november 25, 2019.  

Grim Reaper Serena appeared by Courtney's bedside with no one around except the two of them. The grim reaper tossed the bag of dream dust in her right hand up and down while observing her surrounding. It was just before midnight and she still felt like she could go for another round of duties despite being out and about all day. The grim reaper read the board with Courtney's information and Melinoe was right. She's been asleep since the first day she woke after sleeping since she was admitted.

"Alright. Here we go."

With just a pinch Grim Reaper Serena sprinkled the glittering sparkles over Courtney's face.

"You need more than that."

Came Maofah's voice and before the grim reaper could shoo him away, Maofah gathered more of the sparkling dust into his paws and dropped it onto Courtney's face with a mischievous look.

"Maofah."

"Oh, would you look at that? I gotta go."

He poofed away in a white cloud just as Nerok appeared.

"Crap. I know Melinoe and Breskta mentioned something, but I totally forgot what they were."

She sighed while looking upwards trying to remember.

"Nerok, what happens when a lot of the dream dust is used instead of just a pinch?"

She asked the black feline thinking of the two goddesses' words.

"Hmm, well, I believe it just speeds the dream faster than normal. Or it switches it from one to another. Like in different sequences. It really all depends on the dreamer for the most part."

"I see. That's not too bad then."

The pair watched as Courtney's facial expression change. It was neutral until a smile graced it.

"Ooh, look at that smile. I must be a good dream."

The grim reaper commented as Nerok noticed how too relax the smile appeared to be.

"Uh, you may wanna get in there, NaNa."

"Why?"

"Her smile is too carefree."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"When you're awake."

Grim Reaper Serena's brows furrowed.

"What does it mean in a dream when you're asleep?"

"Well, a lot can happen in a dream as you're not awake to control it unless the brain gets involve."

"So it should be fine. Right?"

"No."

"What? Why?"

"Because the dust interfers with the receptors."

Nerok shot her an uneasiy look.

"Breskta always allows me to join her in her nightly adventures and has told me a lot of things about all that."

"This isn't good, is it?"

"Nope."

"Ugh. Tell Maofah he better watch himself."

"Noted."

The reaper magicked herself into Courtney's dream while Nerok poofed away in a black cloud. When Grim Reaper Serena entered Courtney's dream world it was a teenage version of her past self. The older Courtney sat alongside her teenage self on the balcony railing. The grim reaper vaguely remembered this home complex, but dismissed it as she wondered what Nerok had meant by the too carefree smile.  That's when she actually observed the two rocking back and forth on the railing and both had let go of the railing that held them grounded. Before the reaper could interfer, she heard a woman's scream. The grim reaper was magicked out of the dream and back into the hospital room.
 

november 26, 2019. 

Grim Reaper Serena checked the time and it was a little after midnight again.

"I'm not that late."

The grim reaper sprinkled a tidbit of the magical dust. After a few seconds he glanced down at Courtney just as the woman's eyes fluttered open, but shut right after and remained so.

"Hmm, should I do another one? None of them mentioned what happens if they wake up. Alright, let's go with another pinch."

The grim reaper sprinkle just a bit more of the dream dust over Courtney until Patricia showed up a few seconds later.

"Can I join you, Reaper V?"

Grim Reaper Serena eyed the female ghost.

"How did you even know to come here?"

"A feeling."

The older one eyed the younger one longer before Patricia chuckled sheepishly.

"Alright, I've been checking in on Courtney ever since she was admitted. Plus, your lingering scent drew me in."

Grim Reaper Serena cocked a brow upon hearing the last bit, but dismissed it as she had a matter at hand to attend to.

"I see. Alright, Patrica Good, you can join me, but you must stay hidden and quiet throughout this process."

"Got it."

"I mean it. You must be absolutely quiet and stay out of view of Courtney's sight."

"I will try my best, Reaper V."

Both magicked into Courtney's dream. Grim Reaper Serena remembered that she was told to wake up Courtney unless her soul was gone. She spoke for only the older Courtney to hear, but then Patricia couldn't help herself and greeted her friend. Before the real Courtney could see her friend, the grim reaper had swooshed Patricia out of the dream and spoke instead. Grim Reaper Serena was back in the dark hospital room, yet Courtney remained asleep. The grim reaper glanced at Courtney's face and saw that it was expressionless.

"This is harder to do. I'm so glad I'm not in charge of this."

She had forgotten about Patricia until the spirit spoke towards the dreaming Courtney and had to intervened.

"Hey, why did you do that?"

"Because you spoke and didn't stay hidden."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to interact with her."

The grim reaper could hear the yearning tone in her voice and sighed.

"Tomorrow before midnight. We can try again, but you have to make it like it's a non-playing dream and not a lucid one either."

"I understand and thank you."

"You're welcome."

She watched as the younger female sat at the end of Courtney's bed.

"I'll leave you two alone until tomorrow."

"Thank you, Cupid Reaper."

"My pleasure."

The grim reaper acknowledged with a nod beforre shimmering away to take care of her other supernatural duties.

november 27, 2019. 

"So no leads on the boyfriend, huh?"

Taehyung commented as his colleague, Sunghwan, shook his head.

"Nope. A Jerry doesn't seem to exist despite evidence suggesting a man did live with our missing person."

The pair were sitting at their desk going through their report notes well into the late evening.

"There's nothing in the data base either. If only we had the last name then it would've been easier to track this man."

