1997- Paris
Joe Dawson stood looking over the railing on Duncan MacLeod's barge and sighed.
He had been through so much in the past few months, and thoughts of Chris
Renwyck weren't much help. While he was in the hospital, recovering from
the shooting that nearly killed him, Chris had stayed by his side and he
felt a sort of pleasure.
A month after she returned to Seacouver, Chris was alone in her apartment
writing in her journal when the buzz hit. Shat sat on the couch too exhausted
to move, knowing it was probably Cat who was baby-sitting Little Mary. When
the Immortal knocked, she sighed and got up. Cat would have had her key.
2000-2001- New Year's Eve- Seacouver
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1! Happy New Year!" Everyone at Joe's
shouted as they hugged and kissed. It was the start of a new millennium and
everyone was happy. Well, almost everyone.
NOTE: "All I Ask of You" belongs to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber not me. It's
from Phantom of the Opera and is one of my favorite Broadway tunes. And yes,
I'll be the first to admit it- I LOVE show tunes, I'm a theatre major, cut
me some slack
A month later- Arizona
The next night- Seacouver
NOTE: This scene was written on the one year anniversary of Mr. R's death.
My roomie and I were observing a moment of silence at the exact moment that
he slipped away from us, and the radio played One Sweet Day by Mariah Carrey
and Boyz II Men. All those that knew him, knew how special he was. He was
like a dad to many of us, and he was someone who was always there when you
needed a shoulder to cry on. I would like to say I wrote this scene, but
I think he may have had more to do with it than I did.
2010- Paris
"How was your trip to Mexico, Uncle Joe?" Little Mary asked. Duncan and Anne
were having a quiet dinner party with Chris and Joe on the barge. Duncan
and Anne had been back together for ten years, and it was an anniversary
party. Joe had become like an Uncle to Mary, and she'd been calling him Uncle
Joe for as long as she could remember. "Did you hike any of the ruins and
stuff?"
Chris walked into Joe's bar and stood in the darkness as Joe played. She
sighed as she realized the words he was singing were about her. After that
night when they broke up, they had remained as close as when they were together,
but they knew it was over between them. They were better off as friends.
She had been in Arizona since then, and now she had come to talk to Joe.
When he was done, she started clapping.
2021- Arizona
"Well, this is it. The final fight between the last two Immortals. I always
told you that you were good enough to make it here." Chris said as she stood
looking out over the pier.
NOTES: Shameless plug for Immortal's Holocaust which goes here after CCB3.
Well Cat and Chris are saying goodbye now, they have left my head (thank
God). Though knowing them, one night while I sleep they'll pop in and maybe
another short will come out of it. Who knows? I personally think I've overkilled
this, but hey, I have no other life but to write and work in a motel until
I loose my head
There was one day in particular that kept going through Joe's mind. Ever
since Chris had become a Watcher they had been good friends, but that day
something happened that haunted him and sent Chris off running. Now, almost
six months later there was no word from her or her student Cat. The two had
been known to run off together for short periods of time, but he didn't know
where they were after they had met up with Adam in Mexico a month ago.
*Chris and Adam* he thought to himself. That thought alone worried him more
than Chris's whereabouts. Methos had been Chris's husbands mentor and had
been there for her after Will had died. The two of them had always been close,
but Joe assumed that there was more to the relationship than either was leading
on.
Joe and Chris had been friends for over 15 years. Their paths often crossed,
but it wasn't until a year ago that he found out the Immortal she was tracking
was herself, who was over 300 years old. There was no doubt in Joe's mind
that Methos had some influence in that area.
Joe started to walk back in the barge as his cellular phone rang. "Dawson."
He answered to a large amount of static.
"Joe?
Six months earlier
"Joe?" Chris said as her friend and fellow Watcher started to waken. "Welcome
back from the dead."
Joe looked confused and dazed for a moment and mistook the ringing in his
head for the buzz. "You mean..." he said weakly.
Chris let out a playful laugh and smiled. "No, you are not one of us, but
you had us all scared for a while. How are you feeling?"
Joe looked around the hospital room and the events of the shooting came back
to him as they often did when he first woke up. "Like hell." He said trying
to smile. "Mac around?"
"I sent him down to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. I do not think he
has eaten since you have been here. I am glad you are ok, we were worried
that we were going to loose you there for awhile."
"Never *old* friend." He said as he reached for her hand. Joe was still out
of it and heavily drugged but the next thing out of his mouth shocked them
both. "Chris, I really care for you, and I think that I love you." He said
as he smiled and then fell asleep. Chris sat there dumbfounded. The next
time Joe woke up, Chris was gone and Mac was sitting next to him.
Joe was brought back to reality by Duncan sitting next to him on the couch.
"Thinking about Chris?" he asked recognizing the look on Joe's face that
he often got. Joe nodded. "Heard anything?"
"I got a phone call a few minutes ago and it sounded like Adam, but there
was a lot of static and I couldn't make out anything."
"Did he say anything about when they'll be home?"
Joe shook his head. "I couldn't tell. But when she gets home, I'm going to
act as if I never said anything, that I never told her how I felt, that I..."
Joe stopped when he saw the look on Duncan's face. "What?"
"Nothing." Duncan said. He knew Joe was tearing himself apart over this,
but he also knew Joe had to get it out in the open to deal with it.
"Besides, after this whole trial mess, there's no way I can get involved
with another Immortal. Who knows, she and Adam are probably in bed with each
other right now."
"Enough!" the Highlander yelled. "How do you expect to recover physically
if you keep beating yourself mentally. Besides, you know Adam better than
that. He knows how you feel about her."
"I know." Joe said as he opened a beer that was sitting on the table. "I
know both of them better than that. Hell Mac, what am I thinking?"
Duncan just stared at Joe blankly. It was a rhetorical question and they
both knew that. "Go get some rest, things will look better in the morning."
Joe nodded and stood up and walked out of the barge.
The Next Day
Joe was awaken from his sleep by a constant knock at his hotel room door.
He turned over to see the clock reading after 2 and he sat up. He slowly
limped his way to the door, avoiding the empty beer bottles and discarded
pizza boxes from the night before. When he opened the door, he was surprised
to see Chris standing there. *Shit!* he thought to himself. *That's exactly
what I look like.*
Chris stood in the doorway smiling. She was wearing a white crop top and
tight black jeans. Her purple trenchcoat was opened just enough to reveal
the hilt of her saber. Her dark auburn hair was pulled back into a Mayan
braid and the pair of sunglasses Joe had lent her a few weeks before the
shooting, rested on top of her head. "Hey Joe." She said as she flashed him
a smile that melted him.
Joe was a grown man, and here he was acting childish over someone almost
ten times older than he was. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen
her dressed like she was now. She usually wore conservative clothes or her
workout clothes. Rarely had she gone without wearing makeup, but her skin
was so tan, Joe couldn't find even a trace of lipstick. "Hi." He said in
reply.
"Are you going to invite me in, or just stand there waiting for a fly to
land in your mouth?" she said as she started to laugh the laugh he had heard
so many times in his mind since that day in the hospital.
"Sorry." He said inviting her in. "You look wonderful."
"You do too. How are you feeling." She walked into the room and hugged him.
Joe was usually neat, but his room was a mess and it looked like he had thrown
a party.
"Better. Here," he said clearing some space of the extra bed. "Have a seat.
Where's Cat?"
"You know how she is about Paris, so she flew straight on to Seacouver. School
starts back soon and she wanted to finish her senior year with friends. She
is staying at Anne and Duncan's until I get back." She answered. There was
an uncomfortable silence that fell between them.
"Look I..." They both said after a few minutes. Chris smiled and got up to
sit next to Joe. She ran her hand through her hair and then took his and
placed it in her lap. "I have been doing a lot of thinking in the past few
months, and I..."
"I have too." He interrupted. "That day in the hospital, the things I said....
I..."
Chris listened as Joe told her that he wasn't himself that day and he didn't
really mean what he said. She knew that what he was saying and what he meant
were two completely different things, but she nodded at what he was saying.
"You are right Joe, things would not work out between us. We are just too
different to even think of such things." She was lying. They both were and
the other one knew it.
"Exactly. I mean we've been friends for so long, why should we mess it up
by getting involved with each other. Eventually, we'll just wind up hurting
each other."
Chris nodded and tried to smile. "Well, I better get going. I just wanted
to stop by and let you know I was back, but flying home to Seacouver tomorrow.
I also wanted to see that you were ok." She said as she stood up and allowed
Joe to walk her to the door.
"I'll be heading back soon too." He said.
Once again, an uncomfortable silence fell between them. Chris finally opened
the door and started to walk out. "Bye Joe, take care."
"You too." He said as he shut the door behind her and stood there. Outside
the room, Chris leaned against the doorway as a tear rolled down her cheek.
