DISCLAIMER: Here we go again. Everybody who doesn't know that the concept of 
Immortals and certain Highlander characters, along with certain Forever 
Knight characters don't belong to us, raise your hand. {Liz looks, sees 
nothing} Thought so. And, of course, real people used here belong first to 
themselves, then to history. But Elaine, Aria, Maggie and a few others do 
belong to us, so don't use them without permission. Richie used to belong to 
the Highlander people, but now he belongs to everyone. AND HE LIKES IT THAT 
WAY!!!!!!!!!

Special thanks go to Anita Carroll for help with Entry Four.

                     The Secret Diary of Maggie Sullivan

By Elizabeth M. Lawrence (luckyliz@mindspring.com) and Kathleen M. Wilson 
(Psistriker@worldnet.att.net).


Comments always welcome. (This is a hint, people <G>) Other stories in the 
Elaine Saga can be found at http://members.aol.com/psistriker/pubpage.htm 
and http://www.mindspring.com/~luckyliz/.

ENTRY ONE:


Another day, another journal entry. It seems like all I ever do is write 
journal entries. However, this time it has nothing to do with the Watchers. 
This one is for me.

There is something very strange about Aria's new friend, Elaine. Aside from 
the fact that she and Aria are now sharing Richie (something I find very odd, 
but who am I to judge? If they can make it work, then more power to 'em. I 
just don't want to be the one to tell m'mum <G>), there have been some rather 
odd occurrences around here ever since she showed up. I've decided to start 
this journal as a way to keep track of all these things so, maybe, I can 
finally figure out what in the bloody hell is going on.

All right, the first thing I suppose I should mention is Elaine's low body 
temperature and extremely pale skin. The poor dear feels like she's spent the 
day in the freezer and she practically looks like a corpse. But I'm probably 
just overreacting about that. Right?

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"So, anyway," Aria said as she and Maggie entered the house, "I figure this 
personal assistant job is the perfect cover. You still get to follow me 
around and do all the bologna the Watchers need ya to do, but this way you 
don't have to worry about them gettin' suspicious if they catch ya hangin' 
out with me."

Maggie put her packages down as they entered the family room. She and Aria 
had spent the afternoon shopping and Ari had been pushing this personal 
assistant job on her the entire time.

"I don't know," she said finally. "What exactly would I have to do?"

Aria shrugged. "Nothing that would interfere with your Watcher duties, if 
that's what you're worried about," she answered. "You'd basically just have 
to keep track of m'schedule, help keep me organized, make travel arrangements 
for us from time to time, stuff like that."

"In other words, I'd be doin' everythin' I do now for the Watchers, only 
gettin' paid for it twice," Maggie laughed.

Aria grinned. "That's about the size of it."

"Then I guess I'd better say yes before you wise up," Maggie replied.

"That's m'girl!" Aria laughed.

"So what's this I hear about someone movin' in with Richie and ya?" the 
Watcher suddenly asked.

"One of Richie's old girlfriends decided she didn't want to stay old 
anymore," Aria shrugged off the question.

_That_ was informative. "So what's she like?" Maggie fished for more details.

The Immortal looked behind the Watcher. "Why don't ya find out for yourself?"

Maggie turned. A small blonde figure wearing one of Aria's T-shirts was 
coming down the stairs. She staggered, half-asleep, across the room and into 
the kitchen.

"That her?"

"Yup."

The blonde returned, carrying a coffee mug. She curled up on the couch next 
to Aria and kissed her on the cheek.

"You're up early," Aria noted.

Early? It was three in the afternoon!

"Can' sleep. Strange voice," the blonde mumbled, resting her head on Aria's 
shoulder.

"Well wake up. I want ya to meet someone. Maggie, this is Elaine Lambert, 
m'new girlfriend. 'Laine, this is Maggie Sullivan."

Elaine raised her head and held out a hand for Maggie to shake.

Maggie took it and nearly jumped. The woman's hand was ice cold!

But Aria wasn't finished. "Maggie's m'Watcher," she continued.

Elaine's face froze. "Oh."

"Better watch that, ducks, or I may start takin' it personal like," Maggie 
teased.

"It's all right, 'Laine," Aria said. "I've known Maggie for her entire life. 
Her mum is m'housekeeper. She knows when to keep her mouth shut."

"Regular Helen Keller, I am," Maggie added.

"If yah refahrin' tah Helen as bein' a mute, yah a li'le off the mahk theah. 
Helen'd tahk yah ahm off given half a chance," Elaine corrected. "Ah liked 
hah. Real sweet gahl."

"Ya knew Helen Keller?" Maggie had seen the movie when she was a girl and it 
had impressed the hell out of her.

"An' miss out on bein' friends with someone wheah Ah didn' have tah worrah 
about' not agin'?" Elaine asked. "'Cahse Ah knew hah, weh met when she was 
gon' tah Radcliff. Mind yah, it was a bit disconcah'in' the fahs' time she 
put hah fingahs in mah mouth."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, not sure whether to be impressed or disgusted. 
"Yeah, I guess I can see where that would come in handy for you Immortal 
types," she said. "Of course, I grew up around Immortality so it seems pretty 
dang normal to me."

"Now you know why I keep her around," Aria laughed.

Elaine thought it over. She still didn't like Watchers, but anyone Aria liked 
couldn't be all bad. "Weh'll see," she finally said. **What the hell, Ah cn 
always kill hah la'ah.**

"Yah know, Ah think Helen may've figahed out about' meh," the blonde 
continued. "Cahrection, considahrin' some of the thin's she said, she 
_mus'_ve known about' meh. Nevah le' on, though. Ah don' theink she reallay 
undahstood what Ah was, she jus' couldn' see the bad in anyone. Not even 
meh."

Realizing she was about to say too much, Elaine stopped talking. She yawned 
and settled back on Aria's shoulder.

"Shouldn't ya be goin' back to bed?" Aria asked.

"Uh uh. If Maggay's goin' tah beh han'in' aroun' heah, Ah need tah get used 
tah hah voice. Too paranoid. Can' sleep 'roun' strange voices. Comes from 
bein' chased by people with stakes too many tiems, Keep talkin'." The blonde 
snuggled, closing her eyes.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. **Stakes? Aye, well, there's no accountin' for 
people's reactions to Immortality, I suppose.**

The two women proceeded to oblige Elaine, continuing their earlier 
discussion. They started working out the exact details of Maggie's new job 
and basically just chatted for awhile.

Elaine's head slipped off Aria's shoulder, landing in her lap. Aria started 
to move it off her, but stopped when Elaine ... growled? It was definitely a 
growl, at her.

Maggie made a mental note to see what the Watchers had on her. There was 
something odd about the woman, even if Maggie couldn't quite put her finger 
on it.

"Oh, an' Maggay," Elaine suddenly spoke up. "Don' even think about' checkin' 
the Watchah files on meh. It's not a good ideah. The las' three Watchahs who 
got too nosay ended up havin' fa'al accidents. Ah'd hate fah yah tah make it 
foah."

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ENTRY TWO:


Aria invited me over for dinner tonight. She said Elaine was making spaghetti 
and who am I to pass up one of m'favorite foods? The whole thing was just a 
tad odd, though.

First, Elaine kept makin' Richie or Ari taste the food. Course, I'm just used 
to Mum tastin' everythin' and shooin' all of us out of the kitchen, so maybe 
I'm just overreactin' on that part. But nobody can tell me that it wasn't 
real strange for Elaine to be takin' the hot bread out of the oven without 
oven mitts, Immortal healin' factor or not!

And the spaghetti was real good, but there wasn't a spot of garlic to be 
found in the whole thing. I know Ari; she loves garlic. And shoot, I once 
caught Richie eatin' a whole clove of the stuff just for the hell of it. I'd 
chalk it up to Elaine havin' some kind of garlic allergy -- a boy I knew in 
high school had one -- 'cept she didn't eat any of it. Just sat there 
drinkin' a glass of red wine and watchin' the rest of us.

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The doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Richie said as he opened the door. "Hi, Maggie, come on in. 
The girls are in the kitchen."

A chill ran up Maggie's spine. "Aria's not cookin', is she?"

"Oh, no," the Immortal assured her. "'Laine just needs a little help tasting 
from time to time, that's all."

"So Richie, how's things goin' with the ladies?" Maggie asked.

"Personal or professional curiosity?" Richie asked.

"Richie, I'm hurt," Maggie replied. "Really, I'd think you'd know me better 
than that. Of course I'm askin' for your chronicles. You think I give a rat's 
bum about your love life? I couldn't care less if you were gettin' it on with 
half the bloody Royal Air Force, but as a Watcher I have to know these 
things. History, ya know."

