CHAPTER 75
After Claudia showered and changed out of her blood stained clothes, she and Joe somehow
managed to set the tree back up on it's stand, and found surprisingly, that many of the ornaments
had not shattered. They did the best they could to replace those that had fallen and then swept
up the glass and loose needles.
The blood stains in the carpet were an impossible task, so they rolled them up and slid them
against the wall beside the piano. At least if the others were successful in rescuing Beth and
Methos, she wouldn't have to see that.
The bullet holes in the wall, refrigerator door and one window, could not be hidden or repaired so
they tried to clear away anything else that had been knocked over or broken before starting a fire
in the grate. Sitting quietly together on the sofa, they stared into the flames and waited for news.
Barkley lay near their feet, his eyes open and alert … he seemed to be waiting as well.
It was already daylight when they heard the sound of a car pulling into the side drive. Claudia
was on her feet and out on the porch in an instant, but it took Joe longer to shuffle behind her.
"Oh thank God." He heard Claudia whisper as she pressed her hand to her heart.
The group that stumbled wearily out of the SUV looked like they had been in a battle zone … and
they had. They were tired and their clothes were torn and bloodstained, but they were all there.
"They did it." Claudia let out an excited cry. "Joe they got them."
Joe stood in the doorway, wiping his eyes. Things looked so bad for them the night before … He
had come so close to losing them all. And now as he watched Richie and Amanda slip out of the
far side of the vehicle, followed by Mac and finally Methos scooping a very exhausted Beth into
his arms and walking slowly through the snow toward the porch steps, he knew that what this
group shared was special.
"Adam I can walk" Beth protested, knowing he was beyond exhaustion himself.
"And what if I like having an excuse to carry you?" he replied, looking down at her sock feet, the
smooth tone of his voice like a caress in itself.
Beth sighed and answered by pressing her cheek against his neck and holding him tighter,
closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of him as they followed the others inside.
'What happened?" Claudia asked as Duncan pulled her into a big hug.
"It's over." He answered, keeping his arm around her after he loosened the embrace. "Methos
sent the bastard to hell where he belongs." He continued, watching as Methos let Beth down so
she could greet a bounding Barkley.
"My good boy. Thank God you are all right." Beth said as Barkley covered her face in wet kisses.
"We're all all right." She added, looking up at the rest of them, still amazed at what they had done
for her … what they risked for her. Barkley rubbed himself against her legs as she stood up and
slipped back under Methos' arm.
Claudia and Joe looked to him, anticipating the story … but Methos was not inclined to recount
any of it at that moment.
"Duncan will have to tell you because until I've had a long, hot shower and at least 10 hours of
sleep I can't even begin to think about it. But suffice it to say that if Cassandra had not become
involved … this ending would not have been a happy one." He finished, looking down into Beth's
face, still amazed at all that had happened.
Without saying a word, he looked toward the stairs and she nodded. They were both exhausted
and all she wanted was to shut everything out for awhile except him.
"A hot bath sounds good to me." Amanda said as she looked down at herself.
"The big bathroom on the third floor is yours." Richie said. "The shower is mine." He let Duncan
know he had dibs on the last open bathroom.
"I don't mean to be a pain here, but will somebody tell me what happened?" Joe was beside
himself with curiosity and all any of them seemed interested in was finding the nearest source of
soap and water.
Duncan put his arm around his friend's shoulder as they went back into the main room. He
explained what had happened between Cassandra and Devan, how Methos had taken her out of
the challenge so he could take his head, and finally about how Beth had decided for herself to
join him in the Quickening.
"Wow." Joe said, leaning back into the sofa as he took it all in. "I wouldn't have minded seeing
that."
"Trust me … you wouldn't have enjoyed it. When the Quickening was over, we all thought it had
killed her. The image of Methos holding her limp body is not one I will soon forget." Duncan
admitted. "But then Cassandra told him how to revive her … and well … it looks like they will
have a century together before time begins to run out."
"I can't believe she was brave enough to go through with it. I mean you said that was a
particularly intense Quickening. She has unusual courage, that is for sure." Joe replied.
"She's going to need it." Duncan said soberly. "As wonderful as this sounds for both of them …
and I am truly happy that they will have this time together, there is always a price. She'll have to
face the death of her friends … her family … "
"Her child." Joe finished, shaking his head as Duncan nodded.
