-One Week Later-

Delicate snowflakes drifted lazily through the sky, catching on Ciel Phantomhive’s eyelashes before melting and weighing down his already heavy eyelids. He was standing before a tombstone laden with snow and moon flowers. After informing the Yard of the death of the fairy tale murderer, Ciel heard nothing else about the case. All he knew was that he closed it once and for all, though it was at the cost of a precious life.

Sebastian flanked his right, and Elizabeth his left. His butler was staring stoically ahead, but Ciel could feel him shaking slightly. He didn’t condemn Sebastian, for he’d seen the way he kissed April back at Blackwell’s manor, shortly before she died.

When Elizabeth had heard of the news, she hurried over to the Phantomhive estate as quickly as she could. Despite the short time she knew April, she respected her immensely. She also wanted to be there for Ciel, for she knew he thought of her as more than just a lowly maid.

Mey-Rin and Finny were huddled together, whimpering and sobbing over their lost friend. Mey-Rin, during the months she’d known April, had come to think of her fellow maid as a sister, especially when April had shown her her more vulnerable side that one night. She remembered the girl’s rare but beautiful smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her favorite books.

Finny mourned her as if he lost a valuable member of his family. He remembered looking up at the windows while he worked outside and would see April watching over him. He wanted to show her the gardens during the spring so badly, for she had never before seen a polished lawn before. He also wanted to celebrate her birthday outside with her in April, when all the lovely flowers that bloomed only in April began to grow.

Baldo stood behind the two sobbing staff members, folding his arms and shaking his head. April was the only person who understood America’s beauty, and he would miss talking with her about the sunsets and the food. He remembered her words of encouragement whenever Sebastian gave him a good scolding after one of his incidents in the kitchen, and was grateful to her for her kindness.

Tanaka was next to Baldo. He looked solemn as he watched over the girl’s grave. He didn’t know her that well, but he appreciated the impact she had on the other staff. He looked forward to her “good mornings” whenever she passed him to wake the young master up and get him ready for the day. She was very good at keeping the house in order.

REST IN PEACE

APRIL PHILLIPS, BELOVED FRIEND

BORN APRIL 3, 1871 DIED JANUARY 2, 1889

“Let us return home, shall we?” said Ciel, turning around sharply and marching back to the carriage. The others hesitated, but followed in his stead.

Only Sebastian looked back.

Later that night, as the sky became inky black and shrouded in gray clouds, a pair of black boots marred the footprints of the previous visitors of the cemetery, coming to a stop at April’s grave.

“I kneeeeew you’d fit well in that coffin, my deeeaaar,” he drawled. The Undertaker knelt at the plot and placed his dirty hands on the ground. The freezing snow seemed to not have any effect on his bare skin. “Now, love, wake up. We have much woooork to do!” He stood up and took the shovel he’d been carrying with him and began digging. When he reached the wooden surface of April’s coffin, he knocked on it.

The lid slowly opened, and he was delighted to see a pair of bright green eyes gazing up at him. “Come with me, deary. You are no longer bound by human limitations.”