Chapter 1: Epic I
Notes:
Back for my annual fic 😅 I didn't expect to fall in love with a zombie this year, but here we are! I got the idea of having death/a character who represents death be a love interest for Isaac Night while watching Agatha All Along, and while thinking about the kind of challenges they'd face as a couple, the Isaac brainrot mixed with my Hadestown fixation and this story was born.
Thank you so much to the Isaac Night fandom on Tumblr for their encouragement and support while I wrote this! Here's hoping our zombie boy gets to come back in Wednesday Season 3!
Chapter Text
Prologue
No one really knows where reapers come from. They're not born, but they're not made either. They simply appear one day, imbued with an innate purpose that they're compelled to pursue. To collect, to guide, to be at the right place at the right time.
The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was a forest at dawn. She looked up at the sunlight, which was just starting to peek through the branches of the tree she was lying under. The light fell lazily on the tree's gnarled trunk. As she sat up to get a better look at it, she realized the tree resembled a human skull. How she knew what a skull looked like, she couldn't say. The image was simply there, in the back of her mind.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps, crunching softly over the dried leaves that littered the forest floor. From among the trees, a woman appeared, dressed head-to-toe in black, much like the girl herself. She should've blended into the shadows, but something about her stood out, refusing to be ignored. Stopping just a few feet away, the woman paused to look at a pocket watch, which hung by a chain around her neck. She then closed it and held out her hand.
"Come, little one," she beckoned, her voice firm but kind. The young reaper obeyed, standing up and taking the woman's hand. As they walked out of the forest, the woman whispered, "There's much to do, and no time to waste."
You saw her alone there against the sky
It was like she was someone you'd always known
She was just a child, but she took to her duties immediately. Her mentor was impressed, and it wasn't long before she started operating without assistance. She quickly learned to listen to her instincts, letting them draw her to where she needed to go. Her mentor worried about how the little reaper's skills would develop, but she had a natural way of putting the mortals at ease. Maybe it was her young, innocent appearance, or the kind but insistent way that she held out her hand to them. Perhaps it was the sweet way she'd say their names, which always came to her mind as she drew near, or the way she offered them the flower she wore in her hair if they seemed nervous. Sometimes she'd visit them a few times in advance, so they could get used to her presence. Whatever method she used, it worked like a charm, but her intuition was especially helpful on the rare occasion that she had to collect a fellow child.
She was still a young reaper when she first met him, a boy whose heart couldn't keep up with his brilliant mind.
It was an early spring morning when she felt the pull toward the hospital. The sky was gray and the air was crisp as she approached the dreary building. She walked through the front door, unseen, or perhaps just unnoticed, by the busy staff. Despite the hour, the building was already buzzing with doctors and nurses moving from room to room. The little reaper walked up to an elevator, narrowly avoiding a gurney being wheeled through the hallway. While she waited, she checked her pocket watch, which she wore on a silver chain. Time to spare. The elevator doors opened. She stepped inside and pushed the button for the second floor.
When the doors reopened, she stepped outside and turned down another long hallway. She took her time finding the room, listening to the echo of her own footsteps on the black and white tiles. Something told her it was the room at the very end. She was nearly there now, but two doors before her destination, she suddenly felt another pull. Her feet stopped almost of their own accord at the strange sensation, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. This had never happened during her training. She tried to take another step, but she couldn't seem to move forward. Her heart began to race. Nervously, she checked her pocket watch again. Too early. Well, that simply wouldn't do. Snapping it shut, she let herself into the room on her left.
The room was as grey and dismal as the rest of the building, but her eye was soon drawn to the intricate drawings that decorated the walls. They were schematics for machines of all shapes and sizes, as colorless as everything else seemed to be that day, yet somehow full of life. She could practically feel the electricity thrumming in an illustration of an engine. As the reaper stood transfixed, the light changed as the sun finally broke through the cloudy morning. The grey room was suddenly bathed in a golden glow, and as she turned her attention to the window, a dove landed on the sill outside. They often appeared while she was on duty. She acknowledged it with a nod, and it responded with a soft coo. The greeting brought a soft smile to her face, but her attention was drawn back to the room by a quiet cough.
She turned with a start, and her eyes finally fell on the bed tucked into the corner. It was occupied by a pale boy with unruly black curls and tired, dark eyes. Despite his evident fatigue, his eyes still shone bright in the morning light, regarding her with curiosity. She was used to inquisitive looks, but she wasn't used to being seen by those she wasn't there to collect. Another unfamiliar sensation settled in her chest, but unlike the one she felt in the hallway, this one wasn't unpleasant. It was warm, almost comforting, like the sun outside the window.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice thin but clear in the quiet room.
"An early bird," she said, the words spilling from her lips before she could even think about them. This seemed to puzzle the boy further.
"You don't look like a bird," he replied.
"How do I look?" she asked, her head tilting inquisitively.
He sat up in bed to examine her more closely, and she stilled under his gaze. She readied herself for a silly joke about her all-black clothing, or the obvious response that she looked like a girl. Based on the few boys she'd met, that seemed to be pretty standard behavior. After a moment, he gave his answer, short and simple: "Beautiful."
She was so surprised that she let out a laugh. He smiled at the sound.
She took a cautious step toward him, and a name appeared in the back of her mind, clear as day: Isaac Night. She took another step and caught a flash of a home, if she could even call it a home, for it was as cold and dismal as this hospital. Another step, another flash, this one of a girl with the same dark eyes, kind but sad as she sat by his bedside. Another step, a doctor's voice saying he had months to live. With that, the reaper reached the foot of the bed, and her hand gripped the metal frame to steady herself. She was used to the glimpses, but they'd never come quite so fast before. A short but intense walk, much like the boy's life had been so far.
"Are you alright?" Isaac asked.
"I think so," the girl replied. "Just need a minute."
As she closed her eyes and slowed her breathing, trying to settle her mind, she felt a hand enveloping her own on the bedframe. She looked up to see that he'd scooted closer to her and was watching her intently, concern lacing his features. The sight combined with the feeling of his hand on hers filled her with warmth all over again.
"See? All fine now," she told him, her voice steadier than she actually felt. Isaac seemed satisfied at that, for he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and sat back. A part of her wished he'd kept holding on, but she needed to check her watch again and for that, she required the use of her hand. Clicking it open and taking a quick look at the clock face, she sighed softly as she muttered, "Just still too early."
"Visiting hours don't start until after breakfast. I'm surprised they let you upstairs," he observed aloud. The curiosity was back. She felt it emanating from him even before she looked up.
"I always get where I need to go," she said, matter-of-fact, as she closed her watch with another click.
"If you're not visiting someone, then what are you early for?" he asked suddenly. Her eyes widened slightly at the question. Mortals weren't usually this quick to catch on. She'd have to be careful with this one.
"Who says I'm not visiting someone?"
"If you were, you would've gone straight to that person's room to avoid getting caught, instead of sneaking into another patient's room to kill time." His lips curved into a self-assured smirk as he folded his arms, challenging her to contradict him. "Perhaps I should call security on you."
She raised an eyebrow and held his gaze as she leaned on the bed frame. "You're not going to do that."
"What makes you so sure? You don't know me." And yet, he felt like someone she'd always known.
"If you were, you would've done it by now. And I know more than you think, Isaac Night."
That wiped the smirk from his face. She almost laughed as his eyebrows shot up and his jaw dropped in surprise. Instead, she merely smiled as she straightened up, turned away, and stepped toward the door.
"How do you know-" he started to ask.
"You signed your sketches," she called over her shoulder. She hadn't actually noticed if he had, but it seemed plausible enough. She was almost out the door when the sound of his voice rang out again.
"Wait!"
Normally, she would've ignored him and left, but she felt a phantom tug on her wrist, gently pulling her back. She looked back at the boy, still sitting in bed, but his brow now furrowed in concentration as his hand reached toward hers. When he lowered his hand, the feeling disappeared. A Da Vinci, she thought. Should've guessed.
"Will you be back?" he asked. The memory of the doctor's voice echoed in her mind as she considered her answer.
"Sooner than you think."
Before he could ask another question, she slipped into the hallway and closed the door softly behind her. She'd started to feel the pull again, leading her to the room at the end of the hall. The time for waiting had passed.
It was a week later when she felt the pull toward the hospital again. As she suspected, the compulsion led her right back to his door. The sun was setting this time when she slipped inside the room.
Isaac was sat up in bed sketching in the fading light, but his hand stilled and his eyes snapped up at the sound of the door opening. At the sight of the girl entering, still in her all-black attire with a matching flower in her hair, a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I didn't realize you visited after hours, too, early bird," he said teasingly as he set his sketchbook aside.
"I'm always on time," she replied daintily.
"Would you like to sit?" he asked. She glanced around the barren room.
"There are no chairs."
At that, he gestured to an empty spot on the bed. The little reaper hesitated, checking her pocket watch. Time to spare. Clicking it shut, she stepped over to the side of the bed and sat down facing him, staying close to the edge to avoid his gangly legs.
"You never told me your name," he stated, the implied question hanging in the air between them. She watched him as she considered changing the subject, but something told her he'd just keep asking.
"Don't have one to tell," she said finally.
"None at all?"
She shook her head. He seemed especially perplexed by this.
"What kind of being has no name?" he muttered, more to himself than to her. It brought a small smile to her face. She could practically see the gears turning in his head. "I was hoping to call you something other than 'early bird.'"
She wasn't sure why, but she felt a strange, fluttery sensation in her stomach at the idea of him calling out to her. She looked out the window to distract herself from it and found a dove looking back at her. Isaac's gaze followed hers, watching as she nodded her head in greeting and the bird nodded back.
"Is that your pet?"
"Not exactly. More like a companion."
He mulled this information over for a moment, then his eyes lit up with an idea.
"Maybe I'll call you dove."
As soon as the word left his lips, she felt something within her shift, like a puzzle piece slotting into its rightful place. She turned back to him with a nod.
"Alright."
He looked quite pleased at her response.
"So, dove, who are you visiting this time?"
She paused, waiting to see if she felt anything pulling her elsewhere. There was nothing. "Just you, I think."
His eyebrows raised in surprise then quickly drew together, confused. "You think?"
With growing confidence, she nodded. "Pretty sure."
"I'm honored, but what about the person you visited last time?"
"He's gone."
"I see… Sorry for your loss."
She gave a noncommittal shrug. "That's how it goes."
This response drew out his curiosity again, his gaze becoming more intense as he studied her like a slide under a microscope. "You don't seem very upset. Were you close?"
"Not particularly."
"Is it a hobby then? Visiting strangers in hospitals?"
Perhaps she was giving away too much. "Who said he was a stranger?"
"Consider it an educated guess."
He was testing her again, waiting for her response so he could dissect it and extract the truth. Part of her wanted to just tell him, but the words stuck in her throat. It was too early for that. Still, he was too perceptive to outright deceive.
"It's not a hobby," she said simply.
He fell silent as he processed this admission. She braced herself for more questions, but they were interrupted by a brisk knock. The door opened and a nurse entered.
"It's time for lights-out, Mr. Night," she announced. Isaac waited for her to scold the girl for her unsanctioned visit, but the nurse didn't even spare her a glance. She merely took his silence as her cue to turn off the light, leaving them bathed in moonlight. Then, she left, just as abruptly as she'd arrived. As they listened to her footsteps fade, Isaac's eyes met hers again in the dark. Finally, he said, "She couldn't see you."
The little reaper shook her head. Isaac lapsed back into quiet contemplation, but after a moment, he seemed to have made up his mind about something. He extended his hand toward hers in a silent request. Slowly, she reached out, placing her hand on top of his. As he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, he smiled softly and whispered, "Not a ghost, then."
"No," she whispered back.
