CHAPTER 65
"He told you about the manuscripts?" Duncan asked, handing a cup of tea to Beth as they waited
for Adam and Claudia to finish their first training session downstairs at the dojo.
"Last night." She told him. "I asked him about something Cassandra said before she left, and
wouldn't let it go until he told me … and now I'm not sure I should have done that."
Duncan let out a long breath and came to sit on the low table in front of the sofa across from her.
"Did he tell you I am against this?" Duncan asked. "Did he explain to you there are risks?"
"He didn't tell me the two of you had spoken about it, but I guessed since you were the one who
had seen Cassandra in Chicago … you were the one who had asked her the question for him."
Duncan nodded. "And we all know how well that turned out."
"Hearing what Cassandra had to say … I won't lie Duncan, that hurt me and it scared me more.
To tell you the truth, if she hadn't been so blatant in her attempt to hurt him and made me see
red, I am not sure how I would have reacted." She admitted. "And I didn't tell Adam this … but
you were a factor in why I could see past what she was saying … past it and remember who I
know Adam is now."
"And why is that?" Duncan asked.
"Because you are a good man Duncan MacLeod. Joe, Richie, Amanda, Adam … they are all
connected because of you. They are drawn to you because they respect you and they trust you.
And they respect and trust you because you are honorable and have earned it. You don't look to
make enemies for no good reason, and you don't take friendship lightly. You have all the time in
the world, and yet you treat your time with the people who matter like it was gold." She told him.
"You knew about his past … and yet here you are. You see more in him than who he was. You
see the friend that stands in front of you."
Duncan shook his head. "You give me too much credit. When I first learned about The
Horsemen and who Methos was … I tried to sever all ties. But then … he did something. He
made a choice that spoke clearly who he was and where he stood. He set a plan in motion that
destroyed the other three. He chose my friendship and the lives of millions of people over the
men who had been his family … who had been his brothers. Yes he did it in a very unorthodox
Methos-like fashion, but he did it. And he saved Cassandra from them in the process … twice."
Beth was a little surprised by his last sentence, but she didn't really want to think about
Cassandra, so she let it go.
"And that is why when I saw you standing beside him … " Beth replied. "That is why I knew that
as horrible as it all was … I didn't have to be afraid to trust what I felt in my heart. I needed
something to tell my head it was going to be all right, and the concern I saw on your face for a
man you call your friend, knowing all that you know … that was all I needed."
"I'm just glad it didn't destroy what you two have. You're good for him. He needs you." Duncan
told her.
"And I need him … we both do." She said glancing at her lap.
"And how is the little angel doing?" Duncan asked with a smile.
"All things considering … I'd say she's doing great. But I don't think I need to repeat what
happened yesterday anytime soon." She replied, her face showing how frightened Devan made
her. "That was too close Duncan. He's getting too close and if he's not stopped … "
"We will stop him." Duncan took her hand. "I know how much he frightens you … but trust me,
I've been up against tougher than him … and that goes double for Methos."
"That's what he keeps telling me … but Duncan I can't watch Devan kill the man I love again. I
can't."
"And that is why this crazy scheme of Methos' can't happen. You can't get that close." Duncan
stated.
"He doesn't want me there either Duncan." She said to his surprise. "He told me about it
because I wouldn't quit asking and then he said it was too risky and we wouldn't talk about it
again."
"That's a relief." Duncan replied, glad that Methos had come to his senses.
Beth didn't say anymore. She could see that Duncan agreed with Adam and that he wouldn't
understand why she thought that it wasn't impossible to consider.
But she wished that she could talk to him about it. Because there were other things that bothered
her besides the risks … things about watching the people she loved grow older and die … She
hadn't asked Adam about the baby, but she guessed that he would have mentioned if the gift
extended to the child. She felt like she was strong enough to do whatever she had to as long as
Adam was there with her … everything except to deal with the knowledge that she would have to
watch her child not only live … but eventually die. And that was the hardest thing to imagine.
Duncan could see there was something bothering her and guessed that she couldn't talk about it
with Adam.
"Beth … remember when I told you I was a good listener?" he reminded her.
"I don't think you want to hear this." She replied.
"Try me."
----------------
"Adam my arms are so tired." Claudia complained as he insisted she go through a series of what
should have been controlled motions for what seemed like the thousandth time … it had really
only been about twenty.
