Kitty sat silently in the passenger seat of Sabbith's Volkswagen as she drove towards Nadine's house.
Sabbith had tried to talk to the cat, but eventually gave in and simply let the radio fill the car with sound instead of her own voice.
Sabbith sighed softly as she climbed out of the small car when they arrived at Nadine’s house. She made her way to the house, leaving Kitty temporarily in the car.
“Sabbith? Is everything alright?” Nadine opened the door, glancing over her shoulder at Kitty still seated in the car.
“Everything’s fine I just wanted to ask if you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on her for a while.” Sabbith responded, quickly glancing over her shoulder.
“I forced Takado to get some sleep, but I need to be at work soon.”
Nadine smiled gently, resting a hand on Sabbith’s shoulder.
“I wouldn’t mind at all. Thank you for making that boy get some sleep.”
Sabbith smiled weakly back to her, before walking back to her car to open the door for Kitty.
“Hey you’re gonna stay with Nadine for a while okay?” Kitty gave a slight nod in response to Sabbith.
“Takado or I will pick you up later, alright?”
Kitty nodded briefly again before stepping out of the volkswagen and made her way towards Nadine.
Sabbith grabbed Kitty’s hand, pulling her into a hug.
“Please feel better.” she whispered before releasing Kitty and stepping into her car.
Nadine waved good bye to Sabbith before ushering Kitty into the house.
“Who’s here Nadi?” Blade asked as she came down the stairs and made her way into the living room.
“Sabbith dropped Kitty off.” Nadine explained as she walked into the kitchen, Kitty following closely behind her.
“Oh, how’s the cat holding up?” Blade asked, stepping into the kitchen to receive a glare from Nadine.
“Probably better if you didn’t talk about her like she weren’t in the room, Dear.” Nadine responded, as she returned to the meal she had been cooking.
Blade stuck out her lower lip, eyeing her mate.
“You’re always mean to me when she’s here.”
“That’s because you lack the delicate touch required in this situation my love.” Nadine responded.
“I suppose that’s true.” Blade chuckled. She stepped closer to Nadine, kissing her neck before resting her head against the cat’s shoulder blade.
“Hey do you think you could run to the store for me?” Nadine turned around in Blade’s arms, smiling sweetly as she pressed their lips together.
“You’re trying to get rid of me aren’t you?” Blade questioned the feline, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“What? No. Don’t you think you’re reading into this a bit much, Jamie?” Nadine spoke quickly, pushing her mate outside the kitchen.
“Alright, alright I’m going, ya big meanie.” Blade leaned over, kissing Nadine’s forehead before exiting the house.
Nadine smiled as she made her way back into the kitchen, gently patting Kitty’s head before she returned to cooking.
She hummed quietly to herself, mindful of Kitty sitting in the corner.
“Sorry.” Nadine’s eyes widened as she turned to look at Kitty.
“What on earth are you sorry for Dear?” Nadine asked. She quickly wiped her hands before moving to sit beside Kitty.
“You asked Blade to leave because of me. I’m sorry.” Kitty’s voice was hoarse and weak.
She glanced briefly at Nadine before returning her gaze to the floor.
“I just know she can be a little… brash at times. It’s not your fault.” Nadine reassured her, reaching over to stroke Kitty’s hair.
“I just want-”
“It’s my fault Takado doesn’t sleep.” Kitty whispered, more to herself than to Nadine.
“It’s my fault Spikes is angry, and Sabbith is sad.”
“Kitty none of that is your fault Sweetheart.”
“... I killed my own mother, and laughed.” Kitty shook, staring down at her hands.
Images of her hands covered in blood, and her mother’s shrill scream filled her mind.
She closed her eyes, curled into a ball, tried desperately to escape. It only made the scene that much more vivid in her mind.
She whimpered quietly, only vaguely aware of Nadine’s arms around her.
“I’m a monster.”
“Stop that Katherine!” Nadine grabbed Kitty’s shoulders, forcing Kitty to look in her direction.
“You are not a monster for killing a monster.”
“She was my mother.”
“She tried to kill you, and who knows what she would have done to everyone else after you.” Nadine brushed a strand of Kitty’s hair out of her face.
She began to gently stroke the cat’s hair as they sat in silence.
“I… I should have died with him.” Kitty exhaled, so quietly Nadine wasn’t even certain she’d said anything. “Things would be better… No one… No one needs me. They’d be happier without me.”
“Do you really believe that?” Nadine struggled to maintain her composure. She let go of Kitty’s shoulders, quickly standing from the seat she’d taken.
