George did her days reap just before she drove to Der Waffle Haus. She'd been back in Seattle for a little over a month, and she knew she didn't want to leave. The question was still whether or not she could trust Rube.

Since her first night, they'd spent a fair bit of time together, mostly with the group. George didn't trust herself with him alone for too long. Spending so much time with him had brought all her old feelings right back to the forefront of her mind.

He still hadn't answered why he'd sent her away, and it was driving her insane. Her future depended on the answer to that question. She understood it was hard for him, he'd never been the 'sharing' type, but when he'd said he wanted her back, she thought he meant it.

She pulled up to Der Waffle Haus and entered, to find the team all waiting for her.

"Hey, Georgie," Mason said, the first one to spot her. He stood up to allow her to sit down, right next to Rube. She groaned internally, but sat down, sliding up close to allow Mason room to sit back down.

Mason kissed her cheek when he sat back down and she smiled at him. He'd taken to going that every time he saw her, and it was nice. George knew he had no bad intentions, and she allowed it in the spirit it was given.

"Everyone alright?" she asked, as Kiffany arrived with a coffee for her. "Cheers, Kiff."

They all answered in the affirmative, and George grinned, leaning back against the booth. Instead of the booth, her back met Rube's arm, and she looked at him, raising her eyebrow.

"Alright?" he asked her, and she could see some trepidation in his eyes.

"Good as gold," she replied, settling into the half embrace. Daisy and Roxy smiled at her.

George had taken to pretending Sandra wasn't there, and it was driving the woman mad. Not that George cared.

"I'm itching to see a movie, any takers?" George asked as she picked up the menu.

"I'm game," Mason agreed.

"Yup, as long as it's not action. I was bored to sleep last week," Daisy said, grinning when Mason groaned.

"Yeah, we agreed that we're never allowing Mason to choose the film again. I fancy that new horror," George said, smiling.

"Oh, yeah, looks good that one, doesn't it?" Roxy said animated. "I'm in if that's what you're seeing."

"Awesome," George replied, putting the menu down. "Anyone know what the pie is?"

"Lemon," Rube supplied.

"Ooh, that sounds good. You not coming to the cinema?" she asked him, and he raised his eyebrow at her. It was the first time she'd actually invited him out with them, though he'd never been excluded.

"A horror?" he asked. She nodded.

"Alright, as long as you promise to sit next to me so I can hide behind you if I get scared," he teased.

"You're on," she said, before she looked around for Kiffany.

"A large slice of Lemon Pie, Kiff, please?" Rube asked when she arrived before George could. "Two forks?"

"Coming right up," Kiffany said with a smile.

"Who said I wanted to share?" George asked feigning indignation.

"I can call her back?" Rube offered, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Nah, that's rude," she replied. He squeezed his arm around her slightly.

"Looks like I'm getting a transfer," Sandra sneered from the corner facing Rube.

George raised her eyebrow. "What makes you say that?" she asked.

"You're all over him, it's obvious you want back in," Sandra snapped.

Georgia looked at Rube. "Am I squashing you with my all-over-ness?" she asked. Then she frowned. "Did that sound right?"

Rube sighed. "Sandra, will you back off having a go at George. She's done nothing wrong. And it sounded fine, peanut, if not a little amusing."

George shrugged. She could live with that. Then she looked at Sandra. "Have I confirmed that I'm coming back?"

Sandra shook her head. "Not that I know of," she replied snottily. "But that means nothing."

"I haven't. When I do, I'm sure you'll be the last to know. Happy?"

Mason laughed, and Roxy smirked. Rube snorted.

"Oh, so I can't be rude to your precious Peanut, but she can say what she wants? Talk about favouritism!"

George laughed. "He ain't my boss, and I didn't listen to him when he was. You wanna talk smack to me, go ahead and do so. It don't bother me."

"It bothers me," Rube argued. "There's no need for the antagonistic way she speaks to you. I might not be your boss anymore, but I am hers for the moment."

Kiffany arrived with the pie, putting the conversation on hold for a minute. George handed Rube a fork, before she picked up her own and took a bite.

When she'd finished, she sighed happily. "That's heavenly."

"When will you make your decision?" Sandra asked suddenly, and George was confused for a moment.

"What? Oh, um, it's not really on me when that happens. You need to speak to the boss man about that," she said, looking at Rube pointedly.

He sighed. "I'll let you know tomorrow," he said to Sandra. He looked at George. "We'll talk later?"

She nodded. "After the movie."

"Georgia, may I speak to you, privately?" Sandra asked, and it was the first time George had heard her speak with anything close to civil.

"Can it wait til I finish this pie? It really is good, but if I leave it, he'll eat it all," she replied, and Sandra nodded.

Nudging Daisy to let her out, she stood up. "I'll wait outside for you. I need some air."

