Chapter 24: Not Quite Right III

OPOV

The door to the house slid open with a loud creak. Fucking everything was just in a bad mood or so it seemed to Mason. Rube was pissy because Rosslyn was gone, Roxy was pissy because…she's Roxy, Daisy had been acting weird for the last while, and so now it felt like George and he were the only sane ones in the bunch. Not to say Mason wasn't a little bummed because, in effect, someone that was like his older sister was gone after he'd really just gotten to know her. He loved Ros to death and not having her around was weird because in the last couple of months she'd really fit in well to their little dysfunctional dead family.

"Mason?" called a quiet voice. Daisy.

The brit turned as she pulled the door closed and tossed his leather jacket on the couch. He wasn't in the mood for her, plain and simple. He rolled those bright green eyes and raked a hand through the mussed brown curls and flopped down on the armchair in the middle of the living room.

"What?"

She strolled into the room in all her southern belle, cotillion-esque, and beauty queen glory. With a practiced quixotic look she tilted her head to one side, allowing her platinum curls to tumble over her shoulder just so. Had anyone known the fact that she went over that amorous stare one might think she was actually…looking at him. You know, making eyes and all that crap?

She sat down on the ottoman before him, just as she'd done over a month before and Mason rolled his eyes again, putting his chin in his hand and turned his face away from her. Again she put a faux sympathetic hand on his knee, he sneered, "Mason look, I just…I'm sorry, okay? I don't know what happened the other day. I'd had a couple of glasses of wine earlier that day and it just…flew out of my mouth. I had no right to say those things. I'm really sorry. Please…I had no right to say that to you and…I really want to apologize."

Mason rolled his eyes again. He could never tell when she was acting or being genuine. He hated that, but you had to hand it to the girl, she was an amazing actress. Though when it came to actually being sincere you could never tell when she was fucking around or not.

"Fucking right you had no right to say that."

She bit at her rosy lips for a moment, as if waiting for him to say something else. In her eyes, he should accept the apology without a second thought. It was what men did. Women apologize…they accept. No harm, no foul.

"I have a reap in a bit, but…after can we go talk? Please? I swear...no prodding, no nothing. I just want to talk."

"I don't want to talk to you, Daisy."

"Please, Mason? Come on…Marne's at four? Come on."

"No."

"Mason."

"No, Daisy."

"I'm spilling my heart out, here."

"I don't fucking care."

"Please?"

"No."

"Come. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come. Come."

"Fine!"

"Good."

Four came and went as Daisy settled into the corner booth at the little shithole tavern Mason had frequented back when he still drank. It had a certain motif about it though…vomit and cheap blowjobs. Quaint, really. In any case she settled into the booth and took a pull out of the bottle of beer in her hand. Normally Daisy hated beer, but she was in the mood to act out a completely different part that day. So very completely different a part….

"So what do you want to talk about, Daisy?" Mason asked as he slid into the booth.

She smiled sweetly, "nothing in particular. I just…these last few months have been really hard. I wanted to really apologize. I don't know what's been wrong with me. Well, actually I think I do." She answered, looking over the neck of the bottle suggestively as she took a drink.

"Since when do you drink beer?"

"Not important."

"Okay, so why have you been acting like such a bitch, then? Hormones, Daisy darling? Is that what it is?"

It was easy to see her anger flare up in that moment, but she pushed it back down and replied with a sweet smile, "No. It's just…you know. Rube and Rosslyn, Roxy and William…" she paused and seemed to have to muster up the ability to speak, "you and George. It's hard."

"Well it's not like you haven't had your share of men too. Were you home one night at all last week or was I imagining you telling us about how you were off blowing some Microsoft bloke's rich son?"

"That's not the point and you know it. I want…someone to love me. And…I flew off the handle. You were the only guy who ever told me he loved me and meant it…and I took it for granted and now it's gone."

"Plenty of men have professed love to you and you know it."

"Not like you did. You meant it. You bought me…" her hand went to the little gold ring and she instinctively ran her fingers over the band.