Richie burst out laughing. "You are impossible," he said. "Are you sure there 
wasn't some mix-up and you're not really Ari's kid?"

Maggie grinned. "What can I say? Auntie's a bad influence," she answered. 
"Now spill it."

"Okay, okay," Richie replied. "In answer to your questions -- Yes, it is 
kinda of weird being with both of them, but I'm glad everything's out in the 
open now. No, I didn't like having to go behind their backs, especially since 
there was no way in hell I could have broken it off with either of them and 
lived. Not that that was the deciding factor, mind you, it just didn't make 
things any easier on me. But, since Aria and Elaine like each other, it's all 
working out."

Working out wasn't the word for it. Making out was a much better one. Richie 
and Maggie walked in on Aria and Elaine mid-kiss.

Maggie cleared her throat to announce her presence.

Aria didn't even have the decency to blush as she and the other woman broke 
apart. "Hey, Maggs," she said.

"No shame at all, have you, Auntie?" Maggie asked, shaking her head.

Aria pretended to think about it for a moment. "Nope," she answered finally, 
grinning.

"Which is jus' how Ah like hah," Elaine added.

"So how's the sauce?" Aria asked.

"Needs a li'le moah ahregano." The blonde grabbed a spice bottle from inside 
the cupboard next to the stove and added some of its contents to the 
saucepan. After a few minutes of stirring, she lifted the spoon and held it 
out to Richie. "Yah tahn."

"Mind if I give it a try?" Maggie asked, inhaling the tantalizing scent.

"Sure," Elaine agreed. She moved the spoon closer to Maggie, then pulled it 
back at the last minute. "But onlay if Ah get a kiss."

Maggie raised an eyebrow, not sure how to take that.

"I think maybe I'd better do the tasting," Richie smiled. "'Laine's kisses 
take getting used to."

He opened his mouth and Elaine placed the spoon inside and removed it. They 
waited a few minutes and then kissed. A long, slow kiss that left Maggie 
feeling like a voyeur.

"Hey, I may be a Watcher but I could still get arrested for this," Maggie 
pointed out, feeling very uncomfortable.

"Onlay if weh complain," Elaine corrected. "Pahsonallay, Ah've always found 
bein' watched a tahn-on."

Odd. Maggie could have sworn Elaine's eyes changed color. Must have been a 
trick of the light.

Aria hopped off her stool and headed over to the refrigerator. "Don't know 
about anyone else, but you look like you could use a drink, Elaine," she 
said.

"It showin' that much?" Elaine asked.

Richie put his finger under her chin and looked at her. "Yup."

Aria grabbed a bottle out of the fridge. "Just a bit anyway," she added.

"Then maybeh y'all shouldn' get meh this Hungray," Elaine teased. She took 
the glass Aria poured for her and drank deeply. "Be'ah?"

Aria looked at her for a second. "Much," she answered.

"Good. Then shall weh get on with suppah?" The blonde set the glass down on 
the counter. She turned off the stove, grabbed the pot of sauce and emptied 
it over a waiting bowl of pasta.

"It certainly smells good," Maggie said, feeling a bit left out.

"Thanks," Elaine smiled. "Lahned the recipay from the chef in one of the 
hotels Reese 'n' Ah stayed at."

"Nice to know somethin' good came out of that," Aria teased.

"Well, Ah couldn' spend the _whole_ time on mah back, now could Ah?" Elaine 
asked.

Just then a loud buzzer dinged.

"Bread's done," the blonde announced. Opening the oven door, she pulled out a 
tray with a steaming loaf of bread on it.

"Elaine!" Aria hissed.

"What?" the blonde asked, still holding the hot, metal tray in her bare 
hands.

Aria looked pointedly at her lover's hands. "Isn't that just a wee bit hot, 
love?"

Elaine looked down. "Oh. Yeah."

She quickly dropped the tray. "Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," she said, running over to 
the sink and turning on the faucet. "That be'ah?" she asked, sticking her 
hands in the water.

"Really, 'Laine, just because you can heal in an instant isn't any reason to 
go around testin' it all the time," Aria replied.

Maggie just raised an eyebrow, watching it all.

"Sahrah," Elaine apologized, looking properly abashed. "Kiss an' make be'ah?"

Richie and Aria each took a hand from the blonde and kissed the palm gently. 

"How's that?" Richie asked.

"Much be'ah," she smiled. "The bread all right?"

Aria grabbed a couple of oven mitts and picked the tray up off the floor. 
"Looks salvageable," she answered.

"Oh, good," Elaine said. "Then how 'bou' Richay sets the table an' weh all 
eat?"

"I already set the table," Richie reminded her.

"Then yah cn carrah this in then," Elaine returned, handing him the bowl of 
spaghetti.

Richie took the bowl and headed out to the dining room. "Anyone remember when 
I got turned into the waiter around here?" he grumbled.

"How else are we supposed to get ya to walk in front of us so we can watch 
your ass?" Aria teased.

"Funny," Richie replied sarcastically.

"Shalla's right," Elaine agreed with her. "An' if yah still unhappay about' 
it, weh cn always make it up tah yah la'ah."

Richie put the bowl down on the table. "Food and sex, is that all you two 
think I'm interested in?"

Aria nodded. "Pretty much, yep," she answered. "What about you, Raltra?"

"They'ah all Ah'm intahrested in, fah the mos' paht," the blonde shrugged.

"Oh. Well. In that case," Richie picked up the bowl and walked out of the 
room, exaggerating the twitch in his hips.

"Hey!" Maggie called after him. "What's the big idea takin' away m'dinner?!"

"Just teasing," Richie said, coming back into the room. "Unless Aria and 
Elaine _want_ to have dinner in the bedroom."

"Don' Ah always?" Elaine whispered to Aria, though Maggie overheard her.

"I don't bloody well care where they be wantin' it," Maggie replied, choosing 
to ignore the blonde. "Just so long as ya leave mine in here."

"Calm down, Mags," Aria said, gently pushing her into a chair. "Richie's just 
playing with ya, that's all."

Maggie snorted as she sat down. "Aye, Mum was right," she sighed. "She always 
said gettin' in with the Watchers would lead me to the road to Hell."

"Yah mothah was right, theah," Elaine said. "It's right awful what happened 
tah some of them. Ah mean, theah's poah Don Salzah, who got his tongue ripped 
out by Kalas. An' theah's that one of Richay's who seems tah have 
disappeahed."

Aria glanced over at Elaine. "Funny, I didn't know about that," she said.

"It was right aftah Richay an' Ah wen' tah Alma's the one time," Elaine 
innocently answered. "I guess he couldn' handle the patrons."

"Uh-huh," Aria replied.

Maggie swallowed hard. "Well, I guess we all can't be as lucky as Dawson and 
me," she said. "Although sometimes I'm not so sure about that."

"It depends on yah definition of luckay," Elaine said, filling their plates 
with food.

"Well, and I mean no offense by this, Ari, but even though Duncan may be a 
prick sometimes, at least he doesn't want Joe dead," Maggie pointed out.

"Ah should hope not," Elaine agreed, growling lightly. "Because the fahst 
pahson tah go aftah Joe ansahs tah meh."

"Then ya see m'point," Maggie replied. "I mean Joe and I both fell in with 
Immortals who know about us and appreciate what we're tryin' to do, even if 
they do find us rather ... what was the word you used, Richie? Creepy?"

Richie nodded. "Creepy was it, all right," he answered.

"Rather creepy," Maggie finished. "It's better than havin' to sneak around or 
watchin' our backs so they don't try and off us."

"Well, all Ah'll say is Ah'm glad mah fam'lay nevah had anyone like that," 
Elaine said. "Times have been hahd enough fah us as it was. Isn' anyone 
gonnah eat?"

"But all the history you've seen," Maggie objected, taking a bite. "Wouldn't 
you like a record of your side of things?"

"_Ah'm_ mah recahd, Ah don' need anothah one," Elaine answered. "Yah wan' 
some fun, ask Neeki what he was doin' in the fahteenth centahray oh 
somethin'. Gets him stuck in a flashback fah hoahs."

Maggie was about to reply until she realized something. "No garlic," she 
said.

"Uh, no," Richie said. "Elaine can't stand the stuff."

"Still good though," Maggie shrugged, taking another bite.

They ate and chatted for a bit until Maggie noticed something else. "Aren't 
you gonna eat any, Elaine?" she asked.