"She realized that. I didn't tell you I knew Methos had discussed this with her. She told me about
it and wanted to know what I thought. Evidently by the time he shared it with her, he realized the
risks were too great and had abandoned the idea. But … she hadn't."
"The temptation of immortality … even if only temporary, would be great." Joe commented.
"I don't think that is why she did it." Duncan replied. "I think she did it for him. I think she did it
because she saw how deeply he loved her and how much he still hurt over the loss of Alexa. I
think she wanted to spare him that pain for as long as she could and to give him the kind of love
his heart has been starving for all these centuries."
"So she chose to spare him what she could … and in exchange she knows she will one day have
to endure witnessing the death of her child." Joe shook his head in continued disbelief. "She's
truly an amazing woman. And I will have to say that I am glad in this instance to be simply a
mortal man."
Duncan raised an eyebrow.
"I won't be there when time does catch up with her. I won't be there to see his heart break into a
million pieces when she is gone." Joe finished.
"I know. I worry about that too. But maybe this time he'll have time to prepare … time to say
goodbye and let go." Duncan replied, knowing that there really was no way to prepare … only to
better learn to accept.
Claudia listened to all of this from the doorway. She knew Duncan was aware of her presence,
but she didn't want to intrude. The story of the rescue and Methos' defeat of Devan had been
amazing enough, but then to hear about the Quickening and the depth of the love Methos and
Beth had for one another touched her soul.
She wondered what that kind of love might feel like. She wondered if she would ever know.
Starting up the stairs, she met Richie on the landing just outside her room.
"I thought you might get some sleep after your shower." She said, not able to keep from yawning
herself.
"I will … but then I remembered the mess downstairs and thought someone should take care of it
…" he replied.
"Joe and I did that while we waited … the tree wasn't really hurt, a few broken ornaments … and
the rugs are a mess. But we rolled them up." She told him, looking down as she remembered
how awful it had all been.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, tipping her chin. "It was all pretty overwhelming for me …
so I can only imagine how it must have been for you."
"I'll be all right now that I know everyone else is all right. It was pretty awful … waiting and not
knowing … wondering what was happening." She replied, opening the door to her room and
staring at the tree that was still lit from the night before.
"I was worried about you." She admitted softly. Richie let out a long breath and moved to stand
behind her, clasping her shoulders in his hands and leaning his head forward to rest against her
hair.
"It's nice having someone worry about me." He said. "Someone besides Joe and Mac that is …"
Turning around, Claudia leaned up to place a kiss on one cheek while she caressed the other
with her hand. "You don't know what it did to me … seeing that man about to take your head. I
think my heart stopped."
His clear blue eyes searched hers. Something had changed … she had changed. She'd never
really let her emotions completely reach her eyes. But there they were, and it was all directed at
him. It would be so easy to let himself get lost in her … to turn a simple kiss into so much more
… to take what she looked so willing to give …
Seeing his hesitation, Claudia pulled him to her and kissed him deeply … passionately … holding
nothing back. Richie's hands slid up and down her back and over her hips, holding her against
him. "I want this." She murmured against his lips. "I want us."
Richie could feel the passion rising between them, and had to force himself to break the kiss. "I
want this too … but …" he led her over to sit on the bed, never letting his arm move from around
her. "We have time Claudia, and I don't think we should rush it. What happened last night let us
both know what we stand to lose … and what we stand to gain. I want you, but I want to do this
right … take it slow … get to know more about you and let you get to know more about me."
He couldn't believe this was him talking. He sounded more like Mac, and the thought would have
made him laugh had the look in her eyes not held him with such intensity.
"You know this isn't me pushing you away right?" he asked when she didn't answer, and her
eyes began to take on a sad hue.
"I don't know Richie … I've never …" Claudia didn't know how to say it.
"And that is why I want to take this slow. I care deeply for you, but you deserve more …"
She was disappointed, but she was also blown away that he would be this concerned about her
and how things would affect her. Running her fingers lightly over his cheek and through his hair,
Claudia let him know that she understood.
"You look so tired … and I know I am." He said, taking her hand and kissing it.
"Please … stay." She replied. "Just hold me."
