This is my fist stab at a George/Mason storyline. Please read and enjoy. Feedback of a constructive nature is appreciated, and will be taken into consideration in future endeavours (editing, storyline, etc.).
Disclaimer: Dead Like Me and its characters are the creation of Bryan Fuller et al. and are copy written under MGM/Showtime/etc. No infringment of their rights is intended. The stories written under the penname Gabigail, however, do belong to me. None are written for profit and are intended for entertainment purposes only.
Intergrated within this piece is Norah Jones' What Am I To You? The same philosophy as the above is applied in this instance.
What Am I To You?
"Thank goodness it's Friday" just a whisper under my breath as I turn off the alarm clock, get untangled from the sheet that holds me hostage on the sofa, and pad to the bathroom to wash the sleep from my eyes, brush my teeth, and try to do something with my hair. This is such a yucky place; guess it doesn't help matters that I'm couch surfing on my own couch. Leading me to concur with Betty on the whole no couch surfing rule.
Dressing quickly, I decide to head out because there's no point in waiting for her royal pain in my ass to wake up, some non-Daisy time is totally in order. Smiling widely I close the door behind me, but my smile is dampened slightly as I step out of the apartment and big blobs of water fall from the overcast sky. How typical? Rain on my day off. Oh well, a little water certainly isn't going to kill me. Better make the best of it, I remind myself with another smile as I stop at a coffee shop and grab a latte, sit at a vacant table by the large picture window, and read the newspaper left behind by the previous occupant.
Morning coffee always wakes me and I glance at my watch to be sure I won't be late in meeting at the restaurant to get my appointments, I don't want to cause a ruckus. I wish really wish Rube would change our meeting place though, I'm quickly getting over waffles. The bell over the door signals my entrance as I spot Rube and Roxy sitting at a table.
"Good morning." I slide in beside Rube and open the menu on the table.
"Morning Peanut."
"Morning George." Roxy says quietly. A little too quiet for my liking. I settle on a toasted bagel and cream cheese and put the menu back on the table as Kiffany stands at my elbow.
"What can I get you today?" she inquires, lacking the usual smile in her tone, what's up with everyone? I wonder.
"A toasted bagel with cream cheese. Oh and could I get a coffee as well please." She nods and turns on her heel, heading towards the open kitchen to tuck the slip in the stainless steel roundabout queue.
It is then that Daisy sashays in, sitting herself beside Roxy with a pleasant smile.
"Morning all." She smiles brightly and tilts her head, causing a few curls to bounce slightly, catching the illumination of the florescent lighting.
"Daisy." Rube says before turning back to the word puzzle he had been working prior to my arrival. He doesn't lift his head as Mason sits himself beside me, brushing up against me as much as possible to get me to shuffle over enough for him to be comfortable. Wish he knew how much that drives me crazy.
"Good morning." He says in his I just got shagged tone, even if he didn't, it feels like fingernails on a chalkboard in my ears. He must know, I think to myself staring into space waiting for my food, I'm the world's most open book. No matter how hard I try; I can never hide the way I feel the way so many others do. I get weird when I'm around the object of my affections. In this case Mason, and the fact that he's sitting right beside me, sitting shoulder to shoulder, pressing himself against me isn't helping matters.
Finishing my breakfast, I wait for my dishes to be cleared before I open my wallet to pay for my food.
"Rube, do you think I could get my Post-it?" I ask, fishing for exact change. He merely looks at me as though I'm insane or something and nods before opening the day planner that houses our assignments.
"Three for you." He hands Roxy hers and she quickly looks through them and nods.
"Sorry Daisy, that's six." She pouts slightly, but carefully places them in her designer purse. He stops for a long moment and I wonder if I'd somehow won the lottery and have no Post-its, but as usual no such luck. Why I would expect anything different?
"Mason, you and George here will be double teaming today." He seems to take great pleasure in my suffering, I'm sure my expression once again betrays me.
"All day?" I ask, pretty sure my voice is on the verge of betraying me.
"Afraid so." He replies in the tone he's so fond of using with me. As if! I think, I can't believe this, I go through my cool down routine in my head. Mason in his underwear, Mason in his underwear, Mason in his underwear. That's not helping. In fact, my mind starts to wander again and I try another tactic. I'm not attracted to Mason I repeat again and again in my mind. There, that's better. Rube places five Post-it notes in front of me on the table. I look at him from the corner of my eye.
"Gee thanks Rube. You really know how to screw a girl on her day off." I pout slightly.
"You had today off? Well then you can take this one too." He slaps another in my hand so no one else can see. I shove it in my bag and punch Mason to let me out. We have to be going, or we'll be late for our first appointment.
The appointments are easy in comparison with those I've tag teamed on in the past. In truth I'm not even sure why we're tag teaming, unless Rube still thinks I need a babysitter. Today's really mundane to boot. A worker in the park falls into a tree shredder. Another girl gets hit by a Frisbee, but that isn't what kills her, something to do with being close to the lake and falling in where no one sees her until she does the dead man's float. What ever happened to her Frisbee partner? Wasn't that person paying attention? Our third reap is at a coffee shop, again not too high on the level of difficulty. The poor guy behind the counter scorches himself to death with the latte maker. I think it's more to do with the fact that he falls backwards and his neck snaps. I don't really know how that one happened. Gravelings are very creative little pests when they want to be.
"I'm hungry." I exclaim as we walk towards our final appointments.
"We have time to stop for something." Mason says as we stand in front of a bar and grill. "This looks like an okay place." He adds and opens the door for me.
