"Hello?", Owen asked as he answered his phone. There were only a couple of people he knew that would be calling this early in the morning. He was glad the caller was one he actually liked.

"Owen," the Father said, "Can you come by the church? I need to see you about something." Owen smile faltered as he listened to the preacher. He seemed off, almost like he was distracted by something.

"Father, is everything all right? You sound…"

"I…," there was a long pause, "I need to tell you in person." A nervousness edge his voice, "Please hurry." The Father hung up before he could ask more questions. That was not like the man. Getting worried he grabbed his jacket left his apartment.

The church wasn't far but the trip felt like it was taking forever. Trying to calm himself he tried to pay attention to his surroundings, a rookie mistake for all immortals as it was a good way to lose your head. He was distracted for a moment when he thought he saw a gentleman in his fifties look at him and say, "Abomination." He turned and looked at the man with some confusion, but ended up ignoring him. It was probably some nutcase anyway.

The church was in sight and he quickened his pace but stopped short when he felt the buzz. Owen looked around then realized it was coming from the church. "Father," he said feeling the concern coming back. He ran up the steps and flew through the doors "Father Andrews," he called out. He saw him in the front of the church looking both scared and relieved. Then he noticed the man sitting in one of the pews with a sabre leaning next on it on the aisle. Owen stopped short the moment he saw it, he knew the family crest on the gold guard all too well. He knew he couldn't avoid this forever. He ignored him at first and went to the Father to make sure he wasn't hurt. Then he looked at the other man with some trepidation, "Victor."

"Finally," he said as he got up. He was an older man who looked like he was in his forties. Dressed in a blue three piece suit, gray temples edged his blond hair. Vengeful gray eyes stared him down, "After a hundred and sixty eight years I finally got you."

"You didn't have to involve the Father," Owen told him. Victor grabbed the sabre and swung, just stopping at Owens' neck. His heart stopped momentarily, not for being that close to dying for real. For the fact he thought Victor would actually do it on holy ground. Looking him in the eyes he didn't see any hint of regret. "Victor…"

"I will not listen to the man who murdered my daughter," Victor said coolly. The father gasp as Owen found himself looking away. "Don't you dare look remorseful to me you bastard. I waited a long time for this day and I will have my revenge." Taking the edge of the sabre away from his neck he calmed down slightly and placed a piece of paper on the bench he was on. "I will give you a day to prepare yourself McAllister. I am civilized after all. But remember I have my sources and I will know if you decide to run again." Owen could do nothing but watch him leave the church.

Feeling very weary the Immortal dropped down into a pew and buried his face in his hands. Feeling the Father gaze on him he looked up. "He had a daughter?", he asked. Owen simply nodded. "Was she…?" Again he nodded. "How is that possible? You told me immortals couldn't have children."

"Long story," was his only response. Looking at him again and anticipating the next question Owen told him, "It's an even longer story."

The Father sat next to him, "Owen I know you Immortals have to precipitate in this Game as you call it, so I won't judge you for the things you have done in it. But if you feel the need to confess a particular sin you have been holding on to I am more than willing to listen."

"It's not that black and white Father," Owen told him softly. "Things might be simpler now if it was."

~1840~

Owen decided to make the journey to the states a couple of years ago. He was wondering why he done it ever since. Right now he agreed to come to Iowa to help out a friend run his hotel while he took care of a sick family member. He never carried much, all he had fit into a pack and some saddle bags, so he just had a horse as he rode into town. It was pretty small, just a few buildings by a river. Most of the people didn't give him a second glance as he stopped in front of the hotel and tied the horse up. Patting her down as he gathered his belongings he felt the buzz and looked around. A stage coach was pulling up at the same hotel. Owen watched a well dressed man with graying blond hair came out and looked him over. Then he looked in further into the stagecoach and saw a raven haired beauty look back and smile slightly. Owen found himself just looking at her until the other man stepped between them. It was right about then he realized both of them where Immortal. He looked him over again and introduced himself, "Victor Heidenreich."

"Owen McAllister," he said as he looked around to see if it was possible to get away incase this was a challenge. Victor tilted his head slightly when he said his last name but said nothing else. "I don't want any problems, I just got into town."

