It wasn't until six o'clock the next morning that Annabelle finally awoke. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the morning light. She was on something soft, her bed. She felt for her glasses on her dresser, put them on and sat up. She looked around to find herself in her bedroom, all alone. She felt her head and cringed as a bolt of pain shot through her body. She got out of bed and stood in front of her mirror. She was dressed in her night-gown and had a bandage wrapped around the top of her head. "Wow I must of really hit my head hard." she thought as she walked down the stairs. As she got closer to the bottom there was a faint smell. "Cinnamon?" she thought as she quickened her pace. She got to the bottom of the stairs and hid behind the door that lead to the kitchen. Someone was in there, humming. She gasped in excitement. "Michael!" she exclaimed as she flung open the door. "What the hell?" she thought as she realized it wasn't him. "What is she doing her?" There cooking pancakes on Annabelle's stove-top was Alice.

She stood there, humming "London Bridge is Falling Down" and tilting her head from side to side in time with the beat. She turned to Annabelle and grinned. "Good morning!" she exclaimed. "And how is my young mistress today?" Annabelle stared at Alice. "Wait!" said Annabelle. "How did you get..." "Well aren't you going to sit down? I've prepared a feast for you and Sebastian!" said Alice as she gestured towards the table. Annabelle gasped as she walked towards the nearest chair and sat down. One end the table was covered in plates piled high with bacon, scrambled egg, toast and porridge. At the other end however were plates stacked with pancakes, biscuits, waffles, cake, muffins and a pot of hot chocolate. In the middle of the table was a few small plates of fish, cubed beef, lamb and chicken and a shallow dish of milk which Sebastian was happily lapping up.

Alice walked up to Annabelle and put her hand on her shoulder. "Eat as much as you like, my young lady." she grinned. "This is amazing! How did you have the time to make all of this?" exclaimed Annabelle as she grabbed the nearest plate of pancakes and started to nibble on them. "Let's just say that Bruno helped a little!" replied Alice. Annabelle gasped. "Bruno!" she exclaimed. "Where is he?" "He's outside eating a pig so I'd advise that you stay inside and enjoy your meal." replied Alice. "That is if you want to keep your breakfast inside your stomach my lady." "How lovely." mumbled Annabelle as she continued to eat.

Alice walked up to Annabelle and put her hand on her shoulder. "Eat as much as you like, my young lady." she grinned. "This is amazing! How did you have the time to make all of this?" exclaimed Annabelle as she grabbed the nearest plate of pancakes and started to nibble on them. "Let's just say that Bruno helped a little!" replied Alice. Annabelle gasped. "Bruno!" she exclaimed. "Where is he?" "He's outside eating a pig so I'd advise that you stay inside and enjoy your meal." replied Alice. "That is if you want to keep your breakfast inside your stomach my lady." "How lovely." mumbled Annabelle as she continued to eat.

Alice turned around and Annabelle noticed that her dramatic grin she always wore had disappeared. "If you'll really do anything, can I please experience the pleasure of a hug?" She looked at Annabelle as tears started to form in her eyes. "It's been ever so long since anyone has showed any affection to me at all!" She burst into tears as Annabelle wrapped her arms around her. "It's okay Alice." smiled Annabelle. "You have me now. I'll always be here for you." Alice wrapped her arms around Annabelle's waist. "I know darling." she said as she pushed Annabelle away. The wide smile had returned to her face. "So we're friends now aye?" she giggled. "Yeah, I suppose so." smiled Annabelle. "Would you mind if I use your spare bedroom to get change?" grinned Alice. "Sure, why not?" Alice sprinted out of the kitchen and grabbed her suitcase. "For a shinigami you're quite a generous gal!" she exclaimed as she ran up the stairs and slammed the other bedroom door behind her. "How did she know I was a shinigami? Did she bring me into the house?" thought Annabelle as she walked out the back door.

She walked to where Bruno was sleeping and luckily for her he had finished his breakfast. As she got closer she noticed that he had stayed his enormous size but his collar had stopped glowing. She walked carefully as not to disturb him but accidently tripped on a tree root, landing on the ground. "Crap!" she exclaimed as she noticed her knee was bleeding. She turned looked up to find that Bruno was gone but the ground where he was laying was scorched black. "Where in hell did you go boy?" she thought. Suddenly there was a bark behind her. She turned around to find a small figure standing on a branch above her head.

"Who's there?" yelled Annabelle. The figure let a bark and jumped down from the branch. As it got closer she could make out a mop of white scruffy hair with black tips. "Bruno?" said Annabelle. "No, it can't be!" Standing in front of her on all fours was a pale skinned boy no older than eight years old with large red eyes. He was naked and had a purple collar with a black tag around his neck. He barked and leaped onto Annabelle who instantly pushed him away. "What happened to you?" she asked. He cocked his head to the side and whined. Annabelle turned to face the house. "Alice!" she yelled. "I think you should come and see this! You may have some explaining to do!" "Coming Annabelle!" replied Alice as she jumped out of the window, slid down the roof, landed softly on the ground and ran towards Annabelle. 

