Dilemma
Chapter 1
Duncan walked hurriedly across the dojo to the door, he was already late to see Joe's new discovery when a sudden feeling came over him, it distracted him just as he put his hand on the door pushing it open. He hadn't notice the woman on the other side struggling with several bags.
His attention was brought back to the door when the sound of a shout and crashing came from the other side. As Duncan pushed the door fully open he could see laying on the floor a slightly built, blonde hair woman, partly covered by a large blue bag with others on the floor around her.
"Hey watch where you're going" the said her blue eyes flashing with anger.
"I'm sorry I didn't see you. Here let me help you" Duncan said as he took hold of the large blue bag that had landed on the woman, he then held out his hand to help her to her feet.
"You know, you're supposed to look before you push a door open." The woman said as she slipped her hand into his. Duncan couldn't help but notice how small it was in his.
"That's what these little windows are for" she said as she got to her feet pointing to the glass panels in the doors.
"Err...Can I help you?" Duncan asked he was now curious why someone would be here so late and with so many bags.
"I'm looking for Charlie, Charlie DeSalvo"
The one thing Duncan hadn't been prepared to hear was that name, his stomach started to tighten, although it had been nearly 2 years since he had lost his friend, the memory of it was still raw. "Charlie?"
"Yeah, tall, good looking, black man, who owns this place"
"A...Are you a friend of his?" Duncan replied trying to calm the emotion he was feeling.
"Yeah, we've known each other for years and he always said if I was ever in the area to look him up."
"Can I ask when was the last time you heard from him?"
"Well...It must be a little over 2 years I think. I've been really busy, travelling a lot. Look is he here? I just want to ask him a favour"
"I think you better come to the office," Duncan said as he started to pick up another 2 bags and gestured towards the office at the other side of the dojo.
The blonde haired woman picked up the remaining 2 bags and followed Duncan across the dojo to the office, her mind racing as to why this man wouldn't just tell her where Charlie was.
Duncan piled the bags in one corner of the office, before gesturing for her to sit down. As he sat on the edge of the desk; his stomach seemed to tighten further, his mind racing how to break this sort of news and the painful memories of who and why Charlie had died played across his mind. He licked his lips, as his mouth had become dry "I'm Duncan MacLeod I own the dojo now."
"Sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Sandi Knight" Sandi said after she had put the bags she was carrying down with the others.
As Sandi sat in the chair in front of the desk she looked up at Duncan, a confused look on her face "I never considered Charlie would sell this place, it always seemed to mean the world to him. If you could just tell me where he is now, I'll get out of your way".
Duncan had seen the look of confusion in her eyes. Since he had picked her up off the floor he had found it difficult to stop looking at them. They were the deepest blue he had ever seen and he knew that what he had to tell her could chase away the light he could see in them now.
"I'm afraid I've some bad news to tell you." Duncan paused as the words dried in his throat and he had to fight to release them "Charlie died about 18 months ago".
Duncan was right as soon as the words had left his mouth her eyes dulled and he could see the glistening as tears started to form.
"How? I...I mean he was fine the last time we spoke. I know he would have told me if he was ill. He would have found a way" Sandi said a slight pleading in her voice, Duncan could tell she wanted him to tell her what he had just said wasn't true.
"No...he wasn't ill. He was stabbed. I found him in an alley, near a bar of a friend of ours. He had been in a knife fight. There wasn't anything that I could do to save him." Duncan watched as Sandi shook her head.
"No....no....it can't be." Sandi said as she got to her feet, shaking her head, "No...Charlie was the best I'd seen with a knife."
Sandi looked around the room she was desperately trying to hold her emotions in check, as she walked over to the window. "Who did it?"
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way." Duncan said as he pinched the bridge of his nose before he then turned to look at her. "Does it matter?"
"Yes it matters" Sandi said as she crossed back to stand in front of Duncan. "What have the police done?"
Duncan reached out taking hold of her hands making her look him in the eye "Charlie's gone, I wish it hadn't happened but there is nothing that can be done now"
"I could find the bastard," her eyes flashed with anger and hate. Duncan could understand how she was feeling as the image of Cord flashed through his mind. "Is that what Charlie would have wanted?"