Elaine looked down on her plate, where she had been pushing around the food 
instead of taking bites, and grimaced. "Not reallay," she answered.

"'Laine's on a special diet," Aria covered for her.

"Special?" Maggie asked, confused.

"Yeah, because of her condition," Richie added.

"Condition?" Maggie repeated. This was getting weirder and weirder.

"Hematomillapsia," Elaine answered. "It runs in mah fam'lay."

"Hemalomawhatta?" Maggie asked. "Don't think I've ever heard of that."

"Yah have, but not by that name," the blonde said. "Which is how weh like it. 
Weh prahfah keepin' it relativelay unknown whenevah possible."

"Uh-huh," Maggie replied.

"Maggie, several members of Elaine's family have been killed by people who 
found out what they had," Richie told her. "That's why they don't like 
talking about it."

"But, I didn't think Immortals could get sick," Maggie reminded them.

"It's not exactlay a sickness," Elaine corrected. "An' mos' of us caught it 
_befoah_ weh became Immahtal."

Maggie shrugged, going back to her dinner. But she still wasn't convinced 
something wasn't going on.

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ENTRY THREE:

If I'm gonna figure out what's goin' on with Elaine, I'm gonna have to try a 
different source. Aria and Richie are no help whatsoever and the woman 
herself is a bleedin' mystery and a half.

However, she did drop a wee bit of information that I might be able to use. 
She got awful riled up when I mentioned the possibility of someone goin' 
after the good Mr. Dawson, so they must have some kind of past connection. 
And I do remember Ari goin' out of her way to make sure I didn't tell Joe 
when she first came back to Seacouver because the whole Elaine fiasco was 
partly his fault.

So, I think I'm gonna have to turn to the illustrious Watcher himself.

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Joe put down the rag he was using to wipe the bar. "Hi, Mags, What's up?"

Maggie sat down on the bar stool directly opposite him. "We need to talk," 
she answered simply.

"I wasn't there," Joe immediately said, jokingly.

"Oh yes, you were," Maggie replied, "and that's half the problem right 
there."

"Okay, back up and start from the beginning," he instructed, slightly 
confused.

"Elaine," Maggie said. "I want you to tell me about Elaine."

Joe whistled mentally. She wasn't asking much, was she? "What has she already 
told you?"

"Some cock and bull story about some odd disease and Ari's sort of implied 
she's Immortal," Maggie answered. "'Cept I looked up the disease and can't 
find it in any medical database and I thought Immortality was supposed to 
take care of that sort of thing."

"Immortality only freezes the Immortal when they die the first time," Joe 
corrected. "Any problems they already have are going to stay that way. That's 
why Mike Myers wore glasses and Mako and Kronos still had scars."

"Then why can't I find the bloody thing?" Maggie countered.

"You won't," Joe said. "Most people don't know it exists and that's the way 
people who have it want to keep it."

"Joe, has anyone ever told you you do this weird monkey thing with your face 
when you're lyin'?" Maggie asked.

"Maggie, you're messing with something you shouldn't be," Joe warned.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Maggie replied. "For either of us."

"Aria won't just as soon kill you as look at you," Joe countered. "Elaine 
will."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better about all this?" she shot back.

"You're the one who brought her up in the first place," Joe reminded her.

Maggie shook her head. "All right, let's start over," she said. "When did you 
meet her?"

"Viet Nam," Joe answered. "She was one of the nurses in the crips ward."

"And I take it you two got ... close?" she asked.

Joe resisted smiling. Of course Maggie wouldn't know that what she was 
inferring was impossible. "We dated, but that was it," he said.

"She seems awfully protective of ya for someone she just 'dated'," Maggie 
replied.

"Elaine's like that," Joe shrugged. "The only one allowed to touch 'her' 
mortals is her."

"Excuse me?" Maggie shot back, her eyes growing wide. "'Her mortals?' What 
the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" 

Oops. That hadn't come out right at all. "Elaine grew up in the South when 
slavery was legal," he explained. "It tends to give her some strange ideas."

"Why do I have such a hard time believin' that?" Maggie replied.

"Don't ask me, you're the one not believing," Joe countered.

Maggie sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, Joe. I know Elaine is a friend of yours and 
all, but somethin' about all this just sits wrong with me."

"She make a pass at you?" he guessed.

"Well, yeah," Maggie answered. "But that's not m'problem."

"So what is?" Joe asked, finally remembering his manners and getting a couple 
of glasses out.

"The little holes I'm findin'," Maggie answered. "They just don't add up."

The Head Watcher handed her a diet Coke. "Aside from the hematomillapsia, 
what are you having a problem with?"

"Like I said, it's the little things," Maggie said. "Like when I shook her 
hand it was downright freezin'."

"Bad circulation," Joe immediately answered. "Side effect of the 
hematomillapsia."

Just a little too immediately for Maggie's liking, actually. "And the way she 
sleeps all day."

"She sings in a night club," he said. "When else do you expect her to sleep?"

"What about the food thing?" Maggie countered.

"Food allergies. Most things make Elaine sick. Next?"

"They tried that one already," Maggie shot back. "They claimed there wasn't 
any garlic in the sauce 'cause Elaine's allergic, but then she didn't eat it 
and they tried saying she was on a special diet. So if she's on this special 
diet and couldn't eat the sauce anyway, why didn't she just go ahead and put 
the bloody garlic in it? And don't try tellin' me it's a contact allergy 
'cause she could have worn gloves or had Richie or Ari chop it up for her. 
Ari may not be much of a cook, but if there's one thing she knows it's how to 
chop things inta itty-bitty pieces.

For a moment, Maggie thought she had Joe. But Joe wasn't defeated yet.

"Maggie, have you ever kissed anyone who's eaten garlic?" he asked her. 
"Don't. Unless you've been eating the stuff, too. The taste lingers for 
_hours_. Given how much Elaine likes kissing, I'd say it was easier for them 
to just forget about garlic for now."

Maggie snorted. "Yeah, I noticed that," she replied. "I don't call what she 
did tastin' the sauce. It was bloody pornographic, if'n ya ask me."

Joe paused. "Left over from her mortal life," he very carefully said.

"I could believe that," Maggie replied, "if Richie hadn't already swallowed 
by the time she kissed him.

"What makes you think it was the food she was tasting?" The words were out of 
Joe's mouth before he could take them back.

Maggie sat back, eyeing the older Watcher intently. "What else _would_ she be 
tastin'?" she asked.

"Richie, of course," he said, leering at her.

"That's not what you meant, Joe," Maggie replied. "I saw the look on your 
face after you realized what you had said. You didn't mean it as a sexual 
comment at all."

Oh hell. "Maggie, you're asking questions I can't answer," he snapped.

"Why not?!" Maggie shot back, frustrated. "Has she kept you as in the dark 
about all this as I am or do you just think I'm too young to handle it?"

"Because she'll kill me if I tell you," Joe answered. "And then she'll kill 
you."

"Even more reason to figure out what's goin' on then," Maggie said. "Thanks 
for the drink, Joe." She got up and walked out.

Joe sighed, watching her leave. Then as soon as the door was closed, he 
grabbed the phone and dialed. "Richie, is Elaine there? We've got a problem."

END PART THREE

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ENTRY FOUR:

Well Joe was a complete and total bloody waste of time. For a man who tends 
to spill information at the drop of the proverbial hat, he can be a tight 
lipped little bastard when he wants to be.

However I think I'm on to something. Problem is my theory is too wild, but it 
all seems to fit. So I've either gone completely daft, or I'm right on 
target, and I'm not sure which is worse.

Went out to dinner and the cinema with the Terrible Trio tonight. Very bloody 
odd it was. Elaine ordered something she swore was her favorite, but then 
kept slippin' most of it to Richie and Aria. And while I'll admit the vampire 
flick they chose was a little on the cheesy side, her reaction to it wasn't 
quite right.

Just what has Auntie gotten us in to?

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Elaine opened the door just as Maggie was about to ring the doorbell.

"Oh, yah heah," she said, stepping aside so Maggie could come in. "Ah still 
don' see why Ari insisted on invi'in' yah."

"Ya know, just because ya don't like m'job doesn't mean ya have to be so 
bloody nasty to me," Maggie pointed out. "Besides, ya seem to get along right 
well with Joe."

"Ah knew Joe fah yeahs befoah Ah evah found out abou' yah damn Watchahs," the 
blonde answered. "Ah don' know yah that well yet."

"And how do you expect to get to know me if Auntie Ari doesn't keep invitin' 
me along, hmm?" Maggie countered. "Besides, I happen to be quite likable when 
I want to be."

