Kuroshitsuji © Yana Toboso

OCs © reaper-of-lost-souls

Annalise © Stone Undertaker

A/N: Well I was bored today and finished my homework early, so I decided to review another chapter for you guys ^^ I hope you enjoy, like always, and I'm sorry in advance if this story gets complicated… not like it wasn't complicated before, but it's going to get a WHOLE lot worse. Trust me on this. It's hard for me to keep up and I'm writing this thing XD ENJOY! And see you at the end! ;3

! #$%^&*()

"Oh hey Annalise," Sophie waved, the redhead looking over to see Sophie about to walk up the stairs beside her.

"Sophie!" Annalise chuckled happily, "Long time no see! How have you been? What's going on? Have you talked to Grell recently?"

"Ummmm, let's see," Sophie poked her chin thoughtfully, the two of them stopping at the bottom of the stairs as she thought. "I've been as well as I've always had, life is complicated as normal, and no I haven't talked to Grell. Why? Is something wrong?"

"No nothing's wrong," Annalise smirked, beginning up the stairs with Sophie trailing along behind her. "I was simply wondering because he likes to disappear often."

"Does she at least get her work done?" she asked with a tired sigh.

Annalise giggled happily, "Of course! Grell just finds any way possible to get out of the building asap. I wonder if he's still mad at William or whatever. He will speed read through his work, I know that, and try to be done by noon."

"Interesting," Sophie thought aloud, "but sadly I have my own problems on my hands. I can't attend to her every beckoning call yet."

"Oh?" she tilted her head to the side, "and what would that be?"

"Nothing much," Sophie shrugged, "except I have some strange beings coming after me trying to take my soul or take control of me… again."

"Again you say?" Annalise questioned her, "and when has this happened before?"

"Just every other day it seems," Sophie chuckled lightly, "but it's only the types of beings that change from time to time. No big deal."

"Big deal? Of course it's a big deal!" Annalise huffed, "After all this is your soul you're talking about! A very tasty~ looking one, if you don't mind me saying. Though… how exactly can they take a shinigami soul? Seems impossible to me."

"Well it's not," she smirked slyly, "and it's a lot easier to take my own because I'm a combination of both human and shinigami. Thus I have a body and a soul… and a humanity too. I don't actually have to take orders from anyone, but since I'm nice I do, just to see what they'd say." Sophie chuckled darkly, "And that's probably why William the Tyrant~ Spears is always hounding on me to tell him what's going on. Not that I mind, but it can get annoying at times."

"I see," Annalise smiled slightly, "but now may I ask who's after you this~~ time?"

"Ummm… just voices," Sophie shrugged.

"… Voices?" she questioned her.

"Yes," Sophie chuckled with the nod of her head, "voices. Pretty powerful voices I must add and probably a lot more powerful than the council themselves… maybe even Death himself. I don't really know, but all I do know is that they want my soul because I came into contact with them. They are trying to insist that I chain myself to them, but why should I?"

"Well what are they exactly?" Annalise tried to ask.

"I… don't really know," Sophie sighed, "but they seem to be souls… like perhaps a fusion of various souls over time, powerful or not. It's like an essence, like how the angels say they obey a creature called the Lord, where supernatural beings like ourselves disappear into once we've died or our mission in this world is done. Our soul cannot wander, cannot escape, and is infused into this force. I don't know how to describe it, but all I can tell that it's too bright for me," she huffed. "Maybe… it's best to call it a parasite? Seeps into your mind till you go crazy, to the point that you want to destroy yourself and everyone around you."

"I still don't see why they want you –"

"Because I did something I shouldn't have, though maybe it was something that was going to happen one way or another," Sophie shrugged, "but either way they're trying to make me go crazy and my mind feels all… jumbled up. So I'm sorry if I haven't been speaking to anyone lately, but it's just been frustrating. I hope you understand."

"I guess," she chuckled lightly, "but you know once you see Grell he's going to go crazy~~"

"… Maybe some things are best left unsaid," Sophie suggested, stepping onto the level E and walking with Annalise side by side as they made their way to their desks, "and now that we're here why are you so early for once?"

"Oh I've just learned that if you do your work early you're let out a whole lot sooner than if you procrastinate," Annalise smirked. "You?"

