Disclaimer: I don't own.

So, getting a touch darker for this story. Hope you enjoy.

:}

Jade hurt. The pale girl wasn't too surprised, though, because unlike many people who'd just gone through what she had, she knew exactly what the man had done to her. 'It's like "Angel Heart." A ritual to swap places, force the other person to absorb your sins so they'll go to hell in your place. Only positive about this, they wanted me pure, so I wasn't raped. Still, hurts a lot. I wonder, what did my heart taste like? Did he even have a clue that I was already going to hell?'

Jade felt it, the regret, the fear, but for some reason, she felt almost okay about dying this way. Her eyes refused to open, and she wondered if they were sewn shut, so she'd have to exist in hell blind, or if her mind just refused to allow her to know what was waiting for her.

'Never been a nice person.' Jade reasoned. 'But when I saw that man, knew he wanted Cat, I just, I'd have been haunted by her forever. Besides, the way I treat my friends, Treat Vega, I knew where I was heading. Biggest regret, right now, is I never had my shot at making movies. Dying in collage sucks. Funny, you'd think my biggest regret would be be missing Beck and the family we might have had. Boy was always too good for me. Everyone wanted him, and once we were out of High School, and he saw how many options he really had, I was done.'

For a brief moment, Jade contemplated if she'd have taken her own life once Beck moved on. It had been a thought, in the back of her mind, how no one could really love someone like her. Then, she managed to open her eyes, and knew something was wrong.

Her world was blank. Darkness all around her, yet she was aware, could see herself, like she was hovering in a void, hurting all over, feeling like she was eternally dying, and yet, the panic from earlier wasn't there.

'It took everything I had not to give in to the panic. I so wanted to blame Cat for this, for her trusting nature.' Jade thought. 'Only, I chose this, to protect her. I chose to die this way, tortured to death by someone who thought I was Cat, because fuck it, you do the crime, you pay the price. Only, my crimes…'

Jade hadn't caused anyone to die, though it may well have been sheer luck. 'Shouldn't have run Sinjin over. I mean, he was just doing his thing, and it was the audience who voted me and Beck the worst couple. I was so determined for us to stay together, keep someone so perfect close to me, like somehow that would rub off on me. Okay, maybe I was angry, but I shouldn't have hurt Sinjin like that. Yea, gonna suffer down here for that.'

Her mind drifted to Tori, the threat that took everything from her. 'I was a better director, and god help me, I was so grateful that I was. If she was just a little better at directing, and a whole lot better at acting. I mean, there wasn't that much her talentless sister could do to ruin that play. Of course, while I dressed it up as me being kind, or masochism, the reason Trina was in my senior play was I was going to show my rival I could produce something reasonable with Trina and that ego of hers. Nearly killed us both, and lord knows I deserve to be down here for those thoughts alone, but I dragged an almost passable performance from her…'

"I thought it was excellent." The voice was rough, almost a growl, yet she understood each word. Her eyes drifted to see where the word came from, and for a moment she could not make what she was seeing make sense. The thing that spoke was a mix of human parts, fused together in a form that belied it's strength and power. Jade's mind reeled at the sight, fear etching it's way into her heart, even as the demonic creature floated towards her. "Trina wasn't that gifted, but by writing for her, focusing on her strengths, you showed the faculty how good you really were. You'd think they'd have appreciated it. Only, too much drama, to many people didn't like you by then. Blinded to your talent and abilities."

"So, I just float here, in the void, and you come by from time to time to remind me of how horrible I was?" Jade wanted to know how hell worked.

"Did you know, the Chinese had it right?" The thing asked. "No, hell isn't about permanent torment. Those people, like the man who did this to you, once he dies, he's just gonna be gone. Not destroyed, but placed in a type of isolation, kinda not existing, until judgment day, when he gets erased, and the rest move forward. Sinners like you, we cleans, through pain, and humiliation, until you've paid for your sins, then we send you back to try again. The goal is, at the end, we have only two lines, one long one of people who've earned some kind of rest, and a short one, of people who are gonna be deleted."

"Wait, so I'm not gonna be tortured for all time?" Jade was both relieved and somehow disappointed.

"We are not monsters." The monster mocked. "No, we're civil servants, doing what needs to be done. However, to answer that question, don't know yet. You see, we're pretty powerful down here, and while what that man did was supposed to have killed you dead, the reason you still hurt is, someone made sure you're still alive. In fact, while you will be covered with scars, making acting a slightly harder career, you will live through this. And all but intact. I'm just here to keep you company until it's time to go back, because someone has to set the record straight. No mortal magic can hide one's sins from us. Also, the sin eaters were a scam. But you, Jade, if we did our job right, you'll have a long, happy life ahead."

"Will Beck loved me, all scared up?" Jade asked.

The twisted, demonic face smiled. "Why should you care? You'll be able to walk, interact, and while you'll never bear children, your wife will do that for the both of you."

"Wait, wife?" Jade asked, but the pain was growing, and somehow, now that the demon had spoken to her, she knew that meant she was starting to wake up for real.

"You've underestimated the willpower of your friends, Jade." The voice mocked as the darkness overwhelmed her. A short time later, Jade's eyes opened, and she was able to see the hospital room around her. Now the real struggle began.

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Thouhgts? Love to know, who knew what Angel heart was.