Xero: “Hello, Jade. Did you miss me?”
Jade: “I think this wine may be stronger than I thought.”
Xero: “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
Jade: “What? Did you get turned by an old-school vamp and now you can’t cross the threshold unless invited?”
Xero: “No, I just thought it’d be rude of me to just walk in.”

Jade stepped aside, teetering slightly.

Jade: “So what the hell are you doing here?”
Xero: “I just wanted to see how you were doing. I have to say, I sure did miss you when I was dead.”
Jade: “I don’t seem to recall you liking me very much when we worked together.”
Xero: “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”
Jade: “Yeah and lack of distance rekindles my irritation. Just how the hell did you come back from the dead, anyway?”

Xero: “I followed your brother, as a matter of fact.”
Jade: “Is that what he was doing cooped up in there all day? I’m going to have to give him a stern talking to and make sure next time he brings back someone more interesting.”
Xero: “You’re not in the least bit happy to see me?”
Jade: “You were a fool, Xero. Somehow I don’t think dying was much help to you.”

Xero: “You haven’t kicked me out yet. At the very least you must be curious.”
Jade: “Maybe a bit. I am curious why you’d choose to come here. Glass is out for the night, so if you wanted to talk to him you’re going to have to come back in the morning.”
Xero: “I’m not really interested in seeing him at all. I came here to see you.”
Jade: “Me? Whatever for?”

A slow, wide smile spread across Xero’s face.

Xero: “Because I was a fool when I was alive, and being dead helped me realize that. I’d like to get to know you again, outside of a work environment.”

Jade burst into spontaneous and very loud laughter.

Jade: “Oh that’s rich! Listen to you trying to be all suave.”
Xero: “I’m not… hey! You’re meaner than you used to be.”
Jade: “I’m really not. I think it’s just that you’ve been away so long that you rose-colored your memories or something.”
Xero: “I remember you were always fiercely competitive and ruthless, but never outright mean.”
Jade: “You are being a bit silly, you have to admit at least that much.”
Xero: “Maybe a bit.”

Jade: “So how long do you think you’ll be around?”
Xero: “As long as I can manage. It’s not like I’ll really be missed in the Afterlife. You’d be surprised how unorganized those people are.”
Jade: “Have you seen anyone else yet, or did you come straight here just to see little ol’ me?”
Xero: “I did run into Stone right after I crossed over.”

Jade stopped and turned around slowly.

Jade: “Oh? What was he up to?”
Xero: “Hanging out at the Xenon, getting ready for some show or something. It’s funny, he really never struck me as a music loving type.”
Jade: “No, he wouldn’t be there for the music. I bet that Laine bitch was going to be there.”
Xero: “Who?”

Jade waved her hand in the air, as if trying to dismiss the skinny woman’s very existence with a mere gesture.

Jade: “No one important. You want some wine?”