Charles chuckled when most of Penny’s popcorn became sacrificed to the floor. He offered her the remainder of his, even though it was dry. After the second scare, he wrapped an arm around her, hoping to ease her discomfort. He had to admit that it didn’t matter if a horror movie was cheesy or fake, jump scares could get the best of them all-especially if the music and sound were on point.

A lull was happening in the movie, and the characters were trying to find the best way to attack and kill the monster when Penny asked her a question. Charles was startled and surprised by its specifics. “That’s a demon. They possess people. The only way you can tell is by their black eyes or the sulfur smell they leave behind. Why?” he asked, trying to follow where she was looking.

„I thought I saw that woman with black eyes before we came in here, but I didn’t smell sulfur and after I blinked, her eyes were normal. I might just be crazy or paranoid.“ Penny tore her gaze away and looked at Charles to gauge his reaction. He seemed concerned and Penny felt bad for making him worry. „Sorry. Ignore me. I’m sure it’s nothing. I didn’t mean to worry you.“

Charles frowned and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “If I’ve learned anything from hunting monsters, is that your gut instinct is never wrong. If you think that woman seemed off, they probably are. Wait here; demons are not vampires or werewolves. Not much can actually kill a demon. We mostly have to send them back to hell, and that requires an exorcism. I can’t really give you a five-second crash course on Latin.” He handed over the rest of his candy to Penny before sneaking down the aisle and leaving the theatre to look for the woman Penny had pointed out.

As he walked, Charles pulled out a knife he had tucked into a hidden holster at his ankle. He briefly debated leaving to get the gun and devils trap bullets, but he found the woman in question quickly. She wandered into the bathroom, and Charles quickly followed. The demon turned on Charles.

“Well, you aren’t where you are supposed to be,” she said before her eyes went black. Charles narrowed his eyes.

“I could same about you,” he said before charging her with his knife. He got in a hit across the demon’s forearm.

“You aren’t very nice,” she declared before flinging Charles into a bathroom stall. Charles grunted, feeling a rib pop out from the impact.

“And you’re ruining my date.” He stood up and started to speak Latin. The demon rolled her eyes.

“Are you serious? What a waste of time,” she said, lifting her hand to attack Charles again.

Penny tried to watch the movie after Charles left, but she couldn't focus. Her cuticles hurt from her picking and biting and she kept looking back to the exit. The girl nor Charles have returned and Penny thought it was suspicious. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the girls friend that she saw earlier get up and leave. What if she was a demon too? Could Charles take on two demons? He said you couldn't kill them and that you basically needed to exorcise them with Latin. Penny didn't know that stuff, but... should couldn't leave Charles to fend for himself, could she?

Penny got up shortly after the other girl left and she peeked out of the theater room. The girl was standing outside the girls bathroom on her phone, but if Penny listened hard enough, she could hear bangs and grunts come from the room. Penny ducked back into the theater, her breathing heavy. What did she do? Did she call Christian? Dylan? Annie? Penny glanced at the snack counter and saw nobody behind it. Penny had a friend that worked in a movie theater once. She said most theaters keep scissors in the bottom cabinets in case they needed them to open something. Penny couldn't kill a demon, but maybe she could distract it long enough for Charles to get the upper hand. Penny took a deep breath with the intention of going to the snack counter, but something stopped her. Her feet felt frozen to the ground. The grunts and echoes from the bathroom rang in her ears, just under the screams from the horror film in the background.

Charles told her to stay put because he was trying to protect her. Penny didn't know how to fight a demon. She didn't know how to fight at all. Penny sat back down in her chair and placed her hands under her thighs. She would make things harder for him. She watched the movie and tried to focus on it, but found that nothing she could do would make it better. She wanted Christian. She wanted to go home, though it's not like she had one right now.

Charles was in rough shape after being flung around by the demon several times. However, he never stopped reciting the exorcism ritual, and the demon started slowing down. Charles lunged, reaching out to cut her again with his iron knife before planting his salted hand against the wound.

“Bastered!” A knock sounded on the bathroom door, and the demon snarled. “Out of time, pretty boy.”

Charles glared and moved to strike again when the demon smoked out and disappeared. “Dammit!” The woman’s body dropped to the floor, and she started to come to. Charles sighed with relief, she was still alive, which meant the demon hadn’t been in her long.

Charles quickly put his knife away and knelt down to help the woman. She had very little memory but did have an understanding that something had been wrong for a couple of months. She had little memory from the time the demon had taken over.

