Disclaimer: Neither Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Highlander: The Series belong to me. The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer were created by Joss Whedon and are copy written under Mutant Enemy Productions. The characters of Highlander: The Series were created and are copy written by Davis-Panzer Productions. No infringement of their rights are intended. The stories written under the penname Gabigail and non-copy written characters herein, however, do belong to me. None of my stories are written for profit and are intended for entertainment purposes only.
Please note: This is a piece of writing I recently found on my hard drive (from 2012). As I do not have a Beta reader at this time, I am editing to the best of my ability. However, I am cursed with writing like I speak and having said that, can say A LOT in one breath, which at times comes out in my writing. Therefore, I apologise for any and all spelling (usually a typo) and grammatical errors at this time.
I think this piece was an exercise and probably never meant to be shared. Any critique of a constructive nature is always appreciated. Lastly, I know that interweaving two television series is a difficult task. I utilise a LOT of creative licensing in this process, so any comments regarding where Duncan, Methos, Joe, or Richard should or should not be will be ignored, just saying. The Buffy content skips through a loose chronological order (it appears that I did do some checking along the way, but will have to go over my facts again). And I still don't have an actual title… yet.
Please enjoy
Working Title: Kenzie's Song
Chapter 1
Seacouver: 1998
Stepping through the open double doors, Mackenzie Lamont quickly glances up at the afternoon sky, which she quickly deduces is no different from any other spring day in Seacouver. The sky is a delicate light-grey shade, punctuated with soft, varying hues of thin, fluffy grey clouds; accompanied by the lightest touch of a wispy drizzle that makes the use of an umbrella moot.
Her bright red trench coat is a direct contrast to the weather; she tucks a thumb under one of the straps of the navy blue knapsack that hangs on her slender shoulders. Catching up with her close friends, Joanna and Emily. She matches their pace and only half listens to their animated conversation. In an attempt to unravel her thoughts, Mackenzie takes a deep breath.
"Aren't acceptance letters starting to arrive?" Emily's tone, energetic while they wait for the light to change.
"I think so," Joanna pauses in thought, "Clair said that she has already started receiving a few. Her smile bright and Mackenzie notes the twinkle in her sea green eyes, "Well then, good old Seacouver U anyone?" she adds, knowing that the sole purpose is to serve, as the inevitable backup should none of them receive admittance to their first choices.
They pause at the bottom of the driveway leading to Emily's house.
"I'm not really sure about SU. I'm still hoping for Simon Frasier or UBC. They're far enough away from the parents for me to live on or just off campus, yet close enough to visit on weekends and holidays to hang out with my family." They hug their goodbyes. As Mackenzie hugs Emily, she pauses and leans towards her friend.
"Not that you need it, but good luck." She whispers.
"Thanks for that. You too."
"What? With getting into UC Sunnydale?" Mackenzie's sigh concerns her friends.
"Don't you want to go there?" Joanna inquires.
"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated then simply where I should go." Mackenzie replies, and attempts a smile to hide her discomfort. "You know what? I'll tell you guys about it at lunch on Monday, okay?"
"You know that I'm totally holding you to it!" Emily play punches her arm and the seriousness of the conversation is broken by an eruption of giggles. Emily then turns and makes the quick trek up the driveway straight to the large copper mailbox hanging beside the great stain glassed wooden double doors in search for the large envelopes.
Joanna and Mackenzie continue on their way, with Joanna chewing her ear off about which schools she should consider and why, but for some reason, Mackenzie couldn't really concentrate on something so trivial. What if Emily is right? What if she didn't' get into the school of her choice? Then what would she do? She couldn't stop her mind from continually drifting towards the negative possibilities.
"See you Monday." Joanna breaks through Mackenzie's thoughts, but only receives a nod of acknowledgement and a casual smile. "Don't worry; you'll get into all of the schools you've applied to. It's the rest of us who should be worrying."
"I know. Everything will turn out as it's meant to." Mackenzie carefully hides her true feelings before turning on her heel and, thankfully, walks the remaining blocks home left to her thoughts.
Thank goodness, she muses as she walks up the driveway to the large front door. Mail, she lifts the lid to check for large or even small envelopes addressed to her, bearing various school logos embossed or printed on the stationary. She cannot help but momentarily allow the feeling of disappointment seep into her chest when the mailbox is empty.
"I already grabbed it Kenzie!" her older brother Jason, hollers loudly from the kitchen, his mouth is no doubt full of whatever he has managed to find in the fridge.
