The Knight The Wizard and The Thief

By Fanlass

This story is time stamped to keep the readers from getting confusing. This story takes place after Small Favors and is in alternate universe in October of 2009 almost ten months after The Wizard the Knight and the Pragmatist. This is a stand-alone story Methos is living in the Dresden Files Book Universe as one of the Knight of the Cross, using the name Dr. ME Stacy. The Dresden Files belongs to Jim Butcher, and Davis-Panzer Productions owns Highlander the TV series. I love feed back so please post reviews and comments.

Special thanks to my Beta readers, Dartrekker, Anaika Skywalker, my extraordinary editor's, plus FerretKid, Cameo Cat, and Winterhart. Links to their stories are on my page. Each chapter is written in first person all will be clearly marked who is narrating.

Chapter 1 - Time to Pay the Piper!

Harry Dresden's narration - Friday Oct 23 2009 - 3:45 am

Why are things never as good as their advertisements? When I was at my local superstore, they had a full wall of those AS SEEN ON TV gadgets. I bought two. One was the indestructible cat toy that promised hours of fun for any feline. Mister destroyed it in less than ten minutes. Then he was peeved at me the toy didn't contain a 'real' mouse. The second was an Aero Knife with holes in the blade for easy slicing, the knife came with The Edge of Glory sharpener. I guess I don't know my own strength because while fixing a potion the blade snapped. I doubt they tested the knife out on petrified tree resin. The good news: I gave the Edge of Glory sharpener to Methos and he was absolutely thrilled. I bet he was still using a water stone. Then collecting knives seems to be a favorite pastime for most Immortals. Personally I think after 5,000 years the guy would have found a more riveting hobby than sharpening weapons. Then what do I know, I'm just Harry Dresden, you're friendly neighborhood wizard.

My most recent case was a lot like that wall of those AS SEEN ON TV gadgets. I thought I was hired for a straight up old-fashioned retrieval case, but soon learned that my client needed this treasure to break a family curse. Why is it only after, I'm on the payroll that I learn it's a rare and magical item I'm employed to find? After fighting off a ghoul, running into two Red Court vampires and a couple of other nasties from the Neverever. I finally got the merchandise and asked doubled my regular fee. I was pleasantly surprised to be paid in full. Now I could go home and get some well-deserved rest. I even could take a few days off, and have a steak dinner at McAnally's. After almost three sleepless days I dragging my sorry butt back home, and collapsed on one of my comfy sofas.

Suddenly my consciousness was abruptly wrenched out of my idyllic slumber by the sound of my phone ringing. Jumping up, I grabbed the receiver and yelled into it, "WHAT!"

After recovering my sanity I glanced at the clock. It was three thirty. Calming myself and gathering my wits I rephrased my words. "Harry Dresden here. Whoever the hell you are you better have a good reason for waking me up!"

Methos' mockingly chuckled. "Good Morning Dresden."

"Do you have any idea what time it is? I realize you're Immortal but I'm not! And I need my beauty sleep!"

"Harry, did I wake you up? Actually it's almost dawn." Methos spoke as if it was normal to be conversing at this hour.

"For Pete's sake I just got… TO SLEEP!"

"Sorry, I need a favor," I heard the engine of his classic car sputter several times, before stopping outside my apartment.

"Since when do you need anything from me? You're rich, a doctor, a Knight of Cross and... You're friggin standing right outside my door! I can hear your engine knocking from a mile away. Honestly why can't you get that car fixed?"

"I didn't come to discuss my car Dresden. Just drop your wards so I can come in." Methos commanded.

It didn't take a detective to figure out what I was going to say next.

"NO!"

"Dresden this is important. I know you need your beauty sleep, but I have to speak to you. Right… Now!"

"Damnit, but you better have a good reason for waking me up!" I said as the wards started to go down, by themselves!

"Harry, you must take back Amorac..." I suddenly slammed the phone down on its cradle before he could finish the sentence. I swore under my breath as Methos swung my door open.

This was Peachy just peachy. I knew things had been going too well for too long, and it was time to pay the piper. Besides, my birthday was almost upon me. It seemed like the end of October was prime season for a zombie invasion, a fairy queen, vampires or The Denarians coming out of the woodwork trying kill me... again. Maybe the wild hunt or some demigod was about to be released. Any way you looked at it my life always seemed to go haywire around Halloween.