"Not a vanisher, or I wouldn't have seen you either," he continued.
She shook her head again, grinning as she watched him try to parse it out.
"You're not going to tell me, are you?" he asked, though it was more of a statement than a question.
"Where's the fun in that?" she teased.
His smile widened, and he leaned in closer as he quietly vowed, "I will figure you out, dove."
"I know you will."
Reluctant to let go, she used her free hand to check her pocket watch again. He watched intently as she closed it, turned to him, and said, "Time for me to go."
Sadness flashed behind his eyes and his smile faltered at her words. To her surprise, he brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles. Warmth spread through her like direct sunlight as he said softly, "Until next time."
He released her hand. She stood up to leave, but seeing the way he was looking at her in the moonlight, like she'd hung the moon herself, she paused. With slightly trembling fingers, she took the flower from her hair – a black calla lily – and pressed it into his hands.
"Until next time," she repeated. And with that, she walked to the door and slipped out. In the solitary silence of his room, Isaac raised the flower to his nose and closed his eyes as he inhaled its sweet scent. He was still holding it when he drifted off to sleep.
The next time wasn't until nearly a month later, much to the little reaper's chagrin. She was almost relieved when her feet finally led her back to the hospital, which looked especially dreary on that rainy afternoon. When she reached his door, she stepped inside without hesitation.
Isaac's condition had worsened. She was used to such things, given the nature of her duties, but the sight of him using his telekinesis to sketch, having grown too weak to hold a pencil, made her chest ache. At first, she thought he hadn't noticed her come in. Without looking away from his sketch, he smiled and said, "Hello, dove."
"Hello," she answered. The familiar moniker filled her with warmth.
"You never fail to surprise."
"How do you mean?"
"You finally came during visiting hours."
"It was the right time."
"Well, I'd hoped you'd come sooner, but your timing is impeccable nonetheless." The pencil and paper drifted down into his waiting hands. "Come and see what I've been working on."
She walked around to the side of the bed and took the proffered paper. Looking down at the illustration, she let out a quiet gasp. It was a heart composed of gears and cogs, beautifully rendered in graphite. Without thinking, her fingers reached for her pocket watch.
"The doctors say I don't have much longer before my heart gives out, but your necklace gave me an idea the last time you were here," he explained. She turned her attention back to Isaac and found him already watching her intently, waiting to see how she'd react. The revelation brought a smile to her lips, but the ache in her heart remained as well.
"It's brilliant," she declared, handing the drawing back to him. Even in his sickly state, his eyes shone bright with pride at her words. "Have you built it yet?"
"No, but I already have the materials and it won't take long. The surgery's already been scheduled," he said. Looking out the window at the rainy sky, he added, "Then, I'll finally be free of this place."
Her smile grew wistful as she listened to him. She joined him in looking out the window and tried not to let her sadness show, but he must've sensed it, for she felt his hand gently brush the back of hers. Letting him entwine their fingers, she finally met his gaze again. He regarded her with quiet intensity before breaking the silence with a question. "You're not an angel, are you?"
It took a moment for the query to register, and she stood there blinking absently. He held his breath in anticipation. Finally, she shook her head slowly, and Isaac let out a sigh. "Damn, I thought I had it."
She chuckled quietly and said, "I've never gotten 'angel' before."
"So, I'm not the only one you torment with this guessing game?" he inquired, a playful lilt in his voice.
"No, but you're the only one who hasn't given up after three guesses."
"I've only made three so far. How do you know I'll make another?"
"You've already thought of one. I can see it in your eyes."
His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her expression. She stared back in a wordless challenge. Thunder rumbled outside, but neither of them paid it any mind. After almost a full minute of silence, he couldn't help himself. "Are you a witch?"
The girl laughed as she shook her head again, and he let out a groan of defeat. "You know me too well already, dove. I have some catching up to do."
"You'll get there, eventually," she reassured him.
He grinned at that. "So, will you come and find me when I get out of here?"
Her giddiness drained instantly as she was hit with the reality of what was coming next. The little reaper had experienced a couple of false alarms before, felt the pull toward a mortal who managed to avert their fate at the last minute. She didn't want Isaac to die, but if the surgery was successful, then she already knew what would happen. The pull would lead her away from him and back to her duties, and a reaper's duties were never truly done. She'd still be there when he met his end, but who knew how far in the future that would be? So, it was with solemnity that she finally answered, "Someday, I will."
His grin faded a bit at the shift in her tone. "Someday sounds far away."
"It might be," she replied quietly.
"Maybe I'll just have to come and find you," he suggested.
"No," she asserted, surprising him with how quickly it came out. Her heart was pounding now, but she closed her eyes and took a breath to steady herself. He didn't know the implications of what he was saying, about the few mortals who had sought her out before and driven themselves mad in the process. It would break her heart to see him that way. Under the weight of his watchful eyes, she merely said, "It doesn't work that way."
He wanted to keep pressing, she could tell by the way his eyes shifted, but something in him understood that this wasn't up for discussion. So, he gave a small nod and squeezed her hand as he said, "Then you'll have to find me, dove. Promise you will."
Her eyes met his, taking in the anxiety that he tried to conceal beneath insistence. She might not have known when, but she knew that she would see him again. The little reaper squeezed his hand back and declared, "I promise."
The anxiety ebbed, but she could sense some lingering doubt. So, she plucked the flower from her hair, a black tulip, and pressed it into his hand. She looked into his dark eyes and implored him, "Wait for me."
His gaze filled with resolve as he answered, "I will."
She could feel the urge to move starting to grow in her limbs, but she took another deep breath and resisted it. She wanted to commit as much of him to memory as she could before she left, and it seemed like he was trying to do the same. When the pull became too strong, she raised his hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to the back of it. He smiled as he teased, "That's my move."
"You can return the favor next time," she said with a grin. Then, she reluctantly released him and stepped toward the door.
"Goodbye for now, Isaac."
"Goodbye for now, dove."
Isaac watched her slowly slip out the door, shutting it gently behind her.
After he woke up from his surgery, his new heart ticking away in his chest, Isaac found another flower, a black hollyhock, on his bedside table. He pressed it between the pages of his sketchbook, alongside the other flowers she'd given him.
Chapter 2: Epic II
Summary:
Time reunites the reaper with Isaac Night, but she struggles to gauge how close to let him come. After all, disaster is looming on the horizon.
Chapter Text
But even that hardest of hearts unhardened
Suddenly, when he saw her there
Reapers don't experience time the same way that mortals do. It's not that time doesn't concern them at all, as they have places to go and people to see, just as the living do, and they're prone to checking their watches to make sure they're on time. But they also have all the time in the world, and that makes all the difference. Years could pass without them even noticing, but when a reaper grows close to a mortal, they might begin to feel the weight of time in a new way.
The little reaper grew into a young woman, but unlike her early years, this period had passed ever so slowly. She'd been alone for so long, but she'd never really felt lonely before. Not as she did now. She carried on just as she did before, coaxing mortals to come with her to the great beyond. A few gave her more trouble than she was used to, but a kind word and occasionally a small gift were usually enough to convince most. Her mentor returned to check on her, and as before, she was impressed, but she could also sense a change in her protégé.
Before, she'd completed her duties efficiently, each one filling her with a quiet satisfaction. Now, when the girl felt the pull, she wondered if this might be the one that led her back to the boy whose smile felt like sunlight on her skin. She followed her instincts dutifully, but she couldn't help the sting she felt each time she realized that it wasn't yet time. At the end of the day, she'd return to her home in the realm between the living and the dead, for even reapers need a place to rest, and try to take her mind off the boy and the promise she'd made him. She'd tend to her garden or try to read one of her many books, but nothing could ever fully dislodge him from her mind. And so, the years dragged on.
By the time she felt the pull toward the academy in the woods, the reaper had all but resigned herself to a seemingly endless wait. She knew he was of an age to be a student, but she didn't dare to hope as fervently as she did in the months after she first left him. Still, she couldn't help but notice how the strength of the pull increased as she passed the gates and glimpsed the gothic towers rising up against the wintry sky. Her eyes fell upon a clock tower tucked away near the back, and her heart filled with certainty that this was her destination. The pull continued to grow stronger as she made her way there, nearly tripping over her own feet as anticipation built in her stomach. She slipped unnoticed past the few students and teachers still out and about in the fading light, her feet taking her through a series of passageways until she came to an old-fashioned elevator. She got in, and up she went. Her heart was pounding as she neared the top of the tower, eager to find out who she would meet when she arrived.
When the elevator came to a halt, she stepped out into a large room filled with unfinished fragments of machinery. Light came in through the giant clock faces that made up the walls, one of which had a window left open to let in the cool evening air. She passed by a workbench littered with detailed blueprints and a chalkboard covered in frantically scribbled equations. Then, her eyes fell upon a figure in a lab coat, standing in front of another chalkboard at the far end of the room. His back was to her, and as she took in his unruly dark curls, she felt her heart skip a beat. Warmth began to bloom in her chest, and she knew exactly who it was before he turned around.
"Francoise, I think I've made a breakthrough! I just need-"
And then he turned, and the words died on his lips.
He was tall. She'd known he was tall, and he'd obviously grown since the last time she'd laid eyes on him. But as she stood there, she realized that this was the first time she'd actually seen him standing up, and nothing could've prepared her for the swirl of emotions that came with that revelation. He was still thin, though not sickly like he used to be. His face had matured, his features becoming a bit more angular, and with his eyebrows raised in surprise, she spotted a few lines on his face that hadn't been there before. And then her gaze landed on his eyes. Those dark eyes still shone with such life, such energy, and as always, such curiosity. As she stood there, taking him in, he'd been doing the same. She felt a familiar heat course through her as his shock turned to recognition.
"It's you," he said quietly, still half in disbelief.
"It's me," she echoed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Hello, Isaac."
He was frozen, standing rooted in place as he held her in his gaze. He didn't blink. It was as if he was afraid she'd disappear if he took his eyes off of her for even a fraction of a second. The thought made her heart ache.
Hesitantly, she took a step forward and saw a flash of Isaac arriving at his new school, triumphant. She took another step and another flash appeared, this one of a crowd of students whispering unkind rumors to each other as he walked by, their cold eyes following his movements. Another step, a flash of the girl she'd seen before, the one with the same dark eyes as her brother, but more troubled and afraid as she transformed into something monstrous. Another step, another flash of an old sketchbook with three black flowers pressed between the pages: calla lily, tulip, and hollyhock.
The image made the reaper gasp, and her steps faltered. Her hand shot out to steady herself on a nearby table as she took a deep breath. And then he was there, right in front of her. It seemed he'd finished staring and decided to meet her halfway. She felt his hand on her shoulder, holding her steady as she recovered from her walkabout.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I think so," she answered after a moment.
Her breathing slowed, but her heartbeat quickened as she looked up to see the concern written across his face, so much like that first day in the hospital. He really was tall, towering over her where she stood. She drew herself up to her full height, but she still had to crane her neck to look up at him. As he observed her, the sound of fluttering wings caught their attention. A dove flew in through the open window and settled up in the rafters. Isaac's face finally broke into a smile as they turned back to each other.
"It really is you, dove," he remarked.
She nodded as her own smile grew. His hand slid from her shoulder down to her hand, and he took a slight step back as he bent down to place a kiss on her knuckles. The familiar gesture drew a quiet giggle from her lips. As he straightened up again, still holding her hand, he asked, "What took you so long?"
"It wasn't time yet," she answered, her other hand coming up to touch the pocket watch that still hung around her neck.
"You and your timing," he muttered, but the smile hadn't left his face. "Well, you're certainly on time for something. Come and see what I've been working on."
Isaac guided her to the chalkboard he'd been standing by before, tugging her gently by the hand. Like the other one she had passed by, it was full of equations that the reaper didn't recognize, but at the sight of them, she felt something tighten in the pit of her stomach.