"As did we," Victor said. He looked back into the stage coach and said, "Natalya, go into the hotel. I'll meet you inside momentarily." She said nothing as she got out and smiled at him again. Again Owen couldn't help but stare at her as she entered the hotel. Victor looked stern as he said, "I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't look at my daughter in that way."

"Your what?", Owen said caught off guard.

"I know she's not really my flesh and blood," Victor said, "but I love her like my very own. Her mother was married to a good friend of mine in Russia who was dying. He knew he was going to die before she was born. His last wish was for his unborn child to have a father and asked me to be it."

"No offense sir but why are you telling me this?", Owen asked.

"I honestly don't know," he said with a slight laugh. "I suppose I had to explain it so many times it comes out of my mouth almost automatically now. But you seem like a friendly face," he grinned, "if I may continue? I am so used to telling it." Owen gestured for him to go on, curious himself on how this happened. "Well he died and like I agreed to I married his wife so she would have a father. But I was moving to Paris at the time and thought about leaving them there and sending them money to get by but as I said I am a man of my word so I took them with me. I was just going to give them a roof over their heads and leave it at that. In fact I was doing exactly that for the next six month and a few months after she was born. But her mother forced me to help keep up appearances and spend some time with her. Then she lost her mother when she was five due to illness. The more time I spent the more I saw her developed with wonder. Before long I started seeing her as my own daughter and quickly tried to make up for the lost time I foolishly wasted."

"So how did it happen?", Owen asked. "If you don't mind me asking."

"Because I was way too lenient with her," he said sadly. "I let her do things that are not that lady like although I tried to raise her to be as proper as possible. Most fathers would be stern and make sure their rules was being followed. No, I let her go explore the Swiss Alps all by herself instead of telling her no and she was caught in an avalanche. I was hoping against hope she wouldn't face a violent death."

"I'm sorry Mr. Heidenreich," Owen told him.

"Please call me Victor," he said. "The sad part is I still can't say no to her. That's why we're out her in this godforsaken part of the country. It was the only thing she wanted for her two hundredth birthday, but for the life of me I can't see why."

"If you don't mind me saying Victor she's probably read one of the stories they been printing nowadays and got excited."

"I had the same thought," he chuckled." I'm hoping the stark reality of this place will help her come to her senses." They stopped talking as they heard someone singing, Victor smiled as he closed his eyes and listened. "She always had a lovely singing voice. That's one of the songs she created herself."

"It's lovely,' Owen said mesmerized. "It must be hard traveling with her."

"It is at times," he admitted, "but I am her father. And I will protect her no matter what." Owen couldn't help but notice the threat in his voice.

"I don't go looking for trouble unless I have to," Owen told him.

"Good, then we'll get along just fine then," Victor said. He offered a hand that Owen took, "It's a pleasure to meet you good sir."

"Same here," Owen said. The hotel owner came out and greeted both of him and thanked "Jesse" up and down for coming out to help.

The next couple of weeks went by pretty smoothly. Owen and Victor were getting along rather well considering their different backgrounds. They even spent a day trying to catch some fish in that river. Victor eventually "allowed" him to say a few words to Natalya here and there. Things went so far that they shared sword fighting techniques they picked over the centuries. Although he quickly changed the subject or was vague when he was asked about how he was preparing Natalya in the Game. In any other situation this would have been the grounds for a good and lasting friendship.

Owen was laying in his bed one night, looking out the window. The way the sky looked in the dusk he felt it might storm before too long. It wasn't the only storm brewing as Natalya walked into his room unannounced in her nightgown. "I think you're in the wrong room lass," he told her.

"I hope you don't mind," she said as she closed the door. "Father got called away, something about getting a wire that arrived late or some sort."

"I heard him say something about that earlier. It must be important if it couldn't wait until morning."

"I rarely bother with such things," Natalya told him. "Father's business is his business after all. But he did say to come to you if I had any trouble." She smiled a bit, in way that made Owen uneasy, "You must be honored, my Father trusts no man the way he does you."

"I can't say for sure either way," Owen told her looking for any hint of trouble. "What's troubling you?"