After a few minutes, she turned to leave.
Inside the room, Joe opened the door and looked out. "Chris?" but she was
already gone.
*Fighting Emotions, Running Scared is the title of a play I wrote for Mr.
R. a few days before he died. He never had the chance to read it.
"Chris?" Methos said from the other side of the door. Chris slowly made her
way across the apartment and flung the door open. "You look like hell." He
said with a grin.
"Hello to you, too." She said, as she flopped back onto the couch.
Methos crossed to the kitchen and placed the bag of beer in the fridge and
took two of them before heading towards the couch. "Want to talk about it?"
he said handing her one the beers.
She twisted the cap off the long neck and took a long sip. "I have not slept
in days."
"That's obvious." He said as he paused. "He's back you know. I just left
the bar."
"How is he doing?"
"You know how Joe is, never letting his personal feelings interfere. What
happened between you two? I asked him if he'd talked to you since he'd been
back and he just got close mouthed all of a sudden."
"Humph. Close mouthed was the one thing he was not the last time we spoke.
Can you believe he told me he did not think it work out because he did not
think Will would approve! Will has been dead for over 50 years. What does
Joe think I was doing those six months? Digging up Wills' grave?"
Methos sighed. He knew all to well that Chris and Cat had been traveling
to places that Will and Chris had been to together, so she could finally
come to terms with Will's death now that Kenny was dead. She ended her trip
in Mexico praying beside Will's grave, asking him for guidance. "That's the
point, Joe thinks that Will is an obstacle the two of you will never be able
to overcome. He doesn't know what you were doing. Mac told me that he thought
that you and me were sleeping together."
Chris started laughing. "No he did not. No wonder Joe has been so cranky."
"I don't find it funny. If you remember there was a time..."
Chris stopped laughing and looked at Methos with anger in her eyes. "You
have a lot of nerve bringing that up." She hollered at him. "I was weak and
vulnerable and you took advantage of me."
Methos looked stunned. Maybe she had been weak and vulnerable, but Methos
had never taken advantage of a woman, not even when it was customary. He
had learned though that it was better not to argue with her when Chris was
in this kind of mood, so he let it go. He watched her as she stood up and
walked to the window. "Chris I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."
Chris looked at Methos and smiled. He had always been there for her and she
knew what happened the day he had made love to her, was as much her fault
as it was his. "How do you do it? Fall in love with mortals, I mean. I saw
the way you were with Alexa, and you knew she was going to die sooner than
her time."
Methos sat quietly on the couch remembering Alexa. For the six months they
had together, they were each other's life. Even now a year later, it hurt
him to think about her. He quickly avoided talking about Alexa. "But it's
different with Joe. He already knows what you are from the start, and you
know how he feels about it."
"Maybe he is right about it not working. Look what happened because of his
friendship with Mac. Imagine what would happen if we did get involved."
"But he's not your Watcher. Besides, you're one of them. Go to Joe. Talk
to him. Let him hear how you feel from yourself. Not by me through a cell
phone."
"I am scared. I do not want to loose him like I did with Alexander and Will.
I almost lost him once already and if we do get together, I will eventually
loose him. One of us will eventually die."
Methos hugged Chris and the two Immortals got the buzz and heard Cat's voice
in the hall. "I'm telling you, she'll be happy to see you." Cat said as she
opened the door.
Joe stood there shocked to see Chris and Methos embraced and turned around
to leave, slamming the door behind him. Chris let go of Methos and ran after
him.
"What's going on between those two?" Cat said as she walked to the fridge
took out a coke and plopped down onto the couch.
"Love, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Methos said as he headed out
the door.
Chris was chasing Joe down the hallway yelling. "Joe! Joe please wait." Joe
stopped at the elevator and pressed the down button. Chris reached him as
the doors were almost shut. She put her foot between the doors as they were
almost shut and they opened back up when they hit resistance.
"I have nothing to say." Joe said as he pushed the door close button.
"Then listen to me. Joe please." The doors began to shut again, and she slid
into the elevator. "What is wrong with you? Seven months ago, you told me
you loved me, last month you told me you did not, and now your getting mad
because I was hugging Adam. It was nothing. Honest."
"How am I suppose to know that. I've read the files on you, Will, and him.
I know what you guys were like. You have every right to be in love with
him."
An amused look passed over Chris's face and she tried to hold back her laughter.
"You think I love Adam?" Joe nodded. "Joe, I am not going to lie to you.
Yes I do love him, but it is a different kind of love than you are thinking
of. For awhile, he was the only thing I had left of Will to hold on to. He
has always been there for me, and I love him for that."
"Is that the truth?" Joe asked as the elevator hit the ground floor and the
doors started to open. "Is that all there is to it? Just a friendship kind
of love?"
"The truth? Joe, you can not handle the truth, but yes, that is the only
kind of love we will ever have for each other.."
"What do you mean I can't handle the truth? Damn it Chris, I want to know
if there's a chance for us."
"Are you saying you love me?" she asked. For some reason she couldn't look
Joe in the eye for fear of seeing what she knew was there.
"I don't know what I'm saying. I just know you mean a lot to me, and I don't
care what would happen if the Watcher's found out about us."
Chris ran her fingers through her hair and looked up at Joe. "Do you really
want to know the truth? All of it?" Joe nodded. "Not tonight, we are both
tired and strung out. How about I cook dinner, for us tomorrow?
"I have to work." He said as he finally stepped out of the elevator.
"Joe you own the place. You can take time off anytime you need to. Please."
She said following him.
"I'll see what I can do. I'll call you." He said as he walked out of the
apartment building.
Chris reluctantly walked back to the elevator and as she was about to step
in, Methos stepped out. "Everything ok?"
Chris shook her head and started crying. "I have already lost him."
"Come on, let's go back up." Chris nodded and allowed Methos to help her
to the apartment.
When they got to the apartment, Cat was on the phone. "I'm sure Anne. No
they... Let me call you back." She said as she hung up the phone. "Everything
ok?"
Chris shook her head and went into her bedroom closing the door behind her.
Methos just stared at Chris's door. "The two of them are never going to realize
how much they love each other if they don't stop arguing about it."
"She didn't tell him?"
"She tried to. What were you talking to Anne about? It sounded like it was
about them."
"Anne wants to play matchmaker if they don't come to their senses on their
own."
Chris walked out of the bedroom in time to hear that last comment. "Tell
Anne thanks but no thanks. I do not want you guys interfering. This is just
proof that it would never work out between me and Joe. There is no use getting
everyone's hopes up just so they can be shattered."
Cat hugged her teacher and smiled. "Chris, all you could talk about while
we were traveling was how you felt about Joe. My hopes have been up and there's
no way to avoid them. Anne just cares about you. We all do. Have you told
him the truth?"
"I told him he could not handle the truth."
"You did what?!" Methos hollered. "Chris how could you?"
"I do not know. How can he handle it when I do not even know what the truth
is? God, it was so much easier with Will. We knew from the start we were
the ones for each other. With Alexander, I knew him all my life, and I always
felt the same thing for him. But with Joe, my emotions keep changing every
time I see him or when he opens his mouth."
"Chris," Methos started. "Just come right out and tell him 'Joe, I love you'
and things will change. He needs to know how you feel before he can show
you he loves you."
"He is never going to think that there is nothing going on between us. Joe
thinks Will is an obstacle, but I think you are a bigger one we need to
overcome."
"Joe thinks there's something going on between the two of you?" Cat said
laughing. "Not that is funny."
Chris shot a look at Cat that shut her up and Methos smiled. "It's too scary
how the two of you are so much alike." He responded.
Cat noticed the look on their faces and got the idea. "Now this is a story
I haven't heard. Someone want to fill me in?"
"Might as well tell her, she will find out sooner or later." Chris said as
she opened another beer and handed one to Methos.
"Why me?"
"You brought it up earlier. Besides, I want to hear how you tell the story."
She said as she sat Indian style on the couch and rested her chin in her
hands.
"Ok, fine." He said as he sat down in the recliner. He took a sip of his
beer and looked at Chris. "It was right after Will had died. Chris had just
buried him and was packing up their house in Mexico and I came as soon as
I had heard..."
1946- Mexico
Methos stood at the door of Will and Jordan's house relieved to feel at least
her buzz. He had heard that Will had been beheaded and there was a rumor
that she had been as well. He knew that if she were still alive that this
would be the place she would be, and when he went to Uxmal, he saw Will's
grave and knew she was probably at the house.
He knocked at the door, but she ignored it. A moment later, he opened the
door and walked in to find her packing. "Jordan?" She turned around and saw
him standing there with his arms out. She ran to them crying. "It's ok.
Everything is going to be fine."
"He is gone and I could have stopped it. Will is dead now because of me.
Oh God Methos, what am I going to do?" she said as the tears rolled down
her face. She looked up to see he was crying too.
