Grave Moments by Skye These are a series of short little glimpses into Graves life, both leading up to and into the main story line.     Matt sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching. He returned to viewing the screen with another sigh, one elbow planting itself on his desk. "This is so fucked... I hate this job..." "Liar..." came a leathery whisper form around him. "You love this job.. you just hate this part of it..." Matt snorted softly. "Know it all... go stick your nose in someone elses buisness." Matt returned as he went back to filling out the form on his computer. "You are my buisness... besides... you know you love me.." the whisper came again, accompanied by the feel of laughter bubbling all around him. "Oh yeah... now fuck off before I call an exorsist and sic him on you." "Pain in the ass." Matt smirked softly as the feeling of warmth surrounded him and then left, the after image of being hugged still in his mind. " Love you to, Marilee." he said softly and felt the spirit vanish. He heaved another sigh, scowled at the computer screen and went back to work. ** "What do you mean it's going to take a bit longer... you said two weeks... it's been three. It HAS been longer..." Matt growled softly as he paced across the living room, snapping up an errant stattuette from a side table as he went and returning it to the mantle. The minature zombie reached for him from the shelf in its classic pose, one eyeball dangling on its cheek. "I don't care.. you promised two weeks....you're already overdue, damn it. I want my fucking car back!" Matt left the mantle and resumed his pacing. "So tell your damned supplier to move his fucking ass! He's not my problem.. YOU are! Finish my fucking car!!" The return circuit had him snatch the same zombie statue off the same side table and once again return it to the mantle. "I don't CARE how hard it is to find the parts.. I KNOW it's a fucking classic.. does the word DUH mean a fucking thing to you?! You SAID you could have it done it two weeks... YOU are the one breaking your fucking word! FIX THE FUCKING CAR!!" The phone flew across the room to land with a soft thud on the sofa and Matt stalked over to the side table and grabbed the zombie statue in his hand. As he stomped back to the mantle he slammed the statue back in place and turned to the room. "LEAVE THE FUCKING THING THERE!!" he yelled to the empty room. "Fucking pain in the ass..." he growled as he snatched his jacket off the chair and stormed out the door. The soft leathery sound of laughter sounding in the room behind him as the statue once again found its self on the side table. "Lighten up, Mattias..." a soft voice spoke aloud and several more statuettes and nicknacks moved themselves about the room, perching themselves on out of the way spots, lining the balcony railing above. The small stuffed bear wearing the skeleton costume that had been a gift to Marilee floated up to sit on one of the slowly revolving fan blades. "So serious..." came the voice again followed by the sound of chairs moving in the kitchen and the chime of cutlery. "You need more to your life than death, my dear boy..." The sound of the front door opening brought all of the movement to a halt. Matt stood in the doorway and scowled as he took in everything. He sighed heavily as he looked up to see the teddy bear grinning down at him as it slowly turned. "Fuck..." he muttered softly and stepped into the room, closed the door behind him. The keys to his motorcycle still lay on the table beside the phone base where he'd forgotten them but he made no move to grab them. Instead he shrugged out of his coat and leaned back against the door, the jacket dropping to the floor beside him. "Okay... I give... I was an ass..." he said softly, his eyes returning to the teddybear riding the ceiling fan. "I'm sorry I yelled." A soft leathery sigh flittered through the room and the bear tipped backwards, falling to land on the floor with a soft thump. Matt walked over and gently picked it up, brushing it off again. "Sorry." he repeated as he carried the bear to place it on the chair it always sat on. With a sigh he started to gather up all the figurines he could reach and return them to their places. That done, he headed to the kitchen for a drink. "Aww .. fuck off...." he whined softly as he looked into the room, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. "Marilee... " he said softly as he shook his head and dropped to the floor to sit and laugh softly as he looked at the surprise she'd left him. The chairs were stacked in an impressive column, balancing on one or two legs apiece ontop of the kitchen table... which was turned upside down. From the ceiling fan hung every dish cloth and tea towel he owned and the silverware was scattered over the floor forming patterns. He sighed, smirking as he leaned his head against the doorjam and surveyed a very nice rendtition of a daffodil done with teaspoons. "Marilee... you're such a fucking nutjob..." The soft leathery laughter sounded around him and the teaspoon daffodil spun in place. "Yes... yes I am... but.." "But I love you anyhow.. yeah yeah..." he finished for her and gave a soft snort. "Don't suppose you're planning on helping me clean this up, huh?" he asked to be