The Many Tales of Blackjack: Jokers Wild

"You are not a bad person." Hammond said. He sighed, taking a sip of the chocolate. "If you believe nothing else I say, believe that. I've met bad people, and you are nothing like them. Trust me when I say this."

"I want to be your friend, if you'll allow me?" Hammond said, looking up Erin. "I've heard everything you said, and I still hope to be your friend."

"It sometimes seems..." Erin said, a little slowly, "that being liked and being good don't mean a thing to each other. Or maybe I'm just wrong and broken. I like too many bad people. I should be happy. I should be happy more than anything, but sometimes I just feel so twisted and wrong."

"You're my friend," Erin murmured. "You gave me a job when no one else wanted me, you were so kind to me. I just am no good with faith... and it is hard to understand this place, sometimes... you'll tell me, if I go bad?"

"Being good and being liked rarely have too much in common with each other. It's one of the great difficulties of the world." Hammond said quietly.

"But I'll tell you, if you go bad." Hammond said, and then added those words which meant more coming from a Faerie than from a human. "I promise."