Forgiven

[death_glare]

[ No one questioned anything when William suddenly left his office that morning. "I've been called to a meeting" was all the information he gave the rest of Dispatch. To them, it wasn't surprising, seeing as he was the head of the department. For William, however, the summoning came with zero notice. As he made his way to the upper managements' offices, all he could wonder was what issue his subordinates caused that he'd have to clean up after, this time.

It wasn't until lunch break that William returned to Dispatch. The others expected they'd get reprimanded for something, but William remained quiet, his face expressionless as he closed the door to his office. ]

Comments

[untodeath]

William must be especially livid, they thought, and no one wished to be the foreman in his line of fire. That is to say, their morning went from entirely lax with no management to admonish them, to tiptoeing around landmines. Well, one-- being the door to his office.

Except for Grell, of course. As soon as she'd received word that he was back, she very nearly dashed to greet him! No one bothered to warn her, except for Ronald; a very noble effort, which did manage to still her - for a moment. A moment, in which she made a mental note of how peculiar that behaviour was for dear Will, and merely made her more determined to step past! ]

Wiiiiiilll~, my morning had been so dreary without you!!

[ His door teeters to swing closed behind her, as she extends her arms as though to embrace him on the spot! ]

[death_glare]

[ William only briefly glances her way before returning his attention to his desk. Normally, it's full of neatly organized piles of forms and files, but now, they've all been abolished to the far corner of the table as he scoops the contents of a drawer onto the free space. Sorting through it, most of the office supplies are either set aside or dropped into the waste bin.

Seems as though someone's doing a bit of spring cleaning. ]

That's hardly my fault. Perhaps you should have occupied yourself by doing your job.

[untodeath]

[ Grell stops short with a tilt of her head, audibly humming with curiosity! ]

What fun is that if you're not there to lean over my shoulder and reprimand me for my mistakes~&hearts [ But she's quickly bypassing that topic with a wave of the hand! ] You aren't stress-cleaning, are you? There are more entertaining methods of release, you know!

[death_glare]

No. I was asked to clean out my office.

[ Stated bluntly with no context. A box is conjured up from the same realm that houses his scythe and he begins to carefully pack the personal belongings he's found in his desk. And that includes the coffee mug that had occupied his desk since Alan gave it to him many work Christmas parties ago. ]

[untodeath]

[ Grell's expression drops, and for some reason, it's seeing him pack that dumb coffee mug into a box that jars her out of her stupor! ]

What?!

[ Nearly stomping forward to close the distance between herself and his desk, she slams her hands onto its counter from the other side. ]

Who told you that! Why?!

[death_glare]

[ He looks up to her, not at all enthusiastic about having to deal with her shouting. ]

Upper management. I won't be working here any longer.

[untodeath]

[ She's gawking for only a moment, before her hands are wringing for him to continue. ]

Explain, would you?!

[ She rounds the table to push that box just out of his grasp, expression all too serious for the redhead's face. ]

Did they fire you? I'll quit, too! Maybe I'll kill them-- [ And then there's a touch of desperate optimism that lights her eyes. ] Or did they just transfer you-- because, that's fine, I can go with you!

[death_glare]

Why in Death's name would they fire me, but allow you to stay employed?

[ He huffs at his progress being hindered, but straightens up to make eye contact again. This information is not going to go down well, that's for certain. ]

I am leaving, but they aren't going to let you go, too.

[untodeath]

[ Brows furrowing irately, she frowns! ]

They think they'll keep me? I'd like to see them try. [ Shoulders straightening with a swell of breath, she steps closer, demanding her answers. ] What is it that you don't want to tell me, Will?

[death_glare]

[ There's a pause that comes with the slightest concerned crease to his brow. It's gone in a matter of seconds, though. ]

They've forgiven me.

