Summary: Kat meets Connor MacLeod and finds out that she is immortal.
Prompts: # 26 Death
Fandom Crossing: Power Rangers/Highlander
Disclaimer: I do not own Power Rangers. Disney does. I do not own Highlander, Gregory Widen and a whole bunch of other people do. I only own the plot. This story is for entertainment only.
Characters: Katherine/Tommy/Connor MacLeod
"Kat!" her boyfriend and leader of the power ranger team called.
"Tommy," she said, softly as she embraced him.
He clasped her hand in his and began pulling her towards the exit. "Come with me."
"Why?" she inquired. Nothing seemed wrong.
"Remember that friend of my dad's who sells antiques that I was telling you about?" he asked and she nodded. "Well, he's in town and I want you to meet him!"
"Are you sure?" she inquired, unsure of the entire situation.
"Yeah, I'm sure," he told as he turned around and smiled at his Aussie sweetheart to reassure her.
As they walked into Tommy's white, immaculate house, Kat noticed nothing out of the ordinary. But then she felt something unfamiliar and…painful. She braced her stomach and leaned against the front door.
"Kat!" Tommy exclaimed as tried to help girlfriend. "What's wrong?"
Then the pain was gone and heard someone walking down the stars. She looked up at the steps across. She saw an unfamiliar man, possibly Tommy's guest, walking down slowly done the steps. He was dress in jeans and a blue t-shirt with a beige trench coat and white Nikes. She directed her gaze at her face; he had light, golden brown hair with dark, lonely eyes, and tanned skin.
"…Kat! Kat!" Tommy worried voice cried out desperately. "Are you ok?"
She turned to him. "I'm fine. I just felt weird and had a sharp pain go through me, but I'm fine now."
"Are you sure, because we do this another time," he told her.
"I'm sure. Besides that is totally unnecessary," she reassured the long-haired leader and averted her gaze to the rug covered steps that Tommy's guest was sauntering down. The guest smirked, almost as if he was unconvinced or knew more than he should.
"What I think the lady means to say is that, I've already joined you," announced the guest.
Kat noticed as he walked that he had an air of confidence that was unknown to her. He reached out his head and she accepted it. "Hello…" he looked at Tommy to tell him who this young woman was.
"Oh, Kat, this is Russell Nash. Russell, this is my girlfriend Katherine Hillard," Tommy introduced, sheepishly.
She smiled at Tommy. She always found his forgetfulness annoying, but in times like this is it was adorable.
"Katherine," the older man finished.
"Hello, Mr. Nash," she greeted in her Australian accent.
"Call me Russell," he insisted in his worldly accent. Did she catch a hint of Scottish? "So I guess you're from Australia?"
"Yeah, I moved here over a year ago," she answered, sweetly.
"I went to Australia once," he stated. He eyes glazed over as if he was remembering a distant, sad memory.
"Was that when someone called you about a piece they wanted to sell you, Russell?" Tommy asked.
"Y-Yes, it was," Mr. Nash clarified and cleared his throat.
"Let's sit down," Tommy suggested as he walked into the living room leading the way.
Kat sat down on floral print chair while Tommy and Russell sat down at the basic blue couch next to her. But no sooner had Tommy sat down, he stood straight up. "Do you guys need anything to drink?"
"Yeah, I would like some tea," Kat requested as she smiled at Tommy.
"OK, what about you Russ?" Tommy inquired, averting his gaze to the other man.
The older man craned his neck and answered, "Coffee, black."
"Cool," Tommy said as he meandered towards the kitchen.
The guests' expression changed. It almost scared her. He grabbed her arm. "So, how long?"
This guy is nuts, she thought as she pulled her arm from his grasp. "What?"
"Don't play this game! I know you felt my presence when I was walking down the stairs, because I felt yours," he acknowledged.
"I still don't know what you are talking about," Kat replied, confused.
"When did you die?" The man seemed to be getting frustrated with her.
"I've never died!" she exclaimed. This guy wasn't nuts. He was beyond that! She just couldn't give a name for what he was.
"Yes, you did," he stated matter of factly. "You died, but came back, because you are an immortal."
"No, I'm not," she countered, furiously.
