A/N: So...we hit our climax~! And now we see the consequences...don't despair too much though my dears~! So to anyone confused by last chapter hopefully this will clear up a few things. Your reviews have been so very sweet and loving~! I really hope you guys continue to read and enjoy~! Thank you all! -group hug-

"Uunnnnhh, my head..." Eric cringed and covered his eyes as he stirred, flinching from the light. It was so bright, so blindingly bloody bright. It was for a good many moments the blond thought he'd gone blind. He cringed and made to rub his eyes slowly, hitting his glasses instead. What the...he didn't have glasses a moment ago, did he? What had happened even? He remembered running, hiding out in some cave, those few quiet moments with Alan...and pain. Blinding, crippling pain that rips apart every part of the body, destroys the soul little by little and suddenly nothing. Quiet scratching reaching his ears and he slowly sat up, cringing a little from a twinge in his abdomen. "W-where am I...?"

"How's your head, kid?" the blond blinked a few times before turning to see an old reaper sitting at a desk. Desk...scratching...he looked around properly and finally realised he was in the middle of the Dispatch office, or what it looked like at least. It was too bright to be certain bt it had the exact same layout as the Dispatch. "Oi, Slingby. Pay attention," He stood slowly with a wince and stared at the other reaper. "Been a while since you looked that good, kid."

"Who are you?" The old reaper chuckled and stood slowly, pulling a small glasses case out of his pocket and handing it over. Eric snatched it away and opened it quickly, staring at a brand new pair of his glasses. "How...?"

"If you really must ask...then you don't want to know, kid. Now to other matters," The man slapped the younger reaper hard and stepped back. "What the hell were you thinking, huh? Didn't I teach you better than to get mixed up in things beyond your capacity?" He shook his head and watched the blond for a moment, smirking. "Figured out who I am yet?" Eric nodded slowly and straightened up, ruffling his hair a little and looking around.

"Mr. Riley-"

"Bill. I'm not your mentor anymore there's no reason to be so formal."

"...Bill...What is this place exactly?"

"Ah yes! Well...this is limbo. You're not alive, but you're not dead either! It's a strange place really, spent the longest time here before I could pass on,"

"Pass on?" He blinked as the old man hopped on the desk, nodding slowly. He grabbed a few papers and pulled a leg up, filling them out on his knee.

"I don't understand. So I'm dead? Wouldn't I be...well, why don't I feel anything? I mean look at me! I was a wreck, my head was about to explode, And-"

"You were run through, died instantly. Just look at your clothes," The blond blinked and looked down. His clothes were like brand new, well almost. The only imperfection being a massive bloodstain on his shirt. He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled the garment open, dumbfounded by the lack of a large enough wound.

"I don't understand..." The old man took off his glasses and sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"It's pretty easy really. When you die it's basically like a reset for your body. A reset when you fall asleep, understand?"

"I've heard that before...was it like falling asleep for you too?"

"Hardly. It was like a lead pipe being slammed against my head. I wanted to throw up at first, it had been so long since I'd not felt that weight-"

"Weight?" The man narrowed his eyes and righted his glasses.

"Slingby, I was possessed a week before leaving the academy. Spent almost 300 years in constant pain, always thinking my head would explode. After a few years I would beg for death at night, hoping for some sort of relief. It was pure murder, Eric...when I died it was like a huge weight had been lifted. I'd never felt as alive as I had when I came here," The blond nodded slowly and leaned against another desk. "So I'll ask again, kid...how's your head?"

"It's like I've been sleeping for years and finally woke up. For the first time in a very long time it's like I can think clearly, I don't have someone there constantly shouting and grating my eardrums..." The old man smirked and set the papers aside. "But...I suppose Alan's probably gone on already hasn't he?"

"Don't be so sure," He motioned to a reaper lying in a heap not too far off, grabbing a few more papers as he glanced back at Eric. "You know him?"

"Yeah..." he stared at the body quietly as he made his way over, kneeling next to him and rolling him onto his back. For a moment he almost jumped back and stared in shock at the sight before him. Vines were peeking out from his clothes, taunting him almost. "I took too long...No...he's got to be alright! They can't be everywhere can they...?" He swallowed hard and ripped the brunettes shirt open freezing when he saw the vines converging over his heart. "...My god...B-but he can't be dead! I collected the thousand souls! I gave up so much! It can't have been for nothing! Please Al, please don't leave me here alone..." He pulled Alan's body into his arms and shook him, slapped him, yanked his hair, anything to make him respond. "No...! Don't leave me here!" He dropped the reapers body and started sobbing into his chest, pounding the ground. He barely registered a hand on his shoulder until it was followed with a voice.

