Chapter 6: Penny For Your Thoughts

OPOV

Rosslyn's eyelashes fluttered open in the still dim light of the early morning. Immediately she woke herself in attempt to remember where she was. Obviously she wasn't in her apartment, nor was she in the place Rube had gotten her to squat at for the remainder of her visit, but something about the ceiling was familiar though she hadn't seen it in a while. Rube's apartment.

She rolled over to where he'd slept beside her the whole night and found nothing but empty space. Um… okay. With a yawn she sat up and stretched, wincing at the pain erupting down her spine. The wounds, she'd forgotten about that. Oddly enough though, she wasn't as tired as she normally was on the day after. It was still really early; the sun hadn't even come up yet if what was outside the gauzy curtains was true. It had to be upwards of around five thirty or six and her host was nowhere to be found. They couldn't all be down at Der Waffle Haus already could they? No, never before daylight; not even Rube wanted to give up what little sleep came to reapers when they finally got it.

The shower was running and she sighed quietly. Yes, it was early but he had The List to worry about. And she had the rest of her morning to worry about. Maybe she would make it down to breakfast and meet the rest of his merry band, or perhaps she'd opt out and spend the morning taking a long bath and recovering from the ordeal last night.

"Finally decide to wake up, did you?" Rube asked, jerking her out of her thoughts.

"Shit! Don't do that!" she teased and threw the closest pillow at him.

He caught the thing with ease and tossed it back on the bed before moving to run a hand towel over his short, dark hair. Rosslyn blinked as she finally caught sight of him and realized that yes, he had just in fact gotten out of the shower and was standing there with a towel wrapped around his waist. A blush seared her cheeks and she hoped out of bed, going to the coffeepot and started to open it up to make a pot. Rube smiled and shook his head at her, "so are you going to breakfast with us?"

She turned,"I might be a little late."

"And this would be because… what exactly?"

A smirk twitched at the ends of her lips as she scooped two of the little cups inside the can of coffee into the coffeepot, "Because here I am in your apartment having stayed the night, all of my clothes are covered in blood and I have nothing else to wear that isn't yours. How would that look?"

Rube faltered, almost tripping on that lone towel around his waist and looked at her in a way she'd never seen: he was embarrassed. Not at the fact that she'd stayed or anything, but merely at the thought of one of his reapers finding out and how he'd get made fun of. A smile, a very large on at that, moved across his face and he went back to dressing as she finished with the coffee.

Soon enough the room was filled with the aroma of their coffee and Rube was at his place at the desk amongst the ledgers, pens and his day planner. Rosslyn sat as well, at the end of the couch closest to him, sipping her morning caffeine and watching him make the notes for whatever the morning had planned. Most would find it odd, as often as she stayed she had never made a move to peek at The List or anything else. No, she was content to just sit and let things happen. Besides, she had her own agenda when it came to death and everyone else's reap had nothing to do with her.

"Look's like there something in here for you." Rube mused and held up a white paper.

She took it and looked at the large, swirled cursive that read Welcome Back, Rosslyn. Nothing signed or anything, just those words. A smile crossed her face at the gesture, apparently someone more than just Rube was happy to see her back. It was nice to be noticed, though as she put it back on his desk she saw six Post-Its in his day planner for the morning instead of five. And apparently they want me to work since I'm back…

"Oh now that's just fucked up… I'm injured for god's sake!" she complained and faux sulked in his general direction.

"What makes you say that?"

She pointed at the Post-Its in his day planner, "that right there. There's six instead of five. There's five reapers in your division including you, plus me there are six and there are six Post-Its. A equals B equals C."

"And because there are six you assume one is for you?" Rube countered in his know-it-all voice.

"I…yeah…" she started then fell as a smile passed her friend's face, "shut up."

He smiled and stood, wrapping the rubber band around his planner before looking her over. In that calming way he had he instantly soothed the stupidity she was feeling before clapping a hand on her shoulder, "but you're right… one is for you." And promptly walked away quickly to avoid her hitting him somewhere he didn't want to be hit.

