With much difficulty, I eventually was able to bring Edna, Daniel, and Christine to London, where I got them into a hospital. With how badly injured they looked, and Edna's noble status, it didn't take long to get them in, though it took a lot of effort on my part to make up a story to explain the injuries to the doctors. As soon as the three of them were put in rooms, I had to force myself to leave the hospital and go back to the manor, for I needed to dispose of Lord Black's body and then start planning a burial for Martha, Jasper, and Simon.

My heart felt heavy as I used my shinigami speed to go from London back to the manor, but keeping my goal in mind was enough to distract my emotions. When I arrived back onto the property, I was shocked to see that Lord Black's body was nowhere to be seen on the grounds, the blood stained grass where he had died still somewhat fresh. Alarmed, I ran up to where the servants' bodies were, only to see they were gone as well.

Eyes wide, I ran up to the bed, panic flowing through me. D-did Will send someone to take their bodies, along with Lord Black's? Did someone rob the manor within the few hours I left to bring Edna and the others to the hospital? W-why...why are they gone!?

Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, I noticed that a tiny slip of paper could be seen from underneath a faintly blood stained pillow. I picked it up and read it silently to myself.

'It is a shame that the shinigami have found you so soon. You were so close to ultimate freedom with your lady, only to have it taken away after your enemy was defeated. It is a sad situation. At this point, I have no doubt, you are probably alarmed why the demon's body, along with your friends', are missing. You see, my little shinigami, I hid while that grim reaper official was here, and after both of you left, I took the liberty of taking care of the bodies.

'I will take the remains of your deceased servants and clean them up for you and Lady Redwood, and whenever she is out of the human hospital, please tell her to come to my shop so we can plan out their grand funerals. I would strongly advise you not to seek me out, for both of our safeties now that the shinigami know that you are alive. And to prepare that you will have to say goodbye. Whatever may life bring you now, always remember to protect those closest to you and never forget to find laughter in the darkest of places.

'-Undertaker.'

Grand funerals...

My tight grip on the note crumbled up the paper. I allowed my grief to come out, me falling to my knees allowing the tears to fall. I cried.

I cried because I had lost the woman who had tended to me in my weakest moment, the man who cut off the hair of my past self, and the man who could calm the most intense of situations.

I cried because I would not be able to help my friends heal from their close to death experience, that I would have to leave them forever.

I cried because I would have to let go of the woman I loved, the one I could never live without.

Sharp, painful headaches began to develop, me throwing off my specs as I allowed the memories of death and loss I had locked away for so long come back to me. The memories where I lost Angelina...

For once in my life, I held none of my misery back.

Time went by like a blur when I finally had the strength to come back to London. I knew I didn't have much time till Will or someone else from the higher officials came back for me, so I spent all my time and energy at the hospital visiting and doing all I could to help. Being only mere servants, Christine and Daniel were placed in lower quality rooms while Edna had a higher ranked room, but they all got good treatment under Edna's orders when she awoke, along with my own...persuasions.

Out of the three, Christine had the least severe injuries. Minor cuts, big bruises, and a slight head injury. She was very shaken up, but I think having me by her side and telling her Daniel and Edna's progress seemed to calm her from the terrible experience she just went through. I did not yet tell her about Martha, Jasper, and Simon, even though she had asked about them, for I feared that telling her the truth could devastate her in her weak condition.

I did tell Daniel, however, and he was crushed as much as I was, perhaps more for knowing them longer. He had a few stab wounds and a broken arm, along with a scar on his right cheek, but nothing that would cripple him for long. He was tired, but was also grateful for my company. And while I spent a great amount of time visiting Daniel and Christine, most of my attention was focused on Edna.

I had told everything that had happened when she woke up and we were alone, as I did not want to keep anything from her for what was about to come. Edna was devastated at the news of Simon, Jasper, and Martha's deaths, cursing herself for not being able to protect them better and that they had to die such terrible deaths. Though she was relieved that Christine and Daniel made it, that Lord Black got what he deserved. But then there was the issue with the shinigami...

"Do you really plan on going back to them?" Edna had asked, sitting up in her hospital bed.

I sat next to Edna's bedside, letting out a heavy sigh.

"It is either I go back when I'm called for or become a deserter and be hunted. I don't want that, and I don't want to do anything that could potentially put you in danger."

Edna gave me a concerned look.

"Grell, don't look at it like that. This may be selfish of me to say...but you need to do what makes you happy."

I gave a soft laugh and met her gaze.

"The only thing that can make me happy is to be with you. And that is obviously not going to happen, no matter which I choose. At least not for long."

My voice cracked. Edna took a hold of my hand and brought it close to her.

"I'll do whatever I can to stay by your side," she said softly. "Grim reapers or not, nothing will get between us."

She gently kissed my fingers.

"I love you, Grell. And nothing will change that."

A small smile made its way to my lips.

"I love you too, Edna."

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Edna and I both looked up, expecting a doctor or a nurse to step in. But to our surprise, it was a grim reaper, in full suit with tightly combed back gray hair and a small mustache. My eyes widened.

"Hello Grell Sutcliff," the shinigami said professionally. "Edith Ayre. Or would you prefer to be called Edna Redwood?"

Edna narrowed her eyes.

"Lady Redwood, if you please."

He nodded. "As you wish."

"Why are you here?"

I quickly stood up, getting my hand out of Edna's grasp as I glared at the shinigami associate.

"I was promised three weeks before I was forced to come back!" I exclaimed. "You can't take me away just yet!"

"Relax, Sutcliff," the grim reaper replied calmly. "I'm not here to take you away. I'm here to talk with you both."

Talk with you both? I blinked.

"...Grell, please sit down."

