AUTHORS NOTE: This story is a sequel to my story "What Price Vengence". If you haven't read it, I'd recommend
reading it first.  What Price Vengence This story takes place after the end of the fourth season. Duncan has returned from Paris and straightened things out with Richie. Also, in my world Joe has not been placed on trial for his life.
 
DISCLAIMER: Highlander the Series is the property of Rysher Entertainment.
Characters from that series are used without their permission. The characters
and stories not belonging to Rysher belong to me.

For My Child
by Laura F. Schomberg
Part one
 
The motorbike roared into the car lot before coming to a stop, inches from the
dealership building. The driver was the first to remove his helmet reveling the
close cropped curly, blonde-red head of Richie Ryan. His passenger swung her
right leg back and got off the bike, removing her own helmet to reveal dark
auburn hair that fell down in two long braids on either side of her head.
Wearing little make up and fixing her hair the way she did made her look about
16 years old Richie thought. He told her that once again as he stepped off his
bike.
 
"It keeps the hair out of my face and it's easier to keep then if I let it
loose," Ellie said, sounding somewhat annoyed. "Why do you keep mentioning it
anyway?"
 
"Because it doesn't help you with these car salesmen we've been talking to."
 
"I don't see what difference it makes."
 
Richie sighed. "Ellie, when was the last time you bought a car?"  

"1928. That's why I asked you along. After all you used to sell cars."
 
"That's right. And when I was selling cars if I saw someone, no make that a
girl, come in who looked maybe 16 years old I'd automatically think that she
knew nothing about cars. That she'd be an easy sell."
 
"I didn't think you sold cars long enough to get that predatory."  

Richie shrugged as he leaned against his bike. "Maybe not, but I did work for a
really predatory boss."
 
Ellie crossed her arms, chewing on her lower lip as she considered Richie's
words. She thought back over the last two dealerships they had been to that day
and realized that he might be right. Both salesmen had gone over such details
as the vanity mirrors in the visors and how she could open the doors with the
remote without bothering to mention the engine. That is until she asked about
it specifically. "Okay, so maybe you've got a point. There's not much I can do
about it now."
 
"You could at least take your hair out of those braids."  

Ellie pulled both braids in front of her and untied the leather cords at their
bottoms before loosening the braids with her fingers. As her hair began to
loosen, she quickly shook her head to completely release the braids, her hair
falling down her back in thick waves. "How's that?"
 
"I guess it'll have to do. Are you sure you were 23 when you first died?"
 
"21, 22, 23, 24. Somewhere in there," Ellie said quietly, stepping closer to
Richie so that their conversation wouldn't be overheard by the salesman who was
walking toward them. "Calenders have changed quite a bit since I was born. And
obviously I wasn't the son of a pharaoh so no one celebrated my birthday, or
even acknowledge it for that matter."
 
Richie looked surprised. "You don't know when your birthday is?" he asked
quietly.
 
Ellie shook her head with a shrug before turning to the salesman who had
reached their position by the bike. He was Richie's height with dark brown,
curly hair, brown eyes, and a square jaw. As he stepped forward, Ellie quickly
looked him over, noticing his dark grey slacks, white dress shirt, and dark
blue tie held in place with a car tie clip. He wasn't wearing a jacket.  

"Hi. My name's Jack Oakland. Are you interested in buying a car?" he asked
Richie.
 
"No, not me. I just gave Ellie here a lift."  

"That's right. I'm the one buying the car. My name's Ellie Williams," she said
as she reached out her right hand to shake the hand of the salesman. He took
her hand briefly before turning back to Richie.
 
"So, what do you have in mind?"
 
"You better ask Ellie. I'm not buying a car," Richie said, turning to Ellie and
shrugging.
 
"I've done some checking around and I'd like to look at the Camry."
 
"The Camry's a good car," he said as he turned around, heading toward the car
lot. Richie and Ellie stepped into place on either side of him.
 
Jack Oakland turned to Richie and asked, "Are you looking for a new or used
car?"
 
"I'm not looking, remember?"
 
"A new car," Ellie added, her voice tight.  

For the first time the salesman turned and asked Ellie a question, "Are you
sure you can afford a new Camry?"  

Richie stopped in his tracks, his face showing an odd combination of shock and
relief. He was shocked by the gall of the salesman's question but at the same
time he was relieved that the salesman wasn't immortal. He didn't think Ellie
would have let Mr. Jack Oakland keep his head if he were immortal.  

Ellie also stopped walking and slowly turned toward the salesman, her face
betraying none of the anger she was fighting to control. "You are an idiot.
First you insist on asking my friend questions even though you knew he wasn't
buying a car. When you were doing that I just thought that you were a jerk who
didn't think that a woman could buy a car. I was wrong. You're an idiot and you
just lost a sale." Ellie reached into her fanny pack and pulled out several 100
dollar bills. "By the way, I was looking for a car with all the options. And
I was going to pay cash."  

The money was shoved back into the fanny pack as Ellie turned and stalked over
to Richie's motorbike. The salesman turned to Richie, a stunned expression on
his face.
 
"I'd have to agree with the lady," Richie said before turning around and
following Ellie. When he reached Ellie, she had already piled her hair on top
of her head, pulled on her helmet, and straddled the bike. Richie pulled his
keys out of his pocket and dangled them in front of Ellie's face. "Want to
drive?"
 
Taking the keys and scooting forward on the bike seat, Ellie nodded. "Thanks,
Rich. I'll take it easy."  

Richie shrugged before putting on his helmet and getting on behind Ellie. "Go
for it. I'll survive."
 
Ellie gunned the engine before sending the bike roaring out of the lot.
 
***********
 
Richie parked his bike behind a new, green Subaru Legacy. He got off his bike,
removing his helmet as he walked past the car and into the six-story brownstone
building which had been converted into condominiums a few months ago. Ellie had
been the first one to buy one of the condominiums. Actually she had bought the
two units on the sixth floor, one of which she lived in and the other she had
turned into her own private dojo. Richie practiced there with Ellie at least
twice a week.
 
As Richie walked up the stairs to the sixth floor, he thought back over the
events that had lead to the purchase of the new car parked outside the
building. After he and Ellie had left the Toyota dealership the day before,
they had gone for a long drive. Richie had let Ellie drive his bike fully
expecting a fast and dangerous ride to some unknown destination so he was
surprised when she kept their speed at only 10 miles over the speed limit and
obeyed all the other traffic laws. After driving for a little over an hour,
Ellie had stopped the bike at Richie's place, got off, gave the keys back to
Richie, and walked away. Richie hadn't bothered following her, he knew when she
wanted to be alone.
 
This morning Ellie had called Richie, asking for his help just one last time.
When they arrived at a Subaru dealership on the other side of town, they were
greeted by a dark haired salesman with a British accent. This salesman had
asked Ellie what she was looking for before taking her to the green Legacy and
preceding to tell her about the engine, the brakes, and the crumple zones.
Richie knew that Ellie had already decided to buy the car before she even took
it for a test drive. Luckily she was getting a good car and the salesman didn't
try to make her pay more then it was worth.  

Finally, Richie reached the sixth floor and walked to the door on the left
which led into Ellie's condominium. The door opened as he reached forward to
ring the bell, Ellie, like Richie, had felt the presence of another Immortal
since Richie had reached the fifth floor. Richie took a step back before
entering the condo, surprised by Ellie's attire. Normally Ellie wore clothes
that were a bit loose and only slightly hinted that she had a good figure, but
not tonight. Tonight Ellie was wearing tight black jeans and, most surprising
of all, a white lace camisole that contrasted nicely with her tan skin but left
little to the imagination.
 
"I hope I'm not late," Richie said as he stepped past Ellie, into the condo.
 
"No, right on time," Ellie replied before reaching down to grab something at
her feet. As she straightened up Richie saw that she was holding a kitten. She
brought the kitten up close to her face saying, "I told you, you could stay out
here only if you stayed out from under my feet. Here Richie, you hold her."  

Richie took the kitten in one hand and moved over to sit on the blue sofa
facing the large set of shelves that acted as an entertainment center. He
recognized the song by the Doors that was playing on the stereo. The kitten
Richie was holding was small, not more than two months old, and dark gray with
lighter gray stripes. Richie noticed that the collar, a strip of green ribbon,
had something written on it in gold ink. He turned the kitten around to get a
better look at the writing, not surprised to see that the name on the collar
was "MUT".
 
"Methos must be back in town," he called back to Ellie in the offset
kitchen.
 
"How'd you guess?" Ellie said as she came in carrying a bottle of champagne and
two glasses. She took a seat next to Richie as she put the champagne and
glasses on the oak coffee table in front of the sofa. "Don't tell me. The
blasted cat gave it away."  

"He's the only one I know who knows you hate cats but gives them to you anyway.
That and he names them all Mut. What's the deal with that anyway?"
 
Ellie poured the champagne and then handed a glass to Richie before taking the
kitten away. "It's a long, boring, private joke. And I don't really hate cats,
cats are fine, it's kittens that I hate. Too needy. Besides pets have shorter
life spans then mortals. Why get close to something that's going to die in a
couple of years?"  

"They live longer than two years."
 
"Well, that's relative," she said, holding up her glass. "Let's drink a toast
to our good fortune today."
 
Their glasses clinked together then each raised their glass to their lips.
Richie closed his eyes as he drank the champagne. Ellie took a sip from her
glass then lowered it, watching Richie drink.  

"That was good."
 
"I'm glad you like it. Help yourself." Ellie stood and took the kitten to her
room. She opened the door, set the kitten down, and shut the door before
turning around and heading for the kitchen. "I hope you like roast beef."
 
"Love it."
 
"Good, because that's about all I can cook."  

"Need help?"
 
"No. Table's set and dinner's almost ready. Just relax and help yourself to the
champagne."
 
There was a knock at the door as Richie poured himself some more champagne.
"I'll get that," he said, standing up and heading to the door. He recognized
the woman on the other side of the door. She also lived in the condominium. She
was a little taller then Ellie and had hazel eyes and dark blonde hair. Ellie
had told him that she was in her late 30s and her name was Mallie Sligh.  

"Is Ellie here?" Mallie asked Richie.
 
"Ellie, Mallie Sligh is here," Richie called back to the kitchen.  

Ellie came out of the kitchen and over to the door. She reached out her right
hand to shake Mallie's hand. Richie noticed the Watcher emblem tattooed on
Mallie's right wrist. He quickly turned to Ellie who looked at him and
shrugged.
 
"Is she your's?" Richie blurted out.
 
Mallie quickly answered, "No. I'm not your's either, by the way. It was just a
coincidence that we moved into the same condominium."
 
"I doubt that," Richie muttered before turning back and heading to the sofa. He
sat down, grabbed his glass from the table, and gulped down its contents before
pouring more champagne into the glass.  

"What can I do for you Mallie?" Ellie asked.  

"Look, if this is a bad time . . . "
 
"Nonsense," Ellie said, cutting Mallie off. "Just spit it out."  

Mallie turned toward Richie before turning back to Ellie and asking, "I know
you've done a lot of teaching. And that you've seen a lot of history, first
hand." Ellie shrugged in response. "Well, I was wondering if you could help my
daughter, Amelia. She's having trouble in history."
 
"Isn't school still out for the summer?"  

"Yes, but she barely pulled off a C last year and she really wants to do better
this year. It's the only class she had trouble in and she wants to go to
Princeton or Harvard for college."  

"She's only going into her junior year in high school."  

"I know but grades are really important to get into those schools. It's also
really competitive."
 
Ellie didn't respond at first, instead she turned and looked back at Richie,
chewing on her lower lip. Richie looked up at her and shook his head, his eyes
pleading with her not to help the Watcher. Ellie finally turned back to Mallie.
"I need to think about this some. I can't make any promises though."
 
Mallie looked disappointed. "I guess that's all I can ask," she said before
turning around and heading to the stairs. She reached the fifth floor landing
where she was met by a tall man with short black hair. He grabbed her arm as
she tried to walk past him and jerked her around to face him.
 
"What were you doing up there?" he yelled.  

