Reaping Me Softly

Chapter 10 - Forever A Reaper

For the past few days, Simeon was there to watch over Dahlia. He can't understand a thing about her situation. What does he know about the pregnant woman? Nothing... In any case, he was a bit confused as every day, her appearance changes. He has an idea why but for some reason, he chose to not believe it.

She was pale and losing weight. She can still open her eyes, but just by looking at her, one could tell that she's weak. She can barely lift her hand, and whenever there's no one around to help her, he wanted to show himself to her and just offer his hand.

He thought it wasn't right to feel this way. He's a reaper, Simeon must just step back and wait for her time to come but, unknowingly, in just a span of days, he became weak. For who?

For the child that she was carrying. He assumed that Dahlia's alone, and if she ever leaves this world, what would happen to her child? Her situation actually stressed him out. Humans' life is complicated and he doesn't want to experience the complicacy of being a human.

He was even glad that he's not until he met her. Ever since he met Dahlia, he felt like he had become a human, too.

"We already informed Astrid about your situation," he heard from an old woman, who resembles Dahlia.

It was her mother. Meanwhile, her father was just silent behind her.

Simeon got out from the curtain and stood straight beside Lia's bed. Her stomach was still big, the baby was still inside. Lia can't even stand up for herself. She needs someone to accompany her and these two people were there for her.

Yet he can sense that she doesn't want them here but has no choice.

"They'll be here later," she said. "I'll ask them... Even beg them to do something to save you, Lia. Don't worry, okay?"

The old woman held her hand but Lia resisted. She was too weak yet still managed to shoo her hands away! Her face crumpled as if she was hurt and her mother quickly held her to ask the problem.

Again, she didn't talk. She just kept her eyes close, unable to reply.

Unknowingly, Simeon grimaced at the scene. It was so obvious that she can't handle herself yet she kept on resisting! He knew Dahlia was stubborn but, at her state like this? Flicking his tongue, he shook his head as he stared at her.

Now that he got closer, he can now clearly see the beauty the woman possessed. Despite her losing weight, at her thinnest state, her beauty still dominates. How can a woman be still beautiful even at their lowest point?

They all turned their heads to the door, except for Lia when it opened. Revealing a woman in her twenties, and worry was visible on her face as her eyes went to Lia's bed. Simeon stepped back when it quickly ran towards her, on the other side of the bed, walking passed through him.

"Lia..." she cried. "Oh my god... What happened?" Covering her mouth, she examined her appearance.

Simeon saw how she slowly opened her eyes. He almost lost his balance when a smile gradually formed on her lips, showing that she's okay, that there's nothing to worry about. Something thug inside of him upon seeing it.

Brave, beautiful, and strong Dahlia Possenti Du Marais...

"Emory..." she called out. "I don't want to leave my son, Ry. I promised my husband, and Sloan to take care of him. I can't do it if I'm here, dying..." her voice broke.

Simeon couldn't move in his place. He was just standing at the corner, not minding if she could see him. All he wanted was to watch her as hopes crossed her eyes upon seeing the woman.

For some reason, he felt relieved. It's as if they feel the same the moment Emory entered the room. It gives him hope, just like how Lia's face lit up in anticipation.

Emory held her hands, this time, Dahlia didn't budge. "We will do our best, okay? Just don't give up, Lia. You got this, right?" she cried. "You got this, for Sloan... For you, and for us..." She had her tears falling down her cheeks as she talked.

Simeon could feel the pain in her voice. She was giving her hope in this time of uncertainties and he, too, wanted to hope for her, for Lia. His eyes went to her stomach.

The day when he saw her being accompanied by nurses in the ambulance, was also the day when she decided to just stay at home. He thought that would be her day, the two of them thought that she would give birth but, until now, the baby is still inside.

The baby was making her weak.

"I can make it, right?" Lia whispered wearily.