"Oh," she sighs as she closes the heavy door behind her. Slipping off her shoes, she drops her knapsack on the marble floor and slips her bright red trench coat off, carefully draping it over the bannister.
"Well come and get your mail! There are several big envelopes!" he exclaims proudly, nearly bumping into her on his way from the kitchen to the stairs up to his bedroom.
'Thanks." She says under her breath with a smirk. Three large, thick envelopes sit in a neat pile on the kitchen island. UBC, Simon Frasier, and the University of Edinburgh. She is happy that she can add them to the pie that she has already received from Harvard, Oxford, Yale, Cambridge, and the first to arrive UC Sunnydale— she only has three more to arrive and her charade will finally come to its conclusion.
Well at least there are no small envelopes, she muses happily. This is fantastic! I literally have the choice as to where I go. She restacks the envelopes and tucks them under her arm. Leaving the kitchen, she picks up her knapsack on her way upstairs to her bedroom. Inhaling deeply, Mackenzie happily takes in the sight of her sanctuary, the only space in the house she had free-range in décor. The walls painted a light minty green, the plush carpeting a light neutral mushroom colour. All of the bright colours come from the comforter with its thin stripes of fuchsia pink, red, lime green, lemon yellow, navy, and ocean blues on a snow white background. Her sheets and pillow match the fuchsia stripes and she enjoys mixing it up with other colours as her mood changes.
Walking over to her desk, she places the envelopes with the others that have arrived earlier in the week. What am I going to tell mom and dad? She stares at her reflection in the mirror. A gentle knock snaps her from her musings.
"Hey Kenzie, can I come in?" Jason's voice is quiet, almost as though he's afraid that she will somehow pounce on him for interrupting her. She turns from the mirror to look at him. "Those are good right?" he inquires motioning to the stack of envelopes on her desk.
"Yeah, Jay of course their great. At least they're not rejection letters." She replies with a sigh.
"Then how come you haven't opened any of them yet? And how come you haven't told mom and dad about them?" he pauses as she tilts her head, singling him to enter her room. He does so and quickly closes the door behind him. "You think that since they've already made their final decision for you, they won't be receptive to you going to another school?"
"Well, haven't they?" she replies trying to only raise her voice slightly to merely punctuate her reality; she doesn't want him to truly know how upset she is.
"Isn't UC Sunnydale a good school? Why do you have to go half way around the world for an education?" he asks as he leans his back against the closed door, one hand in the
pocket of his jeans while the other gestures towards wherever for effect.
"I guess you really don't understand what it's like to have your life chosen or rather decided for you." She sighs to drive her point home. "It truly is unfair, you know?" not wanting to sound like a sullen teenager.
"I suppose the Watcher thing still has you pissed?" he snorts.
"You think?" she crosses her arms protectively across her chest and props herself against her cluttered desk.
"Look, Kenzie, I'd be way more wigged out about the whole pending immortal thing."
"Mom and dad can never know about that." She sighs in exasperation, pushing herself away from her desk and crosses the room to plop on the bed. Jason can hardly believe her wanting to keep something so incredibly important from the people who love her the most.
"Don't you think that it ought to be for your safety that they ought to know? I mean, what if God forbid, something actually does happen to you and they believe that you're dead?"
"Jay, I realise that you have a valid point. However, I myself would have been none the wiser if it wasn't for Mac and Richie talking about it. I mean, if I hadn't just happened to accidentally hear that conversation, I'd still be totally in the dark." She explains.
"Do you think that it's a bad thing?" he couldn't help but ask.
"Why don't you apply to be a Watcher? Why does it have to be me?"
"Well, geez Kenzie, perhaps it has something to do with the fact that mother and father's lines have historically been Watchers since there have been immortals. And somehow it was decided by mother, father and Uncle Joe— like before you were born that you would be a Watcher." He pauses and takes a much-needed breath. "Besides, they knew that you'd be the smart one. And you are." He adds with a proud, brotherly smile. Mackenzie sighs in defeat at the validity of his argument but finds herself pushing further.
"I honestly thought that it would naturally go to the eldest."
"Perhaps there is something unwritten in the Watcher's handbook that you could use to your advantage. But leave me out of it! I'll have none of it! I'm perfectly happy with my chosen path. Seacouver U is my perfect fit. I can study, stay home with my family, and have a normal life." She rolls her eyes at his use of the word 'normal'. "So are you going to open the envelopes anytime soon? Then have that dreaded conversation with mom and dad?"
