The day was grey, clouds hinting at rain overcastting the sky, a cold breeze in the air as a group of five stood among the tombstones. They all wore black, even Grell had ignored the color red without complaint that day.

Alan stood in the group, an urn held tight in his arms as he bowed his head, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. The bodies of reapers were always cremated so that other supernatural beings, such as demons, couldn't find out secrets that could hurt reapers as a whole, and it had been hard for the brunet to watch the body of his Eric burned to ash.

Thunder rumbled in the darkened sky, amidst the slow scratch noise of a shovel again dirt, soil flying out of a hole dug fresh into the ground before a brand new iron grey stone.

The sound slowly came to a stop, before something leapt out of the grave. a man of silver hair and black robes.

The Undertaker grinned, though he made not a sound nor spoke a single word, the sorrow hanging in the air enough to silence even him.

William nodded towards the man, turning to the brunet, gently urging him forward.

Tears fell onto the lid of the urn as Alan stepped forward, his frail heart still breaking over the loss of the one he'd held dear - the one he'd betrayed and called a liar. He wasn't sure if he was worthy of laying Eric to rest, but he would anyway. He had been the closest to the Scotsman, after all. With a sobbing breath, he lay the urn down in the hole at the base of the gravestone, pressing his lips to it before standing back, never taking his eyes off the urn.

William looked over at Grell, the redhead holding a trembling Ronald in his arms, staring down at the lonely grave.

The Undertaker watched the group behind long silver bangs, shovel clutched in his hand as he approached grave once again.

"Any last words for our dear Eric~?" he mused to the Reapers.

No one said anything, not even Alan who had said the same things over and over since Eric was taken to the hospital.

'I'm sorry, I love you...I'm so sorry'

The words left his lips one last time, as a whisper that was whisked away by the wind.

Undertaker tilted his head, a bemused expression upon his face.

"Why so tight lipped, my dears?"

"I…can't…" Alan sobbed, turning to bury his face into William's shoulder, "I-it hurts too bad…it should be me in that urn…"

William merely held Alan in a semi-comforting embrace, resting his chin on the brunet's head.

"...I think we have all said our goodbyes in our own ways, Unnie..." Grell muttered, hugging Ronald to his side.

"Oh~?"

The man looked at Ronald.

"And what of you... little Ronnie?"

Ronald nodded his head, "We can always come back in privet if there's more..."

The Undertaker eyed him, a rather knowing smile upon his face.

"Indeed, little one... you and Mr. Alan especially~"

Alan remained silent, sobbing into Will's shoulder.

Slowly, the Undertaker turned, beginning to cover the urn with piles of dirt, burying it in its final resting place.

Glancing up at the tombstones above, the group read the engravings.

"Here lies Eric Slingby - Devoted Worker, Loyal Friend, Faithful Lover Until the End"

Alan pulled away from William, pulling out a buket of Erica flowers mixed with Lilies, on the grave.

The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, as thunder growled again and drops of rain began to fall from the sky. It was fortunate enough to cover the tears they had all started to shed for their fallen friend.

The 'after-party' consisted of the five (Undertaker joined out of respect and for Grell's sake) huddled in the corner of a small pub Eric used to frequent before he turned on the society.

Undertaker ordered them each a pint of ale, though Alan seemed to down his within mere seconds.

Just when they thought all was done, an announcement came on the radio.

"In other news, we are sad to report that once regarded and delinquent Reaper Eric Slingby has passed away. The Socttish officer, born 1650 in Edinburgh, died from injuries after being taken from the safe house he was residing in, after fellow co-worker Mr. William Thomas Spears and Mr. Alan Matthew Humphries found him being beaten and mistreated by his warden, Andrew Dulcath. Mr. Dulcath is face several charges in the face of domestic violence, abuse, and first degree murder. As much as Slingby's reputation has long been soured by his actions at Crystal Palace in London, it does not take away the sadness and guilt we all feel from this loss. Abuse is something no man or woman should experience and-"

All around them, whispering and muttering started up, the conversations turning to the recently deceased Scotsman.

Alan - not one for drinking alcohol ever - slammed his hands down on the table and pushed himself up, walking over and ordering himself another pint. He was already off balance and he swayed back to the table, already downing a good portion of the drink. "Can't they just shut up?" he hissed.

"Alan... I think you've had enough..." William started to say.

"I'm fine..." Alan muttered into the drink.

"No, you are not" William said, a bit more firm, moving to take the glass away.

Alan pulled his glass closer to himself and took another long swig of it, "Just because I don't like drinkin' doessn' mean ' can't 'andle it!"

