REVEREND DOUGLAS

The old church stood a few miles down the road from the Crete's house. It was a sturdy red brick building overlooking a small marsh. There were high arched windows on the sides, and a large wheel window overlooking the double-doors that Natalie and Rory used to enter.

The Reverend Douglas welcomed the two of them with a firm handshake. Douglas was a short bald man in a black suit and clerical collar. He greeted them warmly, particularly Natalie whom had known since she was a tiny infant. The good reverend ushered him into his office to the side, next to the kitchen and the low reception hall added to the church some sixty years before.

Douglas listened with interest to Rory and Natalie's request. To the clergyman, the two were almost beaming. Although, he gathered they had known each other so little time, he saw how they beamed at each other and how they didn't come there with nervously, but eagerness to be united in matrimony. He did know, from Natalie that they shared many of the same interests, and he could see that the lanky blonde man adored her.

But Douglas took his duties seriously, he tried to conduct a marriage that would not end in divorce. He was concerned the two had known each other so little time, and wanted to assess the situation.

Douglas already knew much about Natalie, so he inquired of Rory. Rory, under gentle questioning, mentioned his job, his family, and the (non-supernatural) aspects of his childhood and youth in Whitechapel.

"Whitechapel?" mused Reverend Douglas contemplatively. "I believe I've heard of the town."

Reverend Douglas looked to the bookcases around the room. One bookcase was enclosed in glass; this bookcase secured the Bible and books of prayer. A smaller bookcase to the side held secular literature. One book was that of Historic Churches of Ontario.

This was one of the times Rory showed some cunning, at the moment to his disadvantage. Rory guessed what was coming and winced painfully.

"Oh, you know the sad story of the founding of your hometown?" said the Reverend Douglas.

"Sad story?" asked Natalie.

"Yeah, you can say that" said Rory awkwardly.

"A terrible massacre" said Reverend Douglas, looking disapprovingly at Rory. "About the worst example of religious intolerance ever known in Ontario. Or Upper Canada, as it was then."

"A massacre?" asked Natalie. "How? Why?"

Reverend Douglas opened the book to the "White Chapel of Whitechapel". The first page described the history of the White Chapel. But the article ended with "Massacre at Black's Church".

"Reverend Horace Black and his flock" read Reverend Douglas, "were locked in the church by enraged villagers and pioneer farmers from the local townships. The congregants were, in one of the worst crimes known to the early annals of Upper Canada, burnt alive. The Lieutenant Governor, General Sir Peregrine Maitland, ordered an investigation to the outrage. The investigation found the massacre was prompted by rumours spread about Rev. Black and his congregation. Other than that, the investigation proved inconclusive and the matter was dropped. The exact nature of those, likely defamatory, rumours have been lost to time. At any rate, following year, the hamlet of Black's Church was renamed Whitechapel and the present White Chapel built on the site of the destroyed pioneer church. The White Chapel stands to this day."

"I know it's two hundred years ago, Rorster" said Natalie, disgusted "but what a terrible crime. I wonder how many innocent people were killed? Did you know about it? I remember you said your mother's family went to the White Chapel?"

Rory didn't answer right away. Rory looked with unconcealed disgust at the woodcut illustration of the not-so right Reverend Horace Black in his wooden church. Rory knew it was the same one in Whitechapel's local history book. Not that he cared!

Was it Ethan or Sarah who hated Jesse most? With Benny being close behind. Rory didn't know, but he was outraged about the unfairness of that guy coming up from the distant past to haunt him while he and Natalie were planning their wedding. A couple seconds before he had been happy, and now, well, Rory was stricken by what was left of his memory of the vampire party some twelve years before.

It was no fair! It was bogus! It was as if Jesse himself had snuck into the church to mock Rory!

"Does that fracking creep follow me around!" said Rory at once, in his most agitated tone. "That guy isn't a minister, and never ever was?"

Even at the age of 26, Rory considered "frack" to be a swear word, so he promptly took hold of his temper and apologized to the Reverend for "cursing" in the church.

"Of course you're forgiven, but my, my, what are you so worked up against poor Reverend Black and his congregation?" asked Reverend Douglas.

"It happened two hundred years ago" said Natalie. "Why are you angry at the victims . . . ."

Rory felt the awkward silence, as he mentally killed the urge to rub his neck above his jugular vein.

But other than that, Rory didn't know what to do. He couldn't tell the whole truth about "Horace Black" being the leader of a gang of vampires. Or Rory being (briefly) inducted into a later gang of Black's bloodsuckers almost two hundred years later. Nor did Rory want to lie to Natalie or to Reverend Douglas, while sitting in a church. Rory decided to say all he could without complications, and hoped he was doing the right thing.

Rory was encouraged to give it all he had. So for once, he spoke like a book, as if he wasn't in a normal conversation but covering engineering details or even writing an essay.

"They're not victims" Rory said fervently. "Horace Black and his entire flock were nothing but a cult of the worst kind of murderers that preyed on the area . . . and worse. Black liked to force other people into his way of existing, even sometimes against their will. I found out the truth about his crimes when I was a teenager. What they said about him weren't defamatory lies. Reverend Douglas, you need to believe me, your book is wrong. Horace Black wasn't honest or misunderstood. The attack on his church wasn't religious persecution or intolerance. It was honest self-defence!"

