Please note: As this story is from Elizabeth's point of view, she thinks and refers to Grell using masculine terminology. This is not meant to be disrespectful towards Grell by any means.

Chapter 2:

Indistinct sounds swirled about her as Lizzy struggled to awaken. She couldn't move, and actually had very little awareness of her own body, but she wasn't scared. Some part of her mind knew that she should be struggling against the chains of sleep and force herself to open her eyes, but she felt comfortable just lying here as the sounds slowly morphed into comprehensive words.

"I think someone's make a mistake on this one," a young, male voice said, "This bird shouldn't be here."

"I don't make the decisions," replied another voice, "The list said she was to be reborn."

"But that wasn't a suicide," insisted the first speaker, "It was self-sacrifice. We should have just collected her records and been done with it." He grumbled loudly. "I'm sure this is a mistake and we're going to get stuck with more paperwork and overtime because of it."

"If it is a mistake, then it's not ours," stated the second one in a slightly annoyed tone, "Let the higher ups deal with it and worry about things for a change."

More sensations returned to her body and she managed to let out a small moan as she struggled to open her eyes. Bright lights assaulted her, and she blinked several times as she tried to unsuccessfully bring her surroundings into focus.

"Looks, like she's waking up," announced the first voice.

Lizzy struggled into a sitting position, but the world around her remained blurred. "Where am I?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. Even though she was very confused at her present situation, she did her best to act as the part of a proper lady.

"Having trouble seeing?" asked the younger voice, "These should help."

She caught the glimpse of movement near her face and jerked back slightly before a hand holding what appeared to be a pair of glasses came into focus. At first, she started to argue that she had no need for the eyewear, but as soon as the glasses were slipped into place she found that she was able to see clearly. The room itself was a plain, white room that was barren of any sort of decoration, and she was lying on a simple, white cot. Even the dress she was currently wearing was a simple, white material that was far more common than her usual attire. The only color was that of her two strange companions.

The first one was a young man that appeared to be only a few years older than herself. His hair was oddly two-colors as the top part was blonde but the underneath was black, but it suited him well. His green-gold eyes looked at her curiously behind glasses with overly large frames that seemed more stylish than functional, and his suit was unusual in both cut and style. Overall, he was a good-looking man, but he seemed to be quite aware of that fact.

His companion appeared to be a little older, perhaps in his mid-twenties, and had the same intriguing eyes which were framed by a smallish pair of red glasses. He was effeminate and more of what she would call pretty than handsome, but his blazing red hair against his pale skin was what really captured the attention. While she couldn't be sure, she had the distinct feeling she had met him at some point in the past, but she couldn't place exactly when or where. He was draped in a coat as red as his hair, which also appeared oddly familiar with a vest and slacks that seemed tailored to suit his slender form.

"Did that help?" asked the young, blonde man.

She nodded as she struggled to make sense of the situation. "I never required spectacles in the past," she announced in a clear yet demure tone, "What precisely is happening here?"

He ran a hand through his mismatched hair and offered her what she assumed to be a comforting smile. "Not being able to see well is normal," he said, "when you've been reborn as a reaper."

"Pardon? Reborn as what?" Her voice rise slightly as she was sure her ears were playing tricks on her.

"You know – a grim reaper," he clarified.

While Lizzy had certainly heard the term before, it just didn't make any sense to her at this moment. "Grim reaper," she repeated carefully. Her mind conjured up images of skeletal figures in black cloaks. "I am afraid I don't understand. Do you mean one of those…beings that kill people?"

The two strangers looked at each other briefly before sharing a chuckle. "Well, we don't actually kill people," clarified the younger looking man, "We just collect their records after they die." His smile widened as he allowed his eyes to drift over her, and Lizzy felt a bit uncomfortable with the scrutiny. "Of course," he continued, "you wouldn't be assigned to work in the field. Women only work in the office."

"Present company excluded," added the other as he flipped his long red hair defiantly.

"Of course. So, my name is Ronald Knox, and this is Senior Sutcliff."

"Grell Sutcliff," came the verification.

"My name is Elizabeth, although most everyone calls me Lizzy," she said, bowing her head slightly. This was still a very confusing situation for Lizzy, although she was happy to finally have names for her two companions. It made things slightly easier to sort out in her own mind. "I am afraid that I still don't fully comprehend everything. You say that I have been reborn as a grim reaper? Why would I be chosen to be reborn? I am no one special. In fact, I am simply…" Her voice trailed off as she sought to state her family and rankings, but the memory was gone. The harder she tried to recall specific details, the more it faded. It was like trying to grab hold of a wisp of smoke. Her name had slipped out of her mouth with ease, but she found that she could remember nothing beyond that. "I have lost my memories," she gasped, momentarily forgetting her decorum.