"Have you ever gotten injured and healed quicker than what would be deemed normal?" he queried and smirked.
"So, I'm a quick healer. Always have been," she retorted. Then she began to think of all the times she hurt her ankle and how they healed quick even for her. "But lately, I've been healing quicker," she added, slowly.
He nodded his head. "You're immortal whether you realize it or not. I had a feeling I needed to be here. When did you have a near death experience in your mind?"
She snorted. I have those every day! she thought. But she thought about a time before she became a ranger. She almost died from hitting her head on the diving board in the Pan Global trials in Australia. They did say she was dead for while but was able to be brought back. No, this can't be happening! She can't be dead. "It happened at the Pan Global Trials in Australia. I hit my head on the diving board…"
The 'immortal' nodded his head again. "No!" she screamed, only loud enough for them to hear. "I can't be dead. I can't. There is no such thing as immortals. It's impossible."
"You live in Angel Grove watching those multi-colored heroes save the world from monsters day after day and you have the gall to say that," he said, exasperatedly.
He got her there. She is right in the thick of something extraordinary and she thinks this situation is impossible. She laughed. "You're right."
"You're lucky it was me that found you," he informed her.
"Why?" she whispered.
"Because there are others like us that would take advantage of a fledgling immortal and take their head without a second thought," he explained.
What the hell, Kat thought, this guy is nuttier than squirrel poo, if he thinks that. "Take my head. Why would they take my head?
"Because," he began, "it's a part of the game."
"Game, what game?" Kat inquired, perplexed again.
"There is a game," he started but heard the sound of Tommy coming back to join the room and didn't finish his thought. He dipped his head to signal Kat to not bring their current conversation back.
"So did you guys have fun without me?" Tommy grinned as he handed both of them the drinks they had asked for.
"You could say it was interesting," Kat enlightened her boyfriend as she took a sip of her tea. "He was telling me about a piece that he has at his shop that I might be interested in."
"Oh, yes, that's right. I was telling her about a broad sword I have in my possession," Russell continued before taking the plain white mug to his lips.
"Since when do you sell swords?" he directed the question at his old friend. "And since when have you been interested in them?" he directed at his girlfriend.
"Oh, did I forget to tell that I have a sword collection at home and left it with family because I couldn't take it with me," she covered.
"Well, Tommy, this is a rare exception. You see, I did not buy this one for my one collection. I bought it for a client of mine who decided to back out at the last minute," he lied.
"Oh," was all Tommy. Kat hoped that Tommy's famous forgetfulness will kick in and it would never be mentioned again.
Then a familiar six-toned beep interrupted the group. Tommy and Kat gave each other knowing glances.
"Excuse me for a moment, Russell. I'll be right back," Tommy declared as ran to the next room.
"I know you two will be leaving soon," Russell revealed. "I've heard that beep before and then Tommy rushed out of the house. I may be old, but I'm not stupid. So, how about this, we meet tomorrow after you get out of school and I'll tell you all that you need to know." He smiled and promptly stood up, walking towards the guest room.
Next Day
Kat sat down at table in the Youth Center waiting for 'Mr. Nash,' if that was his name, to show up. She tapped her fingers against the light blue table nervously. She wasn't paying attention to anything except the entrance. She just sat there to herself tapping on the table. Someone griped her shoulder and she shrieked.
"Sorry, Kat," came the voice of her goofy friend Rocky.
"That's all right. I wasn't paying attention. I'm meeting someone and they're late," she explained as her heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Would that be him?" Rocky asked as he pointed to a trench coat and jeans clad man at the bar. "Because he was asking for you and that's why I came over."
"That would be him," she answered as he looked in her direction and grinned, lifting his eyebrows in an amusing manner. That cheeky bastard! She stood up and drifted towards the bar. She stopped right in front of him.
"Are you ready?" He beamed as he scrutinized her ensemble of a light pink t-shirt and jeans. "Your outfit is perfect for what I have planned for today that's if we get to it."
"OK," she simply said. Not sure if she should say anything else. "So, where are we going to do this at?"
"I don't know. Do you know of a place we could do this without being disturbed?" he inquired.