"Thank you." I smile and we wait to be seated. Our table is in front of this huge window overlooking the bay. It's secluded, which is also nice. Too bad this isn't a date, I muse and quietly mull over the menu.
"Hi! My name is Janis, I'll be your waitress this evening. Can I get you a drink to start?"
"Guinness. And the lady will have?" he looks at me.
"An ice tea."
"I'll be right back." Janis is way too smiley for me. I swear her makeup should crack any minute.
"So what are you having?"
"I don't know. The chicken teriyaki dish looks pretty good. You?" I reply lowering my menu.
"Fish and chips."
"I should have known." I smile at him resisting the urge to reach out and tap his arm playfully. Janis returns with our drinks and we order. It's really starting to feel like a date, but I don't want to jinx anything that could be, so I keep my cool George façade on.
We finish our meal and Janis returns with our check. I make a move to pull out my wallet to pay for my share.
"Nope, not tonight. Dinner is my treat." He smiles devilishly as he gets the needed cash and places it in the little black folder. He stands and I follow, making our way down the street, stopping at the nearby karaoke bar.
"You've got to be joking!" I exclaim rolling my eyes. "How are we supposed to know who are marks are?"
"We don't, a little luck and we'll be in and out." He smiles again. I like it when he smiles, it's always genuine, making his steel eyes twinkle. We sit at a table and he orders some drinks. I am glad that my identification states that I'm legal. You really need to be under some sort of influence to want to partake in the tradition of karaoke. Let's just say that I over indulge a tiny bit, and end up on an elevated platform that serves as the stage. I didn't see her, but this chick grabs me and pretty much tosses me up here, where I stand like a deer caught in the headlights before the music begins. I start to sing, quietly at first, as at this very moment, I feel very unsure of myself.
What am I to you?
Tell me darling true
To me you are the sea
Fast as you can be
And deep the shade of blue
The room falls silent, and I cannot tell if that's a good thing or not. Somehow I find some hidden courage as I begin to sing the next verse.
When you're feeling low
To whom else do you go
See I cry if you hurt
I'd give you my last shirt
Because I love you so
If my sky should fall
Would you even call
Opened up my heart
I never want to part
I'm giving you the ball
"You sing it girl!" I hear someone shout at the top of their lungs from somewhere in the back near the bar.
When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
Could you find a lone in mine
Could you carve me in a tree
Don't fill my heart with lies
I will love you when you're blue
Tell me darling true
What am I to you?
What am I to you?
What am I to you?
It's as though I am awaking from a trace-like state, I don't really remember singing, but can hear the applause, which is totally insane and something that I've never experienced before. I revel in my moment of private triumph, if only he knew what I wanted. If only, I muse as I smile at the audience to thank them for their applause. That's when I see my mark, as Mason makes his way to his own. Standing beside me, it's as though she has found me. She beams in her choice, which seems to be the close of a bet. Taking my hand, she shakes it quickly as I pop her soul before she takes possession of the microphone and begins singing Mandy Moore's Crush. Mason nods that's he's got his guy and I follow his lead, waiting for the accidents so that we can help our marks make their way to wherever.
Our day of many reaps is finally behind us, leaving us both drained. Let's just say that I'm not looking forward to my couch.
"Damn Daisy." I say out loud, just under my breath without realising it.
"What about her?"
"She's couch surfing, but I'm the one sleeping on my couch." I shake my head. "I tried being the ball, but she's too dense sometimes." I reply.
"You tried being the what?" he looks at me with a puzzled expression.
"Never mind. I should head home, it's late and I'm sure that we'll have just as much work tomorrow." I say, and suddenly feel an arm wrapped around my waist. I'm not going to object, but I wonder where it's coming from. He stops me and we stand in the moonlight staring into each other's eyes. My goodness, I think I have a serious case of the butterflies.
"You're the only one who gets me Georgie." He pauses in thought, staring deeply into my eyes to drive his point home. "You're my Georgie Girl. That's what you are to me." His voice seems to betray him, its horse yet just a soft whisper in my ear. His breath is warm on my skin, causing a rush of tingles throughout my entire body. His face, just inches from my own, looks very different by the pale moonlight and I wonder if it's just the alcohol talking. "I'm dead serious, I just didn't have the guts." He adds before his body leans in towards me. He gently cups my cheek in his hand and I look into his steel eyes, so serious, so fixed on me.
That moment feels like an eternity, but our lips finally meet. Everything that I ever thought about him disappears and I let myself fall into him. He ravages my lips, but in a sweet manner; it's almost as though he knows my lack of experience. When the kiss is finally broken, I cannot step back, I don't want the moment to end as I brush the hair away from his eyes, his hands are still on my waist. My breath is still caught in my throat, I don't know if the words will escape my lips.
"What was that for?" I ask feeling as though some air has finally made it's way back to my head, the effects of light-headedness caused by the kiss slowly disappearing.
"You inspire me to be brave." He replies with that smile.
What am I to you?
Tell me darling true
To me you are the sea
Fast as you can be
And deep the shade of blue
When you're feeling low
To whom else do you go
See I cry if you hurt
I'd give you my last shirt
Because I love you so
If my sky should fall
Would you even call
Opened up my heart
I never want to part
I'm giving you the ball
When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
I love you when you're blue
Tell me darling true
What am I to you?
Yeah well if my sky should fall
Would you even call
Opened up my heart
Never wanna part
I'm giving you the ball
When I look in your eyes
I can feel the butterflies
Could you find a lone in mine
Could you carve me in a tree
Don't fill my heart with lies
I will love you when you're blue
Tell me darling true
What am I to you?
What am I to you?
What am I to you?