"That's normal," Ronald explained, "Your memories will come back to you in time. At least, most of them will."

"This is all very confusing," Lizzy stated, trying hard not to become upset. If she was younger, she would have cried – or at least she felt that she would have. She had no true idea what she had been like as a child.

"I'd explain everything," Ronald said, as he glanced down at his watch. At least, Lizzy assumed it was a watch, although it was unlike any she had ever seen. "But I have a date. Senior, can you take over just this once?" Before anyone could respond, Ronald had already disappeared out the door.

"I hate babysitting," Grell grumbled, but then he turned and favored Lizzy with a broad smile. For the first time, she noticed the sharpness of the redhead's teeth, and she realized that while he might be something of an exotic beauty, he was also very dangerous. "I suppose the first step is to take you to administration so we can get you signed up for the appropriate class." He stood up and motioned for her to follow. Quickly, they left the room and started down a well-polished hall that was lit up a bit too brightly by strange lighting fixtures that were alien to her. Grell's stride was fast, the heels of rather attractive boots clacking loudly, and Lizzy found herself struggling to keep up.

"Could you explain what is happening to me while we go?" Lizzy inquired as they walked.

Grell sighed. "I suppose I have to since Ronnie's run off," he said, "Okay, you're a reaper now. You were human, but you died, and now you are a reaper. Make sense?"

"I suppose," she replied, "Although I am uncertain why I am a reaper instead of moving on. I thought Heaven awaited those after death."

"It does, for some," replied Grell, and she thought she detected an edge to his voice, "Humans who commit suicide are sometimes chosen to be reapers, although not all."

Lizzy came to an abrupt halt as she grabbed his arm. "I…committed suicide?" she asked, and she could hear her heart pounding loudly in her ears. "That is impossible. I would never do such a thing. The act is an unforgiveable sin." Her voice was shaking almost as badly as her hands.

Grell didn't seem particularly sympathetic as he pulled his arm away, and Lizzy realized that she might have offended him since him being here must have meant he had committed suicide himself. "You're here, aren't you?" he retorted coldly, "But, there is some debate because it didn't seem like you were trying to kill yourself."

"So, I wasn't purposely trying to end my own life?" Lizzy asked, "Tell me, what were the circumstances of my death?"

"I can't do that."

"Pardon?"

"I'm not allowed to," Grell clarified, "and I'm not going to risk getting written up again just to tell you." He turned the corner and came to a pair of strange silver doors. "Besides, you'll remember it soon enough, but it won't be a pleasant memory." He pushed a button between the doors.

Lizzy remained quiet as they stood there, although Grell seemed more than ready to talk. He complained about the slowness of the lift, although this lift was unlike anything Lizzy had ever seen or, more importantly, heard. Aside from the strange metallic exterior and interior, it was much quieter and smoother. They reached their desired floor in no time, but this time Grell seemed content to walk a bit slower as he led her to another room. An attractive woman with chestnut brown hair looked up from her desk, and smiled politely. Lizzy noted that this woman had the same eyes and also wore glasses, and she began to wonder if her own eyes looked the same.

"I've brought Elizabeth Midford for her assignment," Grell said to the woman.

"Yes," the woman replied, "Go on in. They're ready for her."

Grell led her to another room which was dominated by a long, oak table where four men sat. The only light in the room was a window behind them, which cast shadows about their faces, and this made Lizzy very uncomfortable. She did her best not to show it as she stood straight and proper beside Grell.

"I thought Knox was supposed to be her mentor," one of the men said in a gruff tone.

"He had other business," Grell replied.

"Probably a date," grumbled the one on the far right. "So this is Elizabeth Midford." He pointed one long finger at her. "You're lucky, Miss Elizabeth," he began, "that our new classes begin in two days. Otherwise you would have had to been kept in the death sleep for much longer."

None of this made any sense to Lizzy, and she had no idea what she was expected to do in this situation. "Yes, sir," she replied politely.

"Tomorrow you will need to gather your books, supplies, and uniform," another one said before turning his head slightly. "I trust Knox will be available tomorrow."

"He should be," Grell replied rather tersely.

The first man looked through some paperwork, although it seemed odd he could read anything in such poor light. "You've been assigned to the field agent division," he said, before handing the folder across the table, "Here is your class schedule and a list of the necessary materials as well as your dorm assignment."

Lizzy stepped forward to retrieve the folder. "Thank you sir," she said, curtseying slightly.

"That will be all," stated the man, waving his hand dismissively, "You've been excused. Sutcliff, take her to the dorm so that she can get settled in."

Grell nodded, and he led Lizzy out of the room and the outer office. While waiting for the lift to return, she started looking through all the documents and feeling a bit overwhelmed by everything. "I am afraid I am still terribly confused," she confessed to Grell, "What does field agent division mean exactly?"

