Hello, everyone! This is my new funfic and though it would be pretty hard to break down the history, I'll try my best. Think it will be Officer Murdoch centered, 'cause I adore him! Before we start: I know about the marital status of the certain officer, but I allowed my imagination run wild and fanaticize a bit. Hope, it wouldn't be too bad. I will very much appreciate your reviews and tentative suggestions. Here we go!

Summary: One chance to change a life, one choice to be made. Angela goes back in time on condition that she must only watch the events to follow, but when she is the part of them, could she really stay aside and see the great tragedy to unravel or will she risk the future to save the present?

Disclaimer: Sadly I do not own anyone except original characters of Angela, Avatar Hasin and some others.

Privileged to Witness

Chapter 1 "Not so beautiful morning"

Angela opened her eyes with a groan. The room around her spun with the velocity of light, there was a terrible lump in her throat and she felt like throwing up. Lying as still as possible, she tried to remember the events of the last night. She had a meeting with her former classmates, graduates of 2000. They were talking about their achievements, career prospects, gossiping about who had married who and the like. Angela, who had hardly finished University, majoring in journalism, in her 24 was just a secretary on one of the entertainment channels, with career prospects going as far as making coffee, copies and arranging meetings for her boss, was feeling miserable. A girl, who had always been one of the best in all the classes, was now no one, just one of the million and it was not what she had been dreaming about. The meeting was the most embarrassing thing she had ever experienced, with all her former friends looking wide-eyed when she unwillingly told she hadn't married yet, she had no boyfriend and she hadn't become a well-known T.V. reporter. So instead of receiving sympathetic looks from those whose life was much better, Angela decided to hit the bottle. Beer after beer, she was becoming more and more tipsy, and this means more self-assured and confident and soon sent everyone to Hell and humming "Yo ho ho" and staggering left and right with the help of Andrew, the boy who had a crush on her at school, she walked home.

Only upon reaching her bathroom she understood that she had drunk too much. Latter curved in the ball clenching to the toilet, trying to stop her head from making awful swings and rounds, Angela Winsborn had cursed her miserable existence. That night was the most terrible in her whole life, and the next morning, despite she had slept for more than twelve hours, she felt only slightly better. Now, lying in the bed like a log, tears streaming down her greenish face, she vowed never to drink again. No more, no more. That's enough. I may be just a secretary, but I would not be a drunken pig! Yes, my life sucks, but there's nothing to do about it anymore. Alcohol will not influence my life and decisions anymore. No matter how hard it would be, I'll live without its help. Where had I gone wrong anyway? It's not that I'm ugly or psycho or just stupid. Why then my life are passing by, why can't I control it?

Indeed, Angela wasn't ugly. She was of middle height, slim, had a sportive trained figure and tanned olive skin, honey-brown wavy shoulder-length hair and dark-green eyes. It was just that she never paid any attention to her appearance, preferring to be comfortable than good-looking. It was than when she had understood that she had missed a big part of her life. Everyday she was working, than came home, called her parents, loll on her couch eating hips and watching T.V. On weekends she went shopping with her only friend Kate, they had lunch in a café, then she went to her parents' for dinner and then Monday came and everything was repeating itself. It was an exclusive circle and, digging her nails into the pillow, Angela prayed there was a way out.

Just then as if in answer to her prayers the phone rang and groaning once more Angela reached for the receiver.

"Yes," her voice was harsh, so she didn't recognize it herself.

"What does this mean, Miss Winsborn?" Her boss's angry voice reached Angela's ears, making her head jar painfully. "Weren't you supposed to be at work two hours ago?"

"Sorry, Mrs.Kleiton, I'm, m-m, I'm in no fit to work today. Think, I had caught a cold or something."

"I don't care even if you were bed-ridden, Angela. Had you phoned to worn me? No. Look, and I will not repeat twice: get your ass to my office! Now!" With this she hung up. Angela moaned. Old bitch! I will never make it in less then two hours! Burn in Hell, witch! She carefully put her legs on the floor and tried to stand up. For a minute she thought she became blind, so she closed her eyes for her body to get used to the standing position, gulping air, not letting the nausea get the best of her. Oh, yeah, this is going to be a loooong day.

Two hours and thirty three minutes latter, Angela Winsborn appeared in the building of 3DcT Channel, gravely pale, shaking and still swaying a bit. Cursing her terrible hangover, she struggled to look not at all ill and sick. What met her eye first was the bustle, like the President himself decided to give them interview, what was highly improbable, because their Channel was "more-of-the-entertainment-than-politics", in another words, it was not-so-popular. Noticing Jake, the guard, Angela staggered towards him.