"Yeah well…that was so you could have a bit of happiness. Apparently it didn't work."

"It did. I was just…I didn't realize it. I'm so sorry, Mason." She smiled the best fake smile she could manage. This would definitely work. No matter how much he cared about George or whatever the fuck it was he saw in her…probably just the fact that she was basically a virgin, he'd go back. He thought she was perfect and she'd have him trailing behind her happily for ever after.

"Yeah, you're always sorry, aren't you, Daisy."

"Mason, please. I didn't come here to get treated like this. I just want to talk-"

"No. You want to talk about why I should believe you're perfect. You're not."

"I know that."

"Then what do you want? Money? Booze? Drugs? Come on, that's all you think I'm good for, anyway, isn't it?"

"That's not true and you know it."

Mason took a long look at the bottle of beer between the two of them and picked it up, holding the bottle precariously close to his lips and waggled his eyebrows, "Do you want to be the one who makes me go back, Daisy? Do you? Because this shit is getting really old."

"Do it. Come on, I won't let you do anything stupid. You know that." She lied. She was fully aware that if he started drinking no he'd be in a nice little drunk coma before night even fell. And she was counting on that.

"Yeah fucking right. I quit all this shit for a reason."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

"You know what."

"Georgia? Oh come on…one beer won't kill you. And as god as my witness I won't let you do anything stupid. As a friend, Mason…just have a drink with me."

"How about I watch you drink and I'll just sit here and look pretty."

"Suit yourself..." Daisy murmured and took a long drink form her beer.

Mason watched her for a minute, the tip of his tongue resting on his lower lip. Daisy leaned her head against the wall, her eyes closed as her hand wrapped around the bottle. After they'd sat in silence for a while Mason picked the bottle up out of her hand and put it to his lips, well, there goes that.

"That's the spirit." Daisy said as she opened her brilliant sapphire eyes and smiled at him. Yep, he was hers alright.

"Fuck you, Daisy. Now what do you want to talk to me about?"

She shrugged and plucked the bottle out of his hand and drank the last of it. They sat again in silence until Mason got up and bought her another beer plus a shot for him. Daisy drank hers quietly while Mason stared down at the little glass filled with clear liquid in front of him. He was trying to see who'd break fist, him or that stupid little glass of tequila. It was winning.

"I told you…I'm just in a really crappy mood lately with all you lovebirds around. I mean, look at Rube and Rosslyn. They've known each other for almost what? Sixty years? More than that? And they're just now realizing the fact that they're in love with each other? What hope does that give me?"

"You never stay around long enough after the guy comes to find out if you care about 'im or not. Besides, Rube and Rosslyn have had experiences together. Big experiences together. It's not their fault they're blind and can't tell what everyone else has been saying for years. I think they just don't want to believe it. I mean, I talked to Rube earlier and I mentioned the fact that he and Ros should get married and he practically laughed it off saying that they were too set in their ways to think of such a thing."

"Maybe they are."

"The fuck are you going on about? Of course they should get married! Have you seen him lately? All depressed and bitchy and the like…now think back to when she was here and everything was better. Yeah, I think they should tie the knot. "

"Maybe he doesn't love her the way he thinks he does." Daisy shot back, glaring out over the beer in her hand.

Mason couldn't take it anymore and took the shot. It burned so beautifully down the back of his throat that he hardly thought of the fact that he was going against everything he'd promised for the last couple of months. Everything he promised to himself, Rube, Ros…and George. After the burn dissipated he looked over at his blonde partner and narrowed his eyes.

"What's all this obsession, then? I thought all you cared about was the sex…and what you got out of having sex?"

She tossed a strand of hair over her shoulders in a playful fashion and stared evenly at him, "sex is a wonderful thing, and yes I love the fact that I can get almost anything from having sex with people. Though, I must say I'd like to have someone love me for more than just the having sex." then leaned forward toward the table, one of her hands grabbing at his knee.

Mason slid out of her grasp and she grinned, "I'm just kidding."

