Amanda didn't talk about him, and blanked any mention of him, Adam was concerned about him and Joe missed him. Both the men were worried about Amanda's reaction.

"So why did he take off?" Nick was curious to know more about the man who appeared to have such an influence over all these disparate people. Joe and Methos started, they had almost forgotten the young man. With a glance at the apparently older man, Methos shrugged and began.

"It was the end of a difficult few years for him, he lost so many friends in such a short period of time. Then this old enemy, an immortal, kidnapped Joe and Amanda."

Joe took up the tale with a grimace, "He used us against MacLeod. Offered us in exchange for Duncan's head. It was one last terrible choice, in a long line of horrible decisions to be faced with, and for a moment, it looked like he was ready to make the trade. Something brought him back, gave him the will to fight and win, to save us and himself." He paused, to pull himself together again. Nick could sense how difficult this was for him, to have been used against his friend. "But he had still had enough. He left soon after that to make some sense of everything, to find peace and a reason to keep going."

The three men sat in quiet contemplation. Two thinking about the man they knew, they trusted, who was off now somewhere fighting his personal demons. Nick was trying to build a picture of the man they described, as well as considering again the pain that immortals faced, losing so many loved ones.

Methos broke the silence, saying, "I think I have an idea why Amanda is upset."

"You do?"

"Well, don't keep us in suspense, old man."

The corners of Methos' mouth twitched as he looked at Joe, and muttered, "Patience! Patience!" before asking, "When did he disappear?"

Joe's glance was quizzical but he answered, "After that last night we were all together on the boat. A Watcher followed him as far as Gare du Nord, next morning, but then he vanished and we haven't been able to trace him since."

The pieces were fitting together.

"And when did you see Amanda next?"

"She came here later that day … and asked where Mac was. I didn't know at the time. Over the next few days we figured out that he had gone and wouldn't be back for a while. That's when she headed to the States."

Nick watched the two of them, trying to see where Adam was heading with these questions. Apparently Amanda had been as much in the dark as Joe about this MacLeod's disappearance.

After a moment, Methos asked Joe, "What did he say to you, that last night?"

"What? Why?" Joe seemed confused by the question.

Flashback

"You know, I don't know who or what you are, Methos, and I know you don't want to hear this, but you did teach me something. You taught me that life's about change, about learning to accept who you are, good or bad, and I thank you for that."

"He told me that he had learned something from me, he thanked me." Methos' smile was sad.

Joe nodded thoughtfully, "He told me he appreciated our friendship, that he didn't want to imagine his life without me." He paused for a moment, then with a sigh continued, "Have to say, that helped me through this last year, gave me hope I would see him again soon."

"So you think he will be back?" Nick interjected.

"Definitely, and I don't think it will be too long now." Joe answered confidently, before turning to Methos, "So?"

"Mmm …. Going by what he told you and me, I would say he probably told Amanda how he really feels about her."

"Oh!" Both men fell silent, contemplating the implications. Nick was confused, why would this be a problem, what was this man's relationship with Amanda and what would he have said to her that had made her react the way she had. She hadn't mentioned him for over a year, even around his friends.

"He wouldn't have hurt her, would he?" he questioned the others when it looked like no-one was going to speak.

Methos looked across at him with a curious expression, before stating definitely, "No! He wouldn't hurt her, he couldn't. He loves her. Truth be told, I think he has been in love with her for centuries."

Okay, well that explained some of Amanda's reactions. And at least now he knew that this MacLeod character wasn't going to come looking for Amanda for her head. He was confused though.

"I realise I don't know her as well as you guys do, but I do know this. When she is angry, you know all about it, when she feels guilty, she goes all breezy and pretends nothing happened, but this is different. I have never seen her like this, but I would swear she is hurting."

Methos nodded, "She is." He looked at Nick and said carefully, "Amanda's very good at protecting her heart, she's had plenty of practice. They have known each other for over three centuries, they love each other, but they have never said it. The past few years, Amanda had spent more and more time around MacLeod and they had gotten even closer. I would guess that she has finally admitted, at least to herself, how she really feels." He paused for a moment, "She knows him well, better than any of us, so in her head she knows why he has gone, and that he will be back. But when it comes to the heart, that doesn't mean that much."

He stopped short as he noticed Amanda making her way back to the table. He stood abruptly and went over to her and took her in his arms, whispering something in her ear as he held her.

Nick turned to Joe after a moment watching them, "What's the deal with them?"

Joe smiled, "No-one knows except them, and maybe MacLeod. Tried looking in her Chronicles once, but there is no mention of when they met. But he looks out for her."

"She's a lucky woman."

In accord they chatted about the evening's jazz set, as Methos and Amanda rejoined them

The End