"I don't know." He said honestly. "You have to keep on living. Keep Will's
memory alive. Come on, I'll help you finish packing." He said as he let go
of her and lifted her chin with his finger. "I'm here for you. It's going
to work out."
Chris shook her head "We kept arguing the past few days. I never told him
I was sorry. I never got the chance to tell him one last time that I loved
him."
"He knew." Methos said as he looked down at her and could see the pain in
her eyes. He was hurting too. Will was one of the best students he had ever
had. "It's going to be ok. I'll help you get through this."
The next day the left Mexico at Methos's advice. He stayed with her for several
months and everywhere they went, she thought she had seen Kenny. It was tearing
her up inside and every moment she wasn't chasing after him, she was chasing
after Will's *ghost* swearing that it was Will she felt.
One night he came home to find Jordan looking out the window crying. "What
is it?" he asked going to the window where she was.
"I saw a Quickening and it reminded me of Will. I can not handle it anymore.
I have to get out. Every bit of the Game reminds me to much of Will."
Methos didn't know what to say so he just held her tightly until the crying
stopped. When she was finished she looked up at him and tried to smile. "I
am sorry."
"What for? You have every right to be upset." He said as he wiped the final
tear from her face.
"The truth?" he nodded. "Neither of us can handle the truth of why I am sorry,
but thank you. You have done so much for me." She said as she kissed him
on the cheek.
"Only because I know how much you loved Will."
Jordan's smile finally came. She increased the pressure of the embrace and
kissed him again on the cheek. Slowly she made her way to his lips.
Methos pulled away from Jordan and looked at her amazed. The pain in her
eyes were temporarily replaced by lust and need. As she pulled him back towards
her, he knew that as much as he didn't want to make love to her, in the state
of mind she was in, it was the one thing she needed.
When he woke up the next morning, she was gone. She had packed what little
belongings she had brought with her and left with a note saying, "The truth
is, I will always remember what you did for me. - Jordan Christine
Renwyck-Vincente."
"And we did not see each other until Australia in the mid seventies." Jordan
said.
"I can't believe you told Joe the same thing as you told me about the truth.
I guess you're going to blow him off too now, right?"
"I did not blow you off, Methos. I was scared and confused and alone." She
said slightly raising her voice higher than she wanted to. "Look, that is
in the past now, and we are still friends. Please let us not argue."
"Don't worry about arguing in front of me, I don't mind. Hell, after all
Duncan and Anne were fighting from the time they left this afternoon until
the time they came home." Cat said.
Chris and Methos laughed and realized they were both being foolish about
the whole thing. "Look," Methos started. "I'll talk to Joe. Maybe I can talk
some sense into him."
"Thank you, but I doubt it will be worth it. Once Joe has his mind set on
something he is not easily ready to forget it. This is something the two
of us have to work out for ourselves."
"Let me know?" Methos said as he stood up to leave. Chris followed him to
the door and hugged him.
"I will. And Methos, thank you. Thank you for everything."
"Anytime." He kissed her cheek and left. Chris turned around and sat back
down on the couch.
"So, is there anything else I should know about you that I don't?" Cat said
sitting beside her.
Chris looked at her student and realized that what Methos had said earlier
about the two of them being so alike was true. "Is there anything else you
want to know?"
"Well, actually there is. Which one is better in bed? Duncan or Methos?"
Chris just laughed and took the last sip of her beer and smiled. "I will
let you know after I can compare them to Joe." She said as a wide grin spread
across her face.
"Happy New Year, Chris." Methos said hugging her.
"Same to you. I guess this makes the sixth millennium you've seen." Just
then, Chris and Methos were soaked by champagne which Richie had been shaking
and then hitting everyone with the foam as it spewed out. "Thanks a lot Richie."
Jordan said as she hugged him and laughed. She took the bottle out of his
hand and poured he rest of it over him.
"Hey aren't you guys forgetting something?" Cat asked, tapping her foot on
the stage where she had been playing the drums earlier when Joe played a
set.
"Yeah, someone deserves a few birthday spanks." Richie hollered. "Happy Birthday
Cat!" he said as he threw her a beer. "Drink up, you're legal now!"
"Bout time! Throw me a six pack." She said as everyone laughed.
"Great!" Joe said laughing. "Between the new year and her 21st birthday,
I'll be out of business before dawn."
Chris walked over to the bar and sat down on a stool. "Lighten up Joe, we
are all just having some fun. Do not forget, this was your idea." She said
as he handed her a beer.
"Chris, help!" Cat yelled. Chris looked over and saw Methos was holding Cat
as Richie spanked her. All three of them were laughing.
"Guess that'll be you in a few days." Joe said laughing.
"No way is anyone going to give me 355 spanks at once. I am not crazy!"
"Hey guys, Chris just gave us permission to start her spanks now!
"Go for it Joe!" Methos yelled as he gave Chris a smile.
"Oh no." Chris protested as Joe came around the bar and started chasing her.
After Richie and Methos had stopped spanking Cat, they joined in the chase.
Chris ran behind Duncan for protection. "Mac help me. They have all lost
it."
Duncan grabbed her and smiled. "Come and get it boys!"
"Anne, talk some sense into your man. How can he do this to one of his own
students?"
"He does it to me too, besides he never listens to what I have to say."
Duncan grinned as he looked at Anne. "Watch it, you're next."
A few hours later, the party settled down and everyone left drunk, but happy.
Chris and Joe were the only two left. "You don't have to stay, you can go."
Joe said as he watched Chris clean up some of the mess her friends had left
behind.
"No, I will help you clean up. It is only fair since I helped trashed the
place."
The two cleaned in silence for awhile. They never did tell each other how
they felt, and their friendship had backed off some. "Well," Joe said after
an hour. "I'll leave the rest to the crew tomorrow. Do you think Cat is all
right? She seemed pretty wasted when she left."
"She will be ok, I had Methos take her home. After she wakes up, I do not
think she will decide that she has missed her days of drinking and partying
all night."
"How about you, are you ok, to drive home?"
"I think I will walk, it is so nice out there. Cold but nice."
"I'll drive you home, if you want me too."
"I will be fine Joe, besides, I am not ready to head on home just yet, I
want to walk and think of some things."
"Chris?"
"Yes Joe?"
"Never mind." He said as they walked to the door and he turned out the
lights.
"You know I hate it when you do that Joe, what is it?"
Joe looked hesitant for a moment. "I was just going to say if you don't want
to go home, you can come back to my place."
Chris smiled. "I would like that." She said as they got in his car and drove
to his house.
When they got to Joe's he let them in and she sat on the couch. "Want anything
to drink?" he asked. "I have some coke, tea, and beer, or I can make you
some coffee."
"Coke is fine." She said. She noticed a keyboard in the corner of the room
and stood up and started to play it. "Do you play?" she asked him as he brought
her the coke.
"A little bit. You?"
"Not in a long time. After Will died, I left our piano in the house in Mexico
and have not played since." She said as she started playing chopsticks. "And
as you can see, my selection of songs I can play are limited."
Joe smiled and started to play the other part of the piece. When their hands
met, he took it and smiled. "Chris look..."
"Joe, please do not say anything. This moment is perfect, and I do not want
it ruined."
"I was just going to tell you my New Year's Resolution. Please let me." Chris
nodded. "Actually it's been my resolution for a few years, but after tonight
I promised it would be this year that I did it. Jordan Christine
Renwyck-Vincente," he started as he took a deep breath. "I love you and I
want to be with you tonight."
Chris looked at him and smiled it was the first time he had called her by
her first name and to hear him say it gave her a warm feeling.. "I was wondering
how long it would take you to tell me. The question is, do you mean it this
time? Tomorrow are we going to go back to the way we have been?"
Joe looked at her with hurt in his eyes and then kissed her. "Not if you
tell me you feel the same."
Chris smiled. "But I need to tell you something."
"If it's about you and Methos, I already know. If it's not, don't say a word,
just let me make love to you." He said as he kissed her. Joe took her to
the bedroom and turned the lights down low.
Joe kissed her lips, and tasted the champagne that she had been drinking.
He knew she was covered in it, and he wanted to taste it. All of it. He probed
his tongue against her lips, and when she opened her mouth, he slid his tongue
in to find hers waiting for his. He slowly started to undo the buttons on
her dress, and as it fell to the floor, he smiled when he saw she didn't
have anything on under. He made his way down her neck kissing and licking
until he had reached her nipples. Chris couldn't help but giggle as Joe's
beard tickled her. The feel of her chest vibrating at his tickling made him
even more aroused then he was.
He started to kiss each breast, alternating between sucking and lightly nibbling
while the other breast was being massaged with his hand. Jordan threw her
head back in pleasure and softly moaned. "Joe..."
"Shhh...." he said as he made his way back to her lips. Their tongues danced
together in unison as he slid his hand slowly down her body between her legs.