She was answered with Grell's signature smile as the lift arrived and they stepped inside. "It means you'll be trained to be a field agent like Ronald and I. After you are trained, you'll be sent out to collect souls."

"I thought your companion said that women aren't assigned in the field," Lizzy said, before smiling back at the red reaper and recalling his words, "Present company excluded."

Grell laughed loudly and draped his arm loosely around her shoulders. "I think you and I are going to get along just fine," he predicted, as the doors opened and they stepped outside. "Now, let's find your dorm."

((x))

Lizzy awoke early the next day and found herself staring at plain eggshell white ceiling. For the briefest moment, she could almost see another ceiling and another room, but the image faded as soon as she was full awake. She couldn't help but wonder if these were her memories trying to come to the surface, but there was no way to know for certain. During the night, she had been plagued by dreams and nightmares, and even found herself shouting a name at one point – a name which she knew had special meaning. Whenever she whispered, "Ciel," a strange feeling would tear through her heart. She only hoped she would understand what it all meant soon.

Getting out of bed, she quickly took off the gown she had been wearing only to replace it with the same dress she had worn the day before. At this point, she had no other clothing nor were there any decorations in her room. Grell had explained that new students were given a small amount of coin for personal items so that she could do some shopping later, so perhaps she could make these small quarters more person. As luck would have it, she was the only one sharing this room since they were grouped in the dorms by class and she was the only female in the field agent group. She was just finishing her hair when she heard a knock on her door.

Opening the door, she was greeted by the smiling faces of Ronald and Grell. After talking yesterday, she actually felt more comfortable with Grell even though she still sensed he carried a certain amount of danger with him. There was something in Ronald's somewhat cocky smile and the way he leaned on the doorframe that made her a bit uneasy, although she knew that he was actually her mentor instead of Grell.

"Hey, babe," Ronald greeted, "Ready to go?"

She stiffened slightly since she was not used to be addressed in such a manner, but nodded her head. "I am ready," she answered. Stepping out of her room, she carefully locked the door behind her, and turned to start down the hall. Ronald took the initiative to put his arm around her shoulder, but Lizzy shrugged it off immediately. Grell had done something similar the day before, but he had done so in a friendly, almost sisterly, manner. Ronald seemed to have other intentions.

"What's wrong?" Ronald asked.

"What's wrong," Grell spoke up, "is that you don't know the proper way to treat a lady." He maneuvered himself between Ronald and Lizzy as he shot Ronald a pointed look.

"None of the birds ever complained before," Ronald said, almost pouting.

"That's because you've never dated a real lady," replied Grell.

Ronald shrugged slightly, but Lizzy noted something that appeared to nervousness just underneath the air of confidence. "Whatever," he said, "Let's get going then." He started down the hall.

"Is something wrong with him?" Lizzy whispered to Grell as they followed, "Is he nervous?"

"He is," Grell whispered back, "This is his first time being anyone's mentor, which is why he wants me to tag along. Plus, he does lose his head around a pretty face sometimes." Grell laughed softly. "He can be annoying, but Ronnie is a sweet kid. Just give him a chance."

Lizzy nodded and managed a small smile. While she didn't like Ronald forwardness, she could appreciate him being nervous. It was something that they had in common.

((x))

The rest of the day went fairly easily for the trio. Ronald seemed to calm down and, while he was still a bit cocky, he didn't seem as intent on flirting with Lizzy. He did drop a few hints about them going out to eat together, but she hadn't responded directly. While she couldn't have explained it, she almost felt as if it would be wrong for her to see Ronald outside his capacity of her mentor; as if she was being unfaithful. Perhaps she had been married when she was alive.

The grounds for the academy were not large and most of her classes would be confined to a single building. Both Ronald and Grell stressed the importance of being on time and told her she need to get a firm grasp on exactly how long it took to get from her dorm to her classes. Although she still had no memories, Lizzy knew that punctuality was not an issue for her, but she took their advice in stride.

Afterwards, they walked down to the scythe depository to pick up her first trainee scythe. Lizzy could feel the weight of many sets of eyes as she walked down the hall, but held herself in a respectable manner. The skinny, young man at the counter looked positively shocked when they approached, and started to argue when Ronald announced they had come for Lizzy's scythe, but then Grell stepped forward.

"You'll see her name is on the list, darling," Grell said, as leaned forward and ran his fingers through the man's blonde hair, "You're really don't want to give us any problems now, do you?" He batted his eyelashes flirtatiously, but Lizzy could hear the threat lacing his voice, and apparently the man had heard it too. He gulped nervously, his adam's apple bobbing almost comically in his overly thin neck, and he turned immediately to retrieve Lizzy's scythe.

She took the tool in her hands, and swung it gently a few times to get the feel of it. It was oddly comfortable in her grasp, and her movements became more fluid and comfortable. No longer worried about the stares, she spun around and found herself facing Grell with her scythe pointed directly at him.

