Just another sunday night (open to any with access) - Frogman's Lilypad

She took the scotch and drained the cup in one fell swoop.

"It's not like that. Not at all. She's... Oh, man, I need more alcohol to go into it. The fact is, I have to protect her. And I have to do it while she's not really paying attention to it."

Shauna got up and poured the glass full and eyed Rai. "Drink and spill." She said. "This sounds like a doosey."

She took another drink from her glass, leaning back a bit to look them over.

"You ever been in love, Shauna?"

Shauna glanced to Jim then back. "Yes." She said flatly in reply. "Lots of different loves out there but yes. I have done the hard thing too and let it go."

She shook her head.

"Do you remember the first time you fell in love?"

Shauna thought on that. "First time. yeah it was a guy in High School. He was dating a friend of mine and they had just broke up. I was head over heels over him too."

She smiled.

"I was already a Kindred, by a half-century before I fell in love the first time. Oh, was I head over heels for him, too."

She smiled and gave a nod.

"It's very true. He was -- is -- special. At any rate, it ended poorly, as most relationships that end do. He's now in love with her... and he's asked -- demanded, really -- that I help protect her. I could never say no to that man, and in this case, I can't say no, either."

Shauna shrugged. "People who care abut each other do not demand. they ask, fucking Kindred or not."

She smiled.

"It's a little more complicated than that," she said, glancing toward Jim. A look he would understand: the man in question was her superior. "But I would normally agree. And I said that I cared about him... not that he cared about me."

Shauna made a face. "If he doesn't then he's an ass and you don't need to do shit for him sister."

She smiled.

"True and agreed. But the girl loves me like I'm her big sister. So even if I'm not doing it for him, I can't tell her no, can I?"

She shook her head.

"She's cursed with youth and passion. A combination that, if not held in a good balance, can get everyone into trouble. She's not figured out yet how to balance them."

She nodded.

"Normally, I would agree with you. Sadly, the fact is that usually what happens that would make her grow up? It's too harsh and may even get her killed. She's probably the unluckiest Kindred I've ever known."

"I knew a fire fighter like that one a long time ago...OK a couple of decades ago but a long time for me." She amended. "We threatened with the short bus fire truck for a while then found out it was a internal head games kind of thing with him."

She nodded.

"If it happens to be a lesson that I think she can learn and grow from, I'll let it play out. If it's what it usually is, though, I can't."

Jim listened and nodded at certain points.

When opportunity presented itself, he spoke. "Sounds like someone set you up for failure with a Jonah... and left you limited, at best, wriggle room on dealing with it," Jim said. "And if she is as important to him as he sez, I should think he would have impressed upon her how her lack of balance gets folks deaded or nearly so. If not, it is something you can do in such a way to let your frustration out and have it be construed as helping to protect her and others from herself."

"If you make it very plain that her normal actions and activities are not exactly healthy for others, including you, in a way she cannot possibly misunderstand it while you are... reinforcing your words, I should think she'd get it." A slight smile. "You said are supposed to protect her... and sometimes putting a whupping on someone's ass to get them to see what tehy are doing wrong is necessary. Lord knows I've had a few 'counseling sessions' over the years and given a few too. for the most part, they worked too.

Base on what you are implying, I am thinking the whupping is a mandatory thing; You cannot be with her twenty-four seven and if she causes the death of the wrong person, it could get pretty damn bad for you...."

A shrug. "Mind you, you could try to 'splain it again to her in a non-forceful manner... but it sounds like she might not get it without some pain involved... As they say, a sucking chest wound is nature's way of telling you to slow down."

She laughed and took another long drink from the glass in her hand.

"I suggest you both meet her; then you'll know what kind of trouble she is. Just dear God, don't mention me. She gets as protective as a jealous boyfriend of me sometimes."

"I have this friend. You know, the Sheriff. She's such a hoot. We go trolling together and everything its great. Want to come?" Shauna said in a New Yorkers accent.

She couldn't help it; she burst out laughing.

Jim held up his hands. "Oh no... I try to avoid Jonahs when I know about them. Last one I knew nearly got me blown up in Delaware." He said as a twinkle of mirth entered his eyes. "And lemme guess, she's probably a blonde bombshell too. They attract attention and trouble..."