"Sure you are."

She got up and bought the next round of drinks, handing Mason a glass of whiskey and smiled, "So, how long have you and Georgia been…dating?" it was difficult for her to even say that last word. Her Mason and…Georgia? It was still hard to swallow.

"Not long enough, it seems. I could be with that girl forever if I had the chance…" Mason mused, inadvertently taking a swig of the whiskey and winced as it went down.

Not if I have anything to do with it. Daisy smiled, "that's really great. I'm glad you two could find someone to connect with. I mean, after that whole Tripp guy thing…Georgia deserves someone who'll not hurt her. I mean, to see her that upset again would just be…horrific."

Mason looked up at her and for a moment she thought he was on to her, "I'd never hurt George. Never."

Daisy smiled again. Well, sadly that's just one of us. Mason polished off the last bit of the whiskery and looked over at her. He could feel himself getting a little more loose, but nowhere near what he used to be like at any given time. Thank god for that undead metabolism.

"I never said you would. The fact that you won't shows a great deal of maturity, Mason. Then again, after the whole ring issue…I knew you were mature anyway. Who else would have done something like that for a girl?"

He narrowed those sparkling green eyes and bit at his lip, "Yeah well…another round, then?" If he was going to fuck up tonight…he was going to do it in style.

Amen to that. Daisy grinned, "of course."

MPOV

I honestly couldn't tell you what happened that night. I remember lots of booze…laughing…music. I remember all of the bar, for the most part. I just don't remember going home. I knew I was home, but how I got there was a mystery. If I drove, I don't remember it. And I didn't have a Post-It so nobody died. That was good, at the very least. The last thing I could even possibly tell you was that we left the bar and I was…who am I kidding, I was shitfaced to fucking hell.

I had a really weird dream though. Not as in…you know, riding on the back of a frog over a river of lava weird, but…weird for me. Daisy and I…we…fucked. It wasn't even sex. It was just…the two of us…possibly drunk in the dream or something; I don't even know. We fucked and it was…in theory it was amazing. Had I not been dreaming and shitfaced to fuck it would have been amazing. But it wasn't amazing.

OPOV

Daisy pushed open the door to the house, Mason stumbling in behind her. She was pretty tipsy and he was back to being as horribly shitfaced as he ever was in the past. They were laughing. Hard. It was late and they had to try and be quiet for George's sake. They had left Marne's at eight and gone out to a club after that and danced. Mason was a horrible dancer Daisy found out, but it was worth it all because by the end of the night, he'd be hers.

"We have to be quiet; I don't want to wake up Georgie." Mason half whispered to a giggling Daisy.

"Then I suggest not going in there and waking her up then." Daisy answered, tugging on the sleeve of his jacket.

Mason stopped and seemed to think about that for a minute, his face screwed up whilst looking at his blonde flat mate, "I can't. That's my room too. And...We've always slept together."

Daisy made a sympathetic face toward him and rested the hand that was tugging his sleeve on his sleeve on his arm, "I just don't want her to get upset with you. Why don't you come room with me tonight?"

"No, Daisy…I can't."

Oh that's IT. She rolled her eyes and turned into Mason. He looked over at her with a slightly pathetic look and she grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him in to kiss him. They kissed for as long as she held him there, their lips locked together, tight and slightly uncomfortable. He didn't fight her, exactly, but it wasn't the kiss of his…not to mention her, dreams.

"Come on, Mason…" she cooed into his ear and brushed her lips over his throat.

"Daisy, I can't…" he murmured and she kissed him again, lighter and more sweetly this time. That was the ticket right there.

He slid his arms around her waist, the booze making his blood pump. Maybe he envisioned George in his arms instead, maybe he was so far gone that it didn't matter who he was kissing. But to Daisy, she didn't care. Finally she had what she wanted.

"Mason…" she whispered in a lilting sing-song voice.