"Yes," she told him as she decided between a secluded area in the park or the abandoned warehouse district. "The abandoned warehouse district."
At the Abandon Warehouse District
"Perfect," he said as he stepped out of the car. He noticed some of the demolished buildings and figured that was the result of a ranger battle.
"So, where do we begin?" Kat voiced breaking the silence.
"Well, I guess I could start with my story," he responded. "My real name is not Russell Nash. That is just my current alias. I am really Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod. I was born in 1518 in the village of Glen Finnan on the shores of Loch Sheil and I cannot die."
She laughed which was unlike her. Is that all? she voiced in her head. "And neither can you," he added, ignoring her moment of rudeness.
"You see, I don't believe that," she notified, shaking her head.
Connor once again ignored her. He pulled out a small knife from one of pockets on his trench coat. "Forgive me of this, Kat, I usually abhor violence against women."
And before Kat knew it, she felt the hot, slicing pain cutting through her entire being before Connor jerked the knife out of her. Her shirt was already stained by the crimson liquid. She fell to the ground as more of the liquid leaked out of her making her weaker than ever before until she succumbed to darkness. Minutes later, she shot right up as she took in a deep gasping breath. She thought of what happened before she blacked out and thought it was a nightmare until she looked down at her ruined shirt that was tainted by her own blood. When she looked at her midriff, the skin where she was stabbed was unblemished.
"What just happened?!" she yelled as she got up and pummeled MacLeod with all the strength she had.
"You just died and came back," he stated, simply. Could he at least be a little more sympathetic? she thought. Not everyone has died and then come back to life as many times as he has. If he has at all. "This is not the first time you did that, but under the circumstances of your first death, you wouldn't have known."
"H-How?" she stammered.
"No one knows," Connor explained. "It just happens."
"Yesterday you mentioned something about a game and someone taking my head," she brought up.
"Oh, yes." Connor nodded his head as he remembered. "The Game. It only involves our kind. You must take the head of another immortal, gaining all their knowledge and life essence. In the end there can be only one."
"Why?" Kat inquired.
"Because whoever wins gets the prize," Connor said giving the tried and true explanation. "We don't really know what the prize is, but we have speculated that it could be another chance at mortality. As an immortal you can not die a natural death and even if you do die you come back. You will never age."
"And like any game it has rules. One is there can be only one. There can only two immortals fighting at one time. When you win a fight with another immortal, it's called the quickening. Immortals never fight on holy ground. If we do something disastrous could happen," he remarked.
"Like what?" Kat arched her eyebrows.
"Lets say that a couple of immortals fought on holy ground and Pompeii ceased to exist," Connor mused.
"Oh," Kat nodded her head and looked at the abandoned building before her. "That makes sense. What type of holy ground?"
"Any and all regardless of culture and religion," Connor mentioned. "None of us will break that rule."
"You mentioned yesterday that someone would take advantage of me being a fledgling immortal and take my head. What did you mean by that?" She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say, but she wanted to make sure.
"We'll in my case the guy knew I had the potential to be an immortal and asked the Fraser's if he could join them in the clan battle against my family. He killed me and as I was dying my first death, he was going to take my head, but my fellow clansmen pushed him away from me," he told her, despondently.
She looked at the older man, even though he only looked a few years older than her, and could only imagine what it would feel like to go through that and have it to be your last mortal memory for the last four centuries.
"And that's why I'm watching out for you to make sure nothing like that happens to you at least this early in the game for you. I want to make sure you can take care of yourself in your first century or two." he laughed a disconnected laugh.
"So you're not going to do that to me are you? Are you going to teach me then take my head?" she asked, concerned and with her guard going up.
"No, but I'm not saying that you and I will have to fight some where along the road. And one of us will walk away the victor."
Kat stayed silent.
"Let me go get you a sword from the car," Connor excused himself and walked to his car. He extracted a couple swords. As he walked back she got a better look, they were wooden, practice swords. She only knew because she has seen Tommy and the guys use them when they decided to have weapons practice.
"I know neither of us can get hurt badly, but it doesn't hurt to use these," he told her as he handed her one.
"Sword-fighting. I have to learn how to sword fight?" she asked in disbelief.
