Chapter 36: Acceptance, Denial and Other Possibilities

Supper had been a rather tense affair. Rachel, Methos, Duncan and Richie tried to keep the conversation going, but Dawn and Connor were quiet. When the meal finally ended, Dawn asked to be excused.

"Since you helped with dinner, I don't see why not," Methos said.

"You want to watch a movie in the media room?" Connor asked.

"No thanks," she said trying to avoid eye contact as she got up from the table. "There's some homework I want to finish off."

"Okay," he said. "Maybe later."

"Maybe," Dawn said then went to her room.

"She hasn't been this withdrawn since she first came to live with me only then she wouldn't let me out of her sight. Now she doesn't even want to be in the same room as me," Connor sighed as Duncan and Richie began to clear the dishes off of the table.

"She's confused, hurt and, most of all, terrified of losing the man who has raised her since she was four. Let's just say that I can relate," Rachel commented. "Give her some time. She'll be fine."

"Besides, we have other things to worry about," Methos said.

"Such as?" Connor asked.

"Such as the possibility that you are not the target," the older immortal replied.

-oOo-

Dawn went up to her room, sat on the bed and watched as rain pelted the curved window. So many things were whirling around in her head that she felt like screaming for them to stop. She glanced down at her knapsack and noticed the corner of her diary peeking out from beneath a sweatshirt. She pulled it out, grabbed her fountain pen and began to write:

\\ What do you do when your world's been completely turned upside down? Last week my biggest concerns were making the school paper and wondering if Alexander Harris would ever notice me. Now I find out that some sociopath wants to take Connor's head and leave me an orphan for the second time.

Rachel and Connor say that he's been out of the Game since I came live with him. It scares me when I think about how easily I could lose him. /

Dawn stopped and touched the triquetra necklace around her throat. Connor had given it to her on her last birthday. He said that it was her mother's, and he thought she might like it. Leaning against the headboard she sighed then started to think about the Game. She tried to recall the stories about Ramirez that Connor used to tell her. Closing her diary, she grabbed her notebook, opened it to a blank page and began to write down the Game's rules as best she could remember.

-oOo-

After listening to Methos' theory, the others reacted in typical fashion.

"Are you out of your mind?" Duncan asked.

"Joe confirmed my suspicions. The men that attacked Connor and Dawn have been following them for several weeks," Methos said then turned to the immortal in question. "After they attacked and killed you, they continued to chase after Dawn."

"She was a witness," Connor pointed out.

"She was with you every time you sensed him back in New York," Methos added.

"Bad timing," Connor countered.

"Actually, there was one time when Dawn wasn't there initially," Rachel said slowly as a knot of fear formed in her stomach. "Remember, Connor? You told me that you were in the shop when you sensed him then Dawn came home from the art fair. What if he was following her?"

"It's just a coincidence," Connor said in denial.

"From what I hear, he has always been more interested in magic than the Game," Methos said. "If given a choice, he'd be more like to go after a witch than another immortal."

"Dawn is not a witch," Connor declared and abruptly got up from the table.

"Denying something doesn't make it any less real," Methos said.

"Can't Joe talk to Kilross' watcher?" Duncan asked as his kinsman paced the dining area.

"Kilross is a special case," Methos replied. "From what I understand, his watchers had a rather alarming tendency to disappear or turn up dead. After awhile, he was placed on a 'No Watcher' list. Those on this list are very dangerous. Kilross' movements are tracked by the watchers of the immortals who cross his path."

Richie finally spoke up. "If Dawn's a witch –"

"She's not a witch," Connor glared.

"If Dawn's a witch," Richie pressed on, "how can you tell? I mean, is there DNA test or something?"

"A natural witch is born with an innate magical ability," Methos explained. "There's a ritual that can be performed to test Dawn."

"And just who would perform this ritual?" Connor asked. "You?"

"I can't," Methos said. "It must be done by a witch."

"So what are you going to do?" Duncan asked. "Dial 1-800-WITCHES-R-US?"

"As it happens, I know of a witch here in Seacouver," Methos said.

"You do?" Richie asked.

"And so do you," Methos added.

"I do?" Richie asked confused.

"Tara," Methos said.

"Tara's a witch?" Richie asked.

Methos turned back to Connor. "We can trust her, and I think we should do the ritual if for no other reason than to rule out the possibility."

Connor was silent for a moment then asked Duncan, "What do you think?"

"As ridiculous as it sounds, I think he has a point, and Tara is very trustworthy. We can avoid mentioning the immortal side of things."

"Okay," Connor sighed, "Set it up."

Methos nodded. "I'll see if she can come tomorrow. Now I need to ask you some more questions about Dawn."

"Why?" Connor asked warily.

"Just ruling out other possibilities."