...Continued Part I: molto lento

Claudia pushed through the door to exit the opulent ladies washroom, and promptly lost herself in the tunnel-like curtained halls of Sanctuary. Every time she was positive that she had turned the correct direction to get back to the entryway--the last place she had seen Bert--she found herself in some other chamber or anteroom, of which there seemed an endless supply. Every one was beautifully appointed, often with gaming tables, and several with giant, ornate mantles and fireplaces.

She was almost tired enough from both fear and exhaustion to abandon finding Bert and instead curl up on the floor, or any of what must be a hundred couches she had seen, and spend the rest of her night so. Almost. Settling on a plan, she grabbed each purple curtain's golden cord as she walked, tying them back as she passed, checking into the room beyond. Eventually she found herself back at the washroom, and three curtains past that in the maze of purple and lilac velvet, the bar appeared, where she found Bert and the man who had answered the door. Myers having a drink, the other man talking on the phone. Bert stood from his stool when he saw her, a slight wince flickering across his face at the movement. She wondered if it were in response to her.

"Claudia," he said pleasantly, in a tone that did nothing to show the fact that he had been awake going on nearly twenty-two hours now.

She admired that in him. The ability to cover, or perhaps, the ability that even within himself he didn't notice, hadn't counted the hours as she had, on imaginary fingers, as she played tonight. If there was a shot you could take, or a motivational tape you could listen to and gain that skill--well, she'd be interested. Until then, she'd just have to depend upon Bert.

"Let's get you to bed," he offered, extending an arm in the direction of a turn-of-the-century brass-gated elevator.

As they rode the lift up, he teased her a little. "What's the deal, Claudia?" he began. "You haven't once asked me if this location is secure." A small smile tugged at his lips.

"I don't care," she told him, and shook her head. "I'm too tired right now. Besides, he didn't follow us."

"You going to want to call your friend again?"

What was he talking about? "Who?"

"The guy you tried to get earlier? In the limo?"

"No," she looked down at her feet, thinking of Duncan and wondering what she had thought he could do about her predicament. Not much, save adding a coda of I told you so. She wondered what she had been expecting to happen had he been home--that he'd catch the next plane? Take over her personal security from Bert's firm? All the conclusions she could draw from that scenario seemed fleeting fixes at best, not to mention awkwardly involving a statement of error on her part. "He's gone away," she told Bert. Her voice lowered. "Besides, I've made my own bed."

"What's that?"

"Nothing. Um, just a few years ago I told someone how I needed things--things in my life--to be, and now--"

"You've changed your mind?" It almost startled him that he, Bert Myers, was having a mildly introspective conversation with Claudia.

"I never change my mind."

The rock-hard tenor of her declaration snapped Bert's mind back like a tight bungee cord to The Nick Problem. "Right," he agreed briskly, as the elevator stopped on the floor that had the offices of the firm, and a couch that he had thought would do for Claudia.

...to be continued...

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DISCLAIMERS: The characters in this story are not my property, never have been, and I'm just borrowing them for a few pages. No money is being made, etc.
It has been brought to my attention that I have not placed this fic within a timeline. Very well, it occurs after Highlander The Raven's episode The French Connection, where Nick gets shot and action is moved to Paris, but before Love and Death, when Bert Myers (though he chooses not to believe it) learns about immortality from Amanda.
In Highlander: The Series' last season episode Indiscretions, Joe tells Methos that Duncan is in London with Claudia Jardine, who is playing Albert Hall.
Thanks. In addition to this, I have other stories available on-line at Seventh Dimension and The Raven's Nest.
Feedback is cherished.