[untodeath]

[ Breath catching, her expression falls slack. Not in comedic surprise, but rather, purely honest shock. Her lips are barely parted, eyes wide. Should he look closely, he might even suspect that they've begin to glisten, before she blinks hard, her gaze falling. ]

Oh.

[ Her voice is not quite quiet, but eerily calm. With forced breath, she steps back. ]

You-- must be happy.

[death_glare]

[ William's not certain if this reaction is better or worse than if she'd gotten angry. It's such a contrast to everything she's ever shown him that he's waging on worse. ]

It's...

[ He's not quite sure how to phrase it, not that expressing his opinion on it is what she wants to hear. ]

...relieving, I suppose. It's been so long, I nearly forgot it was possible.

[ After an awkwardly long bout of silence between them, he heaves a short sigh. ]

Don't go messing up your own chances even worse, now.

[untodeath]

[ The silence between them is the most excruciating thing that she's had to tolerate, she thinks-- until the weight of finality in those final words bears down on her. Her breath quivers as she meets his eyes again. She isn't ready to, but she's always one to act before thinking. ]

I forgot, too. Somehow, I thought we'd always be together... even if part of me knew you'd leave me, I was too terrified to consider the possibility it could be true...

[ Her lips press to keep them from quivering, too. ]

It's selfish, but I don't... [ She swallows hard. ] I don't want you to go.

[death_glare]

Everything's already been submitted. I have until Wednesday to gather what I want to bring from my flat and then I'm going.

[ Watching all the subtle movements she makes, it's obvious she's trying to contain all the emotions building up in her. Consoling someone is not something he does often, if ever at all, but he at least tries to soften his voice and sound sincere. ]

You're going to be fine.

[untodeath]

You've-- already decided.

[ Without considering otherwise, it seems. Or perhaps her had, and the worth of thereafter outweighed whatever potential they could have. ]

What am I saying? [ With some half-hearted laughter, she shakes her head, picking herself up. ] Of course you have.

[ Because there's security in the definite. Because maybe the only potential there ever was lied in her fantasies. She's a dreamer-- no, crazy. Unstable, unpredictable, no good, worthless! Who was she to think that someone should ever sacrifice the Great Beyond for that? ]

And of course I will be.

[ But what was he? She thought he was different. She thought he wasn't like everyone else. She's disappointed. She's furious. She's heartbroken. ]

I always have been.

[ With a scoff hitching her laughter, she steps back once more-- until she's cleared his desk and can see herself to the door. ]

[death_glare]

[ He doesn't go after her, not even another word before she's left the room. Alone again, he stares at the pile of belongings still waiting to be sifted through. Quietly, calmly, he returns to his task, attempting to push the entire conversation to the back of his mind. It doesn't work all that well.

Whatever he does now, it's no longer my problem.

He speaks softly while he works, defending his decision to no one but himself.

He's the one who latched on to me. I had zero control of that. He will just have to move on.


The thoughts linger with him for the night, slowly quieting themselves over the next few days. When Wednesday comes, William makes his final appearance at the office, giving the rest of his coworkers a firm handshake (and even allowing a saddened Alan to give him a brief hug.) He's not entirely surprised Grell is absent, but again, he tries not to think of what she might have gotten herself into in the last few days. Goodbyes said, he makes his way to the upper offices, where he expects he'll be shown to his new life. ]

[untodeath]

[ A clamour of frenzied footsteps scale the steps behind him, the voices of disgruntled coworkers echoing through the lower levels. By the time she's reached him, her pace slows to a hesitated gait, until she pauses at the bottom of the stairwell.

For once, she finds herself tongue-tied. Everything she wants to say and everything she shouldn't becomes one mangled mess in her mind, and she has to wonder why she even came--

But she knew she had to.

Gripping at the rail, she chews at her lip. ]

[death_glare]

[ Hearing the bustle down the stairwell, he knows it can only be one thing. Why he doesn't keep up his own pace, his isn't sure, but he halts at the top of the staircase, waiting for her to turn the corner.

