebastian lets out a little laugh.

"Oh shush," I giggle. Then, I realize what he said. 'A woman of my unparalleled beauty'? Is Ciel's hunch right?

Before I can ask him about it, the waitress brings us each a bowl of onion soup. "Enjoy!" She says before dashing over to a couple that's waving her over.

I eat, feeling Sebastian's studious gaze upon my every move. I try not to notice but it's causing my hairs to stand on end.

Plip.

A raindrop splatters on the umbrella. Sebastian throughs a few coins on the table and stands. "I think we best be finding a way back to the house," he jokes and extends his arm. I take it and we begin to walk with a hastened pace along the streets. Rain spatters on my head. Sebastian pauses for a moment and takes off his jacket and places it gingerly on my head. I wrap it around me, feeling and needing it's warmth as the rain pelts my face. We begin to run now. Our feet splashing the puddles. I start to laugh as I see Sebastian having a rough time keeping his drenched hair from his face. Sebastian finally leads me up a set of stairs and unlocks the door.

We rush into the entryway and stand there for a moment, crammed together dripping on the front rug. We're face to face, our rain soaked bodies practically against each other. Sebastian raises his hand and removes his jacket from off of my head slowly, as if taking in the moment. His other still gloved hand rises to my face and cups my face in it. I hear the jacket fall to the floor as his other hand carcasses my neck. He inches his face closer to mine and I instinctively close my eyes. His lips press against mine, gently as if unsure about the whole thing. The kiss sends a warm feeling throughout my body, yet it only lasts mere moments. The minute I feel his lips lifting away from mine, I regret not kissing back. Wait-we kissed. What does this mean for him, for us? His hands pull away from my face and neck and he smiles a genuine smile unlike anything I've seen from him. Sebastian turns away from me and heads through the hall to what I assume is the living room.

I remove my soaking wet shoes and leave them by the door. Then, an idea dawns me. What am I to wear to bed? I decide on asking Sebastian. When I turn to the living room, I see Sebastian stoking the makings of a warm fire.

"Um Sebastian? Is there- I mean do you have anything for me to change into? These wet clothes cannot be good for my health."

Sebastian stands, smile still on his face. "Follow me, _______."

We walk back into the hall and into a bedroom. Sebastian opens a drawer and pulls out a large shirt, which I assume is his. He hands it to me. "This is all we have, I'm afraid. You'll be fine with this?" Sebastian asks.

"Yeah, that's perfect, Sebastian," I say grabbing his shirt. "Hopefully it's long enough."

"Then, I'll leave you to it," he says as he closes the door behind himself.

I peel off my wet clothes and pile them on the floor. I pull on the shirt and it goes down to about my knees. I lift the shirt to my nose and smell traces of Sebastian's cologne in it. I attempt to smooth out my hair in the mirror and step out into the hall. I head to the living room and see a roaring fire blazing behind the grate. I crouch beside it, soaking in the warmth. I hear Sebastian rise from a chair nearby and kneel beside me, extending his hands towards the fire.

I lie down on the carpet, my head on Sebastian's lap. I feel Sebastian flinch, but relax as I sigh and close my eyes. I hum a simple tune. Sebastian runs his gloved hands through my hair. The comforting set of circumstances sends me sweetly to sleep.

%%%A/N%%%
Sorry the update took so long, but I've just started high school and I have a ton of homework. I'll still work on this story in my spare time. I will NOT abandon this story because I love you guys too much!

-Greekblood