George looked at the Post-It note Rube handed her. While it had been odd that he had disappeared for some time after Der Waffle Haus had burnt down, and they had had to deal with that new head reaper, he was now back and everything was as it should be. Until she looked at that Post-It. "Delores? You want me to reap Delores?"

"Well, actually, Peanut, we're going to reap her together. She's going to become one of us. I got the orders today." Her eyes widened as she looked at him.

"And I suppose you want me to babysit her."

He shrugged. "The big guy seems to think she'll need a little extra hand-holding. Given how you've talked about her, I would have to agree in this case. Are you ready to head out?"

Reluctantly, she nodded and stood up, following him out to his car. While she had become accustomed to Delores over the years, even going so far as to build a quasi-friendship with her, she didn't know how she felt about being around her for the rest of eternity. Betty had been an anomaly, no one escaped this existence. And the façade of perpetual perkiness that Delores continued to wear would soon be grating.

They were silent on the drive over to Delores's home. As Rube parked in front of a little house surrounded by shrubs, George knew that this was going to be more difficult than she had anticipated. She tried to tell herself that she was losing her sarcastic streak, becoming overly sentimental and maudlin, but her inner voice wasn't listening to any of that today. Instead, she looked at the gravelings surrounding the house and shook her head sadly. This job would break her, she was certain of that.

"We have to go in now, Peanut. It's almost time." George nodded and leaned into the hand on her shoulder. Together, they walked up the sidewalk and onto her porch. George knocked softly on the door, waiting for Delores to make her appearance. The door opened minutes later and she watched the woman plaster a smile on her face.

"Millie! What are you doing here on a Saturday? And with your sponsor?" She tugged her robe closed around her chest, and for the first time, George took in the tear tracks on her face.

"I needed to talk to someone about my cravings, and Rube suggested it be you, since you're a fellow woman and all." The lie sounded lame to her own ears. After years of lying, everything was starting to sound hollow to her and she longed for the day when she could speak truth once more. If Rube was to be believed, then that was a long time off yet.

"Well, then, come inside, both of you." It seemed as if the perkiness was more forced today than normal, and George tried to smile as she nodded. Delores must have recognized something in that gesture, as she sighed and rubbed her upper arm gently. "Can I get you anything? Water, tea, coffee?"

"Water would be nice, Delores," Rube answered before George could say anything. Once the woman had left the room, he said lowly, "You're the one who's going to take her soul, I'm just here to explain why she won't be moving on. The overdose should be kicking in shortly."

"Overdose?" George hissed, looking at him askance.

"Unfortunately, yes. Sometimes sorrows build up on themselves until they are too heavy a burden to bear. She's going to try and shoo us out after we drink our obligatory glass. When you take it from her hand, take her soul as well. I'll handle the rest."

"Okay." She felt sick about having to do this, and again, she didn't know why. It's not like she was best friends with the woman, or anything ridiculous like that. She heard the soft sounds of footsteps, heard the slight hitch in the step that indicated the overdose was affecting her coordination. "Thanks, Delores." As she took the glass from her hand, she let her fingers skim over the back and she shuddered as she saw the familiar smoke wisp off her.

The woman took a seat in one of the uncomfortable looking chairs and nervously sipped at the water. There was a slight tremor to her grasp and George bit her lip. "You'll have to tell everyone at work that I'm sorry for not being there, when Monday comes. I'm afraid that I'm becoming sick."

George nodded, the lie making her stomach roil. "I hate to hear that, Delores. What will we do without your big brown eyes to watch over us?"

Their eyes met, and George saw the truth shining there. She wanted to cry, which was stupid, it wasn't like Delores was a family member. Yet there was something heartbreaking about her being so alone, even at the end of her life. "I'm sure you'll find someone just as suitable for the job."

George nodded slightly, sipping at her water before looking at her watch. "Where's your bathroom?

"Just down the hall. It has a kitty door, so M-Murray could use his litter box when the door was closed." She nodded again, trying to blink back tears as she stood and left the room, unable to watch Delores die. She's already taken her soul, wasn't that enough?

She stayed in the bathroom long enough for Rube and the gravelings to accomplish their mission and then rejoined them. It was odd to see the dead body and the new spirit form of Delores together. "You!" she hissed out as she pointed at George. "All along you've been my Millie? I can't believe I trusted you. I can't work with her, I don't care what you say."

George tried to hide the pain Delores's words caused her, but she was sure Rube had noticed the look before she could put up her mask. "Well, be that as it may, you need a babysitter, since you are a fresh Reaper. If there's anything you want to take with you from the house, I'd pack it up now. You have twenty minutes."

Delores nodded once and disappeared upstairs. "Rube, this is not going to work out."

"Come here, Peanut." He opened up his arms and she willingly stepped into them, letting him hug her tightly. "You are still the Millie she came to care for, that was your personality that you put out there for her to like. It's just going to take her time to see your heart behind your face. There is an inherent sadness in all of us, and she'll see that, eventually."

George tried to nod as she let a few tears escape. "This is going to really suck, isn't it?"

"Probably. But that's life for you." He kissed her forehead lightly and let go of her. "Now, do you think you can muddle through this for me?"

"I suppose." She tried to pull her sullen expression back over her face, but knew that it was no use, she was too torn up over someone who shouldn't even matter to her in the scheme of things. Exactly twenty minutes later, Delores reappeared with a large suitcase and two duffle bags in her arms.

"I'm ready," she said, not looking at George. "Where are we going?"

"To your new home, where you can drop off your things, and then to the DMV to get you set up with a new identity. After that, it's off to our meeting house so that we can get you introduced to everyone and explain some of the rules to you."

Delores nodded twice, choppy movements so unlike her normal self, and once more, George felt things she shouldn't, and she lowered her chin to her chest, trudging after Rube and the other woman. As they put Delores's bags in the trunk, George climbed in the back seat, curling up in a ball as she stared unseeing at the grey Seattle sky.