Chapter Nineteen: Will the Real Connor MacLeod Please Stand Up?
"So, did you two manage to come up with a plan?" asked Joe.
"Well, to be honest, I think Connor's probably got the right idea. We wait a couple of days, then try again."
"We do?" asked 'Connor', surprised.
"We do?" echoed Joe, also surprised. He wished he knew what was going on inside Methos' head. First Connor was a little strange, although Joe had put that down to stress, and now Methos was acting downright weird. It was a complete turnaround in character from earlier.
"So you think he's ok just to leave up at the Cabin?"
"Actually, yes. It's holy ground. We'll just give him some time."
"That's not what you thought earlier, Methos. What changed your mind?" asked 'Connor'.
"Let's just say I had some strong persuasion..." Methos replied, leering at Amanda, who just smiled suggestively at him.
"Oh, I see. Well, as long as you don't lose sight of the big picture", commented Joe, getting somewhat annoyed at Methos.
"It will be alright Joe. Lighten up", replied Amanda.
"If you say so. I need to go change some barrels".
"Oh, OK".
"Need a hand?" offered Methos.
"No, I'm fine", Joe said, walking away from the bar down into the storeroom. Damn Immortals, he could strangle them sometimes, all of them! What the hell was Methos playing at? Surely things couldn't be as easy and straightforward as he'd said. No, he had to be hiding something. But what?
"I think I will just go check that Joe really doesn't need any help", said Methos, getting up and going to do just that. The other two were left at the bar.
"So", began 'Connor', "you and, um, Methos, then".
"Yep, I guess I never noticed before how experienced he was", Amanda replied with a grin.
"Um, when you saw Duncan, he was well, psychically, I mean?" she inquired.
"Oh, yeah, fine, just didn't want to listen to me about coming back."
"Uh-huh". 'God, I hope Methos is right', she thought, 'otherwise we're making total fools of ourselves for nothing'.
Methos knew that Joe suspected something was going on. He was reluctant to tell the mortal anything in front of 'Connor' though. Better he was annoyed at him than risk giving anything away.
"Joe, you ok down here", he asked, catching the younger man up.
"Fine, Methos, just fine. What do you want? Why aren't you upstairs with your new girlfriend?"
"Joe, please..."
"No. How could you? What about Duncan? What's he going to think when he sees you two together?"
"It's not like that Joe", Methos replied, trying to keep his voice low.
"So what is it? What's going on?"
"It's Connor, he's..."
But before he could continue they heard 'Connor' come down into the storeroom.
"I thought I'd just see if you were alright down here", 'Connor' remarked.
'He knows we know', flashed though Methos' mind, as 'Connor' attempted to manoeuvre himself between Methos and Joe.
"It's fine, Connor", replied Methos. "We've got it covered".
"Uh-huh, well, you know", replied 'Connor', 'accidentally' knocking Methos. The older immortal fell to the floor.
"Oh, sorry, Methos".
'Connor' advanced on Joe.
"Let me do that Joe", he offered. Only Methos could see the glint of steel half-hidden by Connor's cuff.
"No", shouted Methos, throwing himself at the other two men, knocking both to the ground.
"What are you doing Methos?!" yelled Joe as he tried to stand. Methos just ignored him. He was too busy trying to grab the knife from 'Connor' as he too attempted to stand.
"Get off me", yelled 'Connor'.
"Give me the knife".
"What knife?"
"The knife you were just about to stab Joe with!"
"I have no idea what you talking about!"
Methos suddenly saw the knife spin across the room, and lunged for it. 'Connor' swiftly followed. It was Methos who got the knife, and soon found an angry 'Connor' trying to gain control back. It quickly escalated into a full-scale fight, the two fairly evenly matched. Joe looked on in shock at what looked like two friends suddenly deciding to fight to the death. He had seen a knife but was unsure who's it was. He knew that Methos usually carried a knife as well as a sword, for protection. Both men were too busy to answer his frantic questioning.
The fight made it was back up into the main bar, and Joe was just pleased that he wasn't open yet. There was only Amanda up there to be alarmed at the proceedings.
"Joe, what's going on?" she asked.
"I don't know. Methos said something about a knife that Connor had, he was trying to get it from him. Then all Hell broke loose".
Amanda, who had a slightly better idea of what may have happened than Joe did, just told the mortal to keep out the way.
"Give it up!" growled Methos.
"Never. You're finished, Old man, and my time has come! You'll never defeat me!"
"Maybe not but Duncan MacLeod will and you know it!"
"Ha! Duncan MacLeod is as good as dead already. Just like his cousin", the other spit, pinning Methos to the ground.
