Chapter 1: New start

A new day, a new start, a new reaper. Who ever said you don't have a second chance in life? Who ever it was never met one of us.

"Morning all," Mason smiled as he sat down and straightened up his jacket which was slightly askew when he walked in.

"You're rather chipper," Rube mumbled and finished up making out the post-its for the day, "What's going on? What drug you on? And you better not have brought any to this table."

"No, no drugs," Mason put up his hands in a mock surrender and shook his head, "Really Rube, I'm hurt you'd even say it."

"Right," he mumbled to himself.

What seemed like only a moment after, Daisy came in and sat next to Mason, fixing the left side of her hair, "Good Morning."

"What's wrong? There a wind outside?" Daisy shook her head with a smile and Rube sighed, "Where's George? She sleep in today?"

"You would like that wouldn't you?" George turned the corner of the booth with Quinn not that far behind her, "Needed to pick someone up this morning, remember?"

"Hello," Quinn waved her hand at the other two from behind George. Quinn was wearing some of George's old clothes and barley fit her since she had more muscles than George did when she died. Her brown hair was back in a single braid and her arms behind her back as if she was still at the academy. She had convinced George to let her stay at a motel down the road from George and Daisy's house. With the extra that she was getting from another recent promotion at Happy Time from Delores, George didn't mind housing her for a few nights while Rube filled her in on all the things a reaper must know.

"And who is this lovely young lady?" Daisy smiled and folded her arms in front of her.

George took a seat next to Rube and scooted close to him to let Quinn slide in beside her, "This is Quinn. A new reaper."

"Is she needing to clock some observation time, Rube?" Mason asked with a slight frown seeing as he was stuck with George for a few dozen hours when she first started.

"Not too much more, but don't get your knickers in a twist, huh?" he looked down at George, "Our little Georgia here is taking the rookie on her reaps today. Has been for the past couple of days."

"Good, 'cause I got, uh, plans," Mason rubbed the back of his head and unconsciously looked at Daisy who kicked him under the table.

Wonder what those could be…

"Yeah, your reaps," Rube said pulling out the planner.

"Shouldn't we wait for Roxy to get here before we start all our introductions and pass out the reaps?" Daisy asked, "As the matter of fact. Rube, have you given her another vacation? I haven't seen her for the past couple of days."

"Roxy isn't coming," Rube said in a short tone and looked up at Kiffany as she settled by the table.

"Good Morning to my favorite regulars-" she smiled and then looked at Mason, "-and Mason. What can I get you all this morning?"

"Just some coffee all around to go, Kiffany, please. Something tells me we aren't going to be here for long," George nodded and Kiffany wrote it and took it to the kitchen to get the cups filled.

"Wait, what do you mean she isn't coming?" Mason asked looking at Kiffany with a sneer because of her comment.

"She filled her quota," Rube answered and looked toward Quinn, "And the kid here is the next in line."

"Are you always going to call me that?" Quinn asked with a sigh.

"For quite a while yet, yes," he nodded and turned to Daisy, "Quinn, meet Daisy-"

"Daisy Adair," Daisy smiled and shook the new recruit's hand, despite the blow of Roxy's quick promotion, "Nice to meet you."

"And that one mess to her right is Mason," Rube continued.

"'Ello, luv," Mason nodded to her, "Welcome to the reapers."

"Ah a British man, huh?" Quinn smiled and nodded back at him.

"You have a problem with Brits?" he asked.

"None at all. I think anyone from a different culture is very interesting."

"And you all ready know George and I," Rube cut in and opened the planner, "Okay, again post-its all around. George, you get double."

"Give them to me, boss-man," George held out her hand and got the post-its, "Two in the same place. Good times."

"So that's it. There are only five of us?" Quinn asked.

"In this division, yes," Rube gave the two other reapers their post-its and saved one for himself, "George will explain the rest of the 'reaper manual' to you. She graciously volunteered."

"And I'm still asking myself why and, more importantly, when I did," she said and put her couple of bucks down for coffee, shooing Quinn out of the booth when she saw Kiffany coming back with the coffee. She grabbed a cup for her and Quinn each, "Thanks Kiffany, and I'll see you all after 'training'."

"Later Georgie," Mason waved at her and looked at Rube who seemed to think about something. His eyes focused on the new cup of coffee in front of him and pressed his lips together. He finally took a deep breath and then got out of his seat.

"I'll be right back, you two don't go anywhere," he pointed at the two still sitting in the booth, "Hey George! Wait up!"

"She in trouble again?" Daisy asked, pulling out her lipstick and reapplying it to her lips.

"I don't think so."

"I never knew of any reapers from New York being promoted as fast as Roxy was," she mused, "And here I've been waiting for years longer than her. Decades even."