She mock glared over at him and stood, going to put her cup away. It made her smile that he jokingly moved away from her in what was supposed to be fear, but the smile he wore offered otherwise.

"Okay, show me your back before I take you home." His voice seemed to linger on the word 'home', almost as if he too felt that the little apartment she was staying in could be considered for such a thing.

"It's fine. I feel better this morning" suddenly she was feeling very shy at the thought of showing him anything.

A stern look made her shrink back against the bed and hold up a hand, "honestly, I'm fine. I'm not bleeding or anything and nothing feels swollen. Now you're going to be late if we don't leave…" there was a waver in her voice that she couldn't hide and he took notice of it. Something had come over her that wasn't good and that bothered him.

"If you wear your trench and your boots no one'll think anything of it." Rube said, pointing to her badly scuffed boots and jacket.

Rosslyn nodded and dressed before looking up at him. Almost in a moment it seemed as though something had passed between them that hadn't and it had caused a tension. Never once had she felt tense in his presence and she bit at her lip in defiance of it. No…nothing's different between us. Just because last night we had a little bit more of a deep conversation than we ever had does NOT mean that there's anything deeper. Stop that right now. In effort to ease things she grabbed Rube's arm as he tugged the short, red scarf around his neck and smiled up at him, "Breakfast is on me, okay?"

Another smile, that very same large one, "Okay."

GPOV

Breakfast was different that morning. Everyone seemed to be in a really good mood, even Rube and Roxy who were known for their 'say anything more to me than "hi" before nine and I'll shoot you' attitudes. Normally mine was just as bad, but for some reason I woke up just a little bit happier than normal.

Mason and I rode together that morning leaving Daisy to finish her two hour primping ritual in favor of coffee and something to eat. We had stayed up the whole night talking about whatever it was that was bothering him. He'd been feeling the urge to drink again, at Daisy's hand I thought, but he'd firmly shot that one down only to claim it was just an annual thing. I'd known him almost two years and I never remembered him being like that.

I loved driving my car in good weather. The top down, music blaring, wind in my hair… it was the only way to go. That, and I loved it when Mason would ride with me. We'd put it on some classic rock station and take the scenic route, singing along and having car mosh pits complete with head banging and everything. The best though, was just watching him listen to the music. Those long fingers would tap in unison to the beat against the top of the door and his head would bob ever so slightly. It was really endearing to watch, especially when it was a son he liked and he'd lean over, brush my knee with a hand almost as if to ask permission, then turn the volume up as loud as it would go.

Der Waffle Haus was nothing special that morning. The coffee was good, the food was good, and everyone was in a decent mood. Rube even managed a few jokes that earned a laugh or two. Something was up. Now, I'm not normally that much of a cynic but seeing him like that made me wonder what exactly it was that had put him in such a good mood. We found out soon enough.

We had been sitting for about ten minutes or so, Rube refusing to pass out our reaps because there was some announcement he had to make. This made all of us, especially Roxy, antsy. Granted yes, she was a cop, but chill the fuck out, right?

"Rube, I have to go I'm on duty this morning."

"Don't get your panties in a bunch. Besides, you never stay and hang out with us anymore. It's sad, really." He'd said in that cool tone of voice and kept a firm grip on that planner of his.

Roxy sipped her coffee and glared at him, but his eyes stayed focused on the paper. None of us really talked, Mason and Roxy got into it about letting him play with the pepper spray she carried again, but she withheld 'out of courtesy to his health since he didn't have any'. Daisy mumbled something about a concert that night that she was going to, but she had been really quiet the last few days. Well, quiet in comparison to normal.

The jangling of the bell above the door revealed the same slender, auburn haired woman that had been the restaurant a couple of days ago. This time though she wasn't hunkered down in one of the booths, but walked with a sure stride toward us with her head held somewhat high. She was pretty, probably older than I was and that bothered me a little. Mason smiled as she walked up and stood, giving her a hug. That definitely bothered me.