He grinned and let her lead him on, his vision already gone for the most part. The platinum turned into a dirty blonde that, upon falling into the soft sheets, he ran through his fingers lovingly before he kissed her. Hands splayed out over bodies and as their kissing heated clothes started being pulled off in a slow, seductive manner.

Daisy ran her long fingers across his back, gently moving over his spine and she delighted in seeing the shiver that covered him. Mason leaned down and kissed her lightly pulling her close. This is what it's like when you're in love… Daisy mused quietly as she ruffled Mason's hair in a very George-esque way. He was a gorgeous guy. But…something was still wrong.

Mason kissed her throat, letting his hands move over her shoulders as his fingers skimmed over her stomach. This was it. This was the best it could ever be. He loved her and when they woke up in the morning he'd see that. But why wasn't she so sure? Would this just be another one night stand? No, not this time.

As Mason took a deep breath and leaned down over her, his body shining in the moonlight with that thin layer of perspiration, he kissed her deeply. He felt amazingly good. And he was happy that he couldn't tell if he was drunk anymore. Daisy smiled and skimmed a hand down his bare chest to his stomach, letting her fingers curl in the soft trail of hair at the base of his abs.

"You alright, darling?" Mason asked, his voice soft and genuine as he lay down beside her and she curled into him.

"Fine. Just fine." Daisy answered, resting her head on his shoulder and shivered a bit as his hand slid over her hips.

They fell asleep that way, Daisy all curled up seductively in Mason's drunken embraces. They smiled in their sleep, A satisfied grin on Daisy's face and a slight twitch of a smile on Mason's lips as they drifted off. In the morning they would both wake up to the sight of one another and every fight and every unkind word would be replaced with happiness and love. That was the way it was supposed to be, wasn't it?

GPOV

When I woke up in the morning I instinctively reached out to pull the lanky body that normally shared the bed with me closer. To my increasingly less groggy surprise I found that there was no one there, and that no one had been there all night. Had I really slept alone for the first time in months? Had Mason really not come up to bed? What was up? Something was wrong. Very wrong.

I slid out of the room and went downstairs hoping to find him passed out in front of the TV from the night before. Not a chance in hell, it would seem. If he were home he would have come up to bed…wouldn't he? The kitchen and living room were empty, the dining room and den too. Hell, even the bathrooms were empty so that meant Daisy wasn't even up yet.

Daisy. I looked toward the hallway to her room. It was dark and the door was shut. She must have gotten in really late last night because I didn't even hear her. Had she seen Mason? Had she…done something to Mason? Christ, he could be locked in a cell somewhere because of her stupid ass.

I slowly turned the doorknob to her room and waited for the inevitable creak that would follow as per normal of all the doors in the house. It was blessedly silent. Maybe she was awake, but just laying around. The room was completely dark save for the window covered in grey, gauzy curtains that cast a dim glow over most of the room. Nothing seemed out of place. Everything was put away just the way she liked it. Until I saw the bed.

Mason rest on his back just as he had every time with me in the morning and Daisy was curled up at his side, head pillowed on his chest. I was speechless and thank god because if I could have talked or made a noise of any kind I probably would have started screaming. I stared for a long time, my mouth gaping open and it wasn't until I went to manually put my jaw back did I realize tears were rolling down my face.

No…anything but this. How could she? How could HE? What did I do? What…fuck me. I turned and left, making sure to leave the door wide open as I made my way back up to the room. Suddenly I didn't feel like being awake anymore. As I slid into bed I shoved a pillow over my face just to drown out the sounds of my crying from my own ears. Fucked over again. Was this going to become a trend? Every guy I ever care about is going to leave me for something else? Would that be the way it was going to be?

I picked up the phone and punched in Happy Time's number then Delores' extension. No one would be there aside from Crystal and I didn't feel like having to talk to a normal human so I just left a message saying that there were some personal issues happening and I needed the day off. Delores would probably call when she got in to find out what aforementioned issues were, but I'd just ignore it and lie about it tomorrow. I couldn't…there was no way I'd be able to work.

