((CREDIT TO JESSE FOR ROLEPLAY PARTS, RAZZEEBERRY, FOR ROLEPLAY PARTS. OVERTHELOVEOFYOU))

Lydia continued to stare in disbelief at the woman. Who was she? /What/ was she? The woman was staring at his wound, her eyes glowing a dark red. Her body seeming to give off an eerie glow. Soon, the blood was disappearing from his wound, and the wound itself was sealing and healing up. The sound of a metal object clattering to the ground startled her. The bullet had fallen out.

Lydia's eyes widened. How was she doing that?! She wasn't human. And how did she happen to be here at this time?! The woman then smiled and stood up. The wound was gone, only a scar remained. "Can you breathe properly now?" She asked a stunned James. He nodded, breathing in deeply.

The little girl slowly approached the woman, tears running down her face. "T-thank you. You saved Daddy..." She whimpered out. The woman slowly turned her head, staring at the child with a blank expression. Her face reflecting in her bloody eyes. She slowly blinked, before smiling softly. "It was my pleasure..." She said gently, reaching out and petting her head gently. So the woman was not heartless or frightening. She had a tender side to her. Something about that child made her smile.

The little girl smiled, feeling ever grateful for this moment. he would remember the woman for her kindness. The woman then slowly turned to face Lydia. "You may not know me...But I know you very well, Lydia Dosset..." She said with a relaxed expression.

Lydia grunted in shock. "What do you mean? How can you possibly know me?" She asked, wondering if she possibly knew her history more then she did.

She said nothing. Her eyes slowly turning to look at something. Lydia realized what it was and grunted and ducked just in time for Elliot to almost stab her head with his knives. "You idiot! You've screwed everything for us!" He hissed, swinging his legs to kick her. But Lydia brought her arms up, grunting as she blocked his hit. "STOP ELLIOT!" She snapped at him, earning a glare from him. "You ruined everything. I worked hard to be here. And you took my career away!"

The mysterious woman was smirking silently, watching the two fight. She could at least stick around to watch the finale...

"Jenna, get inside, now." Said a worried James, who scooted Jenna inside with him after her. Lydia grit her teeth. Luckily there was nobody on this street but them. "A career in letting people die? You think I'll just stand by and let you kill her father? It's over Elliot! Get the fuck over it! Go home!"

"Oh really? And just let my career slip by me as if it didn't matter? We're PARTNERS! In case you haven't noticed, we share in the rewards AND the punishment, smart-ass! Get your act together! This is what we signed up for, so suck it up!"

She seemed to show a hint of regret. But her emotions for saving the human poured through. "Then go back to the dispatch, just leave me behind, tell them it was my fault. But don't even think about hurting James. I will defend him with my life!" She narrowed her eyes, baring his teeth.

The woman kept watching, her eyes glowing red. She was smiling wide.

He sneered disdainfully. "Oh yeah? You and what army? From your display of "courage," I doubt you can last a day here on your own. You women are all the same! Just a bunch of weak, pathetic life-forms that don't have the strength to even stand up for themselves. Even if I told dispatch that it's YOUR fault, the record will still be on me, no matter what! So don't just think everything's about "me me me"! I have a life, too! Don't think this is the last of me you're gonna see, because I'll make sure you regret this day!"

Lydia's eyes glared darkly. "And you men are all the same. Disgusting pigs. Who think of nothing but perversion and reaping. You're all robots. Mindless freaks!" She screamed out, kicking Elliot with all her power.

He grunted from the kick. Pain morphed into livid eyes as he smacked her side with his scythe. "Worthless bitch!" He gasped out. "You don't belong here, much less in the field! Might as well go back to playing doll and beauty queen! You're not needed here!"

Lydia grit her teeth in pain. Blood dripped down her side. "Then go! Leave! It's over!" She hissed, getting her weapon ready. She was ready to defend the humans. Ready to fight for her life.