The silence lingers there as he watches her. She's never been so quiet, he can only imagine what she's thinking. ]

Honestly, I didn't think you'd bother coming.

[untodeath]

[ With an audible breath to steel her will, she begins the climb to meet him. It offers her the time to think. ]

I wasn't going to. It's just... too much.

[ But once she's close enough to see him, eye to eye, the truth is, she still doesn't know what the best think to do is. It's all painfully obvious in her eyes. ]

Right now, I wish - more than anything - that I could hate you for it.

[ So, she'll not think at all.

She reaches up to carefully take his face in her hands, and rises to her toes, so that she may steal a kiss. It's quick, forced, and passionate-- and gone in an instant.

Grell has teleported away, leaving the lingering taste of salted tears on his lips. ]

[death_glare]

[ He doesn't even have time to react - to shove Grell away or forcefully remove her hands from his face. She's gone before he can process it. With the briefest lick to his lips, he picks his briefcase up and continues upstairs.

Dispatch wasn't free of a manager for long. It'd been like pulling teeth, but they finally managed to convince someone to take up the position. It was odd, of course, William having been in charge for decades. But even if he'd been cold and closed off, he was part of their dysfunctional little family. The new guy would have big shoes to fill.

And William, finally in what was deemed the perfect world, couldn't help thinking on what he'd left behind. His time as a reaper had been exhausting, monotonous, and unforgiving when it came to his lingering depression - but somehow it'd grown on him and he'd accepted it. He was never fully sure if that was a good thing or not. But now, it seems like he has the rest of this new eternity to figure it out. ]

[untodeath]

[ As many had expected, Grell did not cope well with the transition. It was an already enormous challenge, maintaining a sense of regulation over someone so erratic; however, her behaviour had shifted to purely volatile in his absence.

During the transition, she'd been physically present at the job, at least - but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Withdrawn from the present, less reactive. The bit of silence that it afforded the office was jokingly regarded as a welcome change, but those that knew her better became weary. The outgoing and playful front was all that seemed to keep the reaper from teetering into her broad violent streak.

Performance on the field became spotty, her timeliness and attendance grew increasingly inconsistent, she rarely bothered with social events - to not showing up at all. Bold as ever, however, she didn't make any attempt as making excuses; more often than not, it was simply that she 'didn't feel like it'.

Their new supervisor was simply at a loss for what to do. Continuous reprehension fell of deaf ears, as she just short of ignored him. On top of unreliable performance, paperwork had been incomplete for weeks. The only sort of feedback he'd received from his coworkers was that she'd responded well to William's abrasive demeanour, but that they generally wouldn't recommend replicating it.

And yet, he didn't know what else to do, so he took his chances; losing his temper with Grell, he threatened disciplinary action. What he didn't expect was that the redhead would demand that he try and impress her - stating that there was nothing that he could possibly do which would faze her. She'd had him backed against the wall, and when she'd finally managed to provoke him into lashing out, she took the opportunity to fight him. While his immortality was barely threatened, he refused to return to the office for a good while.

In the meanwhile, that left the office especially short-staffed, and upper management felt they had little more power than to dock Grell with a hefty fine and restricted duties. That did little to reign her in, however; her temperament had escalated out of control, and many incidents later, with the complaints of several staff fearing for their well-being, she'd been docked with so many reparations that they'd given her the ultimatum to continue her position on severely docked pay until her fines were balanced.

Not long after, she simply stopped showing up to work. Disappeared from her flat. An investigative team had been dispatched to locate Grell, and upon finally finding her, were met with viscous rebuttal that left both parties wounded - but, somehow, she still managed her escape.

They've decided to give her a final chance. For certain, this time. If Grell would return, she'd face demotion and severe penalty, but would maintain her chance at gradual redemption; however, if she refused, they would see to it that the afterlife they'd afforded her would be eradicated.