greeted by the soft laughter vanishing. "Yeah.." he snorted softly."That's what I figured..." Matt climbed back to his feet and started gathering up the spoons when he suddenly stopped. A smile broke out over his face as he saw the large design on the far side of the table... the knives and forks forming a replica of his beloved car. Laying on his back in the middle of the rear end of the hearse was the zombie statue fomr the mantle. Matt snorted softly as he dumped the spoons into the sink and leaned back agains the counter, eyeing the picture thoughtfully. "Yeah... you're right... it does need a little something..." he said thoughtfully. "But let's wait until I get it home first.. then I'll look into it." He bent donw to grab another handful of silverware. "And why stop at one zombie? Nah... if we're going to do it... let's go big time..." His chuckle was echoed by another as a handful of silverware spirraled up off the floor to drop with a clatter into the sink. **     Matt looked up from his seat and watched as the older man shuffled into view with the old wheel barrow. He watched as he stoped and began to pull weeds and dead flowers from the graves nearest him, tossing them into the already full wheel barrow. "Hey Todd... how's it going?" Matt asked and saw the man look up startled, then grin as he straightened up. "Good good... thanks... beautiful day... beautiful..." the man said, making Matt smirk softly at the way he tended to repeat things. "That roof giving you any more trouble?" Todd shook his head and leaned on the taller of the tombstones near him. "Not a single drop since ya fixed it. Thanks. Weren't nessecary... but its appreciated... same as everything." Matt snorted and let a handful of grass flying fomr his fingers in the breeze. "Don't mention it, Todd... fair trade... you look after the place for me..." Todd cut him off with a chuckle. "..and ya look after poor old me in exchange... hardly fair... but appreciated, like I said." Mat snorted and pushed himself to his feet. "Well... I'll leave you to it.. got some stuff to do. You need anything, let me know. I'm heading into town in a bit." Todd just shook his head. "No sir...I'm fine... got everythin' I need." he said and brushed his gloves off onto his already dirty coveralls before turning back to his work. "Going to finish this section then see about that flower bed out front...some leaves caught up i the fountain making a mess of it..." he muttered softly, already engrossed in his work again. Matt snorted softly and headed back towards the 'house'. As he turned down the path the lead to the side gate, the trees thinned out enough to allow a view of the road, he caught sight of the silver chevy parked on the shoulder at the same time as he heard voices. He sighed heavily. "Oh cut me a fucking break..." he muttered as he came around last of the crypts in this section and stepped out into the fairly open area to see the women. The younger one was dressed in a dark red blazer and dark grey slacks and Matt sighed as she spotted him. He continued to walk in their direction, trying not to curse to loudly or move his mouth enough for them to read his lips. He could hear the older woman's continuing tirade about a million imagined crimes that he'd committed by living here. Rosemary was one of the towns leading complainers and he was her favorite topic. "Hello, Rosemary.. bring another of your friends by to harrass me, have you?" he asked lightly, his gaze slipping past her to the younger woman. "Let me guess... you're not from the church... that was last month... and she's already dragged someone from the city and county land registers out here this month... again..." he said, ignoring the choked sputter form Rosemary. "So... hmm.. nope, not horrified enough to be a relative of someone buried here... I give.. who are you?" The woman raised an eyebrow, obviously taken back and glanced curiously at Rosemary who'd started another tirade about him. Both of them ignored her. "I'm Katherine DeVries... I'm with the school board, amoung other things." Matt raised an eyebrow at that. "School board?!" he asked and snorted. "Why the fuck would she drag YOU out here?" he asked then shot the woman in question a look. "I don't have any kids , and the locals don't hang around here." The woman cleared her throat and held up a hand in a vain attempt to stop Rosemary. Instead she settled for talking over her. "No... Ms. Turney has informed us that you have an... undesirable person on your property who poses a threat to the children. The school isn't that far away after all..." Matt frowned and cut her off. "An 'undesirable person'?" he repeated and snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Normally she's not so nice in describing me... so i'll assume she means Todd. What's her beef with Todd?" The woman seemed taken aback again for a moment, but hurried on. "So you admit that you have a homeless person living in this cemetary?! Are you aware that..?" Matt sighed and cut her of. "No.. Todd isn't homeless.. Todd lives here. He's the caretaker. He has a small apartment on the property, which, I have all the legal paper work concerning... He is not, in any way a 'threat' to any kids..." he said shooting the fuming elderly woman a glare and cut off