The ball lasted all night and Devina was back to her cheery self again, chatting with Jazz and some of her family members of what happened, like it was some sort of distant memory. Even with both boys in their human forms, just hating how they have to wear a tie and how tight the suit was.
"When can we go home? This suit is starting to bug me" Danny complained tugging at the collar of his white polo shirt, standing beside his big sister who was still talking with Devina.
"Soon okay, so quit nagging me" Jazz was starting to become annoyed by her brother's persistent behaviour. As Devina yawned feeling herself growing a bit tired, as it was past midnight.
"It's getting late, and Sasha hasn't once texted me tonight. I should really be going and get the shop ready" Devina mentioned not wanting to drag the night on for much longer, which the others understood as she was a very dedicated woman to their job. "I'll text you once I get back, Jazz" they said one last time before walking away through the crowd that had died down to a fewer less people, not realising that Danny and Dan watched her walk away.
"Something doesn't feel right.." Danny mentioned feeling that sense of dread building up within him, as Jazz seemed to feel it as well.
"I know, I'm already starting to miss her. Why did she have to go so soon?" Jazz slightly whined to herself feeling a different type of dread compared to their brother.
"Not what I'm feeling. It's more.. sad and depressing for some reason. It's weird" Danny explained what was going on, it was like he is experiencing some sort of grief. Does his body already know what happened and his mind hasn't fully comprehended it yet?
Devina managed to park the motorcycle in its designated spot, outside of the shop, but left room for the trucks that help deliver their supplies and equipment. She took off the helmet and placed it under their arm, before grabbed the keys from the bag and let themselves in.
Closing the door after them was when they felt a sense of ominous silence and everything was pitch black. Nothing was moved like they were supposed to due to Sasha's usual schedule.
"She must be in bed, I guess I should check up on her and see if she needs me for anything" Devina thought being happy of being in their own comfort zone, but the more closer they got the eerie it became. That was when she stepped into the living room and saw Sasha slumped over pale and stiff, mouth gaped open lose and stuck. "Sasha?" She confusingly called out walked closer as having no experience in seeing a dead body.
Devina slowly reached her hand out to touch Sasha's cheek, but once she did it was cold and a bit soft and saggy. Immediately retracting their hand and grabbed her phone and immediately texted Jazz.
'Something is wrong! I need you to come to the shop ASAP!' The text was abrupt and desperate as it was immediately seen, not sure how they would react.
'What's wrong? Did something happen?' Jazz's response didn't seem as concerned, as Devina glanced between her phone and Sasha. Not having a clue if they were alright or not, scared to even touch them again.
'Please come.. I'm scared, please!' Devina didn't want to explain what she was staring at, but they needed help to make sense of this.
'I'm on my way!?' Jazz last chat made Devina sigh as her legs went numb, falling to the floor not sure what was happening as their breath had become ragged along with a fast heart rate.
"W-what's happening to me?" She said placing a hand on her own chest feeling their heart pounding quickly against the ribs of their chest, as they slowly began to hyperventilate. "No.. not another one" Devina began to panic as she realised that she was having a major panic attack, when their body began to shake uncontrollably wrapping their own arms around their body unable to control themselves.
It was almost 30 minutes when Jazz finally came along with Danny, bursting through the shop seeing the dark atmosphere before rushing upstairs seeing Devina mid crisis.
"Devina?!" Jazz rushed over kneeling down seeing them when Danny walked over to Sasha, seeing their pale skin, stiffened posture and gaped open moth. He gulped aware of what they've walked themselves into.
"She's dead, Jazz.." Danny spoke softly refusing to leave his sadden gaze from Sasha. Devina perked her head up when hearing this.
"D-dead?.. you're joking.. right?" Devina didn't want to believe that her only family was gone, the one who had helped them through everything, had been taken away for good. Danny then turned to look at the panicked Devina who was starting to control their own breathing, staring back with a worried look.
"Stop messing around, Danny!" Jazz scolded him, but when she saw his saddened face it was enough for them to believe that he was right. "You're not kidding.. are you?" She got up and walked over gently touching Sasha's cold face unable to pull it up, and stopped in fear of breaking anything. "No.. no no no no.. she can't be gone, tell me she isn't.. please!" Realisation hit them as she fell the the floor too and started to cry, causing Devina to reach out still shaking and hugged them.
"Ssshh.. I'm here, cry on me if you want" Devina offered allowing herself to falter too as she had a few years, hugged tightly by Jazz who sobbed into their shoulder as Devina placed a hand on the back of her head gently stroking it in a soothing manner.