Amoracchius broke through my wards about as easily as a hot knife slices through butter. I knew those swords are endowed with tremendous powers, because when crossing my wards Amoracchius was still thrumming with the same power and light as always. Soon I stood face to face with Methos the reluctant Knight of the Cross.

"Hells bells, couldn't you have waited two minutes longer! Who do you think you are? Some kind of Imperial Storm Trooper! Just because you have a magic holy sword you think it's like a blaster, which can fire straight? Come on, now that's just plain scary!"

"Dresden, I have to keep moving." The good nature from Methos' expressed in the phone call disappeared and he glared at me

I said the obvious. "You better not have said that you want me to take Amoracchius back. Cause I'm not doing that unless you're dead, mortally wounded, severely injured or just completely crazy. Since you're Immortal the first three are impossible, and lets scratch the last one."

"Fine, then just tell everyone I went over to the dark side of the force."

"You get no argument from me, I always thought that the archangels were behaving uncharacteristically odd when they made you a Knight! But no matter what you say I'm still not taking that sword back!"

"Harry, I can't keep the sword." Methos' words were strained.

"Stars and stones, why not?"

"It's complicated," Was all the old Immortal would say.

I gave Methos my best evil wizards glare.

He matched me with a glare of his own, and after what seemed an eternity finally spoke. "I have to kill someone and you know I can't execute anyone with Amoracchius unless it's sanctioned by the Archangels."

"Methos why are you acting like a Jedi Knight on steroids? No, maybe a Sith Lord! Why don't you just sit down, have a beer and tell me what's going on?" Ok, it was the middle of the night but knowing Methos, a beer is always the best solution.

"There is no time Dresden. I have to go now or people will die, maybe even you or Karrin."

"I'm a big bad wizard who is going to kill me? It's not like almost everybody's already tried, and I'm still here."

"Ok perhaps you will live but lots of people we care about will die..." Methos paused and cursed in some language I didn't understand. "Dresden, Amoracchius made me care again when I had spent eons making my heart a cold dead place. I wasn't either good or bad I just survived. After 5,000 years I knew exactly what I was. Then I picked up this bloody sword, I forgot everything!"

"You do a nice song and dance, but it doesn't explain why you think our friends are going to die?" I asked as I saw his perfect façade crack and anguish appear on his face.

"I can't explain."

There were few things Methos loved more than his secrets and if I wanted to find them out I have to use a crowbar on his head.

"Oh good, you wake me up at three thirty in the morning, so we can play TWENTY QUESTIONS!" FINE! At this was the point I was officially losing it. Then, trying to gain a medium of composure, I gather my wits about me.

"Its lucky I'm a detective so I'm good at this game. You mentioned killing someone so I would assume we are talking about another Immortal?"

"Yes. I don't have time for your silly games."

Now that was hitting below the belt, I do not play Silly Games!

"But the Archangels promised they would watch your back in the game." Ha! Now I was one up on the old guy!

Methos sadly spit out, "They lied."

"They're Archangels, they can't lie!" I remind Methos.

"Fine, whatever you say, but they didn't protect Gigi." Methos tossed Amoracchius on the floor in front of me then bowed his head, and turned away with what looked like a tear in his eye! Oh not Methos. He was too sarcastic to care about anyone that much.

"Gigi, Gigi? Who's Gigi?" I asked, trying but not successfully comprehending what he was saying. Instead, I sounded like a completely grumpy insomniac wizard.

"Dresden, she was my Gigi and… she's dead," he sadly replied.

Okay, I tried another track since Methos was hung up on semantics.

"Why would another immortal want to kill this Gigi person? I've never been aware of you mentioning her before. In fact the only Gigi I've ever heard of was one in a old Maurice Chevalier musical." I was doing my best to concentrate and not sound like I had ADD, even thought I was still very, very tired and grumpy.

"You've actually seen a classic movie musical?" Methos asked sounding like himself for a moment.

"Yea" was the most intellectual response I could come up with on two and one half hours sleep in three days.

"Dresden, this isn't about a stupid movie! This is about my life. Gigi was my daughter." Methos responded flatly.

