Chapter 14 - Sebaciel fanfiction - The Surprise

While Sebastian's well-trained eyes did not stray from the face of the danger before them, in the form of the beautiful she-demon Hannah Annafellows, Ciel's wide eyes strained through the snow to see his daughter. With his improved eyesight, he could not make out any visible damage to the beloved little girl, but the baby appeared to be wrapped in thick furs, her tiny hand encompassed by a thick mitten.

A fierce concentration took the place of his worry as he transferred his gaze to lock eyes with Hannah's. Hers were narrowed, her mouth an ugly grimace in an otherwise flawless face as she contemplated the problem before her. Had she expected that Sebastian and Ciel would give up their precious daughter without a fight? The thought stoked the fire in Ciel's chest, and he let out a ferocious snarl.

"Now now." Hannah began, her tone one of unease. "there's no need for that. I expected that my note would explain everything. Why on earth you felt the need to follow me all the way out here is beyond me."

At this insult, as they took it, both male demons lowered themselves into a fighting stance, and lips lifted to reveal sharpened teeth which ached to tear into the she-demon's granite flesh. They were poised to strike, but hesitated, both aware that neither would ever endanger Hope. Hannah seemed to realise this, and tentatively took a step away. In an instant, both demons sprang closer, and she froze once more, an ice queen on the snowy flats.

"Don't you understand? She could be happy with me. I could be a mother to her the way you could never be." Hannah had turned her pleas to focus on Sebastian - perhaps hoping that their shared past would be enough to relieve the tension in the air. "Let me put Hope down and we can discuss this rationally..."

She lowered the moses basket down to the icy floor, and before she could fully straighten again, both demons were upon her. Sebastian hit her with the force of a train crashing, throwing her far away from the basket, and Ciel raced ahead to pin her to the ground as soon as she hit it. His blue eyes blazed with cold fury, his teeth inches from her face.

"You thought you could take our baby from us." His voice was soft, and terrifyingly even. She flinched away into the snow.

"You have grown weak in the lifestyle you have taken on" Sebastian's voice was disdainful from over Ciel's shoulder. More gently, he laid a hand on Ciel's shoulder. "She's fine, I left her over there... she shouldn't have to see this." With the last phrase a note of vengeful glee came into his voice, and Hannah's face paled even further. She struggled against Ciel's iron hold, but her strength had weakened from disuse, and Ciel was filled with the righteous anger of a parent protecting his child.

His smile was terrifying as he leaned in closer to her, tilting her head back to display the blue veins on her neck, his breath barely stirring the frigid air and his teeth sparkling like the snowflakes that fell around them.

"Da?" A small voice, which would have been indiscernible to human ears made both demons whip around to look behind them.

There, in the snow, clad head to toe in a padded snowsuit and tottering on very unsteady legs, was Hope. Her cheeks were rosy in the cold, and her tiny arms reached out towards the trio. Without thinking, Ciel flitted to her side and swept her into his arms, pressing the cool flesh of her chubby cheek to his own and holding her close. A sound behind them alerted both demons that Hannah was dashing away through the snow, her footfalls light and fast. Sebastian snarled and tensed, but Ciel laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"She won't dare return. She knows what will happen if we ever meet again." His voice was steely, but tired, relief at finally having his daughter back in his arms draining away all of the power he had felt as he held the traitorous she-demon down in the snow.

Sebastian nodded and, unable to speak, wrapped his partner and daughter tightly in his arms. As they pulled away, ruby and sapphire eyes trained onto Hope's face as she smiled brightly back up at them, as though determined to take in every detail of her delicate features.

She giggled at their expressions, and swiped playfully at a snowflake.

"You clever girl" Sebastian began in a shaky but proud voice. "You took your first steps today." Ciel, a glint of mischief in his grin, responded quickly "shame I didn't think to bring the video recorder".

The demons laughed helplessly, lost in shaken relief. Then, as Hope began to shiver and pout, Sebastian pulled his beloved Ciel and the precious baby he cradled close to him again.

"Let's go home."