Later on, Danny called an ambulance on what they has found, and it wasn't long for paramedics to arrive rushing through to where they were. Crying as Sasha's slightly stiff, cold dead body was covered and wheeled out into the ambulance.
"This is not how I wanted this night to go.." Devina muttered as she wondered if this was one bad dream, but if they were then why aren't they waking up? "I guess I'm completely alone now" she sounded saddened by the thought of working alone, having no one to talk to or even share this open space with. If she can even do that now the owner is gone.
"Quit that talk. You've got us, we're your friends and I'll be there for you no matter what. Just like you're always there for me" Jazz immediately cupped both hands on her face, forcing them to look at their puffy eyes as they both were still crying. Devina was taken back by their kindness and compassion, and hugged them really close and right as if they needed it. Allowing Jazz to gently hug back.
Devina spent a few days to grieve before eventually claiming Sasha's business, without even being aware that she was the sole beneficiary of the inheritance. So the house was now under Devina's ownership including the shop to do as she pleases, even change it to something entirely different if they wanted to.
After a week of Sasha's passing, a woman along with 3 other people tracking behind them unhappy, before slamming their hands on the counter taking Devina by surprise. The woman had short dark brown hair, hazel eyes and light skin the oldest of the group. As the others matched in colours as well only having their own unique hairstyles.
"May I help you?" She innocently asked with a forced gentle smile to hide their pain, but the woman wasn't having any of it.
"Are you Devina Goldfern?" They shouted glaring at her with eyes filled with rage, looking them up and down making Devina a tad uncomfortable.
"That's me. Do you have an issue with something you bought here? We do issue refunds" Devina responded thinking it was a business issue, but she had no idea what they had gotten themselves into. But the woman only grew more furious and slapped her.
"How dare you?! This was supposed to be mine, but you had to take it from me!" She growled as Devina held her right cheek feeling it starting to sting, shocked by this chicks boldness.
"What are you on about?" Devina asked puzzled of what this woman was on about, as Sasha never once spoke of having any kids or relatives, nor did they ever try to contact or see her.
"This is my mother's business you winch! I demand you give it to me and her money, I need it more than you" when they revealed that this woman was in fact related to Sasha, made Devina think of what else she must've kept from her.
"Is that all you care about? Money?.. your mother is dead and you don't even care!" Devina was slowly starting to get riled up moving her hands down to the counter top, narrowing their eyes at the desperate woman who froze at the accusation.
"Of course I care! Why do you think I'm here? I'm claiming what is rightfully mine" the woman was reluctant to take something she had no business or control of anymore, as it's far too late to be a brat and scream for something that doesn't belong to them.
"If it is, then why is it under my name? I'm carrying on her legacy because I can, and I will continue doing it... now leave my store" Devina's voice was stern and cold when demanding them to leave, but they glanced around at everything that had took hours to set up.
"It would be a shame for something to happen to this place.." one of the people that was with the woman spoke up, a man as he walked towards the plants and slid his arm around knocking them down. Causing the plant pots to shatter as soil went everywhere, forcing Devina to move from the counter before being grabbed by the individuals.
"You even have our last name now..hm? Let's give her a nice warm welcome shall we~" the woman grimly stated as Devina was grabbed from under their arms and held in place, whilst they took turns beating on her and smashing the shop up. "You have no idea what you've signed up for" she added with a grin as Devina was mid way from passing out when she was thrown down into the soil.
"Let's light the place up. Once they die the money will be ours!" The lad spoke sounding eager, as a click of a lighter was heard, forcing the others to glance back seeing the now smashed up shop.
"Do it" giving him the all go Devina passed out as the fire was set on the flammable live plants, before the troublemakers left once the fire began to spread.
It took not too long for someone to call the fire station of a potential fire, arriving after seeing the place aflame.
"The owner is still in there?!" A bystander that saw the ordeal yelled from at a safe distance, causing the firemen to rush in whilst the others began to control the blaze.
Devina was dragged out slightly burnt and badly beaten, bleeding from the nose and having a black eye when she was rushed to the hospital. Doctors rushed to get her oxygen as smoke inhalation is very dangerous, depending how much you've taken in. As her first and second degree burns were treated, mostly being around their waist, lower and upper right arm.
"Hm.. ugh.." Devina groaned as her heavy eyes slowly opened seeing a familiar white tiled square roof, as her breathing was muffled by something as she glanced down to see that it was an oxygen mask. Slowly sitting up stretching their arms before their eyes scanned the room she was in, a hospital. They had drips in their hands and bandages covering their entire right arm and waist, wearing the same colourless gown she did when first arriving in this world. "This place again?" Devina was confused to be in the hospital again, just as a nurse came in seeing her take off the oxygen mask.