"Hi," she said sheepishly, as he was looking at her attentively, obviously noticing her state.

"Hell, Angela, you look a mess!" He smirked. "How much had you drunk?"

"None of your business!" She answered much louder then she intended. "Sorry, I just feel like shit. What's wrong, anyway? Never see this place so overcrowded."

"Ah, big deal!" Jake stretched and put a cheap cigarette in his mouth. "They say we've been visited by, m-m, a magician and conjurer of a kind. He made a show yesterday, I believe "Spiritual Illusions" or something. They are lucky to have him for the interview, anyway. With our ratings," he sighed.

"All the fuss about the abnormal charlatan? I thought we were better than that!"

"Well, Angela, thing is he's either from Turkey or India, don't remember, but a foreigner who can show something different from endless talk-shows we are used to…"

"Anyway, it's fucking shit, and it won't save us," Angela uttered gravely. "Well, must go or boss'll kill me."

"Good luck," Jake replied knowing full well what happens with those who come late for work in this company.

Angela passed millions of people, running, shouting something in their mobile phones, making notes. And the feeling she had had in the morning returned to her. She wasn't a part of it. It was like she was standing on bank of the river, watching stream run wild, crashing on the stones, live a life of never-ending motion, while she was save on the ground, unmoving. Deep in her thoughts, she didn't notice a man in front of her. The collision made her lost her balance and she was about to fly to the ground, when someone's hands grabbed her by the arms, not allowing to fall. As soon as her head stopped spinning, Angela looked up to see a pair of glowing yellow eyes. There was no doubt that her savior was the conjurer and magician everyone was talking about. He was a tall well-build man of fifty with bronze skin and long black beard. His attire was rich and colorful: dark-blue embroidered coat and wide trousers and a turban of the same color. So much of a foreigner! There was something about him that made Angela feel an inner tremor. He's trying to hypnotize you, fool! Stop staring! Angela looked aside hastily, not wanting to become a victim of that so-called magician.

"Um…sorry, I didn't mean to make a collision, just didn't see my way," Somehow she sound very sheepish and she hated that feeling. The illusionist didn't answer, but inclined his head slowly, still looking at her intently, and soundlessly passed by. His movements were those of a cat: graceful and lithe. Angela shook her head as if to wake up from a dream and was immediately aware of strong headache and start walking towards her final destination: Mrs.Kleiton's office.

"What does that mean? I ask you! Firstly, you decide not to come to your work, then when I call you, you tell me that you have a cold, and now three hours later I perfectly see that it was JUST A HANGOVER!" Mrs.Kleiton had been ranting and raving for ten minutes already, not giving Angela any opportunity to defend herself. "Now tell me what should I do? I who is responsible for the whole state of workers! Should I continue to undergo your tricks or should I just change my secretary?"

"MRS.KLEITON!" Angela could take it no more. "Let me tell you that it was just one time occurrence, an accident and it wouldn't happen again!"

"Of course it wouldn't, Angela," Her boss said icily, "Because you are fired."

"Wh-what?" Angela felt her heart sinking, "But, but you cannot fire me, I-I've been working for this company many years, no one knows this job better then me!"

"I can and I will. And by the way, Angela, this work is not so very difficult to do" The boss smirked.

"Oh, yes it is!" There's time and place for everything, Angela thought she heard it somewhere. Well, it's definitely the time she would tell everything she thought about that bitch, who had ruined a great deal of her life. "You don't even realize how hard it is to work with such a witch as a boss! Angela, go here, Angela, go there. I am not your slave, but for several years I've been cringing before you and I'm sick and tired of it! For all these years you haven't asked me any question other than had I done everything you asked! Not talking about that for such a salary as mine only an idiot would work days and nights on such a stinker!" Angela was breathing hard, her head reeling. Did she really say that? God, she never thought herself capable of screaming at her masterful boss. Speaking of which, Mrs.Kleiton was seating upright, her jar clenched so that Angela could hear her teeth gritting, her face pale with rage.

"Out," she hissed menacingly, "GET OUT!" Angela didn't wait for her to repeat.

"With great pleasure, believe me," Angela replied in a singsong manner and grabbing her handbag and a single photo of the Man of Her Dream from the table, she walked out, slamming the door.

It's just a beginning, sort of introduction. The next chapter will follow soon. What d'you think? Please review and let me know!