"I just wanted to see if she would help Amelia. I didn't see any harm in
asking."
 
"You know we aren't supposed to associate with her type. Why would you want
that witch contaminating our daughter's mind anyway?"
 
"You don't have to worry about that. I don't think she'll help," Mallie said
before jerking her arm out of her husband's grasp and stalking away.
 
Mallie's husband, Bob Sligh, hadn't bothered keeping his voice down. The
argument echoed up to the sixth floor where Ellie stood listening. Richie came
up behind Ellie, trying to push past her. Ellie gently pushed him back into the
condo, shaking her head.  

"It sounds like he's going to hit her!"
 
"Richie, he's a loud, obnoxious jerk but he won't hit her. I've heard enough of
their arguments over the past month to know that he won't hit her. Listen. The
argument has already ended."  

Richie strained to hear the slightest sound coming from the fifth floor.
Nothing. Slowly he relaxed against Ellie's arms.  

"Go back in and fix yourself a drink. Something stronger than champagne. I'll
finish fixing dinner."
 
"All right." Richie slowly turned around and headed to the liquor cabinet which
stood against the wall behind the sofa. "Do you want anything?"
 
"Not just yet. Thanks anyway."
 
***********
 
Ellie finished putting the dinner dishes in the sink then turned and regarded
her reflection in the oven window. So far the night was going according to
plans. Well, except for that one incident with the Sligh's. Ellie pushed that
incident out of her head as she thought about what was to come. She smiled and
turned and left the kitchen.
 
Ellie walked over and sat down next to Richie on the sofa. She reached across
him to turn down the light on the table next to him, the only light left on in
the room. Slowly she brought her hand down to rest on Richie's knee and rested
her head on his shoulder. Richie squirmed in his seat. Suddenly he brought his
left arm up and glanced at his watch.
 
"Damn, look at the time. I've got to get going. I'm supposed to open the dojo
in the morning," he said as he jumped up off the sofa. He grabbed his jacket as
he headed to the door.  

"Richie, wait," Ellie called after him. Richie stopped in his tracks then
slowly turned back to Ellie. "You've had too much to drink. Why don't you take
the spare room? Sleep it off. Or you could sleep in my room."
 
Richie turned to the door and then back to Ellie. "You're probably right," he
said before putting his jacket back, turning to the left, and heading into
Ellie's spare room.
 
Ellie watched him leave the room from her position on the sofa. She watched him
turn on the light in the room and shut the door before kicking the table in
front of her. Her fists slammed into the cushions beside her before she sprang
out of her seat, heading to the door. Just before the door she stopped, turning
quickly, she grabbed Richie's jacket before heading out the door, stopping long
enough to make sure the door didn't slam shut behind her.  

***********
 
Ellie brought Richie's bike to a stop in the alley next to Duncan's loft.
Quickly she got off the bike and headed into the building, using Richie's keys
to open any locked doors. As she started up the stairs, she felt the presence
of another Immortal, perhaps two. She hesitated briefly, not wanting to walk in
on Duncan and Amanda, before she remembered the kitten which was, hopefully,
sleeping in her bedroom. She started back up the stairs hoping that if anyone
was with Duncan it was Methos, not Amanda.  

Duncan flung open the door leading from his loft down the stairs, in his right
hand he held his sword. The figure on the stairs glanced up before continuing
toward Duncan. The stairs were too dark to get a good look at whoever was on
the stairs but he was sure of one thing, it wasn't Richie. He began to worry
about Richie when he noticed that the woman coming up the stairs was wearing
Richie's jacket. As he opened his mouth to introduce himself to the stranger
coming up the stairs, he remembered that Richie had been spending a lot of time
with Ellie lately.  

"Duncan, it's me, Ellie. I hope I'm not disturbing you," Ellie said as she came
up the last step.
 
"Of course not. Come in, come in." Duncan stepped back and let Ellie walk past
him into the loft.
 
As Ellie entered the loft, she saw Methos get up from Duncan's sofa. Ellie ran
over to him and flung her arms around his neck. "It's so good to see you
again," she said.  

Methos hugged her tight before disengaging her arms and gently pushing her
back. "Did you get my gift'?"  

"Yes, and I hated it as you knew I would. I really wish you'd stop giving me
stray kittens. I hate trying to find homes for them."  

Methos shrugged. "It's just my way of saying hi."  

"What brings you here Ellie?" Duncan asked as he walked over to join Methos and
Ellie. "I'm sure it wasn't to say hello to Methos here."
 
"I wanted to talk to you about Richie."
 
Duncan's blood turned cold. "What's wrong? Did something happen to Richie?"
 
"No. No. Richie's fine."
 
"Then why did you want to talk to me about Richie?"  

Ellie blushed and turned away from the two Immortals. "Oh, this is
embarrassing," she sighed.
 
"Hey, didn't you get a new car today?" Methos interjected. "I take it it's
outside. Can we see it?"
 
"I didn't take the car. I took Richie's bike."  

"Where is Richie?" Duncan asked. It was getting late and so far he had yet to
figure out what was happening between Richie and Ellie. Whatever it was he
hoped she'd get to the point.  

"He's at my place, sleeping it off. He had too much to drink at dinner."
Suddenly Ellie turned back to the Immortals, taking off Richie's jacket. "Is
there something wrong with me?"  

Both men stared at Ellie. Neither would have expected her to tear off her
jacket to reveal a flimsy, white lace camisole. Methos and Duncan turned to
look at each other before turning back to Ellie.  

"No, no," Duncan stuttered. "There's nothing wrong with you. Why, why do you
ask?"
 
Ellie let the jacket fall to the floor as she started to pace around the room.
"I did everything that I could think of short of actually jumping on top of him
and ripping his clothes off. Nothing. He got nervous and decided it was time to
leave. I told him he'd had too much to drink and he could sleep in the spare
room or in my room. Do you know which room he choose? The spare!"  

Ellie stopped pacing and came over to Duncan. "Duncan, you've known Richie a
long time. Tell me something." She took a deep breath before blurting out,
"Does Richie play for the other team?"  

Duncan stood gaping at Ellie, behind him he heard Methos laughing. "I'm not
sure I know what you mean."  

"She meant, is Richie gay?"
 
Duncan turned from Ellie to Methos, glaring at the ancient Immortal. "You
aren't helping here."
 
Methos shrugged, still laughing as he sat back down on the sofa. "You
asked."
 
Duncan glared at Methos once more before turning to Ellie. "No, Ellie. Richie
isn't gay."
 
"Then why couldn't I get him to . . . you know," Ellie suddenly looked very
embarrassed by the direction the conversation had taken. "Oh, I don't believe I
did this."  

Methos reached up and took Ellie's right wrist in his hand. Gently he pulled
her down on the sofa next to him. "Don't worry about it. Duncan will be happy
to clear this up. Won't you Duncan?" he asked, giving Duncan his most innocent
look.  

Duncan shot one last glare at Methos before sitting down beside Ellie. Taking
her left hand in his he said, "I'll talk to Richie. I'm sure everything will
work out."
 
"This must be very frustrating for you," Methos said. Ellie just nodded. "Is
that why you took Richie's bike, to relieve the frustra . . . oomph," he broke
off as Ellie's elbow jabbed him hard in the ribs.
 
"You have a filthy, filthy mind," Ellie answered.  

"If you're still frustrated, I'd be happy to help you out." Methos face
radiated innocence as he looked at Ellie.  

"I'd take your head first."
 
"That's one place to start."
 
Duncan got up and walked away from the pair of ancient Immortals, shaking his
head. He didn't think he would ever understand their relationship. At least he
knew where he stood with Amanda, he thought as he headed to the kitchen to get
Ellie a drink.
 
Part Two
 
The presence of another Immortal woke Richie. He sat up in the bed, straining
to see or hear the other Immortal and reaching for his sword. When he didn't
notice any lights come on under the door he relaxed, placing his sword back
under the bed. 'It must be Ellie' he thought. He'd spent the night with
Ellie before and during those times he had gotten used to Ellie moving about
the condo without turning on the lights. He laid back down on the bed and
quickly went back to sleep.
 
A rough hand against his mouth and the bite of cold steel against his throat
jerked Richie from sleep. His eyes flew open to stare into the dark eyes of the
Immortal holding a sword to his throat. 'Don't just lay here!' flashed
into his head. Just as quickly he forced the thought out of his mind, he
realized that he wouldn't get far with the Immortal's sword already cutting
into his throat.  

"Smart boy. Just answer my questions and I may let you keep your head."
 
Dim light seeped into the room from the open window. It wasn't much, but it was
enough for Richie to tell that he didn't know the man holding a sword to his
throat.
 
"I'm going to take my hand from your mouth now. If you yell or make any
movements I'll take your head. Just like that, understand."
 
Richie nodded his head.
 
"Good boy," the Immortal said as he took his hand away from Richie's mouth.
 
"What do you want?"
 
"I want to know what you've done with Ellianna."  

"Nothing. Honest. Look, we had dinner, then I came in here and she left. I
don't know where she went."
 
"How did she get wherever she was going?"  

"I guess she took her car. It's a green Subaru. You must have seen my motorbike
outside. It was parked right next to it."  

Richie gasped as the blade was pushed against his throat.  

"You lie. There was no bike outside. And I've known Ellianna a long time. She
wouldn't drive a car."
 
"She got it today. I swear. She said she was tired of borrowing Duncan's car
whenever she needed the cargo room."  

"Duncan MacLeod?"
 
Richie nodded. The man pulled the sword away from Richie's throat. As he
stepped back, Richie rolled off the bed, grabbing his sword before springing up
to block the sword coming toward his head. Richie ducked under the next swing
and dashed past the stranger, through the door and into the next room. He raced
across the room and slammed his hand against the light switch, flooding the
room with bright lights and momentarily blinding the other Immortal as he came
through the door.  

Richie took the opportunity to get a good look at the man standing in the spare
room's doorway. He was slightly taller then MacLeod, appeared to be about 30 to
35 years old, his skin was the color of dark chocolate, and he was wearing dark
clothes. Richie stepped forward as the man shook his head, trying to clear his
eyes.  

"I don't know what you want with Ellie but you'll have to go through me first,"
Richie said.
 
"I just want to make sure she's all right," the man replied as he stepped
forward and swung at Richie.
 
Richie blocked the sword before stepping in close to the taller Immortal. He
quickly moved in as close as possible before slamming his shoulder into the
man's chest, sending him flying against the liquor cabinet. The Immortal's arm
knocked a large cut crystal vase off the cabinet, sending it crashing to the
floor. The stranger fell on his back on top of the vase.  

"Don't worry," Richie panted. "I wouldn't let anything happen to Ellie."
 
Richie waited for a response from the strange Immortal. When none came, he
cautiously walked around the sofa to stand at his feet. Slowly he lowered his
sword. This Immortal wouldn't be any danger to anyone for the time being,
Richie realized as he saw the large piece of the vase protruding from the man's
chest. He considered his options for a moment before turning and heading toward
the phone in Ellie's kitchen.
 
***********
 
Methos and Duncan were once again alone in Duncan's loft. When the phone rang
Methos was already putting on his coat as he headed toward the elevator. He
stopped and turned back to see who had called.
 
Duncan picked up the phone on the second ring. "Hello . . . Richie! What's
wrong? . . . She left about 10 minutes ago . . . Someone attacked you! . . .
Why not? . . . Not yet, Richie. Methos and I will be over as soon as possible."

 
Duncan hung up the phone and turned to Methos. "Someone came to Ellie's place
looking for her. He attacked Richie."  

"Did Richie take his head?"
 
"No. He said that the man wasn't looking to take Ellie's head, just that he
didn't give Richie the chance to explain what he was doing there."
 
"You told him we were coming so let's go," Methos said as he turned and headed
into the elevator.
 
