"New York? You're certain?"
"As we can be but Magnus this is the Cabal we're talking about –" Will warned.
"How soon can you all be ready?" She asked looking at Methos, John, Will, Tesla and Biggie.
"Two hours." Tesla said the rest nodded.
"Good two hours then." Magnus said fiercly.
Methos watched her leave the foyer and the others disperse. He followed Will.
"Taskor may've lied?"
"Yeah but I doubt it."
Methos was quiet as he walked along side Will.
"Look, no offense but don't you have something to like sharpen or pack?" Will asked sharply.
"I pack lightly." Methos said mildly watching a ripple of angry tension crawl through Will.
"Look –"
"You're upset because she's being reckless." Methos said smoothly interrupting Will.
Will scowled at him.
"Live long enough and you become a profiler by default."
"Right. Yeah she's… I've never seen her like this." Will trailed off chewing his lower lip slightly.
"Because her daughter has never been in danger like this." Methos sighed.
"I…I don't think…Ashley-"
"She's very likely dead or as good as." Methos said softly. Will flinched and clenched his fists but didn't argue.
"I'm going on this …mission…Will, but not for Ashley, I'm going to keep them alive."
"Magnus and Druitt."
"And you and your sasquatch friend if I can."
"Tesla?" Will asked shrewdly.
Methos gave Will a hard look.
"Look, I know he's a pain in the ass he's nearly gotten me killed –"
"Of those occasions how many of them were deliberate attempts to end your life?" Methos said sharply.
Will closed his mouth and frowned at the immortal.
"How did he know you?"
"Know me?"
"Magnus told me how he reacted when she said your…uh real name."
Methos was quiet as they wound through the lower level toward Will's quarters.
"I don't know, honestly. I've worked very hard to be a myth, laid false trails for as long as I can remember being important in some immortal's minds."
"So do you want to kill Tesla because he's an arrogant son of a bitch who has tried – and failed – to kill you or because he knows you?"
"He thinks he knows of me Will big difference."
"You built the myth?"
"Yeah sorta. I mean, bits and pieces were already out there I just…embellished." He thought about his time as a Watcher in charge of finding himself and smiled faintly.
"But some of its true?"
"More than some."
Will considered that.
"If you want to kill Tesla none of us can stop you." Will said finally as they reached his door.
"Druitt."
"Maybe."
Methos left Will at his door and went walking. He didn't choose a path just felt content to wander, certain that when the time came he would rejoin the others. He supposed it was only natural that he should find himself in front of the chapel.
The sun was growing faint, nearing sunset, long greedy shadows crawled over the lawn. He stood there looking up at the venerable façade until the shadows joined into darkness and twilight filled the sky.
"I thought you would be here." Druitt rumbled. Methos smiled soft and warm and turned to face Druitt. The big man looked troubled and sad.
"John."
"We should return to the others."
"John, please we both know what we're likely to find." Methos said gently.
Druitt's face clouded and he took one short step to Methos and wrapped a powerful fist around the immortal's throat.
"We don't know anything." Druitt snarled. Methos leaned into the grip, thrust his jaw forward.
"Yes you do John, she's been in their hands for weeks if she's still alive she's not going to be the girl you knew, or did you know her?"
Druitt snarled an inhuman sound and flung Methos away from him. The immortal stumbled and fell to the damp grass.
"It's true John, you never knew her, you used her, put her in jeopardy to save your own life!"
John advanced on the immortal murder in his eyes.
"You can't make up for that now John so don't go rushing in thinking you're going to be her hero, she has every right to hate you!"
"And what of you? Your hands are black with innocent blood." John accused.
Methos laughed, a full throated rich sound, "Yes they are but I don't lie to myself or try to make amends, some things can't be undone. If we find her and she's alive then you might be able to make something between you but don't delude yourself into thinking there's something already there."
"You don't know her!"
"Neither do you." Methos said venomously.
John was standing over him fists clenched.