"My sister is sick," he said. "I've been working on a machine to cure her of her condition."
"She's a hyde," she stated, the words falling from her lips before she'd fully processed their meaning.
Isaac's eyes widened with surprise and a myriad of questions, but he merely nodded before continuing with his explanation. "I was having trouble with the power source, but I'd just figured out a workaround when you arrived. If I didn't know better, I'd ask if you were a muse."
She raised an eyebrow as she turned to face him. "That's another first."
"That wasn't an official guess," he countered teasingly. "If you were a muse, I think I would've seen you much sooner."
"You've certainly been busy," she observed, taking another survey of the inventions scattered around the cluttered room.
"And what about you, dove? You must've been doing something all this time."
There it was. He was testing the waters. She felt the air shift from ease to quiet intensity even before she turned back to look at him. She sighed and answered, "My work is never done."
He nodded slowly as he weighed her response. She watched closely as the gears turned in his mind.
"You have your next guess?"
"I have a hypothesis. I'm just not sure how to test it yet."
You might not want to, she thought. They all figured it out eventually, but that always came after the end. She'd never had to worry about a mortal finding out before the right time, but Isaac was quicker than the others. The reactions to what she was varied. Some were accepting, others resisted. A few had run, becoming lost between the realms of the living and the dead. What if he turned away from her, too? The boy had defied his destiny once already, but he was unlikely to escape whatever fate had pulled her back to him again. As happy as she was to see him again, his future filled the reaper with dread in a way nothing else had before. She'd never really cared what the mortals thought of her, as long as she got the job done, but Isaac was the exception.
He was still looking at her like an equation on one of his chalkboards that he hadn't solved yet. She was still trying to formulate a response when her fingers instinctively went to her pocket watch. Isaac watched the movement carefully, and before she even opened her mouth, she saw the happiness draining from his face.
"I have to go," she finally said, her voice coming out weak and unsteady.
"Stay, please," he implored quietly. "I just got you back."
His grip on her hand tightened slightly, but it was the earnest longing in his eyes that truly held her there. Despite the growing urge to get to her next destination, she felt like she could resist it as long as he kept looking at her that way. However, she didn't want to keep him in suspense forever. She reached up with her free hand to cradle his face, and he leaned into her touch, never taking his eyes off her. Then, she gently guided him down until their foreheads touched, her eyes closing in the process. She felt the tension leave his body as he let out a resigned sigh.
"I'll be back. Sooner this time," she whispered. "I promise."
After a moment, he answered, "Alright, dove."
She smiled as she opened her eyes to find him still looking at her with longing, but some of the contentment had returned. A grin tugged at his lips as he reached up and plucked the flower from her hair, a black rose. Her eyes widened, which drew a chuckle from him.
"That was a bold move," she said accusatorily, but she couldn't keep the grin off her own face.
"I could think of a few bolder ones," he countered, lifting the flower up to his nose.
"Maybe next time," she murmured. And with that, she finally peeled herself away.
The reaper crossed back to the elevator with strong steps, letting the pull guide her. She didn't turn around until she'd stepped inside and closed the gate behind her. When she finally did, she saw Isaac still looking after her, his eyes following her for as long as they could as she slowly sank back down to the ground.
Over the next few weeks, she slipped back into the game they'd started when they were children, but the rules had evolved. The pull brought her back to the tower every few days, where he would greet her with a kiss on the hand and try to coax more answers out of her if he was alone. If he wasn't, he'd wait to see if his other guest noticed her presence first. The first visitor was his sister, coming up to check on his progress and drop off some food since he often missed dinner. Francoise had walked right by the reaper without a second thought, which did not escape Isaac's notice. As such, he turned his attention to his sister as she told him about her day and informed him what his fellow students were up to. At Francoise's insistence, he ate as he listened, occasionally interrupting with a sarcastic remark about his classmates and sparing glances at the girl in black when his sister wasn't looking. The reaper observed the scene with mild amusement, but her duties pulled her away before his sister left. It was probably a good thing, as it delayed her having to face the questions he would inevitably have afterward.
The second visitor was his roommate. When the reaper found her way to the tower that day, the boys were already there. They were deep in conversation, or, at least, the other boy was. He was rambling a mile a minute about various classes, clubs, and his girlfriend, Morticia. Isaac worked while he listened, but despite the smile on his face when he turned to his roommate, it didn't reach his eyes. He didn't exude the same warmth that he did when speaking to her or Francoise, the reaper noted. No, this smile was completely cold, and any doubts about what she was seeing were erased when Isaac turned and saw her stepping into the room. His gaze immediately filled with earnest affection, and the air around him seemed to shift. His mustachioed friend must've sensed it too, for he turned to follow Isaac's line of sight, and unlike Francoise, his eyes locked onto the girl in black.
"Ah, you didn't tell me you were expecting company, Isaac!" he said, turning back to his roommate with a wide grin.
Isaac was momentarily taken aback, but he recovered quickly and replied, "I wasn't, but my door is always open to an old friend."
The other boy wasted no time making his way over to her and extending his hand. His name came to her mind as he approached, along with a few memories of a mostly happy existence thus far.
"Gomez Addams," he announced with a smile.
"Pleasure to meet you," she responded in kind, accepting his handshake.
"I wasn't aware Isaac had other friends, especially such lovely ones," Gomez continued, throwing a playful look back at his roommate. Isaac's eyes narrowed at the statement.
"Like he said, I'm an old friend," she said with a grin, raising an eyebrow at Isaac when Gomez turned his back.
"We hadn't seen each other in a long time, but we recently reconnected," Isaac explained.
"How wonderful!" Gomez exclaimed. "Well, I'll leave you two to… reconnect some more. Tish and I have a study date tonight. See you later, old boy!"
The other boy then stepped into the elevator and sank out of view, waving as he went. The reaper returned the wave before turning back to Isaac, who hadn't moved from his spot. He was studying her with his usual curiosity, but there was something slightly different about it. Her stomach twisted anxiously, but she took a deep breath and tried to sound casual as she remarked, "He seems nice."
"He's not the brightest, but he has his uses," Isaac responded, his tone colder than she was used to. It wasn't helping the feeling in her stomach.
She approached him with cautious steps. He didn't move, but as she got closer, she saw the coldness start to melt away. Finally, she stood before him, but he kept his hands behind his back, as if he was holding himself back from her. So, she asked, "What, no kiss for your old friend today?"
He raised his eyebrow, mimicking her earlier reaction, but he unclasped his hands and stepped forward to complete his usual greeting. His lips lingered on the back of her hand a little longer than normal, and the reaper felt heat creeping into her cheeks. He lowered her hand but didn't let go. She'd grown accustomed to his touch, but something was different tonight. Isaac wasn't meeting her gaze. He was still looking at their joined hands, his jaw firm as if he was grappling with a particularly difficult problem. She waited for him to speak, and finally, he looked up.
"He could see you."
She opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come. Slowly, she nodded instead. He watched her reaction carefully, and as he did, she could almost see the final piece of a puzzle slotting into place in his mind. The reaper felt as if the ground was giving way beneath her feet, the pressure of Isaac's hand on hers the only thing keeping her upright. Her eyes dropped and her voice trembled as she said, "You know what I am."
"I do," he answered, quiet but unmistakable. The reaper thought he might pull his hand away, but to her surprise, his grip held firm as he added, "And you know what I'm planning."
Her eyes snapped up at that, and she was immediately met with his intense gaze, waiting to see how she'd react. During her visits, Isaac hadn't explained anything in detail, preferring to prod her with questions while he worked on his machine. The reaper wasn't much of a scientist, being so heavily ruled by intuition, but she knew something was coming: a disaster, probably, but who would be caught in the crosshairs, she couldn't yet say for certain. Finally, she told him, "Not exactly."
"But you know why you're here. I'm going to cure my sister, and not everyone is going to survive the process." His tone wasn't angry or accusatory. It was matter-of-fact, merely an observation, almost devoid of emotion. He was just thinking out loud now. Another being might have felt a chill creeping up their spine at his cold detachment, but death had always been part of the reaper's day-to-day. Instead, she was more concerned about where Isaac's train of thought was heading next. She watched nervously as it sped along. "Francoise didn't see you, so she'll be fine. Gomez did, which means it's going to work. And I've been seeing you for weeks…"
He trailed off as the realization hit him. Again, she braced herself for his reaction, but instead of pulling away like she expected, he took a confident step closer to her. "I saw you before, and I survived. It isn't set in stone."
"Clever boy," she remarked, a sad smile gracing her lips. "But when it's over and done with…"
"Either I'll be dead, or I'll live and you'll have to leave again," he finished for her. The girl felt her throat tighten as tears sprang to her eyes, so she only nodded in response as she blinked them back. One still managed to slip down her cheek, and he reached up to wipe it away. He cradled her face gently and leaned down to press his forehead to hers as he whispered, "My darling dove, must you always fly away from me?"
"Afraid so," she whispered back. "But you'll see me again. Eventually."
"It really is less than ideal," he remarked. This drew a watery laugh from her lips. He smiled softly at the sound before pulling back to look at her properly. "I'm not planning to die."
"Most people aren't," she answered simply.
"So, it doesn't bother you that Gomez doesn't survive in my plan?"
"He doesn't deserve to die," she admitted, "but it isn't my job to interfere or pass judgment. Just to be there for whoever needs to cross over, no matter what they've done."
He nodded once as he considered this. After a moment, he asked, "What should we do with our remaining time tonight?"
"Just hold me, please."
So, he wrapped his arms around her, and she pressed her ear to his chest and listened to the ticking of his clockwork heart. They stayed that way until time ran out, as it always did.
Unlike the slow years the reaper had spent waiting to see Isaac again, the day of the experiment arrived all too quickly. She'd watched as he completed the machine, double-checking that every nut and bolt was securely in its place and conducting some tests to make sure everything would run as intended. The finished product was both wonderful and terrible.
The reaper had had a slow day. She performed her duties with her usual efficiency, but the extra downtime gave her more time to ruminate on what she knew might happen later that night. If things went according to Isaac's plan, she'd be escorting Gomez Addams to his afterlife. And then, she'd be separated from Isaac again for an indeterminable amount of time. The thought was almost too much for her to bear, but the other possibilities were just as overwhelming. If something went wrong, Isaac might die himself. The boy had escaped death once already and was adamant about keeping it that way for as long as he could. Even so, he was playing with fire, and she'd visited him more times than any other mortal. Depending on just how big this impending disaster was, perhaps she'd end up escorting both boys to the great beyond tonight. And then… She didn't dare think that far ahead. She'd know what to do when the moment came, she told herself. After all, she always did. Unfortunately, this certainty did little to assuage the dread growing in her stomach.
It was late when she finally felt the pull toward Iago Tower. By the time she arrived at the lab, the experiment was already underway. The room was lit by frantic flashes of lightning as the machine drained Gomez's powers. Francoise cried out from her place on the table. And Isaac stood at the control panel, observing his work with unhinged glee. None of them noticed the reaper on the floor below, or the raven-haired young woman coming up the ladder. The reaper watched as Morticia Frump crept up behind Isaac and, in one swift motion, sliced his right hand off. She felt a pang in her heart as he yelped and doubled over in pain. The machine began to sputter and groan, quickly becoming overwhelmed. Morticia ran to her love, and Isaac reached for the levers and buttons with his remaining hand, desperate to get things back on track. There was a low rumble, a burst of light. Someone screamed in anguish, and the reaper knew it was time.
The smoke cleared, and there lay Isaac's lifeless form on the floor of the laboratory. His spirit sat a few feet away, as if it had been knocked out of his body by the explosion. He sat up and froze at the sight of his own corpse. For a long moment, all he could do was stare in dazed disbelief. With cautious steps, the reaper walked toward him. His gaze turned to her, and as she knelt beside him, the truth finally sank in.
