Title: Durbaman Protection

Author: Charity H.

Description: Claudia Zacchara has been put into Witness Protection, under the care of Marshall Charles Ray. All she wants is to burn in hell for having 'been possessed by a demon.' However, she gives it a chance and follows the rules, hoping something or someone comes along and gives her something to do until further notice. Welcome to WITSEC…

Disclaimer: This fiction is based off of General Hospital's character 'Claudia Zacchara-Corinthos,' however none of the story is based on any line General Hospital as used. No characters are owned by me, they own themselves. I'm just their creator, they give themselves life. Everyone else mentioned is owned by General Hospital. WITSEC is a program owned and created by the U.S. government.

Chapter 1: Welcome Darlin'

All I can remember before this bull shit was turning around to face what should have been my end. Hell…was that me? Josslyn was in my arms…No…That could not have been me. When I turned to leave Carly, her screaming from more worry and fear than pain, my step son was behind me, ax handle in hand.

That could not have been Michael. The look in his eyes…He had to stop me, and he knew it. But the boy I spent so many nights by when he was in a coma, and even out, just trying to help him overcome what I put him through, was not capable of that. Michael had to have been possessed…by an angel. That angel, praise the Lord, stopped the demon within me. I'm an unruly, manipulative bitch, but I know I love children, and I've always refused to put them in the line of fire from the life I lead. That angel…that angel saved me by 'killing me.'

But obviously it didn't do a good job…Cause look where I am now! I want hell, not this…

"Welcome to WITSEC, Claudia Zacchara. I'm Marshall Charles Ray .We'll start with answering your questions, and then we'll go over the rules and regulations. So…ask away…" The aging man blankly said. It was obvious he had done this for decades and was completely bored with the entry process. But on the other hand, it looked like he was a happy man, still having color in his cheeks from keeping up with fun and not just work. Claudia could break that spirit though…She wasn't for having fun anymore. She was for making herself suffer painfully and slowly. "Claudia…?"

"I don't have any questions. The program isn't entirely unknown to me. Just tell me where I'm heading and my name…What dumb ass job I'll be working-And I swear it better not be flipping burgers! I did go to college and deserve better than freakin' dead cow!" At first she was zoned out, not caring, just down. But then it hit her…Maybe she could get a fresh start. All she had to do with her past was deal with the past. Yet…it killed her. Everything she is known for can never be altered. She 'died' a crazy, psychotic bitch with no purpose but to kill and have sex. That wasn't her, not truly. There were too many nights where she cried herself to sleep. Too many mornings where she willed every ounce of energy she had to crawl out of bed and take on the day's bullshit.

"Okay…," Ray was curious about her reaction, even if it wasn't a first time he hadn't faced someone like that. He had everything he needed to know about her in one big file in front of him, and he knew that she could fly off the handle. But he picked up on how she didn't care, whether she admitted to it or not. "You'll be relocated just outside Durbaman, Iowa. Don't worry, it's close to here. Yer gonna live in a small trailerhood with some good people, so don't go startin' drama with 'em, ya hear? Your new name will be quiet simple, Jackie Addams—"

"Why not just call me Wednesday Addams? I'm weird already and got the dark looks…" She sprawled out her leaning position on the table and began repetitively tapping it with her index finger, while her left hand held up her hands.

"As I was saying Jackie," There was a slight pause so he could wean her on the idea of being called Jackie, "We'll support ya for yer first six months, and after that it's all you. But we'll keep a routine check on ya once a month, even after the first six. After ya've spent a year and tree months, ya got the option to take the risk of leavin' WITSEC, unless ya like yer new life that is." Marshall Ray's glasses came to the tip of his nose and he pushed them back up and looked at her straight in the eyes. With the bored look she had, the look saying 'just kill me, I have nothing anyways,' he knew she wouldn't ask anything, she'd probably barely listen. "We'll have ya begin workin' at the local dinner as a waitress, but ya have a curfew of ten o'clock, for yer own protection. If ya get fired or go half-assed and quit, yer gonna have to find another job that aint any futha than twenty miles outside Durbaman. So be on yer best behavior. Ronald is a good guy and hardly hires just anyone, 'specially new comers. "

Claudia through her head back and let herself slack in the hard chair. "Why…the…hell…am…I….here?" She exasperated, then sat back up. "It's not like I'm not known. I'm pretty sure there's gonna be someone in this small town that's seen my picture on the news."

"There's a lotta pretty ladies out there that have dark looks Jackie. Just deny like ya've done. Now…Ya know no outside contact. No facebook, twitter, or myspace, or any of that other crap ya kids do these days. Phone calls are restricted and are to only be made to me, emergency units, Ronald, and if we approve, a friend. We gotta keep ya safe until otherwise." Ray watched her body language: non-caring still. "It won't be like this for long darlin'. Just till we know we can trust ya in this program."

She smirked somewhat. Blinked. Took a deep breath. Hell did sound better. "A year and three months and from there it's my decision?" It wasn't that long. She was pretty sure something or someone could occupy her time until then.

"That's right." Marshall Ray stood up. "So…wanna go check out yer new place and go do some shoppin? We can say I'm yer Uncle Charles and yer gettin' a new start out here in Durbaman." At least the shoppin' part sounded good. "But when I say shoppin' hun, I don't mean five hunered dolla heels."

"What do you mean?" Her face wrinkled. She knew it was a poor town, but she was hoping they could have gone out into the bigger cities and shopped.

"Thrifty boots and some breeches that can take some dirt n' mud and shirts that look fine with some holes in em." She rolled her eyes and through her head on the table. Right now, getting out of the program looked like her goal. Cause hell had nothing on this.

"Jackie…?" 'Uncle' Ray called her by her new name and she looked up unwillingly. "Ready? Got a lot ta do so ya can start ya new life with us country folks."