"No pain no gain." He replied without sympathy, which caused Claudia's eyes to narrow and
although her movement was on the sloppy side, her anger made her cuts stronger.
"Twenty more like that and I think we could call today a minor success." Adam said smugly.
"UUUGGGHHH" she screamed in frustration.
"Claudia do you remember what it was like to see that blade coming at you? Do you remember
how hard the force of his blows felt against that rod you held?" he reminded her. "He was toying
with you. He was arrogant and he wanted to watch you squirm and to terrorize you instead of
getting to the task at hand. If he had tried to kill you immediately … you would be dead. Do you
understand that?"
Claudia nodded reluctantly. "Twenty more." She sighed.
"Watch yourself carefully in that mirror. Think about what you are doing and try to control the
sword instead of letting it's weight and momentum control you."
He stood back and watched as she went through them again and again … and when she was
finishing the fifteenth, he told her that was enough for today.
"I'm pathetic aren't I?" she asked as she stared down at her hands and saw that she had blisters
from holding the sword too tightly. She knew in a matter of minutes they would be gone, but still
…
"If I thought you were pathetic, I wouldn't be here." He replied. "But if you are going to improve,
you are going to have to train hard. This might be a good time to convert a portion of the
basement into a weight room. You would be able to work on your own … and as your arms and
body grow stronger, you will see the difference."
"Why are you doing this?" Claudia asked. "You could barely tolerate me … but now you have
promised to devote all this time to my training. Why?"
"You showed great courage yesterday, and you put yourself between Sanchez and Beth." He
said directly. "I heard the way you encouraged her when you were running down the stairs and I
heard how you tried to separate yourself from her so she could escape … knowing he could still
find you because he could sense your presence."
"So you are doing this because of her?"
"In part yes, but also because MacLeod thinks of you like a daughter. You matter a great deal to
him, and that makes your survival important to me."
The elevator sounded behind them. "Done for the day or is this just a break?" Duncan asked,
thinking that it had been long enough for her first lesson.
"We're done … for the day." Adam replied, putting his arm around Beth and starting for the door.
"Can you see that Claudia arrives home safely?" he asked. "We're going to see Esperanza …
and then dinner."
"Of course. No problem."
"He told you about the manuscripts?" Duncan asked, handing a cup of tea to Beth as they waited
for Adam and Claudia to finish their first training session downstairs at the dojo.
"Last night." She told him. "I asked him about something Cassandra said before she left, and
wouldn't let it go until he told me … and now I'm not sure I should have done that."
Duncan let out a long breath and came to sit on the low table in front of the sofa across from her.
"Did he tell you I am against this?" Duncan asked. "Did he explain to you there are risks?"
"He didn't tell me the two of you had spoken about it, but I guessed since you were the one who
had seen Cassandra in Chicago … you were the one who had asked her the question for him."
Duncan nodded. "And we all know how well that turned out."
"Hearing what Cassandra had to say … I won't lie Duncan, that hurt me and it scared me more.
To tell you the truth, if she hadn't been so blatant in her attempt to hurt him and made me see
red, I am not sure how I would have reacted." She admitted. "And I didn't tell Adam this … but
you were a factor in why I could see past what she was saying … past it and remember who I
know Adam is now."
"And why is that?" Duncan asked.
"Because you are a good man Duncan MacLeod. Joe, Richie, Amanda, Adam … they are all
connected because of you. They are drawn to you because they respect you and they trust you.
And they respect and trust you because you are honorable and have earned it. You don't look to
make enemies for no good reason, and you don't take friendship lightly. You have all the time in
the world, and yet you treat your time with the people who matter like it was gold." She told him.
"You knew about his past … and yet here you are. You see more in him than who he was. You
see the friend that stands in front of you."
Duncan shook his head. "You give me too much credit. When I first learned about The
Horsemen and who Methos was … I tried to sever all ties. But then … he did something. He
made a choice that spoke clearly who he was and where he stood. He set a plan in motion that
destroyed the other three. He chose my friendship and the lives of millions of people over the
men who had been his family … who had been his brothers. Yes he did it in a very unorthodox
Methos-like fashion, but he did it. And he saved Cassandra from them in the process … twice."
Beth was a little surprised by his last sentence, but she didn't really want to think about
Cassandra, so she let it go.
