THE YOU'RE IN MY HEART SERIES HELTER SKELTER Part Nine By Susan and JoLayne RATING: PG-15 CHARACTERS: Methos, Amanda, Duncan, Kate, Joe, Cassandra, various Watchers SUMMARY: A month after Won't Get Fooled Again, Geoffrey's watcher figures out that Methos is not a myth, and very much alive. Methos is kidnapped; his mind and body are studied. NOTE: Thanks MnD, you rock, girl! DISCLAIMER: The characters you've heard of are the property of Panzer/Davis and/or Greg Widen. We're deeply in their debt for creating this universe, characters and the concept of immortality. However, the muses are in overdrive so we're using them with no hope of profit, only to entertain Methos and Amanda fans. Part Eight Methos and Amanda had returned to the dining room. Amanda's hand rested possessively on his arm as he ate his sandwich. Every once and a while he would look up from his task and smile at her. On occasion, he would lean over and let her kiss him. He finished his beer and stood up. "Cassandra, after I make a quick trip to the loo, I suppose we should get started again." Methos headed in the direction of the bathroom. "Whatever you say, Methos." Cassandra left her seat on the sofa and rejoined Amanda at the table. "Should I leave?" Amanda asked.  "You're fine here for now, but just remember to let him talk." Amanda smiled at Cassandra's warning. "You can help clarify any lapses in his memories." Several minutes late Methos strolled out of the bathroom. "Let's get to it." Cassandra waited until Methos took his seat before she asked her first question. "When was the last time you took a head?" Methos thought for a moment. "Morgan Walker's about six years ago? Right, Joe?" "Is that right, Joe?" Cassandra asked. "Yep, he's right on the money," Joe said with a smile. "Good, now did you hunt him or did he deserve it?" Cassandra asked without malice. "Joe set me up," Methos said nonchalantly. "Tell me the circumstances surrounding your taking Walker's head, Methos." Cassandra was quick to notice the change in Methos' posture at the turn of the conversation." "Joe thought I was hunting him." Methos stood up and looked into the living room at Joe. "Why did you think that, Joe? You should've known better; I don't hunt." Before Joe could respond, Cassandra held up her hand. "Just look at Joe's face, Methos. Does that look like a man who would set you up?" "He did," Methos was matter of fact. "He did what he had to do to save Amy. I understand that. I've done worse for less." "Who is Amy?" Methos explained, "Joe's daughter who also happens to be a Watcher." "Are you upset that Joe would put his daughter ahead of your head?" Cassandra asked. "Your first words weren't 'Joe asked my help to save his daughter,' instead they were 'Joe set me up'." "That he puts his daughter first, wasn't the surprise. You do that with family. What bothers me is that he was so sure that I was on the hunt." "You don't hunt immortals?" "Not for a very long time, no." Methos explained, "I find it easier to keep my head and neck aligned when I stay out of the Game." Cassandra offered him a smile. "That's good to hear." "He's always so quick to help MacLeod," Methos continued on. "You need information, Mac? Here let me search through the database for you." "Are you uncertain of Joe's friendship?" Cassandra asked. Methos considered the question for a minute and then answered. "He's my friend, sure, but-" "But he's more of a friend to Duncan?" Cassandra pushed. "He can't be a friend to you both, equally?" "I'm sorry, Methos. I 'set you up' mostly because you were also after him," Joe interjected. "He had my daughter and I knew you could take him, which you did." "You could have just asked, Joe," Methos said sadly. "Do you think I'm such an ogre that I wouldn't help you?" He paused. "You didn't even consider asking me, did you?" "Sometimes you need your arm twisted and there wasn't time to do that," Joe rationalized. "Amy was in trouble!" "Whatever," Methos blew him off.  "So, Morgan Walker was your last challenge?" Cassandra asked after everyone had settled down. "He's the last head I took, yeah." "Have you been in a challenge where you didn't take a head recently?" Methos was silent as he tried to remember. Vague images of a dark night and Amanda flitted through his mind. He heard the clanking of swords and a strangely familiar male voice. He concentrated harder and closed his eyes. "Geoffrey?" he looked to Amanda for confirmation. Amanda nodded. "It was Geoffrey." "Geoffrey," Cassandra said the name again. "Who was he, Methos?" Amanda blurted out, "He was-" "Let Methos tell it," Cassandra stopped her. "Does it have something to do with a chair?" "How in the bloody hell do you know about that, Cassandra?" Methos leaned forward causing Cassandra to unconsciously back away from him. "You mentioned the name Geoffrey and something about a 'blasted chair' within seconds of each other the other night. Was that what you were talking about?" "He was going after Amanda. I couldn't let that happen," Methos' voice raised. "Thanks for watching my back, hun," Amanda smiled at him.  "How did it happen that you were in the challenge when the immortal was after Amanda?" "I'd been watching him since I got wind he was in town, and he was going to her place. There was only one reason for that, he was about to take her head," Methos spat out. "The bastard never played by the rules. Amanda wouldn't have survived a fight with him. So, I took his head." Amanda's face conveyed that what Methos was saying wasn't accurate. Cassandra took the opportunity to let Amanda set the record straight. "Amanda, what happened? Methos, I want you to listen to her when she talks." "He was about to take your head, Methos." Her hand grasped his. "I stopped him." "You did not!" Methos protested. "I remember it! He was going after your head!" "I swear, Methos, I took his head!" "Explain it to Methos, so maybe he will be able to remember it correctly," Cassandra told Amanda. "Would you quit acting like I'm a five year old? I know what I remember!!" Methos yelled. "Not far from my place, I heard a sword fight. You and Geoffrey were going at it full force. He stabbed you in the leg and you went down like a limp noodle." Amanda ignored Methos' outburst and inform Cassandra. "I had been looking for Methos. He owed me a lobster dinner." "Amanda&ldots;you're getting it all wrong," Methos told her patiently. "That happened at Rebecca's. He trapped you at the pond and I came in time to save you, remember?" "Yes, I remember and I thank you for that," Amanda replied, "but we're talking about a month ago not the tenth century." "Then you went off half cocked after that damn chair," Methos continued in spite of Amanda's last statement. "Half cocked has served me well I'll have you know!" Amanda assured him. Methos gritted his teeth. "Oh, really? I can name many occasions were it almost got you killed, too." Cassandra broke in with another question but the two of them ignored her with their squabbling. "And besides you love that chair whether you admit it or not!" Amanda felt like strangling him. He was so damn stubborn. "Don't you?" "I do, but it's not worth your head, Amanda." Anger left his words. "Why can't you see that?" he asked, totally serious. "I thought I could take Geoffrey then," Amanda said quietly. "Well, what if you hadn't?" Methos stared her down. "Did you ever once consider that?" "Don't put this off on me! I saved your head, remember? Please remember." Amanda didn't back down from his stare. "You went down after he stabbed you in the leg. I threw that dagger right into this heart and he died. You were dying when I took his head. You didn't want to die, you fought it til I told you it was all right and then you died. Remember it!" "A dagger in the heart? Did you take lessons from Kronos?" Methos grimaced. "That was his favorite way to kill me. You know I hate dying, Amanda." A memory stirred within Cassandra for the first time, a memory so foreign it made her shiver, and then wonder if it was true. In her horrifying time spent in the Horsemen's camp, she had witnessed Kronos repeatedly killing Methos. Although Methos was Kronos' favorite, he could also be the bane of the scarred immortal's existence. Whenever that happened it, usually came to swords between them. They were evenly matched, but Kronos would often slip past Methos' defenses and then he would hurriedly sink a dagger into Methos' heart. Other times, he would catch Methos unawares and kill him for something that had happened weeks before. Kronos could hold a grudge longer than any person who ever lived. It was the only way he felt he could control Methos and controlling Methos was something that Kronos needed to do. "I remember one time, Methos--" Cassandra started. "Oh gods, not another walk down memory lane," Methos sighed. "Kronos had no finesse," his fingers tapped mindlessly on the wood table. "Look where he is now." "Are you glad he's dead?" Cassandra was curious.  "Glad?" A hollow laugh escaped from his lips. "You could say that&ldots;I don't know really." "As I recall, you were distraught over Silas' death." "I liked Silas," Methos said, unapologetically. "He was my friend, but his death was necessary." "And he bitched about Joe setting him up," Duncan cringed when he realized he'd said the words aloud. "You are such a boy scout, MacLeod," Methos taunted.  Cassandra threw Methos a glare. "And for that you should be thankful. His intervention was the only thing that kept me from taking your head then." "The horsemen had to die," Methos said simply.  "But you couldn't do it yourself, could you?" Duncan accused. "You had to make me angry enough to do it for you." "Hey, whatever works," Methos laughed as Duncan's face turned a bright red. "I explained this all to you once and I will not do again, MacLeod." "You go with the winner, you son of a bitch!" "Bugger off! You were the winner, " Methos yelled back. "I like to keep my options open." Amanda watched as Methos and Duncan ruthlessly sent verbal spars back and forth. She was torn; she cared for both men. This was likely to come to blows if someone didn't stop them. "Typical, Methos," Duncan said bitterly. "Let's just ride the fence!" "After Cass filled you in about Kronos, you would've killed him anyway!" "How do you know that?" "Because that's who you are." Methos stood up and stalked into the living room and planted himself on the coffee table in front of Duncan. "You are the defender of the oppressed, the valiant guardian of all that's good and pure." Methos' smile mocked Duncan. "Don't give me a hard time because I help those who need it. I don't sit back with a beer and give unwanted advice." "Oh, really?" "Really!" Duncan was adamant.  "You've asked for my advice on occasion," Methos reminded him. "My advice has been right on the mark, laddie." "Methos?" Cassandra hoped he stop his ranting and listen to her. "Methos?" "I really don't think this is getting us anywhere," Amanda bravely said. "We're just saying things to hurt each other." "No, I'm not saying anything I don't mean," Methos corrected her. "Ask Methos for advice and then laugh and ignore it." Methos leaned in closer to Duncan. "Or worse yet, get pissed when I give it. Don't ask for it if you can't handle it." "Methos?" Cassandra asked louder. Methos jerked around. "What!?" "How did you feel when Duncan and Amanda were together?" Cassandra asked. There was a lot of underlying animosity between Duncan and Methos. She had a sneaking suspicion that Amanda was part of it. "You were a long-standing lover to one and a friend to the other. How did that make you feel when they got together? Were you jealous?" "I just didn't figure she'd go for the Boy Scout type," Methos mumbled. Duncan had enough. "You know what, Methos? At least I can go to bed most nights with a clear conscious. When was the last time you could say that, old man?" Methos smiled as he shook his head. "Come see me in a couple thousand years and we'll have this conversation again." "Get over yourself, Methos." Duncan stood up and walked away from him. "Just because you're the oldest of us it doesn't give you any special standing." Methos followed behind him. "Bright boy!! That's precisely what I've been trying to tell you. I'm just a guy, not some wise all-knowing oracle of wisdom." "I need some fresh air," Duncan dismissed him. "Kate, you want to come with me?" Kate nodded, feeling uncomfortable with turn of the conversation. Duncan was committed to her, but this whole debate about Amanda had hit close to home. "We could drive into to town for more supplies, too." Duncan kissed her. "Great idea! You could use a break, too."  The couple grabbed their coats out of the closet and waved goodbye to the others. Joe tapped his cane absently while Amanda made herself busy with cleaning Methos' dirty dish from the table. Cassandra flipped back through the notes she had been discreetly keeping. Methos paced for a while and then went to look out the window. The full moon lit sky and shone down upon the snow-covered ground. Absently he eyes searched the area for signs of an intruder. He was certain he'd seen someone earlier. The only people he saw were Mac and Kate driving off down the snow packed lane. "I wouldn't stand in your way, Amanda," he said softly. "Huh?" Amanda was puzzled by his comment. "You're a free spirit." Methos rested his forehead against the cold windowpane. "Roam the world as you must, but come back to me from time to time." Amanda stood behind him and rested her head on his back. "I always find my way back to you, luv." Methos turned and leaned against the wall. He sighed as she embraced him. "At least with MacLeod, I knew you'd be safe." "Safe? Safe from what?" "The world, other immortals." "Is that all?" Amanda laughed. "Safety is nice, but-" Methos tapped her nose with his finger. "Safe keeps your head attached." "I like living on the edge," Amanda grinned up at him. "Life with you is always like that to me, Methos." "Hey!" Methos exclaimed. "I remember now. You did take Geoffrey's head, didn't you?" "Yes, I did," Amanda confirmed. "Let's see it was about a month or so ago, right?" Amanda nodded as he remembered. "Right before we went to Joe's for a drink and Duncan was there." Methos said confidently. "That's right! How could I forget that? Later after you beat a hasty retreat from Joe's, we wound up at my flat and ordered Chinese." Amanda whispered, "And we made love for the first time in years." "And that," Methos smiled warmly. "Did I tell you how much I'd missed you?"  