Disclaimer: I dont own. I just play.

Careful Planning

Chapter 1

When Rube came back, he was different. It wasn't an obvious difference. He was still snappish and still had the same look about him, but sometimes, when things got quiet, he would get a faraway look in his eyes. George noticed immediately. She couldn't help but notice because she was in love with him, not that she'd ever tell him that, especially not when he was so disappointed with her. Daisy, Roxy, and Mason, had taken it upon themselves to tell Rube about Trip, when he got back from wherever he went. And since George wasn't on speaking terms with the three rats, and Rube was not himself, she had very little to say and lots to observe. Of course if Rube had been himself, he might have noticed that there was more behind her and Trip, than what he had been told, because if George knew how to do one thing, it was keep a secret. And since the other three reapers had decided to talk to Rube behind her back, well then she didn't say anything about her real motivations for her night in jail, except to Delores, who would take her secret to the grave. She hadn't been arrested because of Trip. She could care less about the little fucker. He had simply been a convenient cover for her. She had been upset about Rube. And now that he was back, he was different.

George thought that maybe he needed time for whatever was bothering him to pass. She'd done a significant about if growing up in the two years since she'd become a reaper. That didn't mean that she was cured of her lapses in judgment. Trip was obvious proof of that. It just meant she'd gotten better at waiting. So she tried to wait him out, which should have been her first clue that maybe she needed to do something, because it was Rube, and nobody could outwait Rube.

At first she thought to wait a week, but when the week passed, she decided that two might be better. She couldn't decide if it was more for Rube's benefit, or if she was just being a chicken shit. It was hard for her not to say anything sometimes, when she was feeling a little more bold than usual. Sometimes she wanted to just walk up to him and say 'What the fuck, Rube?' and have done with it. Those moments were almost like a physical ache. But she held off, in her mind giving him time to tell them what was going on. At the end of week two, Mason pulled her to the side and told her to do something because Rube was scaring him shitless. He was too nice, and too forgiving, like he'd stopped caring that Mason was a fuck up. George raised an eyebrow and told him to get lost. Since she'd forgiven Roxy, for the most part, for telling Rube about Trip, she talked to the older reaper about the difference in Rube. Roxy had also agreed to wait it out, and see if he might talk to her. But neither of them was ready to disturb Rube's silence. The both knew he needed more time.

At the end of week three, Daisy told her to talk to him, as he was starting to give her the creeps. It was the same complaint Mason had given, he was too nice, and he didn't seem to care anymore. Again she waited, even though it was practically killing her. Not long after that, Daisy moved in with Mason, leaving George with the house all to herself. She'd hoped that the new living situation between the two reapers would spark some kind of reaction from him, but Rube didn't even bat an eyelash when Roxy told him. He just nodded and said he figured it would happen eventually.

When a month had passed, even Roxy had tried to talk to him, to no avail, and George felt that if she didn't say something, she would explode. But she wasn't sure she could out stare him like he did with her, until she caved. So she tried a different approach. She waited until everyone left their usual haunt at Der Waffle Haus, for work or reaps. Then she suddenly had Rube all to herself and was slightly unsure of what to say when he was eyeing her so suspiciously.

"Are you going to ask if I'm ok, as well?" Rube questioned over the top of his newspaper.

"No. I was just enjoying my coffee and the quiet." She answered. He 'hmphed' and went back to the paper. He pretended to read but she knew he was lost in his thoughts, or still trying to figure her out, as he never turned the pages. "Rube?" She called for his attention.

"Yes, George?" He already sound exasperated, like he was doing her an immense favor, just by speaking to her.

"Will you be my guinea pig?" If she hadn't been so worried about getting to the bottom of what was bothering him, then his expression would have been comical.

"Your what?" The look he gave her said that she better explain herself quickly or she was going to be in a world of hurt. It was a look he usually reserved for Mason, and though she'd been on the receiving end before, it was infrequent.

"Guinea pig. I've been trying out my cooking skills since I've had the house to myself, but I don't really know what I'm doing and I need someone to poison." She said it deadpan, like she said most things, and for a moment she thought he might believe her.

"No."

"I was kidding about the poison part."

"Answer is still no. I don't want to be a guinea pig."

"So don't be a guinea pig, but come to dinner anyway."

"I'm not entirely happy with you right now, George. I don't think I can do that."

"So! I'm not too fucking happy with you either, but I still want you to come over and have dinner with me." He studied her for a moment.

"Is this your way of asking if I'm ok, because what the fuck, Peanut? I thought you weren't going to ask."

"I said I wouldn't! Besides I know you're not ok. I've known that since you came back from wherever you went. And what do you mean, 'What the fuck'? Don't I get to care?" He just stared at her before frowning slightly, almost like he couldn't decide what to say to her. She guessed he wasn't going to say anything when he got up and tossed some cash onto the table to cover his breakfast. He stood beside the table, looking down at her and for a few minutes she understood what it felt like to be a specimen under a microscope.

"Will you leave me alone if I say yes?" He asked finally. She looked thoughtful for a moment, contemplating how to answer his question.

"I will leave you alone today, if you agree to come to dinner tonight, and actually show up. I make no promises for future days." She replied with a smirk, which was as close to a smile as she would come on the best of days. He sighed in irritation but nodded in acceptance.

"Deal. What time?"

"Seven?"

"That's fine, Peanut." He turned and walked out of Der Waffle Haus without a backward glance.

"That man, sometimes it seems he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders." She hadn't heard or seen Kiffany approach until the waitress spoke. "About time someone helped him with his burden." She gave George a pointed look and walked off before she could formulate an appropriate thought. She decided that Kiffany's words didn't need a response, got up, paid for her portion of the bill, and left. She had plans to implement and they required that she do some shopping.