Chapter 7: "Am I dead?":

"...Where am I?" Ashlyn questioned sometime later.

Her head hurt. The last thing she remembered was fighting off the biker man to get back to Adam. She figured he knocked her out. Once her vision cleared she looked around and was in complete darkness. Ash got up slowly and tried to feel her way around her environment. She felt a brick wall behind her. When she tried to go foreword, bars blocked her path.

Ash sunk to her knees. It was happening all over again. This was just like when she was younger. Now, she knew where she was. Her mother had her. Tears slipped from her eyes. She couldn't help but fear that Mac and Joe would never find her and not to mention that Adam was... was gone... Was there any point now?

"MAC!" Joe was happy to see the Highlander when he came into the bar.

"God Joe, what happened?" Mac asked when he saw the place. It looked like there was a struggle. Then he saw the blood on the floor. The Watcher told him. Mac cursed afterwards.

"Methos went after them. I'm not sure how far he's gotten." Joe informed him.

"What I don't get is how did that asshole know where she would be?"

"They must have been following her." Mac answered. "We should have been more careful."

"I lost them..." Methos came running back. He was out of breath. "I LOST THEM!"

"Calm down, we're going to get her back."

"How?" Methos demanded. "We don't know where the hell they are and its not like we could bring the police into this."

"Actually, we can." Joe smirked.

"How?" the Highlander asked.

"Just like me, other Watchers have other jobs. We have some of our own in the police department who owe me."

"Then what are we waiting for? Lets go." Methos started for the door but Joe stopped him. "What?"

"You need to change first or you're going to cause way too much attention with that bloody tshirt of your's."

Back at her cell, Ash's mother finally came down to her. "You have been a very naughty little girl." Ash said nothing. Mrs. Connors could hear her soft sobs. "You were always in trouble, and so pathetic." Mrs. C could tell she was trying to play the silent game. She would get her angry. "As well as that man of your's. Why on earth would he give a damn about you?"

Ash bolted up. "Go to hell!" she couldn't stand her mother talking about Adam like that.

"Oh, I've been there." she retorted, rembering her time in prision. "Now, its your turn. This is for all the pain and heartached you've caused me over the years."

"All the pain that I've caused you?!" Ash couldn't help but laugh at that. "Try the other way around!"

"I'd watch your mouth if I were you or you'll soon join your friend." Mrs. C smirked at her.

"My friends will come for me and when they do your ass is so going to get kicked!" spat Ash. Yes, there was a point to survive. She would be there to see her mom get what was coming to her, and her boyfriend of her's. Ash owed Adam that much.

"Just keep telling yourself that." that was the last thing Mrs. C said before she walked out leaving Ash alone in the darkness once more.

Joe managed to get some files on Ash, and her mom. He, the Old Man, and Mac were back a the loft. They were going through all the files to see if any of them could lend them some help to where Ash could be found. Adam didn't like what he read through most of them. It seemed Mac and Joe were right. She did come from an abusive background. Joe could see the sadness in Methos' eyes.

"There was nothing that could be done." Joe said. "It was her word or her mother's and back in the day she was a very powerful woman. She had ways to keep people shut."

"Thats our court system for you." replied Methos angerily.

"I think I found something." Mac announced suddenly. Methos and Joe crowded around him.

"Apparently after she got out she's stayed with her boyfriend."

"Its a start. Lets go." Joe said and grabbed the files and all three of them headed out to find Ash.

Ash's stomach was starting to rumble and her throat was becoming dry. Hours were passing now but she didn't want to ask her mother for anything. She doubt she would give anything to her anyway. Then her boyfriend came down. "Hello girlie." he smirked at her and started fidgeting around with his belt. Ash's eyes went wide with fear. She knew what he was about to do.

"THERE!" Methos pointed. They were in the country side now at an old run down shack.

"Lovely peace of property." Mac said saracastically. "How about we go check it out."

Ash's cell opened. "Get away from me!"

"This on your mommie's orders." he taunted her. "We have to obey mommie now don't we?"

Mac and Methos burst the door down. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Mrs. C was surprised when the three came through.

"Where's Ashlyn?" Methos demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she lied. "My daughter doesn't want anything to do with me so I respect that."

"Liar!" spat Methos. "We know she's here. Where is she?"

Ash could hear the commotion upstairs. She took this as her chance to yell for help. "I'M DOWN HERE!" The biker man silenced her and knocked her out. He tried to finish what he started. Methos ran down to her.

Mrs. C went to stop him but Joe pulled out his gun. "Don't even move. Don't even breath." Mac went to aid Methos.

Methos didn't like what he saw when he reached Ashlyn. The biker man was over top of her. He wouldn't let him get any further. Methos jumped on him. "GET OFF HER!" A brawl between them broke out. While Methos took care of him Mac went to try to help Ash. "Oh no," he said as he saw her unconscious on the floor. He checked her palse. He sighed with relief. She was all right. "Ash, come on." he spoke to her. He didn't want to move her. He was scared he would cause other damage. Ash slowly woke up and was happy to see the Highlander. "Duncan..."

"Thank God," Mac said with a smile and helped her to her feet. "Come on we're going to get you out of here." Ash noticed the brawl.

"Mac, who is that?" she asked. "If you're helping me..."

Methos turned.

She gasped. "How?" she asked in shock.

The biker surprised Methos by pulling out his gun again.

"NO!" Ash cried. This time Methos was on his guard and turned the gun back at his emeny causing him to fall limp to the floor with a heavy thud. Ash broke away from Mac's grip and ran to Methos. "...Adam?" she asked and carassed his face with her hand. She was making sure he wasn't a ghost. Still, she didn't know how this was all possible, not unless. "Am I dead?"

Methos laughed. "No, you're not."

Another shot ran out. Methos and Mac exchanged worried looks. "JOE!" they both cried out.

"I'll explain everything later. We need to help Joe." Methos said and he took Ash's hand into his and ran up to help the Watcher.

"JOE!" Mac cried out.

"It's okay Mac just wanted to scare her a bit." Joe smirked. "I told her not to move."

"Dawson, don't scare us like that." Mac told him. "We don't want you dead."

"Oh, I don't plan on going anywhere for a long time." he said with a smirk.

"Since biker boy is taking care of-" Methos began.

"You killed my Danny?" she asked angerily.

"Payback is a real bitch isn't it?" retorted Ash.

"You little bitch!" her mom charged her but Methos blocked her path and took hold of her.

"I think I know what to do with you."

Methos took her downstairs. "Get her to the van." Methos ordered Mac and Joe.

"Come on." Joe said and he lead Ash out of there with Mac in toe.

Methos took Mrs. C down to the cell and locked her in there. "You're not going to get away with this. Do you know who I am?" she demanded. "I have friends in very high places!"

"You're not the only one." Methos smirked. "I think you can live out the rest of your sentance in here. Not unless you go crazy and kill yourself."

Methos left her alone with her dead boytoy and rejoined the others in the van.

TBC...