Chris opened her legs a bit to allow him access and moaned as he found her
nerve center. He slowly inserted a finger while continuing to rub her clit
until he felt her start to tremble. He laid her on the bed and slowly undid
his jeans and took off his shirt.
Chris stared at his manhood and smiled as she noticed the reaction Joe had
as he realized she was staring. As he started to move over her, she took
his manhood in his hand and massaged it between her thighs. "Are you ok?"
she asked concerned when she saw him grimace. He nodded and they rolled over
to where she was on top. She kissed her way down his chest, kissing each
nipple until she mad her way between his legs. Before she took him in her
mouth, she help him take off his prosthetics. She licked the underside of
his shaft and then lightly nibbled on his head. Now it was Joe's turn to
moan.
The nibbling, sucking, and her massaging his testicles was almost to much
for him to bare. "Chris, please." He said.
She knew what he meant as moved her way upward, finding his mouth and passionatly
attacked it. She started to kiss him and slid Joe into in one movement then
staying still to let herself adjust to his length. It had been so long since
she had had a lover, and when she was ready, she sat up rocking back and
forth.
Joe reached up and played with her nipples with one hand and the other found
it's way back to her nerve center. He could feel her muscles tighten around
him as she moved up and down on his shaft. As her muscles started to relax
after hitting her climax once, she increased the speed determined to make
Joe feel the pleasure of her fully. Finally, they rolled over and Joe thrusted
deep into her. He could feel her getting tight again, and as she climaxed
once more, it sent him over the edge as he pumped his love into her.
Afterwards, they laid next to each other with his arms wrapped around her
as her head rested against her shoulder. "Chris?"
"Yes Joe?" she said barely awake.
"Happy new year."
She turned her head so she could look him in the eyes. "The same to you,
and Joe."
"Yes Chris."
"I love you too." She said as she kissed him softly on the lips and fell
asleep.
Later that morning, Chris left Joe's house happy. They had slept most of
the night and when they woke, they made love again. When she got to her
apartment, she was surprised to find Methos sleeping on the couch. She quietly
went to Cat's room and checked on her and then went to hers to take a shower.
She had attempted to take one at Joe's to wash off the champagne, but the
attempt was diverted. When the water ran cold, she got out of bed and put
on a tank top and herfavorite pair of cutoff sweats and headed towards the
kitchen to fix breakfast.
"Good Morning." Methos said as he grabbed her hand as she walked by the
couch.
"That it is." She said.
Methos pulled her around to the other side of the couch and patted for her
to sit down. "I guess I don't need to ask where you've been or what you've
been doing, it's written all over your face."
Chris ran her fingers through her hair and tried to hide the smile that she
knew would give her away. "We did a lot of talking."
"Then why do you smell like smoke?"
"You remembered?" she said letting the grin take over her face.
"How could I forget. You're the only person I know that smokes both after
and during sex."
"Well, after anyway." She said as her grin got wider. "How is Cat doing?"
"She'll be nursing one hell of a hangover, but other than that she's gone
crazy. You know sometimes when I look at her and see how she acts, I think
she'll stay 15 forever."
"What did she do now?"
"She gave me a nickname."
"What is wrong with that?"
"It's how she gave it to me and what the name is. She had thrown up all over
my shirt, and I had to take it off. Well, she being as drunk as she was,
retreated back to her old days, and started rubbing her hand across my chest.
The next thing I knew she was calling me..."
"Morning Chris. Morning Meaty."
"Meaty?" Chris said trying to hold back her laughter. "Well that explains
why your wearing my sweatshirt. Happy Birthday Cat." She said standing up
and walking to the kitchen. She turned the coffee pot on, and poured a glass
of water for Cat.
"Don't remind me. I'm still in pain." She said as she grinned and rubbed
her backside. "I'm surprised you can even sit down after all the ones you
got." She said as Chris sat at the kitchen table.
"If anyone tries to do it again Wednesday, I will behead them on the spot.
And it is all your fault," she said looking at Methos. "Meaty!"
"Mine?!? Why's that?" he said flashing her that 'but I'm sweet and innocent'
look.
"Telling Joe to go for it."
"But I'm sure you paid him back for it, right?"
Chris grinned as she poured herself some coffee. "It was definitely worth
all of it."
"Why am I always the one left in the dark about things? Would someone like
to tell me what you're talking about? I am an adult now in case you guys
forgot."
"Remember a few years ago, you asked me a question and I told you I would
let you know after Joe?" Cat shook her head and then when she realized what
Chris was talking about, a grin spread across her face.
"Now who's being left out in the dark? What, were you comparing all your
Immortal Lovers to your mortal ones?"
"Only the recent ones. Starting with you."
"Ok, that's it." He said as he threw his arms up. "I'm leaving now, I don't
think I want to stick around for this conversation." He said laughing as
he walked towards the door.
"I am not through talking to you." Chris said as he walked out.
"Bye." He said as he stuck his hand through the door and waved and then shut
it.
"Well?" Cat said wide eyed pouring herself a cup of coffee and putting the
water glass in the sink.
"Well what? Which of the three is better?" Cat nodded. "I am not one to kiss
and tell." She said laughing.
"Come on Chris. We share everything. Why won't you tell me?"
"Because we have to be at the dojo in twenty minutes. Now get dressed and
I will see you in a few."
"But..." Cat protested.
"Later."
"Joe, I want to know where you're taking me." Chris said blindfolded, as
Joe lead her to the door of the bar.
"To your birthday surprise." He said with a devilish tone in his voice.
Chris got the buzz and stopped. "Joe, I know Duncan, Richie, Adam, and Cat
are all in there, and if you've thrown me a party, I'll..."
"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted as Joe entered the bar and took the blindfold
off. He stood there smiling and kissed her. "Happy Birthday."
"You do know I love you right?" she said and he nodded. "Good because now
I am going to kill you."
"Ah this is only part of the surprise." Methos said as he walked up to her.
He was hiding something behind his back.
"That better not be what I think that is, Meaty." She mocked him.
He produced a spanking paddle and smiled as he gently hit it against the
palm of his hand. "Just wait, you're still due for about 175 more spanks."
"I'll be back in a few, I've got to go check something." Joe said as he kissed
her. "Will you be ok?"
"Yes, Joe, as long as that paddle stays away from me, Methos will still be
the Oldest Living Immortal." She said stressing Living. Joe left her side
and headed behind the curtain that had been placed around the stage.
Chris walked around the bar and mingled. Duncan was there with Anne and they
had brought Little Mary who was being watched by Cat. Richie was there with
his girlfriend and he and Methos were talking secretly about why Richie wanted
to borrow the paddle. Suddenly the lights dimmed and everyone started to
sing "Happy Birthday" as the curtain opened. There on stage Joe was playing
the piano that Will had given her on their anniversary. Chris wasn't sure
whether to cry or scream.
"Joe, how did you ever...?" she said as she went to him and hugged him. "I
never thought I would see it again." She said as he slid down the bench and
let her sit next to him.
"I had some help, it wasn't easy. Especially since I only found out about
it a few days ago."
"But how?" she said as she started to play a slow song. Then it hit her.
The only other person who knew about the piano was of course, Methos. She
looked over at him and smiled. He came to the edge of the stage and smiled
back. "I do not know how you got this, and I do not think I want to try and
understand, but thank you. Thank you both."
"I knew when you were packing things up after Will died, even if you had
wanted to, there was no way to take the piano, so I put it in storage all
this time." Methos said.
"For almost 60 years?! You' have got to be crazy!" Chris said as everyone
laughed.
"Yes, and I'll just add it to your bill. Are you going to sing?"
"She sings?!?!" came out of the lips of every person in the bar but Chris,
Methos, and Joe.
"Only in the shower." Joe responded as Chris grabbed the paddle from the
top of the piano and playfully whapped Joe on the shoulder.
"Not alone." Chris said. "Any volunteers?" No one said anything. "Hey, Mac
this is right up your alley." She started playing what she could remember
of the song she had learned by ear.
Anne started laughing when she remembered the last time she had heard Duncan
sing. She was shaking her head and had her hand to her mouth trying to keep
her composure. "What song?" he asked.
"Phantom of the Opera, Webber's version. Act 1 Scene 12 the final duet?"
Duncan looked puzzled.
"All I Ask of You." Joe said as he started playing it with her.
"You know it, Mr. I-only-like-to-play-the-blues?" she said stopping to let
him play.
"Hey I'm his Watcher. When he goes to that kind of thing, I do too. Besides
what's wrong with liking the blues. What do you call what the Phantom has
at the end of that scene."
Richie couldn't resist. "Gas!" Everyone started an uproar. A few years ago,
Mac, Anne, Richie, Cat, Chris, and Amanda had all gone to see the touring
company of Phantom. Richie swore up and down the guy that played the Phantom
sung worse than Carlotta.