After Claudia showered and changed out of her blood stained clothes, she and Joe somehow
managed to set the tree back up on it's stand, and found surprisingly, that many of the ornaments
had not shattered. They did the best they could to replace those that had fallen and then swept
up the glass and loose needles.
The blood stains in the carpet were an impossible task, so they rolled them up and slid them
against the wall beside the piano. At least if the others were successful in rescuing Beth and
Methos, she wouldn't have to see that.
The bullet holes in the wall, refrigerator door and one window, could not be hidden or repaired so
they tried to clear away anything else that had been knocked over or broken before starting a fire
in the grate. Sitting quietly together on the sofa, they stared into the flames and waited for news.
Barkley lay near their feet, his eyes open and alert … he seemed to be waiting as well.
It was already daylight when they heard the sound of a car pulling into the side drive. Claudia
was on her feet and out on the porch in an instant, but it took Joe longer to shuffle behind her.
"Oh thank God." He heard Claudia whisper as she pressed her hand to her heart.
The group that stumbled wearily out of the SUV looked like they had been in a battle zone … and
they had. They were tired and their clothes were torn and bloodstained, but they were all there.
"They did it." Claudia let out an excited cry. "Joe they got them."
Joe stood in the doorway, wiping his eyes. Things looked so bad for them the night before … He
had come so close to losing them all. And now as he watched Richie and Amanda slip out of the
far side of the vehicle, followed by Mac and finally Methos scooping a very exhausted Beth into
his arms and walking slowly through the snow toward the porch steps, he knew that what this
group shared was special.
"Adam I can walk" Beth protested, knowing he was beyond exhaustion himself.
"And what if I like having an excuse to carry you?" he replied, looking down at her sock feet, the
smooth tone of his voice like a caress in itself.
Beth sighed and answered by pressing her cheek against his neck and holding him tighter,
closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of him as they followed the others inside.
'What happened?" Claudia asked as Duncan pulled her into a big hug.
"It's over." He answered, keeping his arm around her after he loosened the embrace. "Methos
sent the bastard to hell where he belongs." He continued, watching as Methos let Beth down so
she could greet a bounding Barkley.
"My good boy. Thank God you are all right." Beth said as Barkley covered her face in wet kisses.
"We're all all right." She added, looking up at the rest of them, still amazed at what they had done
for her … what they risked for her. Barkley rubbed himself against her legs as she stood up and
slipped back under Methos' arm.
Claudia and Joe looked to him, anticipating the story … but Methos was not inclined to recount
any of it at that moment.
"Duncan will have to tell you because until I've had a long, hot shower and at least 10 hours of
sleep I can't even begin to think about it. But suffice it to say that if Cassandra had not become
involved … this ending would not have been a happy one." He finished, looking down into Beth's
face, still amazed at all that had happened.
Without saying a word, he looked toward the stairs and she nodded. They were both exhausted
and all she wanted was to shut everything out for awhile except him.
"A hot bath sounds good to me." Amanda said as she looked down at herself.
"The big bathroom on the third floor is yours." Richie said. "The shower is mine." He let Duncan
know he had dibs on the last open bathroom.
"I don't mean to be a pain here, but will somebody tell me what happened?" Joe was beside
himself with curiosity and all any of them seemed interested in was finding the nearest source of
soap and water.
Duncan put his arm around his friend's shoulder as they went back into the main room. He
explained what had happened between Cassandra and Devan, how Methos had taken her out of
the challenge so he could take his head, and finally about how Beth had decided for herself to
join him in the Quickening.
"Wow." Joe said, leaning back into the sofa as he took it all in. "I wouldn't have minded seeing
that."
"Trust me … you wouldn't have enjoyed it. When the Quickening was over, we all thought it had
killed her. The image of Methos holding her limp body is not one I will soon forget." Duncan
admitted. "But then Cassandra told him how to revive her … and well … it looks like they will
have a century together before time begins to run out."
"I can't believe she was brave enough to go through with it. I mean you said that was a
particularly intense Quickening. She has unusual courage, that is for sure." Joe replied.
"She's going to need it." Duncan said soberly. "As wonderful as this sounds for both of them …
and I am truly happy that they will have this time together, there is always a price. She'll have to
face the death of her friends … her family … "
"Her child." Joe finished, shaking his head as Duncan nodded.