"Alan, you are beyond piss drunk" Grell pointed out.

"Man, Slingby was an idiot! Always prancin' about, I'm glad 'e's gone!" one man boasted from the bar.

Alan slammed down his drink, growling as he spun around to glare up at the rather large man. He marched drunkenly over to him, grabbed his tie and pulled him out of his seat, only to send him flying back into it when his fist collided into the man's jaw.

"You didn't ev'n know 'im ya fuckin' eijit!" he screeched.

The man shouted a number of curses, even more when his drink spilled over him. Snarling, he stood, slamming his fist clean against the side of Alan's jaw, sending him flying across the bar and into another man, who in turn punched another by mistake.

Slowly, more joined the fray until a full scale bar fight was underway.

Hissing, with angry tears on his cheeks, Alan pushed himself up and charged at the man who had hit him. He was small, but he knew how to fight, ramming his body low into the man's to throw off his balance and send him to the floor.

Meanwhile Undertaker was having a blast, banging his fists on the table, howling with laughter as a keg flew past his head.

Alan straddled his opponent, punching him the best he could, "Eric was more of a man than you woul' ever be! So what if he made a mistake?"

The man spat, reaching up to take Alan by the throat, cutting off his air.

The brunet gagged, reaching up to try and pry the man's hands away from his throat. Gasping for breath, his eyes widened as a choked sound of pain escaped him. Pain pierced through his heart as a Thorns attack took effect.

William's eyes widened from where he knelt under a nearby table. Rushing out, he shoved the man away, taking Alan into his arms.

Alan coughed and sputtered, his body twitching as air flooded his lungs again.

William hushed him, rocking him gently as someone called the Infirmary.

The alcohol in his system didn't help, as he curled up in William's arms, a dribble of blood appearing on his lips. Alan whimpered, "...Er-c..."

William hushed him, rubbing his arms, back and head, comforting him as the attack came and passed; even when the medics took him away, remaining by his side.

"It's alright Alan... just breathe through the pain..."

-x-

When the fray started, Ronald had slipped away, and found himself walking down the street alone, his feet bringing him to the cemetery. With a sigh, he found Eric's grave and sat down on the grass, staring at the headstone.

"...We need you, you know..." he muttered out loud, "...I need you, Alan-senpai needs you... I was angry at you...for what you did...I hated you for it...but how could I stay angry now? I never even got to tell you the truth...I was too stubborn to...Dad..."

The blond bit his lip and looked up at the sky, "I always knew...Mum had told me when I was little...I know you never knew because it was only a one-night-stand thing...and then you were my senpai... I thought it'd make things awkward if I told you...now I wish I had...because how can I now...you idiot..."

Tears fell into the dirt, "Mum's gone, and now you are too... Alan is blaming himself for what happened, and everything's such a mess! Dad...come back, please..."

Nothing but silence greeted the blond, the wind even stilling as the boy pleaded out into the empty night. There was the crunch of boots on leaves, a familiar redhead approach the grave.

"Ronnie...?"

Ron squeezed his eyes shut a moment, before turning to look up at his best friend.

"...Senpai..."

"Is it true?" the man asked with no hesitation.

Ron looked down.

"Yeah...He was my dad..." he paused, "Remember when I was really new in dispatch and you asked me if I had a thing for him since I looked up to him so much? Now you know the truth..."

Grell hesitated, taking a couple of steps closer to look at the grave.

"Does he know?"

Ron shook his head, "Never had the chance...I was too mad at him after Crystal Palace..."

He picked up a stick and drew random lines in the dirt.

"After what he did...I didn't want him to be my dad...I was bitter all over again...and he had no idea he even fathered a kid..."

Grell nodded grimly.

"And now...?"

"I wish I told him...I was being selfish...I..." he looked up at Grell, "I really am just a bratty kid..."

"No, Ronnie... Come" Grell said softly, opening his arms to draw the boy close. "You miss him."

"...I'll never see him again..." he muttered, letting the redhead hug him, "He's gone..."

"Sshhh..." Grell rubbed his back, soothing him. "Let it out... it's okay..."

Ron broke down, crying full-out for the first time since Eric's death.

Clinging to Grell, "I want him back...I want to tell him-!"

"I know, I know... we all want him back..." Grell whispered, rocking the boy back and forth.

Yet they were not the only pair sharing the cemetery that night - further down, two more Reapers frowned.

"So... Knox is apparently the son of Slingby? Huh... interesting."

"How long do you think it'll take him to follow in his father's footsteps?" the other reaper whispered.