Amanda nodded. "You showed me, too." "Ah, good." Methos kissed her again. Cassandra broke in. "I hate to spoil the mood, but who's Alexa?" Methos' attention was too wrapped up in Amanda and he didn't hear Cassandra's question. Joe, however, had heard her. "She was a waitress at my bar." Cassandra smiled at Joe. "Thank you, Joe. Methos seems distracted, but he should tell me about her. When I asked about love he said her name." Cassandra called Methos by name three times before she got his attention. When Methos looked up, she asked again, "Who's Alexa?" "Alexa," Methos sighed as he said her name. Even now all these years later, her name still tugged at his heart. One year with her had pulled him out the funk he'd been living in. "She is, I mean, was... not one of my regrets." The wistfulness in his eyes caught Cassandra off guard. "Tell me about her, please." "She was one person that deserved to live," Methos began. "More than I a lot of people I've met." "But she didn't live?" Cassandra asked gently. "No, she didn't," Methos relayed. "To love her was no work on my part, she was easy to love. She withered away while I live on." "Do you think that you don't deserve to live?" Methos eyed her for a minute and answered her question with one of his own. "Do any of us, really? On and on we live, fighting each other to the death." "You said she withered away. Was she an old woman?" Methos slowly made his way to the fireplace and held his hands in front of him to warm them in front of the flames. He heavily said, "No." "How long were you with her?" "Long enough for it to hurt when she died. Not long enough. But then again, it rarely is," Methos answered. Seeing Methos was lost in memories of Alexa, Joe added, "She died of cancer, Cassandra. She was young and vibrant. Methos made her last months special." "Without hesitating, he took her on a tour of the world. He showed her all the places she'd only dreamt about," Amanda filled in. "Her needs and wants were the only thing that concerned him." "How long ago was this?" Cassandra was intrigued. 'Death' had given this young woman a richer life. "It seems like a lifetime ago." Methos could barely be heard.  "She sounds like a special person," Cassandra watched Methos as he sat on the raised hearth of the fireplace. Methos rubbed his arms as if he were chilly despite sitting next to the roaring fire. "Just she and I in a sterile Swiss hospital, then she was gone. Once again I was alone." Methos looked over to Amanda. "Then Amanda came, just like I knew she would. She knew I didn't want to be alone again." Amanda walked over and settled herself in his lap. "You never will be, honey, as long as I'm alive," she promised. Cassandra noticed the haunted look in Methos' eyes when he pulled Amanda against him. Amanda was too enthralled with his kiss to notice his reaction. Cassandra waited for their kiss to end, and asked, "What are you're plans?" "For?" Methos asked. "You're not planning on staying here at the cabin, are you? After you get everything straight upstairs," she said, pointing to her own head. "What do you plan to do? Is Amanda part of those plans?" "Of course, she is," Methos answered, thinking that was the most ridiculous question he had ever heard. "She's always welcome in my life; she knows that." "So, what are your plans, Methos?" Cassandra repeated her previous question.  "Kick around the world for a while," Methos shifted to a more comfortable position. "Hide out if the Watcher's come calling again." "Take one day at a time, huh?" Cassandra smiled. "See what happens? No grand plans?" "Yeah, that's the gist of my plans." "What would you think if Amanda were to leave you again?" Amanda had lost interest in the conversation sitting in Methos' lap, but Cassandra's last line had drawn her attention. "Not going to happen, Cassandra." "She's her own person. I don't control her, but I hope that she doesn't." Methos moved her out of his lap so he could stand up. "I've had enough of her leaving me." "Amanda, what if Methos left you?" "He usually doesn't do the leaving," Amanda confessed, even though he had just put distance between them so suddenly. "She needs her space," Methos agreed sadly. "I won't ask her to change for me." Cassandra listened to Methos talk about his feelings for Amanda. He kept saying how he didn't want her to change and how much he understood her need for space, but something in his demeanor suggested he felt more than he let on. She knew that as long as Amanda was in the same room, Methos wasn't going to say what he really meant. "Amanda? Joe? May I ask you both a favor?" "Whatever you need, Cassandra," Joe replied. "Shoot." Amanda was eager to help any way she could. "Please go take a walk," Cassandra said.  "Why?" Methos protested. "They're helping." Joe and Amanda looked at each other, then at Methos. "Sure, we can both use the exercise, can't we, Amanda?" Amanda jumped up and said, "I'll get our coats." "Don't leave," Methos grabbed for her, but she moved quicker than he did. "You're leaving again, Amanda." "Not forever," she said brightly. "Just for a little while." Methos glared at Cassandra. "Why do they have to leave?" "Humor me, okay?" she sighed. "I promise I'll be nice." "I have all evening. Why not a few more minutes?" Methos crossed his arms over his chest and suggestively said, "You do want to talk, right? Nothing else?" "Don't flatter yourself, Methos," Cassandra said, trying not to get sick to her stomach. She knew his question was just to get a rise out of Amanda so she'd stay. Maybe Methos didn't want to tackle the Goddess' honest truth either. Amanda kissed Methos on the cheek and helped Joe get his coat on. "Don't be a smartass, either." "Get me a beer since you're by the fridge, Amanda." "Bossy man," she admonished as she walked into the kitchen and retrieved the requested beer. Methos sulked after getting the beer and Joe and Amanda waved as they left the through front door. Cassandra wandered into the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. Maybe it would be a good idea to let Methos have a minute or two to think. Things had certainly been interesting these last few days. The heaviness that had burdened her for the last couple of millennia had been lifted. Seeing Methos had been healing for her, she knew he was no longer than man that had haunted her nightmares. Once this was all over, she would finally be able to move on and give up the ghosts that beckoned her. "Can I get you anything while I'm in here?" Cassandra offered. "No, uh, yeah." Methos drained the last swallow of beer. "Another beer would be lovely. Make that two." Snagging the beers from the fridge, Cassandra walked into the living room. Methos murmured his thanks as he twisted the cap off one of the tall bottles. He sighed as the cold liquid slid down his throat. He let his head fall back against the chair and closed his eyes in silent contemplation. Cassandra took the chair opposite him. She sipped her wine casually as she observed her former tormentor from across the large coffee table that separated them. The pale white skin of his slender neck was exposed to her. What she wouldn't have given for the sight just a few short years ago, but now her palms didn't itch to separate his head from his neck. I must be getting soft in my old age, Cassandra contemplated with a soft laugh. Goddess, help me. Methos' head jerked up at the sound of her laughter. "What?" "Nothing," she waved his question off. "Shall we start again?" "I suppose." "Let's cut to the chase." Cassandra smiled. "Methos, what are your real plans? Have you made promises to Amanda concerning your future together?" "You've got to be kidding me," Methos said. "I haven't promised anybody anything since this nightmare began." "Calm down, I was just asking." Cassandra soothed. "I'm just wondering if her idea of what you're both going to do is different than yours." "I'm sure we'll go somewhere and recoup," Methos was mollified. "Then she'll be off on one of her grand adventures." "You won't go with her?" "She won't need me to." "She loves you, Methos," Cassandra responded. "Surely you see that." "So she says." "Methos, if there is one woman in love on this earth, it's Amanda." Cassandra continued. "She's more the blushing bride than Kate is. Haven't you seen that?" "She looks at me the same as she always has," Methos said. "She was with Duncan during the whole Horsemen incident, wasn't she?" She worded her question carefully. Methos nodded. "Why wasn't she with Duncan when I was in town?" "Because I called her and told her to stay clear for a while." "While she was with another man, you loved her enough to warn her to stay away from the mess?" "I've always kept her safe, Cassandra!" "How many times have you had to do that?" "Let's just say more than once," Methos was calmer now. "She has a way off getting into trouble up to her neck." "She's too dangerous to be around?"  "Sometimes, yes." Cassandra asked the next logical question. "Then why are you around her?"  "Because I can't stay away, that's why!!" Methos slammed the beer on the end table beside him for emphasis. "Does that answer your question?" "You can't stay away, but you don't have any plans to speak of?" Cassandra asked. "What do you want to do?" "It doesn't matter what I want." "Why doesn't it matter, Methos?" "It just doesn't. Drop it, Cassandra." "Of course it matters," Cassandra argued. Methos practically jumped from the chair. "Because I love her and that scares the hell out of me!" Pacing in front of the fireplace, Methos continued on. "She's going to do what she wants regardless of what I think. I love her for that and I hate her for that!" "Have you talked to her about this?" Methos ignored her and continued his pacing. Cassandra looked over the Word Association list. The words fear, commitment, and Amanda practically leapt off the page at her. It seemed so