"Jay," she sighs, "it truly isn't that simple. If Uncle Joe has his way, I'll be going to UC Sunnydale and rather than living in the dorms with a roommate and properly experiencing university life, that I live off campus, I'm not saying that this will happen, but I ought to live with Mac so that I wouldn't have to worry about my Watcher and immortal training. And, of course, to top it off— I would be totally safe." She frowns to emphasise her displeasure that her living, training, and study arrangements have essentially been made for her.
"Oh, and before I forget, Mac has taken a lecturing position at the university, which is the reason he's giving for moving to Sunnydale. Uncle Joe, being Duncan's Watcher, is also moving to Sunnydale and said something about opening a bookstore of rare and used volumes beside an establishment called the Magic Box. I happened to see the floor plans for his shop and they look absolutely amazing— although you never heard that from me!"
"So Kenzie let me get this straight. Your life is literally planned for you?" he pauses in thought, "WOW! That has got to suck big time!" she picks up a pillow and throws it at his head, narrowly missing him. "I get it. At least they really care. All you have to do is accept your hand, your lot, your duty, your destiny— whatever the heck you want to call it. Just stop getting all hinky on me!"
"Duty my ass!" she falls back onto the soft bed with another loud sigh. "I know that you're right on so many levels, but Jay, why can't they understand that I want to be me?"
"So let me ask this of you— who is that exactly?"
"Well, I wanted to major in the sciences— get into forensics. You know, make an actual difference in the world."
"I don't exactly see how that will meld well with being a Watcher." She feels the bed shift underneath as he sits beside her. Slowly, she raises herself onto her elbow and then straight up beside him. She then tucks one long leg underneath herself so she can face him.
"Normally, I wouldn't get all big brotherly on you, but today— I am making an exception." He puts his arm around her slender, yet strong shoulders and pulls her in towards himself. "Kenzie, whatever happens, whatever you choose to do—I know that you'll be fine. There is always a silver lining. You're a potential immortal, so you possibly have way more time than the rest of us to live. I mean, think about it, you've been an amazing student to Uncle Joe in studying all the ins and outs of being an awesome Watcher. You haven't been marked yet, have you?" as she shakes her head no, her deep brown hair becomes un-tucked from behind her ear. He lets out the breath he hadn't realised he had been holding.
"And with Duncan's training, I'm convinced that you can more than take care of yourself, should you stumble on the whole violent death thing."
"So what you're saying is that I ought to accept UC Sunnydale's offer of admission to their humanities program, a double major in history and linguistics with a minor in archaeology, or perhaps I could get away with a minor in the sciences." He nods his accent.
"Be sure that you take your lessons with Uncle Joe on the Watcher stuff and continue to train your ass off with Duncan and it's all good."
"So really, what you're saying is, is that I should forget about opening all the big envelopes and just concentrate on that particular one? Make sure that it has my letter of acceptance and an offer of admission, show mom and dad, then get myself in gear to be a puppet on someone's string?"
"Pretty much." He replies lightly, yet manages to make it sound somewhat heartfelt.
"Thanks."
"For?" he asks, already having a pretty good idea of the answer.
"For listening while I work things out. And while I still disagree with your suggestion on telling mom and dad about school or, more importantly, the immortal thing— you did help in putting things into perspective. Mom and dad haven't seen any of the envelopes right?"
"Right, I was sure to grab the mail to avoid the roof from blowing sky-high when dad found that you had applied elsewhere in an attempt to shirk your Watcher duties."
"Thanks, guess it was just the idea or illusion of choice is what I wanted." She sighs.
"You mean to tell me that you were going to accept UC Sunnydale?"
"I suppose so. I mean the living arrangements are too good to give up. I don't have to live in the dorms." She smiles brightly. Jason rolls his eyes and stands.
"Well, I'm glad that I could be of some help."
"More then you'll ever know." She stands and hugs him tightly. "Now get out of here! I have a tonnage of homework to do before dinner."
"Ms. Bossy much?" he heads towards the door and slips out.