"I care about you John I want you to survive this but if you do and she shuts you out … she doesn't owe you anything."
Druitt slowly relaxed and looked down at his lover with contempt.
"I know she doesn't owe me anything, I've done terrible things, I am a… I just want her safe, I want to make them pay." He looked away, jaw flexing and voice choking.
Methos rose to his elbows, "I know John and I'll help you." He said wearily. Druitt reached down and took Methos' hand.
"Good." He said pulling him to his feet – and teleporting to the foyer. Still propelled by the momentum of John's pull Methos stumbled and fell against the bigger man who caught him.
"How touching." Tesla sneered.
Methos straightened and looked over at Tesla, his expression one of cool calculation. The slim man licked his lips and smiled weakly at the immortal.
Magnus arrived with the Big Guy at her heels she glanced over the collected group and nodded at John. Without a word the big man grabbed Will and Methos and teleported.
"Uh, Doc we got a problem." Henry's voice crackled over Magnus' radio. She slipped it off her belt and hit transmit.
"What's wrong?"
"Uh well it's not really wrong –"
"Henry."
"Open the front door." His voice sounded metallic and whiny over the radio. Magnus frowned and moved to the front door while Tesla and the Big Guy readied for trouble.
She pulled the door open and let out a sound of ultimate relief.
Ashley Magnus was standing on the porch.
"Ashley?" Magnus asked.
"Mom." The young woman cried and hugged her stoic mother hard enough to half strangle the older woman.
John reappeared in a cloud of disturbed air and turned to take Magnus next. He saw the two women in the doorway. His face twisted into a pure expression of joy and relief, Tesla felt a sense of vertigo at seeing it on John's craggy features. Druitt disappeared again before Magnus or Ashley noticed him, he returned seconds later with two very confused companions. Will started to speak but froze when he saw Helen and her daughter.
"Oh." Will said instead and grinned.
Methos felt a sense of relief, so palpable he could nearly taste it, sweep over him. He let out a long breath he hadn't been aware of holding and joined Will in a relieved grin.
"Are you okay?" Magnus said finally breaking the embrace.
"I don't know, I feel fine but – " Ashley broke off as she saw her father, saw his relief and joy then her eyes ticked around to the rest of the group.
"Wow, you got the whole team out." Ashley said suddenly shy somehow.
"John." Methos said quietly, the big abnormal looked down at him.
"Take me back now."
John frowned a shadow flickering in his eyes.
"This is…private, I have a life I need to get back to." Methos said softly.
It was a moment of import, if John agreed and returned Methos then that would be the end of their nascent relationship, which Methos told himself, was fine. On the other hand –
"No." John said kindly and walked away from the immortal toward his daughter.
Methos frowned and slipped away as Will, the Big Guy and Henry – having rushed from his work area – all clamored around Ashley. John hugged her a brief and awkward moment for both of them though well meant. Methos watched distantly, pleased in an offhand way but impatient to be gone.
"You don't belong here." Tesla said quietly.
"No I don't." Methos agreed in a similar tone he glanced askance at the scientist.
"Going to kill me now?"
"I choose when." Methos said lightly.
Tesla nodded slowly.
"I suppose that's more fun for you?"
"Basically."
"For what it's worth I wouldn't have tried if I'd known –"
"What I am? Or who I am?"
Tesla frowned he hated to be cut off.
"Your particular threat level."
Methos smiled humorlessly while watching the reunion.
"Don't feel too bad Nikola, that's an error many have made."
"Yes well, I suppose the fop or the grad student or whatever mask you're currently wearing is an excellent disguise. Who would ever think that you, a mass murderer for the ages, an ancient immortal being, would ever wear such tawdry colors?"
"Evidently not you." Methos sniped mildly and turned to face Tesla.
"I will kill you Nikola but I choose when, remember that. Now, if you'll excuse me I have a plane to catch." He said and slipped past Tesla toward another exit leading to the front drive.