"Naw! Tell me we're really on Candid Camera?"

Methos gave me another nasty glare.

"Come on, even I know Immortals can't have kids. Methos, what are you talking about?" I was still groggy, but starting to recover my stylish wit. At this point I just wanted a can of coke and for Methos to pick up Amoracchius and go back to his penthouse.

"She's not my biological daughter, you wizard twit! Oh just forget it and don't follow me. Dresden, will you do one thing for me?"

I looked into his hazel eye and actually felt sorry for Methos. I am such an idiot when it comes to women. I know I have a screw loose because I always get chivalrous every time there is a woman involved and Methos admitting he had a daughter that was just murdered was no exception.

The man seemed honestly heartbroken and grieving, an action I thought was impossible for someone so jaded as Methos. Perhaps the sword had really changed him. Then he shocked me by saying, "Harry please take good care of Karrin. You do realize she is in love with you."

"What!" My voice went up an octave. I stared at Methos like I was seeing him for the first time. "Excuse me what did you just say?" He never wanted to talk about this before? Why was he bringing it up now? Suddenly my sleep deprived brain snapped, and I started to put everything together. "Methos you're leaving Chicago and you're not coming back!"

"Yes." Methos turned to face me again his eyes now cold as steel. "So when I say take care of Karrin I mean it. She'll be needing you."

"Stop acting so, so, un-Methos like! We both know you're not really this noble. You can't just toss Amoracchius at me, tell me you have a daughter, and she has been killed. Then to top it off you say Karrin really loves me, then walk away from Chicago forever. That's not the way the world works, people just don't disappear."

"In my world they do." Methos said, quietly standing with his arm at his side and looking defeated.

Okay, maybe he was having a nervous breakdown! Can a Knight of the Cross have a mental breakdown? Can they go completely nuts? So, I decided to remind Methos of the obvious.

"Have you talked to the Archangels about this?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Raphael isn't exactly on my speed dial. Besides he only lies and manipulates me into doing the Archangels bidding. Frankly, the whole freewill stuff is a bunch a bloody nonsense. In my opinion they are all one step away from the knights of blackened denarius." Methos spit his words out.

I chirped in, "Now you really don't believe that. Without free will, well, we wouldn't be human."

"And who said I was human? Last time I checked I was an Immoral. Dresden, just do what I ask, for your own safety stay out of my way."

What was Methos saying, that he wasn't human? Gee wiz, trying to keeping up with a guy with thousands of years of being witty and sarcastic is impossible! Worse yet, I looked away for a moment and he punched me, knocking me on to the floor. I could have sworn I saw stars and tweety birds flying around my head. Some days it's not worth answering the phone.

When I came to I saw my trap door open and Methos standing above me holding Bob the skull. Why did I have Molly take Mouse home so my dog could go get his yearly shots? Mister my cat sat on the bookcase, just looking at me, being no help at all. Cats are so independent until their food dish is empty.

I rubbed my head "Stars and stones, what are you doing with Bob?"

"Insurance." Methos had a distance look in his eyes.

"I don't understand?" I was still feeling a little woozy from the whack that Methos had just given me.

Methos looked at the skull he was holding, whose eyes now glowed red instead of orange. "Bob I command you to keep Harry Dresden in here for two hours after we leave. Swear to me as your master you will do this."

"Yes my master I swear. Do you want me to restrain him? Chains work well or I could just tie him up using rope made from a unicorn hair." Bob blurt out.

"No, just keep him here in his place, but do disable the phone."

"Now Methos that's just unfair and Bob, honesty chains and unicorn rope? What has gotten into you?"

"You don't understand, soon he will kill again and that bloody sword..." Methos pointed to Amoracchius lying on the rug beside me and took a deep breath. "It made me give a damn. Now Gigi is dead and more people will die. Harry I can't run away this time."

"Methos why are you being so dramatic? It's not like this is the end of the world!"

"You don't understand. He's better than me; he's beaten me before. He might do it again." his face looked so solemn.

"So what you're saying is there is some moldy old dude out there who is your arch nemesis and you're just going to let him whack you?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Good, take Bob. Maybe he can help you find an angle to fight this bastard with and win."