“Yes.”
“You…” Nadine turned quickly, hissing at Kitty.
“You stupid selfish child!”
Kitty turned away from Nadine, burying her face against her knees. “I just-”
“No. You don’t get to speak.” Nadine quickly interrupted Kitty.
“How dare you think so poorly of all the people that love and care about you. How dare you think any of us would rather you be gone. What on earth would even put that idea in your head?”
“I would rather be gone…” Kitty whispered, glancing up at Nadine through her hair.
“I’m a monster. I don’t… I don’t deserve to be happy.”
Nadine sighed, turning her back to Kitty to focus her attention on the meal she had been preparing.
“Then go.” Nadine’s voice was quiet, the sadness in her voice weighed down her words.
“Just do one thing first.”
…
Takado yawned as he pulled in to Nadine’s driveway. He hadn’t wanted to admit it, but Sabbith was right about him needing to rest.
He smiled weakly as he made his way up the steps to the front door. Regardless of Kitty's current state, he was relieved at the thought of seeing her.
He knocked on the the door, rocking on his feet while he waited for someone to answer.
“Nadine?” He called out after a minute of silence, knocking once more.
“Hey, I’m here to pick up Kitty.”
Takado tried the doorknob surprised when it turned easily in his hand, opening the door.
“Blade?” He tried calling out again. He inhaled deeply, mentally preparing himself for a fight when he was met with continued silence.
“Kitty?” Her name left his lips hesitantly, afraid of the lack of response he assumed he would receive.
His phone’s quiet buzz startled him in the silent house.
He growled to himself at the sight of the caller before he answered.
“Nadine where the hell are you? Where is Kitty? You know you left your door unlocked, don’t you?” Takado began to interrogate her, pausing only at the quiet sound of crying.
“It’s Blade kid. I don’t know where Kitty is, and neither does Nadi.” Blade responded. Her voice was quiet, but she wasn’t the one who was crying.
“Where is my mate, Blade?” Takado snarled, squeezing the phone in his hand.
“Nadi got her to actually talk, and she ran out. We’ve been looking for her for hours.
I don’t know where she is Takado.”
Takado threw his phone across the room, running back outside and into his truck. He punched the steering wheel before tearing out of the driveway and down the road.
“This is why I don’t rest.” He snarled to himself. His heart was racing as he sped down the road, cautiously watching for anything that might lead him to Kitty.
He groaned at an intersection as cars struggled to move into a single lane. He didn’t have time to get caught in traffic, he needed to find her.
He glanced briefly at the wrecked cars as he passed them, ready to drive away and continue his search. Until a small aqua and black tennis shoe caught his attention.
He stopped his truck and jumped out, ignoring the horns and shouts from other drivers.
He was numb as he walked towards the shoe sitting underneath the large suv. He bent over, gingerly reaching out for the shoe when it hit him.
The heavy scent of gasoline, and Kitty’s blood.
Takado covered his mouth, stepping away as he began to gag. He shook his head before turning around and grabbing one of the men trying to tow the vehicles out of the way.
“What happened here?” Takado demanded, slamming the man against the suv.
“I- I don’t know what you mean sir-”
“I mean what happened! How many damn people were hurt, and did any of them hav black hair and blue eyes?”
“I… I don’t know. I just got here. All I know is it was a two car collision and there was a pedestrian involved.” The man spoke quickly, struggling to get out of Takado’s grip.
“Can I help you?” A man in a police uniform spoke behind Takado.
“I need to know what happened here.”
“That’s not up for public disclosure at this time. I’m going to need you to let that man go or I’ll have to place you under arrest.”
Takado dropped the man, walking over to the police officer.
“I don’t give a damn what you tell the public.” The officer took a step back when Takado paused. His jade eyes glowing brightly in the dim lighting as he towered over the officer.
“But I need to know if my girlfriend was involved in this accident, and you are going to give me the information I need.”
The officer sighed, almost sympathetically, before pulling a small notepad from his pocket.
“It was a two car collision involving a pedestrian. The children, ages two and five, in the suv were unharmed, man, age twenty eight, suffered minor injuries, and the woman, age thirty one, is in critical condition.” The officer paused, glancing hesitantly at Takado before looking back to his notepad.
“The man, age fifty six, in the compact suffered minor head trauma.”
Takado held his breath and his eyes on the ground as he waited. It couldn’t be her.
She was smart enough to avoid a collision. She was faster and stronger than any human, she could have avoided it.