***********
 
Richie stood over the body of the Immortal who had attacked him. He wanted to
take the crystal stake out of the man's back but Duncan had told him to wait.
Richie wasn't happy about leaving the man lying on the floor in such a state.
Taking a deep breath, he kneeled down beside the man, gently turning him over
to see what the stake looked like where it entered his back. It soon became
apparent to Richie that the stake consisted of the bottom of the crystal vase
that had one large shard which had entered the man's back and penetrated all
the way through to his chest. After a moment's hesitation he reached down and
grabbed the vase bottom. Slowly he started to pull the broken vase from the
man's back, tossing it to the side once it had cleared his body. Richie picked
up the man's sword before standing up and walking to the kitchen to fix both of
them a drink.
 
Richie was pouring himself a soda when he felt the presence of another
Immortal. Thinking it was the stranger, he headed back into the living room.
One glance at the man lying on the floor told Richie that he wasn't the
Immortal he felt. Richie went to his sword, raising it as he turned back to the
door.  

It opened slowly before Ellie came through the door and shut it behind her.
When she turned to Richie, she noticed him lowering the sword. She quickly
looked around the condo, noticing the missing vase and the legs sticking out
from behind the sofa.  

"What happened?"
 
"Someone came looking for you. We fought and he died when he landed on the
vase."
 
"There was a Quickening?" Ellie asked, surprised. She couldn't believe that any
Quickening wouldn't wreck her place.  

"No. I didn't take his head. I think he may be a friend of yours."  

Ellie studied Richie for a moment before heading around to the other side of
the sofa. Both Immortals felt the presence of the stranger, indicating that he
was coming back to life. Richie followed close behind Ellie, holding his sword
ready, incase the man's concern for Ellie had been an act.  

Ellie stopped suddenly when she got to the back of the sofa. She surprised
Richie by dropping to the floor beside the stranger and pulling his hand toward
her chest.
 
"Ruben. Come on Ruben, snap out of it."
 
The man on the floor groaned and tried to bring his hands to his chest only to
find the right hand locked in one position. He opened his eyes to see what was
holding him in place.  

"Julie!" he shouted as he sat up, pulling his hand from Ellie's and pulling her
into a tight hug. Both Immortals fell back toward the floor.
 
"Be careful. I don't know if Richie got all the glass up."  

Richie stood staring at the two Immortals, slowly lowering his sword to the
floor. Ellie was disentangling herself from Ruben's grasp when the arrival of
two new Immortals was felt by all in the room.
 
"What is this place anyway, Immortal Grand Central Station?" Ellie complained
as she got to her feet and headed to the door.  

"I called Mac," Richie explained. "I was looking for you."  

Ellie opened the door as Ruben stood up from behind the sofa. He was the first
person Duncan and Methos saw as they came into the condo. Methos pulled his
sword out of his coat as he headed over to the immortal.
 
"If you think you're going to take Ellie's head you're going to have to go
through me first."
 
"Would you grow up, Adam," Ellie said, grabbing his arm from behind. "I can
take care of myself. Besides, this is my son, Ruben Morgan."
 
Methos stopped, turning from Ruben to Ellie with a stunned look on his face.
Richie also looked stunned. Only Duncan didn't seem surprised by Ellie's claim
that Ruben was her son.  

"Why didn't you tell me about him?"
 
"It never came up. Look, why don't we all sit down and have something to drink.
Obviously I have to explain some things to you and Richie. And I think Ruben
needs to explain why he is here."  

The four male Immortals slowly moved to take seats as Ellie headed over to the
liquor cabinet and began pouring drinks.  

It took Ellie only a few minutes to pour everyone a stiff scotch. She brought
the drinks over to the men on a tray, offering each man a drink. No one
refused. She sat down between Richie and Ruben on the sofa, placing the empty
tray in front of her on the coffee table.
 
"I guess I should begin," she said after she took a sip of her drink. "Ruben
Morgan is my son. He was born in 1837 in Madison, Georgia." Ellie leaned back
against the sofa, closing her eyes before continuing with her tale.
 
##########
 
Boxwood Plantation, 1837
Outside Madison, Georgia
 
Ellie leaned back in the rocker, enjoying the cool summer breeze from her
porch. After a long day, Ellie enjoyed sitting outside and listening to the
crickets and other creatures of the night. From this spot Ellie could also look
up and see the stars in the sky. Ellie's only regret was that these weren't the
stars she used to watch as a child.
 
The sound of someone rushing toward her, calling her name, broke her reverie.
She stood up and looked out into the dark night, waiting for the person calling
her to reach her position on the porch.
 
"Miss Julie, Miss Julie," the young girl panted as she came running up.
 
"Calm down, Sissy," Ellie said, grabbing the black girl as she started to drop
to the ground.
 
Ellie supported the girl and moved her over to the rocker Ellie had been
sitting in moments ago. The girl looked to be about 14 years old. Her hair was
hidden by a white clothe and she wore a light colored dress whose skirt brushed
against the ground when she walked.
 
"Now take a deep breath and tell me what happened."  

Sissy took a deep breath before blurting out, "You got to come quick, Miss
Julie. There be a fire back behind the quarters."  

Ellie left the girl in the rocker and ran over to the porch railing that faced
in the direction of the slave quarters. Peering into the dark, she strained for
some sign of the fire the girl had told her about. Just before she was ready to
turn away she saw a flash of light that quickly faded away. It looked like
lightening, Ellie realized with a start, but it was too low to the ground.  

Ellie turned and raced across the porch and down the stairs, gathering her
yellow skirt around her waist as she ran. "Go get Mr. Donovan," she yelled to
the girl as she ran past.  

Ellie ran as fast as she could across the side garden toward the quarters. She
didn't slow down for a moment even though she felt as if her ribs were going to
collapse because of the tightly laced corset she wore under her dress. Concern
for her foreman, Jared Donovan, filled her mind.
 
Donovan was an Immortal who had come to help her in her work about two years
ago. During the past two years he had proved himself invaluable both in running
the plantation and in her secret work of educating and freeing slaves. He had
never revealed her efforts in his numerous trips to town for supplies and she
trusted him with her life. Ellie also knew that Donovan would not have told her
if another Immortal was after her head.  

Ellie ran through the strangely quiet quarters, heading toward the flickering
lights she saw coming from the trees behind the last house. As she approached,
she noticed that most of her workers were clustered around the edge of the
trees. No one was moving.  

"Let me through," she gasped out. The people in the back of the group turned
around, saw who had addressed them, and moved aside. Ellie could hear the
whispers in front of her as the men, women, and even children told those still
in her way to stand aside and let the Mistress through.
 
Ellie pressed a hand against the pain in her side as she walked up to the
dark-skinned man standing slightly apart from the crowd. He turned to her and
waited for her to reach him near the edge of the stand of trees.
 
"What's wrong Quintin?" she asked before doubling over from the sudden stabbing
pain in her side. Ellie was certain that bone stays in the corset combined with
her half-mile dash had resulted in at least one broken rib.
 
"You all right, Miss Julie?" Quintin asked, grabbing Ellie to keep her from
falling to the ground.
 

"I'm fine, Quintin. Now, tell me what happened." Ellie forced herself to
straighten but she didn't try to shake off Quintin's supporting hands.
 
"Miss Julie we saw fire in the woods. When me and two of the boys went to check
it out we finded a slave on fire. But she weren't no slave of yours, Miss
Julie."
 
"On fire! Did you put the fire out?"
 
"No, Miss Julie. When we got to her the fire spit at us. Pushed us back
here."
 
"Spit at you?"
 
"Yes ma'am. It spit lightening at us. We came back here and I send Sissy after
you."
 
Ellie was about to respond when she thought she felt the faint presence of
another Immortal. She turned and started to walk into the trees when Quintin's
hand held her back.  

"No, Miss Julie! Don't you be going in there! Mr. Donovan's a comin. It's not
safe for you."
 
"Quintin, please let me go. I've got to see what happened."  

Quintin reluctantly released his hold on Ellie. She hiked her skirts up around
her waist again as she walked into the woods. Following the weakly flickering
light into the woods, she found what had spooked her workers.
 
A fire was consuming the last of the remains of what was once a human being.
Ellie couldn't tell from what was left if the body belonged to a man or a
woman.
She watched in horror as the fire flared brightly, spitting lightening in her
direction. She ducked down but didn't retreat. Soon all that was left of the
body were ashes as the fire died away.  

Ellie could still feel the faint presence of another Immortal. She started to
poke at the bushes near her but found nothing. Ellie felt Donovan approach at
the same time she heard the wail of an infant. Following the wailing cry, Ellie
found a small, naked, bloody, black infant lying by a tree next to the ashes of
the dead woman. She picked the baby up and was turning to face Donovan when a
strong breeze blew through the trees sending the woman's ashes scattering in
the wind.
 
Donovan stared at Ellie, his eyes wide and full of shock. Ellie looked down at
her clothes. They were covered with the infant's blood and the dead person's
ashes. Slowly she started back through the trees, toward the slave quarters to
find parents for the child.
 
###########
 
"No one would take the child. They all felt that he was cursed. I know what
that feels like, so I took him in and raised him as my own."
 
"So that's where we come from," Richie said in awe.  

Ellie turned to Richie, "I don't know where we come from. Remember I never saw
enough of the body that was burning to know what or who it was. And none of the
other plantation owners in the area reported a missing, pregnant slave."  

Richie seemed disappointed by Ellie's dismissal of where they came from. He got
up and went to the liquor cabinet to fix himself another drink.
 
Duncan turned his attention to Ruben. "Why are you here?"  

Ruben pulled a letter out of his pants' pocket and handed it over to Duncan. "I
got this letter about a week ago. It was sent to my solicitor in New York. He
didn't forward it to me in Haiti or I would have been here sooner."
 
Duncan read the letter to the group, "Mr. Morgan, Your mother once gave me this
address and told me to send you news of her death if it ever occurred. As of
this moment she is still alive but I fear for her life. And my own. One of your
kind is hunting her. He has already killed two of Ellen's associates, my kind,
in his efforts to kill her. I am certain he is coming for me next. The last
time I heard from your mother she was heading to Seattle. Beware of a young,
blonde man with grey eyes. He is the one after your mother. Janek"
 
"Is that why you attacked me?" Richie asked Ruben.  

Ruben nodded. "Hey, I'm sorry about that. You're young and in the dark your
hair looks like it could be blonde. I couldn't tell about the color of your
eyes."
 
"No problem, man. If I got a letter like that about Ellie, I probably would act
the same way."
 
"Great. Now that everyone is happy again, I think it's time we all got some
sleep. It is after two in the morning," Duncan spoke up.  

Ellie looked over at Duncan somewhat sheepishly. "Um, Mac, could you, you know,
do what we talked about at your place?"  

"Now?"
 
"It's as good a time as any," Methos replied. "I'll stay here with Ellie and
Ruben. You go ahead and chat."  

"Oh no, if I'm going to do this you're going to help," Duncan said as he
reached down and pulled Methos to his feet. "Richie, we need to talk."
 
"Look if this has something to do with what happened," Richie started.
 
"Richie!"
 
Looking distinctly uncomfortable, Richie got up off the sofa and followed
Duncan and Methos into the spare bedroom. Once inside he closed the door and
turned back to face the two older Immortals.
 
"I know you told me not to take that stake out of his heart but I really didn't
think that he meant any harm to Ellie. I took his sword away from him and I was
sure that I could explain things to him if Ellie didn't get back before he came
around," Richie said, defensively.
 
"Richie, this doesn't have anything to do with what happened between you and
Ruben," Methos said. "It has to do with what happened earlier tonight between
you and Ellie."  

"She told you about that!"
 
Methos nodded his head and turned to Duncan, "I think you should ask him."
 
Duncan looked uncomfortable as he looked at Richie. He moved over to the unmade
bed and sat down before asking, "What happened between you and Ellie tonight?"

 
"Oh man," Richie said as he leaned against the door, "She came on strong,
really strong. I didn't know what to do. I panicked."  

"Are you not interested in Ellie?" Duncan asked, diverting his gaze to the
artwork on the wall.
 
"Not interested? Are you kidding? I'd give an arm to be more then friends with
Ellie."
 
"Then why did you panic tonight? I know you've been out with girls who make the
first move before."
 
"It's not that," Richie said. He appeared to be examining the carpeting at his
feet.
 
