Hades sat beside the bed where Mush's body still lied. She stared at him with empty eyes, rarely blinking, and never taking her gave off of him. She saw the small box that her ring had been in, laying next to his body, and she glanced down at the ring sitting upon her dirty finger. "I'll never be able to really marry you." She mumbled. "But I have to.I have to.I HAVE TO!" She jumped up and ran from the room. She fled down the stairs, out the front door, and onto the street. She tore down the sidewalk, heading for the nearest church.

**

Kloppman watched her run from the lodging house. He didn't know what she was doing, and frankly, he didn't WANT to know. He had been afraid of what Hades' reaction to Mush's death would be. He had known for some time that Mush was going to die. Ever since he caught Typhoid, he had known. Nearly all of the newsies had known, actually. Kloppman guessed that Hades knew also, but she just wouldn't let herself believe it. And now that Mush had in fact died. Hades was near to literal insanity, confirming Kloppman's prediction. But, he decided he'd better not get in her way. He knew her reputation. and when Hades was mad, you DIDN'T provoke her anger further. In fact, every newsie in New York that had heard about Mush's death had decided on the same thing Kloppman had. and that was to just leave Hades alone. Which may or may not have helped her in the end.

**

Hades burst through the doors of the sanctuary door. A kindly old priest looked up, a bit startled by this sudden interruption. "Hello my child, and welcome!" He said. "What brings you to the house of our Lord?" He then asked in his kindly old priest voice.

Hades ran to him and shook him by the shoulders. "I HAVE TO MARRY HIM!" She yelled.

The priest, who will call Father Winston, was taken aback by Hades' aggression. "Marry who?"

Hades shook him again. "Mush! I have to marry Mush! Now! Right now!"

Father Winston's eyes widened. The gleam in Hades' eyes frightened him. He wondered if she was devil-possessed.

When Father Winston didn't reply to her, Hades shook him more violently. "I HAVE TO MARRY HIM!"

"W-Where is this 'Mush' you speak of, Miss?" He asked timidly.

"HE'S DEAD!" She screamed, busting into sobs. "I have to marry him!" She sobbed, clutching Father Winton's sleeves as her knees gave out and she began to slide to the floor.

Father Winston pulled her back to her feet. "M-M-Miss. I can't marry you to a deceased man." He stuttered.

"YOU HAVE TO!" Hades screamed through her tears.

"Bu-" Father Winston started, but was interrupted almost before he began.

"NO!" Hades screeched and shook him once more. "YOU HAVE TO BIND ME TO HIM! I HAVE TO MARRY HIM! I NEED HIM!" Her last words echoed eerily throughout the sanctuary, sending chills up the back of Father Winston's spine.

"A-Alright!" He finally agreed - only out of fear.

Hades immediately grabbed his wrist and pulled him down the aisle and out the door, leading him to the lodging house.

**

Father Winston performed the ceremony in fear. His voice quivered nearly the whole time. He had never had anything like this happen before. Sure, he had seen devil-possessed people, but nothing like this Hades girl. He began to think she might have actually BEEN the real Hades. He had heard rumors of the Devil appearing in different forms on earth, just to test, and frighten the followers of God. He shivered at the thought that he might've actually been standing in the same room as the Devil.

"You may now kiss.the uh, the groom." He concluded the very uncomfortable and disturbing ceremony.

Hades leaned down and pressed her lips to Mush's and kissed them sweetly. In her heard and mind, she longed to feel his lips on her skin. Her heart ached as she thought about how he would never touch her, kiss her, talk to her, smile at her, feel her, make love to her, or see her ever again. She desired all those things from him. But he couldn't give them to her. She wished with everything she had that she could have just one more day with him. Just one more day of him by her side, giving her that loving look he always gave her.

As she pulled away from his lips, a tear fell from her cheek, onto Mush's forehead. Hades leaned down and kissed the tear away, as he had done to her so many times before. "I love you." She whispered, brushed the back of her hand against his cold cheek.

Without another word, Father Winston quickly exited the room. He couldn't stand to stay in there any longer. He silently concluded that he would never recover from that experience.

**

Hades crawled under the covers and snuggled close to Mush's body. She shivered. He was cold.

Aisling walked into the room and cringed when she saw Hades in the bed wit Mush's lifeless body. "Hades, why was there a priest in here?" She asked, and decided not to say anything about being in the bed with Mush.

Hades didn't look up, but she replied simply, "He married me and Mush."