She simply said, "I can't seem to fall asleep," then let her nightgown drop to the floor. Owen eyes went wide as he started at her naked body. With some effort he looked at something else. Slowly she got on his bed and crawled toward him.

"I don't think I can help you with particular problem lass," he muttered quickly. "It might be best if you went back to your room." He tried to back up but he ran out of room at the headboard.

"But this is the one problem I can't go to Father for," she said softly, almost whisper like in his ear. "Don't you find me attractive?"

"You're very attractive, beautiful in fact." Realizing those thought would make this harder to get out of he changed tracks. "It's not proper. Your Father…"

"Is not here," she said. "And what he doesn't know won't kill him." She started kissing him. Owen was having a hard time pushing her away.

"It's not the killing him part that concerns me," he told her plainly hoping she would get the hint. She didn't and kept kissing him. Every decent part of him screamed at him to kick her out of the room. Those screams got quieter with each passing second. Finally he gave in, threw her to her back, tore his clothes off and made love to her. He'd promised himself to regret it in the morning.

As Owen slept Natalya got out of the bed and quickly got dressed. Instead of leaving she searched his room until she found his long sword. Checking the weight a bit she crept to his side and stood there. Her voice barely above a whisper she said, "Out of all the men I've had, you are definitely up there. It's a pity I have to take your head." She raised it over her head and aimed the chop at his exposed neck. Owen rolled to the floor before it hit. He quickly grabbed her arms to keep her from attacking again.

"Lucky for me I'm a light sleeper," he told her. With a quick movement he took his sword back and held it to her neck. "Some how I doubt you are the innocent angel your Father thinks you are."

"My father doesn't know a lot of thing about me," she said defiantly. Owen took the sword away from her neck and started getting dressed. "What are you doing?"

"I am getting out of town," he told her. "You obviously are going to tell him I forced myself on you and there is no way he's going to believe his precious little girl is a whore. If nothing else I must thank you for it," he teased with a grin, "I've never been do relaxed in my life."

"How dare you," she told him and rushed out of the room. She entered her Fathers' room and searched every where hoping he didn't take it with him. Then she found his sabre and went back to Owens' room. She'd teach him for calling her a whore. He was already gone by the time she got there. Looking out the window she saw him heading for the corral. Natalya jumped out of the window and sprained her ankle as he hit the ground. It took a second for it to heal then she went after him, "McAllister!"

"Don't you give up?", he moaned as he was untying his horse. She ran at him swinging the sword. For somebody that was two hundred years old Owen was easily deflecting each strike. It was almost like he was dealing with a new born. "Don't keep up with sword practice do we? And we're out in the open."

"I've taken the head of plenty of immortals," she said, obviously angry at how well he was doing against her. "I know everything they know."

"Knowing is one thing," he said while parrying one strike, "knowing how to use it is another. Or so I've been told." Natalya kept attacking, getting wilder and wilder and using words that would make a gentleman blush. Trapping the sabre against a corral post he said, "Little lady, by the way you're acting, I have to say somebody should take you behind a woodshed and tan your hide."

Natalya got a furious look on her face, "How dare you!" She let go of the sabre and went to slap him.

Owen caught her wrist and told her, "I wasn't volunteering." He pushed her away. She lost her balance and fell into his horse. Some how her hand got caught in the stirrup as the horse got startled and ran off into the wilderness. She screamed all the way. Owen just stood there and watched them get smaller in the horizon. "Serves her right," he said. He started looking for another horse before looking back. With his sword out he jumped on another horse and went after her. He owed Victor that much.

The next morning Victor was finally able to come back after the storm kept him away all night and the whole town was in a frenzy. The moment they saw him they jumped on him everybody almost talking at once. He was able to get bits and pieces. Owen and his daughter was missing, somebody saw them fighting with swords. His mind was reeling from that. Then he saw his sabre, still by the post. Then somebody mentioned something about a how much lightning there was the night before and his blooded boiled. He trusted that bastard and he goes and does this. He stormed over to his sword and glared at it. Picking it up he screamed, "McAllister!"

~now~

Owen got to his feet, picked up the paper Victor left and headed for the door of the church. He paused midway and said, "Honestly Father my only sin that night was I felt sorry her and I've been regretting not listening to my gut ever since. If I survive this I'll explain everything."