"It'll be easier if you just spit it out," Methos spoke up. He had cleared a
spot on the dresser and was now sitting on it, leaning back against the mirror
with his legs crossed in front of him.  

Richie hesitated before saying, "I just didn't think I could compete."
 
"Compete with what?"
 
"You, Mac. And Methos."
 
"Competing with me didn't stop you with Kristen."  

"That wasn't the same. I didn't know that you and Kristen had a history until
after I slept with her."
 
"Richie, do you think I sleep with every female Immortal I come across?"
 
"Don't you?" Methos answered for Richie.  

"You aren't helping here. For the record, I don't sleep with *every* female
Immortal I meet. And I haven't slept with Ellie."  

Richie looked relieved by Duncan's admission. He turned to Methos and asked,
"Have you slept with her?"  

It was Duncan's turn to turn innocent eyes toward Methos. "Well?"
 
Methos shrugged. "A long, *long* time ago. I wouldn't worry about competing
with me."
 
"That's another thing that makes me nervous."  

"What? Her age?" Methos asked. "Why?"
 
"She has, you know, known so many people. And been around for such a long time.
It would be like sleeping with Amanda. She's had too many people to compare me
too."
 
Methos got off of the dresser and came to stand in front of Richie. He waited
until Richie raised his head to look him in the eyes before saying, "Richie,
Ellie is not Amanda. Amanda uses sex to get what she wants. Ellie doesn't. Sex
isn't easy for Ellie."  

"Then why does it seem so easy for her to get dressed in front of whoever is in
the room?"
 
"That isn't sex. And it has a lot to do with the various cultures she's
experienced."
 
"So you think I should go for it?"
 
"Richie, I think you should go for it, as you say, only if that's what you want
to do. What I don't think you should do, is run away from Ellie. If you knew
what I know about her past you would understand that it took a lot of courage
for her to try to get you into bed tonight."
 
"Why don't you tell me about her past?"
 
Methos shook his head and walked away saying, "I can't do that. All I can tell
you is that she isn't the person she once was."  

Part Three
 
Ellie and Richie had spent a lot of time together in the three weeks since
Ruben's arrival. Much of that time was spent with Ellie's son. At first Richie
and Ruben had competed for Ellie's attention. That is until Ellie took them
both on in her dojo, easily beating both men. She had then told them that if
they couldn't play like good little boys they would both have to go home. Their
friendship had begun to grow since that time.
 
Also during the past three weeks, Ellie and Richie had started talking about
where they both wanted the relationship to go. So far nothing had been decided,
in part because Richie was upset that Ellie had agreed to tutor Mallie Sligh's
daughter, Amelia. Richie was adamant in his belief that Ellie was going to get
in trouble with her father. Ellie, for her part, didn't seem to care. Richie
was certain Ellie was tutoring Amelia to spite Bob Sligh.  

Tonight, though, it was just going to be the two of them. No strings, no
pressure. For the first time in two weeks they were going to spend the night
alone. Both Immortals were looking forward to the night with excitement and
trepidation.  

Ellie looked around the condo for one last time, hoping that everything would
work out tonight. She headed into her bedroom to check her attire one last
time.
 
"This is ridiculous," she said to herself. "You'd think I was a teenager or
something."
 
Ellie looked herself over in the full length mirror. Tonight, on Methos'
suggestion, she had dressed more conservatively then the last time Richie had
come over for dinner. She was wearing a pale lilac, sleeveless dress that was
low cut but didn't reveal her breasts. The skirt stopped about three inches
above her knees. The only jewelry she wore was a gold hair clip which she used
to pull her hair back on the left side of her head, letting the rest of her
hair fall in curls down her back.
 
Ellie had modeled tonight's outfit for both Ruben and Methos earlier this
afternoon. Both men had told her she looked gorgeous and not to worry.
<Easier said than done> Ellie thought.  

The doorbell rang, startling Ellie. She didn't know who was at the door but she
was certain of one thing, it wasn't Richie. Ellie walked out of her room and
through the living room to the door. As she opened the door, she felt the
presence of an Immortal approaching. The only person at the door, though, was
Bob Sligh.  

"Mr. Sligh. What can I do for you tonight?"  

"May I come in?"
 
"Certainly," Ellie said, surprised. She had expected the man to start yelling
at her as soon as he opened his mouth.  

Stepping aside, she allowed Sligh into her condo. Not wanting Sligh to know
that another Immortal was arriving, Ellie shut the door.
 
"This is a bit embarrassing for me," Sligh started out. "Do you think I could
get some water? It might make things easier."  

"O.K. Just give me a minute," Ellie answered. She started to head toward the
kitchen when the doorbell rang again.  

"Why don't you let me get the drink. You get the door," Sligh spoke up.
 
"Thanks."
 
Ellie turned back to the door, opening it to let Richie into the condo.
 
"I hope I'm not late."
 
"Not at all. But we've got company. Sligh is here."  

"Sligh? What does he want?"
 
Ellie shrugged her shoulders and headed toward the kitchen. As Ellie reached
the door, Sligh came through, carrying a drink. Ellie stepped back, letting
Sligh pass her and move into the living room.  

"Ellie, I just wanted to apologize for some of the things I've said to you
lately."
 
Ellie turned to Richie, unable to hide the surprise on her face. Turning back
to Sligh she said, "That's okay. I didn't take any of it personally."
 
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Richie asked.  

Sligh drained his glass before answering, "Actually, Amelia is responsible for
that."
 
"Your daughter?"
 
"Yes. She is really excited about working with Ellie and she loves that kitten
you gave her. She even kept the name you had given it."  

Sligh's comment about the kitten made Ellie cringe and Richie chuckle.
 
"Did I say something wrong?"
 

"No," Richie answered. "Ellie didn't name the kitten, that's all. A friend of
ours did."
 
"It's a personal joke," Ellie explained. "Um, if you're worried that I'll tell
Amelia what I am, you don't need to. I believe that sort of information should
come from you. If you want her to know."  

"I was afraid you'd tell her," Sligh admitted. "But if you say you won't tell
her, well, that's good enough for me. I better be going. Thanks for the
drink."
 
Sligh handed his glass to Ellie before walking past her and out the door. After
Sligh left the condo, Ellie turned to Richie, confusion showed on both their
faces.
 
"I don't get it," Richie said. "Why the sudden change of heart?"  

"Who knows? Maybe he was telling the truth."  

***********
 
Ellie and Richie sat in front of the television, watching a documentary about
comets. Richie had his arm around Ellie's shoulders and Ellie had placed her
head on his shoulder.  

"Why are we watching this?" Richie asked before draining his glass. "You hate
comets. Last March when that comet came through you took off for Mac's cabin
and you couldn't even see that one here."  

Ellie sighed. "I know, I know. Just call it morbid curiosity," she said, taking
a sip of her drink. "My first death involved a comet."  

###########
 
Behdet, Upper Egypt 1003 B.C.E.
 
The young girl huddled in her hut. She hadn't left her hut since the fireball
first appeared in the sky, two nights ago. That her father's death coincided
with the glowing disc didn't help allay Mut's fears. She had heard the
villagers' calls toward her home, calling her a demon, blaming her for the fire
in the sky.  

Until two nights ago Mut could count on her father's protection. Even if she
did despise his nightly visits to her hut, she knew that his position as a
village elder protected her from those in the village who thought that she was
a demon. Now that he was dead, had died in her presence, Mut knew that her life
would soon end. The sounds of several people shouting to each other pulled Mut
to her window. Fear overwhelmed her when she saw the crowd coming toward her
hut. She turned around and sank to the floor, clutching her knees to her chest
and starting to rock. She didn't respond when four men burst through her door,
grabbed her, and dragged her outside.
 
The men dragged her over to two poles that several of the villagers were
pounding into the ground. She was shoved between the poles, each arm roughly
tied to a pole even as the villagers finished pounding them into the ground.
 
When the villagers had finished, they moved back away from their makeshift
sacrificial altar. Several people had gathered stones as they headed to Mut's
home. As soon as the other villagers moved back into the crowd, they began to
hurl the stones at the bound girl. A few missed, but most hit Mut, in the head,
chest, and abdomen. Mut's body jerked with each stone that hit her until a
large stone struck her in the head, stunning her.
 
The villagers' continued throwing stones at the girl's body long after she had
died. Their yells of outrage for the offenses they believed the girl had
committed brought other villagers to the scene. Only when they ran out of
stones did they finally disperse, heading back to their homes, certain that
they had killed the demon which brought the giant ball of fire.
 
In the gathering gloom a lone figure emerged from a nearby hut and quietly
moved to the broken body that hung between the two poles. Quickly he cut the
ropes that bound the arms to the poles, catching the body as it fell to the
ground. He carried the body over to a blanket he had brought, laid it down and
wrapped the blanket around it, concealing the body from any prying eyes. The
man then gently picked up Mut, taking a quick look around before heading out of
the village and into the hills.
 
###########
 
"Was it Methos?"
 
"No," Ellie said, her eyes refocusing on the television in front of her. "It
was an Immortal named Djoser. He taught me quite a lot. It just wasn't about
how to defend myself if another immortal came for my head."
 
"What did he teach you?"
 
Ellie shook her head, standing up as she said, "I'd really rather not talk
about that. Too depressing. Do you want another drink?"  

"Yeah, thanks," Richie said, handing his glass to Ellie. "Methos did know you
when you were still Mut, though, right?"  

"Yes, Richie," Ellie said.
 
"Why kittens and not puppies?"
 
"Mut is the feminine form of the word cat in Egyptian. It was also used as
kitty'," Ellie said, taking both glasses into the kitchen. After dumping the
remaining contents of the glasses into the sink, she headed toward the
refrigerator. A wave of dizziness hit Ellie as she opened the freezer door.
Leaving the door open, she turned and stumbled out of the kitchen.
 
"Richie, something's wrong."
 
Richie got up from the sofa, heading toward Ellie. She started to slump to the
ground as he reached her. He grabbed her before she could hit the ground and
helped her over to the sofa.  

"Ellie! What's wrong?"
 
Ellie shook her head. "I don't know. I think we better get out of here."
 
Richie helped Ellie stand, supporting her as they moved out of her condo and
down the stairs. They made it down the stairs and out of the building before
Richie felt Ellie slump in his arms. He picked her up and was carrying her over
to her car when a police motorcycle officer pulled up behind the car.  

"What's going on here?" the officer asked as he came over to Richie and Ellie,
removing his helmet.
 
Richie had managed to grab Ellie's keys on the way out of the condo. He used
the remote key to unlock the door before opening it with one hand while he used
the other to support Ellie against the car.
 
"My girlfriend has asthma," he explained, putting Ellie's limp body in the
front passenger seat. "She had a really bad attack. I've got to get her to the
hospital."
 
The officer moved in closer to the car, trying to get a good look at Ellie.
 
"She doesn't look good. I can call an ambulance."  

"No!" Richie shouted. "No, the hospital is only 10 minutes away. It will take
at least that long for an ambulance to get here."  

"All right," the officer replied. "Get in your car. I'll give you an
escort."
 
<Damn!> Richie thought as he raced around the car and climbed into the
driver's seat. He quickly started the engine and pulled in behind the
policeman's motorcycle. As he followed the officer to the hospital, he felt
Ellie's presence fade. <I hope you're working tonight Anne>
 
***********
 
The green car pulled in front of the ambulance entrance right behind the police
motorcycle. Richie flung open his door and ran around to Ellie's side of the
car, desperate to get to her before anyone else had a chance to see that she
was already dead. He pulled open the door and reached in to pick up her body.
Turning around he ran past the stretcher and into the hospital.  

"Anne! Dr. Anne Lindsey!" he yelled, praying Anne was at the hospital.
 
Richie almost dropped Ellie in relief when he saw Anne come out of one of the
examining rooms. He quickly went over to her.  

"Anne, I need your help," he said, looking back to the officer walking quickly
up to where he and Anne stood.  

"Is she?"
 
Richie nodded. Anne took in the situation and then grabbed Richie's arm,
pulling him into an empty examining room. The officer stuck his hand in as she
started to shut the door.  