He rushed at her, scythe poised threateningly to pale her, a wicked gleam targeted on her as he jumped to prepare to finish her off. "Then be gone! It's better if you NEVER even existed in the first place!" His voice dripped with murderous venom.

Lydia's eyes went wide. It was like everything was in slow motion. He would regret saying those words, as the woman from before appeared out of nowhere, kicking Elliot right in his stomach. "Oopsie." She giggled. Lydia's eyes went even wider. How did she do that?

His eyes widened as blood spurted from his mouth. "Gah!" He writhed painfully on the ground as he curled up to cradle the damaged abdomen. In a few moments, he struggled to get up, leaning over heavily on his scythe as he hunched so as to not tax the painful kick.

"I do apologize, but I am so very...very..." She walked slowly, her movements matching with her words. She stood in front of Elliot, her eyes glowing bright. "...Hungry..." A grin appeared on her features, her small canines growing. Showing jagged fangs.

Fearful eyes glanced up as the first thing he saw was her fangs from his kneeling figure. "No! Stop! I don't deserve this! My life's already at stake!" He desperately wiped the blood off his person with his sleeves before raising his knives in a defensive position.

"Ooooh but You are so very useful to me. Your blood will satisfy me." Then, an unknown force moved his arms to his sides. "And reaper's give so much blood. Regenerative powers, ya' know?" She gave a cackle, a horrifying grin appearing on her face.

Lydia watched in disbelief. She wouldn't kill Elliot would she?

Her glaring teeth reflected off determined eyes as he struggled to cling on to what was left of his life as he vainly attempted to relinquish control over his body again. He glared at Lydia accusingly. 'Perhaps her presence attracted this estranged friend of hers. They could be in some league. I have to warn the higher ups.'

"Wait. I have an offer. I won't bother you or Lydia anymore. So long as you don't interfere with the humans destined to die to the To-Die List, we'll be on fair terms. How does that sound?" He pleaded as he looked to Lydia, knowing that maybe her decisions will waver the vampire's actions. Hopefully. 'At least it won't be me hunting them down, so that's technically not lying.'

She tilted her head, a grin appearing on her face. "James Crawford and Jenna Crawford are under my protection as of now." She stated firmly. "Your task is done here. The dispatch are not going to do anything to you deary. They are very well aware of how hard you worked to be here. I know how they work, inside and out. You'll just be paired with another partner." She sang softly, looking quite deranged.

"I understand that." Although he may have sounded cocky, he had be careful considering she was the most powerful here. "But still, the dispatch already is in need for more reapers and to lose one more will make situations harder for the whole branch. But if the Crawfords are under your care, what are to happen if they die? And if they appear on the To-Die List?"

"Then you may reap them then. But as of right now. No. It simply wasn't their time." She then tapped her chin. "I shouldn't play with my food..." She mumbled.

He cringed. "Lydia, please, I swear. Give me a chance to change. I'll treat you better, like an equal." Inwardly, he winced at the thought, but he had to keeps his act and end of the deal up. "Please, give me a second chance!" He looked at her with all the desperation he could muster. Honestly, he felt disgusted to be relying on her, but it was his LIFE. She should at least understand.

The woman laughed softly. "You're soooo silly. I can read your mind...hear every thought...See the auraaaaaaa..." She grinned wide, a bit of drool going down her mouth. "So delicious...You plan to bring the dispatch after heeeeeeer...But they have other things to worry aboooout..."

Lydia swallowed nervously. "I honestly don't believe you. But I won't let her kill you. Because I am better then that." She promised. The woman smiled then, swinging her head to look at Lydia. "But you won't deny me a drink eh?" She asked in a cute voice, almost pouting.

Lydia breathed softly, her mouth not moving but giving confirmation.

He trembled as he closed his eyes but bravely opened them to show the defiance in them. 'If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die cool.' He repeated the silly mantra over and over in his head as he awaited his fate. He would show them what he was made of.