Once alone, curiosity finally wins her over and Kenzie decides to start opening the envelopes— purposely leaving UC Sunnydale until last— for at the very least if she happens to be rejected, she might still have a chance of being accepted by one of her many well-chosen backups. Finally getting through the pile, she pauses and stares at the final one. UC Sunnydale, here goes, she thinks to herself as she picks up the weighty envelop that she couldn't help but feel contained the letter of admission that would inevitably seal her fate. She slowly rips open the corner, just enough to slide the letter opener in and pull it through. As dramatic as it may appear, she couldn't stop the thought of her impending doom running through her mind— that if she got in, she would lose a huge part of herself. That being said, she also knew the significance having the information would influence her future. Lord, arrangements have to be made, confirmed, and implemented— I have to actually move! As the thought crosses her mind, she realises how real her situation truly is. Okay, take a deep breath, she sighs, Sunnydale California really isn't that far from Seacouver, she tells herself as the contents easily slide out.
She looks at the thick First Year Student Handbook in her hands, then places it aside along with various other pages containing what would no doubt be valuable information regarding orientation, course selection etcetera. Taking a deep, calming breath, she reads the accompanying letter confirming her presupposition of the large, heavy envelope. I got in! Her mind screams as her heart nearly stops beating and drops to her feet. She finds herself holding her breath for a long moment and slowly, deliberately placing the letter on top of the contents on her bed.
"KENZIE!" Jason shouts from the bottom of the stairs, "Dinner!"
"I'm coming!" she replies loudly and dabs at the tears she hadn't noticed welling up and threatening to fall. Straightening her shoulders, she takes a much-needed deep, calming breath. I need to train, she tells herself, knowing that's one method to calm her tattered nerves, and makes her way to her bathroom to check her face and wash her hands, before making her way downstairs to join her family for dinner. How am I to hide this? How long can I manage not telling them?" she contemplates her situation as she enters the kitchen and walks through to the adjoining dining room.
"How was your day?" her father inquires as she plunks herself ungracefully into the empty seat across from her brother, who is enthusiastically helping himself to another heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes with a— What? I'm a growing boy! Expression on his face.
"It went." She replies quietly just as she feels her brother's foot as it makes contact with her shin underneath the table. If it hadn't been for her death stare, he would have persisted with lighter taps, like he used to do when they were younger— but quickly taking her cue, felt it unwise to push her into telling their parents about all of her university mail. Her parents had only been expecting one offer of admission in the mail and were truly uninterested in any other.
"Oh! I nearly forgot," she exclaims while helping herself to a piece of chicken, "I'm going to train with Mac tonight."
"Training on a Friday night?" Jason's eyes nearly bug out of his head— he knows something serious is up with his sister when she forgoes the homework and Watcher training to train.
"Well yeah, I need to work on a few things. I thought I mentioned it last week. Mac and Uncle Joe thought it would be a good idea to step up my Watcher training. However, in doing so, my hand-to-hand has been suffering. With Watcher Stalking 101, I feel a bit behind. Which, you know is equally as important as silent observation. One never knows when they might need to defend against an attacker." She qualifies her need to train, without having to admit her tingling nerves. With as innocent a smile as she can muster, Mackenzie accepts the dish of roasted vegetables, her mother gently nudges towards her and adds some alongside the chicken and mashed potatoes.
"What about UC Sunnydale? Have you heard from them yet?" her mother inquires as she reaches the ladle and places a piece of chicken and chunky tomato sauce on her plate.
"Nothing as yet," Mackenzie replies casually. "But there's still plenty of time." She adds quietly, but not to alarm her parents. Jason manages to keep his word and is silent about the whole academic discussion. He truly doesn't want the whole Watcher thing to fall squarely on his shoulders. The rest of the meal continues pleasantly enough with general conversation— tests and exams, papers, school activities, Jason's university news, sports, and current events. All the while, Mackenzie can sense her parents having an idea that there defiantly is something that she is avoiding— of course they know that she will eventually approach them when she is ready, and not a moment before. They will just have to be patient and wait it out.
"Mom, this is delish! Thank you. May I be excused? I have to pack my bag before I leave to meet Mac at the gym."
"Yes, of course. Please don't forget— not too late." Her mother smiles as Mackenzie kisses her cheek.
"Hey, you know me. Always careful and in a worse case, Mac said that he'd drive me home. The hours needed all depend on me and my stupid form— you know how that is." She adds, taking her plate and glass to the kitchen sink, rinsing them and putting them in the dishwasher before heading up to her room.
Accepting the inevitable, Mackenzie takes a moment to settle herself enough to enjoy working out her nerves. Granted, she had an exam on Monday, but training suddenly overtakes studying as a priority. She quickly packs her black and bright neon blue gym bag with a towel, a change of clothes, and her water bottle. She then just as quickly changes into her workout clothes— a pair of loose-fitting deep navy sweatpants and a white tank top. She pulls her arms through the hot pink hoodie, double checks her homework load and works out how she will organise her time between her dreaded Watcher training and studying for her exam. Finding a black hair elastic, she sweeps her dark locks into a ponytail and checks her reflection in the mirror before bounding down the stairs, gym bag in hand. Grabbing her favourite purple light jacket from its place in the hall closet, she heads out.