Sandi bit her lip as she thought for a moment "No... I guess he wouldn't but are the police doing anything now? ...I mean it's been so long. I feel sick at the thought that who ever did this is still out there."
The pain Duncan was seeing in her eyes made him want to tell her that he knew Cord was dead but it would be too hard to explain without telling her that he had been the one to kill him. Suddenly Sandi turned away, Duncan could see her shoulders shake as she lost her battle with her emotions, he shook his head as he walked over to her.
Duncan turned her to face him lifting her chin and gently wiping away the tears on her cheeks. "I'm sure they will get what they deserve".
All Sandi could do was nod her head as her voice had failed her. As he looked down into her eyes Duncan could hear Methos's voice in his head warning that he should be careful. A beautiful woman appears on his doorstep and the only person that knew her was dead. He didn't want to add to her distress but he knew he had to ask some questions.
"Charlie was a good friend of mine but I don't remember him ever mentioning you. How did you two meet?"
Sandi wiped her hands over her eyes before she answered, "It's a long story but it must have been nearly 9 years ago." Sandi slowly walked over to the door so she could look out into the dojo.
"He was always so kind to me and help me so much. I had a few difficult years a while back after I lost my mother, my father didn't know what to do with me. Charlie just seemed to understand what was going on in my mind. We were in touch all the time after that until things got a little hectic for me." Sandi rubbed her hands over her eyes before looking over at Duncan.
"He was like the brother to me; he always remembered my birthday and sent candy at Christmas. He was always on the end of a phone it I needed to talk, it didn't matter what the time was and he would send me letters and if he was out of town postcards." Sandi looked over to Duncan.
"I can't believe he died and I didn't know. I...I've just been so busy the last 2 years. I should have found the time, now it's too late."
As the tears started to roll down her cheeks she looked away out into the empty dojo. Duncan rubbed his hand over his face before walking over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. The pain he could she gripping her whole body was bring all the feelings he had felt in the alley too close to the surface for comfort.
Seeing how fragile she looked in the doorway Duncan found it hard to resist taking her in his arms to try to protect her from the pain, but they had only just met so he held back.
"Charlie would understand, he knew how life could get." Duncan whispered hoping his words would give some comfort. "You said you had a favour to ask Charlie, maybe I can help?"
Sandi turned to face Duncan, wiping the tears, as she turned "Thanks but I don't think you can help".
Duncan smiled as he tilted his head to one side "Try me?"
Sandi wiped her hand over her forehead as she thought about why she was here; it gave her a few moments to collect her thoughts before she replied, "Ok, if you're sure".
Duncan nodded.
"I've a tournament in Washington in a few weeks, Charlie always said if I needed a safe place to train I could come here." Sandi smiled weakly but she had seen the confused look starting on Duncan's face. "A safe place?"
Her mind raced, she couldn't tell him the things she would have told Charlie, and she couldn't take the risk.
"I meant a quiet place I had some trouble at the last tournament with another competitor." Sandi said as she walked back to the chair in front of the desk.
"Then it's settled you can train here, there's lots of space and it's defiantly quiet. What sort of tournament is it?" Duncan asked, as he looked down at all the bags in the corner.
Sandi's eyes followed Duncan's gaze to the pile of bags "It's not shopping if that is what you're thinking."
Duncan smiled it was something that had crossed his mind. "Well, there are a lot of bags here".
"I know the cab driver wouldn't wait, so I had to bring everything in here. The 2 blue bags are what I'd need to leave here. My foils and fencing gear are in them." Sandi paused for a moment, maybe she shouldn't involve a stranger in this, "T...Thanks for the offer but without Charlie I won't have anyone to fence with."
"What about me?" Duncan said as sat in the chair behind the desk. "No offence but I need someone that knows how to handle a blade. Have you ever fenced before?"
"A little" Duncan shrugged and he couldn't help smiling as he replied.