  Annabelle looked back at the boy and gasped. He was now the large white hound Alice had given her. "What is it Annabelle?" asked Alice as she scratched Bruno's chin. "And what's this about some explaining I need to do? I'm not very good at explaining things. Nope! Not at all." Annabelle stared at Alice. "He...he just turned into a person!" she stuttered. "Oh I already know about that!" grinned Alice. "That's what makes a demon hound so special!" "Well you could of told me that when I bought him!" exclaimed Annabelle. "May I remind you young Anna that I gave him to you." said Alice as she walked over to Annabelle. "Besides I think he looks rather cute in that form, don't you agree?" Alice started giggling and sprinted back into the house only to come out again a few seconds later. "I'm so sorry for the sudden departure Annabelle but I really must be off!" She started jogging down the path that lead to London. "Bye bye! Sayonara! Have a nice day!" she yelled as she departed in a cloud of feathers and dust. "Feathers?" thought Annabelle as she walked back into the house.

Annabelle walked into the reception room and laid down on the lounge. Sebastian strutted into the room, jumped up onto her chest and curled up. "Sebastian!" exclaimed Anabelle as she tried to pry him off. "I can't...oh, that's right I don't need to breath!" She let go of Sebastian and slumped back down. She stroked Sebastian's head and sighed. "Well I see that you and Bruno are getting along." she said as she did so. Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door. "Anna! Anna!" yelled the voice. "Are you home?! Please, answer me!" Annabelle bolted off the lounge, causing Sebastian to topple onto the ground. He hissed at her. "Sorry boy!" she yelled as she ran out of the room. She ran to the front door and swung it open. Standing there was Michael, tears in his eyes. His shirt was torn and he looked as if he was attacked by a bear. "Annabelle!" he exclaimed as he wrapped his arms around her. 

Annabelle pried him off. "Michael what in hell's name happened to you?" said Annabelle as she pulled him inside the house and closed the door. "Well when you told me to hold Bruno while you did your animal soul collecting thing I decided that I would take him back to your house." he panted. "So I started walking down the street when I heard a scream." "Didn't you recognize that it was me screaming?" exclaimed Annabelle. "Well I've never heard you scream before so I guess not." replied Michael. "Anyway Bruno started to go psycho and started howling like mad so I put him down. That's when he bolted towards the stables. I started to chase after him when there was an explosion of fire." Michael walked up to Annabelle and softly held her head between his hands. "I thought something bad had happened to you so I ran towards the stable. However when I got there you were gone. That's when I panicked and started to look for you. The last place I looked was here." He let his hands slowly drop down to his sides.

 "Bruno saved me you know." sighed Annabelle. "C'mon, I'll get dressed and we'll go to work. You wait here and entertain Sebastian for a while, okay?" Annabelle walked up the stairs and changed into her work clothes. She grabbed her scythe and walked back down to Michael. She looked at him and cocked her head. "Aren't you going to get changed?" she giggled. "Oh sorry." said Michael. "Do you have my spare clothes? I gave some to you a while ago." "Yes Michael." sighed Annabelle. "They're in the spare bedroom under the bed. Get changed. I'll wait for you outside." Annabelle walked out the door as Michael walked into the bedroom.

Michael had got changed and walked outside to find Annabelle stretched out on Bruno's back. She saw him and sat up. "What took you so long?" she smirked. "Wait what happened to Bruno?" exclaimed Michael. "He's so huge! You can actually ride that thing now?" He walked up to Bruno and attempted to climb onto his back, only to topple back onto the ground. "How did you get up there?" Annabelle grinned. "Oh I just asked him to lie down...nicely." she smirked. Michael rolled his eyes and stood in front of Bruno. "Please Bruno, may I get on your back?" he said as he looked into the dog's eyes. Bruno looked at Annabelle and she nodded. He then crouched down allowing Michael to climb onto his back and sit behind Annabelle. "Thank you Bruno!" giggled Annabelle as Bruno stood back up.  

"Can I drive?" asked Michael as he tried to take Annabelle's position on Bruno's shoulders. Bruno turned and growled at Michael. "He's not like a horse Michael!" sighed Annabelle as she scratched between Bruno's ears. "He has a brain, unlike you." She sat back down and looked at Michael. He was not amused. "Oh Michael, why so serious?" she giggled. She turned back around and looked towards the portal that led to the academy. "C'mon Bruno, let's go!" she exclaimed as Bruno broke into a sprint. Michael gripped onto her waist. "Hold on Mike!" she yelled. Bruno bounded towards the portal and jumped through it, landing on the pavement of the front entrance of the academy.  

 Michael and Annabelle slid off Bruno's back, landing on the pavement. "Bruno wait here with Michael while I get my new task book. I may need your help with my job." She jogged into the academy. Ten minutes had passed and finally Annabelle reappeared with a blue book clutched in her hands. "Is that your new book?" asked Michael. "Yes and look at the cover!" exclaimed Annabelle. "It's got pretty blue roses printed on it." Annabelle looked at Bruno who instantly lied down and allowed her on his back. "So he can read your mind now?" said Michael as Bruno stood back up. "No, he's just knew what I wanted, unlike most men these days." said Annabelle. She flicked through the book and moaned. "Great!" she said. "I've got a week's worth of collecting to do." She closed the book and put it in her pocket. "Well I better get started! See you next week Mike!" she yelled as she and Bruno leapt towards the portal and jumped through. "Be careful Annabelle." thought Michael as he waved goodbye. "I've got a strange feeling that you're in danger."