Lessons Of Life

by dawn341

First season story. Duncan, Tessa, and Richie spend a week on the island but things don't go according to plan. - Originally published in Highland Blades 2.

Disclaimers:

The characters mentioned in the story belong to Rysher. I'm just borrowing them and not getting paid for it.

Do not post or publish this story anywhere else, without my express permission. Feel free to share it with others as long as the disclaimers remain intact.

This is a first season story.

This story was originally published in Highland Blades #2.

* HL * HL *

Lessons Of Life by Dawn Cunningham

"He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount a fear." Ralph Waldo Emerson, Society and Solitude, "Courage" (1870).

Richie Ryan stood in Tessa's workshop, morosely watching Duncan MacLeod check his list for the umpteenth time that hour. He had been fetching and carrying things from that list all day long. Only Richie's threats of mutiny had earned him enough time to grab a sandwich for lunch. "I still don't understand why I have to go with you to the cabin. It's not exactly my kind of thing."

Duncan looked at the boy. Richie had been moping around ever since the Highlander had announced his plans to take him and Tessa up to the cabin for a week long vacation. They all needed it after the past week. Tessa had received a chemical burn on her skin when she tried on a dress she thought Duncan had bought. Instead it had been sent by an Immortal by the name of Reinhardt who had been after Duncan. Richie had been kidnapped by the same Immortal to be used as bait and had spent a long, uncomfortable night wondering if he would live to see another day.

"It'll be good for you, Richie." Duncan grinned at the boy. "You'll be able to see that there's more to life than concrete and cities. Just think about it. Clean air, lots of trees, water, wildlife..."

"Wildlife...whoa! You didn't say anything about wildlife. Are we talking bears here or what?" Richie waved his hands in protest.

"More like deer and raccoons so you can stop worrying." Of course Duncan conveniently forgot to mention the occasional cougar or bear that crossed to the island to take advantage of the food supply there. Even some wolf packs had come to the island on occasion but their numbers had dwindled over the decades, caused by mankind's ruthless hunting of the species. But since most of the predators went out of their way to avoid humans, Richie had little chance of ever seeing them.

"So what are we supposed to do for a week? Talk to the trees?"

"We can go hiking and fishing or just take the canoe out for a nice quiet ride up river. And there are plenty of books to read in the cabin as well," Duncan explained.

"Yeah, right. Duncan MacLeod's Wilderness Retreat. I bet you don't have cable TV up there either."

"Nope. No TV at all. Be grateful it has electricity, Richie. I only put the generator in about five years ago. Tessa and I used candles and lanterns before that."

Richie groaned. It sounded like a week in purgatory to him. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay home and keep the shop open? I'm more than willing to do it."

"You're coming with us and that's final. End of discussion." Duncan scowled at the boy when he opened his mouth to continue arguing. "Listen, Rich, just give it a chance. If you don't enjoy it, I won't make you go again."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. But you have to give it a fair chance. Deal?"

"Okay. Deal." They shook hands on it.

They both looked up when Tessa came in. "Duncan, I hate to do this, but I can't possibly leave tomorrow morning. I just had a call from the museum and they want me to come in tomorrow afternoon to show them my ideas for their new sculpture. If I don't go, I'll be removed from the list of candidates." Disappointment showed clearly on her face.

Richie immediately brightened. "That's too bad, Tessa. I guess we'll have to cancel the trip after all."

"Oh, no. We don't have to cancel anything. I'll just drive up the next day. You two can go up tomorrow as planned." She smiled as she saw his grin fade. Sometimes Richie was so obvious.

"Maybe we should all just wait until we can go together," Duncan replied. He didn't like the thought of Tessa driving up to the cabin by herself but there was no way he would say it out loud. Knowing Tessa, it would start a huge argument about how capable she was.

"No, Duncan. You go on ahead and by the time I get there, you'll have the place all cleaned up and ready for habitation. After all, we haven't been up there since..." Her voice trailed off when she remembered why they had been at the cabin.

"Since I left you." Duncan finished her sentence with a rueful face.

"Wait a minute," Richie butted in. "You actually *left* Tessa? Why?"

"It was right after I took Slan Quince's head on Soldier's Bridge." Duncan saw Richie flinch at the memory. "I was afraid she would be hurt if she stayed with me. Slan could have killed her and there would have been nothing I could have done about it. It reminded me of just how dangerous the Game was. Until then, I had managed to keep her from knowing when other Immortals challenged me. Not that there were many," he quickly added when Tessa scowled at him.

"So how did you two get back together?" Richie continued prying.

"Connor took me to him," Tessa explained. "After that, well, let's just say I knew how to persuade him to come back to me."

"I bet you did," Richie snickered. "Connor? You mean Connor MacLeod? Wasn't he the other dude with the sword that night I...oops." He didn't really want to remind the others of just how they had met. Not that they needed reminding.

Duncan just laughed. "Broke into our shop? Yes, Richie, that was him. Now back to our other discussion. I guess Richie and I can go on ahead but I would prefer to wait for you, Tessa."

"I have a great idea," Richie exclaimed. "You can go tomorrow, Mac, and I can drive up with Tessa the next day." That would mean one day off of his prison sentence.

Duncan debated with himself. The thought of driving up to the cabin for three hours, let alone spending a whole day there with just Richie for company, especially a sulking Richie, was not his idea of a good time. And Tessa would have company on the drive as well. Still, it wasn't exactly fair to stick Tessa with him either but she did seem to have more patience with Richie than he did.

Tessa settled the issue for him. "That's a good idea, Richie. I do hate driving alone. And we'll let Mac do all of the cleaning by himself."

"All right," Duncan agreed. "What time do you want to meet?"

"Hmmm. Let's see. Why don't we say 11:30. I'll pack a picnic lunch and we can eat before we go to the island. How does that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Duncan agreed.

They all pitched in to finish loading up Duncan's car with the supplies that he would take with him. The next day Duncan had already left for the island before Richie had even stirred from his bed. The boy spent his last day of freedom enjoying the comforts of civilization-watching television, listening to his boom box, and eating pizza. He wondered how he would survive six whole days in the wilderness.

* HL * HL *

"How much longer is it?" Richie asked for the ninth time since they had set off.

Tessa knew exactly how many times he had said it. She had kept count. "It's about fifteen more minutes," she replied trying to hold onto her temper. If he asked one more time, she would kick him out of the car and let Duncan come back and pick him up.

It hadn't been an easy trip and Tessa was going to insist that Richie drive back with Duncan on the return trip. No wonder he had agreed so quickly to the suggestion that Richie come with her. He must have known what this trip would be like. She was still trying to think of some suitable punishment for Duncan.

First, she had to practically drag Richie out of bed. Then she had discovered he hadn't packed yet. She grabbed clothes out of his closet and dresser and practically crammed them into the boy's duffel bag while Richie had showered. Just let him make one complaint about her selection or the fact that something got wrinkled and there would be one less person to feed at the cabin. Duncan knew how to hide bodies, he must have done it with hundreds of Immortals that he had killed, and no one would ever know.

They had only been driving for ten minutes before the big radio battle began. Tessa had tried to be understanding, after all she and Duncan usually argued about the music selection whenever they went someplace together. But honestly, she didn't know how Richie could consider that noise to be music.

Unable to listen to his kind of music had sent Richie into a sulking silence for the next half hour. It was probably a new world's record for him to keep quiet that long. So much for having company while driving.

Tessa finally decided to let Richie drive for a while. That had brought a smile back to his face. For ninety minutes, the drive had been enjoyable. Tessa had been able to sit back and enjoy the fall scenery, with only occasional reminders to Richie about the speed limit. She had soaked in the sun beaming down on them through the open roof of the convertible, loving the feel of the breeze blowing against her face and through her hair.

Tessa had insisted on driving again once they got off the main road. It wasn't because she didn't think he could handle driving on the winding, twisting, narrow road, she kept telling herself. It was because he deserved a break after driving so long. Liar, a small voice inside her whispered. Of course, this had put Richie back in full pout mode.

They were thirty minutes late and Duncan was probably starting to worry. Her foot pressed down a little harder on the accelerator and she had to force herself to ease up. Even if they hadn't seen any cars since they pulled off the main road twenty minutes ago and she doubted there would be any traffic cops on this little back road to nowhere, she didn't think it would be a good idea to exceed the speed limit after chiding Richie about it earlier.

"Man, am I starving," came the next whine.

"Richie, stop complaining! It's your fault that we're running late," she snapped at the boy. "If you had gotten out of bed on time this morning, we would have been there already and be having lunch right now."

After several minutes of uneasy silence, a small, hurt voice came from the other side of the car. "I'm sorry, Tessa."

Tessa sighed. Usually she had more patience with Richie. Any other time, she would have teased the boy when he started to sulk. Instead, she was taking her own ill humor out on him. Her meeting yesterday had not gone exactly as planned. She felt she had done a good job of presenting her ideas and thought that the selection committee had been impressed. One of the committee members had even walked her back to the car. That had been when things turned bad. The creep had suggested that he could help her win if she would sleep with him. When she slapped his face in response, he had told her that he would make sure she didn't win and stormed back into the building.

