Loose Strings

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"If she couldn't handle it alone, they should have sent her an assisstant," Doc said pointedly. He hadn't seen the Slayer often, but he felt for the kid. Having that much crap going on in your head has got to be... well, a headache. "Dana isn't your normal Slayer, she can't be treated as such. Sure, she might seem to decide to behave, but with her condition, that might not even be her."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"Do you even REALIZE how thinly watchers are spread right now? There were only a few watchers left from the original council that were deemed fit for active duty. Watchers have several slayers, she's lucky to have one watcher pretty much to herself." Yeah, I did a bit of research. Not a lot but enough to know the inner workings of the council. "There's thousands of slayers out there and not all of them are as independant as Maya. Many have never even picked up a weapon before."

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"And Maya's friends?" He pointed out. "Summers Watcher and the Dark Slayer, wondering around for their own reasons. Given Dana's special case, i don't see why they couldn't be alerted to a need for an extra set of eyes."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"You know what, I'm not going to argue with someone as pig headed as you." It was a cop out but he was really starting to grate on her nerves.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"Is it my fault that Dana's situation is being handled badly?" he said. "Where a SLayer so needing help can just be picked up by anyone on the street and given it without her Watcher knowing?"

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"Well, she's noticed, trust me. And they know from me that she's safe where she's going."

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"I thought your deal with the Watchers was a one off?" He asked with a tight grin.

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"I never said it was or wasn't, you drew your own conclusions."

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"I didn't know Watchers talked much about internal business with outsiders," he said dryly. "Things have changed more than I thought."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"They don't, I asked a few contacts," I shrugged.

"Regardless what business is it of yours who I talk with? Or what I talk about? And you know what, get that stick out of your ass. How dare you judge a system you barely know. Yes the old council ruined your life. Wave your pity banner all you want but grow. the. fuck. up." The last bit she ground out behind clenched teeth.

"The new council is not the same as the old council and I grew up knowing one day I might get called. Never once did I think the life was cruel, still don't. Hell, until I became a vampire life was pretty damn good." Alright, yeah, pissed...

"And don't begin with that I was lucky crap. Watcher's care for their slayers." And vice versa. If I closed my eyes
I could remember every line from Caddie's diary without even trying.

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"You're not like Dana," he said flatly. "And thank your stars or whatever you never will be. She needs to be better watched or she could get herself in trouble."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"I agree she should be watched better now would you stop arguing with me about a person I've never met?"

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"Maybe you have and you just don't know it," he said cryptically. He'd forgotten how much fun it was to rile her up. "Or more to the point, maybe she met you and the connection doesn't work both ways. I don't really underrstand it myself."

["Rogue" Annie Amina Cross]

"Well wouldn't that be lovely. Another me. And what if she channels the other me?"

[Jackson ''Doc'' Ellison]

"I have no idea... Well, actually, I do. She's already started," he said, thinking back to the first meeting. "Channelling you, I mean."