"How else do you expect to take someone else's head and survive the game? Stay on holy ground you entire immortal life?" Connor chastised.
"It's just. It seems wrong. I mean I feel…" she couldn't put what she felt in words without revealing too much.
"Trust me it's the right thing. If someone like the immortal that caused my first death were to win the game, it could mean the worst for all mankind," Connor illuminated to Kat.
Ah, for the greater good is something I am familiar with, she thought to herself. "So," she began with her ranger side kicking in. "What is legal in this type of fight?"
"Anything with a blade. Some basic self-defense. You have to watch out though: some immortals play dirty," he warned handing her the practice sword. He didn't have to elaborate for her. She already had an idea of how dirty an opponent could be.
"Are you ready to learn the basics?" Connor asked playfully.
For the rest of the afternoon, Kat learned the basic and proper techniques of sword-fighting. Connor believed that she was learning quicker than he had anticipated and it looked like she was having some fun. Hell, she had knocked him to the ground a few times.
"Lets stop for the day," Connor suggested between taking a much unneeded breath.
"Yeah, I have homework and a few other things to do," Kat agreed as she handed him back the practice sword.
"You're doing very well for a beginner. So, what is you fighting experience prior to this?" he asked.
"Um, well I do know some karate. Tommy taught me and I mix it with my ballet training," she answered.
"That's why you're so graceful." He smiled as his disjointed laugh escaped his lips.
"I know you can't be a part of the game while in high school, but you should still watch out and don't die unexpectedly in front of your friends. Tell them when you feel like it," Connor commented. "There is something I forgot to tell you. Immortals can not have children."
She felt everything drain from her. "What?!"
"I believe you heard me," he retorted.
"Well, there goes any form of a normal life," she snapped. "But does anything resemble normal in my life anymore," she said under her breath.
"Come on, if you ever get married, you can adopt or get a surrogate mother and besides don't shoot the messenger. Do you think I was happy when I heard that bit of information?"
"I guess not. I'm sorry. It's just this is sudden," she said as if she was convincing herself.
"I know. Imagine hearing this five years after you became immortal." He shot a serious expression her way.
"Thanks for everything. Will I ever see you again?" Kat asked.
"You're welcome." Connor began to search for a pen and paper in pockets of his coat until he finally found both. He scribbled something quickly onto the small piece of paper. Then handed it to Kat. "Here's my number. Call me when you can learn more. I'll be waiting. Until then, don't loose your head."
"Thanks, I will." Connor reached out and hugged the younger female immortal. "On both accounts. We can only hope nothing will happen while living in this city." She giggled.
"Yes, one can only hope," Connor concurred with his trademark laugh.
"And I'll give the call when that time comes," Kat vowed.
After the audition
She paced the floor deciding on whether or not to make the call now.
"Oh, what the hell," she decided as she picked up the phone and dialed Connor's European number.
After a few rings, a familiar voice answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Hey, Connor, it's Kat," said over the phone.
"Hey Kat."
"Well, I'm out of school, but I'll be moving to London soon, because I got accepted to a dance school."
"Congratulations! Well I guess that means, I'll be seeing you soon," he replied.
"Yeah, it does," Kat said. "I haven't had any trouble. Well that's not entirely true. I do live in Angel Grove," she joked.
He laughed. "Well see you went you get here and make all of us rooting for you proud while you are on stage. Look me up when you finally reach the British Isles."
They said their goodbyes. Kat put the phone back in the cradle and she finished packing.
Meeting Connor After Arriving to London
As she walked through the streets to meet Connor, she thought of everything she had been through to get to this point. She hadn't died once since she found out, but came close to it many times. She worried about what her friends would think if she told them, but most of all she worried about Tommy. Tommy wanted a family. She wanted it too and more than anything with him. She wanted than anything to be with Tommy for the rest of her life, but now she knew that all she could hope for was the rest of his life. She was glad to see Connor again. Maybe, just maybe he could help her find a way to tell the most important people in her life. She knew she was worrying too much, because her friends weren't the type of people to throw her away like yesterday's rubbish.
She sat down at a table at the pub that she had agreed to meet her mentor at. The pub reminded of some places back home in Australia. A woman walked up to Kat and asked, "What would you like, dear?"