"Le' meh kill yah a few times," Elaine shrugged. "Wahked with Richay."

"'Cept ya only get one shot with me and touch one little reddish-brown hair 
on m'little head and Ari will never touch _you_ again," Maggie pointed out.

"Maybeh." Elaine brushed the hair away from Maggie's neck in a move that was 
both erotic and threatening at the same time. "It all depends on how Ah do it 
an' what happens aftahwahds."

"'Laine, are you pickin' on Maggie again?" Aria asked as she entered the 
room, saving the Watcher from having to reply.

"Gahl's go'ah have a hobbay," Elaine shrugged, going up to the warrior woman 
for a kiss. "Yah readay?"

"Just waitin' for Richie to get a move on," Aria answered. "And they say that 
women take forever in the loo."

"Only because you and Elaine always use up the hot water," Richie said. His 
hair was still damp, but otherwise he was fully dressed. "Which car are we 
taking?"

"The Caddie probably," Aria replied. "And _I_ wasn't the one who used up all 
the hot water." That last comment was directed with a pointed look towards 
the blonde.

"Set the timah nex' time. Oh join meh," Elaine shrugged. "Can weh get goin' 
now?"

"If you insist," Aria replied, winking at her lover.

The four piled into the Caddie, Aria driving and Richie and Elaine in the 
back.

"So what are we seein' tonight?" Maggie asked.

"Roxay's showin' one of the Hammah Dracula films," Elaine answered. "Ah 
thought it was high time Aria got the real scoop on one of them thin's."

"Hey, at least I don't go draggin' you to those borin' foreign films Duncan's 
so fond of," Aria shot back.

Richie actually shuddered at that. "Don't remind me," he begged.

"They'ah not sah bad, if yah speak the language," Elaine said. "What Ah 
usuallay do is compaah what the actahs say tah the subtitles an' see how 
badlay the transla'ahs screwed up."

"I bet you like opera, too," Richie said, glaring at her.

"Not reallay," she answered, shaking her head. "Ah find the charactahs in the 
comedays pathetic an' desahvin' of a lon' lingahrin' death, fah the mos' 
paht. Tragedays wouldn' beh sah bad, excep' Ah find the lack of blood, when a 
charactah is supposed tah beh dyin' distractin'. An' the colahratahra hahts 
mah eahs.

"Theah was one opahrah Ah pahticulahlay enjoyed," she continued. "Ah can' 
remembah which opahrah it was, exactlay, but it ended with the lead sopranah 
throwin' hahself off a balconay. Onlay this pahticulah sopranah had 
appahrentlay done somethin' tah reallay piss off the backstage crew because 
they replaced the mattress she was supposed tah land on with a trampoline. 
Poah gahl jus' kep' bouncin' an' bouncin', alon' with hah death note. 
'AAAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa,'" 
she sang, imitating the soprano. "Needless tah say, Lucien was _not_ amused. 
Ah was, though."

"Who's Lucien?" Maggie asked, intrigued.

"Mah Mas-- adop'ive fathah," Elaine answered, correcting herself at the last 
minute. "If it wahn' fah him, Ah wouldn' beh heah."

"Interesting terminology ya're usin' there, ducks," Maggie replied.

"Weh'ah an intahrestin' fam'lay," the blonde answered. "It's possible tah 
trace ah ancestahs back tah ancient Egyp'."

"Really?" Maggie asked, intrigued. "Not too many Immortals remember that far 
back."

"Actuallay, Ah don'," Elaine corrected. "It's mah grea' gran'fathah who was 
from theah. But that's abou' all weh know abou' him, thanks tah gran'bitch 
Divia."

"Grandbitch Divia?" Maggie repeated.

"Don' worrah abou' it," Elaine quickly said. "She's dead an' hopefullay won' 
beh comin' back this time."

"This time?" Maggie repeated again. "This just keeps gettin' better and 
better, I swear."

"Maggay," Elaine said, leaning forward so she could look the Watcher in the 
eyes. "Leave it."

Maggie looked like she wanted to do anything _but_ drop it, but they had 
arrived at the restaurant so she was left without a choice. Besides, 
something told her she'd be better off playing along than pressing the issue. 
For now at least.

The four entered the restaurant and were quickly seated.

"Sah, ah weh goin' tah ahdah one of theah suppahs oh sep'rate meals?" Elaine 
asked.

"I'm up for a pick and share," Richie answered.

Aria shrugged. "Whatever you two want is fine by me," she said.

"You know more about this place than I do, so I'm willin' to follow your 
leads," Maggie added.

Elaine spoke to the waiter in Chinese and they eventually decided on a 
complete dinner for four people, mainly because Elaine wanted the pressed 
duck.

"Pressed duck's been a fav'rit of mine, evah since Ah was twentay one," she 
explained.

"Sounds interesting," Maggie replied.

"Even be'ah, it's crunchay," Elaine said, smiling.

"And that makes a difference?" Maggie asked.

"Makes a wondahful diff'rence," the blonde smiled. 

Before she could elaborate, the waiter returned, carrying a tray. On the tray 
were three Chinese-style teacups, which he placed by Aria's, Richie's, and 
Maggie's plates, and a teapot, with which he filled the cups and placed next 
to Aria. He then left, and returned with another teapot and cup, which he 
placed next to Elaine and poured.

Elaine took a sip, nodding her approval. "Give Zhuren Shueh mah thanks," she 
told the waiter, who quickly disappeared into the back.

Aria glanced at the red liquid in the cup and then raised an eyebrow. 
"Interesting choice," she said.

"Zhuren Shueh's an ol' friend of Lucien's," Elaine answered, scooping up a 
drop of 'tea' that had dribbled down the side and licking her finger. "Didn' 
Ah mention that?"

"No, you sort of forgot that one," Richie replied.

"Oh, well, he is," the blonde said. "Why do yah think it's sah dahk heah?"

Aria shrugged. "Atmosphere," she replied.

"Why does darkness make a difference?" Maggie asked, confused.

Before Elaine could answer, the waiter returned, bearing a bowl of miniature 
eggrolls.

"Mah fav'rit," the blonde practically squealed as she passed them out. "Eat, 
eat, eat."

"So, why does darkness make a difference?" Maggie repeated as she took a bite 
of her eggroll.

"Ah eyes, deahhaht," Elaine answered, tapping the side of her head. "Weh tend 
tah beh extremelay light sensitive. That's one of the reasons mos' of us wahk 
at night."

Maggie just grunted non-commitedly as she continued eating.

"Ah think she likes it," Elaine laughed. "Maggay, save room fah suppah."

"That why you haven't touched them, even though you just said they were your 
favorite?" Maggie asked.

"Ah was ten yeahs youngah the las' time Ah had them," the blonde answered. "A 
lot's changed since then."

"Uh-huh," Maggie replied.

Elaine turned to Richie. "Ah don' think she believes meh."

"Well, your reaction did kind of imply that you still liked them," Richie 
pointed out.

"Got mah tenses wron'," she shrugged. "It happens."

Maggie would have pressed, but the waiter once again showed his lousy sense 
of timing by arriving with dinner.

He was accompanied by several helpers, all carrying trays. One by one, he 
emptied the trays, putting the dishes on the lazy susan in the center of the 
table. Finally, he set a piece of paper in front of Elaine. She looked at it 
and laughed.

"Somethin' funny, love?" Aria asked. "I mean, usually you don't laugh at the 
check until after the meal."

"Ain' no check. But heah, see fah yahself." The blonde handed it over.

"Don't even bloody well think of it," Aria replied after reading the note.

"What?" Richie asked.

Aria handed him the note.

"Oh real funny," Richie replied sarcastically. "It's in Chinese!"

Elaine leaned over and whispered into his ear.

"Okay, I most definitely have to agree with Ari on this one," Richie said.

"Do I even want to know?" Maggie asked.

"It's pahsonal," Elaine glared at her. "Don' worrah, Ah'm the greeday type," 
she then said to Richie, accompanied by a kiss.

Maggie shot Aria a dirty look before turning to the food. "So where do we 
start?"

"The time Ah was heah, Ah loaded mah plate with a li'le of ev'rythin' an' 
then decided what Ah liked," Elaine suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Richie replied, even though he'd already started 
doing just that.

The three women joined him in filling their plates, with Elaine adding food 
to Richie's and Aria's as well as her own.

They ate for awhile, chatting, until Maggie noticed Elaine wasn't really 
eating, just slipping her food onto either Richie's or Aria's plates.