"Is she going to be all right?"
 
"If you let me get to my job she will," Anne snapped back as she pushed the
officer out of the room and slammed the door.  

Turning back around she saw Richie place the female immortal's body on the
stretcher before falling back against the wall. She moved forward to support
him and helped him move over to sit in a nearby chair.
 
"Are *you* okay?"
 
Richie nodded. "I was feeling a little dizzy but it's passing now. I guess I
must have gotten poisoned too. You remember Ellie, don't you?"
 
Anne turned back to the girl on the table, taking a good look at her for the
first time since Richie had brought her in.  

"She was with you that one time you watched Mary for me, right?"  

"Yeah, that was her," Richie said as he stood up and walked over to Ellie.
 
"Okay, Richie, tell me what happened."
 
"I'm not really sure. Ellie and I had finished dinner and we were sitting
watching tv. Ellie had gone to get us some more drinks when she started feeling
dizzy. Whatever it was really hit her hard, she barely made it to the car.
That's when the police officer drove up. I couldn't think of anything else but
to come here."  

"You did the right thing," Anne said, moving over to Ellie who was beginning to
stir. "How are you feeling?" she asked Ellie.  

"Like death," she moaned, curling into a fetal position.  

"Well, I wish all my patients could say that after literally being dead."
 
Ellie opened her eyes and looked at Anne. Slowly she straightened and moved
into a sitting position. Anne moved over to support Ellie when she started to
fall forward, off the stretcher.  

"Why don't you lay back down. Let me give you some oxygen."  

"Why?"
 
"We've got a bit of a problem outside involving a police officer who thinks you
are deathly ill."
 
***********
 
The next morning Ellie and Richie met Duncan at Joe's. Duncan chose Joe's
because he wanted to ask Joe if the Watcher's had any news of an immortal who
incapacitated others with poison. When Duncan called Methos and told him of the
night's events, he insisted on being in on the talks at Joe's.  

"I still haven't figured out how we were poisoned," Ellie said before taking a
sip of the soda Joe had placed in front of her earlier.  

"It had to be in something you ate or drank," Duncan replied.  

"I don't know Mac," Richie said, shaking his head. "We ate and drank the same
things but I didn't get as sick as Ellie did."  

"Maybe if we can figure out who did this?" Methos suggested. He raised his beer
to his mouth as he looked at the people assembled in the bar.
 
"On that note," Joe started. "I didn't find any immortal currently in the area
who used poison. Or anything else to incapacitate another immortal."
 
Duncan took a long drink from his beer before turning to Ellie, saying "I'll
tell you who I think it is but you won't like it."  

"Don't even start," Ellie cut him off. "I know that you don't trust Ruben but I
promise you he had nothing to do with this. Personally, I think Bob Sligh is
behind this. I don't like the fact that he was in my kitchen, alone, earlier in
the evening."  

"I've known Bob a long time, Ellie," Joe said. "He can be a bit obsessive about
his daughter but he isn't a bad sort."  

"What's the deal with his daughter anyway?" Richie asked.  

"Amelia was adopted. At times I think that Bob believes she may be
Immortal."
 
Ellie choked on her drink. As Methos started to pound on her back she said,
"That's ridiculous! Just because someone's adopted doesn't automatically mean
they're Immortal. And Amelia *isn't* immortal."
 
"You're sure of that?"
 
"Joe, I've been around a long time. I have never been wrong about this. Never,"
Ellie said. She raised her glass and drained the last of the soda. The ice fell
toward her mouth and Ellie let one piece slide into her mouth. She bit down on
the ice while bringing the glass down to the bar.
 
Richie watched Ellie chew the ice, sudden inspiration filling his mind. "That's
it!" he shouted.
 
Everyone turned to Richie.
 
"How the poisoning was done. I figured out why it hit Ellie harder then me."
 
"Well?" Methos asked impatiently.
 
"When I was a kid, I had this foster mother who loved riddles. She had this one
riddle where two people were served the same poison in their drinks but only
one died. You had to figure out the answer."
 
"Spit it out, man! Some of us won't live forever."  

"Okay, okay. In the riddle the poison was in the ice, one person gulped the
drink down and the other sipped it, letting the ice melt."  

Richie turned toward everyone expectantly. Four sets of eyes starred back at
him with no hint of understanding.  

"I figured it out when I saw her eat the ice just now. She did it last night
too. I didn't eat the ice. I didn't even really let my ice melt. The poison was
in the ice!"
 
Ellie shrugged, "Makes sense to me."
 
"If that was the case then it had to be Ruben," Duncan added. "Sligh wouldn't
know that you ate your ice but Ruben would."  

Ellie turned angrily on Duncan. Both Methos and Richie placed a hand on her arm
when they saw her eyes turn a vivid green. Both men had seen her eyes become
that vivid when she got angry.  

Ellie shook off their hands, got off her stool, and stalked over to Duncan. She
grabbed his shirt, pulling him off of his bar stool. Duncan didn't resist as
she slammed him back against the bar.  

"You haven't trusted Ruben ever since you first met him during the Civil War.
When will you get it through your thick skull that what he did then he did
because he wanted to protect me."  

"He didn't know he was immortal then."
 
"That makes what he did stupid *not* evil," she said, releasing her hold on
Duncan and walking to sit on the stage.  

"Someone want to fill in the rest of us?" Joe asked.  

Duncan straightened his shirt and regained his seat on the stool before
answering, "I ran into Ellie and Ruben at Boxwood during the war. Her home was
a stop on the underground railroad. Ruben hadn't had his first death yet.
Anyway, the next day he came after me with a sword. Ellie had been teaching him
how to use it. He was good too. He almost took my head. Ellie stopped him
before he had the chance."
 
"You didn't bother telling them why he came after you," Ellie called from
across the room. "You didn't bother mentioning that the last immortal that came
to see me had tried to take my head. Something I told you about at the time."

 
"What about Donovan, your foreman?"
 
"Ruben didn't know about Donovan until after he first died," Ellie said,
standing up and walking back to Duncan. "You also didn't tell them that if it
was a fair battle."  

"I'm sorry Ellie, but I don't trust him. What makes you so certain he didn't do
it?"
 
Ellie stood in front of Duncan, her arms crossed in front of her. "Because he's
my child. If he wanted my head, all he would have to do is ask and I'd gladly
give it to him. He knows that," she said before turning and walking to the
door.
 
When she reached the door she stopped, turning back to Duncan she said, "And he
has never betrayed me. Not once. Can you say the same thing? Can you tell me
you never betrayed anyone in this bar? Richie perhaps?" she asked before
leaving the bar.  

Richie, Methos, and Joe turned to look at Duncan. He dropped his eyes from
their gaze. Richie was the first to move, jumping off his seat, and following
Ellie out of the building.  

"I guess she's got a point," Duncan said before getting off his seat and
leaving the building.
 
Part four
 
As Ellie walked into MacLeod's dojo she felt the presence of two immortals. She
hesitated briefly before walking over to the elevator and taking it to the
loft. Stepping off the elevator, she saw Richie and Duncan getting up from
Duncan's sofa.  

"I want to apologize for what I said earlier today," she said, facing Duncan,
her hands shoved into her pockets. "It wasn't fair of me to bring up what
happened earlier this year."  

Duncan was opening his mouth to respond when the presence of another immortal
was felt by all three. The people in the loft turned toward the elevator as it
started back down. Richie and Ellie relaxed when they saw Ruben step off the
elevator.  

"Hi Ruben," Ellie said, walking across the room to meet him, Duncan and Richie
following close behind. "What brings you here?"
 
"MacLeod called me."
 
"What's going on here Mac?" Ellie asked, turning back to face MacLeod.
 
"I wanted to make sure Ruben knew what happened last night."  

"Richie called me earlier today. Told me all about it. Do you have any idea who
did it?"
 
"I do," MacLeod said. Turning to Ellie he said, "Do you know what he's been
doing the past 20 years?"  

"MacLeod," Ellie said frostily.
 
"Hear me out. For the last 20 years, Ruben here has been using the name Reme
Toussaint. He's been working with various groups in Haiti. Several of those
groups have been credited with very bloody massacres."
 
"For the record," Ruben said, turning his back on Duncan to face Ellie. "Most
of my efforts have been in funding and suppling those groups who were working
to bring democracy to Haiti. Just like you taught me, work to bring change
without bringing attention to yourself. Most of the groups I've supported
didn't even know who I was."
 
"But you're not denying that some of those groups have been violent," Duncan
said.
 
"No, I'm not denying that," Ruben stated, turning back to MacLeod. "But once I
did know what they were doing with my money, I cut them off. Look, why don't
you just get to the point, MacLeod."
 
Duncan looked at Ellie before turning to Ruben and saying, "Did you have
anything to do with poisoning Ellie and Richie yesterday?"
 
"MacLeod," Ellie started.
 
At the same time Ruben shouted, "I don't believe this! Do you always hold a
grudge for more than 100 years? I told you back in 1863 that I was trying to
protect my mother. Do you honestly think that I would do that when I didn't
know I was Immortal but not now that I do know I'm Immortal?"
 
"I don't know what to think. I do know that Ellie wasn't having any problems
until you arrived."
 
Ruben stood still, staring at Duncan, his face full of rage. Finally he said,
"The only reason I don't take your head where you stand is that I once promised
mother that I wouldn't attack you again. I've never broken a promise to her but
if you *ever* come near me again you better be prepared to fight," he stated
before turning and stalking down the stairs and out of the loft.  

***********
 
Ruben felt the rage drain from his body when he left the building. As he
approached the alley, he felt the presence of another immortal. Slowing, he
placed his hand inside his jacket, grasping the handle of his sword. He waited
to draw his sword until after entering the alley and seeing the two men
standing at the far end.  

"Donovan," Ruben said, "it's been a long time."  

Donovan stepped away from the other man, his sword held low to his side. The
best description to be given to Donovan was average. He was of average height
and build with brown hair and light brown eyes. Ruben, looking at Donovan as he
crossed the empty alley, didn't think he'd ever be anything more than average.

 
"Who's your friend?" Ruben asked, walking toward Donovan, his sword now drawn
and held ready. "Not one of us, I see."  

Donovan hesitated, turning back to look at the mortal standing in front of a
black Bonneville at the end of the alley. The man shook his head. Donovan
turned back, continuing his advance on Ruben.  

"What's going on here Donovan?"
 
Donovan stopped once again. As he turned back, the mortal raised his hand and
fired three shots at Ruben. Ruben dropped to the ground, surprised by the pain
and that he never heard the shots that hit him.
 
***********
 
Methos had passed Ruben in the stairway as he headed toward Duncan's loft. The
expression on the other man's face stopped Methos from greeting him. Instead he
stepped aside, letting Ruben pass before moving on up the UTHORS NOTE: Thi
voices arguing as he reached the loft.
 
Only Richie turned to see who had arrived when Methos entered the room. He
shrugged before turning back to watch the two arguing immortals.
 
"I just think that you shouldn't turn a blind eye to him. He has admitted that
he's been involved in some violent groups."  

"MacLeod you are such a hypocrite. Tell me, what did you do during WWII? You
didn't just stand by and watch did you?"  

"No, I didn't. I worked with the French Underground."  

"The French Underground. And I take it they never did anything remotely
violent? Never attacked any German installation or any German forces?"
 
"Of course they did. But that was different! That was war!"  

"Why don't you think that what was happening in Haiti was war?"  

"It's not the same."
 
Ellie threw up her arms in frustration. "It's not the same because people
didn't choose to pay attention to what was going on in Haiti until the
government agreed to hold elections. That doesn't mean that they weren't at
war."
 
Duncan was about to respond when his alley window was blown out by a bolt of
lightening. The Immortals in the loft turned to each other before heading for
the stairs.
 
"I thought that was you I felt," Ellie told Methos as she headed for the
stairs.
 
***********
 
The Quickening was ending as Ellie, Richie, Methos, and Duncan ran into the
alley. They couldn't see the body of the Immortal the Quickening had come from
but they had no trouble finding the Immortal who had received the Quickening.
He was kneeling in the middle of the alley, his head down, one hand gripping
his sword at his side.
 