I laid there for a long time, staring up at the ceiling mulling over everything in my head. Things had been going so well, I thought. Mason and I were happy…and if not happy then at least something close to normal. I thought we were good for each other. What the fuck went wrong? What happened? What…what did I do? Why would he…do that? I felt the tears coming in full waves this time and I tried pushing them back. There was no need to cry over some douchebag who'd leave me for the proverbial town whore. But I started sobbing uncontrollably anyway.

"Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!" I yelled into the pillow and pounded on the bed with my fist until I was sure something would pop loose if I did it anymore.

I was shaking and if I had tried to stand up I don't think I would have made it. Nothing was as bad as this was. Not my parents' divorce, not JD dying, not my death, not Betty's leaving, not even when Tripp fucked me over just like this…this was worse than anything. But why? Shit…I was in love with Mason.

I sat up and wiped at my eyes, sniffling loudly as I haphazardly got dressed and tied my hair into a knot at the top of my head. Fuck, I was depressed and I didn't care how I looked at that moment. And sadly I was slightly wishing one of them had woken up so they'd see me and know I knew. But when I went downstairs it was as quiet and still as it ever was.

By the time I made it to Rube's apartment building I had no fucking clue what I was going to tell him. Did I tell him Mason and I had been together? Did I tell him Daisy and him had sex more than likely and I was pissed not to mention hurt about it? Did I tell him…anything? What was he going to do? Yell at them? Would that change things? Fuck no, it wouldn't change anything. And it probably wouldn't make me feel better anyway. I mean, Rube's a scary guy and all but whatever lame lecture he could come up with wouldn't inspire the hurt in them that I was feeling now. Nothing and no one would make this go away and all I wanted was to wake up and it never have happened…or at least wake up and me not have known about it.

I pushed the buzzer outside his apartment and leaned on the doorframe. I was still crying and sniffling and no doubt he would be asleep and pissed I woke him up…crying no less. He'd pull the paternal thing and I'd end up crying on him for a good ten minutes or so then he'd offer some ancient pearl of wisdom that was supposed to make me feel better and I'd go back to sobbing my heart out on the bed at home. No, not this time.

"George?" he asked and I hadn't even noticed he'd opened the door.

"Does Rosslyn keep her phone on all the time?" I blurted out, not realizing what I was saying.

He moved out of the way and I went in, wiping my eyes. I was exhausted already from crying and I'd only been awake less than an hour. I just wanted to go to bed and pretend it was all a dream…a really bad, fucked up dream.

"The fuck happened to you? Are you okay?" Rube asked and gave me the concerned face.

"I just…look, does she keep it on or not?" I asked. Rosslyn would help. She was all…in tune with stuff. She'd know what to do; plus, she was a woman and I needed another girl's advice.

"Of course she does, but what the fuck happened to you? What's wrong?"

I shook my head and sniffled loudly, "can I have her number, please? She gave it to me, but I lost it."

"What do you need to talk to Rosslyn for?" Rube asked, his eyebrows gathering.

"I just need to, okay? Woman stuff."

"Uh huh….right…" Rube answered and went to his desk. He wrote something down on a Post-It and handed it to me. No, it wasn't a reap, but Rosslyn's number and I looked at it for a moment before putting it in my pocket.

"Thanks." I mumbled, feeling another wave of sobbing about to hit me as I saw the image of Mason and Daisy in bed together for had to have been the millionth time since I'd left the house.

"Something…bad?" Rube asked, his arm going around my shoulders and I leaned into him as a child would to their dad.

"The worst." I hiccupped and he hugged me, hands running over my back. Rosslyn really had gotten to him…and I wasn't complaining.

"I have to go…thanks, Rube."

"You have the day off, Peanut. Go do whatever you need to do, okay?" Rube called after me as I went to the door.

"Thanks."