"Somethin' wrong with your food, Elaine?" she asked.

"Not all that hungray, Ah guess," the blonde answered. "Don' worrah, Ah'll 
eat la'ah."

"Yeah, I guess half the fun of Chinese is the leftovers," Maggie replied. 
Although somehow she wasn't sure that was what Elaine met.

The rest of the meal went quickly and soon the waiter was bringing the 
expected plate of fortune cookies.

"Ah, my favorite," Maggie said, grinning as she took a cookie.

"So what does it say?" Richie asked, reaching for his own.


"'Those who watch see much but say nothing'," Maggie read. "Gee, I didn't 
think it was that obvious. What about yours?"

"Your night will be filled with passion," he answered, turning a shade of 
red. "Yup, he knows Elaine, all right."

Aria cracked open her cookie. "'The warrior heart beats strong, but can be 
stopped by passion'," she read. "Yep, he definitely knows you, Raltra."

"Mah tahn," Elaine said, opening hers. "She who does not share with her 
elders will not--" She grabbed the cookie out of Richie's hand, right before 
he popped it in his mouth, sniffed it, and began to swoon. Catching herself 
before she completely fainted, she shoved the cookie away. "Do meh a favah 
an' don' eat them thin's."

"Why not?" Richie asked. "What's wrong with them?"

"Gahlic," the blonde explained, taking a large drink of her 'tea'. "Zhuren 
Shueh coa'ed them with a verrah thin layah of gahlic."

Maggie wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Why in the world would he do somethin' 
like that?" she asked.

"Mah allahgays," Elaine reminded her. "If Richay an' Ari had ea'en them, Ah 
wouldn' have been able tah beh neah them fah hoahs. Anyone mind if weh get 
out of heah?"

"And he's supposed to be your friend," Maggie snorted sarcastically.

"Actually we probably should get going anyway," Richie said. "The movie 
starts in twenty minutes."

"Ah nevah said he was mah friend," Elaine said as she got up. "He's Lucien's 
friend, although colleague might beh a be'ah wahd."

Maggie just shook her head as she left, wondering yet again what exactly 
she'd gotten herself into.



Things got weirder when they got to the movie theater.

"Does she have tah sit with us?" Elaine complained as they went inside.

"Yes, she has to sit with us," Aria answered, a bit peeved with her lover's 
current attitude. "Geez, what the hell ever happened to Southern 
hospitality?"

The blonde wrapped her arms around Aria's neck and gave her a slow kiss. "But 
if Maggay's next tah us," She paused for another kiss. "Weh can' play." 
Another kiss, this one on the neck. "Ah still haven' had suppah yet."

Maggie started making gagging noises. "Don't you people _ever_ stop?" she 
asked.

"Not if weh cn help it," Elaine smiled wickedly at her.

"Well, you know, I can take better notes from the back then I can sittin' 
right there," Maggie said pointedly. "Maybe movin' ain't such a bad idea 
after all." Then she sauntered off before Elaine could stop her.

"Where's Maggie going?" Richie asked, coming up his lovers, loaded with food.

"Away," Elaine gloated.

Maggie actually couldn't find any seats in the back, so she ended up having 
to sit in about the same row as the others, but on the other side of the 
room. She did, however, make a big deal of pulling out her notebook and 
lighted pen when she felt Elaine's eyes on her.

The blonde just managed to stick her tongue out at the Watcher before the 
lights went out and the film started.

Maggie split her time between watching the movie and watching her friend's 
blonde companion. Something about Elaine's reaction just seemed ... off to 
her.

Whenever Christopher Lee would come on screen in full vampire regalia, she'd 
laugh and whisper into one the Immortals' ears. A couple of times one of the 
patrons around them would try to tell them to be quiet or threaten to call 
the usher, but Elaine would turn and look at them and suddenly they'd get up 
and move to the other side of the room.

Then there was the time the actor playing Van Helsing flashed a cross on the 
screen and Elaine practically jumped out of her seat.

And to top it off, whenever "Dracula" would bite one of his victims, Elaine 
would suddenly grab either Richie's or Aria's wrists and bend over it. Maggie 
could have sworn the other woman was actually _biting_ them, of all things. 
And the fact that the Watcher caught a flash of gold from the blonde's eyes 
after coming back up from one of those incidents didn't do much to help 
resolved her wonderings.

"Enjoy the movay?" Elaine asked her after it was over and they all headed for 
the Caddie.

"Oh quite," Maggie answered. "It was ... very enlightening."

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=+

ENTRY FIVE:

Okay, this is it. Tonight's the night I find out if I'm right about Elaine or 
if I'm finally gone completely and totally daft.

There's a concert tonight at Grace Cathedral and Aria promised me months ago 
that I could go to it. But I bought four tickets instead of one and, thanks 
from a little help from Mum (even if she doesn't know she was helping) 
(wouldn't she be surprised to find out how well I've picked up her little 
talents now, hmm?), managed to guilt trip Aria and Richie into coming along. 
Since they're coming, Elaine got forced into comin' along as well.

If I'm right, this should give me all the proof I need. Problem is, do I 
really want to be right?

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

"What concaht?" Elaine asked, still half asleep. She uncorked a wine bottle 
and poured herself a glass.

"The choral concert at Grace Cathedral tonight," Maggie answered. "You 
promised me _ages_ ago that I could see it, Auntie. And gettin' these tickets 
was not easy. Not to mention how expensive they were and I just don't have 
those centuries to build up a fortune like you do. But if you really don't 
want to go, I suppose that's that."

"She's good," Richie said.

"Takes after her mother," Aria replied. "Look, Maggie, it's not that we don't 
want to go...."


Maggie waved her off. "No, no, that's all right, I understand," she said. 
"It's just that I can't go if you don't go and I know you won't go without 
Elaine and Richie. It's a shame really. I have been lookin' forward to this 
for months and the tickets are non-refundable. And this choir doesn't tour 
that often. But that's okay, I'll find _some_ other way to entertain m'self 
this evenin'."

"Grace Cathedral?" Elaine repeated, about five steps behind everyone else.

"Yes, Grace Cathedral," Maggie answered. "Get this woman some coffee for 
Pete's sake."

"That might not beh such a bad idea," the blonde said. "Richay, Ari, why don' 
yah come with meh tah make shoah Ah do it right."

The Immortals and the blonde headed into the kitchen, leaving Maggie behind. 
She rolled her eyes and sighed while she waited for them to come back.

"Aria, why didn' yah tell meh abou' the concaht?" Elaine asked once they were 
alone.

"To be perfectly honest, 'Laine, I'd completely forgotten about it," Aria 
admitted. "Otherwise I would have warned you by now."

"Ah reallay wish yah had," the blonde said. "Because then Ah could have 
arranged tah beh out of town."

"But if you don't go, she's gonna know something's up," Richie pointed out.

"Ah know, trust meh, Ah know," she said. "Maggay's alreaday suspicious enough 
as it is. But theah's this small problem of Grace bein' a Cath'lic chahch."

"And it's being Catholic makes it a bigger problem than a normal church 
because?" Richie asked, confused.

"Onlay that Cath'lic chahches have a tendencay tah have moah crosses an' 
statues than yah av'rage protestan' chahch, it's a small remindah that Ah 
haven' been tah Confession since Ah became a vampiah," Elaine answered.

Aria snickered. "Aye, wouldn't that be an interestin' one?" she said. 
"'Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. Not only has it been a hundred years 
since the last time I went to confession but I've been shackin' up with two 
people, one of whom is a woman, and I kill people on a regular basis by 
suckin' their blood out.' I'd love to be there for that one."

"Aria, Ah don' mock yah faith, do Ah?" Elaine asked quietly.

"No."

"Then please don' mock mine," the blonde said. "While Ah may not have verrah 
much respect fah the vahrious trappin' of the Chahch, the fact that Ah no 
longah have an option in the ma'ah is verrah distressful tah meh."

"I'm sorry, Raltra," Aria replied, "I didn't mean it like that. I wasn't 
mockin' your faith so much, just the idea of a vampire goin' into confession. 
I get the same giggle picturin' certain Immortals do the same thing."

"Goin' intah confession is not the problem, ge'in' theah is," Elaine 
corrected. "An' Ah'll beh havin' the same problem at that concaht."
 
"Have you even tried to go into a church since you were brought across?" 
Richie asked.

"Once," she answered, suddenly finding a _very_ interesting non-existent spot 
on her arm. "Got trapped in a Luthahn chahch fah the day not lon' aftah Ah 
was brough' across when Ah couldn' find any othah place. Ah remembah killin' 
the pastah. The res' of 'em ahn' sah cleah."