But it seems that they'll need backup. For this, they must reach out to William, and request that he return, in a sworn temporary position, for this 'special assignment'. ]

[death_glare]

[ For a few weeks William attempted to adapt to yet another new life. But being forgiven doesn't give you a smiling new optimistic personality. He remained in his home for most of the day, not being the social type. It could all be looked at as an overdue vacation, no more deadlines or corrections to be dealt with. But instead, it ended up feeling even more tiring and lonely than before.

For a brief moment he regrets trying to get here, at all. And that's when he's contacted.

Part of William hoped that Grell could learn to get along without him. That in his absence, she'd notice she only thought she needed him there to stabilize herself. After all, leaving was not meant as a malicious payback for all the headaches she'd given him.

Why he had any faith that that'd be the case was beyond him.

William remained silent and unreadable as he listened to the explanation of the situation they were in. It was similar to the three years she'd disappeared, going on a murdering spree with that woman, but at least then, no one at the headquarters had suffered injury. It'd taken a lot of bargaining on William's part to get management to allow her back with little repercussion, something he never let Grell know. This time, though her actions were worse, things were more in his favor. And as they concluded, William stated his demands and stipulations quite clearly. They needed him, so all they could do was agree to his terms. ]

[untodeath]

[ Grell could have travelled very nearly anywhere by then-- and yet, she decided to stay in London. She might've been very nearly broke, but money is easy to come by when you've no qualms against violence. There was also the option of teleporting onto any given vessel, or using the same methods to steal what was needed. Instead, she had this masochistic need to remain where ghosts her of memories could haunt her.

It would be easier to find her, of course. But she welcomed them to try. It made her otherwise pointless life a bit more interesting.

The reaper hasn't been able to go out much, since they last found her, as healing has been a chore. When she does, it's in disguise, for sake of ease; humans are much more compliant when faced with the familiar. She's back to wearing the round spectacles, hair a blackened brown and worn tied back - although, it's much shorter now, barely brushing her shoulders. ]

Good evening, Gertrude.

[ Grell heaves a sigh as closes the door behinds her, barring out the cold winds. The woman's flat is rather small and dreary, illuminated only be the overcast skies poking through the curtains.

Setting down her bagged food, she takes a seat across from Gertrude at the small table, exhaling a pained sigh. ]

I didn't bring you anything. I'm sure you understand.

[ It wasn't as though Gertrude needed to eat. She's dead, and has been since Grell found the place a week ago. Already reaped, by the looks of it.

Gingerly removing her coat, Grell gives a groan as she shrugs it from her shoulders. Unbuttoning her shirt, stained through, she sighs. ]

Really, I'm too sore to bother covering you. We're both ladies, anyhow, aren't we? It's fine.

[ As she thought, her stitching popped again. Puffing her cheeks with frustration, she stands to hobble herself over to the bed, where she's left her medical supplies at the nightstand. Used bandages litter the floor at her feet, beside a bloodied basin of water. Even the sheets are stained. ]

I'm not doing to a doctor. There's no point. [ She mutters begrudgingly, uncorking the hefty bottle of alcohol to take a swig. Then, eyes pressed shut with dreaded anticipation, pours some over the gasp at her chest. ]

[death_glare]

[ The office officials may have lost track of her again, but William's more knowledgeable of where she frequents and flees to in the city. And, as good an actress as she believes herself to be, William knows her mannerisms far too well. And so he watches her for awhile, observing how she's getting by, and most importantly, where she's taken up residence.

That night, he watches her return to the flat, giving her some time to settle down before he raps at the door. ]

[untodeath]

[ Having only just shouted in pain, Grell's breath hisses through her teeth whilst she attempts to gather her composure. She can only assume it's some concerned passerby, or less likely, a neighbour. ]

We're fine, thank you! Good day--!

[ Ooh, that made her rather light-headed! Best to take one more drink and set the bottle aside, before she loses hold on it! ]