Reverend Douglas looked surprised, but he was well versed in reading expressions. Rory's had been lately beaming, but at the moment had a look of excitement mixed with a pleading look. It was strange for an event two centuries ago to have an impact on a young man! There was only one conclusion. Douglas believed Rory or at least he believed Rory thought what he said was true.

Reading of the Reverend Black, Douglas had first a misconception that it had something to do with the massacre of the Black Donnelly's in 1880. It was the result of a longstanding local feud, and ended with the Donnelly farm being burnt to the ground. But no, it was a separate matter entirely, and happened a half-century earlier to boot.

But more pertinently, Douglas also gauged that Rory basically decent and honest. Rory did not strike him as an evil man, let alone one so vile as would applaud burning down a church and its worshipers. Obviously, Rory had some sort of past experience or secret knowledge that made the fate of the "Reverend Horace Black" of particular interest to him. So large a secret that even casually encroaching upon it could provoke this vehement reaction.

The good reverend knew what he should do and say to the prospective bride and groom.

"Still, may they rest in peace" said the minister sincerely. "I believe you mean what you say. What say you, Natalie?"

"I believe Rory" said Natalie, who still looked slightly surprised.

"Man, Natalie" said Rory with an audible sigh of relief, "Thanks."

Natalie put her hand in his, Rory exchanged a look with her and resumed his cheerful expression.

"Although we've just met, Rory, I would gladly preside over the wedding of you and Natalie. Although I've been a widower now for several years, I believe I can still spot true love. But there's a couple of favours I must ask of you two?"

"Of course we will" volunteered Natalie.

"What can we do?" asked Rory.

"It's not that kind of favour" said the Reverend, with a wan smile. "They are in the nature of spiritual guidance."

"Oh!" said Rory, surprised and shuffling his feet. He looked at Natalie, and again could guess what was coming.

"I suppose you two have been intimate?" said Reverend Douglas mildly.

"We have" said Natalie.

"Oh, I get it" said Rory. "Intimate means sex."

"Rorster!" admonished Natalie.

"We're adults" said Rory irritably.

"You know church teachings" admonished Reverend Douglas.

Reverend Douglas went on to say he was uninterested in what they had done in the past, but asked they abstain until their marriage.

Rory thought of everybody who didn't, on television and real life. Everyone from Captain Kirk (Star Trek) to Starbuck (Battlestar Galactica) to, obviously, James Bond.

Bond had been married once. To Tracy (Dianna Rigg) in the somewhat obscure On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Bond had proposed to Tracy, while they hid from SPECTRE in a Swiss barn. Bond had then said something about making Tracy an "honest woman" and having her sleep above him instead of sleeping with her. Then Bond had pulled her down atop him, and slept with her.

"What do you think Rorster?" said Natalie, who felt this was exceptionally awkward. It didn't help Rory was smirking off into space. "I think Reverend Douglas has a point."

"I'm thinking of On Her Majesty's Secret Service" said Rory, turning to Natalie.

"But you know" said Reverend Douglas leaning back and shaking his head, "that had a very unhappy ending. Now, I'm not saying Ernst Blofeld will attack you two with a machine gun while you're driving away from your wedding. But it is fiction, and I don't think you're a secret agent Rory."

"No, I'm not" said Rory, who was surprised the Reverend was a Bond fan.

"Besides, as Louie Armstrong sings in the film, you Have All The Time in the World" said the minister.

"Okay" said Rory, shrugging and smiling at Natalie. "We Have All The Time in the World. Besides, Natalie, it'll make our honeymoon more fun."

That taken care of, the Reverend Douglas went on to a matter he felt was of greater concern.

"Since you've known each other for so little time, I suggest you continue to talk to one another before the wedding. Keep no secrets from each other. Be open books with one another. Let nothing, no matter how painful, how forgotten, how irrelevant, bare your souls."

It struck Rory that he had just been the subject of a strange happenstance. What were the chances of the good reverend having a copy of a book on historic churches? What were the chances that the mere mention of Whitechapel should have Douglas look up what he so innocently thought was a vile crime instead of the end of an evil blot on the countryside?

But back to the present day. Maybe certain things were meant to be? Maybe it was Rory's responsibility to tell everything he knew, to have Natalie know Rory's history and what exactly Team SaBRE was doing. And how Rory felt it was his personal responsibility to fight the forces of supernatural evil. Horrible curses shouldn't fall on innocent kids, or innocent people. Or anyone, really!

"We'll be as open as we can" said Natalie earnestly, looking lovingly at Rory.

"I promise I will" said Rory.

And he meant it. He was after all, in a church.

Rory realized he needed Ethan or Benny to help him explain. And soon. But now, Rory was distracted by Reverend Douglas, who was again speaking.

The reverend's last request was anticlimactic.

"I'd also like to meet that Labrador Retriever staring in from outside the window" said Reverend Douglas. "If you can arrange it."

"That's Krypto!" Rory beamed. "Awesomest dog ever."

Rory opened the window, while Krypto barked his approval and licked the minister's hands.

"Just so you know, you two" said the minister with a smile, "I haven't the slightest problem with Krypto attending the wedding!"