much clearer now in light of the conversation they were having at the moment. Very interesting, she thought. "Have you ever committed to, or married, another immortal?" "Gods, no." Methos finally stopped pacing. "Too much bloody work." Cassandra stood and faced him where he had stopped. "Do you think Amanda has any grand plans?" "She probably has many." "And?" "What?" "What are they?" "Does there have to be any? What are your plans?" "We're not talking about me here, Methos. We're talking about you and Amanda." "I thought we were talking about me. How did she get into the equation?" "Isn't she important to you?" "She's everything to me." "Then why don't you want to talk about her?" "I...," Methos said, then stopped and looking up at the ceiling. He didn't have a coherent answer for her, or himself. He looked at Cassandra's face, and it seemed to him as if she had it all figured out. "Clue me in on it." "Perhaps you care for her more than you realize," Cassandra offered. "Perhaps you're afraid of committing yourself to her because that's the next logical step." Methos opened his mouth to protest, but closed it when he realized the truth in Cassandra's words. "Or perhaps you're afraid you will scare her off if you tell her how you truly feel." Methos laughed uneasily. "It's not like I've never committed to someone before." "But not another immortal, though," she reminded him. "Not Amanda, a woman you've known and loved for ... how long?" When he didn't answer, she said, "And according to you, she would be too much work." "It is." "I guess you need to ask yourself if she is worth it," she instructed.  The phone rang just as Methos was about to respond. Cassandra held up her hand and went to answer the phone. Methos nodded his understanding and thought about what they had just talked about. Amanda had been the last topic of conversation and for some unexplainable reason he didn't feel comfortable discussing their relationship, especially with Cassandra. Over the last few days, his life had been an open book. The others had found out more about him than he ever intended to reveal. Methos knew that had been unavoidable, but he wanted the depth of his feelings for the minx to remain his own knowledge. His response to Cassandra's question looped over and over in his mind. "She's everything to me." When did that happen? Had that always been the case? Then he heard Cassandra's voice ask him if Amanda was worth the work. Methos smiled when he realized that he knew the answer. He hurried into his bedroom to find his boots; he needed to speak with Amanda as soon as possible. ~~~~~ Duncan waited patiently for someone to pick up the phone. He and Kate had driven back into town after he and Methos had words, feelings that they had both tried to cover, but became clear that they hadn't. Time and distance had taken the edge off his annoyance at the older immortal. Now that they had eaten a nice dinner and spent some quiet time together, Duncan felt much better about the situation. Kate had teased him when he excused himself to find a phone. He joined her laughter when she said he was acting like a parent checking on his child. "Hello," Cassandra's voice broke through his thoughts. "Hello," Duncan said. "It's just me. How are things going there?" "Fine," Cassandra answered. "Actually pretty well. Methos has calmed down and is being quite cooperative." "Is he on drugs?" Duncan asked sarcastically. Cassandra chuckled. "Seriously, I'm glad. Maybe he's more open with me gone." "Could be," she agreed. "Are you guys enjoying yourselves?" "Yes, in fact, we are," Duncan watched Kate from across the room. "We thought about staying the night here in town." "Go ahead," Cassandra encouraged him. "Things are fine here. He's not been violent in quite some time. Besides, between me, Joe, and Amanda, we'll be able keep things under control." Duncan thought about her offer. Cassandra must feel pretty confident if she was willing to be in the same house with Methos without Duncan there. "Are you sure? We can come back like we planned." "If I thought I couldn't handle this, I'd be the first to admit it, you know that," Cassandra assured him. "Stay in town and enjoy yourselves. I'll see you two in the morning." "If you insist." Thoughts of spending the night alone with Kate with no one else around convinced Duncan that this was truly a good idea. "I owe you." "Yes, you do," she teased. "Don't worry, Duncan. No one's in danger here, I swear." "All right, then," Duncan replied. "We'll see you in the morning and we'll bring breakfast. Everyone can sleep in." "Sounds lovely. Goodnight, Duncan." "Goodnight, Cassandra." Duncan hung up the phone and hurried off to tell Kate about the change in plans. Just as he exited the telephone booth, he bumped into a frumpy young woman using the phone next to his. "Excuse me, miss." "No problem," she said as she watched his