"Well, she was a dime a dozen, that one," Mason smiled at the memory of their friend, looked at Daisy and stopped her from putting any more lipstick on, "They're fine."

"You would think so," she smiled and gave him a quick peck before anyone saw.

"Hey Georgia!" Rube jogged after them, "Peanut!"

"What did I do now?" George turned around almost half way down the block with Quinn at her side, "What are you doing out here? Let me guess, wrong post-it?"

"No, it's-" he looked at Quinn and then took George off to the side, "I just wanted to tell you something."

George watched as he rubbed the back of his head and looked like he was trying to get something out in the open, "I… I, uh… You know that when two people- even though they may be vastly different- um, damn…You would think that I would know how to say these kinds of things. I guess Roxy was right."

"Rube," she almost laughed at his expression if she knew that it wasn't real. He looked so confused, almost lost, "Are you sure you're okay about Roxy? I mean it was her time and I knew you two were close but I don't need to know about-"

"This isn't about her. Believe me, she isn't the one that's been on my mind lately. If she was, this would be a lot simpler."

"You sure you're okay about her leaving?"

"Okay or not, it happened," he said and then looked at her, "I'm fine. I've moved on from her a long time ago. Despite what you and others may think, we were never that close."

"What's going on, Rube?" she tried to look into his eyes, but found him locking her out again.

"You know, forget it. I'll talk with you later, Peanut," he waved it off and began to walk back toward Der Waffle Haus. He turned around at one point and pointed at Quinn, "Be nice to the lady, she'll show you the in and outs. She knows what she's doing."

"He's weird," Quinn said as George walked back up to her, "Is he always like this?"

"Not usually."

"Peanut huh?" Quinn asked as they walked down the street to the double appointment on George's post-its, "What is between you and Rube? You two something of an item?"

George almost choked on her coffee and then spray it on the sidewalk in front of her, "Are you kidding?!"

"No, seriously," Quinn stared at her to wait for her answer.

"He's my boss."

Actually Delores is more of my boss then he is. Rube is… well, Rube.

"He calls you 'peanut'," she scrunched her nose at George.

"He calls you kid," George poked her in the shoulder and looked at the building, "We're here. Lesson one: Signs of impending doom."

"Avoiding the subject, there is something there," Quinn joked with her and had a look on her face as if she was looking back to her own past. She quickly shook her head and smiled at George.

"Don't make me hurt you," she squinted her eyes at the newest reaper, "You're worse than Daisy."

"Can't kill me, I'm already dead," she shrugged and walked into the building with her, "And believe me, you aren't hurt until you go through the academy."

She probably had me there. I don't know half the shit they go through. Although, she ever cross Rube with this line of questioning and she probably will end up with a graveling on her tail night and day.

"So all we get every time is a first initial, sometimes middle initial, a full last name, a location and an E.T.D, or estimated time of death, right?"

"Yup, sucks doesn't it?" George laughed a little as she sat on top of one of the buildings with Quinn at her side, "Doesn't even give us the gender, the prick."

"Who's the prick?"

"Rube gets more information than he gives us," George sighed, "Guess it's a way to keep us on our toes."

"Or keeping you from becoming too emotionally attached to the soon to be sidewalk splatter," she looked down on the carnage all over the sidewalk below, "I don't know if I'd want to know their story. If I did, it probably would have been a lot harder to pop them."

"You don't pop their souls, the soul rots inside the body. It becomes horribly decomposed, and in time the person becomes sour as well," George explained to her with a deep breath, "I wouldn't want to give anyone that kind of fate."

"You know, Rube probably has a lot to deal with then," Quinn looked at George as the experienced reaper turned to her with a question written on her face.

"How do you figure?"

"He gets more than what he gives us, but he still does reaps. He has to deal with that emotional connection with every reap that he or any one of us do. No wonder he isn't good at showing emotion, he has to keep it bottled as if he was protecting us," Quinn looked out over the city skyline.

George watched the young woman and tilted her head to the side. She had never thought about Rube like that. She knew that he got the orders and she knew that he got more info than they ever would. But in another way, he was still that over looking, protective part of the group. He was protecting them and she didn't even know or appreciate it.

Quinn sighed and looked down back at the squashed bodies on the ground, "Did you know they were going to jump?"

"No, although a suicide pact is always a possibility with our division," she looked to her other side where the two jumpers were looking at their own bodies, "You two doing okay?"

They both were going to say something, but turned around to find some lights in the shape of a forest clearing and a small log cabin. The male turned to the girl who jumped with him and grabbed her hand.

"Our paradise," he smiled and looked at Georgia, "That is our way home, isn't it?"

"Yup, that's for you. The great whatever," Georgia nodded and the couple walked off toward the lights, their souls sucked up and at rest.