"Somebody hide the beer from him please." Joe said as he still continued
to play. He looked at Chris and smiled. "No more talk of darkness. Forget
these wide eyed fears. I'm here, nothing can harm you. My words will warm
and calm you. Let me be your freedom, let daylight dry your tears. I'm here
with you beside you to guard you and to guide you."
Chris kept smiling the whole time Joe sang. She had never sang in front of
a crowd, and only Methos knew her secret talent. Now there was no way she
was going to get out of this. "Say you love me every waking moment. Turn
my head with thoughts of summertime. Say you will need me with you now and
always. Promise me that all you say is true..."
"That is all I ask of you." They both sang. Everyone in the bar clapped and
Chris blushed.
"I didn't know you could sing." Joe said as he kissed her cheek.
"It is not something I like to broadcast."
The door to the bar opened and a young man walked in. "The bar is closed."
Joe said.
"I'm looking for Joe Dawson. I was told I could find him here."
"I told you the bar is closed."
"Joe, be nice." Chris said "Is there anything we can help you with?"
"My name is Rick Schaefer, and I was told to talk to Dawson about...
things."
Joe recognized the name and sighed. "Cat's Watcher." He whispered to her.
"Be right back guys. Chris come with me."
"Joe I do not think that is such a good idea."
Joe took her hand, and motioned for Rick to follow them to the back office.
He shut the door and sat down at the desk in front of the computer. "Rick
this is Chris Renwyck , Cat's guardian. It's ok, she knows." He said as Rick
eyed Chris.
"How do you do. Look Mr. Dawson..."
"Joe, please."
"Joe, I'm sorry I interrupted the party, but I was told to contact you
immediately. I've read her files and everything, and I wanted to tell you,
that the Hunter's have caught on. They know about Chris."
"Shit!" Chris said as she ran her hand through her hair. "How much do they
know?"
"Just that you're still alive and their only link to Methos. I came to offer
a solution."
"Why should we trust you? You could be working for the Hunters." Joe said.
"I promise you sir. I'm not working for them, but they are after Chris. They're
looking for her and I came to warn you. Honestly sir. I overheard them talking
at HQ."
Chris stood up and started walking to the door. "Joe, I am leaving. I will
go somewhere where they can not find me."
"Chris no." Joe said going to her. "Wait please."
"If they know about me, then they may know about us. I will talk to you later."
She said as she walked out the door.
Joe cursed knowing it was better to let her leave. "Are you sure?" Rick nodded.
"They're coming for her soon. They've already ransacked her place in Arizona,
and if she goes there, they won't think..."
"They'll keep searching until they find her. Look, I want you to watch both
of them until this gets straightened out.
"What if we make it look like she was beheaded. I can alter Cat's Chronicles
to make it look true. Then if Chris lays low for awhile..."
"Ok. Go see what else you can find. Can I trust you? Are you telling me the
truth?"
"Watcher's honor. I swear if I'm lying you can have my head."
Joe left his office and went back out to the party. Chris was nowhere to
be found. "Where is she?"
"She took off like a bat out of hell Joe, what's going on? What's Cats' Watcher
doing here?" Methos asked concerned.
"Hunters are after her."
"No wonder she was pissed." Richie said. "They know then?"
Joe nodded. "We have to find her."
"I miss you too, Cat. I know Joe has to be upset, but please, do not tell
him where I am. It will only put him in danger." Chris said to the phone
as she sat on the couch. When she had left Seacouver that day and got on
the first plane out of there, her first instinct told her to go to Mexico,
but she decided Arizona would be a better choice. When she got there, the
house had been broken into and torn apart. It took her two days before she
could even clear a pathway to walk between rooms. "I will be back soon, just
tell him that and I love him. Ok, ok... I will. You too, bye."
She put the phone down and sighed. Cat had waited until things had calmed
down in Seacouver before calling Chris, and the tone in the young Immortals
voice let Chris know that leaving was the best thing to do. They broke into
her apartment a week after she left, and Joe and Rick had planned it out
to make it look like she had been beheaded. Now she just had to wait a little
while longer before things settled down before she could go home.
She walked over to the bookcase and pulled down one of her Chronicles and
started to write in it. She had been writing for over an hour when the buzz
hit. "Damn it Methos, come in." She said not even moving.
Methos walked in and smiled. "I didn't know Arizona had tornadoes that came
inside of houses." He said, as he laughed looking at the mess that Chris
had yet to touch.
"It is not a good idea for you to be here, I just got off the phone with
Cat. She told me what happened."
"Who ever took your head got one hell of a headache by the looks of how Joe
and Rick did the place up."
"What is the story with Rick anyway? Is he real?"
Methos nodded. "As real as you and I, only he's not one of us. He really
did save your life, the Hunters aren't after you anymore."
"Does he know all of it?" Methos nodded. "God, what if that information got
out. If any of the other Watcher's found out who I was, they may be able
to link you to me and that would put us both in danger."
"Don't worry, he won't tell. He knows how to keep a secret, he use to be
an undercover cop."
"Oh great, how did he find out about us then?"
"One of the guys that he killed was one of us. He saw him come back from
the dead. Rick got shot up pretty good in that stakeout and he saw the guy
come back before he passed out. He thought it was because he was dying."
"Sounds like how Joe became a Watcher. How is he?"
"Hanging in there. By the way, I have a surprise for you. You left before
we could cut your cake." He said as he helped her off the couch and to the
front door. Outside layed a cake big enough to fit an army in.
"Did you have to put so many candles on it? Hell Methos, you are going to
start a wildfire."
He grinned. "Then blow them out before it starts. And don't forget to make
a wish."
Chris noted the grin on Methos' face and wondered what he had up his sleeve.
Chris closed her eyes for a moment, made her wish, smiled, and blew out the
candles. When she opened her eyes, Joe was standing in front of her.
"Wish come true?" he asked as he kissed her.
"Joe!?" she wasn't sure whether to slap or kiss him. "You should not be here.
Neither of you should. You are putting both of your lives in danger."
Chris helped him out of the cake, and he hugged her. "As long as I'm with
you, I don't care what happens."
Methos smiled when he saw Chris smile. She had been through so much pain
in her lifetime because she lost men, and only Methos knew how she truly
felt about Joe. He had to make her happy somehow. After all, Joe was threatening
to take his head if he didn't tell where she was. "I guess I'll be leaving
now." He said as he walked to them. "Take care you two."
Chris followed Methos to his car and took his hand as he went to open the
car door. "You should not have brought him here, he is in danger."
"Chris, do you love him?"
"You know I do."
"If you were in his shoes, would you be able to stay away?" she shook her
head. "That's why I brought him. You don't need to be alone right now, and
he wanted to be with you. Take care of him."
"You are welcome to stay, you know there is more than enough room for you
and you are welcome."
He shook his head. "It would be too weird for me and I need to go home in
case there's any news. I'll call you." She nodded and he kissed her forehead.
"You know I love you."
"I love you too Methos, and thank you. Thank you for everything."
"Just be happy and make sure he's ok. Don't let anything happen to him. You
may not be out of the woods yet."
"You know I will." She said letting go of his hand as he got into the car
and shut the door. She walked back to the porch, and Joe placed his arm around
her as they watched him drive off.
"So, this is the great Renwyck-Vincente ranch I've heard about." Joe said
as he kissed her. "Are you going to take me on the grand tour, or just the
sidetrack tour?"
Chris smiled and walked with him into the house.
Joe and Chris spent the next week together making up for lost time. Chris
truly loved Joe, but being there in the house that she and Will had made,
with Joe was to awkward. She realized Joe felt the same way one night after
they had made love on Valentine's Day.
"Chris?" he asked as he turned on his side and looked at her. She looked
so beautiful there with her eyes shut and her long auburn hair over her shoulders
and covering her bare breasts. She rarely wore it down, but he had pulled
out the ribbon she had it tied back with out while they were making love.
"Yes?" she asked as she opened her eyes and looked at him.
"That drawing on the wall, is it from your wedding day with Will?"
Chris turned to where her back was pressed up against Joe's chest and looked
at the drawing. "He drew it on our wedding night. Since cameras were not
around at the time, he wanted to capture the event so we would always remember
it if something were to happen to one of us. Does it bother you?"
"No, you look so beautiful in that dress. Will was really lucky to have you
for two hundred years." He said as he played with a lock of her long wavy
hair.
"I was lucky to have him. He taught me a lot about life and love, and I believe
if it were not for him, you and I would not be having this conversation."
"What was it like? I mean spending that long of time with someone knowing
one day one of you would come home and not come back."