"And that is why when I saw you standing beside him … " Beth replied. "That is why I knew that
as horrible as it all was … I didn't have to be afraid to trust what I felt in my heart. I needed
something to tell my head it was going to be all right, and the concern I saw on your face for a
man you call your friend, knowing all that you know … that was all I needed."
"I'm just glad it didn't destroy what you two have. You're good for him. He needs you." Duncan
told her.
"And I need him … we both do." She said glancing at her lap.
"And how is the little angel doing?" Duncan asked with a smile.
"All things considering … I'd say she's doing great. But I don't think I need to repeat what
happened yesterday anytime soon." She replied, her face showing how frightened Devan made
her. "That was too close Duncan. He's getting too close and if he's not stopped … "
"We will stop him." Duncan took her hand. "I know how much he frightens you … but trust me,
I've been up against tougher than him … and that goes double for Methos."
"That's what he keeps telling me … but Duncan I can't watch Devan kill the man I love again. I
can't."
"And that is why this crazy scheme of Methos' can't happen. You can't get that close." Duncan
stated.
"He doesn't want me there either Duncan." She said to his surprise. "He told me about it
because I wouldn't quit asking and then he said it was too risky and we wouldn't talk about it
again."
"That's a relief." Duncan replied, glad that Methos had come to his senses.
Beth didn't say anymore. She could see that Duncan agreed with Adam and that he wouldn't
understand why she thought that it wasn't impossible to consider.
But she wished that she could talk to him about it. Because there were other things that bothered
her besides the risks … things about watching the people she loved grow older and die … She
hadn't asked Adam about the baby, but she guessed that he would have mentioned if the gift
extended to the child. She felt like she was strong enough to do whatever she had to as long as
Adam was there with her … everything except to deal with the knowledge that she would have to
watch her child not only live … but eventually die. And that was the hardest thing to imagine.
Duncan could see there was something bothering her and guessed that she couldn't talk about it
with Adam.
"Beth … remember when I told you I was a good listener?" he reminded her.
"I don't think you want to hear this." She replied.
"Try me."
----------------
"Adam my arms are so tired." Claudia complained as he insisted she go through a series of what
should have been controlled motions for what seemed like the thousandth time … it had really
only been about twenty.
"No pain no gain." He replied without sympathy, which caused Claudia's eyes to narrow and
although her movement was on the sloppy side, her anger made her cuts stronger.
"Twenty more like that and I think we could call today a minor success." Adam said smugly.
"UUUGGGHHH" she screamed in frustration.
"Claudia do you remember what it was like to see that blade coming at you? Do you remember
how hard the force of his blows felt against that rod you held?" he reminded her. "He was toying
with you. He was arrogant and he wanted to watch you squirm and to terrorize you instead of
getting to the task at hand. If he had tried to kill you immediately … you would be dead. Do you
understand that?"
Claudia nodded reluctantly. "Twenty more." She sighed.
"Watch yourself carefully in that mirror. Think about what you are doing and try to control the
sword instead of letting it's weight and momentum control you."
He stood back and watched as she went through them again and again … and when she was
finishing the fifteenth, he told her that was enough for today.
"I'm pathetic aren't I?" she asked as she stared down at her hands and saw that she had blisters
from holding the sword too tightly. She knew in a matter of minutes they would be gone, but still
…
"If I thought you were pathetic, I wouldn't be here." He replied. "But if you are going to improve,
you are going to have to train hard. This might be a good time to convert a portion of the
basement into a weight room. You would be able to work on your own … and as your arms and
body grow stronger, you will see the difference."
"Why are you doing this?" Claudia asked. "You could barely tolerate me … but now you have
promised to devote all this time to my training. Why?"
"You showed great courage yesterday, and you put yourself between Sanchez and Beth." He
said directly. "I heard the way you encouraged her when you were running down the stairs and I
heard how you tried to separate yourself from her so she could escape … knowing he could still
find you because he could sense your presence."
"So you are doing this because of her?"
"In part yes, but also because MacLeod thinks of you like a daughter. You matter a great deal to
him, and that makes your survival important to me."
The elevator sounded behind them. "Done for the day or is this just a break?" Duncan asked,
thinking that it had been long enough for her first lesson.
"We're done … for the day." Adam replied, putting his arm around Beth and starting for the door.
"Can you see that Claudia arrives home safely?" he asked. "We're going to see Esperanza …
and then dinner."
"Of course. No problem."