"This is a high level tournament I have to have someone who's about my level or my reactions will slow down." Sandi replied as she sat forward in the chair. No matter how she tried to get out of this situation, this man seemed to have an answer for everything.
"Tell you what, you leave your gear here tonight and tomorrow we'll have a match and you can be the judge if I'm good enough to train with."
The thought of lugging all the large bags to her hotel as well as her luggage wasn't something she relished, as it had already been a long day. "Ok, you have a deal but are you won't be offended if I say you're not good enough?"
"Not in the least. Now can I take you and the rest of your bags somewhere?" Duncan said as he stood up, tucking part of his shirt that had worked its way free, back into the top of his trousers.
Sandi smiled "You don't have to go to the trouble I can catch a cab".
Duncan walked over to the bags; he set the 2 blue bags to one side before picking up 2 brown ones. "It's no trouble I was on my way out anyway."
Sandi picked up the last brown bag "If you don't mind that would be a great help. I'm staying at a little hotel called The Chester. Do you know it?"
Duncan had started to walk across the dojo and he looked over his shoulder to reply, "Yes, I know it. Are you sure that is where you're staying?"
The Chester was a few blocks from Joe's bar, it was a gang neighbourhood, it had broken windows and peeling paint, it was not somewhere Duncan would have expected her to stay.
"I'm sure. My budget doesn't allow for anything else. I spent most of my money on new equipment for this tournament, I need good stuff if I'm going to have a good shot at the title." Sandi replied as she followed Duncan out of the dojo, she couldn't tell him the real reason for her choice of hotel.
"WOW, that's one hot car" Sandi exclaimed as she looked at Duncan's black T- Bird.
"I like it" Duncan said as he loaded Sandi's bags into the trunk. "So how long have you got to train?"
"The tournament starts in about 4 weeks, I came early as I want to be acclimatised, you know get my body clock sorted out." Sandi said as she climbed into the passenger seat.
"So you and Charlie trained together?" Duncan said as he turned the key bringing the T-Bird to life.
"Charlie worked out a training program for me about 3 years ago and I nearly got the title but I got there too late, I wasn't at my best and then I had problems with another of the competitors. It was supposed to be different this time". Sandi hadn't been prepared to answer so many questions and she hoped that this would be the last of them.
"So you think you can win this time?" Duncan said as he glanced across at his passenger but not reply came "Hello, are you still with me?"
"Sorry?" Sandi's mind had drifted to why she was really here and she hadn't heard what Duncan had just said.
"I said to you think you can win this time?" Duncan repeated.
"Without interference and with Charlie training me I know I could but now I'm not so sure." Duncan didn't miss the sadness in Sandi's voice. They carried on in silence for a while before Duncan asked "So do you know anyone else in town?"
Sandi shook her head "No, only Charlie"
"Well, how do you feel about having dinner with me tomorrow night?" Duncan asked as he turned the T-Bird into the street near Joe's.
Sandi looked across Duncan. With all the things that had happened in the last hour she hadn't really taken a good look at the man who now owned Charlie's dojo. It was then that she remembered Charlie telling her about a man who had appeared in his club one day and the story that surrounded it. She had laughed so hard as he told her how this mystery man had beaten him, so he had no choice but to let him join. Charlie was good at describing people and Sandi just knew that the man driving the car must be the mystery man, who Charlie had later told her was called Duncan. "It's very nice of you to offer but I don't want to cause you any trouble".
"It's no trouble, in fact you will be doing me a favour. I'm supposed to go with a friend to movie that I'm not really interested in." Duncan said as he pulled the car into the kerb outside The Chester hotel. He turned in his seat so he could look directly at her.
"I promise I'll be on my best behaviour even if you win our match tomorrow" Duncan said as he smiled warmly and crossed his chest where his heart was. Sandi couldn't help but smile back especially as she remembered Charlie telling her that Duncan was a hard man to say no to.
"Ok, I'd love to" Sandi said as she opened the car door. After Duncan had seen Sandi settled into her room and arranged to pick her up the next morning, he made his way to Joe's bar.