However, timing was on the old Immortal's side, survivor that he was, for at the moment, all were distracted by the buzz. Noticing that 'Connor' too felt it, Methos, having had 5000 years to get used to the buzz, ignored it and managed to finally get the upper hand.
Pulling 'Connor' to his feet, he threw him against the wall.
"That's for creating Kronos!" Methos shouted, panting.
"And if you're still conscious after that, the next will be for Cassandra! The third, for Duncan. Now get up and fight me."
As if of superhuman strength as well as Immortal healing, 'Connor' stood to face Methos.
"It's not that easy, Methos", he muttered, lunching himself at his opponent.
"Methos, Connor, stop!" shouted Joe.
"Leave them Joe, let Methos do this. It's personal," suggested Amanda.
"I don't understand. Why is Methos doing this? Has he totally lost it? Why take it all out on Connor?"
"Because it's not Connor", came a quiet voice from behind him, the source of the buzz that all but Amanda had forgotten about.
Joe and Amanda turned. In the doorway, looking tired and thin, but alive and well, was Duncan MacLeod.
"Mac! Thank God. It's good to see you!" exclaimed Joe.
Duncan looked at his Watcher, his friend, and saw no hatred, no grief because of him and his actions. Instead he saw warmth, and friendship, and trust, from a man who knew what he was and what he had done or hadn't done but still welcomed him with friendship.
Duncan smiled and stepped towards Joe.
"Joe. It's good to see you too".
"Don't ever, ever, do that again, you hear!" the mortal replied. But there was relief and warmth in his eyes.
"I'll try not to, Joe, I'll try".
Joe grinned. Well, it was a start.
He suddenly remembered something.
"What did you mean by that isn't Connor?" he asked, still confused. He looked towards the centre of the bar where Methos and 'Connor' were still fighting. If you could call it fighting. Methos definitely had the upper hand and was now just drawing it out, as if to punish 'Connor'.
"Because", replied another new voice, "I'm Connor MacLeod". And there next to Duncan stood a second Connor MacLeod.
"Huh? Two of them?" asked Joe, faced with what looked like two Connor MacLeods.
"How do we know you're real? What if he's the real one, and you're an
impostor...such as Ahriman!" Joe finished slowly, as he suddenly realised what was going on.
"Hooray, at last!" exclaimed Amanda with a grin, as she came to greet Duncan.
"Come on, Joe. It's obvious who's the real one. Would Methos fight with the real Connor? Would Connor fight with him?"
"No, I suppose not. But, you mean you knew?!"
"We had our suspicions..."
"So that's why you two were acting strangely?"
"Yeah. Anyway, let me talk to Duncan already", she finished, with a grin, going to Duncan.
"Amanda, I..."
"Duncan, we missed you".
"I'm so sorry...".
"No, I'm sorry".
"You're sorry? Whatever for?"
"I'm sorry we didn't understand. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to help".
"Oh, Amanda, it was my fault. I pushed you away. You were trying to help, and I wouldn't let you."
"And now...?"
"Well, let's see how it goes. Connor managed to talk a little sense into me and the peace of the island helped me think."
"And what did you think about?"
"I realised that I'm only human. I realised that I have friends who still want to stand by me, and I realised that Richie's death wasn't my fault..."
"Or Methos'".
"Or Methos'", Duncan affirmed with a small smile.
"Good, I accept your apology and I'm so glad you're back with us. However, I think there's someone else who needs your apology", she replied, looking over at where Methos was now looking to be loosing.
"As I told, Joe, I'll try. But, everything will be alright now".
"I hope so, Duncan, I really do", Amanda replied as she leaned against him, feeling more alright than she had for the past two months. However hard he had tried she knew Duncan couldn't hide or escape from his true self - one full of honour and strength.
"Sorry to break up this touching reunion, but could I borrow your gun, Duncan?" asked Connor.
"Sure, but what for?"
Connor just nodded towards the fight.
"Oh. But should we be interfering?"
"Sure", Connor shrugged, "This isn't a challenge, and if that really is Ahriman, which I think we can safely assume it is, he isn't even an Immortal. Now he's vented his anger, Methos looks like he's about to get his head smashed in."
"Surely a gun can't really kill him?" asked Joe.
"Probably not, but maybe it will slow him down", replied Connor taking a shot at his doppelganger.
"Thanks Joe, but you took your time didn't you", remarked Methos wryly as his opponent fell. He dragged himself to his knees. He looked about to fall dead himself at any moment as well.
"Wasn't me, Old Man. While you were doing your macho revenge bit, you missed all the excitement."
"Huh?" asked Methos, looking towards the door.
"Connor! And Duncan!" were the last words uttered before the world's oldest man sank to the floor and died, again.