Chris turned back around and looked at Joe. He kept looking at the painting
and she raised a finger to his chin and slowly slid his face downward to
her eye level. "I knew the time would come eventually that I would loose
him, but I really never thought about it much. One of the things Will taught
me was to live for the day, and not worry about tomorrow. I think that may
have been the reason why his death hit me so hard."
Joe nodded and kissed her. "I love you." Joe sighed and ran his fingers through
her hair. "Chris, will you marry me?"
Chris looked at him in surprise. "Marry you?" he nodded. "I do not know what
to say."
"Say yes. Chris, ever since the day I first met you, I knew you were special.
When I figured out that you were Immortal, I should have been furious, but
I wasn't. It didn't matter to me. When Methos told me that you two had once
been lovers, I was jealous, and then, when Rick told me that you were in
danger, all I could think about was what would happen if I lost you. I know
one day I will, but until then, I want to spend the rest of our time
together."
"We do not have to get married to do that." She said as she sat up and put
her feet on the floor. She ran her fingers through her hair, then separated
it and started to braid it.
"I understand." Joe said as he turned away from her. He couldn't look at
her.
"No Joe, you do not understand. I love you and that is why I do not want
to marry you. You know just as much about me as I do, so you should know
what happens with me when it comes to marriage. It is almost like why Duncan
will not marry Anne. Joe, you being here is already put you in danger, and
if anything were to happen to you..."
"I can take care of myself, I don't need you or anyone else to do it for
me." He said as he started to get up. The phone rang and he answered it.
"It's Adam." Joe said as he handed her the phone.
"Hello?" she said as she answered the phone. "When? Ok, we will get back
as soon as we can." She said. She hung the phone up and looked at Joe. "Rick
is in the hospital. He collapsed this morning at the dojo. They want us to
come home."
Joe paced up and down the floor of the ER waiting room. He had a look on
his face of anger, confusion, and worry. Duncan, Richie, Methos Chris and
Cat sat in chairs watching the Watcher pace the floor.
"How could this have happened?" Joe kept asking. "How could he collapse just
like that? He's in better shape than most of the Watchers put together."
"He was just like working out, then the next thing I know he was out cold
on the floor." Richie said.
Duncan looked at Joe and Methos "I know you guys don't want to think about
this as a possibility, but could Rick have been using drugs?"
"Never." Methos said. "Rick's been a field agent for the past 4 years and
before that he was an undercover narcotics officer. Saying Rick used drugs
is like saying I'm mortal."
"Well, we'll just have to wait then. Anne's in with him now." Duncan said.
Joe kept pacing the floor tapping his cane as he walked. Chris tried to get
him to sit but he wouldn't.
"He's going to be ok, Joe, just sit down. I'll go and try to find Anne."
Duncan said, as he stood up. He walked down numerous hallways and looked
into several rooms until he found the one Anne was in.
"Anne?" Duncan said, as he walked up to her. "How is he?"
"You shouldn't be in here Duncan." She said as she walked him to the door.
"Anne please. Joe's outside worrying himself to death. Is Rick going to be
ok?"
Anne started to twist a loose strand of her long dark hair. "I don't know."
She said flatly. "It's too early to tell."
"Can you tell me anything? Were there drugs involved?"
"I can't give out that information Duncan, you know that."
"Anne, he collapsed on my dojo floor. If one of the people working out there
is using drugs, I have a right to know. Were there any drugs found in his
system?"
Anne looked hesitant for a moment than walked Duncan out into the hallway.
"Just one." She said as she sighed.
Duncan looked taken aback. "Steroids?"
Anne shook her head. "Duncan please don't make me tell you."
"Anne please. I want to know."
"I could get in trouble for this."
"I know Anne. You know I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important. Please."
He said in almost a begging tone.
"Ok." She said giving in. "There were traces of AZT in his blood stream."
She whispered.
"What?" Duncan could barely hear her.
"AZT." Duncan turned pale. "He doesn't have much longer."
Duncan hugged her and turned to walk back out to the group. Everyone looked
as Duncan returned, and they knew instantly by the look on his face something
was wrong.
"Well?" Methos asked. He was the closest of any of them to Rick and had worked
with him since Rick started in the Watchers. They had all become friends
with him since he helped Chris out, but Methos had been closer.
Duncan just shook his head and sat down in one of the chairs. "I can't believe
it. I just can't believe it."
"Believe what?" Chris asked as she got up and kneeled in front of her teacher..
"Duncan, what is it?"
Duncan looked up at his friends and a tear rolled down his cheek. "Rick has
AIDS." Everyone got extremely silent. "Anne said there were traces of AZT
in his blood."
"That doesn't mean he has AIDS. I mean, AZT is used for a lot of things isn't
it?" Cat asked.
Duncan shook his head. "Anne said he doesn't have much longer."
Just then Anne walked into the waiting room. "Chris, Rick is asking for you.
You can't stay long, he needs his rest."
Chris nodded and stood up. She followed Anne down the hall to the room he
was in. "Anne, how much longer does he have? Honestly?"
"Honestly? I'd say a few more days at most. How he was able to do his job
without anyone knowing is beyond me."
"The Watcher's do not care what kind of health problems you have, just as
long as you get the job done."
Anne opened the door to his room and led Chris in. "Remember, only a few
minutes."
"Thanks Anne." She said as she turned to see Rick laying in bed. He looked
so much skinnier and paler than the last time she had seen him. "Hey." She
said as she pulled up a chair and sat next to his bed.
"Hi. I just wanted to say I'm glad things worked out for you." He said as
he started coughing.
"Why did you not let us know? Why did you keep it a secret from us?"
"So you know?" Chris nodded. "Would you have treated be the same way had
you known?"
"Of course. Just because you have AIDS, does not mean we would think you
are weird and hate you. Hell, you saved my life. I would not be here if it
were not for you. I owe you, and AIDS or not, what you did for me will never
change that."
Rick smiled. "Aren't you curious about how I got it?"
Chris shook her head. "It is none of my business. I just wish there was something
I could do for you."
"Take care for me, watch your head, and never forget me." He said as he took
her hand and smiled weakly.
"I will never forget you, or what you did for me."
Anne stuck her head in the room and paused for a moment watching as Chris
lightly touched his hand to her cheek. "Time's up, sorry."
Chris looked up at Anne and then back at Rick. "I will come back to see
you."
"I'd like that." He said as she stood up to leave.
Chris never got the chance. On her way to the hospital the next night, she
was confronted by another Immortal, and as she was taking his life force
out of him, Rick slipped away from the world.
Joe looked at Chris and grinned. He had wanted to see the view from the top
of the Pyramid of the Magician so bad, that Chris had carried him up the
steep slope of stairs. "Sort of." he started laughing when he remembered
Chris nearly sliding down the stairs when he started tickling her. She had
already made it to the top, and had been laughing at the whole idea saying
if he kept doing that he was going to kill both of them, and only one of
them would wake up.
Chris smiled. After she and Joe had safely made it down, they went walking
and got *tied* up in a cenote for a few hours. Then they made it back to
their hotel suite and stayed there for almost the remainder of the trip.
"More stuff than hiking."
Anne cringed at the way they were talking in front of Mary. Sure she was
no longer a child, and it wasn't like Mary didn't know about Anne and Duncan
living together without being married, they had been doing it for many years,
but Mary would always be her mother's little girl and it embarrassed her.
"One of these days I'll have to go to Mexico. I've heard so much about it
from you guys I feel like I've already been there." Mary said.
Chris was about to take another bite of her steak, when she felt it. She
looked at Duncan nonchalantly and they knew who was about to knock. "Well,
maybe one of these days you will."
"Mary, I'm here?" came a voice from the other end of the door. "Can I come
in."
"Megs is finally here!" Mary said as she hopped up and answered the door.
Her best friend was standing at the other side.
"Have you told them?" Meg whispered in Mary's ear.
Mary shook her head. "Not yet, I'm waiting for the right time." She took
her best friend by the hand and led her to the table.
"Told us what?" Anne said.
"Nothing mom." Mary lied. She hated lying to her mom, but she wasn't ready
to bring up the subject in front of everyone.
The group was talking about the trip to Mexico and trying not to talk about
Immortality around Megs. The two Immortals and even Cat knew that one day
she would be one of them, but right now she didn't need to know about it.
After dinner, everyone settled into the living room drinking coffee and talking.
Meg and Mary had been in the corner whispering back and forth to each other
and Anne was getting suspicious.
"The two of them together like that, always whispering worries me." She said
as she poured another cup of coffee.
"Do you remember what it was like to be 15 and having your best friend always
hang around with you? You have started to gain independence and you used
it to your advantage. They are not doing anything wrong, just being young."
"How would you remember?" Joe asked jokingly. "You were 15 what 350 some
odd years ago?" he grinned and put his arm around her.
Chris removed his arm from around her and sat to look at him. "I remember
a lot. There are somethings I can never and will never forget." She said
sharply.