He slipped out and took a slow deep breath of the early evening air. He smelled the cooling damp stone of the sanctuary, grass, moist dirt, gun oil, some kind of fragrant herb he couldn't quite name - gun oil?
He slipped into a crouch and made his way to the front of the Sanctuary, there were a dozen armed figures prowling across the lawn. Had Ashley been bait? Was she complicit? He was hurrying to the door he'd left through as he wondered.
Bursting into the Sanctuary he sprinted toward the foyer where the denizens were still gathered.
"It's a trap!" He shouted. Ashley turned toward him eyes flooding with darkness, she raised a hand toward him and flicked her wrist. Methos instinctively moved to the side, whatever she threw at him embedded in his right shoulder rather than his throat as she'd intended. As the icy pain of it filled his arm a loud bang resounded from the front door and Druitt snatched Ashley's arm then teleported. The rest fled to the lower levels Will helping Methos.
"What is it?" Methos asked as they crammed into the elevator to the lower level. Will was examining the object in Methos' shoulder.
"It's some kind of serrated…oh man I think you've been injected with something." Will said sharply.
"Throwing dart laced with a toxin." The Big Guy said snuffling the air.
"We need to get you to the infirmary."
"No, we need to get the hell out of here or lock down Ashley and the goon squad." Methos gritted between clenched teeth. Whatever had been in the object felt like battery acid as it coursed through his system.
"He's right Magnus the infirmary is unsecured." Henry said grimly.
"I'll live, trust me." Methos hissed.
"Will I want you two to accompany Henry, he may need protection." Magnus said changing places with Will freeing him up.
"What about you two?"
"We'll distract the invaders long enough for you and Henry to lockdown the Sanctuary."
"Magnus I know you two are like bad ass and all but he's –" Will objected.
"Oh fine I'll go with you." Tesla sighed. Magnus grinned at him.
"Good chap." She said. The elevator opened on the floor above Henry's work area and the secured hub of the Sanctuary everyone but Tesla, Magnus, and Methos exited.
"Be careful, John is still loose." She said as the door closed.
"Was that a warning or a reminder?" Methos wheezed and tried to laugh.
"Both, Nikola help me lay him down." Magnus said. Tesla scowled but did as he was asked.
"S'poison." Methos winced as Magnus carefully ripped the fabric of his sweater and undershirt around the object.
"I'm going to get this out and see what kind of damage it's done." She said working her fingers around it and pulling hard. Red hot blood filled the wound as the object pulled free, it left a sucking wet cavity behind.
Magnus studied it, it looked like a ball bearing with serrated 'wings' along its surface. The ball itself was clear and hollow the faint dregs of a straw colored liquid still clung to its interior.
"Nikola?"
"I've never seen a design like it, it's fairly basic though."
"Get rid of it." Methos wheezed. Magnus examined his wound with a frown.
"This flesh is burned, some kind of chemical burn." She frowned.
Methos' eyes rolled in his pale sweating face.
"Uh Helen I don't think he's doing so well."
"Methos, listen to me, would it be better if I shot you or let you heal on your own?" Magnus asked loudly, uncertain if the immortal could hear her.
"Sh-Shoot!" He gasped.
Without hesitating she drew her sidearm and shot him in the forehead. He went limp and Tesla groaned.
"Now we'll have to carry him!" Tesla whined only to recoil as Methos gasped back to life.
Methos wiped at the blood on his forehead.
"Don't take chances?" He asked Magnus weakly.
"You were in pain." She groused and helped him sit up.
"Do we have an actual plan or are we going for 'run at them screaming loudly'?" Tesla asked hitting the emergency stop button.
"I'm a fan of plans." Methos said tiredly.
"He looks like hell Magnus."
Methos grinned cheerlessly at the scientist.
"I'll be fine I just need a few minutes." He insisted and struggled to his feet. Tesla looked dubious.
Ashley regarded her father with jet black eyes devoid of any white.
"You think you're a dangerous monster?" He asked quietly.