"So, did you two manage to come up with a plan?" asked Joe.
"Well, to be honest, I think Connor's probably got the right idea. We wait a couple of days, then try again."
"We do?" asked 'Connor', surprised.
"We do?" echoed Joe, also surprised. He wished he knew what was going on inside Methos' head. First Connor was a little strange, although Joe had put that down to stress, and now Methos was acting downright weird. It was a complete turnaround in character from earlier.
"So you think he's ok just to leave up at the Cabin?"
"Actually, yes. It's holy ground. We'll just give him some time."
"That's not what you thought earlier, Methos. What changed your mind?" asked 'Connor'.
"Let's just say I had some strong persuasion..." Methos replied, leering at Amanda, who just smiled suggestively at him.
"Oh, I see. Well, as long as you don't lose sight of the big picture", commented Joe, getting somewhat annoyed at Methos.
"It will be alright Joe. Lighten up", replied Amanda.
"If you say so. I need to go change some barrels".
"Oh, OK".
"Need a hand?" offered Methos.
"No, I'm fine", Joe said, walking away from the bar down into the storeroom. Damn Immortals, he could strangle them sometimes, all of them! What the hell was Methos playing at? Surely things couldn't be as easy and straightforward as he'd said. No, he had to be hiding something. But what?
"I think I will just go check that Joe really doesn't need any help", said Methos, getting up and going to do just that. The other two were left at the bar.
"So", began 'Connor', "you and, um, Methos, then".
"Yep, I guess I never noticed before how experienced he was", Amanda replied with a grin.
"Um, when you saw Duncan, he was well, psychically, I mean?" she inquired.
"Oh, yeah, fine, just didn't want to listen to me about coming back."
"Uh-huh". 'God, I hope Methos is right', she thought, 'otherwise we're making total fools of ourselves for nothing'.
Methos knew that Joe suspected something was going on. He was reluctant to tell the mortal anything in front of 'Connor' though. Better he was annoyed at him than risk giving anything away.
"Joe, you ok down here", he asked, catching the younger man up.
"Fine, Methos, just fine. What do you want? Why aren't you upstairs with your new girlfriend?"
"Joe, please..."
"No. How could you? What about Duncan? What's he going to think when he sees you two together?"
"It's not like that Joe", Methos replied, trying to keep his voice low.
"So what is it? What's going on?"
"It's Connor, he's..."
But before he could continue they heard 'Connor' come down into the storeroom.
"I thought I'd just see if you were alright down here", 'Connor' remarked.
'He knows we know', flashed though Methos' mind, as 'Connor' attempted to manoeuvre himself between Methos and Joe.
"It's fine, Connor", replied Methos. "We've got it covered".
"Uh-huh, well, you know", replied 'Connor', 'accidentally' knocking Methos. The older immortal fell to the floor.
"Oh, sorry, Methos".
'Connor' advanced on Joe.
"Let me do that Joe", he offered. Only Methos could see the glint of steel half-hidden by Connor's cuff.
"No", shouted Methos, throwing himself at the other two men, knocking both to the ground.
"What are you doing Methos?!" yelled Joe as he tried to stand. Methos just ignored him. He was too busy trying to grab the knife from 'Connor' as he too attempted to stand.
"Get off me", yelled 'Connor'.
"Give me the knife".
"What knife?"
"The knife you were just about to stab Joe with!"
"I have no idea what you talking about!"
Methos suddenly saw the knife spin across the room, and lunged for it. 'Connor' swiftly followed. It was Methos who got the knife, and soon found an angry 'Connor' trying to gain control back. It quickly escalated into a full-scale fight, the two fairly evenly matched. Joe looked on in shock at what looked like two friends suddenly deciding to fight to the death. He had seen a knife but was unsure who's it was. He knew that Methos usually carried a knife as well as a sword, for protection. Both men were too busy to answer his frantic questioning.
The fight made it was back up into the main bar, and Joe was just pleased that he wasn't open yet. There was only Amanda up there to be alarmed at the proceedings.
"Joe, what's going on?" she asked.
"I don't know. Methos said something about a knife that Connor had, he was trying to get it from him. Then all Hell broke loose".
Amanda, who had a slightly better idea of what may have happened than Joe did, just told the mortal to keep out the way.
"Give it up!" growled Methos.
"Never. You're finished, Old man, and my time has come! You'll never defeat me!"
"Maybe not but Duncan MacLeod will and you know it!"
"Ha! Duncan MacLeod is as good as dead already. Just like his cousin", the other spit, pinning Methos to the ground.
