Chapter 37: Cookies and Questions

The next morning Dawn found herself alone in the kitchen eating some toast with peanut butter. As usual, neither Duncan nor Connor was in their rooms, and since the couch was empty, she suspected the Richie was with them.

Sipping her orange juice, she contemplated her choices. Since she was about a week ahead of her classmates, there seemed to be little point in doing more homework. Since it was still raining, there seemed to be little point in going outside. Even if she did take an umbrella, she doubted that she'd be allowed to go very far.

Maybe I'll go for a swim, she thought then began to read the label on the back of the peanut butter jar.

When Methos reached the ground floor about an hour later, an enticing aroma wafted from the kitchen. Following the scent, he found Dawn removing some cookies from a baking sheet and placing them on a rack to cool. "Good morning."

Dawn froze for a moment. "Good morning. I hope you don't mind me baking."

"I don't mind," Methos said as he walked across the kitchen and sat down on one of the barstools by the counter. He took a bite of a still warm cookie. "These are good."

"Thanks. The recipe was on the back of the jar," she said as she put the last of the dough on the baking sheet. "It was pretty simple. Just peanut butter, an egg and some sugar."

"Bet they'd taste good with coffee," he said and got up to make some. After the oven timer went off, she removed another baking sheet, put in the last batch and reset the timer.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked.

Dawn nodded as she began placing the freshly baked cookies on the rack.

"As well as can be expected under the circumstances?" he asked.

"Yeah," she admitted with a shrug and finished removing the remaining cookies. "It's just so hard to believe that all those Ramirez stories are true."

Thoughts of his former student brought a smile to Methos' face. "Connor told you about Ramirez?"

"Yeah," she said then looked closely at him. "Did you know Ramirez?"

His expression didn't change though inwardly he groaned. It's always the little things that trip you up, he thought then asked, "How could I have known Ramirez?"

"Because I think you're immortal."

"Why would you think I'm immortal?"

"Partly intuition," she said as she began to clean up the mess she had made. "Both Connor and Duncan consider you a friend. Since they were going to bring trouble to your door, they would have told you the truth about the situation. Yet, here we still are, and I doubt that we would be if you were a regular guy."

"Maybe I'm feeling quixotic," he suggested.

Dawn narrowed her eyes in consideration. "Maybe, though I think that's more Duncan's style."

She has the younger MacLeod pegged, Methos thought then prompted, "You said partly intuition."

She nodded. "But it was mostly your house."

"Why my house?" he asked as he got up to pour himself some coffee.

"It's full of antiques that are still being used rather than kept in a glass case to be admired," she replied as she gathered up the dishes and put them in the sink.

"I'm sure that some of Connor's clients use the items they purchase," he said sitting back down by the counter.

"I doubt many people use a 16th century dirk as a letter opener," she pointed out then said dismissively, "They'd probably have it framed with a letter of provenance."

"Maybe I'm eccentric," he suggested.

"Maybe, but the biggest factor is that your house is completely self-contained," she said and ran some water into the sink. "With online grocery shopping and home delivery, one would never have to leave holy ground. A pretty convenient situation for an immortal."

Saved by the bell, Methos thought as the oven timer went off, and she went to retrieve the baked cookies.

"Dawn's a very clever girl," Rachel said as she came into the kitchen then raised an eyebrow, "and once in a while she can be a little rude."

Dawn blushed. "Sorry, Mr. Pierson."

"It's natural to be curious," Methos said, "and it's Adam."

"Would you like some coffee, Rachel?" Dawn asked.

"Yes, thank you," she said and sat down on the other barstool by the counter.

"So, ladies, what are your plans for today?" Methos asked.

"Actually, I was thinking of doing some laundry," Rachel replied, "if you don't mind."

"Not at all," he assured her, "I'll show you the laundry room after breakfast."

-oOo-

"A load takes about a half hour," Methos said as he showed Rachel and Dawn how to use the washer and dryer.

While they were in the basement, he gave them a little tour. There was a games room that had a pool table and a dart board and a media room complete with a big screen television and a home theatre system. They were about to go upstairs when Dawn motioned to a closed door. "What's in there?"

"That's the, uh, gym," Methos said.

"You mean, that's where they're training," Dawn clarified.

"Yes," Rachel said, "and they likely don't wish to be disturbed."

-oOo-

A half hour later, Dawn came downstairs to put in another load of laundry. On her way back upstairs, she paused by the closed door. Tiptoeing up to it, she cautiously pressed her ear against it. Nothing, she thought and assumed that the gym must be soundproof.

Dawn bit her lip and, after a moment, started to reach for the doorknob. She was about to grasp it when she stopped, backed away and ran upstairs.