CHAPTER 74
For several long seconds, the room grew eerily quiet. Beth clung to the railing, unable to move
as Methos slowly looked up and locked his eyes on hers. All he could think of was that it was
over and she was safe.
Beth would probably have stayed frozen in that place had a burst of bright light not shaken her.
And then she remembered …
Richie thought she was falling and held tightly to her, but she pushed him away …
"Beth no …" Richie and Amanda yelled together, but Duncan stopped them.
"Let her go." He said, knowing they wouldn't understand … how could they when he didn't?
"She's going to get hurt." Richie protested as he tried to catch her on the stairs, but Duncan
grabbed him, hauling him back.
Methos saw her running toward him just as the Quickening began, and although he knew he
should try and stop her … he couldn't. God help him he couldn't.
Beth almost tripped down the last few stairs as she ran toward the center of the Quickening. She
had almost reached the bright storm that encased Methos when Cassandra stepped into her
path.
"No … let me go." She said, but something in Cassandra's eyes made her stop … made her
notice as the woman pressed a dagger into her hand. And without words she knew Cassandra
had given her something she would need … but she didn't know why …
Turning back toward her goal, Beth looked for him in the midst of the lightening and the fire that
seemed to erupt from the ground, but it was too thick for her to see through. She could feel the
heat from the flame, and thought she'd have to turn back … but then she remembered what he
told her. He told her she would be afraid, but she could not hesitate. It would be all right if she
did not hesitate … and she had no choice but to trust his words.
"Adam!" she yelled as she forgot everything but him, running into the center of the fiery storm.
"What's happening?" Amanda asked Duncan as they moved from the scaffolding to a safer place
near the back of the factory, their eyes not leaving the place they saw Beth run. She could not
believe Duncan had stood by and let her do this. It sickened her to think of what could happen.
"If this works … then they'll have 100 years to be together before age or disease can take her
from him." Duncan replied, looking to Cassandra as she too backed away from the heat of the
quickening.
Richie and Amanda couldn't believe what they heard Duncan say … or what Beth had done. This
was crazy. And they'd never seen a quickening like this, both were glad this time to be on the
outside looking in.
The depth of Devan's evil was hitting the height of the love Methos and Beth shared and the
result was explosive.
Inside the storm, Beth ran headlong into his arms. Methos was both surprised and amazed to
realize she was there. He was trying to focus on her, but the force of the Quickening had already
taken over his body and he feared that now they were in this, he wouldn't be able to tell her what
to do. And even if he could tell her, he wasn't sure how she would accomplish it … because his
sword was lost somewhere in the storm that encircled them.
And then his eyes focused on what she was holding. Concentrating with every fiber of his being,
Methos reached out his hand and ran it over the blade she held, cutting deeply. Beth watched in
horror as the blood ran from his hand and down his outstretched arm. She didn't understand …
not until he looked into her eyes and held his hand out to her. And somehow she knew what to
do. Wincing as she ran the blade along her own palm, Beth dropped the dagger as Methos laced
his fingers with hers, clasping her hand to his. The life blood of his immortality mixing with the life
force of the love she had both for him and for the child she carried.
Wrapping her free arm around his waist, Beth clung to him tightly as the storm raged around
them. The last thing she heard was his heart pounding in his chest, and the last thing she saw
was the blood running down their clasped hands as she felt an electricity run through her body.
And then everything went black.
When the lightening and the fire and the smoke cleared, Duncan and the others rushed to where
they had last seen Methos and Beth. But when they reached them, they froze.
Methos was kneeling on the ground, holding the limp form of the woman he loved. He wept
bitterly as he smoothed the hair from her face, trying to find any sign of life … and finding none.
Amanda and Richie stared in dismay as Duncan tried to examine her, to see for himself if she
was really as dead as she looked. But Methos wouldn't let go of her long enough to allow it.
"What have I done?" he cried as his body racked with sobs. "My darling Beth … what have I
done?"
Amanda slipped her arm through Richie's, leaning into him as the tears fell freely for both of
them. Neither believing what had happened … Devan had been defeated, and yet Beth was still
gone.
Finally after several minutes, Methos became very quiet … and very lucid. He looked up at
Duncan and in a strong, but lifeless voice begged him to take his head. He could not bear
another loss like this and he wanted to pain to end.
Duncan was mortified by what he was seeing and the request his friend was making.
Everyone was in such shock, no one noticed Cassandra moving slowly toward them until she was
standing in front of Methos.
"You lied." He accused. "You hated me so much that you lied, and now she is dead. How could
you do that to her? To her child?"