"Can't sleep," Sophie huffed, "and I needed something to do."

"Well knowing Mr. Spears~~ he'll have something waiting for us," Annalise sighed sadly, "but oh well~. Another boring job to do, I suppose."

"You know if you join the Paranormal Operations you won't have to deal with boring jobs, as much," Sophie shrugged before continuing. "There are so many mixed breeds in the group and there's enough work to go around. For a demon like yourself, from what you've told me, you'd have a free range to eat condemned souls without worrying about the council trying to tail and kill you. Though you'll have to control that problem you seem to have when you smell blood," she chuckled nervously.

"Oh I know," she giggled, "and free range~ you say? Hmmmm… sounds tempting, but I'll have to think about it. After all I get a lot of work already and I can't possibly be out all day and night working on reaping souls."

"It won't be extra work," Sophie explained. "If you officially become a member your work level will stay about the same. It's the quality~ of the work you do that will change, that's all. Most shinigami groups get the boring jobs, but the Paranormal Operations get the more interesting, hard and demanding work in the whole association. Sadly we don't have many workers because we will lose them on the missions we must do… and you have to earn~ your keep in our organization. You can't simply be a shinigami, a half-shingiami, or whatever. You have to know what you're doing and have the strength and skill to back it up. If you don't, well~~… you can end up dead or possibly badly injured. We go to various isolated places where shinigamis don't like to go and take souls that are contracted to demons, infused with monsters, taken into hell or heaven, and etcetera. Of course you don't have to do everything and what you'll do shall be assigned to you by your expert qualities and everything you can do best… Understood?"

"Interesting," Annalise smirked slightly, "but I like to do things my~ way anyways."

"Well here," Sophie shrugged, handing her a card, "if you ever change your mind. Talk to Alexander Agon before you come to me though. I'll probably be off doing one thing or another and would have to make some sort of appointment."

"Or we can just talk now," she chuckled, "unless you're thinking of leaving our group."

"Of course not!" Sophie huffed, "I never would!... or want to that is…" She sighed, setting her stuff down by her desk before slumping down in the chair. "I suppose it's time to do something productive."

"I guess," Annalise shrugged with her back to Sophie as she sat down at her own desk and went over the paperwork that was left on her desk. "Long… stupid paperwork."

"You said it," Sophie snorted, pausing for a moment before erupting into laughter. Annalise glanced over at her before shrugging again, Sophie giggling before wiping a tear and looking over her work. "Oh geeze," she snickered under her breath, "darn Undertaker. Your insanity influences me a little too~~ well."

! #$%^&*()

Sophie sighed, taking her time with her next scheduled reaping and taking a side route through the forest. She groaned, pressing her head against the trunk of a tree and putting her hands on her head. "Oh god, oh god," she mumbled under her breath, closing her eyes as she felt a headache taking over her brain. Throughout the day the voices began to grow louder, more forceful with their demands for her. "Damn it shut up, shut up!" she snarled, blinking a few times and looking up to the sky. The treetops shielded the sun from her eyes, a smile coming to her face as the shadows danced across her face. "Mother… father… I wish you were still here and not me," Sophie sighed sadly, closing her eyes as she tried to reorient herself. "I wish… I was like Marius and had a sibling who was alive in the world of the living instead of me… who could move on with their existence and not have to worry about fulfilling a promise. Why, why does existence curse me so? I just don't want to be here… I don't want to be alive…" Blinking a few times she looked back up to the sky, feeling a bright shine on her face.

She put down her hands and shook her head, her head slowly moving from the sky and at the landscape around her. Sophie felt sick to her stomach, groaning as she looked at everything around her. It may just be the last time she sees everything like this, for Sophie doesn't quite understand what's going on with her. Though if Naum can free himself surely she can… right? She shook her head. It's just not the same. He is bound to someone, and even if it's Eve that's still a prison. She didn't like the thought of being a captive, bound in a prison. It's just… Sophie gulped, a slight whimper escaping her throat. "I don't… w-want to be bound again… damn it. Damn iT! IT'S ALL DORREN'S FAULT! I JUST KNOW IT!"