"I failed, dove," he said quietly. "I couldn't save her."
"I'm sorry, Isaac," she whispered.
His eyes suddenly widened as he turned to her fully and asked, "Francoise?"
"She's alive. She's still a hyde, but it's not her time yet."
His expression softened a bit at that, but it hardened again as he continued, "And the other two?"
"They're alive, too."
He turned his glare back toward his body as he wrapped his arms around his knees protectively. "It isn't fair."
The reaper sat on the floor next to him as she answered, "That's how it goes."
He eyed her movements, confusion furrowing his eyebrows. "Shouldn't you be taking me away?"
The reaper checked her watch before she responded, "I can wait until you're ready."
"What if I'm never ready?"
"Then I'll keep waiting, but I don't think you'll want to sit here forever."
Whatever retort he was forming evaporated when another cry split the air. Francoise had regained consciousness. They watched as she stumbled over to his body and began looking in vain for any signs of life. Finding none, she collapsed on his chest and let out a sob. The reaper glanced at Isaac and saw that tears were streaming silently down his own cheeks as he observed her. He was so focused on his sister that he didn't notice Morticia and Gomez on the second floor watching with a mixture of shock and fascination as his severed right hand crawled over to them. The reaper took note but kept this to herself.
They stayed in the same spot as Professor Stoneheart arrived and took in the tragedy. They watched as he threatened the survivors, angry words doing little to mask the fear in his voice but proving effective nonetheless. They saw Gomez coax Francoise away from her brother's corpse, telling her gently but firmly to go back to her dorm and never speak of this to anyone. The reaper gingerly rested her head on his shoulder as Morticia and Gomez carried his body out under Stonehearst's supervision, heading to the waiting grave at the base of the Skull Tree. They stayed that way for what felt like ages, the night stretching into an eternity. Finally, Isaac broke the silence.
"So, what now?" he asked, voice raspy and quiet.
"That's up to you," she answered.
"I can't go back, can I?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Afraid not."
"You're not waiting to drag me to Hell, are you?" He glanced down at her out of the corner of his eye.
"I'd prefer not to drag you anywhere," she said simply.
"And if I just stayed here?"
"Then, you'd become a ghost, lost between realms. Able to perceive the living world but never rejoin it."
He considered this for a moment. "Is there another option?"
The reaper tensed beside him. She'd known it was coming, and yet that did nothing to calm her anxiety. Perhaps she should've planned what she was going to say after all, but it was too late for that now. Taking a steadying breath, she lifted her head and turned to face him.
"There is one other possibility…"
He looked at her expectantly, and she gathered her courage before she continued.
"You could come home with me."
His eyebrows shot up. "That's rather forward of you, dove."
"It's not like that," she said quickly, trying to stifle her embarrassment as heat rose to her cheeks. "Reapers take the dead where they need to go, but if a mortal is willing, they can bind their soul to a single reaper. Then, they just stay with that reaper instead of going to the great beyond. The bond is eternal and unbreakable, though, so we can only do it once."
Isaac's features softened as the full meaning of her proposition sank in. "Doves mate for life. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that death is no different." This earned him a small smile, and he continued, "So, you'd choose to be stuck with me forever?"
His tone was teasing, but she couldn't help but respond in earnest. "Isaac, I've met people from all walks of life. Some of them come quietly, some run away, some fear me, some are kind, some are angry, some drive themselves mad seeking me out. They all move on quickly enough, and I do, too. I'm always being pulled from one death to the next, but when I'm with you, I want to stay still. You are the only one who's ever truly seen me and wanted to know more. I can't imagine wanting to be stuck with anyone else."
Her voice trembled slightly as emotion overtook her. Isaac seemed taken aback by her confession, for all he could do was stare at her. For a moment, she feared she'd said something wrong. She suddenly felt quite certain that he was going to reject her, so she stood up and turned away. She couldn't bear to see his face when it happened. But before she could take a step, she felt his hand close around her wrist.
"Wait!"
The reaper stopped.
"Look at me, dove," he pleaded gently. With a shaky breath, she turned to face him. He was still sitting on the floor holding her wrist, but he was looking up at her with that intense gaze that always seemed to hold her in place. "Do you mean it?"
She took a step toward him as she answered, "Every word."
A small smile settled on his face. He released her as he clumsily shifted up onto one knee. Her heart raced as he took her hand and his eyes met hers once again.
"I have no ring for your finger, and I have no idea what the future will bring, but I can promise you this: my heart is yours and always will be. And now, my soul will be yours, too."
"You're sure? You don't even really know me yet."
"It feels like I knew you before we met. Besides, I would gladly spend an eternity learning everything I could about you."
Warmth bloomed in the reaper's chest as she felt a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. "Alright, then."
Carefully, she helped him to his feet. Then, she reached up to cradle his face and pulled him into a kiss. He sighed against her lips, and she felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her up onto her toes and flush against him. His movements were slow and soft, leaving her breathless. She wasn't sure how much time passed before they finally broke apart. When she looked up, he was beaming at her. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."
"Me too, my love," she whispered, grinning up at him.
For a moment, he just smiled at her. Then, his expression shifted to surprise as he released her and looked down at his right arm. Gone were the bloodstains on his clothes, and at the end of his arm was his faithful right hand, signet ring and all. He gazed at it in wonder, closing his fingers into a fist before opening them again. He looked exactly as he had in life.
"I get to keep my powers in death?"
"Only one way to find out," she replied teasingly. She expected him to test them out on something else, but she felt her own feet leave the floor and let out a gasp. He lifted her a foot in the air, smiling again as he left her hovering in front of him. She huffed in mock annoyance as she muttered, "Showoff."
He chuckled as he stepped forward. "Just so I could do this, dove." He pulled her to him and kissed her again, this one more heated than the first. She wrapped her arms around his neck, steadying herself in midair. Despite her initial protest, she was secretly glad he was holding her up, as she wasn't sure her knees would be able to support her for much longer if he kept kissing her like this. It must've been affecting Isaac, too, for she felt herself slowly being lowered to the ground again as his hands found her hips. When her feet touched the floor, they both pulled away and gasped for air. He leaned his forehead against hers again, and once he'd caught his breath, he said, "I've also been meaning to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"Where are we?"
The reaper finally tore her gaze away from Isaac to take in her surroundings. Gone was the lab in Iago Tower. Now, they stood outside a quaint cottage tucked away in a forest clearing, the moon casting an ethereal glow over the scene. She turned back to him with a grin as she answered, "My house."
Isaac eyed the cottage with a curious smirk. "Not where I imagined a reaper would reside."
She raised an eyebrow as she asked, "What did you imagine? A crypt?"
"Something like that," he teased. She rolled her eyes but the affectionate smile hadn't left her face. His hand found hers as he turned back to her and said, "Take me home, dove."
She smiled as she walked up to the front door, tugging him behind her. When they got there, she reached for the handle and pushed it open, but before stepping inside, Isaac asked her to wait once again. He slipped off his ring and placed it on her finger, and she giggled as he scooped her up to carry her across the threshold.
From that day forward, the reaper ceased aging, staying frozen in time alongside her love. He slipped seamlessly into her quiet existence, as if he was always meant to be there. During the day, she'd go about her usual duties with the same efficiency as she always did. The quiet satisfaction it used to give her returned, knowing that once she was finished for the day, she'd return home to her doting husband.
Isaac took to the afterlife surprisingly well. Although he was permitted to visit other deceased persons in the great beyond, he was, more often than not, content with just his wife for company. With her permission, he created a new lab in the cottage and got to work on new inventions, mostly things to help around the house or gifts for his wife. A more efficient watering system for the garden. A device that instantly reheated her tea when she got too absorbed in a book and her forgotten cup grew cold. A new ring that matched his. He presented each one to her with feigned nonchalance, but the reaper saw through it. She'd ask him how it worked or what prompted him to make it, and he'd immediately launch into an animated explanation. She found it utterly endearing. She kept each of his sketches and blueprints, and her favorites were framed and proudly displayed around the house.
True to his word, he remained endlessly curious about his wife. He observed her habits and committed each one to memory, from the way she liked her tea to the way she fell asleep with one hand resting over his clockwork heart. He listened attentively when she spoke about her work, asking questions about how her pocket watch worked, how she dealt with particularly difficult mortals, whether she ever visited any of them in the great beyond. Every once in a while, he'd ask if she'd seen his sister. Each time, she reassured him that it wasn't her time yet. He also asked the reaper about her past, especially about her earliest memory of waking up at the foot of the Skull Tree. Isaac had never believed in fate, but even he had to wonder if there was some connection between her point of origin and his body's final resting place.
As the years passed, the reaper gained even more names. "Dove" was still his favorite, but sometimes, others would slip out of his mouth seemingly without Isaac even noticing. He'd greet her with a "Hello, beautiful," beckon her over with a "Come and see what I made, darling," tease her after a long day with a "Did you use your scythe, my love?" (She almost regretted telling him about the scythe that all reapers could summon, for she'd never actually had to use it, but that didn't stop him from begging for a demonstration.) In turn, she'd praise her "clever boy" and his inventions, accept her cup of tea from him with a "Thank you, lover," bid him goodbye each day with an "Until tonight, my love." After all, she still had a job to do.
Isaac understood that, but on some days, he couldn't help himself. Sometimes when she felt the pull, he'd wrap himself around her and whisper, "Don't fly away, dove." Her heart ached with the desire to stay, but the reaper knew she was needed elsewhere. So, she'd press a kiss to his lips and implore him, "Wait for me." Even if he wasn't feeling very patient, he'd answer, "I will," and let her extricate herself from him. On such days, he'd throw himself into his work after she left, trying to think of ways to convince her to stay. She'd come home to find him still toiling away in his lab, and he often needed extra incentives to be coaxed back out again. But he was always there, as promised, and that is where he stayed. Until one day…
Chapter 3: Epic III
Summary:
Fate throws the reaper for a loop when Isaac is dragged back to the world of the living. Now, it's up to her to find him and figure out what happened to her beloved husband.
Chapter Text
Where is the man with his arms outstretched
To the woman he loves, with nothing to lose?
The reaper was on the clock when she felt it. It was an early fall evening, and she had just escorted Jericho's former sheriff to his afterlife. The pull had guided her back to town, but as she wandered its dark streets, she suddenly collapsed. The ground felt as if it was shifting beneath her feet, throwing her off balance, but judging by the lack of reaction from passing mortals, no one else had felt it. She'd felt the sensation only once before, a few months earlier. Someone had returned to the living world from beyond the grave.
But that wasn't the only thing she felt. There'd also been an acute pain in her chest, which hadn't accompanied the last event. It was starting to fade now, but rather than relief, it left her feeling hollow. The reaper reached for her pocket watch and tried to slow her breathing, but the hollowness was only growing stronger. Something was deeply wrong, and she had only one instinct: to return home.
She burst through the cottage door, panic starting to rise as she rushed from room to room and found each one empty. She called for her husband, but a part of her had known the truth from the moment her knees had given way in the street: Isaac was gone.
For a while, the reaper could do nothing but weep. Her dearest love was gone, leaving a gaping hole in her chest and her home, and all she could feel was overwhelming despair. She didn't even feel the pull. And so, the reaper sat on the floor of Isaac's lab with her arms wrapped around herself and cried for what felt like hours. Perhaps it was. When her tears finally stopped, she felt too exhausted to sleep. Her limbs were heavy, but she forced herself to stand. She looked around the lab, searching for any hints as to what might have happened to her husband.
