Follow Your Head

The Grimm Reaper

Nothingness surrounded Snow again. She could feel he was close but, spinning to look, she couldn't see him.
Nothing for a whole minute then it took shape. It pulled together to look almost like robes. It swirled around, two red orbs hovering in front of it. Teeth appeared below the orbs, cracked and yellow. It chuckled darkly, showing it was indeed a creature. Snow glared at it.
"Release me." It loomed closer, it's towering face longer then her body. Her heart thudded faster in her chest as she stumbled back a step.
"Who are you to command me?" It's voice was layered, each echoing over the other.
"Who are you?" It pulled away again.
"I believe you call me Death but you can call me Grimm." Snow stared at it, dumbfounded.
"Does that mean I'm,"
"Dead? Yes." She fell to her knees, digging her fingers into the darkness. After a moment, she finally found her voice.
"How?" The creature produced a skeletal hand and produced a clipboard, flipping through it. He threw the board away and raised his hand. A large, black mist desk rose from the nothingness. A large tome rested on it's surface. He flipped through it then ran a bony finger down the page.
"Ah here it is. 'Interfering in Devine plans'." He read from the book. Snow's mind flashed back to the fight. She had snapped Dylan out of it and then went with him to fight Cicero. Every time she thought of Dylan, he was blurred. She looked up at the skeletal being.
"No, there's something more." Grimm chuckled, a dark grating sound.
"You're smarter then I give you credit for. Your mate made a contract with Ares to save you." Even in death she felt her face heat up. She then saw it clearly. Dylan's hair had a streak or red in in and his eyes where striped red in the usual blue. She bent over only to bolt back up as pain shot up her back. She carefully reached around to touch her back. Two jagged scars ran from her shoulder blades to the small of her back in an upside down v. She dug her nails into her forearms, wanting something she could control.
"If I'm dead, why are my wings gone?" Grimm leaned on one hip and rose a hand to his bone chin, almost like a sassy gay friend. Snow would've laughed if she hadn't just been informed of her death.
"Well you're a special case, love." She ignored the pet name. "You've lived many lives and this next one is up to you." She felt years travel down her face. "You can be reborn as a human, all memories will be returned in time, or you can die. You will travel to the afterlife and be happy."
"What about Dylan?" Grimm tilted his head, thinking.
"He would be reborn as well, some but not all memories returned, or he would travel with you to the afterlife."
"Would I find him again if I where reborn?" He shrugged.
"That all depends."
"So being with him isn't a sure thing?" Death nodded. Snow covered her face, unsure for once.
"I don't know what to do." She whispered.
"I'll be back once you've made your decision." With that, Grimm's robes fell back into the infinite darkness and Snow was left alone.
What do I do? She thought to herself. She paced, finding solid walls around her. She pressed her palms against the one she sensed closest to him. She leaned her forehead against the wall.
"I love you." She whispered. Suddenly chains wrapped around her wrists. She ignored them, watching lazily as they fastened to the wall. She sighed. "I miss you."

Dylan groaned and sat up, rubbing at a painful spot on his head. He looked around fuzzily. A looming figure stared him down, red orb eyes curiously studying him. He scrambled backwards, breathing hard. The figure sat back on the darkness, pressing his skeletal fingertips together. Dylan looked closer.
"Are you...a skeleton?" The figure chuckled.
"Kinda."
"Are you dead." Another chuckle.
"Kinda." Dylan glared at the skeleton.
"Do you say anything other the 'kinda'?"
"Yes." Dylan threw up his hands, exasperated. "Have you questions, child of darkness?"
"Where am I?" The skeleton spread his arms.
"You are here." Dylan narrowed his eyes, getting a light chuckle. "Oh, forgive me. You might call it the afterlife. I am your guide. You may call me Grimm." Dylan blanched, caught off guard.
"Does that mean I'm,"
"Dead, yes. Why must the both of you ask that?"
"Both?"
"You and your mate." He bolted up, looking around franticly.
"Snow? She's here? Where is she?" Grimm stood and walked to place a bony hand on Dylan's shoulder.
"You will see her in time. She has a big decision to make in regards to the both of you." Dylan fell to his knees and covered his face.
"Please don't make her do that." Grimm's grip tightened on his shoulder.
"That is not your choice to make. I will offer you a deal though."

Snow felt the darkness shift but she didn't move.
"Snow!" She heard his voice, lighting the dank room in her mind. She turned, the chains clicking together.
"Dylan?" He went to her, hugging her tightly. She smiled softly and looked behind him. Grimm watched from a ways away, arms crossed.
"Dylan, stop. I can't have you distracting me." He pulled back, looking at her confused. Snow stare at the ground. "Please leave me to my decision."
"No. I won't leave you alone again." Snow felt tears run down her face.
"Grimm!" The reaper walked closer.
"You beckoned?"
"Please allow me this moment of pleasure unbound." The reaper nodded and the chains dissolved. Snow dropped her arms to the her sides. She hugged him halfheartedly. Dylan moved to sit beside her, holding her hand.
"I'll wait for your decision." The reaper left silently. Snow pulled her ones to her chest and wrapped her free arm around them.
"What are the choices." Snow was silent for a moment.
"Be reborn and risk not meeting you or move on with you in the afterlife."
"I thought we already where in the afterlife." Snow shook her head.
"More of limbo." They both sat in silence. "I don't know what to do."
"I don't either." They where silent again, both lost in thought. Grimm watched from elsewhere.
"Such faithful love." He mumbled to himself. He laughed darkly. "I wonder how they'll react when they realize their choice has already been made."