Chapter 29
Duncan waited until he was sure that Rachel wasn't coming back, he then turned his horse and slowly descended into the Glen towards the ruined croft. All the while his eyes were focused on the small hunched figure by the door, the hunched figure moved as she sensed his presence. Dani sprang to her feet looking around wildly to find who was approaching, Duncan could just make out her face, under the tangled hair, it was dirty and there were dark rings around her eyes, she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. Duncan then heard her shouting "NO.GO BACK.STAY AWAY.I CAN'T DEAL WITH ANYMORE" he hands clasped to her head. Duncan dismounted letting the horse wander off; it didn't go far just started to graze. Duncan's concern grew as Dani backed away through the doorway of the croft.
Duncan walked slowly forward putting his hands on the cold stone as he walked through the doorway, as he entered the building he could see Dani huddled in the far corner, it seemed that she was trying to embed herself into the stone, to get away from him, her eyes wide and staring but they weren't looking at Duncan just through him. He approached slowly, his voice low and calm "it's all right.I'm not going to hurt you.it's me Duncan.I'm here to help you" as he walked closer he stretched out his arms "YOU CAN'T HELP ME.NO-ONE CAN" came the response.
Duncan stopped and slowly took off his backpack, "calm down.I'm here to help" he said taking out the flask containing the drink that Cassandra had told him would help, but he knew that he needed to get closer for her to drink it. Duncan sat on the ground a few feet away from Dani and talked about their time together, he had just started talking about their trip to the island, when he saw a glimmer of recognition in her eyes, so he inched a little closer talking to her as he moved. Dani blinked her eyes and narrowed them, as if she was suddenly blinded by a bright light "Duncan?"
Duncan used this recognition to sit beside her "yes.it's me.your going to be all right". Taking him by surprise, and almost knocking him over, she fell into his arms, tears flowed from her eyes "Duncan.I can't stop the images.I don't know what is mine anymore" she cried. Duncan held her tightly to him and gently stroked her hair "Ssssh.we will beat this together.but first I want you to do something for me.can you do that?" Dani nodded, Duncan pulled back so he could see her face, his hands pushing her hair away from her face and he then gently wiped away the tears "I have something for you to drink.it will help" Duncan said. Dani nodded her agreement and Duncan undid the flask and poured a cup of brown, strange smelling liquid, handing it to Dani but her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped it, Duncan held the cup to her lips. Dani went to pull away as she smelt it, Duncan took hold of her chin and their eyes met "Trust me.this will help.do you trust me?" he asked, "yes" came the weak reply. Duncan lifted the cup to her lips again and this time Dani closed her eyes and drank, "all of it" Duncan said as Dani tried to pull away. After Dani had drained the cup she sat very still for a moment, her eyes just staring pass into the distance, then suddenly her eyes closed and her body went limp. Duncan dropped the cup and caught hold of her; he settled himself back against the stonewall and cradled Dani in his arms.
The light was fading and the fire had died down to nothing but embers, when Dani's eyes flickered open, she blinked several times before she could focus on Duncan who was smiling down at her "feeling any better?" he asked. Dani sat up looking at him as if she expected him to disappear at any moment. Duncan then got up and went over to the embers of the fire and started to relay it with the wood Dani had put by, he found some dry tinder, lighting it from the embers and placed the lighter wood over the top, with a few gentle blows the fire was alight. "It's too late to start back to the village now.so we'll have to stay here until the morning" he said turning round to her, smiling, "I'm not going to the village Duncan.I can't" Dani pleaded with him, Duncan could hear the fear in her voice. He walked over and knelt down beside her "I know what is happening to you.I can help if you let me.Methos found out all about it and I know someone who can help you.that drink you had.it's to help dull the images.it has, hasn't it?" Dani looked into his eyes searching, she then leant forward touching his face, there were some images but not the flood that had threaten to overwhelm her "is it really over?" she asked.
Duncan wished that he could tell her it was but both Methos and Cassandra had warn him, that it would be a long time before she could control it herself and that's if she ever would. "No.it's not over.it will take time.but we've plenty of that haven't we" Duncan pulled over the blue sleeping bag, that was neatly folded in one of the other corners and the two blankets. He placed the blankets on the ground and opened out the sleeping bag. He then moved his backpack over to be a pillow, first removing the sword and placing it down by his side. "We need to get some rest.we really should leave for the village at dawn" Duncan put a couple more logs onto the fire before settling down on the blankets, he then pulled the sleeping bag over him. He turned to Dani and lifted one side of the sleeping bag "Come here.we'll keep each other warm". Dani hesitated at first because this would mean close contact between them and Duncan could see the fear in her eyes "it's all right.the effects won't wear off before morning.anyway I have more.please Dani it's going to get very cold tonight".
Dani slowly moved over to join him under the sleeping bag; Duncan folded the sleeping bag around her as she laid her head on his chest. It didn't take long before Duncan felt Dani relax in his arms. Duncan lay awake just stroking her hair before he could fight sleep no longer.