Richie paled. "Oh boy."

"So what do we do?" Aria asked.

"Le' meh kill Maggay?" Elaine suggested.

"That's not even _close_ to bein' funny, Elaine," Aria replied.

"Ah wasn' tryin' tah beh," the blonde. "Unless someone has a be'ah ideah?"

"You know, maybe you should try going to the concert," Richie suggested, 
trying to break up the fight before it began.

"What?!" Elaine snapped, glaring at him.

"You said the other time was right after you were brought across, right?" he 
reminded her. "So maybe you're stronger now and maybe you can handle it 
better. Plus," he added, putting his arms around her, "you didn't have us 
before."

"He's got a point there," Aria agreed. 

"Ah know he has a point. Ah'm quite familiah with his point," Elaine said. 
"What's that have tah do with ah problem?"

"Well, you are more in control of the vampire than you used to be," Aria 
pointed out.

"Onlay when it comes tah not killin' yah in bed," the blonde reminded her.

"It's still a step in the right direction," Aria replied.

"And who knows what else you may have picked up from Diana," Richie quickly 
added. "I mean, Di could handle crosses, so maybe you can, too."

That earned the redhead another glare. "Theah was one at that movay weh las' 
saw," Elaine reminded him. "Wasn' able tah stan' that one any be'ah then 
befoah."

"But did you react because you thought you should or because it really burned 
you?" he continued unperturbed. 

"Huh?" the blonde asked.

"Interestin' theory, love," Aria replied, mulling it over. "It goes along 
with your telepathic paranoia idea, 'Laine. Did you really feel the power of 
the cross on the screen that time or did you react simply because you've 
_always_ reacted when you saw a cross?"

"It was light'ah then the othah crosses Ah've been aroun'," Elaine admitted 
after a brief flashback. "But Ah thought it was because it was a movay cross 
an' not a real one. D'yah reallay think this'll wahk?"

"What choice do we have?" Aria replied. "If it gets too bad, we can always 
fake some kind of sudden stomach bug and Richie or I'll take ya out."

"Thanks," Elaine said, squeezing Aria's hand and giving Richie a kiss on the 
cheek. "Do yah think weh should go back out theah befoah Maggay comes lookin' 
fah us?"

"Might be a good idea, yeah," Aria answered.

"Here, I'll help." Before anyone could stop him, Richie bent over and scooped 
Elaine up, carrying her back to the living room.


"Richay!" Elaine giggled as he dropped her on the couch.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "You people are _strange_," she sighed.

"Yah ain' nevah been in love befoah, have yah?" Elaine asked as she pulled 
Richie into her lap, wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed him.

"And this is supposed to make me want to be?" Maggie replied.

"Happens whethah yah wan' it tah oh not," the blonde answered. "Bes' thin' 
tah do is give intah it an' enjoy yahself."

Maggie shrugged. "Gotta find the right bloke first," she pointed out.

"Careful," Richie warned. "The last time anyone said that around her, she 
brought out the photo album and started playing matchmaker."

"Oh hush," Elaine said. "Amay's too youn' an' Nat wouldn' beh intahrested in 
Maggay. Theah is Lou's fam'lay, though."

"Most of whom are either too young, already married, or involved, so let's 
not be goin' there," Aria replied.

"So we goin' to the concert or what?" Maggie asked, changing the subject.

"If yah insist," Elaine said. "Still rathah stay home tonight."

"I insist," Maggie replied. "Tonight's m'treat and you're goin'."

"Oh all right," the blonde pouted, releasing Richie. "Ah jus' need tah change 
clothes fahst."



The taxi stopped in front of Grace Cathedral and the four got out. 

"Here," Richie said, handing the driver a twenty. "Keep the change."

"Thanks," the driver said, very pleased over the amount of tip that came to. 
"When the concert's over, if you need a ride, call and I'll be here."

"Sure thing," Richie agreed, though he doubted he'd be calling.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Maggie breathed.

"If yah like that saht of thin'," Elaine grumbled.

Ignoring her, Maggie dug the tickets out of her bag. "Shall we go in?"

Elaine grabbed Richie's and Aria's hands and the four went inside. As soon as 
they crossed the threshold, she stopped. 

"Ah'm not shoah this is goin' tah wahk," she said, eyeing the cross on the 
wall.

"It's only two pieces of wood," Aria whispered into her ear. "It's got no 
power over you."

"Tell it that," Elaine whispered back.

Aria took her hand and squeezed it. "It'll be alright," she replied.

Richie took her other hand and did the same thing. "Just remember, we're here 
for you, Elaine."

"Ah know, it's jus'...." The blonde shook her head clear. "No, Ah _am_ goin' 
tah do this."

"That's the spirit!" Richie replied, grinning.

The four took their seats, after allowing Elaine time to genuflect, but not 
cross herself, in front of the altar.

All in all, it was a wonderful concert. The choir were in tiptop shape, their 
voices filling the church to perfection. And as for the organ, Richie had 
never seen so many pipes before, or one that made so many different sounds. 

Elaine didn't hear any of it. She was too busy concentrating on the cross. 
She didn't mean to, in fact she was trying very _not_ to think of it, but as 
the concert went on, it became all she was aware of. Her hands squeezed 
Richie's and Aria's tighter and tighter, not realizing she was crushing them.

Finally, intermission arrived. It wasn't soon enough for Elaine.

"Ah'mrealsahrah,y'all,butAhdidthebes'Ahcould," she said, pushing past the 
crowd and running out the door as fast as humanly possible, maybe even a 
little faster. 

"What's wrong with her?" Maggie asked, concerned.

"Tell you later," Richie said, following Elaine outside.

By the time Aria and Maggie joined him, the blonde was nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd she go?" Aria asked, really starting to get worried.

"She can't have gone that far." An idea stuck the young Immortal. "Try to 
feel her," Richie suggested.

"Feel her?" Aria repeated, confused. "What are you...? Oh, hey that might 
work."

The two Immortals fell silent and then, at the same time, said "This way!"

Fortunately, they headed off in the same direction.

Maggie just rolled her eyes and ran off after them.

They ended up several blocks away, down a back alley.

Aria and Richie were standing over a dead body when Maggie finally caught up 
with them.

"What the hell is goin' on here?!" the Watcher snapped.

"Maggie, go back to the church and stay there," Richie told her instead of 
answering. "You'll be safe once you're inside."

"Bullshit!" Maggie shot back. "I ain't goin' anywhere until you tell me 
what's goin' on!"

"Oh, it's verrah seimple." First a pair of blood red eyes, then the rest of 
Elaine walked into view. "Ah jus' spen' ovah an hoah in the presence of a 
dam' cross until Ah couldn' stand it anymoah. An' since the whole thin' waz 
yah aideah, geive meh one good reason whai Ah shouldn' keill yah."

"What the hell?!" Maggie shrieked.

Elaine vanished, reappearing behind the Watcher. "Yah wan'ed tah know if Ah 
waz a vampaiah, well ge' a good look." She grabbed Maggie, turning her around 
and tilting her head to one side.

"ELAINE!" Aria yelled, going for her sword. "Let her go or I swear to the 
Great Mother I'll kill ya m'self."

"Why?" the vampire growled back. "It still hahts, Aria."

"But she's _mortal_, Elaine," Richie pointed out. "She won't do you any good, 
you need me!"

When Elaine didn't move, he ran his hand down Aria's blade, slicing it open 
and held it out.

Elaine took one look at the dripping blood and threw Maggie to the side, 
tackling Richie. She held the hand up to her mouth, and when that healed, 
moved down to his wrist, ripping into it with her fangs.

Aria waited until Richie was dead and Elaine was finished. "You all right 
now?" she asked.

"Yeah," the blonde nodded. She sat down, cradling Richie's head in her lap 
and looked around, noticing the nearby corpse. "How manay this time?"

"One that we know of," Aria answered. "Although if you had just let me _tell_ 
Maggie what you are in the first place, we could have avoided it all 
together."

"Yeah, an' when the Enfahcahs came an' killed us all, Ah could at least have 
had the satisfaction of an 'Ah tol' yah sah'," Elaine shot back.

"And you never gave me a bloody chance!" Maggie spat out. "I've been watchin' 
and coverin' Aria's arse since I was six and I first found out what she was. 
Didn't it ever cross your mind that _maybe_ I'd be willin' to do the same for 
you for no other reason than she loves you?"

"Cahse not," Elaine answered. "Noboday does stuff like that."

