Want your help (Leslie) - Cabin in the Swamp

She shook her head.

"No."

"Ever tell ya the full story o' me an' Bethy?" he said while still staring at the gangrel's cellphone

She shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"Were a couple years before DC an' Baltimore fell to Sabbat" he said staring off into the distance "Ah was livin' in Virginy, 'round the Fairfax area. Ah ain't no more prone ta' visions than yer average Malk, which don't mean much ah guess... Anyhow, ah always done had these visions o' a woman. A woman who were ta' complete me, an' ah were ta' complete her an' save her from a horrible hell."

"Them visions been comin' on a bit stronger than usual, an' one night ah found mahself in a poker game with a few rough sorts. Brujah an' couple o' their gangrel buddies. Ah done seen this pitiful lookin' ghoul huddled up in a corner, shiverin' like a whipped dog. She were dirty, an' ragged, an' looked like hell. Ah done got a look in her eyes fer a moment when her domitor told her sumpin', and right then an' thar ah knew she were the woman o' mah visions."

He smiled sadly while remembering that night and continued. "Didn't find out until later she done been havin' similar visions, only it were o' someone who would come rescue her. Well, ah done worked the game so that ah had a big pot, and were runnin' a strong bluff. Fate done put her in mah reach, an' ah trusted ta' the universe ta put the cards in the patterns they needed ta' be, and so it were. Finally pushed this dumb brute who had her into wagering her too. Beat him with two pair. Damn near had ta' fight mah way out, but his buddies kept him reason'ble. Went over ta' poor lil' Bethy, an' first thang she did were ta' bite me."

"But ah brought her home, an' bathed her, cooked her a good supper, an' gave her some of the first real care she done had in a century. She got her crazies Leslie, no doubt o' that. But ah been livin' fer that little woman ever since we done come together, an' she been finally havin' th' love she be denied fer a hun'erd an' fifty years or so."

The malkavian took a deep and needless breath and looked back to Leslie. "Yah see the pain?"

She reached out, putting a gentle hand on his wrist.

"Yes, Chet. I see the pain. I see the pain and the anger and even the fear. But if you let her go and she comes back to you... she always will. You saw it, right? So did she? That the two of you would die together. She'll come back. As much as it hurts right now... she'll come back."

He smiled at her touch, and stared at the phone some more.

"Callin' her ain't bad now is it?"

She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it is. Here's why. Do you want her to come to you just because of the bond? Or do you want her to come to you because she loves you and wants to be with you?"

"Be why ah walked out last time ah saw her..." he said handing the phone back. "Prob'bly don't need ta' be wastin' any Torie ass either should I?"

She shook her head.

"No. It might drive her farther away from you. I know it hurts and that it's hard, but if you have faith, it will work out in the end."

"This be why ah talked ta' a women what ah trust before goin' an' doin' much. " he smiled

She smiled at that.

"You have someone who can stay with you until this is over?"

"Nope" he shook his head sadly "Figgered ta jest sleep at th' Regency, an' park the bird at the airport until this all blows ovah. Back ta' batchin it ah suppose."

She smiled at that.

"I can come and visit you every night. We can sit and bitch about Toreador."

" 'preciate that" he smiled. "Ain't got too many friends round here yet. "

He decided to switch the subject

"Borders be too quiet, but that be expected after power struggle. Yah, find anythang more on them business cards and what have ya?"

She smiled.

"We're still looking into it."

He nodded at that.

"Yah want ta' larn Obfuscate or auspex? Be the least ah can do iffun yah be helpin' me while Bethy be gone."

She smiled.

"I'd be honored to."

"Teach me ta' talk ta' critters, an ah teach yah both then."

"someday, mebbe someday ah might be convinced ta' show ya the world as it be iffun ya want that too."

She nodded.

"Sure, I can teach you that. I'm not sure what you mean by showing me the world the way it is, though."

"Enlightenment." he said with an oddly mad smile.

"Folks call it dementation. But that be a right special one."

She smiled at that.

"I'd never ask you to give up such a secret to me."

He smiled and lit another cigarette

"Yah doin' anythang ta'night? Ah got ta' do some grave robbin' too. "

She laughed softly.

"Sounds like I might be grave robbing tonight."

"Some voodoo mage be stealin' souls. Ah been stealin' thar bodies an' movin' em. Chil'drn fuhst."

She nodded.

"All right. I can help with that."