George watched her walk out. She was curious about what the woman could possibly want to speak to her about. She also felt slightly guilty. Not for anything she'd said, more that everyone had made it so painfully obvious that they wanted her back. In effect, telling Sandra that she wasn't wanted. There was no wonder the woman didn't like her when you thought about it that way.

Not that it made her attitude any better. Just slightly more understandable.

Mason and Daisy started talking then, and George dug into the pie. She and Rube had polished it off within minutes.

George let it settle for a few minutes, before she nudged Mason. "Let me out."

"Will you be alright?" He asked as he stood up.

"You gonna protect me?" she asked sarcastically. "I'll be fine, Mason, I'll be back soon, okay."

He nodded, and she left the diner. Sandra was sitting on a bench just out of view. George sat down next to her.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asked.

Sandra took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. Rube was right, I've been a royal bitch to you, and you don't deserve it. I… Before I was a reaper, I had a husband, and we were happy. I wasn't so… bitter about everything. Then I died, and I got made a reaper, and it sucks. When I got transferred here to take your spot, it was so obvious that they didn't want me, so I guess I just made it easy not to like me. They're not really to blame. You should come home, Georgia, you belong here. A fresh start…. could be just what I need."

George wasn't sure what to say. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but that certainly wasn't it.

"You don't need to apologise. I could, and probably should have been nicer. I still don't know if I'm coming back, but you could ask for a transfer regardless of that, you know," she said, offering a small smile. Sandra returned it.

"What's stopping you?"

"That's… something I need to discuss with Rube. Seriously, though, what is with the butt kissing routine you got with him?"

"Something to piss the others off," Sandra said, smirking slyly. "I actually think he's a bit of an asshole. Anyway, it worked."

George laughed, she couldn't help herself.

"I think, under other circumstances, we would have got on well," Sandra said, and George nodded. "Maybe. You know, you're welcome to join us at the cinema."

"I'll pass. I want to get a head start on packing before I get shipped off. Either way, I'm outta here."

George nodded. "It was… hellish to meet you, but I hope maybe we meet again under those different circumstances."

Sandra laughed. "It'd be a pleasure. Good luck for your talk with Rube later. I meant what I said. You belong here."

Sandra walked away, leaving George sitting on the bench watching her. She shook her head and made her way back inside. Mason stood so she could reclaim her seat, and moved to the other side.

"What did she want?" Roxy asked.

"To clear the air, more than anything, I think. She's outta here, regardless of whether I come back."

"Oh?" Rube asked. George nodded.

"She thinks a fresh start would do her good."

"Are we going?" Roxy asked, checking her watch.

"We got time to walk?" George asked. "It's a nice evening and getting five people in my car would be a nightmare."

"If we leave now," Roxy said. They all stood, George putting some money on the table. When Rube looked at her she shrugged.

He narrowed his eyes at her but didn't say anything. The five of the left together. Rube seemed to hesitate a minute, before he rested his hand on the small of George's back.

She glanced at him and smiled, but didn't say anything. The walk didn't take long, and it was filled with comfortable conversation. There was a strange tension between George and Rube, but she didn't know what it meant. Was it nerves, because he'd committed to telling her why he sent her away, or was it something deeper.

His hand didn't leave her back until they'd arrived at the cinema. He insisted on buying the tickets, and George bought the snacks and drinks. They were soon seated in a row in the middle.

Rube took the end seat, with George next to him. Roxy sat on her other side, with Daisy sat beside her. Mason sat at the other side of Daisy, mainly because he was the only one who didn't mind sitting next to a stranger if anyone decided to join them on their row.

Ten minutes into the movie, Rube took hold of Georges hand in between both of his. She could feel his eyes on her, but she kept her own glued to the screen. The movie was looking to be a good one.

Daisy was the first to scream, a dainty scream that made George and Roxy chuckle. Mason wrapped his arm around her and she used his shoulder as a pillow. Roxy rolled her eyes at the display, before she turned back to the screen.

George, feeling slightly nervous, moved her hand from between Rubes. Shifting slightly in her seat, she leant over to put her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and pulled her close.

"Are you scared?" he asked, whispering in her ear.

"Terrified," she whispered back, though they both knew she wasn't. He accepted it and turned to the screen, still holding her close to his side.

She didn't move the rest of the way through the movie until the rolling credits appeared on the screen. She sat up, just as the lights blinked on.

"Good movie," she said. Roxy hmm'ed in agreeance, while Daisy huffed.

They left the cinema, eyes still adjusting to the light.

"Time for me to leave," Roxy said. "I got work early tomorrow," she added, when George raised an eyebrow at her.

"You want to walk back to the diner and I'll give you a lift?" George offered. Roxy shook her head.

"The time it'll take to walk to the diner, it's quicker for me to walk home. I'll see you tomorrow evening though, alright?"

George nodded and smiled. "You two want a lift?"

"Yes please, Georgie," Mason said, and George nodded.