Maggie snorted. "And you've only been livin' with these two for how long 
now?" she asked sarcastically.

Before Elaine could answer, Richie jerked, waking up.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"Maggie and Elaine have both lost their bloody minds and if I wasn't so damn 
afraid of Emma I'd leave them to each other and be done with it," Aria 
answered.

"Great," Richie said, sitting up. "Have they agreed not to kill each other 
yet?"

"Nope," Aria replied. "Although, I haven't agreed to not kill them
m'self either."

"Auntie, I...." Maggie started.

Aria turned and glared at her. "Do you _really_ wanna finish that statement 
right now?" she asked.

Maggie paled. "No, not really."

"Didn't think so," Aria replied.

"Ah'll help, if yah wan'," Elaine offered.

"Great, you can start by tellin' me if ya want to be cremated or buried," 
Aria replied sarcastically. "Just because Maggie started it doesn't mean I'm 
lettin' you off the hook either, Elaine. If you'd just gotten your pretty 
little head out of your gorgeous little bum we could have avoided this whole 
thing to begin with. I love you both dearly, but the two of ya are enough to 
drive me daft!"

"She's got a point there, Elaine," Richie agreed. "True, Maggie shouldn't 
have been sticking her nose into everything. But I trust her as much as I 
trust Joe and I only went along with keeping her out of the loop because you 
wanted us too.

"But you shouldn't have taken it this far, Maggie. You're just lucky I was 
able to get through to Elaine or she could have killed you. And she was doing 
it as much for our safety as for hers because if what she is gets out, the 
other vampires'll kill us and anyone around us and I won't be able to stop 
them with the fact that I've got Immortal blood."

"Ah'll le' Maggay live, on one condition," Elaine gave in. "Ah wan' tah be 
_shoah_ she can' tell anyone."

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Maggie asked.

Aria glared at her again. "Just do it and get it over with," she said to 
Elaine.

"A'cahse," the blonde said. Getting up, she went over to Maggie and placed 
her hand on Maggie's face, next to the eyes. "Don' worrah, this won' haht one 
bit."

Maggie backed up until she felt the guard of Aria's broadsword in her back. 
"What are you gonna do?"

"Ah believe these days they'ah callin' it 'the Whammay," Elaine answered, 
trying to make a joke out of it.

"The Whammy?" Maggie repeated, still not convinced.

"It won' haht. Speakin' from experience, the mos' yah'll feel is as if yah 
have a cold an' took some medicine from it," the blonde nodded. "A'cahse, Ah 
can' do it as lon' as yah all tensed up like that."

"Oh well, guess we'll have to call it a night then, huh?" Maggie replied, 
trying to sound like she was kidding.

"Maggay, sugah, do yah realize how easay it would beh tah snap yah neck right 
now?" Elaine threatened. "All Ah wan' tah do is make shoah yah won' tell 
noboday Ah'm a vampiah. An' yah won' do that, will yah?"

"Won't tell," Maggie replied slowly.

"Unless they already know or we tell them first," Aria added.

"Unless weh tell yah yah can," Elaine repeated. "An' not onlay will yah not 
tell anyone oh write anythin' abou' meh down, but yah'll give yah life tah 
protect meh an' mine, right?"

"Right," Maggie answered dully.

"She woulda done that anyway ya know," Aria pointed out.

"Li'le backup nevah hahts," Elaine shrugged. "An' weh cn go now."

Maggie shook her head as she came out of it. "What the hell did you just do 
to me?"

"Made you agree to everythin' you're already doin', so relax," Aria answered. 
"You know I wouldn't let anybody hurt you, Maggs, just like you won't let 
anybody hurt me. Now Richie, Elaine and I are going home. You can stay for 
the rest of the concert if ya want, but our night is over."

"Jus' one sec." Elaine went over to the man she had killed earlier and, 
producing her knife, ran it over the teeth marks and picked up the body. 
"I'll meet yah back home aftah Ah drop this off. Bet Ah cn beat yah back," 
she added, smiling playfully.

"I only bet on sure things, darlin'," Aria teased. "Sure things on my end 
anyway."

Maggie just shot them all a dirty look as she headed back to the church.

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+===+=+=+

ENTRY SIX:

Well, I was right. Elaine is a vampire, just like I suspected. I guess that's 
all right, at least I know I'm not losin' m'mind at any rate. But no matter 
what I might think, Aria does love her and I guess that's all that really 
matters.

Now there's just one thing left to do.

+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+

Maggie found Elaine in the kitchen.

"Ev'nin', Maggay," the blonde greeted her without turning around. "Cow chips 
oh molasses?"

"Excuse me?" Maggie asked, confused.

"The cookays, sillay," Elaine told her. "Not that there's much difference, 
but it helps tah know befoah Ah get too fah."

"Oh," Maggie replied. "Uh, well, either one would be fine. Which ones were 
your favorites?"

"But Ah'm not goin' tah beh ea'in' them," Elaine said. "They'ah yah cookays, 
it's yah choice. Considah it a peace offahrin'."

"Chocolate chip then," Maggie answered, grinning. "And speaking of peace 
offerin's, I got one for you too."

"Han' on a sec." The blonde rose up level with the counter, opened one of the 
cupboards and pulled a bag of chips from the back of the top shelf. 

"Catch," she told Maggie, tossing them down. "Ah've found Ah have tah hide 
choc'lat, othahwise Richay 'n' Ari eat them as soon as Ah've bought them," 
she explained, lowering herself.

"Must be a handy trick that," Maggie replied.

"It is," Elaine agreed, lowering herself to the floor. "Ah think aftah the 
blood, flyin' has tah beh mah fav'rit thin' abou' bein' what Ah am. Haven' 
figahed out how weh do it, but Ah'm wahkin' on it."

"Well it's not like you won't have the time," Maggie pointed out.

"Ah, but havin' etahnitay makes one prone tah lazayness," the blonde 
countered. "Haven' been back tah mah lab in months."

"Considerin' who you're livin' with, I can see why," Maggie teased.

"Ah know, but Simon's down theah with no supahvision," Elaine said. "Ah jus' 
hope he isn' wahkin' his way through the natives."

"Who's Simon?" Maggie asked.

"Mah assistant. He's alsah mah son, although Ah suppose yah could make a case 
fah him bein' mah brothah. Vampiah fam'lay trees cn get confusin' at times." 
The blonde paused and looked at Maggie. "Mind if Ah tell yah how Ah ended 
brin'in' him across? It migh' explain a few thin's."

"I don't mind," Maggie answered, sitting down at the kitchen table. "You know 
me, always interested in history."

"Well, the whole thin' began when Ah acciden'lay killed Simon's brothah," 
Elaine said, putting the butter, sugar and eggs in a bowl and beating them 
fast enough her hand blurred. "Ah was suff'rin' from the effects of a man-
made virus whose sole pahpose seemed tah beh tah kill vampiahs, even if its 
creatah didn' realize it, an' Hungrayah then Ah'd evah been since the night 
Ah was brough' across, when Thomas made the mistake of entahrin' the lab."

"Yeah, I've seen what happens when people make the mistake of crossin' your 
path when you're in a bad mood," Maggie replied diplomatically.

"He was alreaday dyin' from AIDS, all Ah did was has'en the process," the 
blonde shrugged. "Tahned out tah have been a good thin' Ah did, because as 
usual, Lucien was moah worrahed abou' his precious Nicholah an' fahgot abou' 
meh. Anyway, Ah'd thought Ah'd done a good job cleanin' up aftah mahself an' 
makin' it look like Thomas had been mugged on the way tah the lab, but 
somehow Simon was still suspicious an' bein' almos' as good a scientis' as Ah 
am, he event'allay figahed out what reallay happened.

"Do meh a favah," she added, handing Maggie a measuring cup. "Fill this half 
full of wa'ah an' put it in the microwave. Ah need it jus' undah boilin'."

"No problem," Maggie replied as she headed towards the sink. "So what 
happened after Simon figured out that you had killed his brother?"

"Guess," Elaine teased.

"He try to kill you?" Maggie asked.

Elaine shook her head. "Nothin' sah simple. Yah fahge'in' he's a scientist. 
An' what do scientis's always wan' tah do tah the monstah in the movays?"

"Capture it for study?" Maggie guessed, opening the microwave and putting the 
cup inside.

"Exac'lay," the blonde nodded. "Came up with this hahrid gahlic concoction 
an' gassed meh with it. Nex' thin' Ah know, Ah'm in a locked room held 
pris'nah an' Simon's busay takin' notes."

