Story Time

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

(((Alright, this is just after Maya has the baby and includes all the good guys.)))

I looked around at them. My friends, my family. Charlotte was seated next to me, but I wanted how long she'd be there for.

I'd decided to tell them. Everything, my whole sordid story, and hope they didn't hate me.

"There's a reason you're all here," I began, looking at them one at a time. "There are a few things about me that you don't knw, or at least, you don't know the whole story. I've kept these secrets for too long. It's time you all knew the truth about me. My only request is that you keep an open mind about what I'm about to tell you. I'll answer you're questions, just...hear me out.

"Up until the age of five, I was an average kid. Two parents, a house, I was happy. Then a woman came to the door and dumped a baby in my dad's arms, said it was his, and that she couldn't keep her safe anymore. That's when my life began going steadily down."

[Maya]

I sat with Josh's arm around my shoulders, and my tiny daughter cradled in my arms. She slept peacefully, though even awake she was remarkably quiet for a new born. We listened as Doc began his story, and i could feel the waves of emotion coming from my brother- my child's uncle. And i knew right then, before he'd gotten anywhere in the story, i knew for certain that none of this would change a thing. No matter what i knew he would still just be the same Doc, becuase i knew the truth of his heart. I loved him, and no story would change that. So i just listened.

[Jessy Jackson]

I was seated next to Doc, a mobile in my hand. There was no reason Mal should miss this.

[Pepper]

I was next to Jessy. Although I knew that what I was gonna hear probably wasn't all fluffy kittens and rainbows I also knew it wouldn't change what I thought of Doc. He was my friend.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"Dad knew what she was," I continued. "And so did mum, I guess, because they both said they wanted nothing to do with the 'freak'. Me...I don't know, I just couldn't abandon her. I begged and pleaded for them not too leave her, but they wouldn't have anyting about it. So I told them I was stayin. I thought if I didi that, they'd stay. Three weeks later, I woke up to find sis crying and them gone. I was a five year old left alone by my parents to look after a screaming half braccan demon.

"I tried to keep it quiet, but the neighbours soon found out what was going on. their reaction...let's just say boxes of food showing up on the doorstep wasn't the best thing that happened. At the age of six, I had my first paper run, sis in a little wagon with the papers. At seven, i began working in the warehouse of a local business, soprting deliveries and the like. there was a little play area in the office for sis. Things started giong good again. Then...

"I was ten, we were heading home when Long Dow's slaves attacked. Of course, I didn't know that then. I didn't know wo they were. we ran down to the docks, where we normally hid when the Department of Child Services came after us. They were right behind us, the only place to go was into a shipping container. Sis shoved me in - she was strong for a five yea old - and closed the doors. I-I can still hear what happened..."

'Where's the boy?'

'Leave us alone!'

'Sorry, demon, but the Council of Watchers can't just let a demon running loose.'

[Jessy Jackson]

I squeezed Doc's hand. No wonder he had a thing about watchers. Compared to this my life was rainbows and sunshine.

[Maya]

I cradled Aila closer, swearing silently that i wouold never leave her like that. I would never let her go through the horrors Doc had. No one would separate me from my child.

((;D for the sake of angst.))

[Charlotte]

I frowned and looked down at the ground. I felt so bad that it had been the watcher's council that had done that. I mean those watchers had probably been collegues of my father's, maybe he had even been involved. I guess I'll never know if he was. I stood up and began to pace around the room, still paying absolute attention to Doc's narration.

[Nicola Next]

I sat quietly and listened to the story. I was already beginning to feel sad that Doc had been through so much as a child, and I knew that the story wasn't ending anywhere soon. Silently I gave him a smile from across the room to let him know that he wasn't alone.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"The guy I'd done the wharehouse work for sent me to a friend of his in Japan to heal," I continued, noticing the differing reactions. How different would they be when... "That's when I met Sensei. And Jasmine. Three years, I stayed with them. Again, I was happy, things were good. Jasmine had started up Mal's program; he was two months along. We were both thirteen and i couldn't be prouder. Then Sensei was turned, and Jasmine..."

'Doc, I'm dying.'

'No, Jasmine san, just relax. i'll think of something, I'll..."

'Take care of mal. He...'

"God, I was so angry. I just wanted to... and then i did. In Jasmines favourite cherry blossom grove, I found him and I dusted him and I collapsed, completely. That's when Desere found me. And for the third time ni eight years, my life changed. This time, it was darker. Alot darker."

[TPot]

I sat and listened to Docs story, I never knew that the first friend I had had in this dimension had suffered so much.

[Jessy Jackson]

I closed my eyes, remebering the photo. It was awful, just so awful. I'd die a thousand times if Doc could have had a happier life.

[Maya]

Its strange, I thought, how some of the best people i know have been through the most appalling things in their lives, and many of them had done appalling things... maybe you had to go through such trails before having enough understanding of the world to be truly good? I didn't even pretend to know the answer, but something tightened inside me as Doc spoke of his life- i wanted to comfort him, but i knew that right now it was inappropriate. So again i just waited, and listened.

[Pepper]

I listened to Doc talking and I wondered how after all he had been through he had become good again. I would have just stayed like that until I died.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"It took me a year," I said, pain in my voice. I didn't want to tell them. They shouldn't know, they don't have to live with this. "A year to find myself. What I find was darkness. What i found was Francois.

"A more evil, vicous son of bitch never had a soul. I didn't care, anyone that got in my way, be they man or demon, old or young, it didn't matter. The world had fucked my entire life around, why shouldn't I? That's how thought, and Desere and me cut a vicious swathe through the Bayous, so much so that some vampires have asked me how i did it without getting hunted down. That was simple. The hunters became the hunted. And then became..." I choked on my words, tears dripping down my face. "God, what I did. Sometimes, it feels like someone else's life, I was just told the story. But, it was me. All the blood is on my hands. It was that way til 2000. I was nineteen, already the most vicious bastard ever to walk the planet. That's when Des got her Sabre, getting Master Wong's attention. And my life, finally, started getting on track. But...no matter what happens. Those ghosts...those screaming, terrified, angry ghosts, everyone I've killed...they'll always be following me...til the day I die..."