It had to be anyone except her.
“Pedestrian, woman, presumably age nineteen with black hair, found without I.D. Deceased.”
Takado’s shoulders drooped, fists clenched at his sides as he stared blanky at his feet.
He could feel himself trembling where he stood as the reality of the officer’s word hit him.
“Sir do you need some assistance?”
Takado looked into the officer’s eyes, filled with compassion as he tried to reach out to Takado.
“No.” Takado flinched away from the officer’s hand, storming back to his truck before climbing in and speeding away.
He had to be wrong. He had to be lying. He couldn’t have lost her so soon.
He growled, the officer’s words replaying in his head along with the scent of her blood mixed with gasoline.
Tears slipped from his eyes as he punched the dashboard of his car, driving as fast as he could to get home. To where she had to be because she couldn’t be…
Kitty couldn’t be gone.
…
Spikes absentmindedly stirred her bowl of cereal, sighing softly before pushing the bowl away from herself.
She made her choice, to fight for her sense of humanity. To fight for her friendship she could feel had begun to slip.
It was difficult to make any progress with the broken state Ashlee’s death had left Kitty in.
She jumped as the front door slammed open, barely catching her brother storm out into the hallway.
“Takado?” She jumped off of the stool and ran after her brother.
“Takado I thought you were picking up Kitty?”
Spikes hesitated when her brother slammed the door to his room in her face, taking a step back before peering through the glass to watch her brother grab a chair and throw it across the room.
“Takado what are you doing?” Spikes demanded as she ran into the room. She ran to his side, grabbing the second chair he was about to throw.
“What is wrong with you? And where is Kitty?”
Takado growled, dropping the chair before sliding to the floor against the wall.
“She’s gone, Rissa.” He whispered, covering his face with his hand.
Spikes stood motionless, watching her brother’s shoulders tremble as a tear dripped of off his chin.
Spikes swallowed as her lip began to tremble.
“What do you mean… gone?”
“I’m mean she’s dead.” His response was curt, quiet, and yet she felt as if he’d screamed it.
“She left Nadine’s on her own and was part of a car crash. She didn’t make it. I could smell her blood everywhere.”
Spikes turned around, ignoring her brother as he began to dry heave, ignoring the concerned look she received from Damon and ran into her room before she started screaming.
She fell to her knees with her head in her hands. She ignored Damon’s whimpering and began to throw anything within arms reach.
“I just… I just saw her… she can’t be.” Spikes struggled to breathe as Takado’s words replayed in her head.
“I was just starting to get better. I was going to make us better, but now…” Spikes glanced up at an empty picture frame on her desk.
She’d kept telling herself she would fill it eventually, but she hadn’t. There had always been an excuse, and now it was too late.
“I’m sorry Kitty. I’m so sorry… I’m sorry I put myself before our friendship so many times.” Spikes whimpered through her tears, weakly reaching out for the empty picture frame.
“I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to fix us.”
The picture frame slipped from her fingers, shattering as it fell to the floor.
“I’m sorry…” Spikes laid on her floor sobbing as Damon desperately scratched at the door to reach her.
She ignored him and continued to cry among the shattered glass.
…
Warren yawned, flipping through Netflix channels in his living room. He had gotten two jobs over the last week, both leaving him with more difficulty to sleep than usual.
He would get over it though. He always did.
“Warren!” Sabbith called out, surprising the reaper.
With some difficulty he lifted himself off of the couch and made his way to the door.
“Hey, Sabbith right? How do you know where I live?”
“I tracked you with your phone’s gps system. It’s amazing what you can do with enough money.” She responded quietly, brushing her hand across her eyes.
“Okay then. What do you need?” He asked, suddenly feeling unsure of himself.
“Can you find souls?” Sabbith blurted out, staring up at him intently.
“What?”
“Can you find someone by locating their soul?” Sabbith asked again.
Warren frowned for a moment as Sabbith became to shiver before him.
“Only if I know the soul well enough, why?”
“You’ve been to the house before, do you know Kitty’s well enough?” Sabbith demanded as tears began to slip from her eyes.
“Please… Please tell me you can find her.”
Warren’s eyes softened as he sighed, averting his gaze from Sabbith’s.
“No. I can’t.” He glanced at her as she hung her head in defeat.
“Why?”
“What if… What if it’s a soul that’s passed on, could you find them then?”
Warren’s eyes widened as he shook his head.
“Doubtful unless I knew the soul.”