"Who knows... He IS at that age..."

"What if he already is?"

"... Then you know what to do. Spread the word. We can't let another disaster happen."

"Of course not." the reaper agreed, "The apple never falls far from the tree."

"Indeed" his companion agreed, as they two left the graveyard.

-x-

Early the next morning, rain poured heavily across the realm, reapers huddling under their umbrellas as they rushed to work, Ronald included. His bright orange umbrella standing out among the sea of black and grey in the dreary day. He'd turned in early the night before and awoke with his emotions under control, ready to start the day.

Until he stepped into the dispatch building and closed his umbrella, shaking the water off it before strolling in.

The first thing he got was a crowd of angry Reapers waiting for him, their only cheery faces and smiles turned icy sneers and dangerous glares. Two Reapers stepped out in front of the crowd, brandishing cricket bats.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little lion cub himself!"

"Steal a soul on the way here?"

"...What? What are you even talking about?" Ronald asked with a confused frown, trying to get through the crowd surrounding him. "Have you all been drinking? Because damn, not even I come to work drunk! Excuse me, I need to go check in-"

But they pushed him back, the men with the bats shoving him down to the floor, placing their feet upon his chest to hold him in place.

"Don't bother lying, son of Slingby!"

Ronald's struggling to get up froze, his eyes widening. How...did they know? Only Grell knew! And Grell wouldn't tell anyone... But no one else could have possibly - no. There was someone else who could have... but she had been dead to him since he was six when she abandoned him and disappeared from his life.

His mother.

Had she come back? His eyes snapped up, studying their faces. No...none of them were her...

"How..?"

One of the men snarled.

"Interesting ya only come out wit' it when yer bastard of a father died - apple don' fall far from the tree, I say!"

Ronald grit his teeth and grabbed the man's foot that pressed against his chest, giving it a sharp twist before hopping up, swinging his umbrella like a sword to give himself space.

"Who fathered me doesn't make any difference!" he snapped.

The man yelped, falling back as his partner lunged at Ronald, striking him across the back with the bat.

"Filthy cunt! Exact copy of your useless father!"

Ronald cried out, twisting his ankle as he fell to his hands and knees.

"-And what gives you the right to treat me like this? What makes you better than me?" he hissed.

"The fact that we have not sullied ourselves with relations to a man that had fallen far beyond the boundaries of Reaperdom!" a woman yelled from the crowd, the rest shouting in agreement as scythes appeared in hands all around the blond - he was severely outnumbered.

"I can't control who I'm related to! I've done nothing wrong!"

"How do we know?! Get him!"

The crowd closed in, brandishing scythes, attacking the blond like crows to flesh.

Ronald began to panic, standing up and turning to run back out the door - only to find he'd been surrounded.

"C-come on, guys-you know me!" he put his hands up, "This isn't funny-we're all friends and co-workers!"

"What's going on here?" Alan's voice suddenly cut through the crowd that blocked the entrance. His gaze fell on the blond using an umbrella as a shield, "Ronald?"

"S-Senpai! These guys - they're crazy or something this morning!" Ron gasped.

"We are not!" a man yelled. "Do you not know, Humphries? Knox here, is the illegitimate son of Slingby!"

Alan blinked at him a few times.

"So?" he pushed through the crowd and took Ronald's arm, "Weather or not He's Eric's son doesn't change the fact that he's the same Ronald he always was. Where is your decency? Get back to work before Spears catches you! All of you!"

"Senpai..."

Alan lead Ronald all the way up to his office and closed the door, "Is it true?"

Ronald nodded, "Never got to tell him, though... I don't know how they all found out..."

Alan sighed, letting go of the boy's arm.

"They are all judgmental idiots..." he paused, "Are you doing okay?"

"...I''m fine...would be better if I didn't have a bruise forming on my back..."

"I meant about Eric."

"...Oh..." Ronald looked down and Alan rubbed his back gently.

"If you need to talk..."

"I know..." Ron whispered, "You miss him, too..."

There was a frantic knocking on the door as Grell's voice floated through.

"Alan! Is Ronnie in there?!"

"Yeah, I have him." Alan called out and when the door swung open, Ronald jumped behind Alan.

Grell burst through the door a second later, in a ruffled state, before grabbing the blond, pulling him into his arms.

"Ronnie! Are you alright?! Did they hurt you?! I swear to Rhea, I will take my scythe to them-"

"S-Senpai! Careful!" Ron gasped. "Got hit with a bat...back hurts."

Grell frowned, gently feeling the bruise.