Chapter 1
Duncan walked hurriedly across the dojo to the door, he was already late to see Joe's new discovery when a sudden feeling came over him, it distracted him just as he put his hand on the door pushing it open. He hadn't notice the woman on the other side struggling with several bags.
His attention was brought back to the door when the sound of a shout and crashing came from the other side. As Duncan pushed the door fully open he could see laying on the floor a slightly built, blonde hair woman, partly covered by a large blue bag with others on the floor around her.
"Hey watch where you're going" the said her blue eyes flashing with anger.
"I'm sorry I didn't see you. Here let me help you" Duncan said as he took hold of the large blue bag that had landed on the woman, he then held out his hand to help her to her feet.
"You know, you're supposed to look before you push a door open." The woman said as she slipped her hand into his. Duncan couldn't help but notice how small it was in his.
"That's what these little windows are for" she said as she got to her feet pointing to the glass panels in the doors.
"Err...Can I help you?" Duncan asked he was now curious why someone would be here so late and with so many bags.
"I'm looking for Charlie, Charlie DeSalvo"
The one thing Duncan hadn't been prepared to hear was that name, his stomach started to tighten, although it had been nearly 2 years since he had lost his friend, the memory of it was still raw. "Charlie?"
"Yeah, tall, good looking, black man, who owns this place"
"A...Are you a friend of his?" Duncan replied trying to calm the emotion he was feeling.
"Yeah, we've known each other for years and he always said if I was ever in the area to look him up."
"Can I ask when was the last time you heard from him?"
"Well...It must be a little over 2 years I think. I've been really busy, travelling a lot. Look is he here? I just want to ask him a favour"
"I think you better come to the office," Duncan said as he started to pick up another 2 bags and gestured towards the office at the other side of the dojo.
The blonde haired woman picked up the remaining 2 bags and followed Duncan across the dojo to the office, her mind racing as to why this man wouldn't just tell her where Charlie was.
Duncan piled the bags in one corner of the office, before gesturing for her to sit down. As he sat on the edge of the desk; his stomach seemed to tighten further, his mind racing how to break this sort of news and the painful memories of who and why Charlie had died played across his mind. He licked his lips, as his mouth had become dry "I'm Duncan MacLeod I own the dojo now."
"Sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Sandi Knight" Sandi said after she had put the bags she was carrying down with the others.
As Sandi sat in the chair in front of the desk she looked up at Duncan, a confused look on her face "I never considered Charlie would sell this place, it always seemed to mean the world to him. If you could just tell me where he is now, I'll get out of your way".
Duncan had seen the look of confusion in her eyes. Since he had picked her up off the floor he had found it difficult to stop looking at them. They were the deepest blue he had ever seen and he knew that what he had to tell her could chase away the light he could see in them now.
"I'm afraid I've some bad news to tell you." Duncan paused as the words dried in his throat and he had to fight to release them "Charlie died about 18 months ago".
Duncan was right as soon as the words had left his mouth her eyes dulled and he could see the glistening as tears started to form.
"How? I...I mean he was fine the last time we spoke. I know he would have told me if he was ill. He would have found a way" Sandi said a slight pleading in her voice, Duncan could tell she wanted him to tell her what he had just said wasn't true.
"No...he wasn't ill. He was stabbed. I found him in an alley, near a bar of a friend of ours. He had been in a knife fight. There wasn't anything that I could do to save him." Duncan watched as Sandi shook her head.
"No....no....it can't be." Sandi said as she got to her feet, shaking her head, "No...Charlie was the best I'd seen with a knife."
Sandi looked around the room she was desperately trying to hold her emotions in check, as she walked over to the window. "Who did it?"
"I'm sorry you had to find out this way." Duncan said as he pinched the bridge of his nose before he then turned to look at her. "Does it matter?"
"Yes it matters" Sandi said as she crossed back to stand in front of Duncan. "What have the police done?"
Duncan reached out taking hold of her hands making her look him in the eye "Charlie's gone, I wish it hadn't happened but there is nothing that can be done now"
"I could find the bastard," her eyes flashed with anger and hate. Duncan could understand how she was feeling as the image of Cord flashed through his mind. "Is that what Charlie would have wanted?"