By way of answer she held her hands out at her side and flexed them, they twisted and elongated until each finger ended in a rounded knifelike claw. She cocked her head and went for him.
"I'm afraid we don't have a few minutes Methos, Ashley knows the Sanctuary by heart." Magnus said grimly.
"Right, well, we'll need a distraction." He said softly meeting Tesla's eyes. Tesla looked pleased and glanced at Magnus.
"Methos –"
The immortal took her hands in his."
"I'll live, I promise, just…get out, get to John and…your daughter." He said and hit the door open button. He glanced at Magnus, face still as stone but eyes liquid pain then stepped out. Tesla hit the up button immediately and caught Magnus' wrist as she darted for the emergency stop button.
"It's done Helen." Tesla said not unkindly. She glared at him then folded her arms and let out a slow ragged breath.
Methos moved quickly, he'd lied he didn't need a few minutes, he only had a few minutes. He could feel whatever toxin the ball had been filled with still working its way through his system, burning and killing him. He staggered, caught himself on a wall and coughed hard, felt moisture on his lips and wiped at it with the back of his hand, bright arterial blood on his pale skin.
"No time." He whispered shoved off the wall and started moving again, a drunken staggering weave.
He heard footsteps in the hall ahead of him. He wasn't entirely sure of his location in the massive building but was reasonably sure he was near the infirmary.
Ahead he spotted a man clad in skin tight black material of some kind he cocked his head at Methos and started doing a terminator style ground eating walk toward him. Methos would have laughed if he could have spared the breath but his lungs felt like they were in an iron vise.
The man didn't speak or hesitate simply moved in for the kill. Methos fought back, defended himself, managed to bloody the super abnormal's nose but that was as good as it got. After breaking the abnormal's nose Methos drew his fist back to protect his ribcage but moved a hair too slowly. Before he could react the man had broken his arm and had a grip on his throat.
"It doesn't end like this." Methos gritted through pink teeth while bloody spittle flecked the abnormal's face, turning red against the man's dark skin tone. The Superabnormal twisted his wrist snapping Methos' neck like a dry branch.
The immortal fell to the ground a limp sack of flesh and bones the superabnormal stared at him cocked his head and frowned. He lifted his head and stared down the hall to where another of his kind stood, a female, pale and dark haired. She nodded once and the male knelt and slung the corpse over his shoulder. He rose unfazed by the burden and joined his companion together they moved further into the Sanctuary.
John Druitt easily incapacitated his daughter, pinning her wrists together, back to his chest.
"I know what you're going through." He whispered in her ear. Expressionless she lashed out, he released he allowing her to break free. They grappled this time she got the upper hand and knocked him to the ground knelt on his solar plexus and raised one clawed hand, ready to drive it into his chest.
"I've been a monster most of my life Ashley, I've done terrible things been accused of worse, loved your mother and watched her grow to hate and fear me – with cause." He growled then scissored his legs up wrapping his ankles around her throat and dragged her off him.
Her shoulders hit the floor hard enough to draw a ragged gasp from her otherwise silent form. She did a handspring and landed on her feet one hand pressed to the floor for balance she stared up at her father with alien hostile eyes.
"You can fight it Ashley, I can teach you, others as well." He said thinking primarily of Methos. "You're not alone, your mother loves you, I love you. Fight it." He snarled.
She went for him again emitting a low hissing noise like an enraged cat.
Methos woke without his customary gasping spasm. He was being carried he realized his head lolling drunkenly at every step. He recognized the pattern of the carpet they were moving across, they hadn't left the Sanctuary.
He tried to look around without alerting his pack mule to his new wakeful state. The superabnormal wasn't fooled however as soon as Methos got a good look at their surroundings he was being swung off the man's shoulder to the ground.
"You are Methos." A woman said. Methos sat up and felt his head spin as though he'd been drinking Everclear for two days straight. He grimaced and struggled to focus on the woman addressing him. She was tall, lean like all the superabnormals pale with jet black hair bobbed at her shoulders.