"Chris, he was only kidding." Duncan said. He knew the difference in *age*
between she and Joe was a tense subject. Here Joe was in his late 50's and
Chris could easily pass as his daughter.
"I am sorry. If you will excuse me, I am going outside to get some air."
She said as she stood up. Joe was about to follow her, when Anne grabbed
his arm.
"Let her go. She needs to be alone."
Joe sat back down and sighed. "I love her, but things have been tense between
us lately. That's why we went to Mexico. I thought it might relax things
some between us."
"Where did Chris go?" Mary asked, as she and Megs sat on the couch next to
Joe.
"She needed some air." He asked as he placed his hand on hers. "So what were
the two of you talking about?"
Mary looked at her uncle's wrist and smiled. "Your tattoo. We were thinking
about how cool it would be if we got one when we got old enough."
Duncan who had been sipping his coffee, spit it out across the room. "You
what?!?!"
"We want to be Watcher's when we grow up." Meg answered.
Joe and Anne smiled. They always figured that with Mary growing up around
Immortals and knowing about them at an early age, she would grow up working
with them. Duncan on the other hand was not to thrilled with the idea.
"Someone remind me to kill Cat next time I see her." He said as he stood
up and started to pace the floor.
"Why? I think it's a good idea." Joe said.
"I'm not to keen on the tattoo part, but if that's what Mary really wants
to do, I have no problems with it. Though I'd rather her be a doctor or something
more practical..."
"It's too damn dangerous! That's why." Duncan said. "Look at all Joe's been
through. He's been almost killed several times because he's a Watcher."
"That was different MacLeod. And you don't think Mary growing up around Immortals
is dangerous? Hell from the time she was born she was around Immortals."
"I don't like it." Duncan retorted.
"It's not your choice." Mary said flatly. Duncan turned around with a look
of shock on his face, amazed by the tone of her voice.
"Why don't we talk about this at another time, when you guys are older."
Anne said. "It's getting late and you two need to get ready for bed."
"Yes mom." Mary said as she stood up. "Can we go say 'night to Chris?" Anne
nodded as she watched her daughter and someone who has been almost like a
daughter walk out the door.
"Their minds are made up, this isn't just a phase." She said as she looked
at Duncan.
"I know." He said as he sat back down. "I just can't imagine Little Mary
doing something so dangerous."
"She's not little anymore Mac. She's almost 16." Joe said. It was true. Even
though she would always be everyone's little girl, they had to finally accept
she was growing up.
"I know. But she'll always be my little girl. Maybe deep down I knew this
would happen, but I don't like it. It's dangerous and I don't want her put
in that kind of danger."
"She was born into that kind of danger." Anne said. "She was born in a subway
tunnel that had been blown up, you helped me with the birth, and she was
raised around Immortals. And not to mention she's been used as bait more
than a few times. Not only that, but her best friend is one."
Mac looked at Anne puzzled "How did you know?"
"I may not be able to sense her, but I can tell by the way everyone looks
right before she knocks on the door. And no, I haven't told Mary if that's
what your thinking. I don't think this is just a phase, but if it is maybe
she'll grow out of. We just have to wait."
Just then Mary and Meg walked back into the barge. "Uncle Joe, when did Chris
start smoking?" Mary asked.
"She's smoking?" Mary nodded.
"You guys go off to bed now." Anne said. "We'll talk more about this
later."
"Goodnight Uncle Joe and Duncan." She said as she hugged both of them. "Night
mom."
"Night girls." Duncan said. When they left Duncan looked at Joe. "Just how
tense are things between you? I only know of two times she smokes."
"And we haven't had sex lately, so she must be really upset. Damn Mac, I
didn't mean for her to take it so seriously."
"Is there something else bothering her?" Anne asked. "She seemed sort of
distant tonight. I just thought maybe she was concerned about Cat not being
here."
Joe shook his head. "Ever since I proposed to her again in Mexico, she's
been distant. I just thought it was because I had the balls to propose to
her in Mexico, but later when she said yes, I wasn't sure."
"Go talk to her." Anne said. "Find out what's wrong." Joe nodded and walked
out the barge. Anne looked at Duncan. "It's over between them isn't it?"
Duncan nodded.
Joe walked to where Chris was standing and watched her extinguish her cigarette.
"I love you." He said as he put his arms around her waist.
Chris had heard Joe's cane thumping on the barge and had wiped the tears
from her face. She loved Joe so much, and she had finally decided to marry
him, but now, even after all they had been through together, she began to
realize that he was right so many years ago when he said he would never work
for them. "Joe look..." she started.
"Shhh." He said as he put his finger to her lips and then kissed her. When
she didn't kiss back, he knew. "Chris, why?"
She was trying to hold back the tears as hard as she could, but no matter
how hard she fought them back, they escaped. "You know I love you Joe,
but..."
"But what?" he said as he turned her so he could look into her eyes. "Jordan
Christine Renwyck-Vincente you know I don't want to live without you. For
the past 10 years you have been my life and my love and now you just want
to through that away because of one little comment I made about your age?
You know that doesn't matter to me at all."
She nodded and wiped away more tears. "I know, but do you know how I felt
when the first time we met Megs and the first thing she said was 'I did not
know you had a daughter'? Or how when ever we walk down the street holding
hands people look at us funny?"
"If you loved me it wouldn't matter."
"I do love you, you know that, but it does matter. It matters to me. Maybe
it should not bother me so much, but it does."
"Chris..."
"I love you Joe." She said as she took the ring of her finger and took his
hand. She placed it in the palm of it and closed his fingers around it. "Always
remember how much I loved you." she said as she kissed him lightly on the
cheek and walked away.
Joe watched her as she walked down the ramp and down the street. A tear rolled
down his face as he looked at the ring. He wanted to go after her and make
her forget the pain the difference in their age caused, but deep down he
knew she was right. As much as they loved each other, he had to let her go.
Joe looked up not knowing there had been someone watching. "The bar's closed."
He said, as he leaned his guitar against the stool and picked up his cane
and walked to the bar.
"Even for an old friend?" she said as she walked out behind the pillar she
was behind and into the light.
Joe looked up startled and then smiled. "Chris, welcome home." He said as
he went to her and hugged her. "You look great."
She kissed him on the cheek and smiled. "You do too. How have you been?"
"Great. I missed you."
"I missed you to, but hey we still talked on the phone and wrote so it is
not like we have been complete strangers the past few years. Cat sends her
love."
"How is she doing? I haven't seen her in a long time."
"She is back in Arizona tending the ranch. She wished she could come but
she has gone back to school to finish up her degree and it is her last semester.
She did not want to miss any classes."
"So what brings you back to Seacouver? I know it's not because of Mac, he's
not here and neither is Methos or Richie."
"I came to see you." She said as she flashed him the smile that still melted
his heart.
"What for?" he said as he handed her a beer and sat next to her. "Is everything
all right?"
"Everything is fine. I came to tell you some news. Have you talked to Mary
lately?"
Joe shook his head. "Not since she and Meg started training. Why? Is she
ok?"
"She is more than ok, she is a Watcher now. And guess who she is watching?"
"Who?" Chris grinned. "Are you serious? The Watcher's know your still
alive?"
"No, the Watchers think Daniella Dawson is still alive, you are forgetting,
I have been dead for 18 years. My old friends are the only ones that know
me by Chris."
Joe smiled. "Daniella Dawson? I like it. Let me guess Megs is watching Cat?"
Chris nodded. "Those two always have to do everything together don't they."
Chris nodded and smiled. "Just like we use to." She said as she took his
hand.
Joe looked at her and smiled. "So you flew all this way just to tell me Mary
is your Watcher, or is there something else?"
"You know me so well. Actually there is. I wanted to say I am sorry for the
way I left things that night I left. I did not give you much of an explanation
as to why I left. I mean why I really left."
"You don't need to explain anything to me. I understood that night that no
matter what happened, no matter how much we loved each other, that we gave
it a try knowing things would eventually end that way."
"I still love you Joe, not just the same way. And I really should have given
you a better explanation than because it was the difference in age. I was
scared. I was getting to involved and it started to remind me of Will and
Alex. I started having nightmares and when I would wake up, you were off
watching Mac. That is why I flew to Paris after I returned from Mexico. Because
I came home one day and you were there watching him. Your job always came
first and maybe I was jealous a bit. I guess it was a combination of many
things, I do not know, but I wanted to come and apologize."
"After I proposed to you, I should have stayed instead of running off. Maybe
I was putting my job first, and I never meant to. Can you forgive me?"
"Only if you can forgive me." She said as she kissed him on the lips softly.
She leaned her forehead against his and smiled as she looked into his eyes.
"I never meant to hurt you."
"I know." He said as he looked into her eyes. "Chris?"
"Yes Joe?"
"If I promised I'd never do it again do you think..."