Ellie stopped suddenly as the Immortal raised his head, using his sword for
support as he stood.
 
"Jared Donovan," Ellie breathed, turning to look at the men who had stopped
behind her. "It's my old foreman, Jared Donovan."  

Richie, pointing to the man standing behind Donovan, said, "That's Sligh."
 
"Move, Donovan," Sligh yelled.
 
Ellie and the others started moving toward Donovan. Sligh raised his gun,
pointing it at them as they neared Donovan. His hand quickly jerked back.
Methos spun and fell, blood pouring from a wound in his shoulder.
 
The remaining Immortals also dropped to the ground, trying to make themselves
harder targets for Sligh's gun.  

"I didn't hear anything," Richie said.
 
"He must have a silencer," Duncan replied, moving over to Methos.  

 
Sligh reached forward and grabbed Donovan, forcing him into the Bonneville. He
dropped into the seat as soon as Donovan was out of the way, started the
engine, and sped off.  

"We have to find Ruben's body," Ellie called to the others as she stood.
 
"How do you know that it was Ruben?" Richie asked.  

"It couldn't be anyone else," Methos answered, shrugging off Duncan's support.
He stood up, saying "We better do this quickly."
 
Ellie headed toward the dumpster in the middle of the alley, certain that
Ruben's body would be on the other side. The scream which ripped from her
throat at the sight of her son's headless body surprised even Ellie. Slowly she
walked past his body, searching for his head.
 
Ellie's scream brought the other Immortals over. Methos, his shoulder already
healing, leaned down to pick up Ruben's body. He jerked his head toward Ellie.
Richie nodded, moving to help Ellie find Ruben's head.
 
"We can take him into the dojo through that entrance over there," Duncan told
Methos, pointing to a nearby door. He helped Methos lift the body and carry it
into the building.  

Richie couldn't find Ruben's head. He turned back to Ellie in time to see her
sink to the ground. She picked something up, holding it close to her chest.
Looking toward the entrance of the alley he noticed people beginning to gather.
Richie ran to Ellie.  

"Come on, honey. We have to get out of here," Richie implored. Bending down, he
gently turned Ellie's head toward his.  

"Ruben wouldn't want you to be accused of his death," he said, nodding at
Ruben's head held in Ellie's arms.  

Ellie nodded, allowing Richie to pull her to her feet. Using his body as a
shield against prying eyes, Richie ran beside Ellie, across the alley and into
the dojo.
 
Part five
 
Joe arrived at Duncan's loft about one hour after Ruben was killed by Donovan
and Sligh. During that time, Richie had cleaned up Ruben's body and stored it
in the dojo locker room while Duncan told the police that they had gone into
the alley to see what had caused his windows to blow out. He told the police
that they didn't find anything. They weren't satisfied but left anyway.  

It had taken Richie and Methos 20 minutes of talking to get Ellie to loosen her
death grip on her son's head. Richie took it with him to place it with the rest
of Ruben's body. Methos then led Ellie into Duncan's shower, stripping her
clothes off before gently cleaning her son's blood from her body. When he had
finished, he dressed Ellie in a pair of Duncan's sweats.
 
Joe arrived to find Ellie sitting in Duncan's loft, staring into space. The
rest of the Immortals were sitting near her, sipping drinks and not looking at
each other.
 
"Tell me what happened," Joe said, as he headed into the loft to sit across
from Ellie.
 
Quickly, Duncan relayed the events of the afternoon.  

Joe turned to Richie, "You sure it was Sligh?"  

"Oh it was Sligh, all right."
 
"Damn," he said, shifting uncomfortably. "I never would have figured him for
something like this."
 
"Is he my Watcher?"
 
The quiet question startled everyone in the room. They turned to Ellie who was
staring intently at Joe.
 
Joe shook his head. "No, Mallie is."
 
Ellie nodded in response, turning back to stare out the broken window. "I
wouldn't have expected this of Donovan, either," she said quietly. "There was a
time when I trusted him with my life."  

"He probably didn't appreciate being buried for more than 90 years."
 
Ellie turned back to Joe, surprise showing in her eyes. "How did you know that?
I never spotted a Watcher when I lived in Georgia."
 
"You didn't have one. Donovan's Watcher didn't know what happened to him. One
of your slaves . . . "  

"They weren't slaves. Not to me anyway," Ellie interrupted.  

"Well, then, one of your workers became a Watcher about two years after Ruben's
first death. Her name was Celie Morgan."  

"Celie. She and her father, Quintin, were the only ones who knew my secret."
 
"We weren't sure that the Immortal Celie told us about was you, until Mallie
matched her to you about a month and a half ago."  

"Ellie," Methos said, taking Ellie's right hand. "What happened to Donovan? Why
did you two fall apart?"
 
Ellie closed her eyes, shaking her head as if she were trying to shake memories
away. She took a deep breath before saying, "He killed my son."
 
###########
 
Boxwood Plantation, 1870
 
After the war ended life was hard for most of the plantations but not for
Boxwood. Ellie had quietly been paying and educating her workers since before
the war started making her workers extremely loyal to her. They were so loyal
that they stayed on the plantation when other former slaves went to fight with
the Union troops. They also stood down Sherman and his troops when they had
rode to the plantation intent on burning it to the ground.  

Ellie sat in the plantation house, discussing the day's events with her son,
Ruben Morgan. He was two weeks shy of his 33rd birthday. Ellie was proud of how
her son had turned out. He was tall and strong, willing to give his life to
defend someone weaker than he, although she wished he didn't think that she was
weaker than he.
 
Ellie turned suddenly, trying to determine the direction of the approaching
immortal. Ruben stood when he saw his mother's reaction. He ran to the front
door as the sound of pounding reached their ears. Flinging open the door, he
came face to face with the plantation foreman, Jared Donovan.  

"Where's that bitch?" Donovan yelled, trying to force his way into the
house.
 
Ruben shoved him back out the door. Following the foreman out, he shoved him
again, forcing the man down the stairs.  

Donovan stepped back, reached behind him, pulling out a sword, and charging
toward Ruben. Ruben took a quick step back but was unable to evade Donovan's
sword. Donovan plunged his sword into Ruben's abdomen, drawing it up and across
before pulling out of the dying man's body.
 
"I think it's time you learned the rules, boy," he said, watching Ruben's life
leave his body.
 
Ellie came out of the house in time to see her son fall before Donovan's sword.
She stood in stunned silence, her eyes tracking from her son's body to his
killer. Her sudden rush toward him surprised Donovan, giving Ellie the
opportunity to send him falling down the stairs before dropping down beside her
son, cradling his head in her arms.
 
"You'll be fine," she said as she watched him take his last mortal breath.
Gently, she lowered his head to the floor. Hearing Donovan scramble to his
feet, she stood, reaching behind her. Her skirt and petticoats fell to the
ground as she pulled her sword in front of her, leaving Ellie standing at the
top of the stairs in pantaloons and the top of her blue, two-piece dress.  

Donovan stepped back, surprised by the person standing in front of him.
 
"I didn't know you could do that."
 
"You don't know a lot of things about me," Ellie answered, walking down the
steps. "I learned a long time ago that clothes can be a help, or a hindrance.
It all depends on how you wear them."  

Ellie stopped in front of Donovan. "Why did you do this?" she asked, gesturing
up to her still dead son. "I thought you understood."
 
"Let's call it an eye for an eye," Donovan answered, swinging his sword toward
Ellie.
 
Ellie easily ducked Donovan's high swing, raising her sword to swing at
Donovan. Donovan brought his sword back around to block Ellie's blow, their
swords clashing together. Donovan swung at Ellie again and again, slowly
forcing her to back away from the house. Neither Immortal noticed the workers,
who were drawn by the sound of metal on metal.
 
Donovan swung hard at Ellie, slicing into her leg. The workers, who had
previously maintained a stunned silence, yelled in rage or screamed in fear.
Their cries startled both Immortals. Ellie recovered first, stepping in close
to Donovan and plunging her sword into his chest. Donovan fell, his body
sliding off the sword Ellie still held in her hands.
 
Ellie turned away from Donovan's body and ran toward the house. She could feel
the stirring Immortal presence of her son as she climbed the stairs. She found
Quintin kneeling beside her son, his face registering surprise and shock.
 
"Help me get him in the house," Ellie said. "Quickly, before anyone else sees
him."
 
Quintin picked Ruben up in his arms and followed Ellie into the house. Ellie
didn't see the other worker's remove Donovan's body, taking it away to be
secretly buried.
 
No matter how many times Ellie asked where the body was buried no one would
tell her, insisting they were only trying to protect their boss. Ellie spent
two years exploring the land around her home, straining to feel Donovan's
presence. She finally gave up her search, giving the plantation to her workers
and leaving Georgia for Europe.
 
###########
 
"I had to send Ruben away that night. He couldn't stay there. Everyone thought
he was dead."
 
"What did he mean, An eye for an eye'?" Methos asked.  

"I don't know," Ellie whispered, not looking at anyone in the room.  

"Do you know what happened to Donovan?" Duncan asked.  

Ellie shook her head.
 
"I might be able to shed some light on that," Joe spoke up. "Donovan didn't
turn up again for 90 years. He eventually turned up in Montgomery, Alabama
working for one of the mining companies. He didn't last long there. For the
last 30 plus years he's been bouncing from one town to the next."  

"How did he hook up with Sligh?"
 
"I don't know, Richie. Sligh is supposed to be taking a break. He was watching
an Immortal who was killed about two months ago, after Mallie was assigned to
Ellie. He said he wanted to spend some more time with his daughter."
 
"Did you ask Donovan's Watcher?"
 
"Yeah, I did. Donovan's Watcher said she lost him about one month ago in Gotha,
Alabama."
 
"I hope you're happy, Duncan MacLeod," Ellie said, getting up and walking over
to Duncan. "I hope you're happy," Ellie continued, her voice rising. "If you
had just kept your stupid opinions to yourself Ruben would have left with me
and he would still be alive!"
 
Both Richie and Methos stood up, moving quickly to either side of Ellie. Methos
took one hand saying, "You don't know that, Ellie."  

"He's right," Richie said. "Sligh and Donovan could have killed both of you.
Ellie," he implored, "I saw Ruben's body. He was shot three times before
Donovan took his head."  

Ellie pulled her hand from Methos' grasp, and slowly turned, heading to the
broken alley window. Richie started to follow her, only to be stopped by
Methos.
 
"Why don't you take her home," Methos whispered, stepping in close to
Richie.
 
Richie nodded in agreement. He walked over to Ellie, put his hands on her
shoulders, and gently led her away from the window. Ellie didn't resist as he
guided her into the elevator, pulled the door down, and sent the elevator to
the dojo below.  

***********
 
Richie gently guided Ellie up the last flight of stairs to her condo. He was
surprised to find Sligh's daughter, Amelia, waiting at the door.
 
"What are you doing here?"
 
"I was waiting for Ellie. She's supposed to be tutoring me tonight."
 
"I don't think tonight is a good time."
 
Amelia looked disappointed, and slightly scared. "Is something wrong?"
 
Ellie shook off Richie's support saying, "No. Not at all. Come on in, Amelia."
She turned to Richie, waiting for him to open the door.
 
Richie stared at Ellie for a long time before finally opening the door.
Stepping back to let Amelia into the condo, he whispered to Ellie, "I think
this is a bad idea."
 
"Amelia didn't have anything to do with what happened today," Ellie whispered
in reply. "It wouldn't be fair to her to turn her away because of what her
father did."
 
"Her father is a nut who wants to see you dead! That should be reason
enough."
 
Ellie ignored Richie's last comments, moving past him and into the condo.
 
"I'm sorry Amelia, but I'm not really ready for tonight."  

"That's okay. I really just wanted to get out of my place."  

Ellie sat down on the blue sofa, patting the cushion next to her. Amelia sat
down, leaving Richie standing in the middle of the room.  

 
"Have you had any dinner yet?" Ellie asked Amelia. When she shook her head no,
Ellie turned to Richie and said, "Why don't you fix us some dinner?"
 