"Meharhmgph." Methos said.
"No matter Ashley Magnus told us about you. Your ability is of interest to the Cabal. Helen Magnus is known to us, she lives long but does not recover from illness or injury any better than the next human based abnormal. You, however, are another story." The woman said robotically, Methos had the eerie impression that she was literally relaying someone else's words, as though she were a soulless puppet.
"What –" He croaked and licked dry lips.
"We propose an alliance Mr. Methos."
He laughed a whispering husking noise at the misuse of his name.
"Why…would I?" He gasped, it felt like hot knives had taken up residence in his throat.
"Because, in return we will assist you with the problem of the others of your kind." She said simply.
He felt vertigo sweep over him, a deal with the devil…but what a deal. In one fell swoop he could finally discover the secret of his species…and be safe. He closed his eyes felt a hard breath hitch in his chest, tears threaten then slowly let out the breath and forced the temptation away from his conscious mind.
"Go fuck yourself." He wheezed opening his eyes.
The male superabnormal kicked him in the face.
John held his daughter by the throat. Both their faces and hands were bloodied, a mixture of each other's blood and their own. His eyes blazed with rage and grief, hers remained reptilian and calculating.
"I know you're in there." He gasped chest heaving with effort. Her fists locked onto his wrists, legs pinned to the wall by Druitt's weight, he chest rose as she took a deep breath and lunged at him with her teeth.
A tear coursed down Druitt's bloody face.
"Please." He whispered.
Methos was in a moving vehicle when he came to, his limbs were bound to his body by plastic ties, he felt like a sausage. He looked around saw the woman who'd spoken to him and the male that had captured him. They were driving, it was a panel truck with no windows, a padlock secured the rear.
"Awake." The woman said and the male turned to Methos, rose from his seat and sat on the wheel well next to Methos. The immortal studied the abnormal for a long moment.
"Who did you used to be?" Methos asked. The man regarded him with dull eyes. They weren't fully black like Ashley's had been but he wasn't running on adrenaline and aggression either.
"Student? Professional? Soldier? Criminal?" Methos asked hoarsely. He didn't feel the burn of the toxin anymore but was still weak.
"Probably never know will we?" He asked rhetorically. The male regarded him blankly.
Magnus and Tesla made their way down to the garage and slipped out circling around to the front of the property. The front facing portion of the wall surrounding the property had been breached, cables ran from either side of the breach bridging and fooling Henry's security system. The gap wasn't large, only about five feet wide but it was more than large enough for the superabnormals to use.
"Thoughts?" Tesla asked.
"We can't leave Methos and Henry there."
"I doubt they're interested in your pet."
Magnus scowled at his superior tone and choice of words.
"He –"
"Shh." They watched as the male and female exited the Sanctuary with Methos.
"Come along Tesla." Magnus said with a smile and lead them in to the thick shrubs lining the outside of the wall. They hid until the attackers had bound Methos, loaded him into the truck and then climbed aboard and started to pull out then Magnus followed by Tesla grabbed the rear of the truck and balanced on the bumper.
"They're going to notice the weight difference!" Tesla said over the road noise.
"Not likely! They just loaded Methos! He's only forty or so pounds lighter than our combined weight!"
"How do you know that?" Tesla asked.
She grinned a Cheshire cat grin and hung on.
"I wonder if you're married, do you have kids?" Methos asked numbly still staring at the flat eyes of the male. The female hadn't reacted to Methos at all since the immortal had awakened.
As the vehicle slowed Methos found himself hoping they were at a destination and he could get out of the vehicle. His body was beginning to ache, limbs going numb from restricted circulation. He closed his eyes resigning himself to imprisonment for the near future.
"We won't have much time Nikola, listen to me, when the vehicle stops we have to steal it immediately, avoid confronting the superabnormals if at all possible if you do engage get away and to the vehicle as quickly as possible we need to get Methos out of here."
"Anything for you my dear." Tesla sighed dramatically.
