"I told you! I don't want any of your magazines!" Connor practically yelled before he registered who was standing on his doorstep. He did a double take when he realized who it was, and where he had seen him before. His look turned suspicious. "What are you doing here?" Connor asked, slightly shocked to see the young man before him. Richie hesitated, not sure what to say, but Connor seemed to sense something was wrong from the look on Richie's face. "What is it? What's wrong?" Richie still didn't have an adequate answer, so he simply set his backpack down and fished out Mac's katana. Tears starting to build up again, he unwrapped it and offered it hilt first to Connor. Connor recognized it instantly and seemed to freeze for a moment before hesitantly reaching out to touch the dragon head hilt. He stayed like that for a long moment before fully grasping the sword and drawing it out of Richie's grasp. He cradled it for several long seconds, tears beginning to run freely down his face. Richie began to cry as well, his grief for his lost friend coming out in force. After a moment, he bit back his tears, wiped his face, and gathered his composure. He looked at Connor who was still shaking with his silent sobs. Richie was at a loss for what to do. How does one help a grieving immortal who has just lost his kinsman? Eventually, Richie worked up the courage to close the distance between him and Connor and laid his hand on Connor's shoulder.
"I am SO sorry, Connor. I would give anything for this not to have happened…" Richie trailed off, unsure of what else to say. It was a moment though before Connor seemed to recognize Richie's presence. He drew in a deep breath, composing himself. When he looked up, Richie had to force himself not to shrink back from the extreme anger in Connor's eyes.
"Who?" It was a short one word demand. A demand to know who had done this terrible thing.
"Grayson." Connor seemed to flinch at the name of the older immortal. "Darius told him that Grayson was going after Victor Paulas, so he tried to stop him and he sent Tessa and I to Paris and he gave me a letter that said if… if he didn't come back, that I should come to you." The story came out all in a rush but Connor just listened, his eyes hardening whit every word that Richie said. When Richie finished, without saying a word, Connor turned around and went inside his house, leaving the door open. Richie stood there for a moment, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Should he follow Connor? But before he could decide, Connor came back. Duncan's katana was no longer in his hand, but Connor's katana had taken its place. Richie shivered at the man in front of him. This was a man out for revenge. Connor locked his door, then turned to Richie.
"You were right to come to me." He said. "I'm going to kill this son of a bitch."
Connor had tried to make him go home, but Richie wasn't having any of it. "Mac was the closest thing I've ever had to a father!" He'd told Connor. "And I'll be dammed if I just sit around waiting for you to try and take this SOB's head or lose yours too! I want to help!" After what seemed like forever, Connor had finally relented. Connor could see in the young man's eyes that even if he sent Richie back to Paris, he would just show up in Seacouver when Connor got off the plane. So that was how they ended up on a plane that evening, flying back to Seacouver. Connor looked at the young man in the seat next to him. Richie sat with his head propped his head in his hand, staring out the window, brooding.
"Poor lad" Connor thought to himself. "His whole life has been turned upside down in only a few months. First he thrust into the world of immortals, and now he just lost one of the most important people in his life." Connor sighed to himself. He still could not believe that Duncan was gone. It burned like a whole in his heart, to know that his kinsman, student and good friend was no longer around. Connor smiled to himself as he remembered some of the better times that he and Duncan had shared…