The woman smirked, grabbing Elliot's chin. "Haven't had a drink in a while. And not from a cute face like this." She purred, her voice deepening. Her fangs grew ever longer. "Awww...your poor heart is racing."

Lydia looked entirely grossed out, and turned around, not wanting to see. She was in deep thought at the moment. Who was she?

He looked at her with a puzzled expression before her fangs came into his line of vision and he started shaking. "Just get it done and over with!" He exclaimed, tired of her dragging out the moment. He'd rather it be quick.

"You're rather rude. Good things comes to those who wait deary. But For me, I'm ravenous." Her face then twisted into almost a demonic look before she bit viciously into his shoulder, blood sprayed through her teeth. Lydia turned around, eyes wide.

He screamed as he writhed and tried to get away, but he knew he'd make the wound worse, so all he could was just wait. Unfortunately. His knees trembled as he awaited his punishment to end.

She only bit down harder, quickly taking his blood in gulps. Her eyes rolling in her sockets. Reaper blood was so delicious to her. How she came to find this out was a mystery to everyone but her.

That was it, when this was over, Lydia would find out who this person was. Soon, the woman released her jaw lock and stood up, grinning madly. Her powers ceased holding Elliot. He stared up at her in disbelief. "Flee like the little rat you are...Or rabbit...either way...The hunted rabbit..." She smirked.

He stumbled as he slipped from her grasp, sloppily making a pathetic get-away and making a portal before disappearing in it completely. As soon as he made it to the other side, he swore to the darkest parts of his soul that he'd make each of them pay dearly, and with that, he set off, a dark look in his eye, to find William T. Spears and inform him of the newly acquired information he was so eager to tell.

As soon as the portal closed, The woman turned around. Her dark eyes staring at Lydia. She quickly took this chance. "What is-"

"Aurora."

Lydia blinked, her hand dropping to her side. "Huh?" She said with a dumbed expression. The woman smiled, surprisingly not showing any blood on her teeth. "Aurora. That is my name. I am a psychic vampire. However, I some times delve into the ancestral part of me. I couldn't resist sweetie." She smirked, holding her arms out and chuckling.

Lydia stared at the woman, how did she know so much? And Vampires actually existed? This was her first encounter with a vampire...And This one was overbearingly powerful. "Why are you here? You just appear out of nowhere..."

The woman's chuckling interrupted her. "Lydia dear, I can hear your thoughts, see your aura. And know what your future is. But all I can tell you right now is...You are a beautiful person...No matter what species you are. And don't let any fool convince you otherwise. You are beautiful."

Lydia stared in disbelief. She continued to stare at her, wondering just what to say to her. For this creature to tell her she was a beautiful person...Just by looking at her...But why would she compliment her? What the hell was going on? But wait, did it really matter? Her future was at stake.

"What do I do-"

"Stay with the family...You have one last act of kindness to do for them. I cannot tell you what that is..." She said, her eyes becoming half lidded. Lydia grit her teeth, wishing she could ask just that.

"If you have any questions now, now is the time to ask, this will be the last time you see me..." She said, her eyes staring at her.

Lydia stood there for a while, before swallowing. She could only think of one question. Only one. She felt her emotions pouring through. "Who am I?" She asked, her voice breaking with emotion.

Aurora stood there, her eyes suddenly dimming and turning to a golden hazel. A soft smile was on her face. "You are...a beautiful person...that is what you are. It does not matter what species you are, or where you came from. All that matters is heart. You will find just who you are in the end, and lead others like you out of the darkness that clouds them. You are the key, Lydia Dosset. Don't ever think less of yourself. You are needed." Wind began to pick up, blowing Aurora's hair around wildly. "And please..."

Lydia watched her as she was slowly disappearing from her sights. She gasped, wondering how she was doing that. "W-wait..."

"Give Him prime laughter, for me..." She said with a hopeful expression. She waved a final goodbye, before disappearing. Lydia continued to stare at the thin air. Only the silence was there...She was alone...