Chris pulled back, ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. "As
much as I would want to try it again, no, I do not think it would work
out."
"I didn't think so. You know I'm retiring from the Watcher's at the end of
the month."
Chris nodded. "Mary mentioned it. "They are loosing the best Watcher they
ever had. I better get going. I was on my way to Anne's for Cat and Mary
and I thought I would stop by here."
"I'm glad you did." He said as they stood up and walked to the door.
"Bye Joe." She said as she hugged and kissed him.
"Watch your head." He said as he smiled and started to laugh. "Bye." He watched
her walk out the door, not knowing that would be the last time he would ever
see or talk to her.
Six months later...
Arizona
"Chris! Chris come here!" Cat yelled, as she ran out the front door of the
ranch house.
Chris came out from the barn and looked at her wondering what was going on.
"What is it?"
Cat pulled her to the TV and sat her down on the couch. "And apparently this
is how they survive, by cutting people's heads off." The TV announcer said.
"Oh my God." Chris said as she watched a Quickening on TV. "How in the
hell..."
"I don't know. I was watching TV and low and behold they cut in with this.
What does this mean?"
Chris looked at her former student who had become more than that. "It means,
that now everyone knows about us, and we are not safe." She said, as she
watched the screen.
"And as President of the United States, I will not rest until everyone of
these Immortal creatures are gone. Innocent people could be killed by these
people and their Watcher's and I swear justice to these killers will come."
"I'm scared Chris. What if they come after us?"
"There's no way for them to know who we are."
"What about Mary and Megs, are they in danger?"
"We are all in danger. He has just declared a war against all of us. At least
with Mary and Megs they can hide what they are, but with us anytime someone
sees someone with a sword we could be killed."
"But Megs is..."
"Not yet. One day, hopefully when this is all over with she will be, but
she is as safe as any Watcher now."
"Why is this happening to us? Why now?"
"Caitlynn, this is all events leading up to the Gathering. The time is drawing
closer as it always has, all we can do now is wait."
"How did I know you were going to say that? You know I hate waiting." She
said. Chris smiled.
"Chris, I don't want to fight you. I can't."
"You have to. This is what Duncan and I have trained you for. This is what
we have all been trained for. You knew this day would come eventually."
"But Chris..."
"No buts, now fight." She said as she slashed her opponent across the chest.
Her next attack was blocked and she took a cut across her leg.
"I don't understand why though? What's the whole purpose of this?"
"The purpose is to have the power of all Immortals and to be the one. Do
you not remember There Can Be Only One? It has always been a part of you,
it is always been who you are. Now stop talking and let us get this over
with. I do not like it anymore than you. I wish we did not have to do this
as well, but there is nothing that can be done about it."
The fight continued for awhile and finally Chris was down on the ground with
a sword at her neck. "I'm so sorry Chris. I don't want to do this." She hesitated
for a moment, and with one final swing of her sword, the Game was over.
"I'm sorry Chris.... I don't want to do this... I'm sorry!... I don't..."
"Cat?" Chris said as she sat on the bed next to Cat and placed her hand on
her back. Chris had been awaken to Cat screaming and came to find out what
was wrong.
Cat shot straight up into bed and saw Chris. "Oh God, Chris, I am so sorry."
She said as she hugged her and held onto her tightly.
Chris wiped the tears from her face and hugged back. "Another bad dream?"
Cat nodded. Chris had spent many nights since the war had broken out in Cat's
room, reassuring her after a bad dream. "The usual?"
Cat shook her head as she tried to regain her composure. "I don't remember
what this one was. Chris I'm scared."
"It is ok to be scared. I am too."
"We're not suppose to be afraid. For God's sake Chris I'm forty years old,
I shouldn't be scared."
"I'm 375 and you do not think I get scared? Want me to make you something
to drink to help you get back to sleep?" Cat nodded. "I will be right back
ok. If you need me, just holler." She said as she went downstairs to the
kitchen. After she took Cat her drink, she stayed by her side until she fell
back asleep. Luckily Cat had only one bad dream a night.
The next morning, Chris woke up to grunts above her. She rolled over and
saw the clock read 6am on a Saturday. No doubt it was Cat working out her
frustrations of her dream in the dojo Will had converted in the attic. Chris
rolled out of bed and headed upstairs. Cat was indeed working out, going
through the Kata. "Good morning Cat."
Cat turned and smiled. "I feel better now. I'm sorry about last night." She
said as she went to Chris and hugged her.
"It is ok, but did you have to get up so early? The sun is barely up and
today is Saturday. You know how I like to sleep in."
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to blow off some steam. Oh, and Mary's coming over
later this afternoon."
"Well if she does before I wake up again, try to keep it quiet. And could
you feed the horses later. I would do it now, but I am too tired." Cat nodded
and crossed over to the punching bag. "Try to keep it down yourself. You
forget I am right below you."
Chris went back to her room and crawled back into bed. She looked on her
nightstand and there was a picture of her and Joe that Cat had taken a few
summers before she and Joe broke up. She was sitting on the railing of the
porch and Joe was standing behind her with her arms wrapped around her waist
and his head on her shoulder. That was when they were happy together. When
Joe still looked young enough to pass as her boyfriend even though he his
hair and beard aged him prematurely. He was still sexy. She sighed and turned
over wondering why she had not heard or tried to contact him since the day
at his place. She tried there a few months after she left, but was told he
no longer worked there and he had moved somewhere without leaving a forwarding
number or address. "I miss you Joe." She said as she closed her eyes and
fell back asleep.
"Cat, are you ever going to feed the horses, or do I have to do it myself?"
Chris asked Cat a few hours later. She had dreamed of her nights she had
spent with Joe and when she woke up, she showered and put a tank top and
cutoff shorts and fixed lunch for her and Cat. When she went to find Cat,
she found her still working out in the dojo.
"I'll do it when I'm done."
"You said that this morning."
"I have a lot of stress to get out of me and you know this is the only way
I can relieve stress."
"Fine. I will go and feed the horses." Chris said as she walked out of her
farm house and went to the stables. She went into the feed closet and brought
out the wheelbarrow of food and fed the horses in the stalls. When she was
done there, she headed out to the pasture to feed the horses there. She was
about to scatter some food around the fence when she hit something buried
in the food with the shovel.
A few minutes after Chris went to feed the horses, Cat was brought out of
her trance by an explosion and the scream of her teacher. Cat ran outside
just in time to see the power of her teacher's Quickening escape her. "Chris!"
Cat started to run, but the power hit her with such force she couldn't move.
She tried to scream, but nothing came out.
When Cat was able to regain her composure after the Quickening, she wondered
what had happened and who had done it. There had been no buzz, so it couldn't
have been another Immortal, so that left a mortal. Her suspicion was confirmed
when she reached Chris and saw bomb fragment lodged in her teacher's body.
An Immortal would never stoop so low now, they would at least have given
Chris a fair fight.
Cat kneeled by her teacher and cried. Not only were there tears of anger
and hurt, but tears of guilt. She should have been the one lying on the ground
headless, not Chris. "Oh God Chris, I'm so sorry. Oh God!" she cried as she
rocked back and forth on the ground with the headless body in her lap.
An hour later, Mary arrived to find Cat in the field holding something and
rocking back and forth. She could hear her crying and saw her holding something,
but she had no idea what. When she approached, she saw Chris's head next
to Cat.
Mary shook her head in disbelief. "No, it can't be. It can't be Chris. Cat
would never have..."
Cat looked up at the woman who she use to baby-sit so long ago. "I didn't...
I don't know..." she tried to say but it was so low she couldn't be heard.
Mary crossed over and hugged Cat.
"How?"
Cat shook her head. "I don't know. She came out to feed the horses and I
heard an explosion. There was no buzz or anything. It's all my fault. I should've
been..."
"No Cat, it's not your fault." she said as she sat next to her. "You didn't
take her head."
"No, but I was suppose to feed the horses. I should be the one lying here
not Chris."
Mary helped her up. "Come on, let's go inside. You're not safe out here."
Cat shook her head. "Cat please. We can figure this out inside. We need to
get you to safety."
Cat reluctantly gave in and walked into the ranch. Nothing seemed the same.
"I don't know what to do? It's all because of this damn war. That's what
killed her. That's what should've killed me not her." She said as she laid
down on the couch.
Mary pulled a blanket over her as she laid down and sat on the couch next
to her. "Should we take her to Mexico? Bury her next to Will?" Cat nodded
too exhausted from both the after effects of the Quickening and from being
so upset to do anything else. "I'll call mom and let her know, you just get
some rest. It's not your fault Cat, there was nothing you could do."
Cat shook her head and closed her eyes. Mary noticed a lone tear roll down
her Cat's face, and she too started to cry. She had lost her first subject,
and one she and the rest of those that knew her would deeply miss.
The End (finally
Copyright 1996