The room was cluttered as always, the walls having disappeared long ago beneath diagrams and blueprints and every horizontal surface littered with half-finished projects. She carefully stepped through the mess to his desk, which was marginally better than the rest of the room. Journals and books were stacked high on both sides, and in a glass bottle between the stacks sat one of her flowers, a black dahlia. His newest journal sat in the center, so the reaper picked it up and opened it to the most recent entries. A cursory glance revealed nothing out of the ordinary, just some notes about a new invention. She put it back down, then the books caught her eye. Frankenstein. The Case of Charles Dexter Ward. The Necromancer. All stories about raising the dead. She picked up the journal again and flipped back to the entries from a few months ago. Sure enough, there was one titled, "The Resurrection of Joseph Crackstone."
The book fell to the floor as a painful jolt shot through her. That wasn't possible. It wasn't supposed to be. Ghosts were an exception. Spirit guides were another. But Crackstone's resurrection was a violation against nature. It was the only time the reaper had been forced to use her scythe. The stubborn pilgrim had clung desperately to his second life, however brief it might have been. He'd refused to listen to the reaper's entreaties and go willingly back to his afterlife. So, she'd dragged him back. Even so, his return to the living world had been orchestrated by the living, not the dead. Isaac couldn't have returned of his own accord. But the reaper couldn't help thinking that if any among the deceased could do it, it would be her clever husband. The thought brought a fresh round of tears to her eyes, but she blinked them back and pushed the thought away. No. Maybe he'd thought about it, but he would never leave her alone like this. She had to believe that. But who in the living world would go so far as to summon him back?
Before she could give it much thought, the reaper felt another sensation overtaking the hollowness. It was the pull. She'd never felt so relieved to be summoned to her duties, but she also longed desperately for answers. Hopefully, a trip back to the living world would shed some light on things. And so, she gathered herself up and let the pull guide her.
She found herself back in the woods. It was dark, and rain had started to turn the ground to mud beneath her feet. The reaper tilted her head back and let it wash the remaining tears from her face before moving along. Her feet brought her to a road, but it was empty at the moment. Nervously, she checked her pocket watch. Early, but it wouldn't be long now. She closed it and glanced around. Then, she saw it.
Bright headlights announced the arrival of a car, speeding through the storm. She was so focused on it that she almost missed the tall figure stumbling out of the tree line opposite her and into the road. The impact was swift and hard, but not fatal, to her surprise. Instead, a chill went up her spine as the fallen figure got back up and snuck around behind the unsuspecting driver as he got out of the car. Then, she watched in horror as the figure came into the light.
The reaper had seen all manner of gruesome deaths before. So, she wasn't all that shocked when the figure pounced on the driver, unhinged its jaw, and tore into his skull. No, what had shocked her was the spark of recognition she felt as she drew closer to him. The figure ate mindlessly as she approached, then suddenly, it looked up. The body was decayed, the face little more than a skull. One eye was clouded over, the other closed up. Looks alone didn't give her much to go on, nor did the rags hanging off the corpse, but the feeling in her chest as she walked toward him told the reaper everything she needed to know. Standing in front of the undead creature, she no longer felt hollow. The emptiness had been replaced by pain.
For a moment, he just sat there, looking in her general direction with unseeing eyes. The reaper waited, but he didn't move. It was almost as if he was waiting for her to act first. So, she knelt down in front of him, took his rotting face in her hands, and leaned her forehead against his as she quietly said, "Lover, what have you become?"
She wasn't sure how long she held him like that, but all too soon, she heard someone sniffling a few feet away. With a sigh, the reaper turned toward the quiet sobs of Isaac's victim. Gabe Packard, her mind helpfully supplied. Aside from his brushes with Nevermore's students, it seemed he'd lived a pretty uneventful life. Turning back to her husband, she whispered to him to stay put before she stood back up. Isaac remained in his spot, so she turned her attention back to Gabe, who was looking down at his own desecrated corpse. He didn't seem to notice as she approached and knelt in front of him, for he startled when she spoke to him.
"I'm sorry this happened to you." She kept her voice low and gentle, hoping it would soothe the man.
"Who are you? Where did you come from?" Gabe asked, voice still quivering with fear.
"A friend, and the forest," she answered.
"That doesn't make sense," he muttered.
"Perhaps not, but it is true," she replied. Checking her pocket watch, she stood again and offered her hand to the driving instructor. "And it's time to go."
"Go? Where?" Gabe looked back down at his bloody body in despair. "I'm dead!"
"You are. I know it's a lot to process, but would you rather stay here and watch yourself rot or leave and find out what's next?"
Gabe hesitated, but after glancing down at his corpse one last time, he sighed shakily, took her hand, and stood up.
"After you, young lady," he said. With a nod, she led him away from the grim scene and to the great beyond.
The reaper returned immediately to the spot where she'd left her husband, but he'd wandered off. She bit back a frustrated scream. Perhaps it wasn't reasonable to expect a brainless, undead creature to listen to simple instructions, but she thought something in him had heard her. Before the panic could return, she took a deep breath and waited to feel the pull. Sure enough, something compelled her feet to move. So, she let them lead her away from the road and back into the forest.
It wasn't long before she spotted a tall figure stumbling through the trees ahead of her. Even with the rain coming down harder and obscuring her vision, he stood out. Her pulse quickened with her pace as she felt the pull growing stronger. It had been the same with Joseph Crackstone. His return was unnatural, and everything in her had burned with the need to reverse it and send him back to the grave herself. And so it was now, as the reaper gained on her beloved. She was ten steps behind him when the scythe formed in her hands.
Suddenly, Isaac turned around. The reaper stopped in her tracks, gripping her scythe tightly. For a moment, neither of them moved. Once again, it seemed like he was waiting to see what she would do. The pull urged her forward, so she took a step. Lightning flashed, illuminating the forest, and thunder rumbled under her feet, as if to encourage her to keep going. She took another step and raised the scythe. As another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, she saw Isaac bow his head toward her, seemingly accepting his fate at her hands. And just like that, all her resolve evaporated. He was still in there. Her clever, adoring, beautiful husband. Whatever he may or may not have done, she couldn't do this to him.
The scythe disappeared from her grasp, and the reaper fell to her knees. A strangled sob escaped her throat. Even with the rain washing away her tears, she was certain they were streaming down her cheeks again, so she buried her head in her hands. Then, she felt the air shift as something plopped down in front of her in the mud. She felt a gloved hand reach for hers, pulling it away from her face. Isaac sat in front of her, decrepit and decomposed, but still devoted, even in his current state. She wrapped her arms around his skeletal frame and cried until the rain stopped.
It was almost dawn when they arrived at the shed with a bee painted on its side just outside Nevermore. She'd pulled the door open and ushered him inside. Now, they sat on the floor together, hand in hand, as the morning light quietly crept in. With the pull only leading her back to Isaac, it felt impossible to do anything but continue to follow him through the living world. Even if the pull had called her away, the reaper didn't think she could bear to leave him for very long. Just taking the driving instructor onward had been pure agony, the task leaving her feeling hollow again until she returned to her lover's side. Besides, she had a feeling that staying with him was the only way to find the answers she was searching for.
Before too long, she heard footsteps approaching the shed. They paused briefly outside, then the door swung open. A boy with dark hair, wide eyes, and a Nevermore uniform barged into the small space. His eyes moved right past the reaper, but upon seeing Isaac, a smile quickly spread across his face as he cried, "Slurp! You came back!"
The reaper raised an eyebrow at the name. Isaac's grip on her hand tightened, but she needed to stand back to observe. So, she gave his hand a quick squeeze before reluctantly pulling herself away and stepping to the side. She watched with discomfort as the boy quickly chained the zombie to the wall, retrieved a bowl from his bag, and filled it with something that didn't look like it was fit for human consumption, undead or otherwise. All the while, he rambled excitedly, filling Isaac in on how he and another boy named Eugene had searched for him the day before, a strange dream he'd had last night, and what he'd had for breakfast that morning. She didn't need her reaper's intuition to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was the son of Gomez Addams. An idea started to form in the back of her mind.
Just then, the other boy, Eugene, arrived. The reaper watched as the Addams boy – Pugsley, she soon learned – fed Isaac and discussed his changing physiology with Eugene. She listened carefully to their theories, trying to ignore the growing unease at the sight of her husband being treated like a pet. Then, Isaac lunged toward Eugene, and as Pugsley shocked him with his powers, the reaper felt pain rip through her almost like a bolt of lightning. The puzzle pieces slotted into place in her mind as realization dawned on her: Pugsley had brought Isaac back.
Anger and disbelief surged within her. This foolish child had defied the natural order and dragged her love back to the living world? And for what? To keep him caged like an animal? That was no life. On top of that, it was simply too ridiculous to be believed, and yet, here they all were. It took everything in her not to summon her scythe again. She'd never harmed a living mortal before and she wasn't about to start now. She didn't even know if she could, she reminded herself. For all she knew, the scythe might have no effect on him. After all, he couldn't even perceive her, else she could've at least berated Pugsley for his irresponsibility. With no other options, she tried to stay calm and listen to the rest of their conversation.
The reaper's rage was slightly alleviated as she watched Pugsley defend the undead creature to Eugene. The boy was clearly lonely, and he was clinging desperately to the only companion he could find. She could understand that. He had no idea what he'd actually done, or the consequences that were now unfolding. Even so, fury simmered just below the surface at the carelessness of his actions.
Isaac played into the boy's emotions, careful not to betray his true intelligence even as his brain was still regenerating. The reaper watched him sadly as he cowered by the wall where he was chained. She could still feel the pain of electricity coursing through her own chest, even though the lightning had never touched her. She could only imagine how it had affected Isaac and his fragile heart. It was a relief to both of them when the Addams boy finally left. Isaac settled himself back on the floor, and the reaper retook her position at his side.
As glad as she was to be alone with her husband again, another theory had begun to take shape in her mind as doubt crept in. Pugsley was clearly clueless, perhaps to a worrying degree, so if he'd brought Isaac back from the dead, had he really done it alone, or had someone else been pulling the strings? She thought back to the books in Isaac's lab. All fiction, of course, but fiction almost always came with a grain of truth if one looked closely, and her clever husband certainly could've found it. But to orchestrate all of that from beyond the grave? The reaper sighed to herself. He was sitting beside her, yet he could provide no further answers. He couldn't even form words in his current state. She'd just have to be patient and try to ignore her growing unease for now.
Time passed strangely. Reapers didn't experience time the way mortals did, but she didn't think this was how mortals experienced it either. To have one's existence revolve so entirely around just one other being. Minutes, hours, and days blurred together, and her pocket watch didn't offer the same assurance it usually did.
The reaper was used to letting the pull guide her, but now, it only led her back to her husband. She would've been overjoyed if she didn't know the reason for it. Despite her decision to cast aside her scythe in the forest, she still felt the urge to summon it back and send him away from the living world. He wasn't supposed to be here, and she knew it. Even so, she resisted. She'd only ever used her scythe to send Crackstone back to his afterlife, and that was after he'd already been defeated by the living. She wasn't sure what would happen if she used it on Isaac in his current state: not dead, but not quite alive either. His soul was supposed to be hers, and perhaps it still was, but that contract might have been broken by his surprise resurrection. The reaper didn't know where she'd be forced to take him if he didn't give his soul freely to her again, and she refused to take any chances. She'd have to wait, at least until he could communicate with her, to be sure about how to proceed.
And so she did. The reaper waited and watched as Pugsley brought Isaac to camp. She left briefly to take the belligerent scoutmaster to the great beyond, and when she returned, she followed her lover to Willow Hill. She watched his hair grow back, his skin knit itself back together, and his eyes reform and uncloud. Being able to see her again seemed to have a calming effect on him, but the calm vanished as soon as someone else was present. Then, she'd watch sorrowfully as he'd snap and lunge at the newcomer, unsure if it was still an act or if some sort of undead instinct had taken over. All the while, she waited to see if he would try to speak again. She knew what she had to ask him, and she was in no hurry to do it, but her anxiety only grew with the suspense. Then came the breakout.
