~~Young~~

Chapter Twenty One

"I...I gotta do something," she grabbed Duncan's arm to get his attention, "are there any phones left?"

"Here," he gave her his and nodded to the picture in her hand, "Say goodbye to Joey for me too okay?"

"I will, help Chels while I'm gone," she didn't mean it to sound like such an order but she guessed old habits die hard, especially under stress, "I'm gonna go somewhere a little quieter, so she can't hear what's going on."

"Fine, but hurry."

Again she grabbed Death as she ran out of the room. She didn't need to be alone right now, and with Sera the only one left that even knew she was there she wasn't letting her out of her sight. She paused in the hallway but all the noise from the downstairs rooms just echoed up, it wasn't going to work.

"What about up there?" Death gestured to the roof door halfheartedly.

"Hey, you still got me," Sera shook her arm, "and I'm not going to disappear on you."

Death gave her a small smile, "and as pathetic as that is, that I, an immortal god, needs you, a half here half there mortal, thanks sweetie."

Sera let out a little laugh and pulled Death towards the roof, dialing the number she knew by heart to Joey's room at the Sister's. The fading sun left the world dull without the sunset hidden behind the clouds. Sera looked up as she brought the phone to her ear thinking- in a hauntingly familiar scenario- it just might rain as the wind gusted and tossed her hair all over the place.

She had to let go of Death to get it out of her face but she didn't stray far from her as she waited for the line to pick up...Sera pulled the phone away and looked at the screen when she realized there were no rings. Weird, the line connected before it rang once.

"Hello?" she called into the phone.

"Sera?" an all too familiar voice answered her, "that's so strange. I was just about to dial you."

"You were? About what?"

"You're sister of course."

"Can you put her on the line Mary Rose, I...I want to tell her something," Sera could feel her palms beginning to sweat at the mere thought of saying goodbye to her sister.

"I'm...I'm afraid not dear," she sounded reluctant, maybe she was sleeping.

"Please sister, I really need to speak with her, if you could just wake her up for a second I'll be quick."

It'd be better that way if it was quick, just an I love you and a goodbye, there didn't need to be anything more than that. Any kind of explanation would just put Joey in jeopardy. Even if Duncan's phone wasn't tapped Sera was sure Joey's was.

"Sera she...Joey won't be waking up anymore."

Sera's whole body began to tremble, "what," she swallowed, "what did you just say?"

"I'm so very sorry," the woman's words hitched, "but that's why I was calling you. Josephine she...she passed away in her sleep."

Sera fell to her knees, "no sister...no!"

"Sweetie," Death ran over to her, "what happened?"

"My sister," Sera said absently, "she died."

"Oh sweetie!" Death threw herself around her.

"Yes Sera, that's right," Mary rose answered her, unaware that she wasn't the one she was talking to, "but..." she paused and Sera could hear footsteps and then a door shutting, "you need to know she had a visitor first, before she passed," her whispered words were rushed, "and you may not believe me but I am sure her was sent from God. He must have come to tell her it was her time."