"Everyone, this is Rosslyn. Rosslyn, you already know Roxy and Mason. The other two are George and Daisy." Rube announced, gesturing at the two of us.

Roxy nodded in the woman's general direction, Mason smiled again, Daisy extended a hand that she took and shook it firmly before looking at me. She smiled, but I couldn't smile back. Something about Mason hugging her, which I had no idea why it bothered me so much, angered me. It angered me that he smiled up at her and it angered me that she was there in the first place.

"Is George your given name?" Rosslyn asked, I'd heard that before when Daisy had shown up. This was not a good sign of my feelings toward her.

"Georgia." I answered in a mock sweet voice and smiled the fakest smile I could muster.

"Ah. Pretty." Was all she answered before pulling up a chair and turning it backwards, sitting down.

"Rosslyn's going to be with us for a while and she's a very good friend of mine so show her the same respect you show me." Rube said in his 'I'm the boss, don't fuck with me' voice.

Mason opened his mouth, probably to say something smart, but I put a hand on his leg to stop it. He looked at me and I shook my head, I was so not in the mood for him to get chewed out this morning. After what had happened the night before, I might have ripped Rube's head off at the first sign of calling him a fuck-up.

"Daisy? As in Daisy Adair? From New York?" She asked our roommate who smiled that actress smile and nodded.

"Why yes. Have you heard of me?"

A grin tugged the edges of Rosslyn's mouth upward slightly, "I've heard a few stories."

Daisy's smile quickly faded and she fought to stay composed even though it was plainly obvious that the comment had rattled her, "oh? What… have you heard exactly?"

Maybe we'd finally get to hear some of the real dirt behind why Daisy had gotten transferred. Maybe we'd finally get to hear something good other than all of her stories about the men she'd fucked back when she was alive.

"That you'd blown Clark Gable under a table during the making of Gone With the Wind."

Again Daisy was beaming, her sudden fear gone and it was replaced with cool grace, "Oh.. yes. But it wasn't Clark Gable. It was someone who I never found out who it was!"

"Okay, that's about all I can take for now, boys and girls." Rube interjected before Rosslyn had a chance to open her mouth again.

Rube then opened his planner and slapped down our Post-Its just as he'd done every other day. This time, though, he paused at the last one before putting it down in front our newest member. They shared a look. I don't know if anyone else caught it but they shared a look, a smiley look almost as if telling a silent joke to one another. Since when did Rube have inside jokes?

"Okay, I have to go to work." I couldn't be there anymore. I had to leave before this weird feeling in me got any worse. It wasn't a bad feeling, just something weird that I didn't want to deal with.

Mason let me out, but stopped me with a tug on my elbow, "hey, Georgie, what's your last name?"

"Lass, why?"

"No no, your Happy Time last name. Millie's last name."

"Hagan. Again, why?"

"Nothing, I just couldn't remember it and it was driving me nuts." Yeah, that was convincing.

I gave him a sidelong glance as I walked out, waiting to see if anything was going to jump out at me before I left the waffle house. Nothing did and I made it to Happy Time without injury which was always good. Well, I say good in comparison to getting there covered in blood and having to desperately defend my lie of it being a cherry slurpy stain or a car accident.

The morning went by fast enough as I spent it twirling around in my chair, reading the files that were on my desk. I had something to be doing but just couldn't get a handle on anything that morning for some reason. That weird feeling wouldn't go away even at work. Making copies didn't help, calling the same lazy temps in order to try and hire the unfortunate office help for Samson Corp didn't help, but twirling around seemed to make the feeling more fuzzy and that suited me fine.

"Millie!" gushed Delores, loudly might I add, from just outside my cubicle which sent me flying to the ground.

"Fuck!" I shouted a little too loud and staggered to get to my knees.