The minute I got outside I pulled out my cell phone. I had no fucking clue if I could call that far long distance but I needed someone who would listen to me. I pulled out the Post-It Rube had given me as well and carefully dialed in midst of trying to keep my vision from tearing up as I pressed the number into the keypad of my phone. It rang three times and my heart sank, thinking she wouldn't answer but a slightly hesitant voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Rosslyn…" I started, my voice shaky and I leaned against the nearest building I could find and sank down to huddle against the base of it, my knees pulled up and my face buried into them with the phone pressed to my ear.

"George? What's wrong? What's going on? Are you okay?" Rosslyn asked, and I noticed vaguely that the British lilt had softened her speech and I was immediately reminded of Mason which made me start to sob.

"I…woke up and…I saw them together. I thought he hated her and oh my god, Rosslyn I don't know what happened. They were in bed…I think the slept together. What did I do? I don't know what's going on… I just thought he was…" it all came out jumbled and wreaked with my sobbing. I could only hope she got out what I said because I couldn't repeat it.

"Calm down, Georgia. Just calm down, alright? Tell me what happened." She said in a calm, but firm voice and I heard the slight twinge as though she were in pain.

"I…I woke up this morning and I found…I found..." I started to cry again, my forehead pillowed on my free hand and I realized I probably looked like a fucking idiot crying out on the street like I was.

"What did you find?"

"Mason…and Daisy."

"What? Doing what? It's okay, take all the time you need."

I took an extremely shaky breath and let it out, "No, it's not okay. They were in her bed together and I'm willing to bed they had sex."

There was a long pause and if I could have seen her face I'm pretty sure it would have held the 'holy what the fuck?' look. I think I could actually hear her jaw hanging from her face.

"You're kidding me."

"No, I'm not."

"Okay, listen to me, honey. Just don't let this get to you, okay? I'm sure it's…not as bad as it looks. Talk to Mason. He wouldn't lie to you and if he says they didn't do anything then believe him."

"They were in bed naked together. How should I take it when he explains that one?"

"You have every right to be really hurt and angry, but you need to get the facts first. Talk to him, okay?"

"What about Daisy?"

Another pause, "throw her sorry ass out."

"Ha, can do."

MPOV

I woke up and pulled the body close to me even closer. I loved the feeling of having her pressed up against me so early in the morning before she had to get ready for work. I loved the feel of her warmth and the look I got when those brown eyes opened and the first thing she'd see was me. I loved it. I loved her.

When my eyes opened they weren't met with the beloved brown ones I'd become so accustomed to. Instead I looked into a pair of deep blue ones and I swear to god I almost shit my pants.

"Daisy?" I spat and jumped up, practically tossing her out of my arms and when I looked down I realized that the crazy, fucked up sex dream hadn't been a dream at all.

"Morning, honey." She smiled and stretched lazily.

"What…oh my fucking god, what happened?" I asked. I must have been fucking plowed to not remember anything.

"You don't remember? I'm hurt." She mock pouted and slithered, that's right slithered, out of bed and lifted a hand to touch me.

I batted it away, "don't you fucking touch me! What the hell happened lat night, Daisy? Why am I here and why…am I naked?"

She looked honestly scared and angry in that instant, "We made love like I never have before! You told me you loved me and that we were going to work things out! What's the matter with you? Don't you remember that?"

I blinked. There was no fucking way in hell I could ever have done that. I didn't love her. Hell, I didn't even LIKE her. I took a few shaky steps back and leaned on the wall before I made a face at her looking at me and grabbed the jeans I had worn from the night before off the floor and pulled them on. I racked my brain trying to remember anything about the night before, but I couldn't pull up anything after we left the bar.

"You got me…you did this." I whispered and looked up at her.

"You didn't say that last night." She hissed and I reached over and grabbed her, pulling her to me by her wrist and glared down into her eyes.

"I have NEVER hit a woman, but you deserve it like all hell right now, Daisy Adair. You are so fucking immature and selfish and God forbid someone doesn't love you. You had better hope to God George hasn't found out about this or I swear I will do something that I'd NEVER do." I hissed into her face and gently pushed her so she landed on the bed and stalked out of the room.