Tessa had worked hard on her art. She had spent years studying and then building up clientele and a reputation. To lose a commission simply because of a man who used his position to pressure women into bed with him still had her fuming. However, it wasn't fair to take her anger with that...that slug out on Richie.

She looked over at Richie. He sat huddled up against the door, staring straight ahead through the windshield. His face gave nothing away, a poker-faced mask in place. Still, Tessa knew that if she could see his eyes, she would see the hurt and pain reflected in them. She wondered if Richie had any idea how much his eyes gave away about his feelings, at least to those who knew him well. If he ever did figure it out, he would probably wear sunglasses all of the time.

"No, *I'm* sorry, Richie. I guess I'm not exactly in a good mood but that doesn't mean I have to take it out on you."

Silence once again filled the car. Another mile ticked by on the odometer before Richie spoke.

"I guess I haven't exactly been good company either, Tessa," he said. "I didn't really want to come up here but blaming you won't change anything either."

"All Duncan and I want is for you to give it a fair chance, Richie. You may be surprised and discover how much you like it. When Duncan first took me up there, I was certain that I wouldn't like it either. I imagined this little log cabin with all kinds of bugs and spiders living in the logs and crawling all over the place. Or even worse, crawling all over me." Tessa gave a shudder. "Fortunately, it's nothing like that at all. Now I look forward to spending time up here as often as I can."

"I don't know, Tessa. I don't belong up here. What do I know about trees and camping and fishing? If you asked me how to survive on the streets, I could tell you a thousand different things to do. But ask me how to survive in the wilderness and I'm at a total loss."

Tessa realized that Richie's reluctance to go to the cabin was based more on fear than anything else. "Richie, it's okay to feel some apprehension over being in a new environment, but don't let that stop you from doing something. If you do, you will never be able to travel and see new places because you will be too worried about getting lost or not understanding the language or doing the wrong thing."

"I could handle another city, Tess. But this is different. I'll probably get lost or something dumb like that."

"Try thinking of the island as another city, Richie. You need to learn your way around, find the best places to 'shop' for food and where to go for entertainment. Instead of looking for street signs to know when to turn, you look for a certain tree or rock or bush instead. And it's not like you're going to be there alone. Duncan and I will be there to show you around and keep you out of trouble."

"I never thought of it that way, Tessa."

"I want you to enjoy yourself so that you'll come back to the island with us again."

Richie felt like he owed Tessa and Duncan so much for getting him off the streets. If it would make them happy, he would act like he enjoyed this trip even if it killed him, he vowed to himself.

"So tell me, Tessa," Richie changed the subject. "Why are you in a bad mood? Was it because I wasn't ready this morning?"

"No, Richie, that wasn't it. Although it didn't help matters any," she chided the boy. "It had to do with something that happened yesterday."

"Do you want to talk about it? Maybe that will help."

Tessa told Richie about her run-in with the committee member.

"What a sleezeball! You should have used your knee instead of your hand. That would have hurt him where it counted the most," Richie exploded after Tessa finished. "So what are you going to do about him?"

"Probably nothing, Richie. It would be my word against his. He's a well respected patron of the museum. Everyone will think that I complained because I didn't get the commission. It will be *my* reputation that would be ruined."

"Tessa, you can't let him get away with it! Who knows how many other women he's blackmailed. And he'll do it over and over again because nobody will speak up about the problem." An idea came to Richie. "When will they decide who gets the commission?"

"In two weeks. Why?" Tessa asked curiously.

"Okay. Here's what you should do. As soon as we get back to town, you march over and withdraw your name from the selection list. And then you tell them that you don't want to be associated with a museum that allows that kind of harassment."

"I don't know," Tessa said hesitantly.

"If you remove your name from their list *before* they make their decision, nobody can accuse you of sour grapes, Tessa. Trust me." Richie threw his killer grin at Tessa. "You *have* to report this guy."

"Why is this so important to you, Richie?" Tessa glanced over at the boy who quickly looked out the side window. "Please tell me."

"Promise not to tell anyone else?" Richie asked hesitantly.

"Yes, Richie, you have my word."

"I had a foster parent who did some things to me that weren't...nice. Several years later, I ran into some other kids and we got to comparing notes and I found out he had done the same things to them. Except they had been with him before me. But they didn't tell anyone what happened, too frightened or ashamed I guess, so he just kept on doing it. He should have been stopped but nobody did anything."

"Did you report him?" Tessa gently inquired.

"No," Richie said bluntly. "And sometimes I wonder how many other kids went through the same kind of hell because of it."

"What exactly did this man do to you, Richie?" Tessa's imagination ran wild with possibilities. This was the first time that Richie had opened up about his past and she wasn't sure if she could handle it. And because of her promise to Richie, she couldn't even discuss it with Duncan.

"I don't want to talk about it," Richie stated with a note of finality.

Tessa decided not to push Richie any further on the subject. "That's fine, Richie. But if you ever want to, both Duncan and I are more than willing to listen."

Five minutes later, Tessa turned off the road. "We're finally here." She waved at Duncan, who sat on the hood of his T-bird.

As Tessa parked her car next to Duncan's, he slid to his feet and came over to help her out of the car. He gave her a quick kiss and a hug.

"You're late," he said somewhat accusingly. "I was getting worried."

"I'm sorry, Duncan. We just got started a little later than planned."

"Actually, Mac, " Richie interrupted. "It was all my fault for not getting out of bed on time."

"It doesn't matter," Duncan said, surprised to hear Richie accepting the blame. "What's important is that you're both here and I found a great spot for our picnic. I hope you're hungry because I'm starved."

Richie grinned at Tessa. "Oh, I think I could manage a few bites. What about you, Tessa."

"I could force myself to eat something." Tessa, happy that Richie had returned to his cheerful self, smiled back at the boy.

Duncan glanced back and forth between the two of them. The first chance he got, he would have to grill Tessa about their drive up here. He had really expected them to not even be talking by this point. For now, he grabbed the picnic basket and blanket from the trunk and led them to a small meadow nearby.

"Oh, Duncan, this is beautiful," Tessa said as she looked around. Perched above the river, the meadow, surrounded by pine trees, had a breathtaking view of the meandering river. Late blooming flowers dotted the area. "What a perfect site for our picnic."

Tessa took the blanket from Duncan and spread it over the grass. With Richie's help, the feast that she had made was laid out and ready for consumption. Ham and turkey sandwiches, various kinds of cheese and crackers, grapes, potato salad and baked beans were quickly consumed. Tessa and Duncan each drank a glass of white wine from the bottle that she had added at the last minute, while Richie drank a can of his favorite soda.

Sated for the moment, Richie laid back with a groan. "This isn't so bad. I can handle this. So where's the cabin anyway."

"It's about six miles upriver," Duncan explained.

"We're going to hike six miles?" Richie's eyebrows shot up in dismay.

"Not today, Richie. We take a canoe from here."

"A canoe? On that?" Richie pointed towards the river. "No way. Don't you have a real boat?"

"It's the canoe or nothing at all. Of course, if you want to, we could leave you here with the cars. I'm sure you'll be quite comfortable for the next week. And there's even some food left over. You might get a little hungry but that's life."

Richie glared at Duncan. "Okay. Okay. One canoe trip coming up. Do you have any more surprises that you *forgot* to tell me about?"

"That's it, Richie. The canoe will take us right to the island. Let's get this show on the road."

They quickly policed the area where they had been eating to make sure that no trash had been left behind before heading back to the cars. Duncan grabbed Tessa's bag and Richie grabbed his own from the trunk and they proceeded to the small dock where the canoe was tied up.

Once there, Tessa picked up one of the two life jackets sitting on the dock and handed it to Richie before putting on her own.

"I don't need one of those," Richie said. "I can swim. I got to take lessons at the YMCA one year."

"It doesn't matter whether you can swim or not," Duncan replied. "The first rule of water safety is that you wear a life vest."

"Then how come you don't have one?" Richie asked, slipping on the vest.

"Because I can't die from drowning, at least not permanently. Okay, Richie, you'll be in front. Tessa in the middle and I'll take the back," Duncan ordered. "I'll hand your bags down after you two are in. Oh, and Richie be care..." Duncan's warning came too late.

Richie had already stepped down into the canoe. One step forward and the canoe started rocking. Arms windmilling crazily, Richie lost his balance and fell out of the canoe. The river wasn't deep at this point and Richie ended up sitting in water up to his chest while Duncan and Tessa tried to keep from laughing on the dock.

Duncan desperately tried to keep the smile from his face but hearing Tessa's giggles smothered behind her hand didn't help. "Decided to take a bath, Richie?" he managed to get out before starting to laugh.

"Very funny. Ha. Ha. You could have warned me," he accused Duncan.

"I tried to, Richie. But some things you can only learn by experience. Here, let me help you out." Duncan reached a hand down to Richie as the boy stood up and waded back to the dock.

Richie reached up and took Duncan's hand. "Thanks, Mac," he said as he shifted his weight and pulled Duncan into the river next to him. "Oops. Sorry about that." He grinned innocently at the sputtering Highlander.

The sight of the two men, one glaring, one grinning, standing in the river did it for Tessa. She collapsed on the dock, arms wrapped around her middle as she laughed so hard tears ran down her face.

Duncan scowled at her for a few moments before turning to Richie with an evil grin on his face. In unison, they uttered the same word. "Tessa."