“You have to be able to do something. You’re a reaper, you have to be able to something.” Sabbith shouted, stomping her foot on the ground. Sabbith pushed him back, taking steps closer to him.
“You should be able to do something, you should be able to find her.”
“I can only feel the souls of those I have to help cross over, those around me, and those in which I know.” Warren explained quickly as she approached him.
“I’m not all powerful with this stuff.”
“You have to be though.” Sabbith screamed, backing him against the armrest of his couch as she began to beat on his chest.
“You have to be able to do something! You have to tell me my best friend isn’t dead!”
Warren’s eyes softened as Sabbith began to sob, continuing to hit him as tears fell from her eyes.
“I’m sorry I can’t do more.” Warren whispered, softly stroking her head.
“No. I’m sorry for rushing over here expecting you to be able to do more than any of the rest of us.” Sabbith tried to rub the tears from her eyes as she looked up to meet Warrens.
“That’s not fair of me to put that on you.”
“You don’t have to apologize for being desperate to find your friend.” Warren sighed as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.
“I’d do the same for my friends. You don’t need to apologize.”
Sabbith nodded slightly, leaning against him as she cried on his chest.
Warren continued to stroke her hair and comfort her, allowing her the safe place to cry over her friend.
…
“Okay, but hear me out. If you’re going to make a movie about a killer robot shouldn’t you at least make it look scary?” Vincent laughed as he and Gabriel exited the theater.
“You expect it to be a killer if it looks scary though.”
“I’m just saying it’s not something that will haunt my dreams at night-” Vince paused as his phone began to load several texts and voicemails while it had been off.
He glanced at Gabriel, who appeared equally concerned before he returned Spikes’ phone call.
“Hey Sweetheart, I just got out of the movie with Gabe. What’s going on?” He responded, smiling weakly to himself.
“Spikes what’s wrong?”
Vincent’s concern grew as the only sound from the other end was Spikes crying and screaming. He looked to Gabriel, who glared at his phone and then shoved it in his pocket.
“Any luck on your end?” Vincent shook his head in response to Gabriel’s question, trying to ask Spikes once again what was wrong.
“Spikes I’m heading over to the house right now, okay? I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Vincent spoke into the mic, waving to Gabriel as he made his way towards his car.
“Kitty’s dead, Vince. She’s dead and I didn’t even get the chance to apologize to her.” Spikes whimpered. Her voice was hoarse, weak.
Vincent froze with his phone in his hand. His breath shortened as he struggled to form words, struggled to think of what to say.
He said nothing as his phone fell to the ground and he ran to his car. He sped out of the parking lot and down the street, aiming for the house.
Aiming to get to Spikes, to comfort her when she would need it the most, to be the man she’d fallen in love with.
He’d always been a selfish creature when pushed though.
He quickly veered off course though the car didn’t slow. For a moment he wasn’t even sure of where he was going until he nearly passed it.
Nearly passed the park he where he would frequently meet with Kitty when they had pretended to date.
A cold chuckle escaped his lips as he turned into the parking lot. He parked the car, resting his head on the steering wheel. He couldn’t bear to look and not find her there.
It was like a sick game between himself and the world, a game where he was always stuck alone.
He’d lost the father he would never meet, left his mother in an attempt to find his only remaining family, his sister.
“And now she’s gone too.” his words hung in the air as he forced himself to hold back tears. Forced to keep his eyes shut to stop them from escaping.
He tried to focus on breathing, to focus on anything but the little sister he was only just getting to know, the family he was just starting to have.
He lifted his head, keeping his eyes shut as he rested against the seat. Briefly thinking of the woman who’d cause all of this.
“It was Ashlee’s fault I never got to meet my dad.” He sighed, opening his eyes as he stared up at the ceiling of his car.
“And now I’ve lost my sister because of her too.”
He gave in, letting tears fall from his eyes. He kept his eyes glued to the ceiling of his car, waiting for it to pass.
Knowing it might never truly pass, regardless that he hadn’t known Kitty long.
Eventually the tears stopped, and he reminded himself of his crying mate, likely to be alone in her room.
He stuck his key in the ignition, preparing to back up as his eyes caught the figure of a petite woman in aqua with black hair sitting at a bench.
He jumped out of the car and ran, abandoning everything behind him and ran as fast as he could, only stopping when his ice blue eyes locked on her sapphire ones.
“Kitty?” He questioned breathlessly, unsure whether or not he was hallucinating.
She nodded as tears began to stream down her her cheeks. She quickly buried her face in her hands as she wept.
“I’m sorry Vince. I’m so sorry.”
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