Joe arrived back to find Duncan cleaning his sword at the kitchen table and Methos still removing blood stains from the quilt. The tension in the air was palpable. After taking in the stony expression on Duncan's face and the obvious distress on Methos' he decided to leap straight in. Clearing his throat Joe ventured a question.
"Anyone care to tell me what the hell is going on here?" He looked expectantly at Duncan and then at Methos. Neither of them seemed inclined to be forthcoming.
Finally, after a silence that seemed to stretch on for several minutes Methos sighed. Putting down the quilt, but not meeting Joe's eye, he said, "I'm sorry Joe. I made a mistake in coming here. I'm not safe to be around." Then he picked up the quilt again. "I'll put this in the utility room to dry." He said, and walked to the top of the basement stairs. He was gone before Joe could think of a response.
"OK Mac," he said, "give. What happened while I was gone and what happened to the quilt?"
Duncan placed his katana carefully on the table before he spoke. "Methos went back to sleep as you left with Catriona. He seemed fine, seemed to be resting. God knows he looked as if he needed it. I decided to leave him to rest." He went on to describe the events that had led to the quilt being blood-soaked and he also reported Methos' request to him.
"And what did you say? You didn't agree did you?"
"What else could I do Joe? He was distraught I wanted to get him calmer and I wanted him to let go of the sword. If it's any consolation I think it's safe to say it's the one promise I've ever made in my life that I'll do everything in my power to break."
Joe grunted at that, not entirely reassured. He knew just how much of a manipulator Methos could be when he chose. But to be so actively seeking his own death! It was something that Joe found hard to reconcile with the normally vivacious and enigmatic man. It was the best indication of the severe stress on Methos that he had made the request at all. Still it seemed that he should say something to the older immortal. To try and glean some insight into his innermost feelings. Not something many people ever managed..but something that was definitely needed now.
Moving to the top of the stairs he called, "As soon as you've finished with the laundry you can just get yourself right back up here..you needn't think you're going to stay skulking down there. I want to speak to you."
He sounded for all the world like a parent censoring an errant teenager for some major misdemeanour and Duncan had to hide a smile. Perhaps things were not so hopeless after all. At least he wasn't on his own in his concerns and a problem shared is a problem halved as his mother had always said.
Methos heard Joe and cursed softly under his breath. 'That man knows me too well' he thought. Leaving the quilt hanging on the airer he turned to mount the stairs. That was when the wave of nausea hit him and he cried out before staggering and sitting down hard on the bottom step.
"Methos?" Joe called. "Are you all right?"
Then Duncan felt it too. The signatures of not one but two immortals, outside. He leapt up, snatching his sword, and rushed to the nearest window. Looking out he saw nothing. Methos emerged from the basement looking whiter than he had before if possible.
"My sword Joe?" He asked, almost growling.
Joe hesitated for one moment and then handed it to him. After all he reasoned, even if Methos chose to come after him with it, Mac was there too and he did, after all, have his pistol.
Methos joined Duncan in surreptitiously searching for the source of the signatures. He was breathing hard. Duncan knew he hated meeting challenges in close quarters, preferring the open for his fights. He hoped that this would be a challenge that could be averted. In his opinion Methos was in no fit state to fight. Though thinking back on the request he had made earlier, perhaps he really didn't care. In which case Duncan intended to make sure that Methos didn't have a chance to throw his life away. The decision was taken out of his hands, however, when the two signatures faded from range. Cautiously opening the front door he looked out at the street. Nothing was visible except one car driving away at speed.
He turned to Methos. " I think our friends have left the party." He said. "I'm going to check the street again why don't you check around back?"
Nodding, Methos moved to the back door with Joe following. There was nothing to be seen there either and so they returned to the kitchen. Methos, slumping into the nearest available chair, laid his head on his arms and let out a breath he had been unaware he was holding.
"Well that was interesting." Duncan said dryly. "I wonder exactly what would bring two immortals here and then make them leave unannounced?"
He was met by silence from both his companions.