My hair was swept over and what little time I'd spent on it was now moot as I tried to restore some semblance of order to the long, blonde frizz. Delores offered a hand to help me up, but I leaned on the desk and sat back in my chair before I acknowledged her presence, "what Delores?" I asked in an angry tone to which she regarded with the folding of her arms and the narrowing of her eyes that she always did when I'd done something that she deemed 'impolite'.

"I was just trying to get your attention and I've told you a hundred times that I don't care for that kind of language in the office. Now what were you doing?" the older woman asked.

"I was…" my mind raced, "thinking. Thinking about who was the best person for the job at that new pharmaceutical company we just picked up."

"Well aren't you just the busy little bee, aren't you?" she gushed and I felt my smile melting into a face of disgust that manifested only when I'd done something that pleased her so thoroughly.

"I guess."

"Well, there's something for you in the conference room. I just thought you might like to know." She was smiling. Oh god, was it a 'package'? Was there a party in my honor and I hadn't picked up on it? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I slowly stood up and made my way to the conference room. Everyone was still out in the main room, which was a good sign. No one was looking at me and whispering to each other, which was also a good sign. So if it wasn't a party, what the hell was it?

Flowers? I opened the door to the conference room and on the table was a vase filled with half a dozen roses: three white and three yellow. My favorites. Who would have given me these? Delores maybe for a random reason? No, she didn't do that. Maybe it was… Tripp who after almost six months had finally gotten the balls to do something for me?

I leaned over and took in the scent of the roses. They were so beautiful and no thorns were anywhere in sight. That was a symbol of someone caring. Maybe it was Tripp. Maybe he finally took responsibility and he'd carry me off into the sunset. I tore open the card with Millie's name on it and flipped it over to reveal the small, crowded print.

Georgie-girl,

I wanted to thank you for everything, not just helping me out last night. I know these are your favorites and I would have gotten more, but I didn't have the cash. I hope this is enough.

Mason

I couldn't move. Mason? Mason had sent me flowers? Mason had sent me flowers at work? I reread the little card over and over again and hadn't even become aware of Delores behind me.

"So who's Mason?" she asked and it caused me to cry out and whirl around.

"I… he… he's my roommate."

"A roommate who sends flowers? I don't think so."

"Really! We live together, that's it."

"You live together?" Delores asked and cocked an eyebrow. I was suddenly realizing just how bad this looked.

"We're friends! He was going through a rough time. We're…" I searched for a believable excuse, "in the same AA group." Shit, now she thinks I'm seeing an alcoholic.

"Now, Millie, you know how I feel about your substance abuse and dating someone with the same problem probably isn't a good idea."

"We… help each other out. He was in a bad spot and I got him out of it so I guess he felt like he had to thank me or something."

Delores smiled with a knowing look and left me to gawk at the card for another few minutes. Mason. Mason had sent…me…flowers.

OPOV

"So what time is your reap?" Rube's voice floated over to Rosslyn as she sipped at the coffee Kiffany had brought her.

"Four thirty-ish."

"Any plans until then?"

"I was going to go home and sleep for a while. I'm still pretty wiped out from last night."

"Going back to your apartment?" he asked, and Rosslyn cocked an eyebrow. The apartment wasn't hers.

"I guess, why?"

He tossed her a set of keys, "go to mine. At least you won't have to worry about someone maybe sneaking up on you." She knew better though, Rube would never put her up in a place that there was even the slightest possibility that she'd be found out. Hell, he might even pay rent to that place.

"Why, where are you going?"

"I got stuff to do."

She looked at him and set down the coffee cup, "stuff?"

"I'll catch you later." He answered firmly and bustled out the door.

The hospital was on the complete other side of town and Rube hadn't been there since the day George had a reap there months ago. Hospitals made him nervous ever since he was alive because of Lucy and her doctors. Now, he made it a point to avoid them at all costs.

The front desk pointed him to the third floor and he stepped out from the elevator into the sterile hallway with a fierce scowl on his face. He hated this place. He hated the smell and what went on here, but he was on a mission. A tall, red haired woman sat at the information desk that looked up at him as he pulled off his hat and leaned against the counter.

