I became aware again standing in a garden. A rose garden. The scent wrapped around me; it was similar to Azza's roses, but not quite the same. Somehow, this fragrance was more sour and heavy where Azza's was sweet and light. I didn't like it.

"Olivia."

I turned toward the deep voice to find a white-haired, bearded pale man in an equally white suit holding a bright yellow rose. He extended it to me. Not knowing what to do, I took it. His smile widened.

"It's good to meet you at last."

I scowled and looked around again. "Where am I? And who are you?"

"You, my dear, are in Heaven. My domain."

I gasped when what he said sunk in. I was standing before God.

He waited, expecting something. When I didn't move, the smile faded a little. "How is Deirdre?"

I narrowed my eyes. It was, given the fact He took her from me with cancer, a cruel question.

"She is well and with me, thanks to Lucifer."

"Yes, my biggest failure, that one." He sighed and turned to the nearest rose bush. A pair of snips appeared in his hand, and he began to collect flowers, placing them in a basket which suddenly hung on his other arm.

I had many retorts but bit them all back. "Why am I here?"

"I have a proposal for you," he offered, snipping.

"And that is?"

He gave me a sidelong glance. "Straight to the point, aren't you? Well, no matter. I brought you here to offer you the position of Death."

I sucked in a breath. Here. Here is the solution. There must be a catch. I crossed my arms. "I thought you couldn't interfere. Besides, I'd hardly consider myself a creature of yours."

He laughed a hearty deep sound. "No, no, you are not. But it doesn't matter. You will do your job and do it well, of that, I have no doubt."

"That doesn't answer my question."

He stepped toward me to get to the next rose bush. I instinctively took a step back. "If our Lucifer told you I couldn't interfere, he misled you. No, I simply often choose not to meddle. I've changed my mind this time."

"If I say yes, what's the deal?"

"Oh, there's no deal. I just want the office filled by someone... invested."

"Then, no. I don't want the job."

He straightened and cocked an eyebrow. "You do realize Deirdre and the others you refuse to consider are the only candidates left?"

I stopped breathing. He means the children. Panic burned an icy hole in the pit of my stomach, and I felt myself grow cold and clammy. I dropped the flower I was holding.

"Ah. You didn't know." He turned back to his roses. "They will remain the only candidates."

My eyes widened. "You're—you're stooping to coercion?"

He tsked. "Olivia, coercion is such a loaded term. I am merely," He paused, choosing His words, "stacking the results."

"Why not just resurrect someone for the job?"

He stared at me, and I had to look away from the weight of his gaze. "I did."

My head snapped up, and my jaw fell open. "You killed me? To get me here?" Son of a bitch!

He grinned, but it wasn't a pleasant one. "How else does one get to Heaven?" He held up a hand. "Before you ask, yes, I will be sending you back, whatever your answer. You will be resurrected. But, think carefully. Deirdre is the only candidate Death knows. So, you'll either have to allow him to ask her or pick another you've refused to put forth for him to ask. You'll have to make that decision over and over until one says yes or you run out."

I whirled, turning from him to pace. He appeared before me. Behind him, on the rolling hill of perfect green grass, I saw Lucifer step out of a portal. He didn't approach, just observed.

"You will do this, Olivia." It was a flat statement, not an order or demand. It was as if I had already agreed.

"Why? Why do you want me in the office so badly?"

He waved a hand, and an umbrella-covered table with two chairs faded into existence. He took a seat and gestured at the other chair. I decided to stand.

"I have my reasons, Olivia, that aren't pressing at the moment." He settled into the chair, steepling his fingers as his elbows rested on the arms and crossing his ankle on a knee. It reminded me of Lucifer.

Like Hell they're not. I saw it for the trap it was, but I couldn't pinpoint what kind. My gut warned me: if I said yes, there would be a price to pay. But, if I say no...?

"Well, I can tell you need time to think it over. Don't wait too long. You've little time left."

Horrified, I raised my voice. "Wait. I thought we had six months? The deadline is still months away!"

"Yeah, about that..." He tapped his church fingers against his lower lip.

"You're changing the deadline?" I shouted.

"Olivia. Hush. There's no need to shout. I'm merely hurrying the inevitable. There will be no more candidates. It is either you, Deirdre, or one of the others you don't want. You have until midnight."

He waved a hand, and, once again, the darkness consumed me.

I came to, gasping for air, in Azza's arms.

"Olivia!" Azza cried as I returned to life. "Lucifer! She's back!" He clutched me to his chest.

I struggled to sit on my own. "Let me up! Let go, Azza, I can't breathe."