Sandi bit her lip as she thought for a moment "No... I guess he wouldn't but are the police doing anything now? ...I mean it's been so long. I feel sick at the thought that who ever did this is still out there."
The pain Duncan was seeing in her eyes made him want to tell her that he knew Cord was dead but it would be too hard to explain without telling her that he had been the one to kill him. Suddenly Sandi turned away, Duncan could see her shoulders shake as she lost her battle with her emotions, he shook his head as he walked over to her.
Duncan turned her to face him lifting her chin and gently wiping away the tears on her cheeks. "I'm sure they will get what they deserve".
All Sandi could do was nod her head as her voice had failed her. As he looked down into her eyes Duncan could hear Methos's voice in his head warning that he should be careful. A beautiful woman appears on his doorstep and the only person that knew her was dead. He didn't want to add to her distress but he knew he had to ask some questions.
"Charlie was a good friend of mine but I don't remember him ever mentioning you. How did you two meet?"
Sandi wiped her hands over her eyes before she answered, "It's a long story but it must have been nearly 9 years ago." Sandi slowly walked over to the door so she could look out into the dojo.
"He was always so kind to me and help me so much. I had a few difficult years a while back after I lost my mother, my father didn't know what to do with me. Charlie just seemed to understand what was going on in my mind. We were in touch all the time after that until things got a little hectic for me." Sandi rubbed her hands over her eyes before looking over at Duncan.
"He was like the brother to me; he always remembered my birthday and sent candy at Christmas. He was always on the end of a phone it I needed to talk, it didn't matter what the time was and he would send me letters and if he was out of town postcards." Sandi looked over to Duncan.
"I can't believe he died and I didn't know. I...I've just been so busy the last 2 years. I should have found the time, now it's too late."
As the tears started to roll down her cheeks she looked away out into the empty dojo. Duncan rubbed his hand over his face before walking over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. The pain he could she gripping her whole body was bring all the feelings he had felt in the alley too close to the surface for comfort.
Seeing how fragile she looked in the doorway Duncan found it hard to resist taking her in his arms to try to protect her from the pain, but they had only just met so he held back.
"Charlie would understand, he knew how life could get." Duncan whispered hoping his words would give some comfort. "You said you had a favour to ask Charlie, maybe I can help?"
Sandi turned to face Duncan, wiping the tears, as she turned "Thanks but I don't think you can help".
Duncan smiled as he tilted his head to one side "Try me?"
Sandi wiped her hand over her forehead as she thought about why she was here; it gave her a few moments to collect her thoughts before she replied, "Ok, if you're sure".
Duncan nodded.
"I've a tournament in Washington in a few weeks, Charlie always said if I needed a safe place to train I could come here." Sandi smiled weakly but she had seen the confused look starting on Duncan's face. "A safe place?"
Her mind raced, she couldn't tell him the things she would have told Charlie, and she couldn't take the risk.
"I meant a quiet place I had some trouble at the last tournament with another competitor." Sandi said as she walked back to the chair in front of the desk.
"Then it's settled you can train here, there's lots of space and it's defiantly quiet. What sort of tournament is it?" Duncan asked, as he looked down at all the bags in the corner.
Sandi's eyes followed Duncan's gaze to the pile of bags "It's not shopping if that is what you're thinking."
Duncan smiled it was something that had crossed his mind. "Well, there are a lot of bags here".
"I know the cab driver wouldn't wait, so I had to bring everything in here. The 2 blue bags are what I'd need to leave here. My foils and fencing gear are in them." Sandi paused for a moment, maybe she shouldn't involve a stranger in this, "T...Thanks for the offer but without Charlie I won't have anyone to fence with."
"What about me?" Duncan said as sat in the chair behind the desk. "No offence but I need someone that knows how to handle a blade. Have you ever fenced before?"
"A little" Duncan shrugged and he couldn't help smiling as he replied.