Isaac kept her quite busy that night. The reaper was especially apologetic as she escorted each of his victims to the afterlife, though none of them knew why. She got sidetracked convincing Laurel Gates to come with her without a fight. She was stubborn, much like Crackstone had been, but the reaper managed to collect her without resorting to her scythe. When she got back to the asylum, Isaac had disappeared again. The pain she felt at the growing distance between them was overwhelming at first, nearly pushing her to tears, but the reaper breathed through the hurt and set off after her love.
Distance confirmed what she already suspected but had been too preoccupied to dwell on before. She felt the pull again, but it lacked its usual clarity. She was needed in multiple places at once, and it wasn't clear which direction she needed to take first. In the end, she chose the path that led back into the forest, where Isaac seemed more likely to go.
As the reaper trudged through the woods, she saw a few crows flying above her and a black cat crossing the path ahead of her. And that's when she noticed she wasn't alone in the forest. On either side of her and in front of her, there were a few other figures among the trees, all dressed in black. She raised a hand in greeting, a gesture which they returned. Fellow reapers. Then, a familiar face drew closer.
"It's been a while, little one," her mentor called.
"It has," the young reaper replied somberly. "Why so many of us?"
"They were called to pick up the slack." The elder woman stood before her now, and she took in her pupil's appearance with solemnity. "You've been neglecting your duties, and you haven't returned home to rest in days."
"My home is out wandering the Earth, so I must follow."
Her mentor sighed. "I'm sorry, little one. I know it can't be easy. But you mustn't forget your purpose."
The young reaper felt fire course through her veins.
"How can I forget?" she snapped. "The pull is so strong even now, I feel like I'm going to be torn in two. My heart already feels like it's been ripped from my chest the longer I'm away from him. And when he's close, I spend every moment fighting the instinct to send him back to the grave and possibly away from me forever. You think I can forget my duties when they're such a constant source of agony!?"
She hadn't meant to yell. The sound reverberated through the air, echoing off the trees. The others tensed with unease, still watching from afar, but her mentor only looked at her with pity. The young reaper fell to her knees, her strength draining away after her outburst, and to her surprise, her mentor soon knelt to wrap her in a tight hug as tears began to stream down her face again. She'd never really been the hugging type, but the young reaper supposed this was an extenuating circumstance.
"Your situation is unprecedented, child," her mentor said, still holding her former student. "I wish I had some advice for you on how to proceed. This tangled web is beyond me, beyond all of us. But if any of us can work it out, it's you. You've always been the strongest of us all."
"I don't feel strong," she retorted quietly.
"You are stronger than you know, my dear," her mentor declared. She pulled back to look at her student. "I can't imagine what it's like to feel the pull in such conflict with itself. You've overcome challenges that none of us have ever dealt with before. So, I have every faith that you will do so again. Go now, find your husband. Then, go home and rest. We will take care of the mortals until that's settled."
For a moment, the young reaper could say nothing. She hadn't expected that. Then, she wiped the tears from her face and stood up with her mentor.
"Thank you, I don't know how I'll ever repay you," she told her.
"There's no debt between reapers, little one," the elder reaper explained with a smile. "A job done is a job done."
With that, the girl took a steadying breath and focused her mind on her love. She still felt the pull coming from multiple directions, but one path began to stand out from the others. And so, she bid goodbye to her fellow reapers with a nod and continued through the woods.
Isaac was still in the forest when she finally caught up with him. More specifically, he was hiding behind a tree while Pugsley and Gomez looked for him nearby. Neither of them noticed the reaper as she crept closer, but Isaac did. His face was almost fully formed. His eyes had cleared, and they latched onto her approaching form even in the fading autumn light. She paused a few feet away from him, watching and waiting for the Addamses to move on. As soon as their footsteps faded, the lovers swiftly closed the gap as they flung their arms around each other. The reaper pressed her face into his chest, staining his shirt with her tears as she felt the ticking of his heart beneath the worn fabric. She felt him rest his chin on top of her head, holding her tightly as she wept. They stood that way for what felt like ages before Isaac finally broke the silence.
"I missed you, my darling dove." His voice was rough from disuse, but the sound instantly filled her with relief.
"I might've found you sooner if you hadn't wandered off," she scolded, but there was no bite to her words. He chuckled.
"Didn't have much of a choice. I'm a wanted man out here."
The reaper dried her eyes as she finally pulled away. She took a deep breath as she steeled herself for what she had to ask him next. Finally meeting his eyes, her resolve almost broke, but she pressed on. "My love, how did you get back to the living world?"
"The Addams brat. One minute, I'm sitting in my lab writing notes, the next, I'm crawling my way out of the dirt," he answered.
"I was in your lab afterward. I found your… book collection," the reaper said carefully. She observed his still-forming eyebrows drawing together as he searched for the deeper meaning in her words. His eyes widened as the silent implication sank in.
"Oh, dove, it was simple curiosity after the Crackstone incident. Nothing more," he rushed to explain. When that didn't reassure her, his hand came up to caress her face as he added, "You thought I could ever leave you so willingly?"
"No matter how much you try to hide it, I know it hasn't been easy for you," she began. "I asked a lot of you, I asked for eternity—"
"And I don't regret my decision, not for one moment," he interjected. "You are my wife, and my heart and soul still belong to you."
Warmth flooded her chest at his declaration, emboldening her. "Then come home with me, husband."
She saw his shoulders tense, and her heart sank. "I'm afraid I can't just yet, dove."
"Why not?"
"There's something I need to take care of here first."
The reaper closed her eyes and sighed as she tried to stop the tears from starting again. "It's your sister, isn't it?"
She already knew what his answer would be, but she opened her eyes to watch him say it anyway. "It is. She was a prisoner at Willow Hill, and now, she's on the run. I need to make sure she's safe."
If she'd learned anything about Isaac Night over the years, it was when he could and couldn't be persuaded. Looking into his eyes now, she saw that he would not be moved. Her heart ached, but her head understood. Even after all this time, Isaac had never forgiven himself for failing to save Francoise before he died. She'd seen it in every failed experiment that made him lose his composure and every time he asked after his sister, voice too steady as he braced himself to hear that she'd finally succumbed to her condition. He had a second chance now, and the reaper couldn't bring herself to stand in his way. So, as he waited to see how she'd respond, she gave him a nod. He sighed in relief and pulled her closer again. She rested her ear against his chest and listened to the ticking of his heart. She almost missed it when he whispered, "Wait for me, dove?"
The reaper pulled back to look him in the eye. Placing her hand over his heart, she vowed, "I will."
She lifted up onto her toes and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Then, she stepped back, turned around, and walked back into the forest without looking behind. She knew if she did, she'd never be able to tear herself away.
In an instant, the reaper found herself back at her cottage. She was so tired that she could barely stand, but somehow, her feet carried her inside and into her bedroom. Kicking off her shoes, she collapsed into bed and fell into a deep sleep.
The days that followed passed slower than any the reaper had experienced in the past 30 years. Sleeping in her own bed again helped ease the pain of separation, though it never fully disappeared. She resumed her regular duties, letting the pull guide her to where she needed to be. The other reapers returned to their usual domains, giving her a nod of acknowledgment before they left. Her existence gradually began to settle back into a sense of normalcy, but there was still something missing.
She saw Isaac when she came to collect his victims, and their brief reunions never got any easier. She knew he could be cold and cruel. After all, she'd seen it before, but it certainly reached new heights in his current form. He killed without remorse, remaining resolute in his ultimate goal. Some of his victims were guiltier than others, but the reaper apologized to each one for their gruesome end. Then, she excused herself for a moment with her husband. Words were pointless, as she already knew no amount of pleading or bargaining would change his mind. Instead, she'd place a hand over his clockwork heart to remind herself of her promise. Sometimes, he'd lean his forehead against hers and repeat the vow they'd made countless times before: "Wait for me." And no matter how impatient or hurt she felt, she'd respond in kind: "I will." Only then did she step away to take the newly deceased to the afterlife.
Nothing could've prepared her for the day he stopped seeing her. The poor veterinarian truly hadn't deserved his dark fate, so she had ushered him away quickly to spare him from the sight of Isaac eating his brain. When she returned, he was already wiping the blood from his chin. He stood before her, looking just as he did in his first life. She took a step toward him, but instead of pausing to complete their ritual, he walked past her without a second glance. At first, the reaper was too shocked to move. Then, the world began to tilt, and her hand shot out to steady her against a wall. Tears streamed silently down her face as the ache in her chest sharpened. He was no longer suspended between her realm and the world of the living. No, he was alive again, and he felt further away from her than he'd ever been. She didn't feel hollow anymore. She just felt pain.
It took Isaac a bit longer to reach the same realization. He'd started the blood transfusion for Francoise and was watching his nephew slip into unconsciousness when he noticed a dove on the windowsill. For a moment, he just observed it. Then, his eyes widened as he turned to look around the room, but his gaze couldn't find her. Quietly, she walked over to where he stood, still searching for her. From the outside, he looked calm, but she could hear his breathing growing shallow as he tried to maintain his composure. She stopped right in front of him, and her heart nearly broke again when she heard him whisper, "Dove?"
He was looking where he knew she most likely was, but his eyes looked through her. The reaper had never bothered trying to interact with the living, as she already knew they couldn't perceive her. She knew he wouldn't be able to feel it, but she took a step closer anyway and placed her hand over his heart. To her surprise, Isaac stilled under her phantom touch. So, she stood on tiptoe and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. His eyes closed and his breathing slowed as she pulled back and finally said, "I'm still waiting, lover."
Isaac let out a quiet sigh, almost as if he had heard her. As he stood there with his eyes still closed, the reaper plucked the flower from her hair, a black pansy, and tucked it into his pocket. Then, she checked her pocket watch, confirming what she already knew. It was time to go. Reluctantly, she disappeared into the darkness.
He found the pansy as he was changing for the Nevermore gala. With trembling fingers, he brought it up to his nose to inhale the scent. When he was fully dressed, he tucked it inside his new jacket, right over his clockwork heart.
It was late in the evening when the reaper felt the pull leading her to the school. At first, she tamped down her anticipation. It might not be him. After all, she'd been there not long ago to collect the school's principal. And not long before that, his murdered minion. But as her feet led her into the forest surrounding the academy, an odd sensation stirred in her stomach. Then, she realized where she was.
She approached the Skull Tree with quiet steps. There were several figures standing by its gnarled trunk, their agitated voices filling the silence of the night. As the reaper drew near, her breath caught in her throat. She recognized each of them. Wednesday Addams stood apart from the group – the reaper had come close to meeting her on multiple occasions, but somehow, the girl always managed to slip the noose at the last minute – but as she lunged toward the others, Tyler Galpin stepped forward to restrain her. His other hand held the end of a chain attached to Pugsley, and just beyond them was Isaac holding his own severed hand, Thing. She felt another presence, but like her, they remained unseen for the moment.
The reaper watched the hand struggle as Isaac reattached it to his arm. As he completed the final stitch, Thing's spirit fell to the forest floor, cushioned by a layer of leaves. It writhed on the ground for a moment before pushing itself up onto its fingertips. Then, the disembodied appendage rushed forward as Isaac levitated the raven-haired girl with his restored powers and plunged her into the earth, but it could do nothing. Thing could only observe as the rest of the group made their way toward the Nevermore graveyard. He then startled when a red-haired vanisher revealed herself before hurrying in the opposite direction. With all others gone, the reaper stepped into the clearing, and Thing finally turned toward her. He balanced on his stump and made a few signs with trembling fingers. Something told her he was asking who she was.