"Oh, um, some coffee. I'm expecting some one to join me…," Then she felt it. The presence of another immortal. This time it wasn't as painful as the first time, but it wasn't something she could ignore at the same time.
"Miss?" the older woman posed.
"Oh, I'm expecting someone to join me soon. Just tell him where I'm at. He'll be wearing a trench coat," Kat repeated.
"Sure thing, miss. And you're coffee will be out in a few minutes," the waitress noted before walked away to help another customer or to work on some off the patrons orders.
Just as she turned back around, someone tapped her on her shoulder. "Expecting anyone?" the voice teased.
She spun around with a smile on her face and as she got to her feet she wrapped her arms around him. "Of course. Why else would I be here?"
He smiled a mischievous smile. "How's everything been going?"
"Great. I've just had a hard time trying telling my friends. More so Tommy," Kat said, dejectedly. "You would think of all the things we've been through together, I would be able to. But I can't. I managed not to die in front of them even though that's hard to do when you're a power ranger."
"Ah, so I was right when I eluded to the greater good, the beeping watches, and multi-colored heroes?" Smirking again as if had won the jackpot. "Living a secret life like I do, it's not hard to spot when someone doing the same."
"Well, you really convinced about the sword fighting thing. Ya know, think of it as making sure the world is safe even for another day," Kat added. "Even though there my friends and we share a colorful secret, I can't bring myself to tell them. I've lost sleep trying to tell them. I use to have to worry about my parents finding out I was a ranger. Now I'm afraid to tell them I can not die!"
"Well, who said it was going to be easy?" he raised the age old question at Kat.
"No one really, but it hasn't gotten since I became a well, you know. Forgive me for sounding like a child avoiding to curse, but I don't want to say the pr words to much. If you catch my drift," she rejoined by not looking at Connor. I would rather face Rita and Zed a million times than to face my friends."
"Let me guess you are afraid of Tommy's reaction. Don't worry the boy loves you and he would rather spend the rest of his natural life with you than to have kids. Besides he may won't to have kids, but he also knows from experience that you can give all the love you may have for the biological children you may want to have to a child who needs a home more," he stated knowingly.
"You're right. I forgot. Tommy was adopted," Kat remembered.
"Besides you could tell him that all that saving the world made you incapable of carrying children. He would understand," Connor added.
"Thanks Connor. This has been on my mind a lot lately. Who am I kidding, it became an important matter when I retired from ranger life. And trust me that was very recently."
"I can imagine. Your forethoughts aren't getting through school and saving the world and making sure no one finds out your secret. Now it's more adult matters plus nobody finding out you cannot die."
"Bingo," she voiced in agreement.
They were interrupted by the waitress who seemed a little harried now. "Hey Miss, here's your coffee. And what can I get you sir?"
"A Glen Morin on the rocks, please," he relayed to her politely.
"OK, sir," she said as she walked away again.
"So how's your sword fighting coming. If you've kept up with it at all?"
"I have actually. I surprised Tommy, because before I worked with you. I had only had practice sword fighting once or twice with Tommy. I almost beat him. He wondered why I got so good in a short span of time." She chuckled before she continued. " 'Cause you see, Tommy was really great with a sword compared to the rest of us. The only one who came close was Adam."
"I can imagine. I remember watching Tommy practice with a sword while he was moving up in his martial arts studies. I even fought him a couple times. He is quite good for his age. But you know as they say experience before youth."
"Connor, I never thought of you as one to brag!" she gasped from surprise.
"Well, it has been known to happen from time to time," he boasted with his thunderous staccato laughter filling the room.
"I see," she murmured with grin on her face. "So when I get as old as you are I will still have a sense of humor?"
"Hey, possibly, but unlike most people in your generation you have some of the experiences that rest of them don't have. It changed you before you were ready. You already have the disposition of someone who has been an immortal for over two centuries. The inclination to survive another day and loneliness. You do feel it because there are more people around you that are different than are the same."
"You're right, Connor," she affirmed as she looked into her purse filled with a very important memory and knew that everything was going to be fine as long as she kept her head.