Then she blinked, a groan escaping her head as she leaned against the trunk of the tree and looked out to the trees in front of her. "W-what the hell was that?" she sighed, shaking her head as she pulled out the pocket watch and looked at the time. Noticing it was almost time to reap the last soul on her list Sophie began her trudge through the forest, coming to a scenic place out in the middle of nowhere where nature was still very much alive without much human involvement. Her eyes narrowed once she noticed the soul, a woman standing up at the top of a waterfall looking down with a look of regret in her eyes. Sophie searched for any creatures that could be lurking before slowly making her way up the side of the fall, sitting just a foot below the woman's feet as she listened to the human's last words.

The woman let out a tired sigh, staring down at the waters as she bit the bottom of her lip. "Oh Lyle," she shivered sadly, "why did you leave me? Why did you have to die on me?" She looked down at her stomach, a frown on her face as she rubbed her stomach. "I… I failed. I couldn't keep our child, but now we can be together, right?" Sophie watched as her eyes lit up, staring at the sun as it slowly began to fall in the sky, "Goodbye Grandmum Reba. Forgive me."

Sophie jumped to her feet once she saw the woman fall over the waterfall, crashing into the rocks below. She quickly jumped down and took out her black scythe, sighing as she slashed into the woman's chest to evaluate her soul. "How dramatic," she thought solemnly, wondering what this life had to say for themselves. Once the cinematic records began to circle around her Sophie blinked in confusion, noticing something that seemed intriguing with this soul:

Rebecca Gallagher had grown up on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, her mother dying when she gave birth to her. Her grandparents raised her to be a respectable young lady and she was one of the prettiest in the small community she was in, but the other women were jealous. Being ridiculed the girl hid her beauty away and dressed as a boy, though the girl had to admit the clothes were mighty comfortable compared to a dress. Then one day she was invited to a party, which her grandfather insisted she attend. She had met a man named Lyle, almost the same age as she, and they grew to love each other, but Rebecca couldn't bring herself to tell the man she was a simple peasant. You see this man Lyle must have been a noble, not a high ranking noble, but a noble nonetheless. Rebecca eventually decided she wouldn't try to pursue the name any further, going back to life as it once was and dressed in raggedy clothes. Even as she tried to forget Lyle she simply couldn't, and one day he showed up in the town looking for the woman. Rebecca was in complete shock, and sadly Lyle didn't recognize it was her when he passed her in the streets.

Slowly time went on, but one day a man claiming to be her father suddenly showed up. First her grandparents were skeptical, but then they invited him warmly into their homes. Then Sophie noticed something strange about that man: at one point Rebecca had seen her father rip apart a wolf and ate him whole. Now Sophie realized why this record was given to her department. There was a demon involved. Using the name Spade the demon insisted he raise his daughter in his home in London, but the grandparents refused. In anger the demon, one night, killed the grandfather without the others knowing. The peasants thought it was the works of a wolf and the demon got away without the accusations, but Rebecca knew better. She saw what happened that night and she wasn't stupid. Rebecca ran as fast as she could and looked for Lyle, coming across him once again to ask his help. He promised he would, but insisted that once he did that she stay with him forever, and she accepted. What the woman hadn't figured out was the demon was contracted to Lyle and the man had sent the demon to find his love and bring her to him. Now that the demon's contract was completed the demon named Spade killed Lyle and she ran off. Rebecca ran for her home and once she came upon her grandmother she cried for what seemed like days. Eventually Rebecca tried to move on, but then the demon kept coming by as her father, still trying to take her away. She decided that the only way to find peace is to kill herself, believing the demon will leave her grandmother alone if she killed herself. So Rebecca did what she could and jumped from the waterfall, her regret letting herself go to that party when she was young and reckless.

Once the records stopped playing Sophie sent the film into her scythe, frowning at the woman as she lay dead on the rocks. "You only wanted to live didn't you," she sighed and ran a hand through the bloody hair, "but alas that's not what was supposed to be. You ran away from your fate and ended up killing yourself… and by choice… but would that have been better then to have never met the man at all?" Seeing a faint glow coming from the woman's chest Sophie snatched the soul into her hand, taking out a jar and letting it recede into the bottle before closing the top with a cork. She tucked the jar into her bag and jumped away, slowly making her way back to the shinigami realm.

