Not the End of the Line
Bo sobs after using her powers to calm and put Kenzi to sleep. It is a violation of her dearest friend and she was already feeling very neglectful. Plus Hale, Kenzi's almost husband, lay dead.
Hearing a noise she turns to see three strangers have invaded her home. One, a large muscular man with a pony tail moves to Hale, kneels, and feels his throat for a pulse, looking back at the others and shakes his head. Bo is in shock. The man turns to Bo and asks "Who called for help?" Bo is confused. "We heard someone say help several times."
But is another of the strangers who responds "Duncan, this is none of our affair. We should go." Bo notices the man speaking has discretely slipped his right hand under the lapel of his long dark coat.
Duncan turns back to Hale as the two strangers start to back out. The man says to the woman "Do you know her?" and the woman shakes her head no. In a whisper he says "Did you hear the chi part?" and the woman nods yes.
"If I understood it, it is very rare. Fae?" the woman observes in a whisper.
The man nods and say "Extremely."
"Duncan, let's go. We don't belong here." the man says as he slowly retreats.
"But…" Duncan says as he begins to check Kenzi. Kenzi recovers faster than Bo thought she would and immediately scoots herself backwards to the wall staring at Duncan in terror.
Bo snaps into action shoving Duncan hard into the opposite wall and drawing her blade. Instantly there are the sounds of two other swords being drawn. "Duncan, let's go NOW." the man says. Bo looks to the two strangers standing near the door and sees they have both drawn swords from under their coats.
"I'm just trying to help." Duncan protests.
"Sometimes, you can't help." the man counters.
"Who are you people?" Bo demands.
"I'm Duncan MacLeod. I used to be a medic." Bo motions for him to move further away from Kenzi with her knife. Duncan puts his hands up and complies. Bo lowers her weapon and other the man and woman sheath theirs.
Kenzi says "There are four of us now! Take the chi, save Hale!"
Bo is unsure. It took the chi from more than four humans to save Dyson. She shakes her head. Kenzi again becomes frantic.
Duncan is confused. The man says in a Scottish accent "You can do that? You can take chi from one and give it to another?" Bo is shocked by the question, but nods in the affirmative. "You can bring back one recently passed, assuming you had enough chi available?" Again Bo nods yes. Duncan is deeply confused. He knows nothing of the fae.
The man turns to Kenzi who is still fearful of the strangers. "What is your name?" he asks.
Kenzi just glares at him. "Her name is Kenzi." Bo says.
The man nods. "What do you feel Kenzi?" he says gently.
"My boyfriend was killed and it's my fault! What do you think I feel?"
"But what do you feel about us?"
"I'm afraid, sort of, I can't explain it."
Turning to Bo the unidentified man says "Bo you have as much chi as you need. You can take it from Duncan."
"Huh?" Duncan responds.
"You got us into this. You wanted to help, so help."
The red haired woman puts her hand on the man's shoulder and says "I think Kenzi would prefer to be the one to help her man." she says gently.
"Are you sure? What if she hasn't…." Duncan asks.
"Bo, Kenzi's life depends on the accuracy of your answer. Was she ever badly wounded, passed out, but recovered with no scar?" the woman asks.
Bo thinks "Yes, fighting the garuda she was cut badly but Hale…" Bo nods toward Hale "… was able to cauterize the wound. What does…?"
"Where was the wound?" Duncan asks Kenzi. Kenzi puts her hand on her waist. Duncan pulls her sweater further open revealing that there is no scar. "Here?" he asks. An annoyed Kenzi nods.
The woman says "My name is Rebecca Horne. I know you must be fae. This may be difficult for you to grasp, but I was born well over 3,000 years ago. Kenzi is like me, except younger. She may lose consciousness, but she has endless chi."
"That isn't possible." Bo says.