I turned to see Edna giving me a worried look. Forcing myself to relax, I sat back down in my chair. The grim reaper cleared his throat.

"I apologize for alarming you, that was not my intent. I thought you would respond better having to talk to a stranger rather than someone you know."

What am I, a mental patient? I narrowed my eyes but he didn't seem to notice.

"Let me properly introduce myself," he said to both Edna and I. "My name is James Howe, a supervisor in the dispatch department. I was assigned to watch over you, Sutcliff, after Mr. Spears found you. While also taking note of your mental capabilities, as Spears reported you being quite mentally ill."

I clutched my fists tightly.

"If you think Grell is dangerous, I can assure you that he is not," Edna remarked. "Since his memory loss, he has been a loyal servant of mine and there is nothing wrong with him in anything like that."

Howe shifted up his silver framed specs.

"With all due respect, Lady Redwood, a human's state of mind is far diverse from a shinigami's. Our kind may be physically similar to yours, but we function quite differently."

Perhaps if we took more time to be around humans, we could see we are not too different.

"Anyways," Howe continued. "Through my study of your behavior, Sutcliff, and also becoming more familiar of who you were before your accident, I have come to the conclusion that you would not be a threat to our society if you were to come back. However...there is one issue that stands in the way."

"And what 'issue' is that?" I asked coldly.

Howe met my gaze.

"That issue is your strong attachment to these three humans. From what I have seen...I don't think your mind could handle being taken away from them, specifically, from Lady Redwood."

Again, like I'm a mental patient!

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Howe?" Edna asked, placing her hand on my shoulder. "From what I've heard, this would not be a normal thing for me, a human, to be hearing."

Howe nodded.

"Indeed you are correct. In normal circumstances I wouldn't show myself to you. But the fact remains that the England dispatch department is desperately low in numbers and Sutcliff was one of the better members...when actually doing his job."

He cleared his throat.

"Whether you realize it or not, Lady Redwood, you are the only person ever to calm Sutcliff like this. You are, in a way, taming him to follow order. If we want Sutcliff to become as efficient in the dispatch department as his old self was, perhaps even better, then you are the key."

So I went from a mental patient to some kind of trainable animal. Wonderful...

"Whether you realize it or not, Mr. Howe," I finally commented, "I really do not like being talked about like this when I'm sitting right here."

Howe took a minute to reply.

"...I do apologize, but there is a reason why I'm telling this to both of you."

He made eye contact with both of us.

"There is a certain ritual we shinigami possess, one that we've have used when our populations are so small that we can't possibly repopulate without some assistance from it," Howe explained. "It is a ritual that manipulates a human soul and transforms them into a grim reaper. They are not as strong as a full bred grim reaper, but they still have enough of our strengths to perform our duties and still be considered a member of our kind. If you, Lady Redwood, are willing to participate, we can transform you into a shinigami and you can stay with Sutcliff as his future wife. With you by his side in the shinigami world, you can bring stability to Sutcliff as he is rehabilitated, plus being able to add numbers to our shinigami population."

There was a long silence, the information given to us having a hard time to settle in.

I...could not remember such a ritual existing. But it didn't seem too...unreal either. I felt a little bit of hope, for if this ritual could work...Edna and I could be together! If she were to become a shinigami...nothing could keep us apart, we would have nothing to fear! We...

"Is it really that simple?" Edna asked, her face paler. "Would your kind just allow something like that just for one man? And what would I have to do to become...a grim reaper?"

"Many were against the idea, I will admit," Howe answered sincerely. "Spears being the most resistant. But most can see how it will greatly benefit us, as we will not only regain a dispatch member, but another woman who could potentially bring up future grim reapers. Though you will be faced with difficult hardships, I'm sure it won't be something you cannot handle."

He paused.

"...As for how you will be turned into a shinigami, you will have to go through a test of will, as we will be operating, you could say, on your soul. It will be painful and...if not ready or strong enough, it will cost you your life, as you have to theoretically 'die' for us to perform it."

My heart stop.

"No, absolutely not!"

I stood up again and approached Howe, who looked alarmed.

"If any of you dare lay a finger on Edna, I will not hesitate to kill you!" I cried out. "I won't allow any death scythe to pass through her body!"

A vision of Angelina getting stabbed with my death scythe played in my mind, the look in her eyes as her soul left her body...

"...Sutcliff, please..."

Obviously startled, Howe gently pushed me back as he tried to regain his composure.

"Think of your options, Sutcliff," he pleaded. "Think reasonably. If you want to be with this woman, this is your only way. It is either her becoming one of us, or you having to force yourself to separate from her. You can't have it both ways."

I moved his gaze past me and looked at Edna.

"I trust you can look at the situation with some sense, along with making him see it as well. I expect an answer from you in three days, for that is your deadline."

Politely saying goodbye, even to me, Howe then left the room.

"Grell..."

I turned to Edna, who's beautiful dark eyes met mine. I could feel tears try to form, visions of Angelina and her end replaying over and over in my mind.

"Edna..."

I came back to her side, sitting down for the third time and taking a tight hold of her hand. I kept my head down, as if a way to hide my tears from her.

"I can't risk to lose you like that," I confessed, voice cracking. "I rather be separated then have you dead. I-I can't...I-I can never..."

"Shh..."

With her free hand, Edna ran her fingers down my hair. Her touch was so soft and gentle, so much like Angelina's touch...

Angelina, whose death I brought upon her, and if it wasn't for the fact she met me, she could still be alive! I could not have Edna suffer that same fate, I cannot have it to where I lost two women I loved so much, who accepted me completely, die because of having met me...

"Grell..."

Moving closer to me, Edna embraced me.

"We will figure this out," she whispered soothingly. "We still have time before they come back. Together, we will find a way to get through this."