"How could you say you loved me, Mason? You don't care about anything!" she called down to me, but I was already halfway up the stairs and praying George was still asleep in bed.

To my utter horror she wasn't. It was too early for her to have gone to Der Waffle Haus and way too early for her to be at work. She didn't jog or any of that shit in the morning so the only other option was that she just up and left. Fuck me.

I pulled on a new set of clothes and headed for downstairs, raking my hand through my hair to give it some semblance of non sex hair. As I reached for the doorknob I saw Daisy coming toward the living room wrapped in her robe and she looked at me, her eyes puffy and red from crying.

"Don't pull that shit, Daisy. I don't love you and I never will. Get over it, okay?"

"Mason…" she reached out a hand and I shook my head, opening the door and leaving.

GPOV

I got to the house about an hour or so after I'd left. After I had gotten off the phone with an apparently injured Rosslyn I sat on the street and tried to muster up the ability to get up and go home. I couldn't quite bring myself to do it until I sat there and had a conversation about the fact that it was probably not what it looked like. But it looked fucking horrible so not being what it looked like still meant bad. And in case you're confused you should really consult Webster's on the meaning of the word 'bad'.

When I opened the door I cast a cautious glance around the room. It was empty. Shit, they were probably still in bed if I knew Daisy well enough. I didn't want to bother going to look so I headed for the stairs with the idea of a hot bath in mind.

As I clambered up the stairs heard a noise from across the hall from my room and I saw Daisy, still wrapped in her bathrobe, walk out of the guest room. She looked horrible. She was crying and the minute our eyes locked I could feel a rage boiling up inside of me and I had to fight down the urge to tackle and beat the ever loving shit out of her on the spot.

"Where's Mason?" I asked in a cold voice.

She shook her head, "I don't know."

"Bullshit."

"I honestly don't. He blew out of here about half an hour ago."

"What…" I bit back the need to just scream until my throat was raw, "happened last night between you two?"

She shut her eyes for a moment, "we…slept together."

I felt tears burning behind my eyes and I plopped down on the stairs and took a few breaths before glaring up at my blonde roommate, "WHY?"

She shook her head, "I don't know. I thought…he was still in love with me and we went out and…we had a few drinks…"

"He was drinking again?" I was…there are no words for what I was. I was anxious and exasperated and shocked and angry and everything else that falls into that category.

"I…yeah, he was."

"Did you get him to drink?"

"I didn't do anything, Georgia. Everything he did…"she paused, looking like she was trying to gain the courage to say what she was going to say, "was of his own free will, okay?"

"You bitch."

She blinked and I scrambled up and pushed her against the wall, "How dare you do that! How dare you say that! You did it to him and I know you did! Get out! Get the fuck out of this house! I never want to see you in here ever again!"

"But Georgia-"

"Get out, Daisy! Get Out! Get Out! Get Out! GET OUT!"

She pulled away from me and scrambled down the stairs as I sank against the wall and started to cry like I'd never done before in my life…or afterlife. I cried for a long time and barely heard the sound of the front door shutting. I never wanted to see her again and I wanted Rube to transfer her…I wanted her to die. I wanted him to die. I wanted to die.

OPOV

Mason slipped quietly into the house. George was home, he could feel it. Daisy wasn't, he could feel that too. Well, there were no signs of dead bodies on the ground so he assumed Daisy was just gone. It was still early and he only had somewhere around forty minutes before they all had to be at Der Waffle Haus for their morning assignments. He had to find her.

He made his way upstairs and stopped when he heard the soft sounds of someone crying. George. His George. He bit on the knuckle of one of his hands in attempt to not cry himself, leaning on the railway of the stairs. God, how could he have done that? How could he not remember doing it? What the fuck was he going to say to her?

He knocked softly and the crying abruptly stopped and was replaced by soft sniffling, "what?" George asked, her voice shaking and thick with tears.

"Georgie?" he asked quietly, half hoping she wouldn't hear him.

"Go away."

"Georgie…" he started, a little louder and pressed his palms against the door.

"I said go away!"