"She realized that. I didn't tell you I knew Methos had discussed this with her. She told me about
it and wanted to know what I thought. Evidently by the time he shared it with her, he realized the
risks were too great and had abandoned the idea. But … she hadn't."
"The temptation of immortality … even if only temporary, would be great." Joe commented.
"I don't think that is why she did it." Duncan replied. "I think she did it for him. I think she did it
because she saw how deeply he loved her and how much he still hurt over the loss of Alexa. I
think she wanted to spare him that pain for as long as she could and to give him the kind of love
his heart has been starving for all these centuries."
"So she chose to spare him what she could … and in exchange she knows she will one day have
to endure witnessing the death of her child." Joe shook his head in continued disbelief. "She's
truly an amazing woman. And I will have to say that I am glad in this instance to be simply a
mortal man."
Duncan raised an eyebrow.
"I won't be there when time does catch up with her. I won't be there to see his heart break into a
million pieces when she is gone." Joe finished.
"I know. I worry about that too. But maybe this time he'll have time to prepare … time to say
goodbye and let go." Duncan replied, knowing that there really was no way to prepare … only to
better learn to accept.
Claudia listened to all of this from the doorway. She knew Duncan was aware of her presence,
but she didn't want to intrude. The story of the rescue and Methos' defeat of Devan had been
amazing enough, but then to hear about the Quickening and the depth of the love Methos and
Beth had for one another touched her soul.
She wondered what that kind of love might feel like. She wondered if she would ever know.
Starting up the stairs, she met Richie on the landing just outside her room.
"I thought you might get some sleep after your shower." She said, not able to keep from yawning
herself.
"I will … but then I remembered the mess downstairs and thought someone should take care of it
…" he replied.
"Joe and I did that while we waited … the tree wasn't really hurt, a few broken ornaments … and
the rugs are a mess. But we rolled them up." She told him, looking down as she remembered
how awful it had all been.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, tipping her chin. "It was all pretty overwhelming for me …
so I can only imagine how it must have been for you."
"I'll be all right now that I know everyone else is all right. It was pretty awful … waiting and not
knowing … wondering what was happening." She replied, opening the door to her room and
staring at the tree that was still lit from the night before.
"I was worried about you." She admitted softly. Richie let out a long breath and moved to stand
behind her, clasping her shoulders in his hands and leaning his head forward to rest against her
hair.
"It's nice having someone worry about me." He said. "Someone besides Joe and Mac that is …"
Turning around, Claudia leaned up to place a kiss on one cheek while she caressed the other
with her hand. "You don't know what it did to me … seeing that man about to take your head. I
think my heart stopped."
His clear blue eyes searched hers. Something had changed … she had changed. She'd never
really let her emotions completely reach her eyes. But there they were, and it was all directed at
him. It would be so easy to let himself get lost in her … to turn a simple kiss into so much more
… to take what she looked so willing to give …
Seeing his hesitation, Claudia pulled him to her and kissed him deeply … passionately … holding
nothing back. Richie's hands slid up and down her back and over her hips, holding her against
him. "I want this." She murmured against his lips. "I want us."
Richie could feel the passion rising between them, and had to force himself to break the kiss. "I
want this too … but …" he led her over to sit on the bed, never letting his arm move from around
her. "We have time Claudia, and I don't think we should rush it. What happened last night let us
both know what we stand to lose … and what we stand to gain. I want you, but I want to do this
right … take it slow … get to know more about you and let you get to know more about me."
He couldn't believe this was him talking. He sounded more like Mac, and the thought would have
made him laugh had the look in her eyes not held him with such intensity.
"You know this isn't me pushing you away right?" he asked when she didn't answer, and her
eyes began to take on a sad hue.
"I don't know Richie … I've never …" Claudia didn't know how to say it.
"And that is why I want to take this slow. I care deeply for you, but you deserve more …"
She was disappointed, but she was also blown away that he would be this concerned about her
and how things would affect her. Running her fingers lightly over his cheek and through his hair,
Claudia let him know that she understood.
"You look so tired … and I know I am." He said, taking her hand and kissing it.
"Please … stay." She replied. "Just hold me."