"You're awake!.. thank goodness" the nurse cheerfully said coming over seeing how much they had improved since they were rushed in.
"How long was I out for?" Devina asked a very simple question as the nurse chuckled lightly expecting much from unconscious patients.
"A few days, but that normal for unconscious patients depending on their injuries. Yours was very severe though, bad burns and smoke inhalation along with bad bruises along your body and face" the nurse replied acting more serious when explaining the matter at hand. Devina perked up when hearing how long she was out for. What about the shop? Her home?
"Burns? Smoke inhalation? How the bloody heck did I get those?!" Devina wanted to get up when she spotted the bandage again, which made sense of what the nurse said. Burns and bruises. Was those people trying to kill her just for money?
"Unfortunately, yes. Do you wish to tell me how it happened?" The nurse asked wanting a bit more information to pass on, as the sight of where the fire was put out had become a crime scene for arson.
"Well. These people rush into my store all angery and stuff, but this one lady slams her hands on my counter demanding I give them the place and the money I inherited. Saying she was related to the woman who died, but I didn't even know I was on the paper to gain everything she own until the person came and told me to sign the papers. Then they began to smash up the store, beat me up black and blue before setting my store ablaze!" Devina spoke upset by the whole ordeal leaving the nurse shocked of what she had heard, as cases like these are not uncommon when it comes to those who think they deserve something they have no control over.
"Luckily, the cops gave who we believe caused them on film. So you'll get your justice soon enough" the nurse replied with a smile glad to give some good news. That was when Jazz rushed in exhausted as if she had just ran a marathon. Walking over to the side of the hospital bed seeing Devina conscious and alive.
"I'm so glad you're alright. When I heard you were hurt I thought you were going to die!" Jazz said practically panting almost sitting down beside the hospital bed, seeing the nurse there knowing that she must've interrupted something. "I hope I didn't ruin anything, did I?" She asked glancing between the two, as they looked at her in return.
"Just talking about what happened a few days ago. But don't worry, the criminals will be dealt with properly" the nurse said giving no more details other than that, as Devina shared no blood relation to this girl. Before walking out allowing the girls to talk between themselves.
"This year is trying to kill me, I swear" Devina chuckled entertaining the idea of how bad her life had went since Sasha died. Yet she's still alive and able to fight on and show the world that nothing can stop them. "Anyway, how's life been treating you?" She asked turning to Jazz who still appeared worried staring at the bandages.
"How much longer do they plan to keep you in here for?" Jazz wondered gently touching the bandages accidentally, causing Devina to gasp feeling the electric of pain shoot up their arm. "Sorry!" She immediately apologised retracting their hand.
"It's alright, you didn't know. Also, I'll be discharged later on this afternoon, so there's something for me to look forward to" Devina was already aware of her early discharge, but that's only if she is able to stand on her own and doesn't have repeated headaches or breathlessness.
Jazz stuck around till she was able to be able to go home later on that afternoon, once everything was clear and Devina was able to walk with ease showing no signs of anything potentially dangerous.
"Finally!.. fresh air" Devina took in a smell of fresh air as they left the hospital through the automatic doors. The sky was clear and still bright, birds sweeting and cars driving by heading to their designated stops.
"Where are you going to go?" Jazz asked knowing that Devina's only place was brunt to a crisp, beyond repaired thanks to those reckless adults.
"Not sure. I still have enough money to grab myself a house so, I'll do that" Devina was already planning to move on forward, a good way to see on life than do anything drastic or stupid.
And in a few hours, Devina managed to find herself a cozy house to buy using the money Sasha had left for her. It was a little far from the city and very quiet, surrounded by woods and had a few acres to its name perfect for a farm, but she didn't want that. Only to grow a little garden in the backyard of the house, it appeared almost luxurious or what someone would rent for vacation during the winter, three floors and a balcony to see over some of the smaller trees. Enough space to build a brick front porch if she wanted to make a pool or a cozy fireplace to roast marshmallows, while observing the clear star filled night sky.
"I'll make this place feel like home, one way or another" Devina thought standing a far observing the front part of the house. It was outstanding with how it was built, especially the price made it worth it as it cannot be demolished or moved, being under a very special title. Plus she didn't even have to pay rent only bills for certain things like electricity, heating and water. Some of the things she'll hardly use compared to the others.