Chapter 6

"What are we doing?" Georgia paused and gazed into Mason's eyes "I mean what is this, a bit of fun or what. We have to see each other every day; we live together, we work together; I don't want things to get weird. I'm not trying to put pressure on, I just want to get an idea of where this is heading. I haven't had the best track record with relationships, well come to think of it, I have no track record with relationships; dying sort of made sure of that. Rube is always telling us not to date the living, but he never said anything about reapers or the undead " Georgia realised she was rambling and stopped talking

Mason smiled and looked down at his feet. He was sitting on the sofa in the lounge room opposite Georgia. She was sitting facing him, her arms wrapped around her legs, hugging them against her chest. She had her chin propped against her knees and eyed him expectantly, waiting for his answer; her lips were parted slightly; drawn into a breathless pout.

He understood her concerns; relationships were hard when you were dead. He'd only had one lasting relationship with a mortal since he'd joined the ranks of the undead, and it didn't end so great; she had found out the true reasons for his constant absences and close proximity to most of the deaths in the town and was scared off. The rest of the relationships he'd had over the years were of the one night variety. He'd never had a relationship with a reaper, and never been given any advice on one. He knew his feelings were genuine and he didn't want to stop things with George- quite the opposite.

Mason straightened a little and inhaled "I think your gorgeous George, I don't know what to say; I haven't felt like this about anyone for a long time. I haven't been with a reaper before, I don't care what Rube says or does I want to see where this goes; take things as they come" Mason finished, extending his hand and brushing a stray strand of hair that had fallen over Georgia's face

"You think I'm gorgeous?" she replied, a cheeky grin spread across her face

"Your just fishing for compliments aren't you?" he chuckled "what do you want to do?"

Georgia paused and thought

-Kiss you

She leant forward onto all fours and moved her head in close lightly kissing Mason on the lips. Mason leaned back and they repositioned themselves so that they were reclined on the lounge; Georgia on top, she gently rubbed her body up Mason's chest. Mason reached up and lightly pushed up Georgia's shirt, motioning for her to take it off. She leaned back and balanced on her knees as she removed it, carefully pulling Mason up by the front of his shirt she helped slide it over his head and lowered herself back on top of him.

Mason's hands found their way to the clasp of George's bra and effortlessly unhooked it. Mason could feel Georgia's smile as she removed it and tossed it carelessly onto the floor. Mason allowed his hands to explore George's semi naked body, rounding the contours of her soft supple breasts.

Georgia moved her hands over Mason's bare chest tracing the outline of his pectoral and abdominal muscles, until they stopped at the button of his jeans; flicking it open in a swift motion. She broke away and raised her head slightly glancing around the room

Mason looked up at her "what's wrong?" he inquired

"Nothing I'm just making sure no one is going to bust in again" she chuckled and lowered her head back down kissing Mason's neck

******

Georgia woke several hours later as the sun had begun to make the first of the morning glow appear in the sky. Her eyes fluttered open and she remembered the night before a smile crept its way across her face. She and Mason were still lying on the sofa; she looked up and propped her head up on Mason's chest to see Mason face. His eyes were still closed, but a smile had started to make its way across his face. He sighed and without opening his eyes spoke

"Morning Georgie-girl" his hand slid up the side of her body, sending a warm shiver through her, she snuggled into him

"Morning" she stretched slightly and began to sit up, taking the small blanket that had been covering them with her

Mason half opened his eyes "Oi, don't take that"

Georgia laughed and threw him his jeans, standing and wrapping the blanket around her and bent down to kiss him.

"I gotta have a shower and get dressed; Daisy'll be home soon and there's no way she'll keep quiet if she finds us like this"

Georgia turned and picked up her scattered clothing off the ground, then made her way up the stairs. Mason shrugged and pulled on his pants

****

George, Mason and Daisy were the last to arrive at the waffle house, twenty minutes after they're arranged. Due to Daisy needing an extra long shower to ease her cramped neck; an injury she sustained from having to sleep on Roxy's fold out sofa.

The three of them slid into the unoccupied seat of their usual booth across from Rube and Roxy, as Kiffany strolled over and took their orders and returned to the kitchen.

"So the reap went well?" Rube inquired taking a long sip of his coffee, and peering over the rim at the crew. "After the graveling incident I mean."

"Yeah, great. A fat, little bald man went nuts and ploughed his '53 Cadillac Eldorado through the front doors of the hotel." Roxy replied feigning amusement

"Ohh, shame beautiful car" Rube replied. He glanced at Daisy who was rubbing her neck "What's wrong princess, sleep wrong"

"I wouldn't call that sleep, Roxy's lounge is horrid, it was soo uncomfortable" Daisy replied

Rube frowned and looked at Roxy, and back to Daisy. Mason and George exchanged glances

"What was wrong with your bed? Roxy doesn't usually play sleep over's with anyone"

"I got a lift home with Roxy from the hotel; Mason and George stayed back to take care of the souls; we had a few stragglers. It was too late and Roxy was too tired to drive me home once we were back in town."

Rube cleared his throat and studied the four reapers, coming to a halt on Mason

Mason stiffened slightly and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up a little

"Right girls," Rube whistled through his teeth and pointed to the far side of the restaurant "Scoot, I want to talk to Mason"

The girls stood and moved tables, Georgia stood reluctantly.

"You too Georgia" Rube added

-Fuck we're boned.

Mason slouched into the corner of the booth bringing one of his legs up onto the chair. He avoided Rube's stare and bit the back of his thumb nail nervously.