"Don't you dare," Tessa threatened the two of them through her giggles as she scrambled to her feet and slowly started backing away. "Or I won't do any cooking this week."

That threat brought Richie to a stop with a dismayed look on his face.

"I can cook," Duncan laughed at him as he climbed onto the dock.

"If I get wet, you're going to sleep on the couch the whole week," Tessa threw out.

That got Duncan's attention. "You wouldn't?"

"Try me," she dared.

Now it was Richie's turn to laugh at Duncan's dismayed expression.

"Okay, you win, Tessa. No water." Duncan gave in. "But you play dirty."

"Good. Richie, get out of the water now. You two need to change your clothes before you catch a cold," Tessa scolded.

"That might be kind of hard, Tessa," Duncan groaned. "I don't have any dry clothes to put on and I don't think I can wear anything of Richie's either."

"Well, I guess you're going to have to suffer but at least Richie will need to change."

Richie grabbed some dry clothes from his bag before he headed behind some bushes to change. When he came out he apologized to Duncan. "I'm sorry, Mac. I didn't think about the fact that you wouldn't have any way of changing clothes before I pulled you into the river."

"I'll live, Richie. I deserved it. I knew that you hadn't been in a canoe before and I should have warned you. And if it's any consolation, I did the same thing the first time I got in a canoe. Are you ready to try again?"

"Okay. So how do I keep from tipping over?" Richie asked.

"Just keep your weight in the center of the canoe and place one hand on each side as you move up to the front." Duncan watched as Richie managed to successfully reach his seat this time. "Here's your paddle. Your turn, Tessa."

Once Tessa and Richie had gotten settled in the canoe, Duncan passed their bags down, one in front of Tessa and one behind, before climbing in himself. He picked up his paddle and pushed away from the dock. He quickly instructed Richie on how to paddle and soon the canoe was moving back upstream.

Richie looked around him as the canoe silently glided through the water. It was an unique sensation to feel the breeze against his face and yet have almost no sense of movement. "This is really cool," he called back over his shoulder.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, Richie," Duncan said. "But do you mind helping a little?"

Richie blushed as he realized that he had stopped paddling. "Sorry."

All too soon, the island came in sight. Richie wished that the trip had been longer. He hoped that he would get a chance to do more canoeing before the week was over. Surprised to actually be enjoying himself, he began to look forward to the rest of the trip.

Duncan spent the rest of the afternoon showing Richie around the cabin. After a quick tour of the bedrooms, bathroom, living room and kitchen, he demonstrated the use of the ham radio he kept for emergencies. He showed the boy where the candles, lanterns and flashlights were kept. He explained how the generator functioned that powered the lights, water pump and refrigerator, and how to start and stop it. He let Richie try everything out so that he would know what to do in case of an emergency. It was an item in the kitchen that dumbfounded Richie the most.

"You actually *cook* on that?" he asked as he stared at the wood-burning stove.

"It's really quite easy once you get the knack of it," Tessa replied.

"I remember your first few attempts," Duncan teased her. "Everything was either half done or burnt. I finally ended up doing the cooking out of self-preservation."

"In that case, I'll leave all of the cooking to you," Tessa threatened.

"No, no, that's all right, Tessa. I'd hate to deprive you of a chance to practice some more."

"Hmmmph," Tessa replied. She knew that Duncan always did his fair share of kitchen duty so she just ignored his teasing.

"The final item on the grand tour," Duncan stated as he moved aside a rug on the floor to reveal a trap door, "is the root cellar. Now we just store canned foods down here."

Duncan glanced up at Richie as he swung the trap door open. Richie's face had turned so white that Duncan was afraid that the boy might pass out. That combined with the look of horror and terror in the boy's eyes caused him to drop the trap door abruptly and surge to his feet.

"What's wrong, Richie?" Duncan and Tessa asked at the same time.

Richie continued to stare at the trap door as if all the monsters from the horror flicks he loved to watch were about to come crawling out of it and grab him.

Tessa walked over to him and gently turned his face towards her. "What is it, Richie? Please tell me."

Richie took a deep shuddering breath before pulling away from her grasp and fleeing outside.

Tessa and Duncan exchanged confused, worried looks before following him. They found Richie leaning on the porch railing, drawing in deep breaths of air as if he had been suffocating.

Duncan slowly approached the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay, Richie?"

"Yeah," Richie managed to force out between breaths.

"Want to tell us about what just happened?" Duncan questioned.

Richie just shook his head no and looked away.

"Please, Richie, let us help you," Tessa pleaded.

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can."

"No! Just leave me alone!" Richie turned and fled indoors, slamming his bedroom door behind him.

Duncan held Tessa back when she went to follow him. "It might be better to give him a little room, Tessa. I don't know what shook him up but pressuring him won't get him to talk."

"I suppose you're right. I just hate seeing him look like that. What kind of a childhood did he have? What nightmare have we woken up?"

"Only Richie can tell us. Unless he's willing to trust us, we may never know." Duncan pulled Tessa into a tight embrace. "When he's ready, he'll tell us but not before. Until then, it's best not to talk about it unless he brings it up first."

"I'm not sure I agree, Duncan. I think it would be better for him to talk about it, get it out in the open."

"You're right, Tessa, but we can't force him to talk. If anything, he'd get more stubborn about the whole thing." He pulled her over to two chairs on the porch. "Why don't we just sit and watch the world go by for a while. Maybe Richie will come out of his room soon."

Almost an hour later, Duncan heard a noise at the door behind him. Glancing back, he saw Richie standing there with a shamed look on his face.

"I...I'm sorry," he stuttered out.

"There's no reason to apologize, Richie," Duncan said. "We shouldn't have pushed you like that. Whenever you want to talk about it just let us know. Pull up a seat and enjoy the view."

Richie joined them on the porch and Duncan and Tessa continued their discussion on the Seacouver political race.

"How about going for a walk before it gets dark?" Tessa asked a short time later.

"Good idea, Tess," Duncan agreed. "Want to come along, Rich?"

Richie almost refused before remembering his earlier pledge to himself. "Sure. Why not."

As they strolled through the woods, Duncan kept pointing out the various kinds of trees, shrubs and plants to the boy. He went into great detail on which were harmful or edible or had medicinal properties. Richie took it for as long as he could before he exploded.

"If I knew this was going to be a botany lesson, I would have brought something to take notes with. Is there going to be a test when we're done?"

"A little knowledge never hurts, Richie."

"A little?" Richie looked at him in disbelief.

"Okay, so maybe I went a little overboard but you may need to know this some day," Duncan defended himself.

"Right," Richie muttered. "Why don't you just show me what things I should stay away from today and tomorrow we can work out what's edible. Maybe that way I won't get them confused."

The walk was much quieter after that and Richie felt pleased with himself when he was actually able to name some of the plants that Duncan pointed out.

Soon they were back at the cabin where they all sat on the porch and watched the sun set while they discussed the plans for the next day.

"The first thing we need to do," Duncan said, "is to catch some fish for dinner tomorrow."

"Okay, I'm game. So what time are we getting up?" When Duncan told him six o'clock, Richie cringed. "You must be kidding! The fish are probably still asleep then."

"By the time we have breakfast and then hike down to the river, it will be the best time to fish, Richie." Before the boy had a chance to protest any further, Duncan announced that it was time to start dinner.

They all headed for the kitchen. Duncan had gone in earlier and replaced the rug over the trap door but he couldn't help noticing that Richie went out of his way to avoid that area of the floor. He felt frustrated at not knowing what bothered the boy but he knew that he couldn't push Richie into telling them anything. Sometimes the boy was too stubborn for his own good. After dinner, Duncan let Richie start a fire in the fireplace and he told Richie and Tessa stories about his first few years in the cabin. Soon they were both laughing at his description of the two raccoons who managed to get inside and spread flour from one end of the cabin to the other. At the time it hadn't seemed so funny but remembering how he had chased the two varmints around with his sword brought a smile to his face as well. Soon it was bedtime and they headed for their respective bedrooms, after Richie promised to be up in time to go fishing.

Duncan got up early the next morning and had the stove warmed up and coffee brewing by the time Richie stumbled bleary-eyed into the kitchen. Duncan had been surprised that their sleep had not been disturbed. After Richie's reaction yesterday, he fully expected the boy to suffer from nightmares. But if he did, they hadn't woken up Duncan or Tessa.

Duncan quickly fixed breakfast and served it to the half asleep Richie. It wasn't until they had eaten and Duncan had handed Richie a fishing pole that the youngster seemed to become aware of his surroundings.

"Where's Tessa?" Richie mumbled.

"Still sleeping," Duncan replied with a grin. "She doesn't like to fish so she'll join us later. Let's go."

Duncan led Richie through the early morning light to his favorite fishing spot. Once there, Duncan demonstrated baiting the hook and casting the line before standing back to watch Richie's first attempt. Richie had no problems with the bait but his first attempt at casting managed to snag a bush behind him. It took all of Duncan's willpower to keep from laughing but he couldn't keep the grin from his face.

Richie's face was beet red as he untangled his fishing line. He threw a scowling look at Duncan before stomping back to the stream.

"Cheer up, Richie," Duncan said. "The first time Tessa tried to cast a line, she hooked me. I had to use a knife to cut the hook out of my shoulder. That's why she doesn't fish anymore. It's safer that way."