"This is a high level tournament I have to have someone who's about my level or my reactions will slow down." Sandi replied as she sat forward in the chair. No matter how she tried to get out of this situation, this man seemed to have an answer for everything.
"Tell you what, you leave your gear here tonight and tomorrow we'll have a match and you can be the judge if I'm good enough to train with."
The thought of lugging all the large bags to her hotel as well as her luggage wasn't something she relished, as it had already been a long day. "Ok, you have a deal but are you won't be offended if I say you're not good enough?"
"Not in the least. Now can I take you and the rest of your bags somewhere?" Duncan said as he stood up, tucking part of his shirt that had worked its way free, back into the top of his trousers.
Sandi smiled "You don't have to go to the trouble I can catch a cab".
Duncan walked over to the bags; he set the 2 blue bags to one side before picking up 2 brown ones. "It's no trouble I was on my way out anyway."
Sandi picked up the last brown bag "If you don't mind that would be a great help. I'm staying at a little hotel called The Chester. Do you know it?"
Duncan had started to walk across the dojo and he looked over his shoulder to reply, "Yes, I know it. Are you sure that is where you're staying?"
The Chester was a few blocks from Joe's bar, it was a gang neighbourhood, it had broken windows and peeling paint, it was not somewhere Duncan would have expected her to stay.
"I'm sure. My budget doesn't allow for anything else. I spent most of my money on new equipment for this tournament, I need good stuff if I'm going to have a good shot at the title." Sandi replied as she followed Duncan out of the dojo, she couldn't tell him the real reason for her choice of hotel.
"WOW, that's one hot car" Sandi exclaimed as she looked at Duncan's black T- Bird.
"I like it" Duncan said as he loaded Sandi's bags into the trunk. "So how long have you got to train?"
"The tournament starts in about 4 weeks, I came early as I want to be acclimatised, you know get my body clock sorted out." Sandi said as she climbed into the passenger seat.
"So you and Charlie trained together?" Duncan said as he turned the key bringing the T-Bird to life.
"Charlie worked out a training program for me about 3 years ago and I nearly got the title but I got there too late, I wasn't at my best and then I had problems with another of the competitors. It was supposed to be different this time". Sandi hadn't been prepared to answer so many questions and she hoped that this would be the last of them.
"So you think you can win this time?" Duncan said as he glanced across at his passenger but not reply came "Hello, are you still with me?"
"Sorry?" Sandi's mind had drifted to why she was really here and she hadn't heard what Duncan had just said.
"I said to you think you can win this time?" Duncan repeated.
"Without interference and with Charlie training me I know I could but now I'm not so sure." Duncan didn't miss the sadness in Sandi's voice. They carried on in silence for a while before Duncan asked "So do you know anyone else in town?"
Sandi shook her head "No, only Charlie"
"Well, how do you feel about having dinner with me tomorrow night?" Duncan asked as he turned the T-Bird into the street near Joe's.
Sandi looked across Duncan. With all the things that had happened in the last hour she hadn't really taken a good look at the man who now owned Charlie's dojo. It was then that she remembered Charlie telling her about a man who had appeared in his club one day and the story that surrounded it. She had laughed so hard as he told her how this mystery man had beaten him, so he had no choice but to let him join. Charlie was good at describing people and Sandi just knew that the man driving the car must be the mystery man, who Charlie had later told her was called Duncan. "It's very nice of you to offer but I don't want to cause you any trouble".
"It's no trouble, in fact you will be doing me a favour. I'm supposed to go with a friend to movie that I'm not really interested in." Duncan said as he pulled the car into the kerb outside The Chester hotel. He turned in his seat so he could look directly at her.
"I promise I'll be on my best behaviour even if you win our match tomorrow" Duncan said as he smiled warmly and crossed his chest where his heart was. Sandi couldn't help but smile back especially as she remembered Charlie telling her that Duncan was a hard man to say no to.
"Ok, I'd love to" Sandi said as she opened the car door. After Duncan had seen Sandi settled into her room and arranged to pick her up the next morning, he made his way to Joe's bar.