“You should go to the hospital, just in case,” Charles said and helped her outside. The woman’s friend was standing there, and her eyes widened with alarm and suspicion as Charles walked out with the woman. Thankfully the woman vouched for Charles. He smiled at them both and stepped aside before he pulled out his phone and texted Penny, asking her to meet him in the lobby.

Penny rushed out into the lobby after getting Charles' text and her eyes widened when she saw him injured. "Charles! Are you okay?" Penny approached him and hovered, not knowing where he was exactly hurt or where to put her hands. "I- I can call Christian! He's a doctor!" Penny stammered, knowing full well that he wasn't. She cursed at herself for trying to bring Christian into the situation again.

"No need for that, Penny. I'm okay. Got thrown around a bit, but nothing a few days of recovery won't fix. I've faced worse." Charles put his hands on Penny's biceps, gripping them gently and assuredly. "Are you okay?"

Penny dropped her shoulders and nodded. She looked up through her lashes and gave a fatigued smile. "Besides making me worry, I'm okay. Sorry I ruined our date."

"You didn't ruin it, that demon did," Charles chuckled and wrapped Penny in his arms. He felt her tense up slightly and he released her and stepped back. "I'd offer to buy you dinner, but I should really get my wounds checked out."

Penny shook her head. "No need for dinner. I had plenty of popcorn and candy. You go and get some rest. I know you, Annie, and Dylan are leaving town tomorrow."

Penny wanted to escort Charles to his car due to his injuries, but he refused, saying a gentleman always escorted a lady no matter what. When they got back to Penny's hotel, Charles stopped her from getting out of his car. He fidgeted for a second before speaking, "Listen- I'm leaving tomorrow, but if you don't have anything keeping you here, we'd love to have you. We can teach you the ropes, train you in fighting techniques..."

"Charles, I... I don't know. I need some time to think about it. I'll call you in the morning?" Penny felt bad holding out on him, but she truly didn't know what to say. She wanted to learn, but something felt off. Not about her new friends, but about leaving. It almost felt as if she would be leaving something behind and she didn't know what. "Thank you for tonight. You've been really sweet."

Penny got out of the car and waved goodbye before heading up and into her hotel room.

Christian had taken a break to check in on Penny at one point. He appeared in her hotel room, but she wasn’t back yet. Unsure how things were going, he wrote a quick note.

I am working, but contact me if you want after the date. I want details. Let me know if I need to bring ice cream or alcohol.

Christian

The night was proving to be long and difficult for Christian. He didn’t know if he was off his game or if Death was punishing him by sending him to the more difficult spirits. Twice, Christian found himself with a troubled spirit that had yet to leave this earth. At that point, they had become poltergeists. Troublesome spirits that could inhabit humans or other creatures to do their building. Plus, they were violent and often left a body count. Trying to reap those souls was difficult, if at all possible. Usually, hunters were called in to deal with them. Which led to the spirits ending up in the space between, roaming lost and in pain forever.

The other souls that Christian had been tasked consisted of teenagers (who died too soon) and people who did not want to leave their lives and stuff behind. Christian didn’t like to use the term selfish, but if he had to describe them, that’s what they would be. It was far different from Penny. There was fight in her. These people simply didn’t want to lose what they had acquired during life.

Christian didn’t often give up on a soul, but there had been a couple he had to leave. He would have to try again with them later or hope another reaper would be able to get them to move on before they turned into a poltergeist.

Penny smiled at the note Christian left, his handwriting neat and precise. It was for sure a lot nicer than her own. Penny pondered on her night and wondered if it was one that needed the ice cream or alcohol he offered. Penny shrugged and decided, why not both?

"Christian, I think we need ice cream and alcohol for this one." Penny called out, hoping she wasn't interrupting something important. Penny was once again reminded how thoughtful Christian was and how he was truly living up to being one of the best friends she's ever had. Ice cream, alcohol, and gossip after a date? Penny grew excited over the prospect of having someone to spill all the details and her secrets to. Penny went to her room to change out of her nice clothes and swap them for something more comfortable. She put on a tank top and some sweatpants before opting to take off her makeup and then sitting on the couch to turn on some TV while she waited. It was around eleven in the evening, but Penny was too awake to find time to feel sleepy.

The vampires she fought yesterday weren't strong enough to do tons of damage to her friends, but the demon Charles faced was able to do some pretty good damage. Penny thought about Charles' offer, but she already knew she was going to turn him down in the morning. She wanted to get stronger, yes, but she wanted Christian to be the one to train her and help along the way. Charles made it sound like hunters usually worked in pairs. Perhaps, Penny could ask Christian to be her partner. Perhaps he wouldn't be able to interfere too much, but he could be emergency backup if she so needed.