"Is Penny on shift?"

"She's with a patient. Is it important?"

"Kind of, yeah."

"I'll page her." The woman said and indicated a row of chairs along one wall with a table of undoubtedly out-of-date magazines in front of them.

He sat and thumbed through a years old copy of Time when he saw the small, light brown haired nurse come though one of the doors. He stood and she caught sight of him, smiling.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in ages!" she shouted and they embraced in a short hug.

"You got a break comin' up? I need to talk to you."

Penny was intrigued by that, "I'm off shift in twenty minutes, can you hold out long enough for me to do my paperwork?"

Rube nodded, "Yeah."

Half an hour later they were walking down the street to some café that Penny frequented when she wasn't on duty. It was her group's version of Der Waffle Haus, though in Rube's opinion it lacked a certain cultural flair. The ordered drinks and sat in a booth on the back wall, secluded form the rest of the world for what Penny thought was going to be a conversation about their reaping duties.

"So what's up?" she asked, leaning on her elbow.

"Have you been talking to Ros for the last couple of months?"

Shit, he knows. She looked incredulous and fought to keep up her mask of innocence, "Why do you say that?"

"Because she's in town and said you talked to her."

"I might have called her a few times to check up on things, but-"

"Bullshit. What did you tell her?"

"I might have made a few comments that you hadn't been yourself since Rosie died. And she's in town, really? When is she coming to see me?"

"Don't fuck around with me, Penny, what did you tell her?"

"I told her she might want to come up and spent some time with you. I mean, you can't tell me you didn't want your old friend there to help you out."

"Why did you do it?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Again, bullshit. Why did you tell her to come up here. You didn't even know I was out of it."

"She hasn't been home in a while and I thought it might make you happy."

"Why? Because she has that effect on me, or what?"

"No, because you two are really close is all. Christ, I thought I was doing you a favor. She wanted to come down and the minute I mentioned you were probably upset she jumped all over me about what happened."

"Yeah well, apparently what's got me upset almost got her killed last night." Rube countered, his eyes cold as the waiter brought their cups of coffee to them.

"What happened last night? Did she have a reap?"

"Yeah, and it got to her pretty good too on my account. She said she 'got sloppy' and she almost bled to death in my car on the way back to my apartment."

"Well that's nothing abnormal for her, how many was there?"

"One."

Penny stopped and the stirrer in her coffee fell from her hands as her gaze shot up to meet Rube's, "one soul? Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Just one."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine, but it caused the both of us a hell of a time last night."

"Meaning what? Aside from the obvious, though."

"Meaning we stayed up half the night so I could make sure she wouldn't die and I… may have started thinking about some things."

Penny's lips started to tug upward into a smirk, "oh, like what?"

"You know damn fuckin' well what, Penny."

"And this is a bad thing?"

"I'm married, remember? I had a daughter?" Rube was pointing to the ring on his left hand that he hadn't taken off in upwards of eighty years.

"And I believe that part of the vows were 'til death do you part' and correct me if I'm wrong, but you're dead and apart."

He couldn't think of what to say to that. He'd loved Lucy with everything he'd had even though as her sickness got worse she seemed to love him less. It was for her that he'd died and he had no question that she was the love of his life, even though they weren't really…what was the word? Soul mates? They'd had a child together that he loved with every fiber of his being, and now both of them were dead. He was off the hook, and free of any ties to his life.

"So what am I supposed to do?" he asked finally.

"Well, you care about her don't you?"

"Bite your tongue. Just because I feel it doesn't mean I want to hear it."

"So do something about it."

Do something about it. He ran a hand through his hair and stared into his coffee. It had been almost a century since he'd even dated. This was not going to go well. He wanted it to go well but he had the intimacy level of a tree stump, or so he thought. Penny put a hand on his arm and offered to help which he took, he needed everything he could get to pull this off.

"No one knows about this." It was an order and the twitch of Penny's smile was full blown into a grin.

"With pleasure."