"You wanna walk home and I'll meet you there, or come with?" George asked Rube.

"I'll come with," he replied.

The four of them set off back to the diner. Mason and Daisy walked ahead, leaving George and Rube to follow. George was sure they'd done it on purpose.

"You okay?" George asked, glancing up at Rube.

"Nervous," he admitted quietly.

"There's nothing to be nervous about," she told him, grasping his hand. "It's just me."

"You say that now," he replied with a sigh.

"I say that always. What was it you used to say to me? There's nothing we can't sort out?"

"I really hope that's true, Peanut."

She smiled. "Come on, faster we get those two home, the faster I can tell you whatever it is you need to tell me is fixable."

He smiled back. "You know you speak in riddles, don't you?"

"Course," she replied with a grin. "Makes conversations that much more fun when no one knows what you're saying."

He laughed, squeezing her hand lightly.

xxxx

George followed Rube into the flat. He was still being quiet, but he seemed to have relaxed a little on the drive over. She took her jacket off and hung it up, before she turned to face him.

"Drink?" he asked.

"Small one," she replied with a smile. He poured them both a glass of wine, his substantially bigger than hers.

"Need fortification?" she asked lightly, taking the glass he offered.

He gestured to the chairs in front of the fire, and she took the same one she had taken last time. When Rube sat in the other one, she pulled her legs up to her chest and waited.

"When I, ah, When -"

"Rube," she said, offering him a small smile. "Seriously, you need to calm the fuck down. Have a drink, take a deep breath, and just tell me what the issue is."

He did as she advised, then rested his head against the chair. She let him have his minute, and when he looked at her again, he seemed to have himself back under control.

"When I put in the request for your transfer, it was for selfish reasons. You… When you became a reaper, you drove me to distraction. I'm sure you remember?"

She chuckled and nodded. "I do."

"But when you settled into it, accepted it for what it was, you were… Jesus Georgia, you were the most interesting, beautiful person I'd ever know. That I ever will know. You invaded my life in every way, but it felt good. I could talk to you about anything, even when we argued we were still… You were the most important person in my life."

George frowned lightly. "You sent me away because… you liked me too much?"

"I sent you away because I loved you too much," he corrected, then sighed. "Much too much, and not in the…. right way."

She sat stunned in her chair. She knew how much it had cost him to admit that, but she couldn't stop her anger from rising. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her breathing. It was something Penny had taught her years ago to stop her from blowing up.

"You can put the request in for the transfer," she said when she'd calmed down. "I'm ready to come home."

"That's it? Just like that?" he asked, though she could see the relief in his eyes.

"Just like that," she agreed. "For the record, you're a fucking idiot."

"Yeah, I got that memo," he agreed.

"Don't send me away again, Rube," she said softly.

"I promise."

She nodded. "Time to break out the fancy Cognac I know you've stashed somewhere, I think," she told him, smiling. "It deserves a celebration, does it not?"

"You're driving," he said, though he was already getting up to do as she asked.

"I can call a cab," she said, and he nodded. Minutes later, he was offering her a tumbler of Cognac and retaking his seat.

"Thanks," she said, taking the glass. She sniffed it and sighed in approval.

"Meet your standards, does it?" he asked, and she laughed.

"Yes, thank you," she replied primly.

"I can't believe it was that easy," he murmured.

"Like I said, you're a fucking idiot. We didn't need to go through any of this, you know, if you'd only spoken to me first."

"I am, truly, sorry, Peanut. I mean it."

She nodded, and put the tumbler on the table before she stood up. Moving to the old record player she shuffled through his records. Finding the one she wanted, she put it on and moved back to him, holding her hand out.

"Dance with me?" she asked.

He took her hand and took her in his arms. She entwined her arms around his neck, and looked up at him.

"I love you too," she whispered. "Asshole."

He looked startled for a minute, before she saw a look of pure joy pass over his face. He lowered his head to meet hers slowly, giving her chance to pull away. She closed the distance between them, pressing her lips against his in a gentle, tender kiss.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it was the best one George had ever experienced. Rube pulled back and looked at her. "You were right, I'm a fucking idiot."

"I think this is the time we put the past behind us, don't you?" she asked, and he smiled.

He kissed her again, pulling her closer to him so their bodies were aligned, this time is was a more passionate kiss, deeper, stronger. She moaned against his lips as his hands slid under her shirt to caress her back.

When they parted this time, both were breathing quickly. Rube's eyes were full of lust and love, and George thought she could quite easily drown in them.

"We'll take this as slow as you want, Peanut, but I think my self-restraint has reached it's maximum limit for tonight. If you're planning to leave, you should go now."

She thought about it for a minute. Was it a good idea to jump straight into bed? She didn't know. What she did know was that she loved him, and he loved her. She also knew that the thought of leaving him, leaving his apartment, just didn't hold much appeal for her.

She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, before she murmured against them, "I'm not going anywhere."