I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and sat, panting. Lucifer came and knelt in front of me, taking my hand.

"I am so sorry, Olivia." He kissed my fingers.

My brow wrinkled. "Why are you sorry? You're not the one who compelled me to die."

Lucifer scowled, and his jaw tightened. "I am sorry this happened to you. He must have had a good reason for taking you. At least in His mind."

I glanced at Laz, who had turned away from us, speaking into his phone. His hand rubbed his forehead.

I leaned in to speak softly to Lucifer. "He wants me to be Death."

Lucifer's eyes went wide. "Oh." He got up and started to pace.

I watched him as Azza scooted up behind me so I was sitting between his legs. I felt his arms encircle me, and the motion reminded me I hadn't been able to talk to them about what was going on.

Fuck it. "There aren't any more candidates. He said the only ones left are Deirdre and the others 'of age'. And, now, me."

Lucifer whirled to me. "You? How?"

"Laz and I figured out the ones he doesn't have a record for are those who were, for whatever reasons, resurrected. They died and came back to life without human intervention. When you brought Deirdre back, that made her a candidate. And," I wrapped my arms around Azza's, "now He's brought me back."

Some unknown emotion flickered on Lucifer's face before it became passive. "Are you going to say yes?"

I slipped from Azza's arms and walked to the windows, looking out of the Atlanta skyline. Lucifer and Azza soon followed. Death was still on the phone, but he watched us.

"I don't know," I whispered. I looked at my dark Fallen Angel. "What choice do I have?"

I grabbed Lucifer's arm and leaned my head on his bicep. He shifted and tucked me under it while Azza stood beside us and took my other hand.

"Are you going to tell her?" Azza asked.

Lucifer made a frustrated noise. "We can't interfere, remember?"

"Shit!" I exclaimed, pulling away. I turned toward Laz. He had ended the call and was staring at me.

"Laz, we have a problem. While I was in Heaven, He told me He was changing the deadline. We only have until midnight to find your replacement."

Death's shoulders slumped, and he closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, they glistened in the sun. "My office says you and Deirdre are the only candidates we have."

"I know. We will remain the only candidates. He is seeing to that."

His brow wrinkled. "I am so sorry, darlin'."

"I know." I knew what was coming.

He raised a hand to me. "Say yes. Become Death Incarnate."

"Olivia..." Lucifer stepped forward, but Azza's hand on his arm stilled him.

I turned and ran to my Fallen Angels. Lucifer caught me up as I clung to him. After a moment, he let me slide out of his arms to be taken in by Azza. When Lucifer pressed himself against us, we opened our arms to him.

"I feel as if I'm saying goodbye," I sobbed, the tears hot and wet on my face. They held me as I did. I felt Laz's presence in the background, waiting.

Lucifer kissed my head. "It is not goodbye, love. But, things might change."

I sniffled and took the handkerchief he offered. "How?"

He cleared his throat. "I cannot say."

"Can't or won't?" I demanded.

"Cannot."

I glanced at Azza. "Can you?"

"I wish I could, Olivia. By all that I hold Holy, I wish I could."

"So, I am on my own here."

"I am afraid so," Lucifer admitted. "The decision can only be yours and yours alone."

I scoffed. "No, I think not. He's rigged this rather well. I just don't know why."

My Fallen Angels were silent.

I sighed and turned in their arms. Death was standing in a patch of sunshine, the light making his salt-and-pepper hair gleam. "What happens to you, Lazarus?"

He cleared his throat. "There is a trainin' period where we work together. After that, it is... unclear. He could claim my soul and take me to Heaven immediately, or he could let me live out my days here first."

The four of us fell silent. I closed my eyes and leaned my head on Lucifer's chest and listened to his heartbeat as he held me tight, his body taught. I felt Azza's warm hand play with my hair.

"Olivia..." Laz called in a quiet but firm voice.

I kissed Lucifer's chest and stepped out of their arms. I padded, still barefoot from being in the bed with my Fallen Angels, across the hardwood floor, the parts in the sun warm in contrast to those shadowed and cool. He held out his hand for me again.

I stopped just short of placing my hand in his. Instead, I studied it. Unlike the Death He had sent for me, Laz's was flesh and blood. I remembered the sensation of his hand on me, and it raised goosebumps. I had felt alive when he touched me. "What happens when I say yes? Like, do I die again?"

He smiled gently. "You're already dead, darlin'; you won't die again."

I looked him in the eye, and I swallowed. "I'm frightened." I felt small and insignificant.

"I know."

I cleared my throat, drew myself up, and took the hand of Death.

"I accept."