Bella stood at the door, holding a pen and clipboard, watching the stars. It seemed like forever since she’d worked, but with all the stress happening at the hotel, it had been casually forgotten. She was lucky they hadn’t fired her. And besides, it was far more important spending time with Sami, who was alive, well, and hers to hold for the rest of their lives.

Or so she’d convinced herself.

Stopping her thoughts momentarily, she took down a customer’s name and greeted them with a genuinely fake smile. "Enjoy your meal," she added mechanically.

When was the last time she’d been to work? She couldn’t remember. It’s a good thing she could create her own work hours. (I wish…) She wanted an excuse to kill time. …Sunday…. Would she even be ready on Sunday? What was she thinking? She’d never be ready to break up with him.

She’d nearly laughed when Cojin had given her the choices. Death, or break up with Sami. What options... she thought sarcastically. Didn’t that claw-clad freak realize that Sami had already died and come back for her and that she’d do the same for him in a minute?

Another customer, another fake smile.

Death didn’t scare her, it never had. But she didn’t want to do anything foolish… after all; there might be loopholes.

"No trickery or loopholes" he’d warned her.

Bah to that. She couldn’t really end it with Sami. They were going to get married, have kids, and have normal lives for a change. She couldn’t just throw all that away… yet. So she’d agreed to his little deal. She’d even shaken that god-forsaken claw of his.

Smile, names, "Enjoy your stay"… The night was slowly meshing together into one tedious evening. Her mind was racing with possibilities, situations, ideas, and dreams- Her body shuddered unwillingly. Her dreams lately had been horrible. Death... her death… had been the main cause for her sleeplessness the past few weeks. Last night’s, with Cojin’s claw in her chest, holding her heart… Again, she shuddered and held her stomach. It had been a little scary to wake up to him talking to her- that was for sure.

"Hi, how many?" she asked the next two people thoughtlessly. A couple stood before her. A perfectly happy, loving, finger-entwined, longing looks to one another, couple. Writing down their information, they passed by her and took no notice of the tears forming in her eyes.

What Bella wouldn’t give for a normal life like that now. Maybe she could take Sami away and just forget LLAnon. A selfish thought, but oh how nice it sounded. He’d never agree to it, and she knew that even she didn’t want to leave that much. She had to be sure everyone was okay, first. She had promises to keep.

Her mind brought forth the faces of Grey, Aza, Zeraphim, Fue-chan, Inomi, Zei, Imout-

She still had to find Kate.

Name, smile, pager, "enjoy your stay…" It seemed that the simple task she had to perform was getting harder for her.

No, she had to stay. She had to face fate. And she had to beat it. With that, Bella finished up her job and planned her next move on Cojin and his precious girlfriend.

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