Chapter 36
Robert dropped Duncan outside the Inn before going back to the Bed and Breakfast, Rachel was the only person left in the bar she was clearing up "Duncan.where have you been.you've been gone for hours.we've all been worried" Duncan walked slowly up to the bar "I just need some air.and then I bumped into Robert and we went into Fort William for a drink.where's Dani and Cassandra" he asked as he sat on one of the bar stools. "They went to bed about 2 hours ago.they spent most of the evening in Cassandra's room.do you want something to eat?" Rachel asked as she wiped her wet hands on a towel "no, we had a meal in town" Duncan smiled raising his eyebrows "If you don't mind I think I'll turn in" Duncan said tapping the bar as he slipped off the stool, Rachel's hand came to rest on his arm "are you all right Duncan?" Duncan smiled at her and patted her hand "yeah.I'm fine" he had only walked a few steps when he remembered Methos "Rachel.do you have another room?"
"It must be your lucky day.I had a cancellation this afternoon," Rachel said as she walked over to the register "is it just the one," she asked. Duncan nodded "yeah.just the one.the name is Adam.Adam Pierson" Duncan smiled; he then walked slowly up the stairs.
When Duncan entered the bedroom it was dimly lit by a small bedside lamp, which bathed the room in a dim yellowy light, he dropped his coat onto the chair by the door and walked quietly across the room to the bed. Duncan looked down on the small figure that lay sleeping in the bed, Dani stirred she had felt his presences when he had returned to the Inn but the exhaustion of these last few days kept her asleep. Duncan sat down gently on the bed and took off his shoes, as he put them down neatly on the floor he put his head in his hand, he still hadn't reached a decision whether he should tell her all of what Cassandra had told him, did she really need to know that all her efforts could still mean nothing, that her Immortality could be so short and could he really be the one to take it from her.
He lifted his head and allowed his hands to trace the contours of his face. When he had undressed he slipped between the covers, he lay on his back staring at the ceiling, Dani had felt his warmth and moved closer rapping her arms around his body, she laid her head on his chest and sighed. Duncan lifted his head and kissed her hair, he released his left arm from behind his head and wrapped it protectively around her, and he then reached across with his other hand switching off the lamp.
The next morning
Duncan's hand ran across the sheets but he only found a cold empty space, his eyes shot open. He through back the covers grabbing his trousers he quickly put them on, in his bare feet he walked across the wooden floor to the door. As he ran down the wooden stairs he felt the familiar sensation of the presences of another Immortal as he entered the bar all conversation stop as the attention of the room focused on him. Dani and Cassandra were having breakfast along with a number of other guests and as all their eyes focused in on him Duncan realised that he was stood in a room full of strangers in bare footed and half dressed "Err.there you are" he said as he walked over to where Dani and Cassandra were sitting, trying to be as matter of fact as possible Duncan pulled out one of the free chairs and sat down. Both the women smiled at him "I think you're a little under dressed Duncan" Cassandra said which make Dani snigger. He leant forward "why didn't yea wake me.when I woke to an empty bed.well I thought.well you know what I thought" Dani leaned over and kissed him on the cheek "sorry but you got back so late I thought you should sleep in".
Rachel came over to the table carrying a tray "Do you always dress up for breakfast Duncan?" she asked as she put the tray down. "Very funny" Duncan replied. "Well you've certainly got Mrs Bennett's pulse racing.I've never seen so much colour in her cheeks" Rachel laughed as she place a cooked breakfast in front of Duncan along with a steaming cup of coffee. "I'll just go and change" he said starting to get up but Rachel's hand on his shoulder stopped him "No yea won't.I won't have that breakfast go cold.anyway I think most of the guests are enjoying the view" Duncan sat back down and playfully slapped Rachel's backside as she walked away laughing.
Cassandra put down her cup of coffee "if you don't mind Duncan I want to spend sometime alone with Dani.she need to work somewhere there aren't any distractions" Duncan finished what he was eating "that's fine.I've something I need to do this afternoon anyway.but we can have dinner together tonight" he drank some of his coffee "have you anywhere in mind?"
Cassandra smiled she knew that Duncan might just pass by to check that they were all right "I thought I'd see if my cottage is where I left it.in Donan woods.you remember it don't you Duncan?"
"I think I remember roughly where it was.but if I remember it's not easy to find," he said flashing a smile at Cassandra. She smiled back as she got up "come Dani we have far to go and a lot to do" she walked over to the door picking up a basket that Rachel had left, Dani leant over and kissed Duncan "I'll see you tonight" she said before following Cassandra out into the village.
Duncan was just finishing his breakfast when Rachel joined him "you not going with them today Duncan?"
