Disclaimer: Obviously none of this is mine. If I owned any of this, Jack would have gotten a better life.
I was living a lie. How could I carry on like this? These people deserved more than the lies I was surviving on. I looked out of the window and saw the small community coming together for a celebration. I had been welcomed in, by open arms, no questions asked and they had no idea how seriously in danger they had become. It's not the first time that I had to hide myself from the world, but every time I did this, it became increasingly difficult for me to live with.
I had sworn my life to protect these people and here I was once again putting them all in danger not that they had any idea. I was very good at covering my tracks and with Chloe providing an unbreakable backstory I knew that my safety was pretty much guaranteed but still, I worried every moment. Innocent people didn't deserve to be pulled into the sort of fights that I managed to get into and I was always one wrong step from doing exactly that.
Right now though there was a knocking on the door and one of the neighbours were calling me to come and join them in the party. I sighed and stood up. I opened the door and smiled at them. "Come on Will. The kids want your help lighting the bonfire." Susanne, my next door neighbour said and I smiled at her and grabbed my leather jacket from the hook by the door. I slowly headed out and joined the small familiar community in their celebrations.
Some days I would lock myself away inside, not willing to face those innocent faces who I could be sentencing to death if I was ever found out. Today was not that day. Instead I joined in, I lifted up the smaller kids and let them throw debris onto the roaring fire as they cackled with glee.
I would spend the night entertaining the group of local kids and then when the time grew late and the flames begun to die I would sit with the remaining adults and cradle a bottle of beer and let their conversation flow around me. I wouldn't participate in the conversations but I was being included and that meant more than anything else.
Other days I would refuse to join the neighbourhood, but tonight I would lay my worries to rest and get some much needed relief from having survived another day and keeping the local population safe, from my particular form of danger.
A/N: Update, due to huge errors. Mostly jumping repeatedly between 1st and 3rd POV. So there's that.
Enjoy? Let me know. Reviews much appreciated.
Still looking for a Beta if interested.