retreating back. "No problem at all, Duncan MacLeod." Beth shoved her arms into her coat and slipped on her gloves. "You just made my day." ~~~~~ "Who was on the phone?" Methos asked as he came from the bedroom. "Mac, I presume?" "Yes, he and Kate are planning on staying in town tonight," Cassandra informed him as she watched him sit on the sofa and tug on his boots. "Everything is under control here, I think, don't you?" Methos tied his boots in double knots. "Yeah, I think it is." Methos looked up at Cassandra and asked, "He really decided to stay in town, himself? He doesn't want to be the big protector?" Cassandra only shrugged, then asked, "Does he have something to protect?" Methos shook his head. After finishing lacing his boots, he rested his hands on his knees and smiled up at her. "Thank you." Several different emotions ran through her when he said those two words: anger that it had taken so many years to hear them, sadness at what he had gone through to say them, and finally relief that he seemed to mean them. His words of gratitude meant more to her than words of apology. The past might just become the past. "You're welcome," she simply stated. "I need to talk to Amanda," he said as he stood up. "Yes, I think you do." Methos grabbed his coat and headed into the brisk night air, not wanting to wait to look into Amanda's eyes when he asked the all-important questions, that he didn't even know was of utmost importance to him. Although his memories still seemed a bit fuzzy, his head felt clearer than it had since this whole thing had stared. Light at the end of a very long tunnel, he laughed as he walked faster in pursuit of his quarry. Amanda's buzz beckoned him towards her like a beacon, then found her and Joe standing along the shoreline. . Amanda's head jerked around at his approach. "I thought you hated the snow." "I do," Methos said as he leaned over and grabbed a handful of snow, "but I needed some fresh air." Amanda squealed when the snow he threw made contact with her bare skin. "You're evil!!" "Who me?" he blinked innocently.  "Yes, you!" Amanda threw a handful of snow in retaliation. She ran to hide behind Joe. "You can't hit Joe." Methos bent over and packed a handful of snow into a ball. "All's fair in love and war, Amanda." He waited until Joe moved his head out the way and he expertly tossed the missile that landed with a wet thud on Amanda's coat. "This coat is cashmere, Methos!" Amanda yelled as she tried to duck another snowball. "So," Methos grinned impishly. "I'll buy you another one." Amanda stood with her jaw agape. "Who are you and what did you do with Methos?" Joe laughed. "And here I thought I was the only one who thought you were cheap." "I might be cheap, but I am not easy," he told them confidently. "Yeah, remember who you're talking to here, old man." Amanda was glad to see the smile on his lips made his hazel eyes twinkle. "I can recall a couple of times when you were both." "Do tell, Amanda," Joe prodded. He sensed Methos was feeling much better. "I'll buy you that coat in exchange for some dirt on him." "Joe, what kind of friend are you?" Methos feigned shock. "I'm sure I'll not got over my hurt." "Boy, it's getting deep out here and I'm not talking about the snow," Joe grimaced. "I'm turning into an icicle. My old bones say it's time to head back to my spot in front of the fireplace." "We'll be along in a bit," Methos whispered as Joe passed him. Amanda had wondered over to look at something at the water's edge. "I need to talk to Amanda." Joe clapped him on the back. "Don't do anything I wouldn't." ~~~~~ Beth sped off the ferry in her rented black Taurus, with Geoffrey's sword next to her. The Excalibor's tip was in the carpet of the passenger seat, while the hilt was resting against her shoulder. Beth didn't even know that she had cut her finger as she caressed the blade and told herself, "No more. There are two less immortals protecting that bastard. Now's the time or there never will be one." By now, she knew the route to the cabin tucked in the woods by heart. Even though it was the dark of night, she felt as though she was following her lover Geoffrey's beacon, to where she would exact her revenge. ~~~~~ After Methos was certain that Joe had left and he was truly alone with Amanda, he smiled at the concept. He was actually alone with Amanda for the first time in he didn't know how long. He walked up behind his love and wrapped his arms around her damp cashmere coat and rested his head against hers. The waves were lapping softly at the shoreline, making a soft rhythm. There was almost no wind to speak of. There was only a soft kiss of light from the quarter moon. It was also winter, so perfection wasn't attainable that evening. If he wasn't so cold, and didn't want Amanda's answer so much, Methos would have headed back indoors with Joe. Amanda was docile herself. He kissed her