A Requiem...

Dallas Brand walks into Star City's 40/40 Room on their first Open Mic Night, sliding through the crowd with ease. People weren't moving out of the way for him or anything; no one could see him or hear him, so he moved /through/ them on the way to the stage. He wouldn't ride anyone tonight, wouldn't get involved. He just wanted to listen to some music and find a way to pass a few hours, since he didn't need to sleep anymore. He was quite amused at what it took to pass the time when one no longer required sleep. 
 

Dallas watched the timid young man step on the stage as his name was called, remembering a time not long ago when he was in that position. He'd never expected to be on a world tour or meet people like Taylor Swift and Tim McGraw. He'd heard that they both had flowers sent to his grave regularly, which he found  a nice gesture.

Houston wasn't sending flowers at all, or even visiting, which saddened him a great deal.

He hears the opening chords of the song the young man is trying to play and smiles, as this is one of his favorite songs. Seconds later, however, he hits a wrong note and tries to start again, hiding his face beneath his hair. Dallas cringes a little, realizing that some Johnny Cash songs are hard to do, but if you're going to play one, then you need to /play/ it, all or nothing. The young man fumbles several more times and the crowd begins to whisper, wondering who let this kid in.

/I'm not getting involved. I'm just hear to listen.../

Dallas kept trying to tell himself that, even as he floated onto the stage and stepped into the young man's body, standing up straight. The kid had a good voice and he knew the material, he really was just nervous in front of crowds.

"Excuse me, everyone. I was just warming up. Now, I'm ready." he says, taking a deep breath. Dallas has covered this song so many times that he could play it in his sleep, if he ever did again, and the first chords of 'Ain't No Grave (Can Hold My Body Down)' echo through the room as he starts to sing.

"There ain't no grave can hold my body down
There ain't no grave can hold my body down
When I hear that trumpet sound I'm gonna rise right out of the ground
Ain't no grave can hold my body down

Well, look way down the river, what do you think I see?
I see a band of angels and they're coming after me
Ain't no grave can hold my body down
There ain't no grave can hold my body down

Well, look down yonder Gabriel, put your feet on the land and see
But Gabriel don't you blow your trumpet 'til you hear it from me
There ain't no grave can hold my body down
Ain't no grave can hold my body down

Well, meet me Jesus, meet me. Meet me in the middle of the air
And if these wings don't fail me I will meet you anywhere
Ain't no grave can hold my body down
http://www.elyricsworld.com/ain't_no_grave_lyrics_johnny_cash.html
There ain't no grave can hold my body down

Well, meet me mother and father, meet me down the river road
And momma you know that I'll be there when I check in my load
Ain't no grave can hold my body down
There ain't no grave can hold my body down
There ain't no grave can hold my body down." 

When he's done, the patrons are on their feet and Dallas remembers, just a for a moment, what it is to be alive. He remembers the cheers, the fans, signing autographs and what it was like to know that people you've never met love you because they can hear your voice.

"Tarry no longer among the living. It is time to shepherd the dead." his goddess says to him. He severs his connection to the young man and drifts out of the room, watching as people head to the stage to congratulate him, to tell him how /great/ he was.

Dallas Brand tries not to envy him as he vanishes into the night.