Duncan waited until he was sure that Rachel wasn't coming back, he then turned his horse and slowly descended into the Glen towards the ruined croft. All the while his eyes were focused on the small hunched figure by the door, the hunched figure moved as she sensed his presence. Dani sprang to her feet looking around wildly to find who was approaching, Duncan could just make out her face, under the tangled hair, it was dirty and there were dark rings around her eyes, she looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. Duncan then heard her shouting "NO.GO BACK.STAY AWAY.I CAN'T DEAL WITH ANYMORE" he hands clasped to her head. Duncan dismounted letting the horse wander off; it didn't go far just started to graze. Duncan's concern grew as Dani backed away through the doorway of the croft.
Duncan walked slowly forward putting his hands on the cold stone as he walked through the doorway, as he entered the building he could see Dani huddled in the far corner, it seemed that she was trying to embed herself into the stone, to get away from him, her eyes wide and staring but they weren't looking at Duncan just through him. He approached slowly, his voice low and calm "it's all right.I'm not going to hurt you.it's me Duncan.I'm here to help you" as he walked closer he stretched out his arms "YOU CAN'T HELP ME.NO-ONE CAN" came the response.
Duncan stopped and slowly took off his backpack, "calm down.I'm here to help" he said taking out the flask containing the drink that Cassandra had told him would help, but he knew that he needed to get closer for her to drink it. Duncan sat on the ground a few feet away from Dani and talked about their time together, he had just started talking about their trip to the island, when he saw a glimmer of recognition in her eyes, so he inched a little closer talking to her as he moved. Dani blinked her eyes and narrowed them, as if she was suddenly blinded by a bright light "Duncan?"
Duncan used this recognition to sit beside her "yes.it's me.your going to be all right". Taking him by surprise, and almost knocking him over, she fell into his arms, tears flowed from her eyes "Duncan.I can't stop the images.I don't know what is mine anymore" she cried. Duncan held her tightly to him and gently stroked her hair "Ssssh.we will beat this together.but first I want you to do something for me.can you do that?" Dani nodded, Duncan pulled back so he could see her face, his hands pushing her hair away from her face and he then gently wiped away the tears "I have something for you to drink.it will help" Duncan said. Dani nodded her agreement and Duncan undid the flask and poured a cup of brown, strange smelling liquid, handing it to Dani but her hands were shaking so badly that she nearly dropped it, Duncan held the cup to her lips. Dani went to pull away as she smelt it, Duncan took hold of her chin and their eyes met "Trust me.this will help.do you trust me?" he asked, "yes" came the weak reply. Duncan lifted the cup to her lips again and this time Dani closed her eyes and drank, "all of it" Duncan said as Dani tried to pull away. After Dani had drained the cup she sat very still for a moment, her eyes just staring pass into the distance, then suddenly her eyes closed and her body went limp. Duncan dropped the cup and caught hold of her; he settled himself back against the stonewall and cradled Dani in his arms.
The light was fading and the fire had died down to nothing but embers, when Dani's eyes flickered open, she blinked several times before she could focus on Duncan who was smiling down at her "feeling any better?" he asked. Dani sat up looking at him as if she expected him to disappear at any moment. Duncan then got up and went over to the embers of the fire and started to relay it with the wood Dani had put by, he found some dry tinder, lighting it from the embers and placed the lighter wood over the top, with a few gentle blows the fire was alight. "It's too late to start back to the village now.so we'll have to stay here until the morning" he said turning round to her, smiling, "I'm not going to the village Duncan.I can't" Dani pleaded with him, Duncan could hear the fear in her voice. He walked over and knelt down beside her "I know what is happening to you.I can help if you let me.Methos found out all about it and I know someone who can help you.that drink you had.it's to help dull the images.it has, hasn't it?" Dani looked into his eyes searching, she then leant forward touching his face, there were some images but not the flood that had threaten to overwhelm her "is it really over?" she asked.
Duncan wished that he could tell her it was but both Methos and Cassandra had warn him, that it would be a long time before she could control it herself and that's if she ever would. "No.it's not over.it will take time.but we've plenty of that haven't we" Duncan pulled over the blue sleeping bag, that was neatly folded in one of the other corners and the two blankets. He placed the blankets on the ground and opened out the sleeping bag. He then moved his backpack over to be a pillow, first removing the sword and placing it down by his side. "We need to get some rest.we really should leave for the village at dawn" Duncan put a couple more logs onto the fire before settling down on the blankets, he then pulled the sleeping bag over him. He turned to Dani and lifted one side of the sleeping bag "Come here.we'll keep each other warm". Dani hesitated at first because this would mean close contact between them and Duncan could see the fear in her eyes "it's all right.the effects won't wear off before morning.anyway I have more.please Dani it's going to get very cold tonight".
Dani slowly moved over to join him under the sleeping bag; Duncan folded the sleeping bag around her as she laid her head on his chest. It didn't take long before Duncan felt Dani relax in his arms. Duncan lay awake just stroking her hair before he could fight sleep no longer.