Two hours later, Richie watched as Duncan hauled in another fish. "Boy, is this fun," he fumed as he stared at his empty stringer. Duncan had already caught four nice sized trout.

"Try checking your bait," Duncan suggested.

When Richie hauled his line in, the fish hook at the end was empty. He baited it again and managed to cast the line without snagging anything this time. Five minutes later, a sharp tug on his line caught his attention. "What do I do now?" he practically screamed.

"Just reel it in, nice and easy."

"Maybe you should do it." Richie tried to hand the pole to Duncan.

"You can do it, Richie. Trust me."

"What if it gets away?" he asked in a panicked voice.

"You'll have to try again. It's not like we're going to go hungry."

Tessa arrived on the riverbank just in time to see Richie finally haul the trout in. "Bravo," she called. She couldn't decide which of the two had the biggest grin or the proudest look on their face. Fortunately she had brought her camera along and snapped a picture of the triumphant pair. She sat down on a fallen log and started sketching while Richie and Duncan continued to fish.

By the time Duncan called it quits, it was almost ten o'clock and they had each caught two more fish, Richie's first catch being the biggest of the lot. They collapsed on the ground near Tessa, laying back to enjoy the late morning sunshine.

Richie had almost fallen asleep when Duncan nudged him and pointed to the other side of the river. Two deer stood at the river's edge. He watched spellbound as the deer nervously drank the water, their ears twitching for any sounds of danger. It wasn't until they had faded back into the woods that he realized he had been holding his breath. He let it out in a giant sigh.

"Glad you came?" Duncan asked with a smile.

"Yeah. I guess I am," Richie surprised himself with his answer.

"Good. Because now it's time to clean the fish."

Once that messy chore was done, they all headed back to the cabin for lunch. Richie volunteered for cleanup duty while Duncan and Tessa relaxed on the porch. Afterwards, Duncan showed Richie the fine art of chopping wood without chopping a leg off. It took them several hours to replenish the wood pile. They rounded out the afternoon with another canoe trip, going several miles up river then letting the current lazily carry them back.

Duncan fixed dinner that night, frying up some of the trout they had caught that day. He also made hush puppies, balls of corn meal fried in fat, to accompany the fish. He claimed it was an old southern tradition to serve hush puppies with any fish fry. Tessa took cleanup duty this time. Once again, they spent the evening sitting around the fireplace. Tessa and Duncan curled up together on the couch while Richie sat in a chair listening as Tessa described some of her friends' reactions when she told them she was moving to Seacouver with Duncan.

"Mt. St. Helens had erupted the same year that Duncan and I met. It was in all the news, even in France. Three years later when we decided to move to Seacouver, half of my friends remembered it and tried to convince me that I would be living next to a volcano and constantly threatened with lava flows. I must admit I dug out an atlas as soon as possible to see just how close it was to Seacouver."

"Now, Tessa, you should have known that I wouldn't take you anywhere dangerous," Duncan replied, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"The rest of my friends tried to convince me that we would have ten feet of snow every winter and have to use dog sleds! I wasn't sure what I was getting into." Tessa smiled tenderly at Duncan. "It didn't really matter though. The most important thing was that I would be with you."

That last comment started a kiss that made Richie blush. A short time later, Tessa and Duncan retreated to their bedroom leaving Richie staring into the fire. He wondered if he would ever find someone who would love him even half as much as Tessa loved Duncan. Before he let himself get too carried away with impossible dreams, he banked the fire and headed for his solitary bed.

The next morning, Richie dragged himself from bed to accompany Duncan on a three mile run around the island before breakfast. Richie and Duncan spent the rest of the morning doing repairs on the cabin, especially the roof. Tessa sat under a tree nearby, sketching madly. After lunch, Richie once again volunteered to do cleanup and suggested that Duncan and Tessa take a walk by themselves. Neither Duncan nor Tessa were fooled. Richie had barely been able to keep his eyes open during lunch. They both hoped that Richie managed to get the kitchen cleaned up before taking a nap. Tessa grabbed a lightweight jacket and a hat before leaving with Duncan.

Together they wandered around the island, visiting their favorite spots. They found some wild blackberries and picked enough so that Tessa could make a cobbler for dessert. Since they hadn't brought a basket with them, Tessa sacrificed her hat to use as a container. Reluctantly they headed back to the cabin two hours later, not wanting to leave Richie alone for too long. Who knew what trouble the boy could manage to find.

As they approached the cabin, Duncan tensed as he felt the unmistakable presence of an Immortal. Before he had a chance to warn Tessa, two armed men came out of the bushes behind them and waved them on to the cabin.

The men moved and acted like highly trained soldiers. They both wore camouflage gear which did nothing to disguise their well muscled bodies. The nearest one to Duncan had to be at least two inches taller than him. His brown hair was cut in a military crewcut, and his nose looked like it had been broken several times and never set properly. The other man was slightly shorter than Duncan but heavier set. His red hair was worn long, caught back in a ponytail, and his green eyes constantly searched the surrounding area. They never came close enough to allow Duncan a chance to disarm them.

As he entered the front door, Duncan saw two more armed men, clones of the ones behind him, standing on either side. His eyes were drawn to a man relaxing comfortably on the living room couch and holding Duncan's katana.

"I'm Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod," he announced. "And this is Holy Ground."

"My name is Felix Canton and I'm here for your head. We'll be taking our fight somewhere else." He rose from the couch.

Duncan studied Canton as he moved closer. They were about the same height but Canton was leaner. He moved with a panther-like grace that spoke of years of training. He had on a stylish suit that couldn't have been bought off a rack and his short blond hair looked professionally done. If it hadn't been for the sword in his hand, he would have been mistaken for a high ranking executive. With the sword, he looked like a killer.

"So why do you want my head?" Duncan asked.

"It's a matter of revenge. You killed my friend so now I must kill you. Fortunately, I'm a much better swordsman than he was." Canton twirled Duncan's katana around as if to prove that point.

"And who would that be?"

"Walter Reinhardt."

Duncan heard Tessa's breath catch behind him as she heard the name. He found it hard to believe that Reinhardt had any Immortal friends.

"Reinhardt came hunting me. Otherwise, I would never have killed him. He hurt Tessa and kidnapped my friend..." Duncan realized that there was no sign of the boy. "What did you do to Richie?"

"Was that his name?" Canton smiled evilly.

Duncan lunged for the man only to be brought up short by the sound of a gasp from Tessa behind him. He turned around, almost afraid of what he would see. Tessa stood there with one of the men's arms wrapped around her throat, a pistol pointed at her head. She had dropped her hat when she had been grabbed and the blackberries lay scattered on the floor, some already crushed by her feet.

Hands clenched in helpless anger, he turned back to Canton. "Our fight doesn't involve mortals."

"She will not be hurt as long as you cooperate. And your other friend has not been hurt...much. When our fight is over, they will be released. You have my word on that."

"No matter who wins?"

"No matter who wins."

"How can I trust you to keep your word?" Duncan asked cynically.

"I don't see where you have much choice, do you?" Canton grinned.

Duncan realized that Canton was right, he didn't have any choice but to do what the other Immortal wanted. Knowing that Tessa had a gun to her head and Richie...

"What did you do to Richie?" He asked again.

"He's been put in cold storage, you might say. Of course, he seemed unwilling to go on his own so we had to use a little...persuasion."

The cellar. Duncan almost moaned. If just seeing the trap door had triggered that big of a reaction, what would being forced down into the cellar do to the boy? And what had Canton meant by persuasion? "I want to see him."

"Out of the question. However, your lady friend will join him."

"They won't interfere. You don't have to lock them up."

"No. Over the years, I've found that mortals can do some incredibly stupid things when their loved ones are in danger. This will make sure they aren't tempted to help you in any way."

Duncan's jaw clenched in anger. Canton held all the cards. He couldn't try anything without risking Tessa or Richie. "So how do you want to do this?"

"We will head for my boat with two of my men, while the others shut the woman up in the cellar. Then they will join us and we will leave the island and go to a place I have already picked to fight."

"And when it's over?"

"If you're the one remaining, my man has orders to bring you back to the island unharmed. Otherwise, we will come back and let your friends out." Canton gave a signal to one of the men.

Duncan felt something click around his wrist. He refused to give Canton the satisfaction of seeing him struggle as his hands were cuffed behind his back. He had a sickening feeling that he was going to his execution and worried about what would become of Tessa and Richie.

"Those are just to prevent you from trying something foolish. Shall we?" Canton motioned towards the door.

Duncan turned towards Tessa. "I'll be back soon," he promised.

"I love you," she replied.

"I love you too. Take care of Richie."

Duncan was pushed out the door and down towards the river bank. One of the men took a radio out of his pocket and spoke into it. He heard engines start up and moments later, two boats appeared around a bend in the river.

Once they reached the island, Duncan was forced into one boat, Canton following behind him. Another set of handcuffs chained Duncan to the seat he was pushed into, removing any possibility of escape. When the other men had returned from the cabin, the four of them climbed in the second boat and headed downstream, while the boat carrying the Immortals headed upstream.

* HL * HL

Tessa didn't struggle as the men pushed her towards the kitchen. The men shoved aside the cabinet that had been covering the trap door and opened it.