Christian was dealing with getting a teenage girl to cross over when he heard Penny’s voice in his head. He raised his eyebrows at the proclamation of needing both ice cream and alcohol. The girl caught the motion and frowned at him.

“What is that look for?”

Christian was startled and smiled apologetically. ”Sorry, Bree. It sounds like a friend of mine had a rough night. She is requesting ice cream and alcohol,” he confessed.

Bree’s eyes widened before she looked sullen and turned away. “You have friends?”

”Well, yes…I suppose I do.” Christian had come to think of Penny as someone more, but hearing someone else call her his friend did make him happy. It certainly eased the pain of the day.

Christian looked at Bree, feeling better about his situation. ”I’ve seen you struggle to make friends… But beyond that door, you will have friends, Bree. Companions who have felt the same, and people who genuinely care about you, rather than what is happening with them.”

“That’s what my mother always told me when I started a new school. News flash, it never happened,” she said, gesturing to her ghostly form.

Christian smiled sadly and nodded. He looked away from Bree and watched the door shimmer and shift to whatever Bree wanted. It took on a darker tone, wooden boards and vine work. Christian cocked his head to the side, recognizing the door as something from pop culture.

”What about animals and stories?”

“What?”

Christian gestured towards the door Bree created. She looked startled to see the door had changed but angry and looked at Christian with an accusatory look. He held his hands up and stood. ”Not my doing but yours. The door will shift depending on the future inhabitant's mood. In fact, everything beyond that door will shift and change. If you are a fan of stories, you could create your own. Something different every day,” he told her, walking near the door. It shimmered the closer Christian got, almost like it was disappearing. Behind him, Christian heard Bree approach.

“Now what’s happening?”

”It is fading. I am not allowed to enter the door, so it will fade and disappear to keep me from disturbing the place beyond, but you, it’ll solidify and let you in. Only you and whoever you allow on the other side. It is your safe space to command, Bree.”

Bree frowned and shifted her weight uncertainty. Christian remained silent, years of patience from moments like these telling him to be quiet while she thought it over.

Bree reached her hand out, and the door immediately brightened and shifted, almost as if it was excited and eager for her touch. Bree’s face softened, and her eyes lightened.

“It's like it’s alive,” she whispered in awe.

”In a way it is. It contains your essence and your soul once you walk through it. This place is yours, Bree. One hundred percent yours and no one else.”

Bree’s smile widened, and she looked at Christian. “Okay… Your friend is lucky to have you. Rocky Road was always my favourite ice cream,” she said before opening the door and disappearing on the other side. The door vanished after shutting, and the warmth Bree had created with her presence dissipated, leaving Christian in darkness and shadow. He sighed, the heaviness of the day settling fully on his shoulders. But Penny needed him.

Christian took a few deep breaths before retrieving a pint of Rocky Road, a bottle of wine, and tequila. Christian knew tequila to be something most people liked to take shots of if they were hoping to get drunk quickly. With the supplies required, Christian teleported to the hallway outside Penny’s room and knocked.

Penny got up from her spot on the couch and opened the door. Christian stood there with a bag of alcohol and ice cream. She smiled and opened the door to let him in. She grabbed the bags from him and placed the items out on the counter. She grabbed two wine glasses and two bowls. "I know you don't eat or drink, but you can use these if you want," Penny grabbed her corkscrew and uncorked the wine, pouring half a glass. "Rocky road? How did you know this was 'break up' ice cream?" She joked. She sipped her wine and made her way to the couch.

Penny was silent for a moment before she decided to drop the bomb right off the bat. "We ran into a demon at the movie." She took a bite of her ice cream and shook her head. "I should've just ignored it, but I told Charles I saw something weird and he went to look. He got beat up pretty badly." Penny looked at Christian for his reaction. What did reapers think of demons? Clearly, they were bad, that much Penny surmised. She's heard all kinds of stories of deaths and possessions with demons, but she never thought they were actually real. Though penny realized she must have some sort of flaw in her logic. She believed in God, so if he was real, why wouldn't demons be?

Christian chuckled and helped himself to a glass of wine in solidarity with Penny. ”I didn’t actually. A teenager I helped cross over told me that was her favourite ice cream. I thought we could have some in memory of her,” Christian explained. He grabbed a scoop of the ice cream and put it into a bowl before sitting next to Penny.

He had just sipped his wine when Penny announced they had come across a demon at the movie theatre. He choked and tried to compose himself, torn between which question to ask first. Clearly, he wanted to ask if she was okay, but she seemed more concerned with Charles at the moment.

”Is Charles going to be okay?” He knew the man wasn’t on his deathbed, but he obviously beat the demon, or there would be a very different conversation happening right now.