"Eric. Listen to me...that's just a story, no one's ever managed it before. Even if they had, the only thing they managed to do was get executed for murder. Eric you need to realise that he's probably going to pass on, and you can't follow. I'm sorry," Eric looked up at the old reaper and shook his head. Alan couldn't really pass on, could he? Would he really leave him here alone? "Oh yeah, now's your last chance to check his pockets. I'd do it before he goes," Eric remained still as the man walked away and sighed, looking back and prying his coat open. He rifled through every pocket until he found what he was sure his old mentor had mentioned.

"I don't...this isn't funny old m—what the hell?" He looked up when he felt snowflakes on his shoulders, blinking when he realised there were sparkling flakes falling on the smaller reaper. As they fell and melted into his body, the vines shrank back until they were only over his heart, slowly changing shape until it resembled a black rose instead. "Did it...?" He looked up slowly to see his eyes gradually coming back to life, if not a tad bleary. He swallowed hard as the brunette stared up at him, smiling slightly before he began to fade away. "W-wait a minute...! Don't leave me yet! I can't lose you, Al! Please, stay just a bit longer!" He threw himself on the smaller reaper only to land on his stomach, looking around in a panic. He stood up quickly and looked around the room, "Where is he? Where did he go?"

"I don't know, he might have gone back or he could have passed on. It's not in my control," The old reaper had gone back to his paperwork, not seeing the blond run over and yank him up by his tie.

"Tell me where he is, old man! Did he go on or did he go back? I don't want to go by myself now tell me where he went!"

"I don't know, Slingby now get your filthy hands off of me!" The blond snarled and slapped the man hard, shuddering violently while he tried desperately to keep back tears. "What if I said that he went on?"

"Then I want to go with him! I'm not going back alone!"

"So you would rather burn for eternity then go on? Do you really want that? Saint Peter will reject you when you try to go in the gates. You'll be friends with Lucifer before you are with Gabriel, am I clear? Now go back...you're strong enough to get along on your own," Eric just stared at him, shaking his head as he wiped his eyes before vanishing from the old reapers sight. "Don't fuck up your second chance, boys..."

"Hello? Can anybody hear me! Someone get me out of here please!" Ronald squeaked when he heard shuffling outside of the coffin, pounding on the lid again. "Someone help me please! I'm begging you it's dark and cra—AAAHHH!" He turned onto his side quickly as a chainsaw tore through the coffin, the lid being thrown off finally. Ronald shuddered and looked up, smiling when he saw William offering his hand. "Oh thank God! You have no idea how-wait a minute...You no good bastard!" He slapped William hard once he stood and stormed off.

"What the...?"

"What a silly boy, now might I have my scythe back dear Will?" the redhead blinked and cocked his head to the side. "Please...? I got rid of him for you, for us...please? I want us to be happy, please Will?"

"Get off of me. Did you put him in that coffin, Sutcliff?"

"Hmm? How else could I keep him away from you? You've told me so many times...nothing happens with you two. It's so boring...you miss the way we were...remember~?" Grell slid a finger along the brunettes chest and smirked, squeaking when William shoved him off.

"Stay away from me, Sutcliff. And kiss this little toy of yours goodbye."

"But...but...I need a scythe!"

"I will arrange that for you. Now out of my way," He shook his hair out of his eyes and walked off after Ronald.

Thomas sighed as he watched the two reapers lying motionless in the centre of the room. He was thankful the Undertaker was giving him privacy with his friends. When the others returned, they both thought something was off about them but couldn't quite place it. He sighed and leaned against the wall as he watched the two reapers, hoping for some sign that they weren't really dead. There had to be something, anything! Even a twitch would make him happy at this point.

"Come on..." He sighed and sat by them again, grabbing Alan's hand and holding it tight. He sniffed and pressed his forehead to their hands, shuddering as he struggled to hold back his tears. He barely noticed any movement until he felt his hand being squeezed. After a moment he looked up and furrowed his eyebrows, falling out of his chair when Eric gasped and shot bolt upright suddenly. The larger grabbed his chest and panted heavily as he looked around, staring at the smaller reapers. "M-mr. Slingby?"

"What...happened...? I was...we..." Eric ran a hand through his hair and sighed, swallowing when he saw Alan squeeze his friends hand. He looked down at the brunette and nudged him gently, furrowing his eyebrows when he didn't move. "I could've sworn..." He shook his head and turned to stand slowly, walking to the fireplace and sighing. Thomas blinked and stared silently as the older reaper wandered, catching sight of...where he should be impaled. His clothes were still damaged but the wound was gone, hidden by the blood soaked clothes. He sighed quietly and shoved his hands in his pockets, furrowing his eyebrows as he pulled out a glasses case. "But how did they...?" He shook his hair out of his eyes and slid on a brand new pair of glasses and swallowed as the Undertaker came in, giggling quietly.

"Oh my~! Seems you were right to not bury them yet, kitten~!" He giggled and pulled Thomas to his feet before staring down at Alan, grinning wildly as his eyes fluttered open. "Now to get you two fixed up and out of here~!"