"That's a bit complicated," she answered, approaching the hand slowly, like one might a scared animal.
He signed again, more frantically this time, pointing at the ground that had swallowed the pigtailed girl.
"I'm afraid I can't help her," the reaper replied. She checked her pocket watch. Not time to go just yet. Even so, she wasn't quite sure who she was there to collect. Between Thing and Wednesday, the pull kept her there, but it wasn't strong enough for her to be certain that it was either one of them. "Strange…"
Thing was still giving her panicked signals as he tried to get her attention. Turning toward the appendage, she knelt down and put her own hand out. He hesitated, as mortals usually did around her. With a reassuring smile, she told him, "It's alright. I know the situation looks bleak, but you're actually not quite dead. It's not over yet. We can see how it plays out together."
The hand lowered his fingers back onto the ground and tapped it a few times as he considered her words. She felt her heart swell a bit at the gesture. How often she'd seen her husband do exactly the same. Cautiously, Thing walked over to her and crawled up her arm, coming to rest on her shoulder. It was an odd sensation, simultaneously familiar and foreign. She knew that hand like it was her own, and yet it moved in such a unique way, so different from the hand she knew and missed. Before she could dwell on it further, a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Oh dear."
She turned to find a familiar face. A tall, elegant woman in creams and pastels stood by the Skull Tree right where Wednesday lay buried, but she wasn't looking down. She was looking at the reaper and Thing.
"Hello, Larissa Weems," the reaper greeted her politely. The poor deceased principal had lamented the injustice of her death for quite a while before finally agreeing to go with her. Not that the reaper held it against her. She was hardly the first mortal to do so.
"If you're here, that means I'm too late, doesn't it?" Larissa asked, voice wobbling only slightly as she tried to maintain her composure.
"Not necessarily. Wednesday Addams has a way of dodging death."
Larissa sighed, half exasperated, half relieved. "I suppose that's true. Even so, she's not getting out of this one by herself."
The reaper shook her head. Then, Larissa's gaze fell on her shoulder.
"Thing?"
The hand gave a slight wave. Concern spread through Larissa's features.
"Well, without you at her side, she's certainly going to need all the help she can get."
And with that, the principal dissipated. The reaper checked her watch. Still not time. So, she settled herself and her companion behind some trees just beyond the clearing as they waited.
It wasn't long before the red-headed vanisher returned with a young blond in tow. The reaper watched with curiosity as they hurriedly dug Wednesday out of the ground. She felt Thing tense, his fingers digging more firmly into her shoulder as the blond transformed into a werewolf. They drew a bit nearer as they watched the wolf's claws cut through the dirt and roots, finally unearthing the raven-haired girl. They all seemed to be holding their collective breath as they looked for signs of life. And then, Wednesday's eyes opened, and Thing relaxed his hold. The reaper quickly checked her watch and glanced down at the hand as she asked, "You alright?"
Thing bent his knuckles in a gesture that seemed affirmative.
"Good. It's time for us to go." The appendage tensed again before she interjected, "Not to the afterlife, don't worry. It seems we have somewhere else to stop first."
Before he could ask where, she set off back toward Nevermore.
The pull had guided her back to campus, but once she reached the courtyard, things became more muddled. Unlike when her senses were caught between Isaac and others, this wasn't painful, but it left her unsure of which direction she needed to go. So, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The pull still wasn't as strong as it should be, but instinct took over more firmly. Her feet began to move, and before long, she was standing at the base of Iago Tower. The reaper checked her pocket watch. Too early, but she was quite certain she was in the right place.
Still perched on her shoulder, Thing tapped her inquisitively.
"It won't be long now. We just need to be patient," she told him. While her voice was steady, her stomach had begun to twist itself into knots, not unlike the last time she'd been in that tower. "We should find a better place to wait, though."
She slipped into a nearby alcove, and just as she predicted, they soon heard footsteps rushing past. Led by Wednesday, the Addams family quickly ascended the tower steps in pursuit of Pugsley. Thing's grip on her tightened as the footsteps began to fade. He tapped her impatiently again.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think it's time for you to rejoin them just yet," she explained. The reaper also checked her pocket watch again, just to be sure, and held it up to Thing to inspect. "See? We're too early. We need to stay put."
The hand crouched, preparing to leap off her shoulder to chase down his adoptive family. She reached up to grab him when they heard more footsteps coming back down. They both froze as they waited to see who it was. Shortly after, Gomez reemerged from the stairwell. He paused on the last step to catch his breath, and while she was still half-hidden in shadow, his eyes locked onto her. A glimmer of recognition rippled through his features.
"It can't be," he began. "Isaac's friend! After all this time?"
Well, there was no use in hiding now. So, she let go of Thing and stepped into the light.
"Hello, Gomez Addams. It's been a while since we last spoke," she acknowledged. "You've had a few close calls, but not close enough to warrant a reunion until now."
Thing began to gesticulate wildly next to her. To her surprise, Gomez's face broke into a grin as he called out, "Thing, old boy! How are you here? Wednesday said you were reattached to Isaac!"
Thing signed something that seemed to indicate, It's complicated.
Gomez chuckled, but as Thing's presence and the reaper's words sank in, his body went rigid. Gripping the railing hard, the Addams family patriarch braced himself as he murmured, "You're not really here, are you, old boy? And that means you, you're…"
In response, she gave him a small nod.
"But if I'm seeing you now, that means I—"
"You're not dead yet, Gomez," she reassured him.
"But what about Pugsley? Wednesday? Tish?" he asked, panic making his voice tremble.
"All still living for now. Even Thing here is still technically alive."
Gomez's brow furrowed in confusion, but he seemed a bit calmer as he asked, "Then, who are you here for?"
The reaper answered carefully but pointedly, "I'm not sure yet, but I'm hoping to collect my husband."
He certainly hadn't been expecting that answer. The reaper was almost amused as she watched him puzzle out her meaning. Thing had gotten to it sooner, judging by the way he was gripping her shoulder again. Finally, Gomez's eyebrows shot up with realization. "Oh, you mean Isaac?"
Her fingers involuntarily reached for the ring on her left hand as she nodded. Gomez couldn't help but smile a little at the movement. "I hope you get him back soon, Señora Parca."
The reaper returned his smile as she replied, "Me too. Now, go get help."
Gomez gave her a quick but gentlemanly bob of the head before continuing on his way. As she and Thing watched him go, she felt the pull urging her forward. She clicked open her pocket watch before telling Thing, "Time to go." But instead of climbing the stairs, her feet led back outside.
It didn't take her long to get back to the courtyard. As she came to a stop by a tall statue of a werewolf guarding some steps, she paused to check her pocket watch.
"We're still early, but it shouldn't be long now," she told Thing.
She took a seat on the steps, and Thing hopped off her shoulder and perched next to her. After a few moments of uncharacteristic silence, he waved to get her attention.
"What is it?"
Despite being the one to initiate, Thing hesitated before signing his question: Does this mean we're technically married, too?
The reaper raised an eyebrow at the appendage. "That's rather forward of you."
He at least had the decency to look sheepish as he shrugged.
She studied the hand for a moment before continuing. "I don't think it works that way. You may have been his right hand in his first life, but he didn't have you when we married. And even though you remind me of him in some ways, you have your own soul, and he has his. You are distinct beings."
This seemed to settle something in Thing. After another brief pause, he signed, Then, I really am an Addams?
"I think that's up to you, but they certainly seem to think so."
Wednesday had a vision that an Addams was going to die. If I go with you, maybe the rest of them will live.
The reaper couldn't help but smile a little at the hand. "Quite the hero, but I don't think it's your time yet. Besides, that wouldn't bring my Isaac back to me."
Suddenly, something clicked into place in the reaper's mind. Nothing about her duties tonight had gone as usual. Life kept throwing her for a loop. She'd followed her instincts anyway, hoping the answer would appear, and lo and behold, it finally had. "I think I have an idea."
Before she could explain, two hydes came crashing out of Iago Tower. The reaper stood up and watched as they battled their way over the rooftops. Thing scampered on the ground beside her as she moved, trying to keep an eye on them. The fight oscillated between chasing each other and frenzied rounds of hits and bites, but it was interrupted by another loud boom. She turned to see Iago Tower erupt with flames, just as it had 30 years ago. Her heart clenched at the memory of Isaac's death, as well as the realization that he was up there again now. But he couldn't be dead yet, not with her here on the ground. The reaper took a breath to focus on the pull and turned her attention back to the hydes. She looked just in time to see one of them come crashing down, landing right into the werewolf's outstretched arms.
Francoise's spirit continued the journey down, her human form slipping through the statue's grasp to land on the stone floor with a muted thud. The proximity of the fall had startled her, but the reaper recovered quickly and moved to the woman's side, Thing following at her heels. She knelt beside her as the police arrived, but Francoise didn't stir until Tyler let out a gut-wrenching roar. Her eyelids fluttered as her son fled back over the rooftops, and the police left to pursue him. The reaper stayed with Francoise, watching as her eyes came began to refocus.
"Tyler…" she murmured, head lolling to the side as she searched for the source of the roar.
"I'm afraid he couldn't stay. He's on the run now, but he'll be alright," the reaper said, trying to soothe the woman. Francoise let out a sigh, heavy with relief and regret, before turning her attention to the girl hovering at her side. "I'm dead, aren't I?"
The reaper nodded solemnly.
"Who are you, then?" she asked.
"To most, a friend," the reaper began slowly. "But to you, a sister, I hope."
Francoise's eyebrows drew together as she considered her words. She pushed herself up to look at the reaper properly, taking in her all-black clothing, the black flower in her hair, and the pocket watch around her neck. Then, her eyes widened with shock. "You're her. The one he used to see at the hospital."
So, Isaac had told her something. The reaper grinned at the thought and nodded her assent. Francoise returned her smile, but the confusion soon returned. "But how are you here now? And why? And- wait, you said sister…"
The reaper waited patiently as the woman worked it out. It didn't take her very long. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, but not fast enough to mask the gasp that escaped her. The girl in black smiled sheepishly as she said, "Not exactly how I imagined our first meeting. I'd hoped it would be under more… peaceful circumstances."
"The life of a hyde is rarely peaceful," Francoise murmured.
"I'd also hoped Isaac would be here to introduce us properly," the reaper continued. She paused to check her pocket watch, then closed it with a nod. "But it looks like we'll just have to go to him."
She turned to Thing and held out her hand for him to climb back up to her shoulder. "Come along. We have work to do, and no time to waste."
When they reached the top of the tower, Isaac had Wednesday in a telekinetic chokehold. The reaper told Francoise to stay back, then she approached him from behind with silent footsteps. She took Thing from her shoulder and held him in front of her.
"Ready?" she asked.
His knuckles bent, dipping his palm to imitate a nod. With that, she turned her attention back to Isaac. She just needed an opening now.
On the other side of the room, Morticia caught sight of her and Thing. Within the span of a few seconds, the reaper saw confusion and understanding pass through her features.
"Thing," Morticia said, "we know you're still in there."
Gomez had noticed them, too, and he immediately joined in her pleading.
"Come back to us, Thing. We love you. We're your family!"
"This was never part of your family. It's a part of me!" Isaac snapped.
Then, Morticia slid the axe to her daughter. Within seconds, it was sailing through the air. Isaac dodged it, but the blade had caught a few of the sutures connecting his right hand to his arm. That was enough. The reaper stepped forward, pushing Thing's soul back into his body. Then, she stepped back to watch.
It didn't take long for Thing to regain control. The appendage fought with every ounce of his strength, taking Isaac by surprise. The scientist fought back, half in disbelief but still confident that he could win against his rogue hand. In the end, this only made his defeat that much more humiliating. The reaper flinched as Thing wrenched the clockwork heart from his chest. It sputtered, its ticking slowed to a stop, and Isaac's body fell to the ground with a thud. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. It was finally over.