"We have only one way of knowing who they were ..or might have been. I'd say it was time to check who's in town. I got their registration number." He looked at Joe. Knowing that this was treading on fragile ground for the watcher, but hoping that he would see the need and help them out.
He needn't have worried. Joe had long since decided that, where these two men were concerned, he would do all he could to ensure they never had to ask twice for his help. Mac, because he had seen from the first that the Highlander was a man of integrity, unable intentionally to do anything against his code of honour,..and Methos because..as Adam Pierson he had been the kind of friend he had always needed, and as Methos the oldest immortal he held the key to so much history that he felt he owed it to the world to help preserve him.
"I'm on it Mac." He said. Then looking at Methos and laying one hand on his shoulder "Don't think I have forgotten that I need to talk to you. "
Without lifting his head Methos replied "I'm not going anywhere Joe. In fact if you need help?"
Joe shook his head. "I'll be fine..if I need you I'll call. In the meantime I think you need to eat something..I mean it Methos. You haven't eaten since you arrived here and by the looks of you it's been quite a while before that since your last meal. I won't take no for an answer." He warned. He looked at Duncan as he turned to leave. "Make sure he has something and that it gets eaten." He said.
Duncan looked down at Methos. He was still slumped over his folded arms. "When did you last eat?" He asked him.
Methos sighed and lifted his head from the table. "I honestly don't remember Mac. I haven't been too up on dates and the minutiae of every day life for a while. I'll eat something if only to keep Joe off my back. I just don't want anything with turnips in it OK?" The last was not said in a joking way, but in deadly earnest.
"So you'd like me to cook it for you?" Duncan asked, raising one eyebrow.
Methos grunted. "I don't have the energy to even think about it right now. Do what you like." He said, laying his head down again. He was asleep almost instantly.
Duncan laid a hand on Methos back. "Methos?" He tried, but there was no response. Sighing he removed both his and Methos' swords from the room as a precaution and decided that a bowl of oatmeal was, at the least, a quick meal to prepare and, at the best, a good source of energy.
When it was ready he shook Methos awake and watched while he ate it. Methos was uncomfortable under his gaze. "Gods Mac. Anyone'd think you'd never seen me eat before." He protested.
"And anyone looking at you would think you hadn't had a meal in months. What the hell have you been doing to yourself old man?"
"Avoiding things. You know..the usual. Ducking and diving."
This sounded so reminiscent of the bitterness that had been between them after Bordeaux that Duncan was quite taken aback. "Shit Methos, I am not trying to censure you or pry into your private life here, I am just worried about you. Worried as a friend. I said we had to talk and I think now is as good a time as any to begin. Don't you?"
"And what do we have to talk about? I have had trouble keeping it together for months now. I am not in control of my actions. I am a danger to everyone around me and I think it's time someone dealt with it. You agreed to deal with it and now you want to talk it to death first. It's so like you Highlander..brood on everything and shake it to death before you face it and do the decent thing."
"That's enough!!"
They both looked up to see Joe in the doorway.
"You selfish bastard! You think the whole world revolves around you? What about Mac..doesn't he have any say in this? You have no right to ask him to do this Methos. No right at all. Can't you see what it's doing to him? And you call yourself his friend!" Joe's face was red with anger.
Methos was startled at the look of fury on Joe's face. He had never seen him look so angry in all the years he had known him. "Joe I..." He began.
"Save it." Joe said. " But I tell you this Methos..you made Mac make a promise he should never have made and I am more disappointed in you than I can say. I thought you were made of sterner stuff. I have never taken you for a coward."
"Joe!" Duncan protested.
"No Mac, he's right I am a coward. If I wasn't maybe I'd have stayed away from you both and dealt with this on my own. I tried, but I couldn't do it. I had no right to ask you for any favours. God knows if any one owes favours around here it's me. I should go now before I do any more damage." He made as if to leave.
Satisfied that he had at least given Methos some pause for thought Joe waved at him to remain sitting. "I think we still have some unfinished business here. Apart from you needing to talk to Catriona. I've found out who else is in town. Let's concentrate on that first and then we can decide what needs to be done."