Requiem

The hospital room was sterile and filled with beeping equipment. The man lying in the bed was surrounded by those that he loved minus his eldest son who could not leave his new job. His wife sat next to him holding his hand and talking about things as though the end of his life was not about to happen. His two other sons were watching silently along with their sister. The man's cousin was there also talking about the times as they had grown up and the things they used to do. This all comforted the man as he slowly began to drift off into eternal sleep. "I wish that my oldest was here."

He peeked open an eye and noted that the room had an odd cast to it, sort of like all the colors had been bleached and softened. Everyone was still there but the look on their faces wasn't that of family looking over a proud patriarch but that of grieving. There was one other person in the room at that time and by the looks of her he didn't think that she was a doctor or nurse. "Who are you?"

"My name is Anna, I'm what some people call a death god, some call us angels, and others call us soul reapers. I'm here to send you to Soul Society." She said with compassion in her voice.

"What's that? Heaven?" He asked with a certain amount of humor laced with cynicism.

"No, I don't know that there is a heaven as you know it but there is a place where the souls of people go to wait for their rebirth into this world. That's where I will send you."

"So what do I do there besides wait?" He asked.

"You can do what ever you like to do. As I understand it, you liked fixing things and keeping old things working. I'm sure that there are plenty of things there to keep you busy until you are reborn. You can get up now. You're just lying in your body which is no longer alive."

He struggled a bit lifting his head that had felt so heavy not that long ago. Slowly he pushed himself to a sitting position noting that his family didn't notice him moving at all. He twisted his body to put his feet on the floor and caught a look at his body laying there with the monitors still hooked up and an oxygen mask still hooked over his face. "Damn I look horrible. I guess that they were right all along about the cigarettes being the death of me."

He looked at the young death god. "Aren't you a bit young to be doing this sort of work?" She had the appearance of a young woman about eighteen years of age.

She laughed and it sounded sweet. "I wish, I've been doing this job now for about fifty years. My first assignment was in a place called Vietnam. From there I have been transferred all around the world. I actually got the chance to pick my place of work this time and I decided on here. You are my first person since I got here."

"Well lucky me." He looked down at himself and took note of the fact that he didn't have anything on except his hospital gown. "Um, could we find me some clothing? It is a bit drafty here right now."

Anna smiled and a slight blush tinged her cheeks. "Um sure. I think that your clothes are right here in this open closet." She said peeking in to confirm her suspicion.

The man got up and padded over to the closet and started dressing himself, when the thought crossed his mind. "Can't they see the clothing moving?"

"No, you are taking the spirit of your possessions with you. The physical material will stay behind and be dealt with by the people here."

"Oh." He finished dressing. He looked at his wife and at her tears and then at his children who were trying to be strong for their mother. "Will you watch over them? Try and keep them from coming to any harm?"

"I can't promise you anything but I will try and watch over them."

"Good enough. Could we go and see my eldest son? He couldn't make it here because they told him that he would lose his job if he left."

"Is he close by?" she asked being a bit dubious.

"No, he lives far away. That's why he had to stay there."

"I'm sorry. I can't take you to him."

"That's ok." He smiled. "I told him that I loved him in our last phone conversation."

"Then that is what he will remember most about you." She reached for the sword at her hip. "I am going to send you on now. Don't be alarmed." She took the sword out of the sheath and reversed it gently touching his forehead. Be at peace and take care of yourself sir."

As the soft glow formed below his feet he said. "Watch over them Anna. They need an angel sometimes." He slowly sank into the light with a smile on his lips.

A/N Good bye Dad.