As I turned to go back inside, I found myself face to chest with William T. Spears, the Supervisor of Operations at the Shinigami Dispatch Society, London Division. Damn! He smells so sterilized? I feel a little, what's the word 'freakish'? I think I actually like that smell? He smells so clean and germ free. I love twofers. (A twofer is: a two for one) Then I remember that he is the one who killed me in my home office. That's the last time I trust men who break into my house! He adjusted his glasses and said, "We need to talk." I'm not falling for that again. "Please leave a message with my secretary, and pray that I pencil you in someday." I stepped to the side of him, and started to walk into the Undertaker's shop. "Do you want to become a reaper or not?" He asked. I turned to him, his back still to me, he looked down and turned his left ear in my direction, listening for my answer. "I didn't say that I wanted to become a reaper. I was ready to die, and move on to the next level of existence, whatever it may be." I could see him smile, he honestly smiled?! "What makes you think that this isn't the next level of existence for you?" I was speechless, he certainly had me with that one. Satisfied with my expression, he got very serious and continued, "The truth is, Heaven doesn't want you. You've committed some sins that you won't repent of. Neither does Hell, they're afraid that you'll take over. With that being said, you really have nothing else."

I stood there, my heart was breaking. I know that I joked about Heaven not wanting me and Hell being afraid I'll take over, but to find out that it was true? To be unwanted by BOTH? To find out that I've wasted my life, for nothing. I must have really been out of sorts. William had pulled me into his embrace. Holding me tightly to his body. The tears just streamed out like a hot spring. I have worked so hard to be the strong one in my family. I was the one who had to tell my dad that his mother had passed away. His own brother didn't even have the strength to do it, and he was a U.S. Marine! I couldn't be crying, I'm supposed to be the rock. The one everyone else runs to. Here I am, crying on a man I don't even know. He must really think that I'm a weak woman. How pathetic, I am so disgusted with myself. I know that the truth hurts, it is what it is. I just have to accept it, because I can't change it. I collect what's left of my dignity and heart, I'll just have to piece it back together later. I sighed, and wiped the tears away. I felt his gaze upon me, his eyes showed a sad understanding of what I was feeling. I wondered if he's unwanted too, left with nothing. Like me.

The Undertaker stood in the doorway. "I was not expecting to see you so soon. I would appreciate some forewarning before you visit." William handed him an envelope. "The council is requesting your attendance." The veteran reaper scoffed, "More like a command than a request. I admit that I was expecting this." He looked at me and said you will stay here and run things until I return. I was going to protest, only because I have no clue what to do in preparing bodies for burial. William adjusted his glasses, "Actually, she will be accompanying me to the Reaper's University. She will be instructed in a structured environment." The tone of his voice indicated that the veteran reaper was not going to win this argument. He probably had full support from the council in the matter. The veteran reaper threw his hand in the air saying, "Then take her away with you, and be done with me. As to the council's request?... I'll go at my leisure." William let out a sigh, he knew that The Legendary Reaper was at odds with the council about something, though he did not know what their disagreement was. He simply said, "As you wish."

He took my hand and started to go, I didn't move. I asked, "Why are you letting me go so easily? Why didn't you just send me away with him in the beginning? Is it really so easy to throw me away like yesterday's garbage?" William let go of my hand. He nodded to me, understanding my frustration with being cast aside so easily. "I will let you finish here, Grell is collecting souls nearby. I'll check in on him and return for you shortly." He left as quickly and quietly as he had first arrived.

The veteran reaper went inside. I followed him, when inside, he pulled his hair up and out-of-the-way so he could look at me. I glared at him, "You can start by telling me why you seem to have a distaste for the council? Don't even think about telling me that it will cost me. You still owe me for the closet laughs." The reaper just nodded, "My retirement was a forced one. I had collected souls for more than a thousand years. I was also an instructor for the Reaper's University. My Distaste with them stems from a disagreement in teaching methods." I can deal with that. "Okay. What is your interest in me?" His face turned a light shade of pink. "I fell in love with the woman I saw in your eyes. I wanted to know if you had become that woman and could love me as much as I've loved her all this time." I nodded, understanding all to well what he meant. "You let me go so easily, because I didn't grow up to become that woman you've fallen in love with." He looked down, then he looked at me. He didn't have to say anything, I could see it in his soft sad eyes. They once spoke of a love eternal, now all they conveyed was a sad 'Goodbye'.

A few minutes past... William returned. The veteran reaper let me go and turned back to his work. I nodded to William, letting him know that I was now ready to go with him. As we traveled to the Shinigami realm, I noticed that William's left arm was limp. It just hung there beside him. I asked him if he had dislocated it while checking in on Grell? He just grunted out a leave me alone. "Here, let me reset it for you." I reached to help him, and he hit me away with his right hand. "Now I know it's dislocated." I grabbed his left arm, twisting it and forcing it back into the shoulder socket. William let out a loud high-pitched scream as I snapped his arm back in place. "There, you're all fixed, just take it easy for the next couple of days, the muscles need to mend." He glared at me, like he was going to kill me. I just said, "You're welcome!" Ronald ran up and said, "It's about time you got here. The council was preparing a special team to retrieve her." Looking at William he said, "From what I've just heard about Him, you're lucky that a dislocated arm is all you suffered." He glared at the young blonde, "He had nothing to do with my arm. I want to see Grell as soon as he returns to the office." Ronald nodded, realizing that William has a hard time resisting the urge to check in on the screw up Shinigami known as Grell Sutcliff, when he is nearby.

I looked at William, "Where are we, exactly?" William said, "We are in the Shinigami Realm, just outside the Council Hall. We need to hurry. The council members are very impatient." He moved in a quick stride, I always prided myself on my speed when I had somewhere to go, but he was really fast and it was quite the workout to keep up with him. We arrived just outside the council chamber. He informed the doorman of our arrival. I doubled over trying to catch my breath. My chest hurt so much. He handed me a glass of water and said, "Drink this, it will help." I looked up at him, "Thank you."

The doorman returned, and ushered us in. William approached the podium, "Ladies and Gentleman of the council I would like to present to you the newest Shinigami to the realm, Miss Nani Snow." The room erupted in hushed whispers and conversations all around. It was making me dizzy. I felt like Alice, I turned to look at William and everything around him went black, all I could see was him, then nothing. I awoke in his arms. There were a few other Shinigami hovering over me. Whispering and talking to each other. William said, "Welcome back. You seemed to have fainted." I nodded, My head hurt, my mouth felt dry, and I'm exhausted. "How long was I out?" Ronald appeared with a glass of water, and handed it to me saying, "You were out for a few minutes. Here drink this, it will help." I was shaking so bad, I needed to hold the glass with both hands. "Thank you." The Shinigami they call Pops asked me, "When was the last time you slept dearie?" I looked at him and asked, "What's that? I honestly don't know. I've been on the move since I woke up." Pops looked at William and told him, "Get her out of here so she can rest. We'll get her class schedule set up and send you a copy of it." William nodded and helped me up. "Lean on me, I'll take you home." I looked at him, "Your home or mine?" He simply said, "Mine!"