"Please…let me try and…god, what can I possibly say that'll do anything?" Mason mused out loud and leaned on the door.

"Nothing. Now go."

Mason pushed open the door and saw George huddled on her side of the bed, a pillow crushed to her chest and her face red, puffy and sad. It twisted Mason's heart like nothing ever had. He felt tears of his own gathering and he leaned in the doorway, their eyes locked on each other.

"I…I'm sorry." He finally said, complete submission in his voice.

"You're sorry…like that means anything, Mason." She angrily chuckled and wiped at her eyes.

"I…can't even tell you, George, I can't. I don't…know what happened last night, okay?"

"I do. You fucked Daisy."

He winced and shut his eyes, tears starting to roll down his face, "I know that. I don't know how it happened, though and I swear to you that it wouldn't have happened if I did know-"

"You were fucking drunk, Mason, don't even try to lie to me! You said you'd give it up and you lied! You lied to me and everyone else! How in the fuck do you think that makes me feel? And with Daisy? Come on, Mason! I know you're still lusting after her at the very least!"

"Georgie, please. I didn't mean to do it! She got me fucking piss drunk, okay?"

"You could have said 'no, I'm sober now thanks' remember? It's not like she held you down and poured it down your throat or anything, right?" She tossed at him sarcastically and he turned his head away from her as though he'd been hit.

"I know. And I don't deserve you talking to me. I'm an idiot and I'm nothing. I'm the lowest of the low (1)." Mason said quietly, biting at his lip.

"Get out, Mason." George ordered softly, turning her gaze away from him.

"I can't ever tell you how sorry I am, but Georgie I am so sorry. I…I'm a callus, idiotic wanker who doesn't deserve to be in your presence-"

"Please, Mason. Just go away." George ordered again and lay down, pulling the covers over her head.

"Of course, Georgie…" Mason conceded and left the room.

Der Waffle Haus was a somber place. Daisy didn't look at anyone, Roxy had been quiet since the William issue, Rube was still trying to figure out what happened to George that morning, Mason looked like someone had just kicked his puppy and George was nowhere to be found. Kiffany looked around at her normally somewhat animated group and put down the pot of coffee she held in her hand.

"What happened to all of you?"

No one said anything and she shook her head, filled their mugs with coffee and left the table. They were all silent for a long time before Rube finally couldn't take anymore and pulled his day planner open and started to stick the day's Post-Its in front of his "merry" reapers.

"One for each of you. Now get out of here before you cause a baby to cry or something. Except you, Mason. I want to talk to you." Rube ordered and everyone cleared out except for Mason who just sat there.

"So what happened?" Rube finally asked after everyone had finally left.

"What do you mean what happened?" Mason asked sullenly.

"I mean why in the fuck was Georgia at my door at five thirty this morning crying?"

"I don't know, Rube, why don't you ask her."

"I told you that if you hurt her I'd do something you'd regret. You promised you wouldn't hurt her."

Mason glared up at his boss, "I didn't fucking hurt her! I mean…I did, but I…fucking Christ, Rube I fucked up so bad. I don't even know what happened, I swear to you."

"What happened?"

Mason told him and Rube sat there with wide eyes. There was no way in hell Mason could screw up that badly, especially since he loved Georgia. Well, he couldn't fuck up that badly if he loved her as much as he claimed to and by the look on his face he wasn't dicking around.

"So I suggest you fix this." Rube answered in reply to…everything Mason had said.

"Oh really? And how would you like me to do that?" Mason asked angrily, flicking a sugar packet off the table.

"Talk to her. Hell, talk to Ros. I think that's what Georgia did when she came clamoring up asking for her number this morning."

"Bloody hell, now Ros knows I'm the biggest prat in the world? Great."

"Just go, okay? Fix it before I have to do something about this."

Mason nodded, "fine." and slid out of the booth.

(1): "I'm the lowest of the low" is actually a line from Callum Blue's character Mark Wilde on the British show As If. I thought it was rather fitting here so I yanked it.