her raised voice. "He was homeless before I met him... and he has a record... for vagrancy and drunk and disorderly. Nothing violent. Nothing that would put kids at risk by him living here. He's been sober since I hired him." He sighed again and rubbed an eyebrow iritably. "Look... miss... I'm afriad you're just the latest in an unending line of people that Rosemary here likes to drag out here to irritate the fucking hell out of me. She hates the fact that my 'sister' bought the property, turned the church into a house, lived here and then left it to me in her will. She also hates the fact that the majority of the town doesn't seem to mind that I live here and make sure the cemetary is looked after and kept in good repair." he said, waving towards the path that lead towards the gate nearest her car. "She felt that Marilee was a witch and an abomination and had defiled gods green Earth by being born and feels that her opinion was only proven with the renovation of the church. I, in her eyes, am also an abomination in her eyes, only in my case, I look the part so she has more fun dragging you people down here." He said walking with both woman, Rosemary following the two of them, still keeping up her endless stream of scripture twisted to her view point and they continued to ignore her. "The truth of the matter is that my 'sister' was a well known and documented psycic and her worst crime was out-bidding Rosie here for the property... my worst crime is in not selling to her, but actually living here." Matt said and tried not to smirk as he saw her turn and shoot an exasperrated look over her shoulder at Rosemary. "I go through this crap a couple times a month if she can find someone new to drag out here, or if she comes up with some new 'complaint'. The local cops all know her and are probably as tired of her shit as I am.. but they have to do their jobs which includes following up complaints. You could've saved yourself a trip by calling the station first and checking things out." She had the good grace to actually blush, looking embarrassed as he opened the gate for them. She ushered Rosemary through and turned an appologetic look at him. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Hogan. I DO need to look into her charges, but you're right.. I should've checked with the police first. I'll stop by and speak to Chief Baker and see if he can corraborate you're claims about this.. Todd." she said. Matt gave a wry smirk. "Yeah.. do that. And maybe one of you people will consider filing complaints against her for wasting your time with all this shit. Hell... maybe I should stop by and visit the chief one of these days and see about laying some charges.. gotta be something I can do about all these false accusations and harrasement, right Rosemary?" He had the pleasure of seeing the old woman turn red and start sputtering in a sudden loss for words, before she gave a huff and marched up the slight incling to the car. He turned back to the woman. "You're welcome to meet Todd yourself, you know.. he's working right over there behind those crypts in the older section. He's a nice old guy... just prefers to keep to himself. As you can see.. he does a good job of looking after the place." She nodded as she steped through the gate, then hesitated before extending a hand to him. He eyed her curiously for a moment, but shook her hand. "Perhaps later if it appears to be nessecary..." she said. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Hogan... and.. may I say, if what you say about Ms. Turney is true, perhaps you should look into filing charges against her. I'm rather surprized you haven't already, if this has been going on for awhile." Matt snorted and leaned on the top of the gate as it swung closed. "Nah.. she's just a crack pot. Marilee put up with her crap for years... called her 'local colour' and even tried to win her over... hosted stupid little garden tea parties and tours and shit for the church groups and things like that. Even started hosting an annual Halloween deal out here that I try to keep up..." he shrugged again. "She's a pain in the ass... but she's harmless." he smirked softly at the surprised look on her face at his words. "Might pop in and visit the chief anyhow though... just to put a bit of a scare into her... might save a few of you people a hassle for a while longer than normal..." "Well... it was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hogan." she said, soundly oddly surprised at her words. Matt smirked softly, loving the way strangers reacted to the big scary, blue haired guy being nice and reasonable. It had always made Marilee crack up, seeing the stunned look on their faces. It was the reason he'd do it... to make her laugh. Personally he preferred being an asshole... but he'd learned the nice guy deal was better for this crap. "Nice meeting you too, Miss DeVries. Sorry for Rosemary dragging you out here." he said and waved at the woman in the car who promptly turned away, but continued her tirade despite the fact she was in a car and no one but herself.. and him.. could hear her. She nodded and turned to head back to her car and Matt smirked softly as he heard her sigh and mutter about crazy old bats wasting her time... " Maybe you should visit Ben..."came