She was truly alone...

.../\/\/\...

"The thorns of death, you say?" Said a rather baffled William as he scanned the notes. The doctor nodded. "It's impossible, but we ran and tested it over five times. She has it." He said with concern. "Where is she now?" He asked, earning several shrugs from dispatch. Grell soon overheard what was happening. "The pretty bird? She went on her last test with Elliot. Something wrong?" He asked, a frown on his face. The doctor nodded, soon handing him the notes and results of Lydia's blood test.

"WHAAAAAAAAAAT!? YOU'VE GOT TO BE JOKIIIIIIIIIING!?" Screeched Grell. All the reapers in the area winced, wondering what was up. Now the doctor was looking a bit afraid.

Suddenly, a panting bloody Elliot stumbled down the halls, looking incredibly freaked out. "S-sutcliffe-Senpai!" He huffed. Grell turned around, staring in shock at the bloody Elliot. "Oh my...What happened now?" He asked in annoyed tone.

"Lydia, thats what. Shes turned on us. She refused to reap. Whats more, a vampire appeared, and it healed the man who was dying. Then she bit me. It's all sorts of madness!"

Grell listened with a raised eyebrow, wondering if Elliot was mad himself. "A vampire...Really now Elliot, Did Lydia just beat you in a one on one match?" But he was soon cut off by William, who quickly butted in. He pulled up Elliot's sleeve, examining the bite mark on his shoulder. "He is telling the truth...They are genuine vampire bite marks." He said as a matter of factly. He then took Elliot's book, examining the pages.

"His fate has changed. We cannot reap him. And since it was this...vampire that saved him, you two are not entirely at fault. However...With her no longer being a reaper, she is required to come back to be relieved of her duty and to be further examined. Since interfering with someone on the to-die list is strictly forbidden...And most of the time will end in imprisonment." He hinted, glancing at Elliot, who was sweating now.

"However, from what I can read...You did try to get Dosset out of the way before trying to reap James Crawford...Albeit, not in a rather polite way of doing it..." He said, adjusting his glasses. "But you still tried, and I suppose that counts."

Grell was completely saddened with this whole event. He had such high hopes for Lydia. But now the disease...Her retirement...She would die as punishment for what she had done. That was the rules of being a reaper, and he had no say in it. It was unfortunate...

"We will send dispatch to collect her when we can, right now theres too many hands that are tied at this moment." Sighed William. A frustrated Elliot narrowed his eyes. That wasn't good enough for him. But he had no say. He was a runt compared to William... He grit his teeth, before heading to the hospital. He would make sure Lydia got her just deserts...

.../\/\/\...

"Hows the stomach?" Asked a still concerned Lydia. James just smiled. "I'll be fine. I'm all healed." He said, "Thank you for being there...I owe yah..." He said, looking thoughtful. Lydia shook her head. "No. You owe me nothing. It's alright..." She said, being stubborn.

"But you saved me." He said, taking her hand. Lydia blinked in surprise. "But I didn't...That was that one woman...And I could had stopped that man with the gun..." She said, biting her lip.

"Yes, but you are not to blame...You were following orders. But you realized what was the right thing and tried to save me. It's never too late to do the right thing." He said, letting go of her hand.

Jenna came over, holding a slice of cake out to Lydia. She blinked in surprise. She was such a tiny little thing. "Here!" She exclaimed, wondering if she would want it or not. The father laughed softly. He looked proudly at his daughter. Lydia couldn't resist those cute eyes of hers. She sighed softly, taking the cake from her. "Thank you, deary." She said, taking a bite out of the cake. She swallowed, finding it wonderfully tasty. "Hmm, fudge. Good girl." She chuckled to Jenna, who smiled. "Thank yoooooou!" She giggled.