"You want me to break the rules?" Methos shot me a look of innocence like he hadn't ever broken the rules before.

My jaw dropped open and my face had a look on it as if I was a child who had just been told Cinderella didn't really have a Fairy Godmother.

"Yea! Like hell you always break the damn rules. You're an habitual rule breaker. Methos you haven't played fair since before Eve gave Adam the apple."

I heard Methos grumble something in one of those tongues no one understands anymore, and then rolling his eyes protested, "I'm not that old."

"But you did forget about those thousand or so years you rode with the four horsemen of the apocalypse nearly breaking every rule in the Immoral hand book!" I jested.

"Harry you're suggesting that I have a very convenient memory? Plus, Immortal's don't have a handbook. We have about three rules."

Butting I professed, "I know. No killing on Holy ground. Only fight one on one in single combat and do it in secret. AND yes, you do have a habit of remembering only whatever suits your needs." I answered with conviction.

The glares from Methos continued. Had I silenced the great communicator for once?

"Methos, it's not like either of us haven't broken the rules the before. Besides who wants to be in a fair fight? It's a good way to get yourself killed.

Stillness settled over the room. I thought maybe my argument had appealed to Methos' baser side. But alas, he opened his mouth and softly refuted everything I had just said.

"Harry, this is not one of those situations that I have an option to do whatever I please." Methos then looked directly at my face and scowled. "You really think I want to die?"

"I was wondering if dying is taking the easy out? You're a lot of things but I wouldn't have called you a coward. Until today." I toss my words back in Methos' face.

"Harry Oh bloody hell, you don't understand, most my life I've been a coward. But Amoracchius has left me far too ethical to let any of my friends perish so I can save myself."

"Then, for crying out loud, you're not just going to let some jerk whack you! At least fight your best fight, you idiot!"

"Maybe." Then the Immortal paused as if searching for the right words to say. This was very peculiar. Wasn't Methos the master of rhetoric? Finally, after a measured silence, the old man spit out his last wishes.

"Tell Sonya I've put the deed to my Jet and Condo both in his name."

So Methos WAS giving up! I needed to try another tack. "Don't you realize that Raphael is also the archangel of travelers, and you've been traveling longer than anyone in history? There's a reason he was picked to work with you. Come on. Tell me what is really happening here? You're talking like an outlaw who is about to be hung at dawn!" I quickly raised my hand with the energy rings on it, hoping I could blast Bob out of Methos' hands.

"Stop Harry. I'll smash the skull if you to try to use any magic. This conversation is over." Methos' face never looked more serious.

Dropping my hand, I implored him one more time, "Methos, you and I can fight this creep together."

"Sorry, that's not an option. I always knew this Knight gig was temporary. Harry, my past has finally caught up with me and there is no place for anyone in my life, not even a big bad wizard." Methos gave me one of his famous half smiles.

"How am I going to get Bob back?" Fine, he was leaving but I still needed to figure out how I could help him."

"You're the detective, Dresden I'm sure you'll discover where I stashed the skull."

"A hint might be nice! At least explain to me why are you going all Batman on me?"

"At this point any tactical advantage might prove beneficial. Like I said, I have no wish to die." Methos turned to leave, then looked back at me and said almost under his breath, "Thank you Harry"

"For what!" I answered. "You're stealing Bob and holding me prisoner!" Yelling in my most unhappy voice.

Then, turning, he gazed right into my eyes. "Thanks for the memories, Harry." Pausing a moment as if to reflect, "I have to admit you made my life freakish out of the ordinary. You're one of the first persons in thousands years who completely surprised me." Methos then bowed his head, tucking Bob into one of the pockets in his long wool coat, pulling out a 9mm Luger, and walked out of my life.

"Don't go!" Then I stepped forward into a hard wall of energy. "Ouch!" My door slammed shut and I heard the engine of Methos' Porsche Spyder rev up and drive away. Picking up Amoracchius, I felt the sword's power hum through my arm and swore I was getting Bob back. And then find a way to make Methos take back Amoracchius. I'm sick and tired of being the Friggin bat boy for the Knights. Who does that Immortal think I am, the lady of Lake Michigan?

End of chapter one

Comments cheerfully accepted

Chapter Two – Methos and Bob's Road Trip to Milwaukee