a soft whisper and Matt sighed, turning back up the path. "Why? You never did. Baker won't do anything anyhow.. you know he thinks the same... harmless old crackpot...You expect him to toss her in a cell?" he asked increduously and laughed softly. "You could file a complaint... he could take it to her family... plus people wouldn't be so quick to listen to her with that on her file..." Matt sighed and shoved his hand in his pockets as he walked. "I don't know... maybe... I'll think about. She bothers Todd again and I will, alright?" The was a soft laugh, more a feeling than an actual sound. " Oh Mattias... you're shell's softening..." He snorted an waved a hand irritably. "Fuck off, Marilee.." he said softly and was rewarded with another laugh. " Admit it... you're starting to enjoy being a nice guy instead of an asshole... I've finally started to rub off on you.." "Fuck off, Marilee.... Gods.. you're even more of a pain in the ass now that you're dead.. go find someone else to haunt. Fuck.. go move in with Rosemary... play poltergeist..." The feel of laughter grew around him and the nearby bushes and flowers rustled despite the fact that the breeze had died down. "I might consider it.. if it were possible... but I can't do that, Mattie.."the whisper came again, and this time he caught a whiff of her favorite perfume. " You're stuck with me, 'little brother'..."she said with another burst of laughter, then was gone, leaving him alone. He snorted softly. As he reached the laneway and approached the house, his gaze was drawn to the detached garage. With a sigh he walked over, unlocking the double doors and pulling them open. The large dusty white lump sitting beside his car made him sigh again and he leaned against the door. Marilee's old volkswagon had sat here ever since he'd claimed it from impound when she'd 'vanished'. He knew that under the drop cloth, the little halloween Garfield the cat still clung to the window looking out at him. For the umpteenth time he thought he should clean it out and see about selling it. He didn't need it.. he had his own car and his bike.... it was just sitting here taking up space... Same as he should clear out some of her stuff from the house... redecorate or something... it'd been more than long enough.. She'd been dead for... three years? Four? Matt snorted as he realized he couldn't remember... she was still so much a part of his life that he just couldn't remember... Something to think about ... maybe if he had some time he'd get around to doing some of it... He turned and left, relocking the doors behind him. Maybe he'd lok into getting the doors changed to an overhead.. one of those with a remote so he can open it on the drive in... He snorted, smirking softly. "Sure... I'll add it to the list..." he muttered as he headed to the house and his computer. He still had a bit more paper work to file and he'd received a message about a possible job in Texas... he hated Texas... but... a job was a job.. if it looked interesting enough, he'd think about it. **   Matt pulled the hearse over and into the small tree shrouded lane that lead through the cemetary. Finding a nice shadey, peaceful looking spot he stopped the car and grabbed the takeout bag from the seat beside him, and drink in hand, headed in search of a place to sit, think and eat in peace. The Texas trip had been a bust... an emergency in Massecheusets that needed him more.. so instead of a long drive by himself, followed by a few days.. maybe a week of sniffing out some mole inside the company... not his usual thing, but the dead could get boring on occasion... instead of a nice easy trip by himself.... he was stuck in the main office surrounded by 'them'. He didn't think he'd had a moments peace the entire time. And trying to have a decent meal was impossible. Every time he'd grabbed a sandwich or something one of 'them' would arrive and help himself or start talking and ruin his appetite. And the kids... who has little kids running around a business for crying out loud? The little boy was pretty scarce.. but the girl... underfoot as both a kid and a wolf... he'd started to feel like he'd sprouted a dozen different shadows. Matt sat down on a grassy spot and leaned back against a tomb with the family name of Igmorton engraved across the top, and rested his cup against his leg as he dug out his fries. Still.. trip wasn't a complete disaster... got to meet Kay's family... that was interesting.. he'd met the red head kid, Lex briefly when he'd run into MacDonnell and Montgomery the last time he'd been in town. The kid had become their third musketeer, and it was actually nice to see him again. Something about the kid just.. made you feel like you should be nice to him... made you want to protect him... Last time he'd seen the kid he'd been skittish and miserable... this time he was still shy, but seemed more friendly.. and happier. Apparently due to a boyfriend. Dominic. Matt snorted and shoved another handful of fries into his mouth, trying to imagine Faal Dominic, richest fuck he knew... with little Lex... And of course, there was the kids brother... Now there was something. A death elemental. Mat felt a faint shiver run through just thinking about him and snorted ruefully. Something about that guy had