Richie stalked to the kitchen in frustration. Seeing the phone, he picked it up
and quickly dialed Duncan's number. Methos answered the phone.
 
"She is sitting in the next room talking to Sligh's daughter," he blurted
out.
 
"Ellie is?"
 
"Yes. I tried to talk her out of it but she doesn't seem to care."  

"Damn!" Methos said. Silence then greeted Richie as Methos tried to decide what
Richie should do. "I don't know Richie. Ellie is very stubborn, as you already
know. None of us are going to be able to get her to send Amelia home. As long
as Sligh doesn't know she's there I guess it can't hurt."  

"Great. So you're saying I should just make dinner for them and keep my mouth
shut."
 
"Richie, if I could think of any way to get Ellie to do what I wanted her to do
I would bottle it and sell it to every man I met."  

"Thanks a lot," Richie said, hanging up the phone. He preceded to start
rummaging through the cabinets, looking for something to fix for dinner.
 
***********
 
Amelia helped Ellie and Richie clean the dinner dishes. No one had spoken much
during the meal. Several times both Immortals had thought that Amelia was going
to tell them what was bothering her only to watch her withdraw back into her
shell.  

"Can I spend the night here?" she suddenly asked, handing a wet plate to
Ellie.
 
Ellie considered her request, drying the plate and handing it to Richie. "Why
do you want to stay here tonight?"  

Amelia turned back to the dishes, not answering Ellie's question.  

"If you don't tell me, you can't stay."
 
Amelia scrubbed furiously at a dish. "My dad has been acting really weird
lately. He scares me."
 
"How do you mean, weird?" Richie asked, jumping at the chance to learn more
about Sligh.
 
"Just yelling at mom about her job. And she doesn't even have one," Amelia
said, obviously unaware of her mother's career. "For a while I was afraid he
was going to start hitting mom. When you started tutoring me, he started
yelling at me. Telling me to stay away from you. He said you were demon spawn.
That you were trying to make me like you. Last night he left our place and came
up here. I guess he didn't find you because he came back to our place really
angry."
 
"What happened then?" Ellie asked.
 
"He made a phone call to some man. Yelled at him that he didn't move fast
enough or something. Then he started throwing things at mom. And at me. And
then he tripped over Mut," Amelia said, her voice falling into a whisper.
 
"What happened?"
 
Amelia took a deep breath before blurting out, "He killed her! He picked her up
and threw her against a wall. He kept calling her evil," Amelia finished,
breaking down into sobs.  

Ellie moved to the girl, wrapping her in her arms. Richie stood watching them,
stunned by what Amelia had just told them. Slowly he turned and left the
kitchen, heading to the spare bedroom to get it ready for Amelia to use.
 
"Let's call your mom," Ellie said softly, gently pushing Amelia away toward the
phone. "If she says it's okay then you can stay."  

"But what if he answers?"
 
"Just let me talk to him."
 
Amelia nodded, turned, picked up the phone, and dialed her mother. Ellie saw
her relax and assumed that Mallie had answered the phone. After a brief
conversation, Amelia hung up the phone and said, "She said it was all right
with her. She also said she wouldn't tell dad where I was."
 
"That's probably a good idea."
 
***********
 
Richie woke up to the smell of bacon sizzling on the grill. He had spent the
night on the sofa, since Amelia had spent the night he didn't think it would be
right to sleep with Ellie.  

He pushed himself off the sofa as Ellie opened the door to her room. She peered
at him blearily, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  

 
"I thought you were cooking," he said to her.  

"I'm barely awake enough to pull on clothes," she mumbled, stumbling to the
kitchen.
 
"Did a good job," Richie said to himself, following Ellie. She had managed to
pull on a pair of black jeans and a pink shirt, which she had knotted at her
waist. Richie noticed she hadn't managed to brush her hair.
 
"I hope you like bacon and eggs," the young girl said, putting food onto three
plates.
 
"Love it," Richie said, helping her carry the plates out of the kitchen and to
the table.
 
Ellie followed them out of the kitchen, turning to the door at the sound of a
quiet knock. Opening the door, she was jerked fully awake by the sight of Bob
Sligh standing at the door, holding a gun.
 
Sligh shoved her back into the room, sending her crashing to the floor. Amelia
dropped her plate, and Richie spun around, sending food flying.
 
"Get out Amelia!"
 
"Daddy, wait."
 
"I said get out! I'll deal with you later," he said. Turning on Ellie he
yelled, "Get up! Move over there! Next to your boyfriend."  

"Daddy," Amelia cried, moving over to her father.  

Sligh grabbed her and forced her out of the condo. "I said get out! Mind me,
girl."
 
Amelia turned and ran to the stairs, stopping when she heard two pops followed
by two loud thumbs coming from the condo. She turned and crept back to the open
door. Looking in, she saw Ellie and Richie lying on the floor, blood spreading
across Ellie's pink shirt.
 
She was turning to head for the stairs when she saw her father pick up the
phone. She watched him dial a number. Holding her breath, she listened to his
side of the conversation.  

"Get over here now! I've got Ellie and her boyfriend," Sligh said before
hanging up the phone.
 
Amelia turned running for the stairs.
 
Part Six
 
Amelia burst through the front door, startling her mother who was sitting on a
platform rocker, reading the paper. Amelia looked frantically around the room,
saw her mother and ran over to her.  

"He killed them!" she screamed. "He killed them!"  

"Calm down," Mallie soothed, placing her hands on Amelia's shoulders. "Take a
deep breath."
 
Amelia complied with her mother's request.  

"Now tell me what happened."
 
Her daughter took another deep breath before describing the events in Ellie's
condo just a few moments ago. Mallie listened in stunned silence, the color
draining from her face. Before Amelia had finished, Mallie dropped her hands
from the girl's shoulders, moving to the phone.
 
Amelia stopped talking, watching her mother dial the phone. She moved over to
stand next to her mother.
 
"Joe, Mallie Sligh here . . . We have an emergency . . . ," Mallie said, before
relating to Joe the tale her daughter had just finished.  

***********
 
Duncan and Joe had already arrived at the Sligh's condo when Methos burst
through the door.
 
"Where are they?"
 
Joe shook his head, "We don't know. Mac and I went upstairs but they weren't
there."
 
"I just don't see how he could have gotten them out that fast!" Duncan fumed,
stalking around the room, ignoring Amelia and her mother sitting on the
sofa.
 
"He called someone," Amelia said.
 
"Who?"
 
"I didn't hear him say a name."
 
"Well, what did he say?" Duncan asked, exasperated.  

"He said that it was done."
 
"He was probably calling Donovan," Methos suggested.  

"That doesn't help us find them," Duncan added.  

Methos shrugged, stalking over to look out the window.  

"I might know where they went."
 
Everyone turned to look at Mallie Sligh. She stood up, facing the men assembled
in her home, determination shining in her eyes.  

"We were living in a two-story house on the outskirts of Seacouver. It hasn't
been sold yet. They might be there."  

"Why do you keep talking about them as if they were still alive?" Amelia cried.
"I saw them. They're dead!"  

Mallie sat down next to her daughter. Taking her hands, she said, "I'm sure
they weren't dead."
 
"But they were! I keep telling you I saw them. They weren't moving!"
 
Mallie looked at Joe, uncertain what to tell her daughter.  

Duncan kneeled in front of Amelia. Taking her hands in his, he asked, "Amelia,
how old are you?"
 
"Sixteen."
 
"Sixteen is old enough to handle some very serious information. Information you
can't tell anyone else. Can you do that?"  

Amelia, staring at Duncan, slowly nodded her head.  

"Ellie and Richie will be all right. They can't be killed. They're
Immortal."
 
Amelia turned her head, staring at her mother in confusion. "Immortal? You mean
they won't die? And you believe this!"  

"Honey, your father and I are Watchers. We are supposed to watch Immortals,
recording their actions."  

"I don't understand."
 
"Look, I don't want to interrupt this lovely family gathering," Methos said.
"But we have to get moving if we want to have a chance in hell of saving those
two."
 
"But, if they can't die . . . ," Amelia started.  

Joe stepped forward. " There isn't time for that right now," he said. "Mallie,
tell Duncan and Adam where the house is."  

"I'll show them."
 
Duncan turned to Mallie, shaking his head. "No. It's too dangerous."
 
"He's my husband," Mallie stated. "I have to do something."  

Duncan looked over to Methos. Methos shrugged, turning on his heel and walking
out the door. Mallie quickly followed Methos, leaving Duncan standing in the
room. He glanced at Joe and the girl before leaving the condo.
 
***********
 
Ellie and Richie slowly came back to life, pain filling their chests. Both were
briefly surprised to find their movements constrained by ropes. Until they
remembered Sligh shooting them in Ellie's condo.  

Ellie and Richie's heads jerked up, frantically searching for the other. Their
relief was short lived. Ellie saw that Richie had been tied to a support post
across from her. She knew Richie could see she was in the same predicament. She
saw Richie struggle briefly against his ropes, in a futile effort to break
free. He stopped when he felt the presence of another immortal coming in their
direction.  

Donovan entered the room, holding his sword to his side, Sligh walking beside
him.
 
"Why are you doing this Donovan?"
 
"Ellie tried to look for you," Richie said desperately as he watched Donovan
walk over to Ellie and place his sword at her throat.  

"So she told you about that."
 
Richie nodded.
 
Donovan stepped in closer to Ellie, his sword pressing against her neck. "I bet
she didn't tell you why I killed Ruben, all those years ago," he said, stepping
back and turning to Richie.  

Richie looked at Ellie, confusion evident on his face. She turned her head away
from Richie's, staring at Donovan, instead.  

"He didn't give me any choice, Donovan. You know that."  

"I also know that he wasn't one of us."
 
Ellie ducked her head quickly before lifting her eyes to Donovan's once more.
"That doesn't change things. He still didn't give me a chance. Maybe he would
have lived if you hadn't led him to believe that he was one of us. "
 
###########
 
Boxwood Plantation, 1870
 
Ellie was sweeping off her porch when a small, black boy ran up the steps, his
eyes wide with fear.
 
"Miss Anne, you gotta come quick!" he said, panting for breath.  

"What's wrong, Jonah?"
 
"It Celie. Someting awful be happin to her!"  

"Where?"
 
Jonah didn't answer, instead he turned, running down the stairs and toward the
large barn that stood behind the plantation house. Ellie followed closely
behind him. As they neared the barn, Ellie could hear faint screams coming from
within.
 
Ellie ran up to the door and pulled it open. Horrified by the sight that met
her eyes, she quickly stopped, turning to block the view from the young boy at
her side.
 
"Go and get Mr. Donovan," she told the child. He turned and dashed for the
fields, looking for the foreman.  

Ellie stepped into the barn, pulling the door shut behind her. In the dim
light, she quickly took in the scene in front of her. Celie standing facing a
post, her arms tied to a ring above her head, blood dripping down her back.
Behind her stood Donovan's son, Leslie, his arm drawing up a whip, ready to
send it down on Celie's back.  

"I'll teach you to strike me!" he shouted.  

Ellie ran up to the taller man, grabbing his arm as he brought it down to
strike the bleeding, semiconscious girl. He whirled around, almost throwing
Ellie off her feet. She managed to keep her hold on his arm until he reached
forward with his other hand and shoved her to the ground.
 
"Don't try to stop me! I know what you are!" he yelled, turning back to strike
Celie.
 
"Leslie, stop it!" Ellie implored, getting up off the ground. "You're killing
her!"
 
Leslie Donovan spun around to face Ellie. He raised the whip, sending it
singing toward Ellie. Ellie raised her hands to protect her face as the whip
bit into her arms.
 
"You can't stop me! I'll tell everyone what you are, if you try."  

He turned away from Ellie, raising the whip to strike Celie again. Ellie looked
around her, trying to find something to use against Leslie. As her eyes fell on
a pitchfork standing against one of the stalls, she heard the whip strike
Celie, bringing a small whimper from the bound woman's mouth.
 