Minutes later the vehicle downshifted and began to slow. Magnus and Tesla tensed, Tesla's eyes went black as he brought his vampire self to the forefront he grinned at Magnus with a mouthful of crooked needlelike teeth and waggled a clawed hand at her as the vehicle slowed further and stopped with the engine idling.
They were parked outside a plain concrete building with no signs out front to indicate its purpose. The female exited quickly and entered the building. Tesla slipped a claw through the gap at the rear of the truck and dragged it down smiling in satisfaction as it briefly snagged on the padlock then sliced through it. He snatched the door open while Magnus drew her sidearm.
The male superabnormal cocked his head at them for a moment then rose and charged Tesla. Tesla sidestepped the charge pausing to rake his claws down the man's back opened up his flesh like ripe fruit while Magnus emptied her clip into him. She paused to reload while Tesla closed the truck door using a length of the plastic the superabnormals had tied Methos with to secure them closed. Magnus jogged to the front of the truck and climbed aboard as the female superabnormal emerged from the building.
Magnus scrambled into the driver's seat and cursed as the ignition proved to hold nothing.
"Tesla!" She snapped. The wiry scientist slithered into the passenger's seat and popped the cover off the ignition with his claws then sent a pulse of electricity into the exposed wires, the truck engine coughed caught and roared to life.
"Well done." She said grimly and floor the accelerator sending the vehicle and it's passengers rocketing forward into traffic, they cut off a city bus and continued on their way.
"Fairly certain we left witnesses back there!" Tesla laughed as he slipped back to the rear and checked on Methos.
"He's alive!"
"Untie me." Methos said softly as Tesla checked his pulse.
"Ah it speaks." Tesla said snidely.
"Untie me." Methos insisted.
"So you can kill me? I don't think so."
"If I can't walk you'll have to carry me."
Tesla considered that.
"Think about it Tesla, we can't use the Sanctuary as a refuge anymore, they've proven they can simply walk in whenever they like."
Tesla sighed and leanved forward easily severing the plastic bindings. He grinned in pleasures as Methos doubled over then stretched slowly, face twisted in pain as blood and feeling returned to his frame.
"Your pet is up Helen." Tesla called.
"Play nice gentlemen." Magnus chided.
Methos slowly got to his feet and sat on a wheel well opposite Tesla. Once feeling returned completely to his hands and feet he moved to the front and took the passenger's seat. Tesla followed and crouched behind and between the seats.
"Back to the Sanctuary?" Tesla asked.
"For now yes." Magnus said stiffly.
"We can't stay there, even with Henry's improvements it may as well be wide open." Methos said tiredly.
"Unfortunately I'm aware of that." Magnus sighed and changed lanes.
John arrived, with his struggling daughter in his arms, in an open field. He released her and half flung have threw her from him. She landed easily and whirled to face him.
Exhaustion etched their faces, a pink wash of old blood, sweat, and in John's case, stale tears coated their faces.
"Ashley, you can stop, you can stay here and heal." He gasped between racking breaths. He was feeling his age.
She took one step toward him and he raised a hand in a halting gesture.
"Or, you can continue this and I will kill you." He said brokenly.
She cocked her head at him and then frowned and half opened her mouth.
"I don't hear them." She said in a broken whisper.
"No, you won't we're too far away."
The dark black began to clear from her eyes.
"Where are we?"
He didn't answer, concentrated on breathing while he could.
She studied him closely, blue eyes clear and bright.
"Tell Mom I'm sorry." She choked tears in her eyes.
"Ashley –"
"Please."
He nodded keeping his eyes on her, not really trusting the change in her.
"Do you know what they did?"
"I…" She blinked and her eyes were dull marbles in her head. She cocked her head and moved toward him.
Henry, Will, and the Big Guy met the trio as they pulled into the main drive of the Sanctuary.
"Oh thank god you're okay." Will panted as he jogged up to the car.
