As you finish stuffing your pocket full of money from the post office, you wander whistling towards the bank of the Detroit River. The running river seems to cool you as you step over the short wooden fence and walk the shore. Thousands of stars shine down on the water and, for a moment, you are content to be alone in the deepness of night. Until you hear her voice. She sings in a language unknown to you- yet though the words are foreign the grief and loneliness woven into the tapestry of the song pains your heart. Quietly, you follow the song to where Kates sits leaning with her eyes closed against a tree. Several leaves have fallen on her black dress and the branches seem to droop around her as her rich, melodic voice rustles them with the wind. She sings softly and, when she's finished, she opens her eyes. Several tears streak down her face and, though the moisture in her eyes is fresh, it was obvious she'd been crying for quite a while. There was no surprise in her eyes- apparently you weren't as quiet as you thought, and you stammer an apology. She offers a heartbreakingly false smile and speaks.

"It's fine- I hardly lay claim to the parks. Well, excepting the ones on Belle Isle."

She looks wistfully out at the island, the lights from the casino and businesses glowing in the distance. You sit quietly with her a moment and, feeling comfortable, you gently ask who she was singing about. She sits for a long time, long enough that you worry you've offended her by asking- but right before you begin another apology she softly speaks.

"Judge_Holden. We were... well, I suppose it's no secret now... we were engaged. The wedding was going to be in a month. I'd never loved anyone like I loved him, and I don't suppose I'll ever love another man. It's been a couple days- I didn't even properly go his funeral. Just stood in the back... I couldn't do it...git sick in the bushes... I ended up running for hours..."

She abruptly winces and reaches towards her back, as if she's been sitting uncomfortably for all night and only just realized it. As she moves she knocks over the purse next to her and a small scroll rolls out of it. You pick it up, curious, and begin to hand it back to her, but she shakes you off.

"You can read it, if you'd like. I wrote it about Judge."

We flew like sparrows together through friendly skies

and soared upon love through clouds of doubts and fears

and now alone with trembling torment lies

a fractured self that in the shadow hears

The dark hum of horror after your heart dies

One chance to break the chains, one key that fits the door

One brief fading glimpse of joyful bliss before

The dark hum of horror after your heart dies

Losing Judge_Holden is like losing my way.  He lead me down the right path, protected me when I needed  protected.  Taught me a lot about these streets.  I would have never guessed in a million years that Judge_Holden the man I thought was indestructible...takes a deep breath  he will be missed...