"You never smile, do you?" Quinn asked smiling herself at the couple that was just sucked into eternity.

"It makes my face sore if I smile too much."

"You smiled around Rube at least once. I saw it. I know that kind of smile," she said in a teasing voice.

"Will you drop that? I liked you better when you were calling me 'ma'am'," George rolled her eyes, "And you aren't as shocked about this stuff as others are. Have a morbid upbringing, did you?"

"I'm dead. How much more shocked can I be?" Quinn shrugged, "Are we heading back to the Waffle hut now?"

"Der Waffle Haus," George corrected, "And no, I got to go home and get ready for work tomorrow."

"You mean reaping?"

"No, my other job. I have to work to feed myself. And so do you eventually," she nodded, "Maybe we do need to stop by to find Rube. We need to get you a new un-identity."

"Un-identity?"

"You'll see," she got up from the side of the building and Quinn followed, "Maybe I can even convince Delores to find a job for you at Happy Time."

"Happy Time?"

"You're just full of questions, aren't you?"

Hell, I probably would to. If she was anything like me, I wouldn't look forward to working anywhere near someplace called Happy Time. Beggars can't be choosers, kid.

"Daisy! I'm home!" George yelled into the small house, "Daisy?"

"In here, Georgia," Daisy called from the kitchen. George walked in and found her by the coffee maker once again and what was left of her dinner, "How was training with the new girl."

"Okay, should be all up to speed," George shrugged, "Rube's with her right now. Getting her a start to her new un-life. I'm going to talk to Delores to see if I can't get her a small part time at Happy Time."

"Rube's right," Daisy smiled and rinsed out her cup in the kitchen sink.

"About what?"

I dreaded the answer. Especially if Daisy was saying that Rube, of all people, was right about something.

"You are a lot nicer than he was," Daisy smiled, "And you are spoiling her. Where is she going to stay?"

"I was thinking she could couch crash here?" George asked almost hesitantly, remembering what had happened when she was opting to let Mason stay, "Even the guest room. We just fixed it up. And what's the point in having one if we don't use it?"

"I'll do you one better," Daisy put a hand on her shoulder, "She can have my room."

"What?"

"Yeah, sorry to throw this at you Georgia, but I'm moving out."

What the fuck?

"Uh… where?"

"Well, that's not important," she smiled and went into the living room where there were more than a dozen suitcases.

"Are you being transferred again?" George followed her.

"Oh no, no! Nothing like that," Daisy hugged her tightly.

Not the reaction I really wanted.

"It's just that I found a better place," she stepped back, "More privacy, per say."

"Oi! Daisy, you ready to go? I got your room all set up and-" Mason nearly ran into the living room and stopped when he saw George, "Hey there, George. Um, here, I'll take the first few suitcases."

George watched as Mason ran back out with two of the bigger suitcases and out to a possibly stolen vehicle. She then turned her eyes to Daisy.

"Now Georgia, it's not what you think."

"Privacy huh?"

"Not what you think," Daisy repeated in one of her sing song voices, "He's helping me to pack and transfer my belongings."

"Does Rube know about this?" George grinned at her not letting Daisy's 'acting' change her mind.

"Know about what?" Daisy grabbed a few of her suitcases and turned to her, "Be a doll and help me out, huh?"

George rolled her eyes and grabbed a few bags and helped her pack it all into Mason's new SUV. By the time the last suitcase was in the car Daisy looked back at the house and then at George, "It's been a blast, Georgia. I'll come to pick up my painting later, 'kay?"

"Whatever," George shrugged and hugged Daisy lightly, surprising even herself, "And I won't tell Rube… yet."

"Thank you," Daisy whispered and turned to walk to the car. Until a beat up truck came in behind the SUV.

"Well, looks like I won't have to do it at all," George stood next to Daisy with a small smirk on her face.

"What's all this?" Rube hopped from his truck with Quinn from the other side holding many pieces of paper. Probably her new identity. He walked over to George and Daisy, "Here I come to drop off junior reaper and I find someone moving out all ready?"

"Daisy found a new place," George said right off and looked at Quinn, "Looks like you and I are going to be house mates."

"Nice," Quinn smiled, looked at Rube and then her smile fell.

"That's so ironic, because didn't Mason just get a new place?" Rube said going into one of his sarcastic stances.

Mason had gotten out of the SUV and had all ready walked toward Daisy and the others, "No Rube, see you misunderstood. I, uh-"

"Peanut?" Rube asked, not looking at her.

"Yeah?" she asked back quite entertained and intrigued by the small show.

"Why don't you show kid here her new room?" he nodded to Quinn.

And there goes the chances of me seeing the show all the way through.