As she slowly made her way across the treetops she felt a presence following her, Sophie looking behind herself and noticing that nothing was there. "It's not a demon, but…" she shook her head and continued on, wondering what the strange feeling was. Jumping out of the trees she made her way by foot to the shinigami realm, quickly feeling the surge of energy yet again and turned around. She narrowed her eyes, knowing something was there, and slowly backed away as she took out her scythe and aimed it at the suspecting being. "Ok I know you're there. Come out! Come out!" Sophie ordered, but didn't get a reply or that is… a reply she wasn't suspecting of getting. She began to hear whispering in the back of her mind, Sophie letting out a tried groan as her eyes darted around her and she tried to find the source of the energy. Then she quickly realized something, this may be the voices doing, but if it was then how were they able to transfer themselves into her own world? What are they exactly? Were they controlled by something or was this all their own doing?

"Our own doing~~" she heard a multitude of voices behind her, Sophie letting out a gasp and pushing whatever was behind her back before shoving herself to the ground.

Her eyes stared up in fear, seeing a white hovering light shining before her. It seemed to take on the form of a human, but yet there was neither face nor any clothing. Yet she could feel its gaze on her and Sophie realized that being, spirit, whatever it was had been following her. "Go away, damn it!" she snarled, swatting her scythe carelessly in front of her as she shuffled back to her feet. The spirit slowly made its way towards her as she began to run for the realm, hoping the barrier would stop the being before it could snatch her. Sophie gasped in shock, the spirit never disappearing behind, but \ seemed to be gaining on her. It was as if whatever she did the spirit was always there, never moving from its intended goal. Realizing the being was getting too close Sophie pulled out the jar she had in her pocket, tied it around the long handle of the black scythe, and with a tremendous thrust threw the weapon up into the air and through the portal into the shinigami realm. She dashed as fast a she could to the barrier, but before her body can move through a long piece, of what Sophie felt to be rope, grabbed hold of her ankle and pulled her to the ground. "Let go of me!" she snarled at the being, trying to pry the energy that was surging up her leg and shocking through her body.

"Give the soul to us and we won't have to destroy~ you," the voices said, Sophie blinking in confusion as she continued to try to get herself into the barrier and away from the creature.

"I don't even know what you want!" Sophie yelled, sending a surge of her own dark energy into her hands and piercing the rope off of her leg. Standing up she dashed for the barrier, but in an instant was grabbed by the collar of her shirt and thrown into a nearby tree.

"We~~ weren't talking to you," it hissed in her ear, causing Sophie to shudder. "Give us the other~ creature. We don't want to talk to a weakling like you~~"

"Weakling huh?" Sophie huffed in disgust, "and what makes you so high and mighty to say anything like that?! Huh!? –"

She let out a startled gasp, her throat suddenly becoming tight as she began to feel an energy slowly making its way into her chest. "Go away moral~" the voices said in almost a whisper. "You're not anywhere close to our powers~"

"J-just what are you?" Sophie shuddered in fear, feeling a bolt surging through her body and suddenly let out a large amount of blood. She let out a yelp as she was suddenly thrown aside, but when she looked up she noticed that her body was still pinned to the tree by the glowing force.

Sophie whimpered in fear, staggering to her feet as she subconsciously began to back away. Her body groaned, blinking a few times before narrowing her eyes at the creature. "What is the meaning of this –"

"My master~" the voices began to speak, her body mumbling in anger over their words, "Why have you done this? Why did you give up your infinite wisdom to become this… this thing~. This demon –"

"Demon, me? You must be mistaken," she chuckled lowly, a growl escaping her lips as her hands gripped hold of the energy and began to fight back with a large swirl of black aura emitting from her grasp. "I am perfect~~ just the way I am, and for you… souls~ to even think I'm not is an insult to me and everything I have done, which means you're only insulting yourself, pathetic."