"Of course, you can!" Emory nodded a lot of times. "You can make it! We're here, Lia. Think of your son. Think of Sloan, alright? You are not alone in this battle."

Lia faced the ceiling and let out a heavy deep breath. "I feel tired, Ry. I feel so drained. My baby is so thirsty that he keeps drinking from me." She chuckled lightly.

Simeon froze. So, he was right about his conception. That the baby inside might be the cause of her suffering... She was carrying a vampire yet... God, she took a big risk! Choosing to bear a child, a vampire's child means death!

How could she be so selfish? The father wasn't even there by her side to help her!

"I will call my mother. I know she can do something, Lia..." Emory's voice shook a little.

Lia closed her eyes. As for Simeone, he chose to go out of the room rather than see her suffer. Clearly, all he wanted was for Lia to survive for her son. He certainly doesn't care if the woman would die, but he wished for her not to die this soon.

It would be too uncomfortable for him to fetch her soul if ever. He would feel guilty for fetching her knowing that her son was waiting, and will definitely look and crave for motherly love.

"Sir Simeon!" It was Josh.

He stopped walking in the hallway. For the past days, Josh was tailing him twenty-four seven. It was like he became his guard, or something similar to that as Josh always wanted to go with him wherever he goes!

"I told you to not follow me," he said. "Go back to Alec! I don't need a partner, Joshua!"

"Among all reapers, you are the only one I know that has no partner," Josh pointed out as he stood straight from leaning against the wall.

"I don't need a partner in my work," Simeon continued to walk.

Every Reaper also had an assistant. It was given by the higher-ups', even if you're new or have been serving for years, you have the right to have one. Some chose their partners, some were assigned. But for Simeon, he actually doesn't need one.

Although Alec has been there for him since day one. But it would hurt the latter's ego if he would call him as his assistant. Alec has a higher position in Soul Society than him and hates being an assistant so does Simeon.

In the end, Alec brought Josh and Ciar with him into the human world. Why two? For this purpose.

"Sus, you will! Maybe not now but in the future, Sir." Josh insisted. "That's what boss Alec's said before having us, sir. Just like him, you'll eat your words, too."

Simeon smirked. At some point, he forgot the difficult situation he was in now. Although he should never take it too seriously because first, he's Death... His task was to reap souls. He just hates the feeling of reaping the soul of an unborn child. The idea of the child not having a mother saddens him.

"What would you do if you don't want to reap the soul that was given to you?" he asked out of the blue.

They both stopped walking.

He had the urge to know what other reapers would do if they're on his shoe. Because honestly, he was having a hard time dealing with Lia. Now he started to wish that the task was not given to him. If it was another reaper, maybe he wouldn't have to deal with her.

Of all people, why Lia? Why Dahlia Possenti Du Marais? Why a pregnant woman? He felt like the Death of God was testing his credibility as a Grim Reaper.

Josh was stunned for a moment, but then, he started laughing. "Sir! Was that a serious question?"

Rolling his eyes, he put his hands inside his pocket and continued walking in the middle of the hallway.

"Just a thought," he said. "But what if? What would you do?"

"Well, I would probably ask the Death God to turn over the task to someone else. I mean, that's allowed, right?" he nodded. "However, that also proves that you are incapable of being one of the Grims. If that happens, you'd be one of those souls who would go under litigation. Every reaper doesn't want that, as we know where we're going even before the judgment."

That's something he's curious about. Reapers became reapers because of their sin. They were punished before they even became a reaper. As for him, he doesn't know what he did in the past to become one.

The Death God only picked those who committed a heinous crime.

Was he a criminal before? A murderer? Or what? That was the first thing that he asked the Death God when he chose him. But it wasn't that easy to get information about their past.

They will need to sacrifice something in order to grant their wishes. At the moment, he's not ready for that. Also, he wasn't really that interested. He may ask a lot of questions about his past, but deep inside him, he was willing to let go of it and be a reaper, forever.