Mackenzie always appreciates the beautiful, open space of Duncan's dojo— with its light varnished hardwood floors covered in specific areas with blue workout mats. Benches strategically placed line some walls while weight racks line others and swords and other weaponry artfully hang in cases. Exposed brick meets wood, with several large windows—that during the day allow the natural light to brighten the space. Mackenzie knows that there is no way that she can sneak up on Duncan, or any other immortal for that matter, as he would inevitably sense her presence long before she even steps foot through the door.
Duncan MacLeod, or Mac, as his close friends call him— is a muscular, in a lean sense, tall, tanned Scotsman with beautiful, thick chocolate locks that he usually keeps tied neatly in a ponytail at the base of his skull with a sterling toggle. She pauses and observes as he spars with Richard or Richie Ryan. A pasty, red-haired, freckle-faced young man wearing grey sweats and a tight white t-shirt— a fairly new immortal, who under Duncan's tutelage, is still learning the ropes.
Watching Mac and Richie spare brings to mind the time when Mackenzie was first told of her pending immortality. Clearly, the Watcher thing had become an inevitable reality, never in her wildest imagination had she ever considered the thought that her role could potentially change into her actually becoming an immortal. Mac and Richie must have been having an incredibly intense conversation for Mac to miss her presence, but he let Richie know that he had known that Richie was a potential immortal long before the mugging that went terribly wrong back in Paris that resulted in Tessa's death and Richie becoming immortal. Richie had asked how Mac and Methos had known and Mac had used Kenzie as his example.
"When Kenzie is around. What do you feel?" Duncan asks the younger man sitting on a bench across from him, elbows on his knees, hands clasped loosely.
"An odd tingling sensation." The younger man replies with a sigh continuing to pace the room. "I find it odd, as it isn't like when you're lusting after a pretty girl, you know? I just can't quite explain it."
"Exactly— like you, once Kenzie experiences a violent death, she too will become immortal and have to face the day-to-day situations that we do on a regular basis. I want to tell her. I want to prepare her for what may lie ahead."
"Immortal?" Mackenzie lets the word from her lips and immediately presses her hand over her mouth. The look on her face is one of utter shock and confusion. "How could I be? How long have you known that I am a potential immortal? Were you ever going to tell me?" she feels the tears well up and threaten to fall. "I trust you—trusted you! And you don't even have the courtesy to tell me something this important?" she demands trying to keep her tears at bay. "It's bad enough that I'm already a Watcher, you have to further complicate matters?" her tears break through and are hot against her reddened cheeks, she spins so quickly on her heels, that her high ponytail thrashes her cheeks as she dashes out of the dojo, running all the way home without realising, nor noticing.
As quickly as Mackenzie adapted to her role as a Watcher, she accepted her new reality and began to view her physical training more of a means of calming herself— despite the fact that it could mean life and death. The issue became how to work in her physical training into her Watcher training while of course assisting her in living as 'normal' a mortal teenage life as possible. Therefore, Duncan vigorously trained her in hand-to-hand combat and eventually added the wielding of a sword.
"Hey, Kenzie." Richie says with a bright smile— a distraction that Duncan quickly takes advantage of and pulls him to the ground.
"Hey, guys." She makes her way to a nearby bench and places her bag on the floor between her feet.
"Here to work?" Duncan's eyebrows shoot up—surprise written on his face. Lately, with exams, he and Joe had let her slack off a bit with her training. She casually takes a bottle of water from the side pocket of her gym bag.
"Of course." She replies with a smile and curt nod while pulling a towel from the bag before closing it and putting the towel on the bench, then tucking the bag underneath with her heel.
Richie and Duncan take this cue and bow towards each other signalling the end of their sparring. Richie then heads towards another bench to pick up his towel on the way to the showers. Mackenzie stands and moves towards the mats and Duncan, ready for whatever he has to throw at her.
"Well then, let's warm up." Duncan moves them towards a space large enough to run sprints and get the muscles warmed up enough to stretch before getting into their new routine. "We'll get the sprints done first, stretch you out, get a little hand-to-hand in, and finish with the broadsword." He lays out their training session.