An image suddenly sprung to her mind and she saw herself, a much younger her, holding a sword on Grell. She gasped as the memory became clear, and slowly lowered the scythe. "I…I remember you. We have met before, have we not?"

Grell's smile widened as his deadly teeth sparkled. "Have we?" he countered.

Lizzy paused because she knew Grell knew precisely what she was talking about but it was clear that he wasn't going to reveal any information. After all, he had told her that he wasn't allowed to share any details of her death with her, so maybe he had involved in that somehow. Nervously, she bit the inside of her cheek. She was really beginning to like Grell, although she feared that he was not to be trusted.

Ronald yawned loudly and dramatically as he checked his watch. "What else do we have to do?" he asked.

Grell's eyes flickered towards him without any change in his challenging smile. "We still have to pick up her uniform, books, and a few things for her room."

There was a dark frown from Ronald. "I hate shopping," he said, "I think I'll leave that to you two." Without saying goodbye, he turned and walked away.

"He certainly seems to do that quite a bit," Lizzy stated.

Grell shrugged casually. "Ronnie's too impatient for his own good," he huffed, "but a man only slows down shopping anyway. Come on, Lizzy dear, let's go pick you out an outfit to die for."

((x))

Lizzy stood in the crowded room and listening to the buzz of conversations that whirled about her. Just like before, she could feel their eyes and she wondered how many of the whispers were about her. Since this was all the new recruits and not just field agents, she wasn't the only woman here, but she was the only one carrying an all too conspicuous death scythe. Her outfit was unusual as well. Field agents were typically required to wear a suit, but she found it completely inappropriate to wear men's attire. Grell had been the one to suggest the dress suits usually worn by secretaries, but the tight fitting skirts weren't very conducive for jumping and running, and she found the length to be far too short for her liking. It had taken a bit of time, and a visit to the seamstress, but Lizzy had finally found a suitable alternative. Her skirt was long, but loose and full enough to give her full range of movement. She didn't like the dreary black color, but Grell had promised to help her add some spice to her wardrobe later. At least she now had an outfit that was functional and modest. However, it only made her stand out even more than she already did.

After what felt like an eternity, a tall man with expertly groomed short, dark hair stepped in front of the group. Despite herself, Lizzy smiled as she found herself thinking that this man had the sort of look her mother would have approved, but then gasped at the realization of another memory. Her mother, whose name and face was still lost to her, had been a woman with strong ideals and morals. That much she knew for certain, and she would have liked the man who stood before and demanded attention even before he had even spoken a word.

"My name is William T. Spears," he announced, "and I am the advisor of the field agent class. If you have been assigned to this class, please step out and follow me. Do no dawdle for there is much to attend to and we're already behind schedule." Turning sharping on his heel, he left the room as nervous students followed quickly. Lizzy smoothed her smile away as she fell into step behind a group of what seemed to be about 30 students. Without a lot of talk, they were led into a smaller room where a shorter, stocky man was standing.

"You will be divided into two groups," William stated, "Half will be in my class and half of you will be assigned to my associate, Mr. Jeffrey Bishop." He motioned to the man beside him. "I will be acting as advisor for all of you, so if there are any questions concerning any of your classes, they are to be addressed directly to myself. My office is on the 3rd floor of the main building. I will be available to speak to you on Wednesday and Friday from the hours between three and four p.m. Punctuality is a very important trait among reapers, so I will not speak to any student except during the designated time."

The man who had been designated as Jeffry stepped forward. He was a few inches shorter than William, but he was broader across the shoulders. His light brown hair was well trimmed, as was his beard. "If I call your name," he began, "please step to the right as you will be in my class." Lizzy found that she didn't like his voice, which she found to be a bit nasally. He began to call names, and hers was the third one he called. Jeffrey eyed her almost as if he was suspicious of her, and that gave her another reason not to care for her. William had obviously noticed her as the only female in the group, but he had not allowed his eye to linger or any expression to pass his countenance. She wished she had been in his class, but there was nothing she could do about the situation.

Once they had been divided, William led his group to one direction while she was forced to follow Jeffrey to yet another room. Standing by the open door, Jeffrey motioned for the other students to enter, and they began to do so, but he grabbed her arm as she passed and pulled her from the line. When all the other students were in the room, he leaned so close to her that frames of his glasses cracked into her own.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed.

"I…I was assigned, sir," she answered.

He gave a low chuckle. "I'm not going to get embarrassed my first time teaching. You have no place here." He let go of her arm and stared down coldly at her. "Do what you want, girlie," he said, "but know this. I have no intention of letting you pass this class."

With those words, he stomped inside of the room as a very shocked Lizzy could only watch as she allowed his words to tumble around in her mind.