"Really?"

Taehyung looked over at Sunghwan, puzzled.

"No fingerprints? Hair? Nothing?"

"Zilch. Nothing to identify the man except the neighbors seeing one, but nothing concrete that stood out. The guy was covered head to toe every time he visited Fraida Waller."

Both males sighed as Taehyung looked at his computer.

"No one reported Farida Waller missing until her co-workers noticed that she hadn't shown up on the third day."

"I mean, that means she was an unpleasant woman, don't you think?"

Sunghwan stated as Taehyung sighed.

"Probably, unless there was a different reason and Farida Waller just liked to keep to herself."

"But she bragged about her boyfriend to her co-workers so much that they could be dating the guy themselves."

"Any pictures?"

"Nope. Like I said, nothing to identify the man, except spoken words. Do you think she made it up?"

"Who knows, but there's definitely gotta be more to this."

Taehyung went through his notes trying to find anything, but nothing stood out.

"I dunno, man. Maybe there's a reason why she's still missing. Maybe she's hiding."

"Hiding from who or what though?"

Sunghwan sighed before passing one of his notes to Taehyung.

"Look right there. One of the co-worker mentioned that the boyfriend could've been part of a gang."

Taehyung took the paper about to ask which gang untli he read the name listed that was striked out.

"The Red Dragons?"

"Yeah, but apparently there isn't a Jerry within the ranks from what we know or can tell. I couldn't pursue further without some type of warrant or whatever. There's no substantial reason or evidence to dig through their members."

Taehyung groaned.

"So we're back to square one?"

"Seems like it."

Taehyung set the papers on the desk as Art came by.

"Fellas. How about a drink tonight?"

"You look gloomier than normal."

Patricia commented once Grim Reaper Serena poofed into the quiet hospital room.

"Just some charges acting difficult today and earlier in the month."

"Oh. I see."

The grim reaper dismissed the topic.

"Anyways, are you ready?"

"Um, so, how do I do this? What should I do or say?"

Patricia was nervous despite being in a state where she shouldn't be. The two would be able to actually interact with one another again while Grim Reaper Serena answered like she knew, but didn't.

"Well, just think of something that y'all know or a good memory of the two of you. I dunno. Be free and have fun with this, but nothing too wild or too alarming that will trigger Courtney to retreat futher in her sleep."

The pair were back in Courtney's hospital room just some time before midnight. The grim reaper was explaining the do's and don't's of how to go about this for both of their sakes, but mainly for Courtney to returned to the world of the living. Grim Reaper Serena was trying to determined how much of the dream dust to use as she hadn't used that much since she got it. Then again, she did use some of it to mess with Maofah the other day.

"When you go in, I'll give you some time to play with Courtney, but after that I will take over and have to do my part. Got it?"

Patricia nodded in understanding as she awaited for the Cupid Reaper to do her thing.

"Okay," The reaper sprinkled a good amount of what she thought would be enough onto Courtney's face, "Do your thing and I'll be in there shortly to take over.'

"Understood."

Patricia cast Grim Reaper Serena a thankful smile.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now hurry."

"Oh, yeah."

Patricia glanced down at her friend with a smile.

"Queenie, wait for me."

Patricia was magicked into Courtney's dream until the grim reaper took over some time later. Once the grim reaper left Courtney's dream world and returned to the hospital room did she cast a look at the sleeping Courtney with Patricia soundly asleep beside her friend. A smile graced her face upon seeing the pair and Grim Reaper Serena relaxed further when she saw that Courtney's expression was an uneven smile. It wasn't too carefree nor an expressionless one. Still, in the end it would be Courtney's will to decide how she wanted to go about life for herself.
 

november 28, 2019.

It was a little after five in the morning when Serena stood outside the landlady home. Geraldine lived on the main floor of the main building of Bruni Mondal located in front of the other three buildings through a courtyard. Serena lived in the second building on the fifth floor while her aunt lived on the second of the first building. The three buildings went to the ninth floor and were each connected by a skybridge on the fourth and top floors. Anyways, Serena knew the older woman would be up by this time as it was her habit since young and running the place for more than twenty years. Geraldine opened the door a moment later and warmly greeted Serena.

"Ah, Serena. What a surprise to see you up at this time."

Serean chuckled.

"I know."

"So, what can I do for you this earelier in the morning?"

Serena cast the older woman a small and apologetic smile.

"Good morning, Geraldine. I know it's a super late notice, but I won't be attending the Thanksgiving party tonight or for tomorrow night."

"Oh, dear. Why not?"

"I'm not feeling well and would like some time for myself to rest."

"Aww, have you been resting and eating since Eugenia left?"

"I have, but I'm not sure what came over me and I'm not in the mood and don't want to ruin it for others. I hope you understand."

"Oh, sweetie, I do. So don't you worry, Serena."

"Thank you, Geraldine."

"Thank you for letting me know. Ever since you've moved here a few years ago, I've only seen you a handful of times."

"I know and I'm sorry about that."

"Please, don't be. Eugenia always informed me on how hard you're working to support yourself every time I inquired about you."

Geraldine patted Serena's arm in reassurance.

"Although working too much can be a bad thing and to one's health, but to each their own and I won't meddle unless needed."

"I will keep that in mind, Geraldine, and won't overwork myself."

"Good. Now, go on and take a well deserved rest, my dear. I'll save you some leftovers and have the girls