"Please, can I take a flashlight with me?" she pleaded.

They didn't say anything, just motioned her down the stairs with their guns.

Tessa slowly went down the stairs, trying to spot Richie in the dim light before the trap door slammed shut. She heard the scrape of the cabinet being moved back over the trap door and knew that she couldn't get the door open again. For now, all she could do was wait and try to find out what happened to Richie.

"Richie?" she called. With no windows in the cellar, she couldn't see anything including the hand she held up in front of her face. She called the boy's name again. Still no answer.

She tried to remember how the cellar was laid out. It was only about six feet wide and eight feet long, with shelving on the two long walls. The walls had been paneled with rough wood but the floor was just packed dirt. She shivered slightly in the damp, chilly air, glad that she still wore her jacket. Before she could move she heard a whimpering noise. "Richie? Is that you?" Still no response just the whimpering noise that didn't stop this time. She headed in its direction slowly, taking small sliding steps to ensure that she didn't step or trip on anything... especially Richie.

When she thought she was close to the source of the noise, she went down on her hands and knees, trying to locate the boy. Her questing hand touched a foot only to have it jerk away from her. "Richie, it's Tessa. I'm not going to hurt you."

A few inches more and she felt his leg this time. Once again, he tried to pull away but she kept a firm grip on him. Reaching along his body, she discovered he was curled up in a fetal position. She could feel the trembling throughout his body and the unceasing whimpering noise brought an ache to her heart. "Richie, what's wrong? Please answer me. You're scaring me."

When that brought no response, she levered the boy up, pulling him back against her chest and wrapping her arms around him. His hands were icy cold, either from shock or terror. Rocking slightly, she kept trying to reassure him, sometimes humming French lullabies that she only vaguely remembered.

It seemed like forever before the trembling seemed to ease up and the whimpering stopped. Then a voice sounding very much like a little boy came to her ears.

"Please. I promise I'll be good. I won't do it again."

"Richie, can you hear me? It's Tessa."

After an eternity of waiting, a voice closer to Richie's came. "Tessa?"

"Yes, Richie. It's me, Tessa." She uttered a silent prayer of thanks.

"Oh god," he managed to say before bursting into tears.

She continued to rock him and murmur reassurances until his sobs eased off. Reaching into her jacket pocket, she pulled out some tissues and handed them to him. She could feel him dry his face and heard him blow his nose. He sat up and tried to pull away from her but she kept one arm around his shoulders as he leaned back against the wall.

"Richie, I want you to tell me all about it," she said in her best authoritative voice. "Why does this cellar scare you so much?"

She felt Richie shake his head no. "Please, Richie. I promise I won't tell anyone else about this, not even Duncan, if you don't want me to."

Richie gave a deep shuddering sigh before beginning to speak. "He had a cellar with a trap door just like this one. He even kept a rug over the door to hide it. He used to lock me in it whenever I was bad. I remember how dark and cold it was."

"Who, Richie?"

"One of my foster fathers. He even had a chain connected to the wall that he would fasten around my neck whenever he locked me up. He said it was to keep me from hurting myself wandering around in the dark. The worst part was listening to him climbing the stairs, knowing that when he reached the top the light would go off. Nine stairs. I can remember counting them each time as he went..." Richie's voice broke off in a sob.

Tessa pulled Richie closer to her again. She felt his arms wrap around her middle as she quietly whispered reassurances until Richie calmed down. "Was this the man you never told anyone about?" she asked, remembering the conversation from their trip to the cabin.

"Yeah."

"How old were you?"

"Eight or nine. I don't remember anymore."

Tessa felt a surge of anger that anybody could lock a small child up in a dark cellar let alone chain him to a wall. "Why did he lock you up?" she asked.

"I think the first time was when I spilled my milk at breakfast. And one time I fell down and tore my jeans. Whenever I screwed up and had to be punished. Sometimes he would threaten to lock me up forever."

Tessa murmured something in French when she felt Richie's trembling grow more pronounced again.

"What did you say?" Richie managed to question.

"You don't want to know. How long were you at that home?"

"I was lucky, only about six months. Where's Mac?"

Tessa filled Richie in. "I'm sure he'll be back here shortly and let us out. It won't be long," she said, trying to convince herself as well as Richie.

"Tessa?" Richie said hesitantly, fear still evident in his voice.

"Yes, Richie?"

"Will you keep talking to me? It helps."

"Of course. What do you want to talk about, Richie?"

"I don't know... How about telling me how you and Duncan met."

Tessa thought about the day she had first set eyes on Duncan MacLeod. It seemed like only yesterday and yet it had been twelve years.

"Tessa?" Richie's panicked voice sounded like he was on the verge of breaking down again.

"Sorry, Richie. Just trying to decide how to start. I had just finished studying at the Sorbonne and was working as a tour guide to make enough money to pay the bills until my art could support me. So there I was in my cute little sailor outfit on a tour boat on the Seine. We had just cast off when this man comes running down the dock and jumps across the water onto the boat."

"Mac?"

"Yes. He muttered something about not wanting to miss the boat and found a place to sit. I was furious."

"So what did you do?"

"I asked him if that was how he always made an entrance and he said he wanted to make an impression. I pulled out my best snotty French look and said Bravo, you succeeded, or something like that. I told him another boat would have left in fifteen minutes and he told me he wanted *this* one. He just sat there with that loopy grin on his face like he had done something to be proud of. Much later, I found out he had been fleeing from another Immortal and the police as well."

"So then what happened?"

"I tried to ignore him which was very difficult. I started in on my tour speech about Notre Dame. When I said it had been completed in 1343 he had the gall to correct me."

"He didn't!"

"Yes. He said it had been completed in 1345. I asked if he had been there and he just grinned and said it was a little before his time. I was ready to strangle him by that time but I also couldn't keep from smiling either."

"So after the tour was over, what happened?"

"When I got ready for my next tour, there he was again. He was holding a single rose and he gave it to me at the end of the tour and asked me to dinner."

"Just one flower? Why not a bouquet? Sounds pretty cheap to me."

"A single flower can be very romantic, Richie, if it's given in the right way and at the right time."

"I'll have to remember that."

"You do that," Tessa said as she ruffled his hair. "Anyway, I refused to go out with him, after all, I didn't know him. So he showed up every day that week and took my tour boat until I finally caved in and agreed to dinner. After that, well, he swept me off my feet. He was like no one I had ever met before."

"I bet he was. So when did he tell you about being Immortal?"

"We had been together about three years. By that time I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. He told me that if I stayed with him, my life would never be the same again. That there couldn't be any secrets between us. I told him it didn't matter. Foolish me, I thought he was going to say he'd been married before or maybe had some children stashed away. Nothing could have prepared me for what happened next."

"What?"

"He made me promise not to call anyone no matter what happened. After I promised, he took a gun he had gotten from a chest, wrapped my hand around it and forced me to pull the trigger. When he keeled over, I panicked. I tried to wake him up and then I grabbed the telephone to call for an ambulance. Before I had a chance to get through to anyone, he came back to life and stopped me. He told me I had to see it to believe it was real."

"Wow. That seems like a rough way to prove you're Immortal."

"Yes. But I don't know if I would have believed him without it. He then explained about how he couldn't die. I remember thinking how lonely he must have been, having to watch everyone around him die, including his children. And I told him so. That's when he told me he couldn't have children and that I would never have children if I stayed with him."

"Did that bother you?"

"Not at the time. After all, I was only twenty three, barely out of school, children weren't a high priority at the time. Later, it led to some of the worst fights we ever had."

"Why?"

"By the time I reached thirty, I guess I felt my biological clock was ticking. At the time artificial insemination and sperm banks were in the news all the time. It seemed like a perfect solution but Duncan refused to consider it. At the time, I thought it was just pride keeping him from accepting the idea. I even suggested adoption but he vetoed that as well. He refused to discuss his reasons with me. I almost left him then. Now I realize why he wouldn't consider it."

"Why?" Richie gave a little chuckle. "Geez, I sound like a broken record."

Tessa hugged him briefly. "Duncan never explained the Game to me until Slan Quince arrived in town. I didn't realize that I could be used as a pawn against him. The last few months have made me realize that a child would have been in even greater danger. Look at how Felicia and Reinhardt used you to get to Duncan. Imagine what it would have been like for a young child."

"Yeah. It would have been pretty rough," Richie agreed. "How much longer do you think it's going to be, Tessa?"

"I don't know, Richie," Tessa said honestly. "How are you doing?"

"I'm still here."

"That's good," she chuckled. "I'd hate to think that you snuck out while I wasn't looking."

Richie managed to laugh at that comment. "So tell me some more."

"Like what?"

"Let's see... What worries you the most about Mac's Immortality?"

"I guess the thing that worries me the most is how Duncan will handle my death," she confided.

"That won't happen for at least fifty or sixty years, Tessa!"

"I hope so, Richie. He told me once that when someone he loves dies, he's naked and alone. He's had to bury so many people. I don't know how he can stand it. Sometimes I wonder if he would be better off if I left him now after only twelve years instead of watching me grow older and die after we've been together for fifty years."