"So is it just you and your daughter running the shop?" She asked, curious. The father seemed a little quiet. Jenna as well. But soon the father spoke. "I have a wife. Shes very ill right now. Been so for months..." He said, looking a little emotional about it. Lydia suddenly swallowed nervously. "I'm so sorry..." She said, feeling terrible now. James shook his head. "It is perfectly alright...Shes been suffering with TB for a while. The doctors refuse to treat her. Shes...just waiting for the end...Shes lost herself." He tried to explain. Lydia nodded, feeling horrible for this man.

She had something pulling at the back of her mind, telling her to investigate. But it was none of her business...

However, the more time she spent with the family, the more something was telling her to go upstairs...As night fell, the family decided it was time to go to bed. Lydia couldn't help that feeling in the back of her mind...

"...Lydia..." Mumbled James as he went past. Lydia looked up, her eyes glowing. "Yes?" James looked grief stricken. "...My wife...If you feel...Willing...Will you please go to her?" Lydia stared in disbelief. Why would he want her to go to her? This made no sense...

"Why?" She asked, curious. But James ignored her, going up the stairs. Lydia blinked, suddenly feeling her heart sink. What was going on? She saw James give her one last look before going into his bedroom and shutting the door. Was his wife separated from him then? There was only one way to find out.

She quietly left the building, but not before hopping up the building, landing quietly on the roof. Her eyes peered up at the sky, staring into the stars. How beautiful it was...She began to reflect on her day. She felt so confused with where her life was going. Why would this woman, Aurora, go out of her way to tell her such things?...

"Stay with the family...You have one last act of kindness to do for them. I cannot tell you what that is..."

I keep getting this feeling...

Something was pulling her to a window, which was open. She was contemplating looking through the window...Quietly, she peered into the window, eyes slightly widening.

A woman was laying there in bed, looking pale in the face and void of all life. Her eyes stared straight ahead at the ceiling. But then, Lydia got the spook of her life.

"Come in child..." The woman spoke softly, before letting out a strangled cough. Lydia's eyes were huge. She could smell her death. Her infection. She did not have much longer to live. Lydia was the only one who could enter the room...The family wanted her to be there, but could not touch her, for fear of catching this illness.

Luckily...Lydia was a reaper.

Lydia silently entered the room legs first, barely disturbing the floor. She slowly walked to the woman in bed, the stench of death still in the air. Lydia could feel her heart sink so far. She looked so incredibly sick. the corners of her mouth were caked with dried blood...

"It's aright...I know who you are...I knew you would come...Lydia..." She said carefully, turning her head to look at Lydia. Lydia's eyes were filled with emotions. If only Aurora was here...

"You waited for me?..." She asked her, feeling stunned. How is it that everyone knew who she was, yet she knew nothing...

"They are all waiting for you, Lydia..." She said with a weak smile. But soon that smile faded, to be replaced with coughs. Lydia quickly took her hand. "I'm here..." She said gently, feeling herself start to cry for her. She was not meant to be a reaper...Her emotions were too much...

"I know...and...I'm glad..." She coughed once again, blood spilling from her mouth. Lydia cringed at the sight.

"I'm... g-glad you came to me...You need to do something, something thats going to hurt you more then me..." Her eyes were pleading now, brimming with pain and mental anguish. Lydia swallowed, knowing what she was getting at.

"I can't..." She said, shaking her head. But the woman shook hers as well. "You have to...Please...I am begging you...End my suffering. End the pain I have been feeling for months. My family cannot even touch me. I do not wish to be a burden on them any longer. My child will have her father to help her...My time is up." She admitted, tears running down her face.

Lydia stayed standing where she was for the longest time. She seemed to be fighting with herself. To reap or not to...She was trying to get away from all this. She didn't want to reap. She wasn't able to. But this woman had clearly been suffering for so long. And who knows how long she had been in this room...She could smell the stink of death. The infectious smell. She would never recover from this. She was already breathing hard...

[The lonely, Instrumental, Christina Perri.]

Without a word, Lydia put her arms under the woman, gently lifting her up. She would grant her wish, but not before having her see something. This would be the act of kindness Aurora was talking about. It was going to break her heart. Shatter her mind. But she had to help this woman.

