We sat on that floor for a while. I didn't really want to move or leave. But we had to. Zitzi pulled me to my feet and together we walked towards the one door that was left standing. The one with Ton's name on it.

I opened it. Ton was still on the floor. Tec was both lying in front of him and standing behind him, screaming at him to wake up.

"Ton," Zitzi said softly.

He looked up and then his face went long. He shot to his feet and shot forward, taking Zitzi in his arms. He broke down completely, slowly falling to his knees, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I failed you," he cried.

Zitzi put her hand on his head, softly patting it. "No, Ton, no."

Tec took a deep breath and then he came for me. He hugged me close and then pulled back, looking down at me.

"What happened to Teo?"

"I uh... Kind of drained him."

He laughed and looked back at his siblings. Ton was on his feet again, his arm around his much smaller sister's shoulders.

"You did so well, Aura," Zitzi said and smiled.

"She's the best," Tec said a little strained.

Zitzi let go of Ton and motioned Tec to her. It was like all the tension left him and he hugged her without hesitation.

"I'm sorry, Zitzi," he whispered.

"I know," she replied and ran her hand up and down his back. "It's all over now."

"What actually happens now?" Ton asked with a gruff voice and rubbed his eye.

"I... Think I'm the new Death?" I said.

"Of course," Ton said, a crooked smile sliding over his lips. "You'll do a far better job than I ever would have."

"Do... Do I have to?" I asked with a small voice.

"I'll help you," Tec said and let go of his sister again, putting his hand on my shoulder. "I was trained for this job after all. I know what to do."

"Can I still see Dawid?"

"You're Death. You can do whatever the fuck you want from now on," he laughed.

"Well... That's batshit crazy," Kissy said and leaned back against Iwo. He had his arm around her, his hand playing with her hair.

"To put it lightly," Tec said. He hadn't let go of Frej for a second since we had returned. I hadn't let go of Dawid either so I couldn't judge. At all.

"So Aura's the big boss now," Iwo said and finally tore his eyes off Kissy. "Cool beans."

"The coolest," Dawid added and kissed my cheek.

"What about your siblings?" Kissy asked.

"Zitzi will stay in the other realm, but Aura was nice enough to free her. And Zitzi's descendants. The realm Death had built got corrupted. Aura and I are working on rebuilding it. Building it into something better. Something where people who actually deserve to be tortured go. Not anyone who just chooses a different path the previous Death didn't like."

"Not to mention, the people chosen for a second chance won't be perfect. They'll be the people who deserve it." I looked up at Dawid. "And just because they're deaf, that doesn't make them undeserving."

He smiled and kissed my temple. "Angel," he whispered.

This man. These people. The family and friends I had been longing for, for so long. They were here. We might've been a little dysfunctional, a little broken and a little odd. But they were all mine.

The first time it happened it was odd. I was just sitting with Dawid in this café in Milan when she walked across the street. There was nothing particular about her besides her very long black hair flowing in the wind. But there was something about her.

"Dawid," I murmured. "She's deserving."

He squeezed my hand. "Yeah? You think so?"

I nodded. "I know it."

"That's a freaky power."

I snorted and looked back at him. "It is. We have to go to Tec now."

"Dammit. I was hoping for just a few more days alone with you."

"I know. I'm sorry, but duty calls."

He laughed and stood up from the table and hauled me with him. We found a little alley behind the coffee house and I held on to him, wishing myself back to the other realm. I felt Dawid shudder next to me and I glanced up at him. His eyes were still closed.

I put my hand on his arm and he opened his eyes, looking down at me. "Come on."

He nodded. He hated being here. I could understand that to a certain extent. He was supposed to have been here hadn't it been for Tec.

I took him to the portal to Tec. It worked so wherever he was, I'd pop up right there. Definitely perks of being a god.

The room was nothing extraordinary. It was just blank grey walls and floors. The portals looked more like mirrors than anything else. Each had a different frame depending on to whom it lead. Tec had a very intricate frame Victorian styled. I'd like to think he'd appreciate that.

We walked through the portal and ended up in the Danish country house. I liked popping in the entrance hall, just to not pop in on him and Frej in the library again. Yeah, that had not been a good day...

I heard a door slamming upstairs and then there were running footsteps. Frej came storming down the stairs, jumped the last two steps and almost slammed into me, giving me a great hug.

"I missed you so much!" he said and pulled back. "Xipe will be right down. He's finishing up a painting. Come, both of you! Let me hear all about your travels."

He pulled us into the kitchen and found mugs for us.

"Are Iwo and Kissy still travelling through France?" I asked and took the freshly brewed tea from Frej.

"Yeah, they'll be back in a couple of days. Are you staying?"

"Actually..." I trailed off as Tec came into the kitchen and pressed a kiss on top of my head.

"How's our little god doing?" he asked and dumped down next to his husband.

"I've got a subject for you," I said very seriously.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because you're going to love this one."

"Alright. What's her name?"

"Luciana."