"Something you want to tell me Mason?"

Mason shook his head defiantly "Nothing"

"Mason cut the shit, Roxy filled me in"

"Bloody- hell, I knew I should have bribed her..." He trailed off and glanced sideways at Rube. Mason sighed and sat up straight in his chair facing Rube "What did she say exactly" he enquired cautiously

"She mentioned an incident involving you and George and a ceiling fan,"

"That was actually Georgie's idea, she saw the graveling and moved us under the fan, I " Mason cut in. Rube raised his eyebrows and Mason became silent and Rube continued

"She also informed me on the little drinking spree you pair partook in; and the reasons why." Rube stopped and Mason glanced up at Rube a Flicker of relief spread across Mason's face

"Is that it; that's all she said?"

"Oh, there was a little dream" Rube added

"Oh fuck"

"Mmmm, Fuck. So what's going on Mason?"

"What do you know" Mason eyed him suspiciously, trying desperately to see through Rube's icy poker face

"Not as much as I should apparently. I know you've made it pretty obvious your pursuing young Georgia, and Daisy caught you two in the hotel room"

"We just kissed, honest" Mason looked into Rube's eyes, then starred down at the laminated table and ran his fingers through his short dark hair and sighed" Okay Rube let me have it; just get it over with" Mason added defeated "Tell me to wake up, that I'm a complete fuck up, I'm not good enough blah, blah, blah. I shouldn't get involved with fellow reapers, keep my mind on the job" Mason stopped and waited

"I think you're doing a pretty good job of telling yourself off."

Mason glanced up to meet Rube's face "Wha? Why aren't you, how come? Rube what's going on, why aren't you, you know, blowing a gasket or something. Aren't you mad? I mean you're always telling us, well George specifically, not to date, but"

"Oh I'm mad, Mason; I just said you were doing a good job of verbally punishing yourself. I don't want you running around, getting blind rotten, and passed out drunk with George. I'd rather you keep her out of your head during your resting periods. And, I sure as shit don't want you two going together or stepping out, whatever you call it"

Mason chuckled "Stepping out, ol'right grandpa, you mean shagging?" he asked

"Fucking, Shagging" Rube raised his voice a little, mocking Mason's accent as he spoke his last two words. "Do you have to be such a smart ass all the time; I don't want you fucking her okay?"

"What about dating then, you know proper like?"

"Dating, like a relationship? Please Mason you've never lasted more than the night with a woman, as soon as its morning your gone, beside I don't want you two together, it fucks with the balance of the group, you gotta keep your minds on the reaps." Rube exhaled deeply and handed a post it to Mason, waving him dismissively "go get Georgia" he added

Mason walked over to the girls booth and leaned down over the table when he got there facing Roxy and Daisy. He shook his head, pursed his lips as he clenched his jaw. He raised one hand and pointed at Roxy.

"You fucking swore you wouldn't tell Rube" he said through gritted teeth

"No, I didn't. I said I wouldn't lie to him. He asked what happened; I told him."

"Wow, Roxy" he paused "Couldn't you just, I don't know, not tell him everything"

"You know what it's like talking to him, Mase. The man's like fucking Yoda; Jedi mind shit"

"George he wants to see you" Mason said defeated

As if to back up Mason Rube peered over his booth and waved his fingers "Georgia now please"

-Shit I'm in trouble; he never calls me Georgia, never to me anyway its usually peanut, or my girl.

George slid into the vacant seat opposite Rube. A stony silence closed in on them as she waited for Rube to speak.

"Georgia," he began.

She leant forward slightly and waited for him to continue; fairly certain he was building up for a big one

"For once your incessant need to protect the living has paid off. You actually prevented the deaths of that couple who weren't fated to die; at that time"

Georgia glanced up and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips

Rube' face grew stern "Don't make it a fucking habit. I don't know what that fucker was up to but we work for them. You got that? Our job is to clean up their mess; not play hero and try and save anyone"

Georgia nodded and Rube exhaled deeply, settling deeper into his chair

"Georgia, I don't think that" Rube started

George interrupted him "Why are you calling me that; Georgia?" she enquired

"That's your name isn't it? It's what everyone calls you"

"George actually, unless I'm at work then its Millie. You never call me by my name, it's always peanut"

"Well, George, I guess I'm beginning to see that you're a big girl now, you can take care of yourself; make your own decisions, you can do, and see whoever you want " Rube concluded with a sad smile

-Oh man that's just like when you fucked up as a kid and your parents would sit you down and say "Georgia, we're not angry; we're just disappointed"

-It was the first time I truly looked at Rube; he was hurt his cold and stern misdemeanour was gone. He had lost something; more to the point he had lost something in me. I was no longer his little peanut anymore.
It made me remember the time that I had gone to see my dad after a lecture I attended with Charlotte and the look on his face as he recalled the day that he had lost his Georgia. The sadness in his eyes was now mirrored back at me through Rube's.

-But I guess that's just how life; or death in my case goes. Everyone grows and changes whether their alive or undead and move on to bigger and better; or at least different things. I know our group was changing, taking things as they came, dealing with the consequences later. I knew I had a long way to go; and thanks to my current situation I would be around for a very long time to learn from my mistakes and actions, taking each week as it came.

-I suppose my life, or death, lesson I'd learnt for the week was not to expect the week to carry out like normal; just because it started with an average mundane morning. You never know what might be around the corner

The end....

Story continues with Untitled #2: You win some, You lose some