She carefully made it out the window, holding the woman carefully in her arms. The woman breathed softly, her eyes staring up at the stars. "Been so long...So long..." She said, her eyes looking glazed over.

Lydia smiled faintly, sitting down on the roof, holding the fragile woman safely. She didn't have to say anything to the woman. She could tell how blissful she was, just by breathing the air in. And seeing the starry night...

"It's...so beautiful...What a beautiful way to end it..." She sighed, her eyes now looking to Lydia, who seemed lost in thought. She was right...The human life was incredibly long winded...but fragile...How wonderful it must have been to be human, to feel so humble at death...To feel loved, and not a sense of regret...

Perhaps humans were not as bad as they claimed. She was told they were mindless, close minded. Hateful, organised...

But this woman was clearly beautiful, happy, blissful, accepting, loving, motherly. In in the last moments of her life. And perhaps more brave then Lydia would ever be.

She could feel the woman's breaths become more harder and heavy in her arms. "Tell my daughter...She'll live a beautiful life...And I will be watching." She suddenly grunted, "And my husband...I never regret...marrying him..." She whispered. Lydia gritted her teeth. She was suffering now.

"I am ready...To go..." She admitted, coughing once more. Lydia breathed softly, bowing her head silently. So this was it...Her first reaping...How befitting...

As the woman stared into the starry sky, a light emitted from her chest. A arrow piercing the woman's finger. Silence met them both. Soon, her cinematic record pooled from her chest, revealing her life.

Slowly, Lydia looked up, her eyes glowing. She began to watch her life spill out, starting with her being born. She soon found her name. "...Mary Crawford...Born in 1862...Died of Tuberculosis..." She sighed, noticing that Mary's heart gave out from the reaping. Tears ran down her face.

And soon, she severed the records from her body, releasing the soul. She stared at the lifeless form of Mary. Her eyes were still open, but didn't appear afraid or in pain. She slowly closed her eyes. "Thank you, Mary..." She sighed, her head lowering.

.../\/\/\...

Soon after her death, she quickly informed the family. The husband seemed almost relieved that his wife wasn't suffering anymore, but in a better place. The daughter however, was forever scarred from the event. She never got to say goodbye. And that hurt her more then anything. But the mother had Tuberculosis and it would had spread to her.

In a sudden turn of events. When the body takers arrived, they refused to touch Mary's body. And Lydia was forced to bring out her body and carefully put her in the casket. Which sent the daughter into screaming fits. The father had tried his hardest to shield her from the events that took place. But there was only so much a father could do. And they were both hurting.

Lydia decided she would do yet another act of kindness, by laying her body to rest in a proper burial. She would work for the caretakers if she had to. When they took her body away, she followed soon after, which led her to a shop. A sign on top read plainly. "Under Taker." Lydia tilted her head, before opening the door and walking inside.. Only to be met with darkness. She became weary. Who left a shop in the dark? "Hello?"

An eerie giggle echoed out from the dark, "Well... I wasn't expecting youuu." Said a cackling voice. Lydia narrowed her eyes, not in the mood for bullshit. She had been through enough for today. He was inside something. His voice sounded muffled. "And who are you?"

"I am the keeper of this shop...What brings yooooooou here?" Said the strange swooping voice.

She kept looking around. "I'm Lydia Dosset. I"m here to make sure a womans body is made beautiful for her funeral. Her name was Mary Crawford."

He laughed then, "That's just too charmiiiiiiiing." He replied, a creak of a coffin lid and she could see a bony hand pushing the lid aside slowly. She blinked in surprise. She knew those hands! The same hands that grabbed her shoulder in the sweet shop!

"You?!" She exclaimed at the figure stepping out of the coffin. A man, with silver hair, tailed top hat, black robes with a white sash was standing there. The same man that was in the sweet shop from before!

The Undertaker.

"Hello again, luv."