"He turned you into a lab experiment?" Maggie asked, appalled. "How utterly 
rude."

"Wasn' it, though," the blonde agreed. "Tah make ma'ahs wahse, Simon verrah 
quicklay lahned how much powah the bloodlus' has ovah meh an' used it. He'd 
hold a rat oh some othah animal up, slit its throat an' wouldn' le' meh have 
it until Ah ansahed whatevah question he'd asked. Oh tah find out how 
quicklay Ah healed, he'd put an animal in the middle of a patch of sunlight. 
Mos' of it, Ah don' remembah, an' Ah am right glad of that."

The microwave dinged. Elaine took out the cup, poured a little of the water 
into another cup and mixed it with a little baking soda. She dumped the 
concoction into the bowl with the eggs, added flour, salt, cinnamon and the 
chips and mixed again.

"And you made this guy like you instead of rippin' his blasted head off?" 
Maggie asked, clearly not understanding _why_ Elaine had done such an odd 
thing.

"Yah ge'in' ahead of the stahrah," Elaine said. "At the time, all Ah wan'ed 
tah do was get the hell out of theah."

"Sorry, and I don't blame ya on that one," Maggie replied. "So what changed 
your mind?"

"Logistics," the blonde answered, getting a couple of spoons out of a drawer. 
"Aftah Ah managed tah escape, Simon had tah brin' in extrah people in ahdah 
tah track meh down. Which created a huge mess that had tah beh cleaned up 
befoah the Enfahcahs wah called in. Ah suppose Ah could have jus' killed him, 
but that would have left loose ends. This way, the loose ends wah tied up an' 
Ah got tah keep mah assis'an'. Tahned intah an even be'ah assis'an', in fact, 
since Ah no longah had tah lie abou' mah reseahch. Besides, Ah nevah blamed 
him fah wan'in' tah studay meh, since tryin' tah find out what makes vampiahs 
tick is what Ah'm alsah wahkin' on, an' Ah owed him fah Thomas."

"Who or what are the Enforcers?" Maggie asked.

"The cops of the vampiah wahld. They'ah the ones who make shoah the Code isn' 
broken," Elaine explained. "Ev'ry vampiah Ah know of is afraid of them, 
includin' Lucien, which ought tah tell yah somethin'. Yah know Christophah 
Lee in the movay weh saw? That's saht of what they look like, onlay they 
nevah talk. Fangs ah too big."

"Is ... is that why you didn't want Ari to tell me?" Maggie asked.

"Mm-hm," Elaine nodded. "By le'in' yah live, Ah'm breakin' the Code. Ah've 
done it befoah, but excep' fah Joe, all of them wah children when Ah got mah 
han's on them. Enfahcahs find out abou' this, fahs' they'll staht with meh, 
then yah, then Richay, Ari, Joe an' anyone else Ah might've told, then anyone 
else they might've told. They tend tah beh a li'le ovahzealous at times."

Using the spoons, the blonde dropped bits of the dough on an already prepared 
cookie sheet.

"But you don't have to worry about me, Elaine," Maggie said. "I've been 
keepin' a secret for over twenty years after all."

"Maggay, Ah don' trust _anay_ mahtal, that much," the blonde explained. "The 
onlay vampiah who isn' pahranoid is a dead vampiah."

"You trust Joe," Maggie pointed out.

"Joe's in love with meh. An' as it tahned out, _Ah_ wasn' the one who decided 
tah le' Joe live," Elaine said, tapping the side of her head. "Now, Ah 
believe yah mentioned somethin' abou' a peace offahrin'?"

Maggie reached into her bag and pulled out a leather bound journal. It was 
the same kind she used for Aria's chronicles, only this one didn't have a 
Watcher's symbol on it. "When I first started suspectin' somethin' was goin' 
on, I started keepin' a journal of the incidents and m'little pet theories 
and whatnot," she explained. "Now that I know the truth, I don't need it 
anymore, but I don't want it fallin' into the wrong hands either. I thought 
maybe you might know someone who could take care of it. You know, put it in a 
safe place or dispose of it properly or some such thing."

"Good idea. Le's jus' take caah of this now, shall weh?" Elaine took the 
book. After a moment of thought, she opened the cupboard and pulled out a 
pan. "Han' on tah that," she told Maggie, handing it to her. She then got out 
a pair of hot dog tongs and used them to grab the book. Opening the oven, she 
held the book next to the burner long enough for it to catch fire, then 
dumped it in the pan.

"See? I knew you could take care of it," Maggie laughed. "Look, Elaine, you 
told me what makes you tick, a bit anyway. Mind if I fill ya in on a couple 
of things about me?"

"Shoah, Elaine agreed. "Jus' le' meh get these in the oven while it's still 
open. She took the cookie sheet and popped it in, closing the door 
afterwards.

Maggie sat back down, trying to figure out where to start. "Aria's been a 
part of the Sullivan family since the day she first hired my great-great-
great-great-grandparents to take care of her estate. But none of us have been 
closer to her than Danny and me. Ari's not just an employer or a friend, 
she's our second mother. When I was growin' up, whenever I had a problem or I 
just wanted someone to talk to, I knew I could always count on good ol' 
Auntie Ari. She was mother, sister, aunt, and best friend all rolled into 
one.

"I was six when I first found out what she was. She took me into the city for 
the day and I saw her get attacked by another Immortal and it scared the hell 
out of me. Not for m'self, but for how close I came in losin' Ari. A few 
years later I found out about the Watchers and suddenly there was a solution 
to two problems."

"Two problems?" Elaine repeated.

"After the Andravens died out, the Watcher's had a hard time getting a 
Watcher close to Ari when she's on her estate. She may know about the 
Watchers, but she's very picky about who works in her home so a stranger who 
shows up on her doorstep lookin' for work every time she comes home would 
kind of stick out. But since I've lived at Anda Savan m'entire life, my being 
around there wouldn't be suspicious at all. I'm just home vistin' family 
after all, what's so odd about that? So Diane, the Watcher before me, went 
out of her way to recruit me since I did show a lot of interest in her work 
after finding out who she was.

"And on my end, I saw being Ari's Watcher as the perfect way to protect her 
and keep her safe."

"But why would yah need tah protec' Aria,?" Elaine asked, confused.

"'Cause I love her," Maggie answered. "I know it sounds naive and kinda 
pointless, what with her practically bein' the bloody second comin' of Xena 
and all. But I can't help it. I can't involve m'self directly in her fights, 
she'd never forgive me if I did. But I _can_ level the playin' field as it 
were. I fill her in on what Immortals are in the area, which ones could be 
considered friendly, which ones'll leave her alone as long as she leaves them 
alone, and which ones she should avoid at all costs. I let her know things 
like where certain Immortals like to hang out, what their weapon and fighting 
style of choice is, what their Modus Operandi is. I take away the element of 
surprise, the risk of ambush, and keep her on her toes. I give her that 
little piece of information that could just push her over the top when it 
finally comes down to the steel. It's my little way of makin' sure she lives 
long enough to fulfill her destiny and helpin' out someone I care about.

"And that goes for the people Ari cares about too. I keep track of her 
friends and let her know how they're doin'. I'm the one who warned Richie 
when Felicia Martins came into town. And I'm partly responsible for bringin' 
the three of you together since I am the one who told Ari where Malloy was 
and got her to go to Seacouver and stop by the dojo the day she met Richie. 
And that's why I poked m'nose into your business."

"Sah yah wah jus' makin' shoah Ah wouldn' haht hah," Elaine reasoned. "Ah cn 
undahstand that. Although yah needn' have worrahed. Ah like Shalla's neck 
exac'lay wheah it is." She flashed her fangs at Maggie, smiling.

Maggie returned the smile. "That's about the size of it," she laughed. "I 
know Richie, but you were an unknown element. And since some of Auntie's 
paranoia has kind of rubbed off on me, I had to make sure you were on the up 
and up. Kind of the same way you kept buggin' Auntie about me."

"Sah weh'ah all se'led then?" Elaine asked.

"I guess so," Maggie answered. "Does this mean you're not gonna try to kill 
me anymore?"

"Onlay if yah wan' meh tah," the blonde assured her. "Beats the hell out of 
dyin' of old age oh cancah."

"Right now I rather enjoy bein' mortal," Maggie replied. "But I am only 
twenty-six. Catch me in a few years and I may change m'mind." Then she smiled 
and held out her hand. "Truce?"

"Truce," Elaine smiled, taking the hand. "Now how 'bou' washin' up an' 
helpin' meh with the cookays?"

Laughing, Maggie headed over to the sink.

THE END