"Do not question us, oh great Creator," the voices spoke to the spirit living in Sophie's body, Sophie staring at them confused and unable to snap out of the scene showing before her. "We know more than you do now and you cannot control us now –"

"If that's so then why take the time to capture me and my host?" her body snorted. "You have no power over me~. What? You want to try to control me? Don't you think it's a useless attempt to do so –"

"If we do not capture you our existence will one day be destroyed," they explained, "and you do not even know the extent of your powers. Power~… you have power you can never even dream about. Now we simply cannot capture your essence, but if we take the only soul and body you can use in this world you will return back to the depths of the underworld and regain your absolute knowledge and wisdom. Only then will you know why it is important that we stay –"

"Even if that's true there's no way I'd go along with this!" Sophie's body snarled, trying to pry the voices' grip away from her body. "Do you even understand why I had to leave there? Do you? No you don't! –"

"And neither do you," the voices insisted, "and neither does anyone else. Then tell us, my master~, why you have done the things you do."

"Because…" her body paused, looking over at Sophie as she slowly stood up and began to back away. The soul cracked a smile to her, but then narrowed her eyes, quickly turning from Sophie's normal blue and green colors to an instant bright yellow gaze that shone even more intensely then the spirits around her. "Because… ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is bliss… and humanity is a being that should be treasured, never harmed. Freedom… that is what I want… Freedom from the infinite wisdom, knowledge, and responsibility that comes with the job you seem to portray me as. I do not ever wish to use my powers for what you want and any soul and body I am in will say the same. You do not own me~, I own you~~. I can do whatever I want," she chuckled lowly, "and you can't tell me what to do. Everything is done for a reason and your involvement in manipulating with others' lives changes that perception. You are meant to be here, but yet you are not. You are, I am, in itself, my own paradox. Without my creation there is no life? But yet how did I come to be? That is a question that will never be answered, and something I never wish to find out." Her body narrowed her eyes, staring at Sophie as the woman let in a frightened gulp. "Now leave us. Your presence here is annoying and I'd rather see you burn in flames then linger in the heart, soul, and mind of my sympathetic host."

Sophie's eyes widened, noticing the spirits' gaze suddenly upon her. "A beautiful testament~" the voices chuckled, "but we are not looking for an answer such as the one you have spoken of."

"Picky aren't you?" her body huffed, giving Sophie a look as if to tell her to start running. Yet Sophie's feet felt plastered to the ground, unable to shift away as she shuddered in fear. "If you don't like my answer, why ask?"

"To see if you'll change your mind~ before we take your host into us," the glow began to separate, Sophie stepping backward as half of the light began to come towards her as the other half kept a firm grip on her body.

Her body's eyes widened, realizing what was going on. "Sophie run!" her body cried out, Sophie feeling a jolt in the back of her mind telling her to move. Stumbling backward she dashed to the realm, throwing herself past the barrier and staggering backward.

Sophie watched as the light stopped at the barrier she had created, but she could tell it was still making its way towards her and began to push through the barrier. She ran towards her death scythe, reaching out to grab it only to be throwing it aside and let out a yell. "What the hell?!" Sophie cried out, shuddering as she watched her hand as the handle of her scythe left a burnt impression on her hand. She never had this problem, ever! What was going on with her?! What was she becoming!?

She let out a yelp as she was suddenly thrown to the ground, looking up to find the light shining down on her. "Come to us~~ –"

"Get away from me!" Sophie yelled, kicking her feet and yelping as it grabbed her foot and began to pull her towards them. "SOMEONE HELP! – DAMN IT!" She snarled, digging her nails and pressing her body into the ground refusing to cooperate to the voices. Yet this was doing her no good and she was being pulled into the light, frightened tears beginning to fall down her face as she mumbled under her breath for someone to help her. Her fingers were bleeding and her body was pushing the dirt away, but she began to pray that someone would show up, anyone! "U-undertaker… help," she whimpered under her breath, closing her eyes as she felt her soul slowly being sucked away and her form suddenly becomes weaker.

Her eyes opened wide when she felt the light ripping from her leg, Sophie letting out a painful cry as she was thrown aside and fell to the ground with a 'thud'. "Back away you daemonous voices!" Naum sneered, holding up his sword to the light as the voices mumbled among themselves in several different voices at once. "She isn't yours!"