"No way, Tess. He'd never let you go. I've never seen two people love each other like you two do. If you left him now, he'd probably go up to the first Immortal he found and ask him to take his head. Actually, I think you should hang around so that in twenty or thirty years you could introduce him as your boy toy. Man, I'd love to see his face!"

"Richie!" Tessa sounded appalled. "I'd never do that to him!"

"Lighten up, Tess. It was just a suggestion. Besides, I'll bet you'll still look younger than him even when you're in your seventies."

"Sometimes you say the nicest things, Richie Ryan."

"Um...Tessa...does the air seem...different to you?"

Tessa took a deep breath and realized that Richie was right. The air was definitely staler than before. Why hadn't she realized that the cellar had no fresh air outlet except the trap door. The air wouldn't have been that fresh to start with and all of their talking hadn't helped the situation.

"Oh, no. I never thought...Richie, we need to conserve our air. We shouldn't talk anymore. Just keep reminding yourself that I'm here with you and you're not alone. Duncan should be back soon." She wrapped her arms around Richie even tighter than before.

As the time crept slowly by, Tessa kept uttering silent prayers for Duncan's safe return. Whenever she felt Richie start to tremble, she would squeeze his hand or touch his face to remind him that she was there. Each time the trembling ceased although it seemed to take longer for it to stop every time it happened. The darkness seemed to press in on her more and more until she felt like screaming. It was getting harder to breath and to remain awake but she feared that if she fell asleep, she would never wake up again. Richie no longer moved in her arms, only the slight rise and fall of his chest proving that he still lived.

Just when she thought she could take it no longer, she heard footsteps running across the floor above, followed by the scraping sound of furniture being moved. The trap door flew open and the sudden influx of light blinded her, making it impossible to see who the rescuer was.

"Tessa? Richie?" The Scottish brogue was unmistakable.

"Duncan," she managed to whisper. Seconds later, strong, familiar arms wrapped themselves around her.

"Are you all right?"

"I am now. Help Richie."

Unable to rouse the boy, Duncan slung him over his shoulder and carried him up the steep stairs to the kitchen. He gently laid the boy on the kitchen table before returning to help Tessa. Once he had her settled on a chair by the table he turned his attention back to Richie. He was already reviving in the fresh air but seemed to be groggy. He didn't respond when Duncan asked him if he was all right.

Duncan quickly checked for any signs of injury besides the obvious bruise on his jaw that had already started turning black and blue. Richie had some bruise marks and swelling around his right wrist but it didn't appear to be broken. Other than that, there were no other signs that the boy had been hurt.

While Duncan checked Richie over, Tessa checked Duncan over. Any wounds he had received in his battle with the other Immortal were long healed. However, the number of rips and blood stains on his clothes made it obvious that the battle had not been easy, but she knew he would never talk about it.

"How do you feel, tough guy?" Duncan asked when Richie appeared to be more alert.

"I'll live. Did you take care of the bad guys?"

"Yes, at least the Immortal. The rest were just hired guns following orders. They won't be bothering us again."

"Good." Richie tried to sit up but abruptly laid back down with a moan as the room spun around.

"Are you all right?" Tessa asked.

"Just a little dizzy, that's all," he replied. "I'll be fine just as soon as my head stops spinning."

"Maybe we should take you to a hospital." Tessa looked at Duncan who nodded in agreement.

"That's not necessary. All I need is a little rest, maybe some aspirin, and I'll be a new person," Richie protested.

"We can't have that," Duncan teased. "We like the old person too much."

"That's bad," Richie groaned. "Just take advantage of me in my weakened state."

"Come on, Richie. Let me help you up. If the dizziness doesn't pass, we're taking you to the hospital no matter what you say."

This time the room stayed in one place. Richie let Duncan lead him to the couch in the living room and push him down on it.

"Just lie down for a while. I'll get the aspirin and some ice packs for your jaw and wrist to help reduce the swelling. Tessa, you should take it easy for a while too."

"I'm fine, Duncan," Tessa protested although she quickly sat down on a chair next to the couch.

Duncan pushed the foot stool over and lifted her feet on to it. He grabbed the afghan draped behind her and covered her. He fetched another one from the linen closet and draped it over Richie before heading for the kitchen for the ice packs and first aid kit.

Richie and Tessa exchanged looks for a moment before they both started to grin. "He's going to be impossible," Richie stated.

Tessa just nodded. They heard Duncan coming back and quickly removed the grins from their faces. After giving Richie the aspirin, he wrapped his wrist in an elastic bandage and then placed an ice pack on it. Grabbing a pillow from the other end of the couch, Duncan eased it under Richie's wrist to keep it elevated. He put the other ice pack on Richie's jaw and told him to hold it there. Duncan returned to the kitchen and several minutes later came back with tea for both Richie and Tessa to drink, heavily sweetened to combat shock.

For the next few hours, Duncan refused to let them do anything. He fetched drinks, books and fresh ice packs. He started a fire and kept asking if they were too hot or too cold. He fixed dinner and served it to them on trays and then refused to let them help him clean up.

Tessa finally decided that she had had enough. "Duncan, stop fussing! Richie and I are both fine. Will you please sit down and stop hovering over us like we're on our death beds?"

"Yeah," Richie chimed in.

Duncan walked over and stared out the window. "I'm sorry. It's just that I feel so..."

"Guilty?" Tessa asked. She got up and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "It wasn't your fault, Duncan. You had to stop Reinhardt. He wouldn't have gone away. No one is blaming you for Canton showing up here or locking us up. The important thing is that we all survived it."

Duncan turned and looked deep into Tessa's eyes. The love reflected back at him convinced him that she meant what she said. He pulled her into a hug before kissing her deeply.

"Ahem...Would you like me to leave the two of you alone?" Richie questioned from the couch.

Tessa turned red and laughed as she pulled away from Duncan. "That won't be necessary, Richie. I'm sure we can wait until bedtime."

Duncan led Tessa towards a chair where he sat down and pulled her into his lap. "I'm not so sure about that," he growled and started nuzzling her neck.

"Duncan, stop that," she giggled and playfully slapped him.

Richie just grinned at their antics. "So what are we doing tomorrow? Sleeping in I hope. Somehow I doubt if you'll get much sleep otherwise."

"Tomorrow we'll go home," Duncan replied.

"But we've only been here two days! I thought you wanted to spend a full week here." Richie stared at Duncan in amazement.

"That was before all the trouble. I'm sorry, Richie. This wasn't how I had planned this trip to be," Duncan apologized. "I wouldn't blame you if you never want to see this cabin ever again."

"It hasn't been that bad. I could manage to stick out the rest of the week. I don't want you to cut your vacation short because of me." Richie looked uneasy at the thought.

"This was supposed to be *our* vacation. It's not fair to make you stay if you're...uncomfortable being here anymore." Duncan had almost said afraid but he didn't want to hurt Richie's pride.

"Can I think about it for a while?" Richie asked.

"Sure. In the meantime, do you feel up to answering some questions?"

Richie stared into the fireplace for several long moments before answering. "I guess."

"What happened when Canton and his men showed up here?"

Richie, surprised that the question didn't concern the cellar, stared blankly at Duncan for a moment. "I was in the kitchen, still doing dishes when two of the men came in the back door. I tried to run out the front but they caught me and we struggled some. One of the guys hit me and knocked me down onto the floor. Then the other two men and Canton came in from the living room. He asked where you were and I told him I had never heard of you but he didn't believe me."

When Richie paused, Duncan urged him on. "Then what happened."

"Canton told one of his men to *encourage* me to talk. The guy dragged me to my feet and started twisting my arm up behind my back. I thought he was going to tear it off." Richie shuddered at the memory.

"So what did you do?"

Richie looked down at the floor, guilt written all over his face. "I tried to lie but eventually I told him what he wanted to know," he said in a quiet voice.

Duncan moved Tessa aside and went to kneel in front of Richie. He took the boy's face gently in his hands. "You did the right thing, Richie. I don't ever want you to get hurt trying to protect me."

"Or me either," Tessa added.

Richie looked unconvinced. "But you wouldn't have..."

"It doesn't matter what I would or wouldn't have done," Duncan interrupted. "We're talking about you here. Besides, given enough pain, anyone will talk. I don't care what television or movies show, pain is an effective means of getting information. Do you understand?"

"I guess."

Duncan shifted to a more comfortable seat on the floor by the couch. "So what happened next?"

"Once the guy let go of me, he pushed me down on the floor against the wall. Canton had sent the other two men to search the cabin and they came back with your katana. While Canton was looking it over, I tried to make a dash for the back door but they caught me again. When they dragged me back, the rug moved and Canton saw..." Richie paused and swallowed hard before continuing. "the trap door. He had one of his men check it out before ordering them to put me in the cellar. I struggled but they dragged me down there and...and..."

"That's okay, Richie. You don't have to say any more if you don't want to." Duncan briefly gripped Richie's shoulder as he saw the boy's eyes darken from the remembered horror.

Silence settled in the room. Only the crackling of the fire could be heard. Finally, Tessa spoke. "Okay, Duncan. Your turn. What happened?"

"There's not much to tell. We went upstream maybe ten miles. I don't know why he picked that spot but I wasn't in any position to argue with him. We got out of the boat and it left. He uncuffed me, we fought, I won and took his head. I would have been back sooner but it was an hour before the boat came back. Don't ask me why. The driver seemed a little surprised to see me standing there but he never said a word."

