Deidre's Death

He shook his head and pulled out a new sweater. Deidre glared at him.

"Different color?" he asked.

"Don't touch my clothes."

Irritated by her tone, he reached in and ran his hand down the line of her sweaters.

"They're mine, Gabriel," she retorted. "You could be nicer. I just helped you protect the souls."

"You did," he said. "I'm impressed."

"You shouldn't be." She crossed to him and pushed the door to her wardrobe closed. "You don't have to trust me, but I really am trying to help you."

"Because you love me." The words were out before he thought to stop. He wasn't even certain why he said them. She'd claimed as much yesterday.

Deidre didn't respond. She locked the wardrobe, still shivering.

"Am I right?" he asked, bracing an arm on either side of her.

She kept her back to him. "I shouldn't have said it."

"So it's true."

Deidre sighed.

"You said it earlier. I just want to hear it again," he said.

"Why? You already said we're dysfunctional."

"We were dysfunctional. It doesn't mean we have to be this time around."

This caught her attention, and she turned. Deidre rested against the wardrobe, arms crossed as she shook from cold but blue eyes riveted to him. He liked trying to get a rise out of her, and he really did want to know where they stood in her mind and whether or not he had to worry about her running off to make more deals with Darkyn.

"How do we become not dysfunctional?" she asked, puzzled. "Especially since I never knew we were."

"I think it starts with us giving each other a chance."

Deidre studied him. He wasn't certain what might be going through her mind. She appeared conflicted yet hopeful. The difference between her before her Monday night deal with Darkyn and now almost made him reconsider. But wasn't this what he wanted? The woman he fell for on the beach, without the tumor?

"How do I do that?" she asked.

"You started today with the souls. I'm grateful for your help."

"We can do it together, Gabriel." She beamed a smile. "I can help you with being Death. We can both take care of the souls."

It was a far cry from the woman who ran away screaming from the soul she accidentally touched last week or the goddess who would've commanded him rather than risk getting her hands dirty. Gabriel was taken aback. He didn't realize how great of a transformation had really taken place within the small woman gazing up at him. She didn't just have the body of a human and the knowledge of the goddess; she wanted to help him enough that she was willing to overcome her fear.