"Oh but she is~~" the voices insisted, beginning to move towards Naum. He growled and strikes his sword at them, the haze vanishing before reappearing again to begin their pursuit. "The soul came into contact with us. Now she must vanish into the light and join us –"

"Over my dead body!" Naum yelled, trying to move the light away from Sophie as she staggered to her feet and quickly backed away. "Get away before it's too late!" Naum called to her, Sophie staring at them blank less as she continued to feel drawn to the voices.

Again her feet wouldn't move, wouldn't back toward or away from them. Her mind was raising miles a minute, trying to process what just happened. Was she nothing but a soul now? Was that why she couldn't touch her scythe – "Back off you sorry excuse for an existence! This soul is mine!" She body yelled, grabbing Sophie from behind and pulling her to the buildings. "It's alright little Sophia~" the voice from her body whispered into her ear, a smirk on her face as Sophie shuddered, "you'll be fine with me~. Nothing to worry about."

Sophie looked up and terror overwhelmed her, seeing that her eyes were bright yellow and was radiating a strange green and yellow light that made her whimper. Looking back at the fighting Sophie frowned, seeing that Naum was being forced backward by the voices. Sweat was falling down his brow and she knew he couldn't keep this up. She looked down in thought, wondering what she should do, before pulling herself from her body as the spirit hiding within her stared at her in shock. "I can't keep hiding like this," Sophie began, taking a step backward to give herself some space, "I can't… keep hiding… I've done that for far too long now. I can't be a coward." Bright yellow eyes blinked at her in confusion, Sophie giving her body a slight smile before turning her head. "I can't live with myself if those things destroy Naum. They're after me, not you. It's my job to protect you… so stay back. Don't interfere with me."

"Sophia~~ –"

"That's an order, damn it!" Sophie turned her head and growled at the spirit, her body staring at her in shock and took a few steps back noticing the anger radiating from her bright crystal blue eyes. "… I'm sorry…" Sophie simply said, looking back at Naum and began to walk towards them.

"You do this and I will vanish!" her body growled, Sophie shuddering as she felt its voice loudly in her mind. "We cannot be together anymore! They'll separate us and your soul will –"

"I know!" Sophie cried out, a few tears falling down her face. Then she chuckled, sniffling as she wiped her tears and turned to look at her body once again. "But… if that means I protect you from this harm then so be it. Please, take care of yourself. I'll be fine."

Sophie let out a cry as she ran towards the light, Naum staring at her in shock as she slammed her weight into the voices. They staggered away and she fell to the ground, groaning in pain as she felt her energy draining her. "Sophie –"

"I-I w-ill not l-et you t-take Naum a-away…" Sophie shuddered, grasping her arm as she tried to keep herself upright and stand to her feet. "T-ake m-me instead o-of Re-ha-nna… TAKE ME!"

"Serbus!" her body cried out to her, Naum being thrown away by the light as they grabbed hold of Sophie.

She felt her energy quickly draining, her visible form disappearing into the light as she turned her head to look at her body and gave the spirit living inside of her a weak smile. "Σ 'α-αγαπώ… Don't forget me… Tiqvah, Σ 'αγαπώ," Sophie tried to hold back tears, drops streaming down her face as her bright crystal blue eyes twinkled directly at the soul living within her body, "Don't forget me…" Naum stared in fright as her body stared at her in shock, Sophie's eyes watching them until she disappeared into the light. All at once the light disappeared, leaving them in the shadows of the coming dusk.

! #$%^&*()

)(*&^%$# !

Sophie let out cries, but nothing came out. All she saw was a bright light, the voices consuming her whole till she was nothing left. The last thing she felt leave her was the markings on her hand, shuddering as the skull glowing on her hand evaporated into the light. She felt tired, alone, and wanted to rest, but all around her was nothing but a bright light. The light was too much, she couldn't sleep. She didn't seem to bring about any appearance, nor feel any pain. Sophie knew in the back of her mind that she had to be somewhere, but didn't know where and why. Slowly she was beginning to lose herself, forget her name… who was she?

"What do you want most in the world?"

She suddenly heard around her, but it was one single voice and not a multitude like it was before. Yet she couldn't tell if it was male or female… was there a difference?

"What is your desire?"

"T-to… to be dead," she answered the voice, subconsciously in the back of her head. "Not be alone."

"Why~?"

"W-why?" Sophie snorted, though she really didn't know how to answer the question.

"Why~~?"