Cassandra said nothing for a long moment, knowing they all shared his suspicion. And as she
looked into his eyes, she realized she would never extract any revenge that would cut him deeper
than what he was feeling at this moment. And just as Beth had predicted, it gave her no
pleasure, it left her hollow.
Taking a deep breath, Cassandra looked directly into Methos' eyes. "She is not dead."
He didn't believe her, but couldn't help grasping any hope … even from her. He glanced down
into Beth's face and realized that although she wasn't breathing, her skin still bloomed with color.
"Cassandra if this is a trick so help me …" Duncan gritted between his teeth.
"She is not dead. She was merely overcome by the power of the Quickening. She needs air in
her lungs."
Willing to believe anything at this point, Methos carefully laid her flat on the ground and tilted her
head back, breathing quick puffs of air into her mouth. Tilting his head as he worked, Methos
watched as her chest began to rise and fall with the air he provided, and then felt the life rush
back into his body when he realized she was indeed breathing on her own.
Beth's dark eyes opened wide as she gasped for air, and it only took a second for her to realize
that she was staring into the moist, but very clear gray green eyes of the one she loved so dearly.
"Adam?" she whispered before feeling his arms crush her against him.
Amanda felt Duncan slip his arm around her waist and turned to bury her face in his shoulder as
she cried tears of relief. It had been a long and exhausting day for all of them, but the important
thing was that they were all alive, and they were all safe, and Devan could not hurt Beth or any of
them again.
Richie caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to find Jack Reynolds trying to
slip out of the building unnoticed. It only took a few strides for him to grab the man from behind
and throw him up against the cement mixer.
"Please … I didn't want any of this … It was Devan. Please." The man begged for his life like a
child.
"Let him go Richie." Duncan replied, but Richie looked over to Methos and waited for him to nod
his approval before shoving the man out the door.
Looking back down into Beth's eyes, Methos softly brushed away the tears that ran down her
face. Her hair was tangled and matted, her face streaked with dirt and the blood from the blow
Devan had given her, and yet she never looked more beautiful to him than at that moment.
Dampening the corner of his shirt with his tongue, he wiped it all away … not surprised when he
saw that the cut to her lip had healed during the quickening. And then not able to hold back any
longer, he let her pull him to her, covering her lips tenderly with his own.
"Let's go home." She said simply when their kiss was broken.
For several long seconds, the room grew eerily quiet. Beth clung to the railing, unable to move
as Methos slowly looked up and locked his eyes on hers. All he could think of was that it was
over and she was safe.
Beth would probably have stayed frozen in that place had a burst of bright light not shaken her.
And then she remembered …
Richie thought she was falling and held tightly to her, but she pushed him away …
"Beth no …" Richie and Amanda yelled together, but Duncan stopped them.
"Let her go." He said, knowing they wouldn't understand … how could they when he didn't?
"She's going to get hurt." Richie protested as he tried to catch her on the stairs, but Duncan
grabbed him, hauling him back.
Methos saw her running toward him just as the Quickening began, and although he knew he
should try and stop her … he couldn't. God help him he couldn't.
Beth almost tripped down the last few stairs as she ran toward the center of the Quickening. She
had almost reached the bright storm that encased Methos when Cassandra stepped into her
path.
"No … let me go." She said, but something in Cassandra's eyes made her stop … made her
notice as the woman pressed a dagger into her hand. And without words she knew Cassandra
had given her something she would need … but she didn't know why …
Turning back toward her goal, Beth looked for him in the midst of the lightening and the fire that
seemed to erupt from the ground, but it was too thick for her to see through. She could feel the
heat from the flame, and thought she'd have to turn back … but then she remembered what he
told her. He told her she would be afraid, but she could not hesitate. It would be all right if she
did not hesitate … and she had no choice but to trust his words.
"Adam!" she yelled as she forgot everything but him, running into the center of the fiery storm.
"What's happening?" Amanda asked Duncan as they moved from the scaffolding to a safer place
near the back of the factory, their eyes not leaving the place they saw Beth run. She could not
believe Duncan had stood by and let her do this. It sickened her to think of what could happen.
"If this works … then they'll have 100 years to be together before age or disease can take her
from him." Duncan replied, looking to Cassandra as she too backed away from the heat of the
quickening.
Richie and Amanda couldn't believe what they heard Duncan say … or what Beth had done. This
was crazy. And they'd never seen a quickening like this, both were glad this time to be on the
outside looking in.
The depth of Devan's evil was hitting the height of the love Methos and Beth shared and the
result was explosive.