cheek and asked, "What are you thinking about?" "What color cashmere coat you're going to buy me," she teased. "If a coat is all that makes you happy," he said, but didn't get to finish his sentence. Amanda spun around in his arms and clenched him around the waist. "Not all, but it's a start." She pecked him on the nose, as an indication of where and how she would like to start. "Amanda," Methos said seriously. "What are your plans?" "I'm going to get you inside and have you warm me up." "I mean after we leave here. We are leaving here, aren't we?" "I certainly hope so. When you're ready." "When I'm ready, and we leave here, what are your plans?" "With you?" "Ok, with me. What do you want to happen?" Methos looked at her face expectantly, waiting for her to not only talk, but reveal what her wants and needs were. Damn woman, all he saw was her teasing him, or was that apprehension? Was she as confused about all this as he was? "Sweetie," she said, which he took as a good sign. Whenever she had called Duncan 'sweetie', Methos always got a pang of regret that their little tryst was something that he hadn't put his foot down to stop. "Yeah?" He waited patiently for her to stop making that face he didn't like, how she would come up with a great lie, or what she had thought was a great lie, on the spot because the truth was something she didn't want to reveal. He grimaced, but lost his attention on her. What was foremost on his mind at the moment was the crunching of snow that got closer and closer. His head whipped around for what or who could be the cause of the sound, expecting Joe and/or Cassandra to break the plane of the tree line at any moment. A searing pain erupted in his leg, not unlike the leg pain that he brought him to his knees on three different occasions in his long life. He slipped unwillingly to the ground as he pushed Amanda back to what he hoped would be safety. Does she have her sword? Bloody hell! Why didn't I bring my sword?! Amanda had been perplexed by Methos' sudden collapse and was just about to call him some kind of klutz, but it didn't make any sense at all. When he pushed her back, she saw a black form suddenly between them. Amanda had only grasped the intruder's shoulder when the form spun around and all Amanda saw was the bright silver of the gun reflect just before it fired. The bullet went right into her chest, and she dropped straight down dead without even taking a last breath. Methos used his good leg to rise up and grab the black form that had appeared between Amanda and him. When the gun fired, he fell in surprise. As he lay on his back, he figured he had to still be screwed up in the head. That shouldn't have surprised him at all. Looking at the dagger's hilt sticking out of his leg, he knew just whose it was, and just who it was that stuck it in him. The only thing he couldn't figure out is how that frumpy, overweight woman could have snuck up on him. On them. Were they so wrapped up in their own lives that they didn't pay any attention to what was going on around them? That could set a dangerous precedent. Before he could do anymore thinking, Beth Merriweather took a long, silver blade from her coat and stuck it under Methos' chin. He was almost ready to throttle the woman with his bare hands, but he didn't like the pressure of the thin, very sharp blade against his skin. He saw Amanda lying unprotected facing him, but flat on her back, but with her legs impossibly curled under her. Her eyes were open, staring in his direction. His heart clenched. His stomach tightened. His throat went dry. All the years of love, laughter, and stolen moments they had shared for 1200 years flooded his memory and he had a glimpse of how empty his life would be without her in it. Even their bickering was instantly missed as he looked at her dead form, and the wicked presence of Merriweather with a sword, now aiming it at Amanda. Beth spoke, with all the venom that had built up in her since Geoffrey's head was separated from his body, "This bitch got 37 more days of life than my Geoffrey, or me! I haven't lived since she killed my love!" "Please, Beth," Methos said, slowly raising her hand in order to calm her. "You can't do that." Methos made the empty movement of trying to lift up on his incapacitated leg for her benefit. "This is Holy Ground." "And your point is?" she asked vehemently. Okay, the woman was really off her rocker, but she had loved once. He focused his eyes with the puppy dog expression he'd perfected over the millennia on her and pleaded, "If you need to take Geoffrey's death out on anyone, take it out on me. I was the one who challenged him. Don't harm Amanda any farther. Please." Beth stood straight, handily swinging Geoffrey's sword in her hand, staring at Methos. Then she laughed hard. "I will take it out on you. Right after I separate her head, you're next!" Concluded in Part Ten