"That sounds like a solid plan." she quickly sets her mind to begin their training session. It isn't long before their sprints are done, she's stretched out, and they've nearly completed their hand-to-hand. Mackenzie now stands firmly and holds the perfectly balanced blade in her hands.
"You're very well focused tonight and catching on very quickly." Duncan comments. "I'm impressed." He follows with a well-placed parry. He notices her smile at the compliment and actually brighter than it has been of late. It's almost as she has settled something within her mind, body and soul.
"Thanks." She replies, her breathing a bit heavier than she thought it ought to be, but she continues with gusto nonetheless.
Completing their training, Duncan tilts his head to indicate a yoga-inspired stretch, followed by quasi-tai chi routine— graceful, fluid movements that complete their training and calms the mind. They finish their session with a curt bow before heading towards the bench and Mackenzie grabs her towel to dab at the sweat on her forehead, some of it making its way down her graceful neck, and toned upper arms.
"Kenzie, has there been something bothering you lately?" Duncan's comment, as always is direct— something that she has always appreciated about him. However, she is not quite ready to discuss her internal conflicts just yet— especially, when he would inevitably play a huge role in the arrangements. Instead, she picks up her water bottle and takes a long, drawn out satisfying much-needed gulp of water. "I know, I know. Back off. Am I right?" he wants her to approach him when she is ready and not a moment before. Knowing her as well as he does, he hardly expects her to break down so easily. She refuses to answer, instead puts her water bottle back in the bag before glancing at the clock on the exposed brick wall.
"Shoot!" she says under her breath, "my mother is going to kill me." She hurries to put her things back in her bag and pulls out her hoodie.
"Don't worry, I'll get you home safely and explain; if you want, to your mother why we were so late." He says with a comforting smile and grabs his own towel to wipe the sweat from his brow.
"Thanks again." She pauses in thought before adding, "My parents still don't know about my impending immortality. I don't want to worry them." She sighs loudly. "I mean, what if nothing happens?"
"And what if something does?" his question as valid as Jason's thoughts earlier. "It's clear that you would much rather go to school as far away from them and your duty as a Watcher as possible." He sighs and pauses. "Kenzie, what's going on with you?" he gently places a comforting hand on her slumped shoulder. She doesn't shudder, nor does she shy away from his touch.
"I guess I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I mean, all I want to do is be 'normal'. Yet here I am all duty bound without so much as being asked if I was even interested in a life-long occupation." She takes a deep breath and holds it for a moment before continuing. "And to top it off, I find out that I potentially, and the true kicker? Is that it cannot actually be confirmed, be an immortal. How does one cope? As of right now, I have all of my university acceptances and admission offers. But it has long ago been decided for me that I am to attend UC Sunnydale. So there you go! All of my hopes of going away to Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, or even Yale— just name a few, that I applied to as backups in the hope of UC Sunnydale rejecting me. I guess no such luck."
"You knew that wouldn't have happened." Duncan points out as he puts some of the weapons they sparred with away and Richie emerges from the showers.
"What wouldn't have happened?" he inquires as he runs the towel over his damp locks, still clinging and curling around his ears before draping it around his neck.
"Oh, just my not getting into UC Sunnydale is all." She doesn't mean it, but her tone feels like a slap in his ears, even to her own. She removes the elastic and runs her slender fingers through her hair, sweeping it back up into a ponytail and wraps the black elastic around the base, she divides her hair and pulls to ensure it stays in place.
"You're kidding, right? You didn't get in?" his look is one of shock as his glance shifts back and forth between Duncan and Mackenzie. Knowing how intelligent she is, he knows she could easily get into any school that she desired— Richie would never be able to appreciate the significance of US Sunnydale.
"Oh, I got in; however, I also got into every other school I applied to and would much rather attend."
"Does that not just confirm that which we already know?" he winks with a broad smile just as he walks over to his bag and shoves a few things in before quickly zipping it up.
"Kenzie, I'll get you home so that your mother doesn't have a cow. That will also allow us to further discuss a few arrangements that have to be made." Duncan tries to keep the conversation as light as possible as they make their way to the car and he helps her put her bag in the trunk. They drive in silence for a few minutes before she can no longer take it.
"So, you wanted to discuss a few things?" she breaks the silence, instead of reaching for the dial on the radio.
