As the only daughter of Angelina Dalles, you were in contact with both the Midfords and the Phantomhives frequently. Ciel and Elizabeth were your two favorite people in the entire world, and it couldn't have made you happier that the pair would one day marry.

That is, until the Phantomhives manor burned to the ground on that fateful December night. You remembered the date exactly, and so did Lizzy. Ciel died on his birthday.

Both you and Lizzy were distraught to hear the news, Lizzy especially. For many a night, the blonde cried on your shoulder miserably while you morosely comforted your best friend with tears streaming down your own face. How could Ciel do that to her?

You directed your anger at your deceased friend, even though you knew it couldn't have been his fault.

Except that anger justified itself when one day on a cold, dark, gloomy January day, Ciel returned, emaciated and grim. He wasn't the Ciel you remembered.

And yet, Lizzy ran to him without hesitation, still loving him all the same. He didn't deserve it. Not for all the suffering he'd made Lizzy go through.

You would never forgive the new Earl of Phantomhive.

And you swore that day you would never let him have Lizzy either.

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"Lady F/N, is something the matter?" Sebastian asked you as he poured your tea with his eyes closed. At present, you were glaring at Ciel as he refused Lizzy over and over again, repeatedly saying he was too busy.

"Nothing, Sebastian," you replied, trying not to let your anger show as you silently wrapped a finger around the handle of your cup.

"Forgive me for saying so, my lady, but I find that hard to believe. I do not like the hostile glares you have been sending my young master."

"How can he just...sit there?" you asked the butler angrily. "She's been waiting months to see him!"

"Patience is a virtue, is it not?" the butler replied calmly before he started carrying a tray towards Ciel. Sebastian said something quiet to his master, and Ciel looked surprised, his blue eye briefly moving to you before it returned to his butler.

"Organize it at once, Sebastian," you heard Ciel say under his breath, and the butler bowed, giving his signature reply.

"Organize what?" you asked the butler as he passed you, but he only smiled at you, placing one finger against his lips before he exited the room, leaving you alone with your best friend and your ex-best friend. You slinked back in your seat with a sigh, placing a hand on your eyes.

"Hey, F/N, what's wrong?" Lizzy asked, her green eyes bright and curious as she looked at you. "Ciel says we can have a ball tonight!"

"Did he now?" you asked, glaring at Ciel again. Strangely enough, he smiled at you, closing his eyes, as if to say 'just to make you happy, I'm throwing away my precious work time'.

"Yes, come on, let's find dresses!" Lizzy dragged you away laughing jubilantly. Meanwhile, you pondered Ciel as your friend worked on making the dresses adorable with frills and flowers. You were startled out of your reverie when Lizzy asked you to dance with her for the time being.

Of course, you accepted.

"Lizzy," you said as you tentatively took the lead, awkwardly playing the man's usual role; still, you had your friend giggling away, which lifted your somewhat dreary mood. She had a habit of doing that.

"Yes?" she asked, all bubbly. You didn't have the heart to ask about the old days. You knew it would upset her to remember how Ciel had changed.

"You really love Ciel, don't you?" you asked with a laugh.

"Yes!" she said happily. "But I love you too, F/N!"

You paused and then you smiled and hugged your friend, who returned it in equal force. Lizzy deserved to be happy; she was too sweet and kind to be the opposite. And you would make sure of that, even if it meant tolerating the Earl marrying her.

"Lady Elizabeth, Lady F/N, the foyer is ready for you," Sebastian announced from the door.

"Thank you, Sebastian!" Lizzy said with a grin. "Why don't you look cute too?" Elizabeth held up a frilly pink dress, and Sebastian looked at it with worry.

"As much as I appreciate the sentiment, Lady Elizabeth, I must be in proper servant attire while I am working," Sebastian replied, dodging his metaphorical bullet with his perfect smile. His eyes moved to you before they closed, completing his odd expression. Really, why did he close his eyes? Maybe a custom from where he was from.

"Okay..." Lizzy said with a slight pout before she immediately brightened as she took your hand and lead you giggling into the beautifully decorated foyer. You couldn't help smiling a little bitterly as you realized, again, that you were going to be left out while Ciel got all the attention from Lizzy. It wasn't fair, not in your opinion at least. The Phantomhives manor was a foreign place to you now, and it had been ever since Ciel had disappeared. It just felt wrong.

And yet, you were not the one sitting by the side.

"My apologies, Lady Elizabeth," Sebastian murmured after he returned from fetching Ciel. "It would seem the chill winds this morning had a lasting effect on the young master's health. It seems as if he is too ill to attend."

"That can't be," Lizzy said miserably with her eyes shining. You comfortingly rubbed your friend's back.

"I am afraid I must see to him, but if you need anything, please do not hesitate to call."

"Make him better!" Lizzy said tearfully, obviously at breaking point, and Sebastian bowed.

"I will do my best, my lady." And with that, the butler walked away, leaving the pair of you alone in the beautifully decorated room.

"Hey, F/N," Lizzy said, her voice quietly shaking. "Can we dance again?"

"Of course, Lizzy, always," you replied, lacing your hand through hers. She started to sniffle, seeming to be trying not to cry.

"Why does it seem like that no matter what I do, there's always something keeping me away from Ciel? No matter what, I'm not good enough..."

"Nonsense," you scolded softly. "Ciel is the head of an entire house now, he's just a little busy. There's nothing wrong with what you've been doing, okay? If he has half a brain, he'll make time for you. Patience is a virtue, isn't it?" Another note of bitterness flickered through you at the question you had echoed. You suddenly remembered your mother telling you about how she watched as the love of her life was married to her sister, and she did her best to act happy for them both, Rachel and Vincent. Seems like the misfortune ran in the family along with your cursed red hair.

"F/N, don't lie," Lizzy sniffed, holding your hand tighter. "He's never happy when I come to visit. Neither are you."

"Lizzy," you said as she broke away from you crying, and you started running after her the best you could when she went out of the manor. You found her crying on the last step to the path connecting the manor to road, and you sat next to her. "Lizzy, please, you make me happy; you're the best friend I could ever ask for," you assured, rubbing her back. "Ciel is just sick, okay? Maybe next time."

"Do you mean that? About me making you happy?" the blonde asked softly as she looked at you again. Her eyes were beginning to grow red and irritated. You hated seeing that, and you hated Ciel even more for doing this to her. Who cared if he had such a fragile body? He should have eaten lots of meat and eggs.

"Of course, Lizzy."

"But why aren't you happy when we visit the manor?" she asked distrustfully, and you bit your lip.

"Do you want to know the honest truth?" you questioned softly, and she nodded slowly. "Ciel makes me so angry, I can hardly stand it... he treats you like this when you're so devoted to him; it's not fair to blame him for things he can't control, I know, but I still hate him for it. He doesn't deserve you, Elizabeth." Lizzy gave you a teary smile.

"You're sweet, F/N." Lizzy wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and stood up a little unsteadily with your support.

"Come on, let's go back inside; it's cold out here." As you and Lizzy approached the door again, Lizzy stopped.

"F/N, you said Ciel doesn't deserve me, but what am I supposed to do about that?" she asked softly, and you sighed, wrapping your hand around hers. "We're engaged. He's been my fiancé for as long as I can remember; what else is there?"

"I don't know, Lizzy. But if you decide on someone better for you, I will support you every step of the way, okay? I'll do everything I can to make sure you get married to whoever you choose."

"I think I already have someone in mind," she replied with the same bright smile she always had on her face as you re-entered the foyer, still holding hands.