"Why… u-ummm…"

"What is your deepest desire?"

"Deepest?" Sophie thought confused. "I-I don't know –"

"What do you want most in the world?"

"I-I don't –"

"Whom do you long for?"

"I don't know! –"

"Say~~~ it –"

"I don't –"

"Say its name –"

"I don't understand…" Sophie frowned, noticing the voice wasn't answering. "… I don't want to be lonely."

"Who brought you out of loneliness?"

"… J-jeff… J-ericho?" She thought, but felt a head shake in the distance. "H-harr… Haden?"

"No that's not it~. That's not it at all~~ –"

"Then who?!" Sophie cried out, her eyes widening as the light suddenly disappeared and she let out a yelp and closed her eyes.

She blinked confused, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. Then Sophie gasped, coming right into contact with her parents as they looked down at her from above! "Mommy! Papa!" she yelled, reaching her arms up to touch them, but her eyes widened when she saw that her hands where much smaller and pudgier then they should be. "M-mommy?" she called to her mother, but all that was escaping her lips where 'cooing' sounds as her father picked her up and brushed her short, stubby auburn hair.

"I can't believe this is our child," Maurus laughed happily, letting the little babe grasp his finger with her little hand and stare up at him with bright crystal blue eyes. "She's looking as us as if she wishes to tell us something."

"I know," Ellen let out a tired sigh, though there was a smile on her face that was just as wide as Maurus'. "She has your hair," she chuckled lightly.

"And your eyes," Maurus sighed gleefully. "Such beautiful, bright blue eyes."

"Whom should we call her?" Ellen decided to ask.

"I was thinking… Sophia," Maurus smiled to the woman lying on the bed, the wide smile growing on his face as she chuckled at him, "after your mother. Sophia Maurus Ioreta Serbus, so she can have all of our names within her –"

"Beautiful child you have there," a voice came from behind, Maurus' eyes widening while he quickly set the baby down in her mother's arms and took out his death scythe by his side. "Now, now~. I'm here on peaceful terms," the man told him, placing his large silver scythe against the wall and placed his hands up in defense. "I only wanted to know what you were up to. Now I know."

"It's not like that Undertaker –"

"I know you've been wishing for a family," Undertaker grinned over at the woman sitting frightened on the bed as he turned his gaze back at Maurus, "but is this truly the best way to go about this –"

"Humans are creatures like anyone else," Maurus huffed. "After all I was a human before I became a shinigami. Why criticize what I do? You can't control me and you know it, so back off."

"As a friend I am simply looking out for your safety," Undertaker explained, glancing over at the child before looking back at the man standing between them, "but I am also a God of Death. You know the rules. We can't associate with the humans like this –"

"Because they die young? You don't think I know that?" Maurus snorted, turning to Ellen with a smile as he sat down beside her and began to look over their new child. "I… I know… They don't live long… but you can't stop what the heart wants," he chuckled lightly, Ellen giving him a smile as he gave her a kiss before narrowing his eyes at the Undertaker. "… What do you plan on doing?"

"Whatever you want," Undertaker smirked, Maurus giving him a confused look and glaring at him.

"What do you mean –"

"It is not my place to argue. I don't particularly care for the rules myself," he snorted, much to Maurus' amusement. "I will keep this family of yours secret, but you'll have to stop sneaking off to see them. The council will soon be upon you if you keep disappearing, especially Fiona."

"I plan on telling her when the time is right," Maurus smirked, huffing as he let go of the handle of his sword and let out a sigh.

"What do you plan on doing with the child –"

"I don't know!" Maurus growled in anger. "Can't I just be happy for once without thinking of the consequences –"

"Is something wrong?" Thomas asked, narrowing his eyes once he noticed the new man in the room.

"It's alright Thomas," Maurus sighed. "Just arguing, that's all."

"… Alright. Ellen, are you okay –"

"I'm fine now," she smiled weakly, sitting up in the bed and letting out cough, "but we should wrap this up Maurus. The baby will be hungry soon and I don't like having this man hovering around here."

"My apologizes madam," Undertaker bowed to her, Ellen giving him a smile.

"Don't worry about it," she giggled, "but while you're here would you like to see her?"