"All right, come on, Quinn," she waved to her and took her into the house.

"What's he going to do with them?" Quinn asked as George led her to the back bedroom.

"Probably just eat their souls," George shrugged and looked at her scared face, "I'm kidding! God, lighten up."

"One more question before you shove me into my new room?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I look like a Nora to you?" she held up her new license and passport to George.

"You don't, but your un-life persona might. In."

"What do you think you two are doing?" Rube asked them leaning on the SUV, "You really think this is the best time to be doing this?"

"How much longer do you wanna make me wait, Rube?" Mason nearly screamed, "It took me three years to convince her!"

"Not that long actually," Daisy smiled and looked down at the ground.

Rube pointed at her, "You're not helping."

"I am not here to help you," she said.

"You work for me," Rube said, "You both do. Your whole function is to help me. Now, what should I do about this?"

"Let us go?" Mason asked.

"You wish," Rube took a seat on the bumper of the vehicle, "And I can take this as a stolen car too, huh?"

"Rube…"

"I am going to make this as clear as I can," Rube looked at the sky took a deep breath and then looked at the couple, "I'm happy for you two."

"Rube, I swear I- wait, what?" Mason's jaw dropped.

"It's a very special thing to find this, what you have. Don't let it go," Rube said slowly and then stood up, "Just don't miss up our little club we got going, huh?"

"Sure thing, Rube," Daisy nodded and closed Mason's mouth.

"And tell Georgia and reaper junior I want to talk to all of you down at Der Waffle Haus in ten, got it? Might have to postpone your little move."

"You got it," Daisy smiled as he got into his truck and drove toward their meeting place. She patted Mason on the back as he spun her around laughing, "Okay, put me down, I gotta get Georgia."

Rube sat down outside of the building, which was unusual. George was still wondering what had happened with his talk to Mason and Daisy, since they have clamed up about it. They all gathered around him with a question on their face, and Quinn just took it in stride, not really knowing how to take any of this yet. Rube took another deep breath and looked at his small group of merry reapers.

"You all are wondering about why I called you?" Rube asked and looked at each one of them. George, Daisy and Mason looked at his feet thinking that maybe it was another evaluation, but no bag sat at his feet, "Any ideas? George?"

"What I get the first guess? Late night group reap?"

"You were always a sharp one. Stubborn as all Hell, but smart."

"Yeah, thanks," she rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately, you're right," he nodded, "And hope you trained junior well. She's going to be taking at least one tonight."

"Where and when, Rube? I'd like to get settled into my new home sometime tonight," Daisy looked at her nails and blew on them.

"Right here," Rube said.

"You got to be kidding me," Mason said, "Not our little own meeting spot. Home away from home…"

"That's what the post-it said," Rube held up a lone sticky note with another style of handwriting on it.

"That's different," George said looking at it, "You usually get lists not post-its, don't you? Why is it different?"

"I don't know, but I don't really like it," he said, "It feels wrong."

George tried to look him in the eyes, but something caught her attention behind him, "Graveling…"

"What's it doing?" he asked as he tried to look over his left shoulder.

"I… don't know. I've never seen one do that before," George tilted her head to the side as Rube turned around to face the Graveling and for once it didn't fade away or disappear. It stayed solid and stared straight at them, "Rube?"

"I don't like this," Mason said, grabbing Daisy from around the waist.

Quinn stepped in front of them to get a better look at the little creature, "I thought that you could only see them askance."

The graveling suddenly began to wave its arms in a circular motion kicking up a wind around itself. A dark colored light began to grow between its hands and an almost manic laugh grew from its small throat.

"Silly humans, think you are different because you reap," its voice drifted on the wind now surrounding the small group, "But you are still just souls. And souls need to find a way to their final resting place! Reapers must die like all must die and Gravelings will take control!"

Rube's eyes grew in size as the dark ball of wind and light was thrown at the group. He threw himself around and grabbed George in his arms and fell to the ground. George was able to grab Quinn's sleeve and pull her down with them. Mason covered himself over Daisy and they jumped down toward Rube and the others.

"The young one with heart, but destroyed by old memories, so confused and hidden with own false hoaxes must die. Before one kills Gravelings!" the monster yelled through the wind.

George tried to see what was happening, but either Rube or the wind blocked her view. She felt Quinn wrap her arms around her legs and kept a tight hold.

"Rube! What's happening?!" she shouted into the wind. He just wrapped her tighter into his arms and pulled her head toward his mouth.

"We were tricked," he talked slowly into her ear, "This is the death of the world. By Gravelings."

And just like that we were taken in the cloud of black dust. I couldn't see anything and was forced to close my eyes. All I could feel was the rushing wind, Quinn secured to my legs and Rube's arms wrapped protectively around me.