Richie tried to glare or make some kind of an angry face, but he was too relieved and embarrassed not to relax and chuckle.

"You son of a - - -"

"Ah, ah, ah!" the man interrupted. "I'm one enemy you don't want to make."

"Hi, Adam," Rylan said appearing behind Richie.

"Ah, the beer wench." Adam greeted her stepping into the house and closing the door.

"Ah, ha! You're funny," she scoffed. "You want a beer, you get it yourself."

"Very well, then. I guess we won't be needing your services." He hooked his arm around Richie's neck and led him to the kitchen. "I understand Thursday's the big day." He popped the tops of a couple of beers and handed Richie one.

"You say that like it's a good thing."

"My, my. Gotten used to the spotlight have we?"

"Yes, we have. And we like it." Richie retorted bitterly.

Adam laughed into his beer. " 'Hello world, here I am.' That's not a very good frame of mind for an immortal. Maybe you should try something more along the lines of, 'Just passing through.' "

"Aw, come on, you sound just like Mac. Where's the harm in one more tour, just a couple more years having fun while I can? It's not like I have much time left with this anyway. The music business it thickle, for all I know this time next year my career could be over."

"So why deal with the failure?"

"Because music is what I do, it's what I've always done. I want to do it while I can."

"Sounds reasonable enough." Adam commented.

"So you agree with me?" Richie asked excitedly. He knew Rylan and Tessa did, but having another immortal backing him up might be what made Duncan change his mind.

"I see where you're coming from," Adam corrected. "I also see where MacLeod is coming from. And don't even ask, I'm not getting involved. This is between you and him."

"But- - "

"You and him," he repeated firmly. "My opinions have their place, and this is not it. I'm sure the beer wench will argue on your behalf."

Richie rolled his eyes; he hated it when he called Rylan that. "Me and him, my butt. As far as he's concerned we're back to square one: he makes all the decisions and I tag along like some kind of lost puppy or something."

"Have you ever tried talking to him? As stubborn as MacLeod is, he's a reasonable man. Explain to him what you just explained to me."

"Are we talking about the same MacLeod here?" Richie put his beer down. "He doesn't listen to me. He never has, and probably never will. But if you talk to him. . ."

"No. I'm not getting involved. And he doesn't listen to me, anyway."

"Sure he will, Adam. At least- - -"

"If he had listened to me you wouldn't be in this mess." Adam interrupted.

"What?"

"When you first started this whole music thing I told him to stop you, because something like this could happen. But he didn't listen to me. He made up his mind to support you and let you go on with it. And look what that got him, an angry spoiled kid who wants what he wants when he wants it."

"Hey! I'm just trying to- - -"

"Shh." Adam interrupted putting his hand up.

Richie's eyes narrowed. "What is. . ." He cut off as a swell of energy washed over him.

"You expecting someone?" Adam asked moving toward the front door.

"Mac," Richie answered following him.

"Can't be. I just talked to him, Tessa's flight was delayed."

Richie looked out the window. "There's nobody there. . .well, somebody's there but I don't see them."

"I hate playing games," Adam mumbled opening the door. "Stay," he ordered over his shoulder.

Richie closed the door and leaned against it. "Like I said, a lost puppy." He heard the back door open. "Adam?" he called out tentatively, realizing he had left his sword in the kitchen.

"Richie?" a voice answered.

"Connor?"

"And Amanda," a female voice added.

"And Joe," added a third.

Richie sighed and went back into the kitchen and found Joe, Amanda, Connor and Adam waiting for him.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hello," Amanda gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You look a little pale," she commented.

Richie smiled and ran his fingers through his hair. "You guys scared me a little, that's all. I wasn't expecting everyone to just show up. Next time call or something."

"Adam, was supposed to tell you," Joe said throwing a glare at the ancient immortal before giving Richie a hug.

"It must have slipped my mind," Adam answered with an innocent smirk.

Amanda giggled, "Adam, how mean. Tell me you at least called before you arrived."

Adam chuckled, "Now why didn't I think of that?" he said as the phone began to ring.

Richie reached for it, but the ringing stopped before he could answer. A few seconds later they heard Rylan thundering down the stairs.

"Hey, Rich, Duncan want to. . ." she trailed off as she rounded the corner and was greeted by a kitchen full of immortals and Joe. "Hey," she greeted them in surprise. "uh, here, it's Duncan." She handed the cordless phone to Richie. "Geeze, you leave two immortals alone for too long and they begin to multiply," she mumbled to herself going to the refrigerator.

"Hey wench," she turned to face Adam, who shook his empty beer bottle at her.

"Any one else?" she asked. No one accepted. She pulled out two beers and handed one to Adam. "I'm going to have to start charging you." She sat next to Connor at the table.

"Why does he call you wench?" he asked.

"Because," Richie answered for her hanging up the phone, "Two years ago, on Halloween she found this peasant costume and made the mistake of helping Joe out for a couple of minutes because he's waitress was late. Adam's called her 'the beer wench' ever since."

"It reminded me of the good old days," Adam shrugged.

"How can you let him get away with that?" Amanda asked her. "Stand up for yourself."

"Don't worry, I'm plotting my revenge. What did Duncan want?" She asked Richie changing the subject.

"He was wondering about dinner. I told him I was planning on making pot- stickers and some other stuff, but since everyone showed up. . ." Everyone in the kitchen, excluding Adam who was happily downing his beer, looked expectantly at Richie.

"But what?" Rylan asked.

"Well, there's not enough for eight. I'd have to go to the store, and who knows how long that will take. Then by the time I got back. . ."

"I'll go, just tell me what you need. I've been eating way too much of Tessa's cooking." Rylan got up and searched for paper and pen. Richie rattled off a list and she wrote it all down. "Okay, let me get my keys and I'll be back in twenty minutes."

"I'll go with you," Amanda offered. "Adam too."

"Adam, too?" Adam repeated suddenly drawn into the conversation.

"You need any help?" Joe offered Richie.

"Uh, not now. What's everybody so excited about?"

"I don't know about them, but I think it's about time we had some decent food around here." Joe explained.

"Oh, okay." Richie blushed at the complement.