However, timing was on the old Immortal's side, survivor that he was, for at the moment, all were distracted by the buzz. Noticing that 'Connor' too felt it, Methos, having had 5000 years to get used to the buzz, ignored it and managed to finally get the upper hand.
Pulling 'Connor' to his feet, he threw him against the wall.
"That's for creating Kronos!" Methos shouted, panting.
"And if you're still conscious after that, the next will be for Cassandra! The third, for Duncan. Now get up and fight me."
As if of superhuman strength as well as Immortal healing, 'Connor' stood to face Methos.
"It's not that easy, Methos", he muttered, lunching himself at his opponent.
"Methos, Connor, stop!" shouted Joe.
"Leave them Joe, let Methos do this. It's personal," suggested Amanda.
"I don't understand. Why is Methos doing this? Has he totally lost it? Why take it all out on Connor?"
"Because it's not Connor", came a quiet voice from behind him, the source of the buzz that all but Amanda had forgotten about.
Joe and Amanda turned. In the doorway, looking tired and thin, but alive and well, was Duncan MacLeod.
"Mac! Thank God. It's good to see you!" exclaimed Joe.
Duncan looked at his Watcher, his friend, and saw no hatred, no grief because of him and his actions. Instead he saw warmth, and friendship, and trust, from a man who knew what he was and what he had done or hadn't done but still welcomed him with friendship.
Duncan smiled and stepped towards Joe.
"Joe. It's good to see you too".
"Don't ever, ever, do that again, you hear!" the mortal replied. But there was relief and warmth in his eyes.
"I'll try not to, Joe, I'll try".
Joe grinned. Well, it was a start.
He suddenly remembered something.
"What did you mean by that isn't Connor?" he asked, still confused. He looked towards the centre of the bar where Methos and 'Connor' were still fighting. If you could call it fighting. Methos definitely had the upper hand and was now just drawing it out, as if to punish 'Connor'.
"Because", replied another new voice, "I'm Connor MacLeod". And there next to Duncan stood a second Connor MacLeod.
"Huh? Two of them?" asked Joe, faced with what looked like two Connor MacLeods.
"How do we know you're real? What if he's the real one, and you're an
impostor...such as Ahriman!" Joe finished slowly, as he suddenly realised what was going on.
"Hooray, at last!" exclaimed Amanda with a grin, as she came to greet Duncan.
"Come on, Joe. It's obvious who's the real one. Would Methos fight with the real Connor? Would Connor fight with him?"
"No, I suppose not. But, you mean you knew?!"
"We had our suspicions..."
"So that's why you two were acting strangely?"
"Yeah. Anyway, let me talk to Duncan already", she finished, with a grin, going to Duncan.
"Amanda, I..."
"Duncan, we missed you".
"I'm so sorry...".
"No, I'm sorry".
"You're sorry? Whatever for?"
"I'm sorry we didn't understand. I'm sorry I didn't try harder to help".
"Oh, Amanda, it was my fault. I pushed you away. You were trying to help, and I wouldn't let you."
"And now...?"
"Well, let's see how it goes. Connor managed to talk a little sense into me and the peace of the island helped me think."
"And what did you think about?"
"I realised that I'm only human. I realised that I have friends who still want to stand by me, and I realised that Richie's death wasn't my fault..."
"Or Methos'".
"Or Methos'", Duncan affirmed with a small smile.
"Good, I accept your apology and I'm so glad you're back with us. However, I think there's someone else who needs your apology", she replied, looking over at where Methos was now looking to be loosing.
"As I told, Joe, I'll try. But, everything will be alright now".
"I hope so, Duncan, I really do", Amanda replied as she leaned against him, feeling more alright than she had for the past two months. However hard he had tried she knew Duncan couldn't hide or escape from his true self - one full of honour and strength.
"Sorry to break up this touching reunion, but could I borrow your gun, Duncan?" asked Connor.
"Sure, but what for?"
Connor just nodded towards the fight.
"Oh. But should we be interfering?"
"Sure", Connor shrugged, "This isn't a challenge, and if that really is Ahriman, which I think we can safely assume it is, he isn't even an Immortal. Now he's vented his anger, Methos looks like he's about to get his head smashed in."
"Surely a gun can't really kill him?" asked Joe.
"Probably not, but maybe it will slow him down", replied Connor taking a shot at his doppelganger.
"Thanks Joe, but you took your time didn't you", remarked Methos wryly as his opponent fell. He dragged himself to his knees. He looked about to fall dead himself at any moment as well.
"Wasn't me, Old Man. While you were doing your macho revenge bit, you missed all the excitement."
"Huh?" asked Methos, looking towards the door.
"Connor! And Duncan!" were the last words uttered before the world's oldest man sank to the floor and died, again.