Ellie grabbed the pitchfork, spun around, racing back to Leslie as he once more
raised the whip. She shoved the tool into the air behind him, the whip wrapping
around the tines of the pitchfork. Jerking the pitchfork back, she pulled
Leslie off his feet causing him to release his grip on the whip.
 
Ellie reached down, grabbed the whip, and threw it to the side of the barn. She
looked up in time to see Leslie grab an axe and come charging for her. Ellie
took two steps back before she tripped on her long skirts and fell to the
ground. Ellie narrowly avoided the blow from the axe by rolling to the side,
out of Leslie's way, her hand coming to rest on the pitchfork she had discarded
when she threw the whip away.
 
Ellie grabbed the tool, hiking up her skirts, and scrambling to her feet.
Raising the pitchfork, she turned to face Leslie.  

"Don't make me use this."
 
Leslie laughed. "You think you can hurt me. I know what you are. What my father
is . . . What I am!"
 
Ellie shook her head, stunned by Leslie's belief that he was Immortal. "No,
Leslie. You aren't like me. If you make me kill you, you *will* stay dead."
 
Leslie didn't respond. He raised his axe and charged Ellie.  

Ellie aimed the pitchfork for Leslie's legs. As he charged closer, she stepped
back with her right leg, bracing herself for the blow. Her foot landed on
something that moved under her foot, causing her to jerk the pitchfork up as
Ellie tried to regain her balance. The pitchfork caught Leslie in the chest as
he raised his axe over his head.
 
Leslie slumped to the ground, his hands feebly pulling the pitchfork out of his
chest. He looked back up at Ellie and laughed.  

"You'll see," he whispered. "You can't kill me."  

"I'm sorry," Ellie said, "but you aren't Immortal."  

Ellie ran over to Celie to untie the rope that bound her hands. Gently, Ellie
eased her to the ground, laying Celie on her stomach. Leslie stopped breathing
as Ellie ran past him to find some clean water to cleanse Celie's wounds.
 
###########
 
"It doesn't sound like your son gave her much choice," Richie said when Ellie
had finished telling her tale.  

Donovan dropped his head. "I know."
 
"Then why are you helping this man?"
 
Donovan turned back to Sligh, waiting for Sligh to answer Richie's question.
 
"Because he belongs to me now," Sligh stated. "He knows that if he doesn't do
what I tell him to I will expose him to the world for the freak that he is."
 
"Why are you doing this Sligh?" Ellie asked.  

"You don't know? You've been poisoning my daughter's mind. Trying to make her
like you."
 
"No, Sligh, I haven't. I've just been trying to help her."  

"That's not true. You want to turn her into one of your kind," Sligh spat.
 
"I can't make someone into something they aren't. You should know that by now
Sligh. You've been watching us long enough."  

"Donovan," Sligh said, turning away from Ellie. "I've had enough of this talk.
Get ready while I release the boy." He moved over to Richie, using Richie's
rapier to cut through the ropes that bound him to the post.
 
Sligh walked over to Ellie before tossing Richie's rapier to him. Richie caught
it with one hand and quickly brought it up, threatening Sligh. Sligh just
laughed, raising Ellie's sword to her throat.
 
"I wouldn't try anything. I know how to kill your kind."  

Richie lowered the rapier, turning to Donovan. Donovan charged Richie, catching
Richie off his guard.
 
Part Seven
 
Duncan raced the Thunderbird through the streets of Seacouver, heading toward
Mallie Sligh's former residence. Methos sat beside him and Mallie sat in the
back.
 
"Have we ever met before, Adam?"
 
Mallie's sudden question startled Methos. He turned in his seat to get a better
look at Mallie. "I don't think so," he answered. "Why do you ask?"
 
"I noticed your Watcher tattoo. Maybe we corresponded. I remember writing to a
Watcher named Adam. What is your last name?"
 
"Pierson. You may be right. I remember writing to someone in the states once.
About three months ago. Right?"  

"That's right. And it was an Adam Pierson I wrote too."  

"You wanted to know if I had been able to find any references to an Immortal
fitting Ellie's description in my research on Methos."  

Mallie nodded her head. "You wrote back telling me you hadn't."  

"Sorry I couldn't be any more help."
 
"It was just a shot in the dark anyway. What are you doing in the states? And
how do you know Ellie?"
 
"I decided to take a break from my research and visit Joe. He's an old friend.
I just came here because Joe called me. Said we had some trouble with a
renegade Watcher."
 
"No. I don't think so. I saw you come out of Ellie's apartment about two weeks
ago. She wasn't home at the time. Now I know that Ellie met Joe through Richie
and MacLeod here. But how do you know her?"
 
Methos turned back around in his seat, trying to think up a believable
explanation. "I ran into her about three years ago in Paris. Literally. We met
when our cars collided in a relatively minor fender bender. I didn't know who
she was then. Remember, I'm a researcher, not a field agent. I asked her to
dinner and she agreed. Later that night her Watcher told me that she was
Immortal."
 
"Why didn't it end there?"
 
"I wanted to but Janek convinced me that Ellie would become suspicious about
him if refused to see her again. He said that Ellie believed that he was the
only person who knew about her Immortality. If anyone else suddenly knew about
it, he was afraid she would bolt. You know that the organization let him forgo
getting the tattoo and even let him stay friends with Ellie to keep her from
suspecting he was a Watcher?"
 
"Yes. But she isn't worried about you knowing about it now?"  

Methos turned back to Mallie before saying, "I officially found out a year
later. She decided to trust me with the information. As long as I didn't tell
anyone else."
 
"And you didn't, did you?"
 
"No. I thought I was protecting Janek's cover. Besides, you know how the
organization frowns on us having anything to do with Immortals personally."
 
Mallie nodded, seemingly satisfied with Methos' explanation. He turned back
around in his seat, still uncomfortable that Mallie may ask more questions.
Questions he may not have an answer for.  

Duncan brought the car to a stop two houses away from the Sligh's former
residence. He turned to face Mallie Sligh in the back seat.  

"I think you should stay out here."
 
Mallie shook her head. Tapping Methos on the shoulder she said, "You better
hurry Adam. We don't know what may be happening inside."
 
Methos stepped out of the car, pulling the seat forward to let Mallie out.
Duncan slammed a hand against the steering wheel before getting out of the car
and joining Mallie and Methos on the sidewalk.
 
Quietly they ran to the house. Duncan and Methos feeling the presence of three
Immortals as they neared the front door.  

***********
 
The fight had not been going well for Richie. Donovan had managed to slice into
his arm and chest. So far Richie hadn't been able to land a single blow on
Donovan.
 
The arrival of two other Immortals startled the combatants. Donovan stopped his
swing in mid air, turning to see who would come through the door. Richie took
advantage of Donovan's sudden hesitation, stepping forward and plunging his
rapier into Donovan's chest. Donovan turned back to Richie, surprise and shock
playing across his face, his sword falling to his side.  

Donovan fell to his knees as Duncan crashed through the door to the room,
closely followed by Methos and Mallie. Richie didn't bother acknowledging their
presence. Instead, he stepped over to Donovan, raising his rapier to deliver
the killing blow.  

"Everyone stop where you are. If anyone makes another move of any kind, I'll
take her head."
 
Richie stopped the downward arc of his rapier, turning to Sligh. The sight of
Sligh holding Ellie's sword hard against her neck, drawing blood, made Richie
drop the rapier to his side. He turned to see that Duncan and Methos had also
stopped moving toward Sligh. His wife, Mallie, was still walking slowly to her
husband.  

"Stay where you are Mallie. We are going to wait for Donovan. Let him finish
his job."
 
Mallie took another step toward her husband.  

"Stop right there," Sligh yelled at her, forcing Ellie's sword a little deeper
into her neck, causing her to gasp in pain.  

"Bob, you can't do this."
 
"I can and I will," Sligh yelled back. He pulled Ellie's sword back and then
swung it toward her neck. Before the sword reached Ellie's neck, a gun shot
rang out in the house.  

Sligh stumbled back, dropping the sword as he fell to the ground, unmoving.
 
All eyes turned on Mallie. She was holding a gun in her shaking hands, staring
at her dead husband. Methos walked over to Mallie. Gently removing the gun from
her hands, he turned her around and led her out of the house.
 
Duncan was already moving over to untie Ellie when Donovan stirred at Richie's
feet. Richie stepped back from Donovan, looking at Ellie.
 
"What should I do?"
 
Ellie, her hands covering the wound on her throat, said, "He choose to fight
you. It's your decision." She turned and started to walk out the door.
 
"Ellie, wait," Donovan cried. Ellie stopped, her back to Donovan.  

"My fight is with you."
 
"No, it isn't. Our fight ended more than 100 years ago. Your fight is with
Richie," Ellie said, taking another step to the door.  

"If you let him kill me, you'll lose Ruben forever."  

Donovan's plea stopped Ellie. She turned to face the man who killed her son,
contempt filling her face.  

"Do you think that you could beat me? You weren't able to in 1870. You wouldn't
be able to today. And you think I want your head? So that I can get a few
fleeting memories from my son. Maybe, if the blade strikes your neck just
right? You're more pathetic then I thought you were," she said, turning and
heading out the door, dismissing Donovan without a backward glance.  

Duncan nodded at Richie before turning and following Ellie out the door. Richie
raised his rapier high, bringing it down and separating Donovan's head from his
shoulders, before turning and heading across the room. Richie was half way
across to the door when the Quickening struck.
 
***********
 
When they arrived back at Mallie's condo two hours earlier, Mallie took Amelia
into her room to tell her of her father's death. The people left in the room
looked at each other uncomfortably before leaving for Ellie's place. As they
reached the stairs, Joe stated that he had to take care of the mess at the
Sligh house. Methos left with him, after telling Ellie about the story he had
told Mallie.  

Ellie, Richie, and Duncan went up to Ellie's condo and started cleaning. When
they finished, Ellie fixed everyone a drink. They sat around the living room,
drinking in silence.  

"I'm sorry, Ellie," Duncan said, breaking the silence. "I was wrong about
Ruben."
 
Ellie sipped her drink before responding, "Thanks Duncan. That means a lot to
me."
 
Duncan drained his glass, stood up, and took the glass into the kitchen. "I
better be going," he said, heading for the door. Richie stood and followed him
to the door.
 
"Thanks, Mac. If you guys hadn't gotten there when you did I don't know what
would have happened."
 
"Take care of her," Duncan said, stepping through the door and down the
hall.
 
"Don't worry, I will," Richie said before shutting the door. He turned and
walked back to sit next to Ellie.  

"I built Boxwood back in 1825," Ellie said quietly. "I named if for the twin
boxwood gardens in the front and back of the house. They were perfectly
symmetrical. I lived there for 52 years. That has to be a record for me."
 
"Have you ever been back?"
 
"No. But I want to go back. I want to take Ruben's ashes there."  

"I think he'd like that."
 
Ellie nodded.
 
The End
 
Authors Note: The Boxwood home does exist. It is a three-story house and can be
found in Madison, Georgia. The house has been in my family since it was built
in the early 1800s. The plantation also exists and remains in my family. I took
the liberty of placing the house on the plantation. If you have ever seen the
tv movie "Summer of My German Soldier" with Kristy MacNichol then you have seen
both Boxwood and Madison, Georgia. One more note for any "Gone With the Wind"
fans out there: Boxwood was one of the southern homes Margaret Mitchell visited
when she was researching the book. The scene where Scarlet makes a dress out of
the curtains was inspired by her visit to Boxwood. Boxwood had a room that had
been set aside by the family as a reminder of how far they had come since the
Civil War. In that room, half of each curtain was removed to recover the
furniture so that their daughters could use the room when young men came
courting. Another parlor was set up with replicas of the furniture in that
room. Several years ago my father inherited the replicas which now can be found
in my house. All of the original furniture and curtains can be found in the
Georgia Historical Museum.  

Mallie Sligh was named for my grandmother who made me promise never to name a
child after her. She always encouraged me in any endevour I undertook. She
didn't, however, tell me I couldn't name a character after her, so I did.
What did you think of the story?  Liked it?  Hated it?  Let me know.  Laura

Return to home page.