"You know that I been talking with Joe. Our discussions generally revolve around the presupposition that you will accept UC Sunnydale's offer of admission. I have agreed to take on a guest lecturing position so that our training will continue throughout your academic career. You have progressed beautifully and I don't want you to lose that. This way we can continue and your parents will never have to know about your pending immortality. That is until you choose to share that information with them." He pauses as the car slows to a gentle stop at an intersection. "The Watcher's Council has instructed that you have the proper residence, so your mother and Joe have arranged a condo for you that isn't too far off campus. It's actually quite lovely. A three bedroom, two and a half baths, a large living room, formal dining room, I hear a spacious kitchen."
"Am I to live alone?" she lets a soft sigh escape her lips.
"We'll I've looked into renting a bachelor flat in the same complex, so I won't be too far away should you need anything."
"When you say that it's a three bedroom, why not save yourself the hassle and move in with me? Let Uncle Joe take the bachelor flat. That way I can also maintain my Watcher study and he can continue his job observing you."
"I hear that the renovations on the bookstore are coming along nicely. He even has made sure that there is a study area. Once I procure a space for training, we will organise a schedule that fits in with your Watcher and academic studies." Mackenzie doesn't respond; she stares out the window for a moment in thought—considering the new information.
"What if I had not been accepted? Wouldn't all of this planning been for nought?"
"Kenzie, we knew that you would be accepted. And I have always had confidence in you— that you would make the right decision."
"How can you say that? I mean, sure, I think that I'm making the decision— but you know as well, at the end of the day, I'm not. Consider all the outside influence— all the crap about one's fulfilment of one's destiny or duty, or whatever you want to call it has an impact on me reaching my final decision." He knew her pause was not for him to butt in, rather allow her to gather her thoughts. "I mean really, no pressure. Just do what we want you to do and everything will be fine." He cannot hide the smirk that forms on his lips and he pulls the car into the driveway and parts. "I guess this is me," she smiles and rolls her eyes as she hears the latch of the trunk release. "Actually Duncan, you've been a wonderful help." She smiles as she reaches out and sets her hand on his arm with a gentle squeeze.
"I have?"
"Yeah, talking this out with you before having the conversation with parents has been very enlightening." She smiles before undoing her seatbelt and opening the door.
"Glad I could be of some help." He appears confused as to how just listening has helped her remove the earlier emotion from her thoughts. "Oh, and by the way, my understanding is that the condo is yours. Your parents thought that it would be an appropriate graduation gift and the Council agreed to provide you with a salary."
"You're kidding right?"
"No, which is why I initially looked into a bachelor in the complex," he pauses. "I didn't want you to be alone per se." He watches as she closes the door and goes to the trunk to gather her gym bag. "Good night." He says through the open window.
"Thanks again." She puts her bag on the ground by the driver's side door, reaches in and gives him a quick half hug. "Good night." She smiles brightly, he can see the weight lift off her slender shoulders and picking up her bag, she heads to the door. Duncan watches as she slips the key into the lock and opens the door. Once she waves and closes the door, he pulls out of the driveway and heads home.
"Hey, sweetie." Her mother says smiling. "I was just making some tea. Would you like something to eat?"
"Hey, mom. That would be great." She replies and sits at the island counter. She glances at the clock and waits for her mother to freak out on her for being out later.
"How was training?"
"Good, good. Is it true that I don't have to live in residence?" her mother turns to look at her.
"Well, we felt that it would be far better for you to live off-campus. You would be closer to Duncan and Joe for training purposes."
"Question for you." Her mother nods slowly.
"Shoot."
"What exactly has Uncle Joe been telling you about my training?"
"Only that you are quite the natural."
"In Watcher training?"
"No, your training with Duncan. They are incredibly proud of you and feel that you will be absolutely fine in the field. Your Watcher training is also above any expectations that we could ever have had for you."
"Mom?" she takes a deep breath, hoping that she missed the undertone.
"Honey, did you honestly think that I didn't know?"
"Huh? Know what exactly?"
"Kenzie, you got into UC Sunnydale. Your Watcher training has been at an incredibly accelerated rate, and." She adds in a whisper, "You're a potential immortal. As your mother, I need to ensure your safety, which is the main reason I make sure that you receive proper training with Duncan."
"How did...," she pauses, her eyes wide.
"It wasn't something I knew, per se. Like you I stumbled on it through being in the wrong place at possibly the right time."
"Mom, I just wanted to protect you."
"Protect me? Protect me from what Kenzie? If something had happened to you and we couldn't get to you before you were sent to the morgue or worse— autopsy, then you truly would be dead." Her mother quickly prepares two large mugs of tea, pouring boiling water over the teabags and heading to the fridge to retrieve the milk.
