Disclaimer: If I owned Dark Angel or V would I be writing fanfiction?

Summary: Father Jack Landry remembers the pulse. More than that he remembers what actually happened, not just the government cover-up.

Pairings: Max/Logan & Jack/Erica

Notes: Welcome to the next part of The Soldier Priest. This story frequently changes viewpoints allowing the reader to see the same events through the eyes of multiple characters. This Chapter's POV character is Father Jack.

Chapter Three:

Confession is Good for the Soul

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It has been three weeks since my last confession…" Jack tried not to sigh as yet another penitent began to confess their sins. He was having difficulty concentrating on confession today. He knew he should do better, that those who came to confess deserved his full attention, but every time he tried to focus his mind would invariably wander back to the strange young man and woman.

A new penitent approached the confessional. A man, Jack could tell that much. He seemed unsure of himself, as if he was unused to doing this. For a moment they sat in silence, the Jack decided that perhaps it would put the man at ease if he said something to start them off, "In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen." He paused. "How long has it been since your last confession?"

"I've never been to confession." The answer surprised Jack. True in the early days after the pulse many that were not Catholic came to his church in search of faith, but lately things had been returning to normal, and only those who were practicing Catholics already came.

But what surprised Jack even more than the fact that this man was not Catholic, was the fact that he knew the voice. It was the strange young man from earlier. Jack tried to keep his voice neutral, "You are not a Catholic, then?"

"No. But I do have faith in the Lady."

"Our blessed Lady." Jack smiled. That made sense. The young man had been standing by a statue of the Virgin Mary when the young woman had approached him.

"Yes."

"Well, why don't you tell me your sins then?"

"I've killed."

Jack waited, there was more to this story. He could tell. When it appeared the young man wouldn't say anything else, he whispered, "Go on."

"I've taken human life. What more is there to say?"

Jack sighed at he bitter pain in his voice. This young man obviously expected him to condemn him without first finding out the facts. While that was probably what anyone else would have done, Jach wasn't into condemning without facts. It wasn't like he had much right. Technically speaking, up until the pulse he had been a wanted terrorist do to his involvement with the Fifth Column. "So have I. Doesn't mean we did the wrong thing. Sometimes it's necessary to take a life in order to save yourself or others. I was a soldier and-"

"I'm a soldier."

"Ah," That explained the age and weariness in his eyes. Though it didn't account for his unusual speed.

"Killing is what I was trained to do." Jack's heart broke and the raw pain in the young man's voice. He had heard the same pain in the voices of soldiers he had counseled when he had been an army chaplain. It hurt just as much now as it did then.

"And that bothers you. You don't have to answer that. I know it's true. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't. But you're not alone. When I was a soldier and I was forced to take a life, it bothered me to."

"Sometimes," the young man whispered, "I feel as if the Lady's given up on me."

"No. She never gives up on any of us. Even when as soldiers we are forced to kill, she's always with us. We just have to have faith in her. "

His reply sounded defeated, "I try."

Jack tried to be encouraging as he answered, "Sometimes, that's all we can do. Just try, and trust and put our lives in her hands."

Something changed in the young man's voice as he answered, "Is your life in her hands?"

Jack thought for a moment. "She's always at my side."

"She protects you?" There was a slightly dangerous tone to his voice.

"She's always there to help me."

The young man's voice changed to the one that had made Jack's blood run cold that morning, "Then you've got nothing to be afraid of."

Suddenly a hand shot through the grate and grabbed him by the throat. As he lost consciousness Jack couldn't help but wonder if talking to the young man was the worst mistake of his life.

AN: So here's the next chapter of The Soldier Priest. this was a particularly intense chapter to write because this is the moment before everything goes crazy. Be sure to review, and tell me what you think of it.

I promise the next chapter will be up tonight.

Til Next Time,

Regal