Ron flinched, "Ow!"

"I came in to find him surrounded, trying to fend them off - umbrella against scythes." Alan sighed, "Luckily, they still respect me, despite how I was Eric's lover... But my new position probably has a lot to do with it at this point. I got him out before they did much else to him."

"Bloody gits...How can they turn on their own so easy?" Ron muttered.

"I don't want you walking around alone, Ron. at least for a while. Keep near me or Grell-Probably William as well once he finds out what's going on."

Grell nodded, rubbing the blond's back soothingly.

"Gits, the lot of them... I suppose you know the truth then?"

Alan nodded.

"Just now..." he sighed, sitting on the edge of his desk, "...I had no idea Eric had a kid..."

"Neither did he..." Ron muttered, "I'm the result of a drunken one-night-stand."

"Your mother... was she a secretary?"

Ron shrugged, "I don't know what she did professionally...could have been a street walker for all I know...she didn't much like me, either...abandoned me when I was six..."

"Wait, what? Like, left you alone on the streets?"

He nodded, "Spent a week starving before I was found in an alley and was taken to the orphanage."

Grell's eyes softened a bit in sympathy.

"Ronnie..."

The blond shrugged, "Nothing can change it...and I grew up fine..."

Grell nodded slightly, rubbing his back.

"I grew up in a poor family from Ireland... I know how it feels to be abandoned."

"...If I had found Eric sooner...when I was a kid, and told him I was his kid...do you think things would have been different?"

"...Yes." Alan spoke up, breaking his silence as the two talked, "Eric would have taken you in and spoiled you rotten..."

"He loves kids!" Grell affirmed. "When I was training him, we once came upon a crying baby in a stroller... I turned away for two seconds, and when I looked back, he was busy making the child laugh! Though he never says it, he has a soft spot - if he knew you were his son, he would have loved you to pieces!"

"...He had wanted us to try for a baby one day..." Alan confirmed, "He wanted a kid..."

Ronald choked on a sob, "Damn it to Styx..."

"Ron-"

"...We could have both been happier..." Ron muttered.

Grell said nothing, simply glancing at Alan, running his fingers through Ronald's hair.

"...We all regret things..." Alan said, looking away, "Especially now...that he is gone..."

Grell reached out, resting a hand on the brunet's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Alan... Would it be alright if I left Ronnie with you for today? I have too many field shifts."

Alan nodded, "It's my first day in my new position, officially. I have a lot of paperwork to do, I could have him help with it so I can keep an eye on him."

"Good. Will the be alright, love?" Grell asked, looking at Ronald.

"Yeah..." The blond nodded, "...As long as the gits stay away from me."

"I'll see to that" the redhead assured, a sly grin spreading on his face. "In the meantime, you help Mummy with his paperwork~!"

Alan and Ronald both flushed.

"He's not my Son/Mother!" they said at the same time.

Grell rolled his eyes.

"I was joking - though, had things been different, you both would have been mother and son."

"Not like that, though..." Ron muttered.

"How so, Ronnie? If Alan had stayed with Eric, and then married him, and he knew from the start (blaming your mother for that one), then he would have been your stepmother!"

"It doesn't mean he'd call me his mother had that happened." Alan said, pulling out files from his desk.

"Eric would have liked it-"

"It would have been up to Ron, though! And I wasn't married to him, so it doesn't matter!" Alan snapped.

"Alan, calm down, I wasn't trying to offend you" Grell started to say.

Alan sighed and sat down at his desk, "...I'm sorry...

Grell merely sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I know...Alan-"

He stopped, staring at the brunet's desk.

"Is that gin?"

Alan glanced at the bottle.

"...It had been a gift from Eric..." he muttered truthfully, "Before he knew I didn't drink..."

"Why is it here though?"

Alan shrugged.

"It was always here...Just usually in a drawer...which is now filled with important files." he said, again, with truth.

But he couldn't deny to himself that the idea of cracking it open was tempting.

Grell gave him a suspicious look, but shrugged, turning to leave.

"I'll be back with lunch later, Ronnie!"

Ronald nodded, "I won't be going anywhere." he confirmed. Once Grell was gone, he walked over to Alan's desk and picked up the bottle, "...You aren't planning on opening this, are you?"

"Ron, You know I don't drink, especially on the job."

"Yeah...But you did get drunk and start a bar fight last night..."

"I'm not irresponsible, Knox. If I do break into this - I'll do so off the clock and at home. Now here, sort these in that filing cabinet please?"

Ron frowned and set the bottle back down before taking the files, "I'm just worried about you, is all..."