"I never thought about it that way." Mackenzie accepts the mug of steaming liquid.
"Honey, I realise that being a teenager is difficult enough. You're going through emotional stuff, which isn't always that easy to manoeuvre. And I know that you being chosen to be a Watcher is not exactly fair, but your father and I agreed that it was for the best. We love you dearly, but I'm beginning to truly see the pressures we've placed upon you."
"Mom, don't worry about it. I can totally handle it." Mackenzie takes a sip of tea and rests her elbows on the countertop, her mug surrounded in her hands.
"Besides, I saw the pile of envelopes on your desk. I wasn't snooping." She clarifies.
"I know, laundry right?" she places the mug back on the countertop.
"Listen, I know that UC Sunnydale isn't your first choice. And by the looks of things, you really just wanted to get as far away as possible from your duty. Hey, I don't blame you. I've been there and done that. I was twelve when my father first told me that my life had been literally decided for me."
"So how come you didn't wait with me?"
"I wanted your duty to fit you, not try and squeeze you into something that you would resent— like I did. I wanted to be a researcher or a teacher."
"But mom, you are."
"In a manner of speaking, I suppose. Now I train new Watchers and manage the training and education streams."
"Not me though."
"Well, I didn't want to add extra strain on our relationship. I could see what trying to integrate duty can do to close Watcher families."
"So Uncle Joe stepped in?"
"Your father and I agreed that it would be for the best."
"Well, you know what mom?"
"What's that sweetheart?"
"Thank you. I truly have a far better perspective and that's an amazing help." Her smile confirms her mother's wishes before she even has the chance to vocalise her thought.
"So are you going to UC Sunnydale?"
"I actually think it will be for the best. After all, UC Sunnydale has the curriculum in terms of linguistics at least. I was wondering though, could I possibly double major and have an extra minor?"
"Let's not fill that plate too much, sweetie. You still have your training to consider." Always the wise mom, Mackenzie thinks to herself.
"I know, I know. I was just thinking that a backup is always a good thing. Just in case, you know?" Mackenzie smiles brightly and moves to give her mother a much-deserved hug.
"So on a scale of one to ten, how difficult was this conversation?" her mother's smile making her laugh instead. "Really?"
"Well, that all depends. Had I decided to take another schools offer? I have a feeling, not as well as it did."
"Your father and I knew that you wouldn't."
"How could you know?"
"You left everything unopened until UC Sunnydale arrived."
"Remind me to hide things better." She rolls her eyes, finishes her tea, and quickly bites into a piece of banana bread that her mother slid towards her.
"Explain why everything with you always has to be such a battle?" her mother inquires.
"Because, as you know, I have an incredibly wide independent streak." She sticks out her tongue to punctuate her point. Her mother laughs lightly and collects the plates to put in the dishwasher. "Well, I better get a shower in before bed. I still want to review my notes for Monday's exam.
"Okay honey, you're still coming to the market with me tomorrow morning right?"
"Oh right! I wanted to be sure to pick up a few things. What time again?"
"They open at eight, but I think nine-thirty shouldn't be too late to get what I need for Sunday dinner."
"Okay, sounds good." Mackenzie stands, closes the distance between them and gives her mother another hug. "Good night mom."
"Night honey. Sleep well."
On her way up to her room, Mackenzie picks up her gym bag and heads up the stairs. Closing the door behind, she quickly shrugs out of her sweaty clothes and places them in a separate pile to put right in the laundry room. Walking around her bedroom naked, she finds her favourite pyjamas and puts them on the counter before stepping into the shower. The hot water runs down her body, caressing her taught form as she lathers herself with softly scented vanilla soap and rinses it off quickly before washing her hair. She relishes in the feeling of the hot water on her muscles, and finally turns the taps off, opens the curtain and grabs her fluffy towel. Running the soft terry cloth over her skin, she still finds that she cannot shut off her mind. Wrapping the towel around her body, she stares at her reflection for a long moment before flossing and brushing her teeth. Then gently put night cream on her face. Finishing by putting her pyjamas on, she turns out the bathroom light as she exits the room and pads across the plush carpet of her bedroom.
Sighing quietly, she turns on her bedside lamp and then turns out the harsh overhead light, before turning the sheets back, she climbs into bed and picks up her notes to review once more. Once the review is to her satisfaction and her mind put to ease, she turns out the light and snuggles into the softness, easily falling asleep.