"That's it? That's all you're going to tell us?" Tessa looked at him in disbelief.

"There's nothing more to tell. His man picked me up, dropped me off at the island, and then headed downstream. I came inside and got you out of the cellar. End of story."

Duncan couldn't tell them about how Canton had threatened to go after Richie next, not without revealing the truth about Richie's Immortality to the two of them. He could still hear Canton taunting him about how he would kill Richie and then take him on but not as a student. Without sword training, Richie wouldn't have any choice, stay with Canton or risk losing his head.

Canton had gone on to say, with an evil smirk lighting up his face, that a young, good-looking boy like Richie could be very entertaining as well as marketable. Duncan knew that Canton had been trying to make him angry so that he wouldn't fight as well. But Canton's words had the opposite effect on the Highlander. He was no longer fighting just for himself but for Richie too. It made Duncan shudder even now to think of what Richie's life might have become if Canton had succeeded in killing him.

"Well, after that wonderful story, I guess I'll go to bed," Richie said sarcastically. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Richie," Tessa and Duncan replied in unison.

"One more thing, Richie," Duncan called after him. "Don't go wandering around in the kitchen in the dark. That goes for you too, Tessa. I've left the trap door open to get fresh air down into the cellar. I don't want anyone to fall in accidentally."

Richie waved his agreement before heading into his room.

Duncan and Tessa both moved onto the couch, curling up together in the spot that Richie had abandoned. Duncan waited until he was certain Richie wouldn't emerge from his room again before turning to Tessa.

"Tell me what happened in the cellar," he said softly.

"I can't," Tessa replied. She put a restraining finger on his lips as he protested. "I made a promise to Richie and I'm not going to break it. Not even for you."

Duncan knew that Tessa would never break her word unless absolutely necessary so he didn't push for more information. He just pulled her closer to him and gave her a brief kiss. Soon after, they retired to their own bedroom although sleep wasn't uppermost in their minds.

Duncan woke abruptly around two o'clock. Uncertain of the reason, he laid in bed for several minutes straining to identify any unusual sound. The only noises he heard were the normal sounds of the night. Finally he slipped from the bed, grabbed his katana and cautiously opened the bedroom door.

The light coming from beneath Richie's bedroom door shone like a beacon in the dark. Duncan carefully opened the door and peered into the room. Richie appeared to be asleep although the tangled mess of bed clothes indicated that his sleep had been troubled. Duncan wondered if it had been some noise from Richie that had woken him, but if so, it must have passed. He carefully straightened the sheet and blanket and covered the boy back up.

Duncan reached for the light to turn it off but stopped himself. At first he had assumed that Richie had fallen asleep before turning the light off. Instead, memories of the dark cellar might have caused the boy to leave the light on intentionally. Duncan left the room as quietly as he had come in, the light still burning brightly.

After checking out the rest of the cabin, Duncan returned to his bed where he stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out some way of helping Richie. He had known that Richie's past had been filled with hidden traumas even if the boy refused to talk about them. He wanted to help him move past them. It amazed him sometimes that Richie had managed to survive his childhood while still retaining a sense of humor, loyalty, courage and honor. Over the past few months since he had come to live with them, Duncan had seen evidence of all of these traits.

The sun shining through the window woke Duncan the next morning. He couldn't remember falling back asleep. It seemed like he had worried about Richie for most of the night. He gave a sigh before climbing out of bed, trying not to wake Tessa up. He would have a busy morning closing up the cabin before returning to the city. He dressed quickly and left the bedroom.

As Duncan entered the hallway, he noticed the open door to Richie's room. Glancing in, he saw Richie's empty bed. He found the boy sitting in the kitchen, dressed in his robe and pajamas, staring blankly at the open trap door on the floor. Duncan crossed the room and placed a hand on Richie's shoulder.

Richie jumped as the hand touched him. "Geez, Mac. Don't sneak up on me that way."

"Are you all right, Richie?"

"I will be as soon as I get my heart started again!"

"So what were you doing?"

"Just thinking," Richie replied.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Duncan pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Didn't Tessa tell you everything last night?" Richie asked cynically even as shame filled his face.

"No. She told me she promised not to say anything." Duncan waited patiently as Richie went back to staring at the trap door.

Richie finally blurted out the story. Duncan had to struggle to keep the fury he felt from showing on his face as he heard the boy talk about being chained to a wall.

"I guess I must have flipped out down there yesterday. I can't remember anything from the point where they closed the door until Tessa was there," Richie finished up. "Pretty stupid, huh?"

"No it's not stupid, Richie. You had a valid reason for 'flipping out' as you put it. What happens to you in childhood can affect the rest of your life. I'm surprised you don't have trouble sleeping in the dark." Duncan almost kicked himself after his last remark when he remembered the light in Richie's room.

"I had a hard time for a while. But my next foster parents wouldn't put up with 'that kind of nonsense.' So I got over it-real quick." Richie gave a wry grin. "Until last night, that is. I just couldn't bring myself to shut off the light."

"If it helps, Richie, I'll leave on all the lights in the cabin," Duncan offered.

"I don't think that'll be necessary but thanks for offering." Richie sat quietly for a moment. "Um...Mac...I don't want to go home yet."

"I think it would be best if we did."

"No! Don't you see? It's been ten years and just the sight of that trap door frightens me like nothing has in a long time. Not even Reinhardt scared me this much. I feel like that terrified, lonely, helpless boy again. If I leave now, I'll always be that boy."

"How can I help?" Compassion filled Duncan's face.

"I don't know if you can. Just give me a couple more days to try to work this out. I have to try. I *have* to," Richie said with determination.

"Just remember you're not alone. Tessa and I are here for you. Whatever it takes, no matter what time it is, no matter what we're doing."

"Really? Even if you and Tessa are...involved?" Richie's lips curved up in a suggestive smirk.

"Okay. So maybe not then." Duncan aimed a playful slap at Richie's head. "But any other time would be fine."

"Okay. So what's on the agenda today? Let's see. I've learned how to canoe, fish, chop wood, fix the roof, and avoid poisonous plants. What's next in the Duncan MacLeod Survival Training School?"

"I think we should just take it easy today. Why don't you get dressed and I'll cook breakfast."

By the time Richie returned to the kitchen, Tessa had joined them. After breakfast Duncan suggested they take a walk together while he did some things around the cabin. Tessa wanted a chance to talk to Richie alone so she readily agreed.

Tessa led Richie towards her favorite spot on the island. Their pace was unhurried and they each stopped occasionally to point something out to the other-a squirrel chattering on a tree branch, a pretty flower, a bird soaring in the air. After about forty minutes, they arrived at the place that she called Lookout Point. From here, it was easy to see the river as well as the cabin. Duncan had even built her a wooden swing so that she could sit and watch the view for hours on end. She sat down and asked Richie to join her.

"I've been thinking about what you said on the trip up here, Richie. About how I should report that jerk for sexual harassment. I'll make a deal with you."

Richie looked at Tessa suspiciously. "What kind of deal?"

"I'll report my guy if you report yours."

"Report who?"

"The man who locked you up in that cellar. No one has the right to do that, especially not to a child."

"Who'd believe me?" Richie asked bitterly.

"We believed you. So will others. After all, there's nothing you could gain from telling anyone. If that man is still taking in foster kids, you can help them. If not, well, at least you'll know he's not hurting any more children. I think this will help you."

Richie sat back and thought about it. For more than thirty minutes, he and Tessa slowly rocked the swing and didn't talk. "Will you come with me?"

"Of course I will. So will Duncan if you ask."

More time passed. Finally Richie nodded agreement. "Okay. If you can do it then so can I."

Tessa hugged him briefly. "I don't think you will regret it, Richie."

"Neither will you, Tessa." Richie awkwardly returned her hug. Silence settled once again between the two of them. After about ten minutes Richie spoke up.

"Thanks for not telling Mac about what happened in the cellar."

"I gave you my word, Richie," Tessa replied.

"I know. It's just that...I've had a lot of promises made to me that were forgotten minutes after they were given."

"Not by me."

"No. You and Mac are different from anyone else I've ever known."

"I wish you would discuss what happened with Duncan. He'll understand."

"I already did, Tessa. Before you got up this morning."

"I'm glad." She smiled at him.

"Yeah. So am I."

They continued to sit there for another hour, talking idly as the mood took them or just watching the scenery. By the time they headed back to the cabin, Richie felt more at peace with himself.

Duncan was putting away his toolbox as they came in the back door.

"So what have you been tinkering with now?" Tessa asked.

"Something I should have done long ago. I've wired a light fixture in the cellar. I also put a spare flashlight and extra batteries on one of the shelves. Neither of you will ever be locked in the dark down there again. I'll also get some ventilation in there as well. I need to buy some things first but it will get done."

Tessa kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Duncan. Now I think we need to go pick some more blackberries so I can make that cobbler for dessert."

They all headed back to the berry patch that Duncan and Tessa had found the day before. Even with an extra pair of hands, it took longer to gather the berries. Tessa couldn't figure out why until she realized that both Duncan and Richie were eating more berries than they were putting in the basket. She scolded them like little children while they stood there with guilty expressions on their faces.