Magnus and the others slowly climbed out of the truck. Methos stumbled slightly and Will caught his forearm preventing him from falling. Methos let out a small noise and straightened. Will released the immortal's arm and glanced at Magnus. They'd both noticed the immortal's expression of pain.
Magnus shook her head slightly at Will indicating he should wait to pursue it. Will sighed and followed Methos closely as they all returned to the Sanctuary.
"Any sign of John?" Magnus asked.
"No, nothing from Ashley either." Henry said frustrated.
"Right, well, send a message to the Heads of House for the entire Sanctuary network. They need to know how our defenses were breached, forward all information about the superabnormals."
"All of it?" Henry asked carefully.
"Yes, all of it, Ashley must be considered an enemy agent until we can confirm otherwise."
Will wondered what it cost Helen Magnus to declare her only daughter an enemy. He glanced at Methos' tired hooded eyes and then at Biggie and Henry. The moment passed and the group entered the Sanctuary.
"Helen." Methos said softly. She was sitting at her desk, ostensibly drafting a report to be transmitted to the Heads of Houses as a follow up to Will's transmission. A cursor sat blinking accusingly on a blank screen.
She smiled warmly at Methos and moved to rise, he gestured for her to stay seated and slowly made his way across the room to her and sat heavily in a chair facing her desk.
"I have to leave." He said heavily.
Her eyes bore into his as he tried to avoid her gaze.
"The Cabal know about me, Ashley must have told them something. They probably knew enough of my kind to put the pieces together. I'm a danger and…" He licked his lips and forced his dark eyes to meet hers.
"And I can't do any good here." He said finally.
"I haven't heard anything from John –"
"This isn't about him."
"It's been less than a day."
"Honestly Magnus, he could be sitting next to me right now and I'd still insist on leaving."
"Why?"
"I just told you." He snapped.
"No, I think there's more I think you're afraid of the man you become around him."
Methos didn't quite flinch but his face flexed oddly and he swallowed hard.
"I'm going Magnus I just…wanted to say goodbye."
"If I need to contact you?" She asked stiffly, ignoring the sudden lump in her throat.
"I'll leave an email with Henry." Methos said rising.
"Methos…" Magnus said uncertain of how to finish.
"I wish you well Magnus, if I can help, actually help then let me know." He said with a tired smile.
John didn't return to the Sanctuary, or Magnus, didn't send word of his continued existence. He didn't see the point really. If ever she had been able to love him again… he had destroyed any chance of it now. He had taken the life of their child, deliberately, knowingly. That, in the end, it was literally kill or be killed mattered not at all. John was used to accusations being leveled at him, some false, many true but he knew guilt and responsibility though he pretended otherwise. The worst monsters know the gravity of their transgressions, and John was a very terrible monster.
So he went wandering determined to find a way to …well, not forget maybe, but not care, yes a way to dismiss the guilt and grief that weighed him down. Underneath it all he knew that no amount of time, drug, drink, murder, sex or new and interesting bliss could ever scrub the blood from his hands or the memory of his deed.
They moved their wards from the Sanctuary to friendly allies and other Houses until Henry could repair and improve the existing security systems to accommodate the abilities of the superabnormals. A task the werewolf took on with nearly manic zeal. Biggie stayed with him as did Magnus. None were willing to fully evacuate their home, particularly since John, Ashley, and Methos were no longer resident and with the rest of their wards evacuated there was little the Cabal could gain by conducting another invasion.
Will spent most of his time searching for clues regarding the fates of John and Ashley and attempting to draw Methos out of hiding. The immortal had been rattled by the events surrounding his 'recruitment' to the Sanctuary and had gone to ground to lick his wounds.
Will was worried that the immortal wouldn't process his latest traumas effectively – recalling the man's difficulty keeping the memories and experiences of 'Ben' separate from the business at hand – and wished to help him. Genuinely and truly whether the sarcastic man wanted such help or not.
So it went, days turned to weeks and weeks inevitably into months until, as the ninth month since John and Ashley had vanished was about to become the tenth, Will found Druitt.