"It is not merely possible, it is fact. She is immortal. There's only one way she can die and removing her chi isn't it." Kenzi follows the conversation with her eyes wide and her jaw dropped. "There was a chance that she was what we call a pre-immortal, but it seems she's already had her 'first death' which triggers her immortality and with it the ability to sense others of her kind. The sensation she's experiencing is the Quickening. It is the same as we feel toward her. It is how we recognize each other."
"What if she isn't…" Bo asks.
"Removing too much chi is fatal to mortals and pre-immortals. To trigger her immortality, the first death must be a violent one and losing chi isn't. Kenzi, we're going to leave for a few minutes. Think about how you feel." Rebecca motions toward the door and the three leave.
In a moment Kenzi says "That feeling is gone. I just want Hale back. Do it."
Bo responds "I won't. I won't harm you."
"I believe what they said! Take all that you need to bring him back!"
"I won't risk you're life on what three strangers say."
A moment later Kenzi's feeling of dread returns. A moment later so does Rebecca. "Kenzi, did that feeling stop and then come back just before I did?" Kenzi nods.
Rebecca looks at Bo "The longer you wait the more difficult it may be." Bo hesitates.
"Take it from me." Bo still hesitates and Rebecca slaps her hard. An angry Bo begins to drain Rebecca's chi. Soon Bo has a feeling that she's never had, she's full. Rebecca has become very weak and Bo lowers her to the floor and then drains the chi into Hale. Hale does not return to life and Kenzi starts working on trying to resuscitate him.
Kenzi grins and says "Look Bo! His wound has healed. We need more!" Rebecca begins to regain her strength, but she's still weak. "Take it from me!" Bo nods reluctantly and begins to feed from Kenzi. Kenzi weakens sooner than Rebecca but Bo is still shocked. It's as if Kenzi is producing chi almost as fast as she can take it. Bo drains Kenzi's chi into Hale.
As Bo finishes Kenzi collapses completely but Bo finds Rebecca next to her kneeling over Hale. "It didn't work! And I think I killed my friend!" Bo sobs.
Rebecca feels for Hale's pulse. "Kenzi will be fine. Look." Bo turns and sees Kenzi stir. Bo moves to Kenzi. Rebecca smiles but says nothing more as she watches Bo with Kenzi.
As Kenzi recovers, Rebecca says "There is a pulse. It's weak, but it's there and strengthening. You did it Kenzi." Kenzi begins to move toward Hale. "Shhhhh rest. Let him rest. Concentrate on him. Open your senses."
Kenzi looks puzzled, but looks to Hale, then closes her eyes. "I feel him!" Kenzi cries tears of joy. "People like us are connected to all living things."
"Bo, you should get Hale to medical care. An immortal can replace lost fluids and repair damage quickly, but Hale should have care. I'm assuming that he's also fae. You fae aren't as rugged as Kenzi." Rebecca says with a smile. "Can you get him there on your own? There is much I must discuss with Kenzi, alone."
"I need to go with." Kenzi says.
Rebecca nods. "I understand. I'll be here when you get back."
"Where did Duncan and…. Go?" Bo asks
"Adam, Adam Pierson. They went on. I'm remaining to teach Kenzi until she is able to take care of herself."
"Take care…? What can threaten someone like you?" Bo asks.
"Other immortals."
"Why?"
"The reasons and ways of our life are not for you. From the dawn of recorded time we came, living many secret lives, hiding from each other and from the world at large. She must learn to use her powers and skills to either hide, fight, or take refuge."
Bo explains "We have no place we can take Hale. We can't go to a regular hospital; they may notice he's not human. We can't take him to the Light Compound; I'm now with the dark. We can't take him to Lauren; she's now dark as well. All we can do is call Lauren and Dyson and ask them to come here." Bo makes the calls as Kenzi eyes Rebecca.
"So… How old are you?" Kenzi asks.
"About 3,200" Rebecca replies smiling.
"Uh huh….." Kenzi replies skeptically.
"Uh huh" Rebecca nods smiling. "You have no idea of your true potential."