Undertaker glanced over at Maurus and he gave the man a nod, the shinigami hustling over and looking over the woman's shoulder. He seemed hesitant, but Ellen simply smiled and gently grasped his hand. "What's her name?" Undertaker decided to ask.

"Sophia Maurus Ioreta Serbus," Maurus smiled, running a hand through the baby's hair as she opened her eyes and looked over at her father with interest, "after her grandmother."

"Beautiful soul~" Undertaker thought aloud, Maurus and Ellen looking at him confused, "so pure… so old… an exquisite child Maurus. Congratulatio –"

He paused, looking down as the baby's little hand reached up and grabbed his finger. His eyes widened, her little crystal blue eyes twinkling at him as she giggled happily at him and made 'cooing' sounds. "Undertaker!" Sophie was trying to say, but all she could do was coo at him.

He saw a small smile on her face, a grin that could rival even his own. "She likes you Undertaker," Ellen commented happily, Maurus chuckling as he nudged his friend in the arm. "Will you come back to see us? Even though I'm not exactly what you want –"

"My dear, I never meant for my comments to offend you," Undertaker tried to apologize, though his eyes continued to stare deep into the young baby's. He was drawn into her eyes, as if he could see something her parents obviously weren't, and that made Sophie's heart flutter. "Maurus," he turned to her father, "what do you think?"

"I don't mind," Maurus gave the Undertaker a slight smile, though he was hesitant, "but you must promise me that you'll keep my family safe from harm. You have to promise on everything you stand for that you will. I can't have anything happen to little Sophia… I just can't."

Maurus let out a shaky sigh once he was done, but Undertaker knew why he was being so protective. He cracked a grin, his finger never leaving the child's as he curled his glove around the tiny hand and gently rubbed the skin. "I promise on everything I stand for, as my role as a God of Death, that I will keep you and your family safe from all harm to the best degree I can. I will not let you down, I will not tell of your secrets. You have my word as a god and for all that I am here to do. You know my ways Serbus. I will not break my promises."

"I accept your offer," Maurus smirked, the small hand pulling Undertaker's hand down as they looked over at the baby and she began to suck on his finger. "Awwww~ such a charmer, aren't you?" he chuckled lightly, but looked over at the Undertaker wondering what he'd do.

Undertaker simply stared, unsure of what he should do as the baby stared at him through wide, critical eyes. "It's about time you two gentlemen take your leave," a voice came from the door, the shinigamis looking over to see Thomas standing at the door glaring at them with his weapon by his side. "Maurus you can come back as always, but if this Undertaker plans on coming he must accompany you."

"You don't have to threaten me human," Undertaker talked back, his voice as threatening as Thomas', "I mean you no harm."

"Yes," Maurus sighed, ignoring the tension in the air, "I should get back to the office. Who knows what I'm in trouble for now?"

"When should I expect you?" Ellen asked, the baby in her arms beginning to whimper as Undertaker pulled his hand away and shifted away from the bed.

"A few more days," Maurus explained. "I won't take long. I'm sorry for leaving you so suddenly, but I can't have anyone else know that I'm with you –"

"Don't worry about it Maurus," Ellen cracked a smile, "I have lived without you before and I can do so again."

"Yes," Maurus huffed, "but the last time I left you our first child died due to complications. That could have killed you Elle… I won't let that happen again."

"Σ 'αγαπώ," Ellen simply said, giving the man a kiss before looking over at the Undertaker with a smile. "Take care Undertaker."

"Keep your soul safe," he answered back with a nod, Undertaker walking over to the door and grabbing his scythe from the wall. "Come Dark Centurion, we have much to discuss," the shinigami told Maurus, walking out the door and disappearing down the hallway.

)(*&^%$# !

A/N: And… yeah… little Sophia is revisiting old memories it seems XD Perhaps the voices are replaying her cinematic record to her? I don't know~~, but either way this is getting complicated, even for myself XD Oh well. I think the story is pretty cool. Just have to finish this up =D And if you want to say anything, don't be afraid to ask! Sorry if I've been slow with my comments. I tend to get side tracked a lot ^^' well… SEE YOU LATER! =D

Σ 'αγαπώ – Greek – I love you

Tiqvah – Hebrew – hope