just... wow.. talk about a rush. Just being in the same room with the kid had the hairs on his arms standing up with the engery that seemed to leap between them. Apparently it had creeped everyone else out as well since they did their best to keep the two of them apart... or at least not be around when they were in the same room. Of course.. whether that was due to the power flux between them.... or their similiar sarcastic 'fuck it' attitudes... A rustle in the bush to his left drew Matt gaze breifly as he finished his fries and crumpled the bag. the leaves shifted a bit then stopped. Matt snorted and dug out the first burger. "fucking squirrels.." he muttered as he unwrapped the sandwich. Half way to his mouth something small and black flew at him and ripped the burger rip out of his hands. Matt gaped in shock as he watched the small black hairball devour his lunch, growling and snarling the entire time. "Fuck." he said softly. The kitten couldn't be much more then a month or so old and its fur stuck up at odd angles all over its skinny little body. He snorted as the kitten renewed its snarling and dragged the burger a few more inches as he shifted to inspect the scratches on the side of his hand where it had connected on its way to the burger. Matt sighed. "Fucking little theif... I would've shared you know." he muttered then dug out his second burger and ate, watching his dinner companion. "Fuck... even in the middle of nowhere I still wind up with company..." The two of them finished their burgers about the same time, the kittens belly bulging hugely. He snorted as he watched it lick its paws clean, as he dug out the last burger. As soon as he unwrapped it, the kitten looked his way. "Oh no you don't.. you had one.. Look at you.. you can barely walk, you fucking pig..." he said as the kitten wobbled over and tried to climb over his leg. Matt ate his burger and tried to laugh, finally breaking a piece off and handing it to the kitten, who snapped it up and commenced growling and snarling again. "Freak." he muttered and quickly finished his food. He leaned back against the cool stone wall and drank his soda, the mangy kitten slowly climbing up over his leg and making its way across his lap until it was climbing laborouly up his stomach. Matt found himself nose to nose with it as it sniffed him then licked his cheek daintly. "Shit..." he said, softening a bit more as he scooped the kitten into one hand and stroked its fur, a loud satisfied purr sounding imeediately. "You are the ugliest thing I've ever seen.. you know that?" he asked the little furball who looked up at him and blinked watery eyes, one slightly larger than the other. The small black head butted him on the chin and he smirked softly, scratching first its head and ears then its chin. A cloud passed by over head and Matt glanced up and sighed. He should get back on the road. He had a few days before he had to be in Texas for that job and the drive alone would take a good chunk of that. Plus he needed to pick up some supplies and stuff for Todd... He sighed and set the kitten on the grass as he stood up, the empty burger bag in one hand as he finished his drink and tossed the cup inside it. As he headed for the car a plaintive mew sounded and he looked donw to see the kitten scampering after him as fast as it overstuffed little belly would let it. Even as he watched, it reached his feet and started to climb it way up his leg. He snorted, then chuckled softly as he plucked the kitten free of his jeans and looked at it. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he asked and the kitten mewed again, never taking its eyes off him. with a sigh he glanced back at the tomb, looking for any sign of other cats... he even called on a couple ghosts to check but there were no other cats or kittens anywhere in the area. "Aw fuck..." he said softly and looked back at the plaintive watery eyes in the ugly little face. Another glance back at the Igmorten crypt and sighed. "Fine.. you need a name and I suck at that shit.. so you're Iggy and you'll damn well have to deal with it, alright?" he said, receiving another mew. He climbed into the car and set the bag on the floor and the kitten on the seat beside him. He stabbed a finger at it as he started the car. "And no messes in my car.. and no clawing the seats either.. any of that shit and your ass is gone, got that?" Iggy looked at him and blinked then clambored over the seat and back onto his lap, where it curled up into a ball and promptly went to sleep. "Fine then... as long as we understand each other..." he said the snorted softly. "Great... wonderful... I've got a fucking cat... I've got an UGLY fucking cat..." he smirked as he pulled the car back onto the road. "Vicious little bundle of attitude. Voracious little bundle of attitude..." he amended softly, shaking his head . "Fuck... Marilee's going to laugh her spectral little ass off at me for this..." He glanced down at the warm little ball of black on his lap, purring in its sleep. "A fucking cat...." he said again, but was smiling slightly as he said it. **

 

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The Gurgi Clan & Chaos Inc.
  Skye, Ruex, Sage, Washu & Miss Frost .
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