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The last thing Ruby remembered clearly was laying in her bed at home, her sister Charlie curled up on one side of her in the bed a shark stuffy wedged between them, and Angel on the other side clutching her hand around the IV.
Music played softly in the background just loud enough to cover the sound of the medical equipment that littered the room. Their children had complained about the old people music playing, but the 'Classic Rock' station had felt right. Charlie had always had it playing when they were younger because something about the decades old rock and metal songs settled something in both of them. Most of their teen years had been spent laying on their bedroom floor together listening to groups like Metallica and Nickelback. In their twenties they were karaoke queens, their friends joking they had been born in the wrong decade.
So it was those familiar songs playing when she felt her eyes falling shut, her heart slowing, and she knew, this was it. She had already said her goodbyes, kissed her babies one last time, and was wrapped up between the two people who had been with her for what felt like forever, her twin and her wife.
Thus, she died while the Sound of Silence played in the background, and something about that made her smile.
---
It was not darkness, not really, it felt more like a being suspended in a rainbow made of starlight and moonlight. She floated, drifting along like riding an ocean current. It was the thought of the ocean that caused her to stop drifting as she began to flail around looking for either Charlie or Angel. She rarely went into the water without one or other, so they should have been there, where were they? Where were they? WHERE!?
---
Ruby blinked her eyes open and found herself in a grand hall. Massive columns beautifully decorated, reaching far into the air hundreds of feet high, and yet she didn't feel small, she wasn't scared.
She immediately began looking towards the side where a row of desks sat far in the distance, slowly following along with the light crowd that moved around her. As she walked closer she began searching for a gentle smile beneath a pink hajib that she would have sworn should be there. Her eyes darted back and forth looking for that pink hajib, or maybe it was pale yellow or mint green today. In the few times they had met Siedah had always worn a pastel of some sort.
The thought of a woman named Siedah in pastel hijabs with a gentle smile didn't feel weird, didn't seem strange to know. It was like she had always known a woman named Siedah. So Ruby was going to find her, because she trusted Siedah to tell her what was going on.
Walking closer she finally saw a flash of green, a lovely jade color.
There was a tall demon standing and leaning over one of the desks talking to a very young teen in goth clothes and gesturing to the side where a middle-aged couple in flannel and denim was running towards them. She watched as the girl began crying and moving to meet them halfway, arms gripping hard as the couple tucked her between them, wrapping her in safety and love. Something deep in Ruby knew the girl would be alright now, that she was right where she needed to be.
Turning away from the reunion and back to the demon she took a moment to look him over. He was a well built young man, arms strong with muscles (he must still work in the forges), and wearing a Godzilla t-shirt under a black vest. He wasn't as tall as some other demons (how did she know about how tall demons were), but his double set of slender twisting horns (when did they get that long) gave him the impression of being taller. His skin was a lighter jade green (he should have been darker, brighter) and his dark brown hair was cut short and sat in curls around his horns. He was looking down at his phone with a small smile, but Ruby just knew if he looked up his eyes would be a reddish-brown.
Her unbeating heart clunched in her chest, and she knew she had to get to him, but before she could take another step if felt like she had been knocked into and almost off her feet. A soft giggle sounded in her ear, and in her mind, and Ruby felt warmth and mischief wrap around her for a second before the world restarted.
Shaking herself Ruggy focused back on the desks and took off running, mouth open as she laughed, and screamed.
---
Dante did his best to keep his smile gentle even as Basil tucked her scared arms around her waist and hunching deeper into the armchair in front of his desk. He loved his job at the Death-ks, but some days it hurt, especially when they were so young. 13 years old and dead by her own hand because after her beloved grandparents' deaths, there was no one to keep her safe from her mom. Luckily there was a note from them attached to her file, and he had already called and talked to her Grandpa Jimmy letting them know she was here, and Jimmy said he and his wife were coming from their Paradise for her. Knowing she would be okay with them he took a moment to write his own note to attach to her mom's file, care of Mr. Gregorith via Ms. Penny.
Letting his smile drift a little more smug, he caught the sound of two voices calling for the girl. Standing up from his desk, he pointed out to her where her grandparents were running through the Hall. The joy on her face seeing the two people who had loved her so much, he knew she would be okay. He already knew from her soul file she would come out on the better side of Judgement, and with such love and support, she would have a chance to heal.
Feeling the phone in his hand buzz, he read a quick text from Petik reminding him about dinner, but before he could reply a commotion further in the Hall got his attention.
Looking up he watched as a woman was full out sprinting right towards the desks. For a moment he thought he was going to have to intervene with a Hell-bound soul, but as she got closer her hair moved away from her face, and the words she was screaming between laughs registered. Dropping his phone he opened his arms and braced himself just in time as she launched herself off the chair and over the desk at him.
---
Ruggy (Ruby) couldn't stop laughing as she ran right for Dante, his name bursting forth as she gasped for breath. Joy flooded her body as she saw him drop his phone and a smile spread across his own face, as his arms opened waiting to catch her.
Without stopping to think about it Ruby(Ruggy) put on another burst of speed then planted one foot on the armchair, another on the edge of the desk, and then threw herself over it into his arms, knowing he would catch her. He did, those strong warm arms wrapped around her and they began to spin laughing and crying together.
Whether she was Ruggy, or she was Ruby, it would be okay. It would be more than okay, it would be amazing.
She would go through Judgement, and she would get her Paradise. She would meet her families again. She would be caught between Mom and Lily, get passed between Dad and Bel, smooshed into their strong chests, tucked between Penny and Greg, and Judy and James. She would have the chance to get tea with John at the Rainbow Bridge Cafe, and go out dancing with the rest of Hell's workers, she would finally be able to go with Azzy to Magaritaville. She would settle in, and return to the Hellp Desk.
She would wait for when Angel made it back to the Afterlife, and they would wait for Charlie (Sharky) and their babies together. She would make her home with her family, because that's what this all was, it was home.