Inside the storm, Beth ran headlong into his arms. Methos was both surprised and amazed to
realize she was there. He was trying to focus on her, but the force of the Quickening had already
taken over his body and he feared that now they were in this, he wouldn't be able to tell her what
to do. And even if he could tell her, he wasn't sure how she would accomplish it … because his
sword was lost somewhere in the storm that encircled them.
And then his eyes focused on what she was holding. Concentrating with every fiber of his being,
Methos reached out his hand and ran it over the blade she held, cutting deeply. Beth watched in
horror as the blood ran from his hand and down his outstretched arm. She didn't understand …
not until he looked into her eyes and held his hand out to her. And somehow she knew what to
do. Wincing as she ran the blade along her own palm, Beth dropped the dagger as Methos laced
his fingers with hers, clasping her hand to his. The life blood of his immortality mixing with the life
force of the love she had both for him and for the child she carried.
Wrapping her free arm around his waist, Beth clung to him tightly as the storm raged around
them. The last thing she heard was his heart pounding in his chest, and the last thing she saw
was the blood running down their clasped hands as she felt an electricity run through her body.
And then everything went black.
When the lightening and the fire and the smoke cleared, Duncan and the others rushed to where
they had last seen Methos and Beth. But when they reached them, they froze.
Methos was kneeling on the ground, holding the limp form of the woman he loved. He wept
bitterly as he smoothed the hair from her face, trying to find any sign of life … and finding none.
Amanda and Richie stared in dismay as Duncan tried to examine her, to see for himself if she
was really as dead as she looked. But Methos wouldn't let go of her long enough to allow it.
"What have I done?" he cried as his body racked with sobs. "My darling Beth … what have I
done?"
Amanda slipped her arm through Richie's, leaning into him as the tears fell freely for both of
them. Neither believing what had happened … Devan had been defeated, and yet Beth was still
gone.
Finally after several minutes, Methos became very quiet … and very lucid. He looked up at
Duncan and in a strong, but lifeless voice begged him to take his head. He could not bear
another loss like this and he wanted to pain to end.
Duncan was mortified by what he was seeing and the request his friend was making.
Everyone was in such shock, no one noticed Cassandra moving slowly toward them until she was
standing in front of Methos.
"You lied." He accused. "You hated me so much that you lied, and now she is dead. How could
you do that to her? To her child?"
Cassandra said nothing for a long moment, knowing they all shared his suspicion. And as she
looked into his eyes, she realized she would never extract any revenge that would cut him deeper
than what he was feeling at this moment. And just as Beth had predicted, it gave her no
pleasure, it left her hollow.
Taking a deep breath, Cassandra looked directly into Methos' eyes. "She is not dead."
He didn't believe her, but couldn't help grasping any hope … even from her. He glanced down
into Beth's face and realized that although she wasn't breathing, her skin still bloomed with color.
"Cassandra if this is a trick so help me …" Duncan gritted between his teeth.
"She is not dead. She was merely overcome by the power of the Quickening. She needs air in
her lungs."
Willing to believe anything at this point, Methos carefully laid her flat on the ground and tilted her
head back, breathing quick puffs of air into her mouth. Tilting his head as he worked, Methos
watched as her chest began to rise and fall with the air he provided, and then felt the life rush
back into his body when he realized she was indeed breathing on her own.
Beth's dark eyes opened wide as she gasped for air, and it only took a second for her to realize
that she was staring into the moist, but very clear gray green eyes of the one she loved so dearly.
"Adam?" she whispered before feeling his arms crush her against him.
Amanda felt Duncan slip his arm around her waist and turned to bury her face in his shoulder as
she cried tears of relief. It had been a long and exhausting day for all of them, but the important
thing was that they were all alive, and they were all safe, and Devan could not hurt Beth or any of
them again.
Richie caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to find Jack Reynolds trying to
slip out of the building unnoticed. It only took a few strides for him to grab the man from behind
and throw him up against the cement mixer.
"Please … I didn't want any of this … It was Devan. Please." The man begged for his life like a
child.
"Let him go Richie." Duncan replied, but Richie looked over to Methos and waited for him to nod
his approval before shoving the man out the door.
Looking back down into Beth's eyes, Methos softly brushed away the tears that ran down her
face. Her hair was tangled and matted, her face streaked with dirt and the blood from the blow
Devan had given her, and yet she never looked more beautiful to him than at that moment.
Dampening the corner of his shirt with his tongue, he wiped it all away … not surprised when he
saw that the cut to her lip had healed during the quickening. And then not able to hold back any
longer, he let her pull him to her, covering her lips tenderly with his own.
"Let's go home." She said simply when their kiss was broken.