As Thing crawled back to his family, the reaper stepped forward and knelt beside her love. At first, he didn't move. He didn't speak. Even so, she knew he was there, and she waited. It wasn't until the Addamses left that he finally broke the silence.
"It was you, wasn't it? You let Thing retake control."
He sounded utterly defeated. She looked down to see that he was already looking back at her with quiet intensity. The reaper nodded in answer.
"Why?" he asked. It wasn't accusatory. It was genuinely curious.
"It wasn't his time yet," she began matter-of-factly. Her tone was gentler as she added, "And you made me a promise. I'm holding you to it."
His gaze softened at the statement, and he sighed as he sat up. His voice came out thin as he said, "I failed again. I couldn't save her. I couldn't even fulfill her dying wish."
"I know," was all she could say.
"I put you through hell, and it was all for nothing." Tears were beginning to flow down his face now, making his voice tremble. "I'm sorry, dove."
"I know, lover," she repeated softly.
Gently, she pulled him to her and held him tightly as he wept. His shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and she traced soothing patterns on his back as they subsided. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but behind her, the reaper sensed Francoise emerge from her hiding place and tiptoe over to where they sat on the floor. Isaac didn't notice until she knelt beside them. Slowly, he pulled back and turned toward his sister.
"I'm sorry, Francoise," he whispered, still not quite able to look her in the eye.
"You did everything you could. For me and for Tyler," she replied, holding back her own tears. "Thank you for trying."
She pulled her brother into a hug. Isaac stiffened at first, then he gradually wrapped his arms around her. When they eventually separated, his gaze shifted from Francoise to the reaper and back again.
"I'd introduce you, but it seems you've already met."
The reaper smiled sadly at that. "We have."
Despite the heavy mood that had persisted since their arrival, Francoise gave her brother a playful shove. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you got married."
"There were more pressing matters to attend to," Isaac said defensively. "I didn't have time to answer all your nosy questions."
"I have so many questions," Francoise admitted with a grin.
"And we'll have time to discuss them all," the reaper interjected, "but speaking of our marriage, there is something we need to take care of, love."
Isaac's brow furrowed as he turned to her. "What is it, dove?"
"After you rejoined the living world, the bond between us grew weaker as you became more alive, and eventually, it severed," she explained. "Your soul is your own again."
"I thought that was impossible," he said, worry hovering at the edges of his voice.
"So is coming back to life, but you did it, love. You challenged the natural order, even if it wasn't your choice," she countered. " So, before we leave…"
"We need to renew our vows," Isaac finished for her, a smile creeping its way onto his face. Beside him, Francoise looked equal parts delighted and confused.
"That's a romantic way of putting it," the reaper remarked, unable to suppress her own smile as warmth bloomed in her chest. Oh, how she had missed that feeling. "We need to renew our contract with the universe so I don't have to banish you to the great beyond."
Isaac grinned at this before turning to Francoise. "Give me a hand, sister."
Despite the reaper's assurances that it wasn't necessary, Francoise helped Isaac maneuver onto his knees in front of her. As she stepped away, he insisted that the reaper stand in front of him, just as she had in that very same room 30 years ago. She rolled her eyes but acquiesced, the smile never leaving her face. Then, he took her hand.
"If I've learned anything from my second life, it's that nothing is guaranteed. We broke rules we thought were unbreakable, and best laid plans went completely awry. And yet, there's still one thing that I am completely certain of: that I am yours, heart and soul, always and forever, in death and in life. I knew it from the moment I first saw you, standing alone against the sky in my hospital room, and in every moment since. The universe should know better than to ever question that again."
Tears had begun to form in the corners of the reaper's eyes as she listened. As the final sentence left his lips, she was aching to close the distance between them, but she held herself back long enough to say, "You're not like any other man I've met, Isaac Night. I can't promise that things will be different from now on, but if I had to do it again and again, I'd wait for you every time, just as you've always done for me."
And with that, she stepped forward, cupped his face in her hands, and leaned down to kiss him. She did so quickly and with enough force that she thought they might topple over, but Isaac's hands came up to catch her waist, steadying them both. For the first time since his unexpected resurrection, the ground beneath the reaper's feet felt solid and sure. She'd missed that feeling, just as she'd missed the feeling of his lips curling into a smile against her own, as they were doing now. It was intoxicating, and the reaper might've lost herself in it if she hadn't distantly heard the sound of Francoise clapping for them.
Suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious, the reaper finally pulled back to look at her husband again. Just as before, the blood was gone, his clockwork heart was back in its rightful place, and he had two hands with which to hold her. He stood up then, beaming as he pulled her back into his arms and placed another kiss on top of her head as she buried her face in his chest. She could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "Take me home, dove."
"I will," she replied, pulling back just enough to look at him. "But first, I thought you might like to see your sister off."
Melancholy crept into his eyes again, but the nod he gave in response was full of certainty. He released his hold on her and silently observed as the reaper checked her pocket watch and turned back to Francoise. "Time to go."
Francoise seemed to have forgotten all about what came next as she watched the happy couple. Now, she hesitated as the reaper stepped forward and offered her a hand. "Are you ready, sister?"
She smiled a bit at the last word, still staring at the proffered hand. With a sigh, Francoise answered, "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose."
With that, she took the reaper's hand. Without a word, Isaac came over to take her other hand, and together, they walked out of the living world.
"You won't be alone, you know. Isaac and I can come visit, and there's someone already waiting for you."
Beside her, Francoise's eyes widened as she asked, "Donovan?"
The reaper nodded.
"It's been so long since I last saw him," Francoise thought aloud wistfully. "I wonder if he'll even recognize me."
"He will," the reaper reassured her, a knowing smile on her face. When she'd met the late sheriff, the first thing he'd asked about was his wife.
"If he knows what's good for him, he will," Isaac added sternly, ever the protective elder brother. Francoise giggled while the reaper rolled her eyes affectionately. They chatted casually the rest of the way, their feet carrying them into the wind.
When the reaper and her husband finally arrived back at the cottage, they were both exhausted from the emotions of the day. Isaac practically collapsed into bed, and she immediately followed, curling up with her head on his chest so she could listen to the familiar ticking of his heart. How comforting the sound was after so many nights of silence. It didn't take long for it to lull her into a deep sleep.
She awoke an indeterminate amount of time later to find her lover already conscious and watching her, a gentle smile gracing his lips as she blinked up at him. As the events of the past day came back to her, the reaper felt relief settle in her bones at the realization that it had, in fact, happened and wasn't just a dream.
"It's you," she murmured, a grin spreading across her face.
"It's me," he replied, his own smile only growing.
She leaned up to plant a lingering kiss on his mouth, which he eagerly reciprocated. As she pulled away and leaned her forehead against his, she whispered, "I missed you."
"Me too, dove," he whispered back.
"And… I wanted to apologize," she added.
"Whatever for? You weren't responsible for anything that's happened these past weeks," Isaac protested, pulling back to look her in the eye.
"No, but this time apart – this whole experience, really – reminded me that our arrangement has its drawbacks, especially for you," she explained.
"As long as you keep coming back to me, it's worth it," he declared, his intense gaze ensuring she knew he meant every word. It filled her with warmth.
"I love you for saying so, but I could've made it easier for you," she continued. "I've always put my duties first, and I didn't need to do that. These past weeks, I've learned that I can resist the pull, if I really want to."
His eyebrows drew together in concern at the statement. "That can't be good for you, dove."
"Definitely not for long periods of time," she clarified, "but maybe, every once in a while… I could take a day off."
He studied her as he considered her words. "You're sure about this? I don't want you pushing yourself too far on my account."
"As long as I'm not chasing down any more zombies for weeks on end, I think I'll be alright," she teased.
"I'm not planning any more surprise resurrections. I've had my fill of the living world," he said with a wry smile. "But I still don't think you should overexert yourself, especially after all this."
"I won't," she assured him. "I can take it slow to start, test the waters, maybe work my way up from there."
"Our very own experiment," Isaac stated, his grin growing wider.
"'Our'?" the reaper asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I intend to record the whole endeavor. For science, of course."
"Of course."
"So, when should we start?"
"Well, I'm not leaving the house today. I think I've earned it."
"You certainly have, darling." His hand came up to caress her cheek. "What would you like to do with your day off?"
"I have a few ideas, lover," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eye as she took his hand and planted a kiss on his palm. She thought she heard his heart tick faster as he watched her, his expression softening at her gentle touch.
"Whatever you want, beautiful," he murmured.
They didn't leave the bed for the rest of the day.
Chapter Text
And Hades and Persephone, they took each other's hands
And, brother, you know what they did? They danced
Time resumed its usual pace, sometimes meandering, sometimes swift, but always marching steadily forward. The reaper went back to work, but true to her word, she made sure to take some time for herself to spend with her husband or to plan visits with her sister-in-law and her mentor. She didn't keep a consistent schedule, despite Isaac's mutterings about control variables, but he couldn't complain when he asked her to stay and, every once in a while, she did.
The reaper also started coming home ahead of schedule to surprise her husband on occasion. She'd finish up her duties, rush back to the cottage, and usually find him working away in his lab. Tapping on the door frame, he'd look up from whatever he was doing, a smile spreading across his face as he said, "You're early." She'd shrug with feigned nonchalance as she replied, "I missed you," before launching herself into his waiting arms.
While their marriage had always been loving, the reaper felt that it became even sweeter after the separation. Isaac was learning to let go of his regret, especially now that he could visit Francoise whenever he wanted. He still found it difficult to open up at times, and she'd sporadically find herself lingering on memories of their time apart, but unlike before, they didn't hold anything back from each other. Every struggle was shared, and eternity only brought them closer together.
Years passed. The reaper gained her own young mentee and guided her through the highs and lows of their work. The young girl took to her duties quickly, and soon enough, she was off collecting souls on her own. When she got a little older, the reaper discovered another benefit of mentoring: more time off. During her and Isaac's experiment, she'd never managed to go more than a day or two without being called back to work. Now that she had a mentee, however, her record had doubled. At first, she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself, but Isaac was more than happy to have her home. It didn't take him long to think of ways for them to pass the time together.
It was on one of her surprise days off that Isaac pulled her into a dance in the living room. The sound of an old record playing on the gramophone had summoned her over, and before she knew it, Isaac had her twirling circles around him and laughing all the while. As the music switched to something slower, he'd pulled her close, resting his chin on top of her head as she pressed her ear to his chest and listened to his clockwork heart.
"Feels like I'm holding the world in my arms," he said softly to her.
"You make me feel like I've got sunlight in my veins when you say things like that," she responded.
"Sounds awfully warm, dove," he teased, looking down as she raised her head to meet his eyes.
"I've always felt like that around you," she declared, a grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.
"Always?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.
"Absolutely."
"What a coincidence. I've always equated you with sunlight," he replied, one hand coming up to caress her cheek.
"Always?" she echoed, lips curving into a smile.
"Undoubtedly."
They both leaned into each other then, lips colliding as if an invisible force had pulled them together. They savored each moment, movements unrushed. After all, they had all the time in the universe to enjoy each other's company.
The End
Notes:
If you made it this far, thank you so much for reading! Writing this was quite the journey. I listened to soooo much Hadestown, it's not even funny. I definitely did not think it would be this long, but at the moment, I'm quite happy with how it turned out. I will probably lock this fic at some point, but it's also on my Tumblr for all to enjoy. I'm also considering writing some headcanons or one-shots about Isaac and the reaper, which will probably be posted on Tumblr before here, so feel free to follow me if you're interested!
I raise my cup to you, my fellow Isaac Night fans and Hadestown enjoyers! 🥂❤️