After they got back to the cabin, Richie noticed a rolled up bundle laying on the porch. "What's that?" he questioned curiously.

"Let me show you," Duncan replied. A few minutes later he had a hammock slung between hooks on the cabin wall and a porch support. "I found it this morning. I'd forgotten it was even here. Try it out, Rich."

"Hey, this is pretty neat," Richie said once he managed to get balanced in the rocking material. "I think I'll spend my afternoon right here."

"And what about lunch?" Tessa asked with a smile on her face.

"You could bring it out here," Richie suggested hopefully.

"All right. But just this once," she warned. "It is a nice day out. It would be a shame to waste any time indoors."

Richie sent Duncan and Tessa off on their own after lunch. "I'll just stay here and take a nap," he said with an innocent look on his face, placing his hands underneath his head.

Duncan couldn't decide whether to believe him or not. "You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

"Who, me? I won't move from this hammock. I swear!"

Duncan gave him one more doubting look before taking Tessa's hand and heading for the path that led into the woods.

Once Duncan and Tessa were out of sight, Richie moved his hands back down to his side, fingers still crossed. He waited ten more minutes to be sure they weren't coming back before climbing out of the hammock and heading for the kitchen. He didn't want any witnesses in case he fell apart again.

Taking a deep breath, he flipped the rug aside. The sight of the trap door made his stomach churn. He swallowed quickly several times until he had it back under control. With a slightly unsteady hand, he raised the door. The darkness from the hole seemed to reach out and surround him. He took two steps back.

"I can do this," he tried repeating to himself. "It's just a room."

Richie grabbed a flashlight from a drawer next to the sink. He forced himself closer to the opening and shone the light into the hole. He could see the new light that Duncan had installed that morning. All he had to do was go down a few steps and he would be able to reach it. That's all, just four tiny steps.

Step one. His breathing quickened as if he had just finished running a marathon. He clutched the flashlight in one hand and the stair railing with the other. He tried to focus on the small circle of light at his feet instead of the overwhelming darkness. He had to force himself to ease his death grip on the railing long enough to move downward.

Step two. His heart felt like it would burst through his chest, its pounding echoing in his ears. He fought the urge to turn around and flee, knowing that if he did, he would never be able to summon the courage to try this again. He could smell the dank air surrounding him, reminding him of that cellar so many years ago. His mind knew there was plenty of fresh air but his body refused to believe it as he labored for each breath he took.

Step three. His legs were shaking so bad that he was surprised he couldn't hear his knees knocking. He had to lean against the wall for support. His palms were sweating so badly he feared that he would drop the flashlight. The beam from the flashlight seemed to be growing dimmer, the circle it projected smaller. The next step looked like it was six feet away. He had to force his legs to move.

Step four. He could feel sweat trickling down his neck and his back even as he shivered in the cooler air. A sob escaped from his mouth but he choked back the ones that followed as memories came to him. The clinking of the chain, the snap of the padlock shutting, the footsteps going up the stairs. He fought against the memories, pushing them back, reminding himself that this was different.

Illumination flooded the cellar as his searching fingers found the light switch. Richie collapsed to the stairs, trying to control his pounding heart and panicked breathing, still clutching the flashlight as if it was his only salvation. He let his eyes roam around the small storage area and kept reminding himself that there was nothing to be afraid of. There were no chains attached to these walls and the door was still open, providing plenty of light and air. He could leave any time he wanted to.

Feeling calmer, Richie stood up and finished descending the stairs. He walked around the room, checking out the different items stored on the shelving. There were enough cans of food to last the three of them for months. Duncan obviously believed in being prepared.

Richie looked around the room feeling the last of his terror subsiding. He thought back to those brief months that had lasted forever at the foster home. The memories brought anger now instead of fear. There was also acceptance. It had happened. Nothing could ever change that but it wouldn't control his life.

Richie glanced at his watch, surprised to find that he had been in the cellar for almost fifteen minutes. He headed back up the stairs, turning the light out as he went. For a moment panic rose again but he pushed it back down before continuing up the stairs.

Upon exiting the cellar, Richie heard a slight noise behind him. He spun around and saw Duncan and Tessa standing there watching him. "How long have you been here?" Richie questioned.

"Since you went in the cellar," Duncan replied. "I knew you were up to something and we didn't think you should be alone."

It had been a tense wait for the two of them. They had stood at the top of the stairs straining to hear any noise indicating that Richie needed help. They knew that Richie needed the chance to overcome his terror on his own but it had been hard to stand by and do nothing.

Tessa walked over to Richie and hugged him. "Are you all right, Richie?"

"I'm fine. I did it!" Richie beamed at her.

"So you did," Duncan replied as he lightly clasped Richie's shoulder. "We're proud of you, Richie. I think this calls for a celebration. I have a bottle of champagne here somewhere."

"It's in the cellar," Richie said. "I'll go get it."

Before Duncan or Tessa could protest, Richie was on his way back down the stairs. He felt a brief moment of fear before he found the light switch but he ignored it. Finding the bottle, he hurried back up the stairs. "Ta da," he exclaimed as he presented the bottle to Duncan.

Duncan opened the bottle and poured three glasses. "Because this is a special occasion, Rich, I'll overlook the fact that you're underage." He handed a glass to the boy and one to Tessa.

"To conquering fear," Duncan toasted.

They touched their glasses together, the light chiming noise ringing through the kitchen. After the first sip, Tessa suggested they return to the porch to enjoy the rest of the beautiful day.

The rest of the week at the island was uneventful except for one final incident. They spent the days fishing, canoeing and hiking. Richie made several trips down into the cellar and each time it grew easier.

The day before they left, Richie went for a walk alone. Tessa and Duncan were sitting on the porch when he returned with a miserable look on his face, tears streaming down his cheeks. Duncan jumped to his feet and practically leaped off the porch wondering what had gone wrong now. Two strides closer to Richie, he realized exactly what had happened.

"Stay right there, Richie. Don't come any closer," Duncan warned as the smell of skunk overwhelmed him. It was so powerful, even from this distance, that his eyes started watering too. He returned to the cabin and came back shortly with the strongest bar of soap he could find.

"Here, take this and go down to the river and start scrubbing." Duncan tossed the soap to the boy. "I'll bring some clean clothes and some other things and meet you down there."

Twenty minutes later, Duncan joined Richie at the stream where the boy was still scrubbing madly. After rinsing again, Richie turned to Duncan. "So do I still smell like skunk?" he asked.

Duncan sniffed several times before grinning. "No. Now you smell like wet skunk!"

Richie groaned and started scrubbing again.

"There's only one thing that will cut the smell of skunk, Richie." Duncan dug around in the bag he had brought. He pulled out two cans of tomato juice and opened them. "You need to wash with this while I bury your clothes."

"Oh, man," Richie groaned again even as he reached for the juice cans.

Duncan dug a deep hole further back from the river's edge and then used the shovel to carry Richie's clothes back to it. He couldn't help but grin at Richie's obvious misery. "Don't you know any better than to play with black kitties with white stripes?" he teased the boy.

Richie threw him a dirty look. "I may be a city kid but I do know what a skunk looks like. I just didn't see him until it was too late."

After using up all of the tomato juice, Richie continued to scrub for fifteen more minutes before Duncan announced that the smell was gone. He tossed the boy a towel and waited while Richie dried himself and dressed in the clothes that Duncan had brought along. Together they headed back to the cabin.

Tessa noticed how raw Richie's skin looked and how he kept scratching so she brought out her body lotion for him to use.

Richie opened the lotion bottle and grimaced as the perfume smell assaulted his senses. "I can't use this, Tessa," he complained. "I'll smell like a girl!"

"It's your choice," Tessa smiled. "You can either smell like a girl or have dry, itchy skin."

Richie debated for several moments before taking the bottle back to his bedroom. "But if you or Mac make one comment..." he threatened.

Throughout the rest of the evening, Duncan struggled to keep his smiles hidden every time he got close to the boy. Richie's scowl kept getting worse until he finally fled to his bedroom to spend the rest of the evening alone.

The next day, they closed up the cabin and headed back to town.

Richie pulled up behind Duncan's T-bird at the antique store. He had been allowed to drive Tessa's car back by himself while Tessa rode with Duncan. He got out of the car and announced, "Civilization! At last!"

"Oh, come on, Richie. It wasn't that bad, was it?" Duncan asked.

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Richie admitted. "I could probably handle it again. *If* you insist on dragging me back up there."

Duncan had the feeling that Richie had enjoyed the island more than he would ever admit. Sometimes the boy refused to let go of his tough guy persona. Duncan grabbed him around the neck and ruffled his hair. "I'll insist. But not for a couple of months so you're safe for a while. Now let's get the cars unloaded."

It was late afternoon already and by the time the cars were unloaded and everything put away, it was dinner time.

"So what's for dinner? I'm starved," Richie complained.

"When aren't you?" Duncan teased. He checked out the meager supplies in the cupboards. Grocery shopping would have to be the first item on the agenda in the morning. "How do pancakes sound?"

"Gee...I don't know, Mac. I didn't think they made any noise at all." Richie fled from the room laughing while Duncan chased after him, threatening him with a frying pan.

The noise drew Tessa to the living room door. She fondly watched as Duncan continued to chase Richie around the furniture. Life was back to normal.

The end.