Act 31: Epilogue

                                    

                                          
The small bell chimed as Sebastian opened the door to the dark shop. A soft chuckle met his ears. Sebastian moved effortlessly in the darkness, finding Undertaker lying in one of his coffins.

                          
"So, demon, it is over then."
                          
"Yes, it is finished. Do you have what I asked for?"
                          
"Yes, I have her cinematic record. You know I cannot rewrite what has already happened, right?"
                          
"I don't need you to; I just need to know that the reapers still haven't come for her."
                          
Undertaker chuckled again, "she still lies as you left her all that time ago." He pointed to the back room of the shop and followed Sebastian as he made his way through.
                          
There in an open coffin on a table lay Louisa, her body unchanged from the day her heart was ripped out. Sebastian went to her and brushed her hair away from her face. "Will you do it, will you continue her record then?"
                          
"Within what I can do, yes, I cannot magic her back to you, though."
                          
Sebastian growled, "just return her heart to me, Undertaker, that is all I require."
                          
"Oh, clever demon, you did listen well when the angels attacked the monks." Sebastian glared, that was not something he particularly wanted to be reminded of; Undertaker sniggered and took out Louisa's cinematic record and a quill. "If the heart exists, I can have it appear here. If it is damaged, there may be no hope."
                          
Sebastian nodded and held out his hand. Undertaker read the last line of Louisa's life; the book showed a pause rather than an ending. He simply needed to continue it. He added the next line 'after the death of the angel known as Ash Landers, Sebastian safely retrieved Louisa's unsullied heart from its hiding place and appeared with it at her coffin.' As the words formed on the page, there was a movement in the air around Sebastian, and Louisa's heart appeared in his hand.
                          
He stared almost in disbelief. He had held onto this one thought ever since the fight with Angela at the monastery. The heart was still perfect; it had been kept as a trophy as he had suspected. He looked at Undertaker, who placed the book down and lifted Louisa onto her side with her back facing Sebastian. He placed the heart in the ruined cavity, moved to stand by Undertaker and waited. Ash had relied on Louisa being part human; he had assumed that she could be killed more easily, that all it would take was the removal of her heart. It had taken Sebastian time, but on his journey to London with her body he had considered that the reapers had not come for her, that he could still sense her, and that her body showed not even the earliest signs of decay. 
                          
The possibility of claiming her back had kept him going through the long last months with Ciel. It had strengthened his resolve at the end and given him and her father some peace. Now, he waited, and it was agonising. A sudden gasp brought him back from his thoughts. Her eyes fluttered and opened; a scream followed a second gasp, fear and pain filled her eyes. Sebastian held her tight, frightened that she would move and dislodge the heart before the wound healed. He called her name, speaking softly to her, hoping that it was her that had returned to him.
                          
"Louisa, my dearest love, I am here. Look at me; I am here."
                          
Recognition flitted across her eyes, and a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. Undertaker moved round to inspect the gaping wound in her back. "It is healing, but the process will be painful."
                          
Waves of pain flooded through Louisa, she was disorientated, unsure of what was happening, then it all came flooding back, the arrows, the fall, the pain as her heart was wrenched from her body, then darkness, nothing until the pain had returned. She looked up at Sebastian; she heard his voice and other memories flooded her mind. They led to so many questions, the child, Ciel, how he had managed to bring her back. Her eyes flitted backwards and forwards, her mind trying to focus, to get her voice to work and shape the words she needed. Sebastian saw her frustration, "all in good time, my love, all that matters is that you are here." He leant down and kissed her forehead as another wave of pain spread through her. Watching as she contorted with each wave, Sebastian began to wish that he had made Landers suffering worse than it had been. 
                          
The pain slowly subsided as her body continued to heal. Louisa began to think clearly. "The child?" she asked.
                          
Sebastian placed his hand on her stomach. "The child's power helped sustain you all this time. It and your willingness to embrace your demon self are how you survived." Seeing concern in her eyes, Sebastian took her hand and placed it with his on her stomach. "The child lives and will grow strong like its mother."
                          
Louisa smiled as she felt the life within her. "And Ciel?"
                          
"Chose his fate and is a favourite of your father. He now sits at your father's right hand, awaiting your return."
                          
"It is truly over then?"
                          
"Yes, my love. We can return to the demon realm as soon as you are able, if you still wish it?"
                          
"Yes, my love, more than anything."
                          
Sebastian placed his arms under her and lifted her from the coffin. She threw her arms around him and held him tight.
                          
"How did you know; how did you bring me back?"
                          
"All in good time my love." Said Sebastian, not particularly ready to go into the details of that particular adventure with Ciel at the monastery. Undertaker sniggered.
                          
"Well then, young lovers, I guess this is goodbye for now."
                          
Sebastian turned to face Undertaker, "yes, thank you."
                          
"Don't thank me, it was a promise made a long time ago, I have fulfilled my part now. Be off with you demons, until we meet again."
                          
Undertaker opened a portal to the demon realm, chuckled, and watched as the pair returned to their demon forms and were gone from the world. He chuckled again, "it will be sooner than you think."