"No I've got to pick Adam up from the station in Fort William.so do you think I could borrow your car?" Rachel put her hand into the pocket of her jeans and brought out a set of keys, which she laid on the table in front of Duncan "I expect it back in one piece Duncan.I'm curious why didn't you tell them about Adam arriving?" Duncan ran his fingers over his forehead "Well Cassandra and Adam don't exactly get on.they've a lot of history.Adam's coming here because he's found something that he thinks will help Dani, it must be important otherwise he wouldn't have come.so you see the longer I can keep them apart the better". Rachel thought for a moment "but they are both staying here, this Inn isn't very big Duncan, they won't be able to avoid each other here". Duncan raised his eyebrows "I know but at least I can have peace and quiet until they do"
Robert dropped Duncan outside the Inn before going back to the Bed and Breakfast, Rachel was the only person left in the bar she was clearing up "Duncan.where have you been.you've been gone for hours.we've all been worried" Duncan walked slowly up to the bar "I just need some air.and then I bumped into Robert and we went into Fort William for a drink.where's Dani and Cassandra" he asked as he sat on one of the bar stools. "They went to bed about 2 hours ago.they spent most of the evening in Cassandra's room.do you want something to eat?" Rachel asked as she wiped her wet hands on a towel "no, we had a meal in town" Duncan smiled raising his eyebrows "If you don't mind I think I'll turn in" Duncan said tapping the bar as he slipped off the stool, Rachel's hand came to rest on his arm "are you all right Duncan?" Duncan smiled at her and patted her hand "yeah.I'm fine" he had only walked a few steps when he remembered Methos "Rachel.do you have another room?"
"It must be your lucky day.I had a cancellation this afternoon," Rachel said as she walked over to the register "is it just the one," she asked. Duncan nodded "yeah.just the one.the name is Adam.Adam Pierson" Duncan smiled; he then walked slowly up the stairs.
When Duncan entered the bedroom it was dimly lit by a small bedside lamp, which bathed the room in a dim yellowy light, he dropped his coat onto the chair by the door and walked quietly across the room to the bed. Duncan looked down on the small figure that lay sleeping in the bed, Dani stirred she had felt his presences when he had returned to the Inn but the exhaustion of these last few days kept her asleep. Duncan sat down gently on the bed and took off his shoes, as he put them down neatly on the floor he put his head in his hand, he still hadn't reached a decision whether he should tell her all of what Cassandra had told him, did she really need to know that all her efforts could still mean nothing, that her Immortality could be so short and could he really be the one to take it from her.
He lifted his head and allowed his hands to trace the contours of his face. When he had undressed he slipped between the covers, he lay on his back staring at the ceiling, Dani had felt his warmth and moved closer rapping her arms around his body, she laid her head on his chest and sighed. Duncan lifted his head and kissed her hair, he released his left arm from behind his head and wrapped it protectively around her, and he then reached across with his other hand switching off the lamp.
The next morning
Duncan's hand ran across the sheets but he only found a cold empty space, his eyes shot open. He through back the covers grabbing his trousers he quickly put them on, in his bare feet he walked across the wooden floor to the door. As he ran down the wooden stairs he felt the familiar sensation of the presences of another Immortal as he entered the bar all conversation stop as the attention of the room focused on him. Dani and Cassandra were having breakfast along with a number of other guests and as all their eyes focused in on him Duncan realised that he was stood in a room full of strangers in bare footed and half dressed "Err.there you are" he said as he walked over to where Dani and Cassandra were sitting, trying to be as matter of fact as possible Duncan pulled out one of the free chairs and sat down. Both the women smiled at him "I think you're a little under dressed Duncan" Cassandra said which make Dani snigger. He leant forward "why didn't yea wake me.when I woke to an empty bed.well I thought.well you know what I thought" Dani leaned over and kissed him on the cheek "sorry but you got back so late I thought you should sleep in".
Rachel came over to the table carrying a tray "Do you always dress up for breakfast Duncan?" she asked as she put the tray down. "Very funny" Duncan replied. "Well you've certainly got Mrs Bennett's pulse racing.I've never seen so much colour in her cheeks" Rachel laughed as she place a cooked breakfast in front of Duncan along with a steaming cup of coffee. "I'll just go and change" he said starting to get up but Rachel's hand on his shoulder stopped him "No yea won't.I won't have that breakfast go cold.anyway I think most of the guests are enjoying the view" Duncan sat back down and playfully slapped Rachel's backside as she walked away laughing.
Cassandra put down her cup of coffee "if you don't mind Duncan I want to spend sometime alone with Dani.she need to work somewhere there aren't any distractions" Duncan finished what he was eating "that's fine.I've something I need to do this afternoon anyway.but we can have dinner together tonight" he drank some of his coffee "have you anywhere in mind?"
Cassandra smiled she knew that Duncan might just pass by to check that they were all right "I thought I'd see if my cottage is where I left it.in Donan woods.you remember it don't you Duncan?"
"I think I remember roughly where it was.but if I remember it's not easy to find," he said flashing a smile at Cassandra. She smiled back as she got up "come Dani we have far to go and a lot to do" she walked over to the door picking up a basket that Rachel had left, Dani leant over and kissed Duncan "I'll see you tonight" she said before following Cassandra out into the village.
Duncan was just finishing his breakfast when Rachel joined him "you not going with them today Duncan?"
"No I've got to pick Adam up from the station in Fort William.so do you think I could borrow your car?" Rachel put her hand into the pocket of her jeans and brought out a set of keys, which she laid on the table in front of Duncan "I expect it back in one piece Duncan.I'm curious why didn't you tell them about Adam arriving?" Duncan ran his fingers over his forehead "Well Cassandra and Adam don't exactly get on.they've a lot of history.Adam's coming here because he's found something that he thinks will help Dani, it must be important otherwise he wouldn't have come.so you see the longer I can keep them apart the better". Rachel thought for a moment "but they are both staying here, this Inn isn't very big Duncan, they won't be able to avoid each other here". Duncan raised his eyebrows "I know but at least I can have peace and quiet until they do"