CHAPTER 24
On the drive over to The Barn, Duncan had explained to Amanda and the others how he and Rick worked together in Munich to try and undermine the government's hold on the university. "We worked with some of the bravest young people I've ever known. They took tremendous chances for the sake of freedom they had really never known, having grown up under the influence of the Nazi party."
"You sound sad when you speak of them." Amanda replied.
"Aye, it is a sad story indeed." Duncan admitted.
-----------------------------
"God no." Friedrich whispered as he saw armed Gestapo members rushing into the building where Hans and Sophie were distributing the latest White Rose Leaflet.
"Someone must have tipped them off." Duncan replied. "Let's try the back way."
The two immortals stayed low as they ran through the bushes that bordered the main science building of the University of Munich. But they arrived only in time to see Hans, his sister Sophie and another member of the group, Christoph, being led away by armed officers.
Hans lip was split, and one eye was obviously injured, but he managed to nod briefly to his comrades before being shoved into the back of a covered truck. Christoph didn't resist and was allowed to climb in on his own, but when the shorter and obviously upset Sophie stumbled on the stair, it was all Duncan could do to keep Friedrich from rushing forward when they hit her square in the back with a rifle butt.
"Why did you stop me MacLeod?" Friedrich raged after they watched the truck drive away with their friends.
"Because all you would have done was make it worse. The two of us are no match for 7 armed guards." Duncan replied. "They are going to need help, real help. Someone needs to contact their families and we've got to find out where they are being taken so we can arrange a defense."
Friedrich pounded his fist against the wall before turning and acknowledging Duncan was right. He'd never had a friend as close or as loyal as Hans, and it killed him to watch them lead the young man and his sister away for their brave and selfless actss.
"Come on." Duncan told his friend. "I know a car we can borrow. Let's hurry and see if we can follow them."
Duncan's thoughts were interrupted by Joe, pointing out the turnoff to The Barn. He turned the car into the parking lot, and pulled alongside the jaguar Rick and Rayna were just getting out of.
When Chris and her husband realized Duncan and Rick were old friends, she discreetly changed the place cards so they could be at the same table. MacLeod had so many questions for his friend, but any real conversation would have to wait until they couldn't be overheard.
"Has anyone seen our guests of honor?" Joe asked while everyone waited for dinner to be served. It was obvious the staff was waiting till they arrived.
"Well the limousine has been here for at least ten minutes." Richie replied with a chuckle. "Want me to go rap on the windows?"
Claudia gave him a playful whack on the chest as the table agreed that wouldn't be necessary. And then as if on cue, the main door to the club opened to let Adam and Beth inside.
The room burst out in applause and a few of the staff tossed glitter as the two made their way toward their friends and family. There was another round of hugs and well wishes before they could be seated.
"Have trouble finding the door old man?" MacLeod couldn't resist as Adam passed him to pull out Beth's chair. Adam smirked in response and then in a low voice replied. "The temptation not to find it was tremendous."
Duncan understood. He knew these two had been through one wild ride over the past 6 weeks and were ready to simply be together.
The conversation during dinner was light and although Duncan, Methos and the others were curious about Rick and his ties to Garrett, it was a topic they couldn't touch because Rayna was at the table.
Beth wasn't really hungry, so when the music finally began Adam took her hand and led her to the dance floor. "Did I ever tell you that the first time I realized I was falling in love with you was when we were dancing?" she whispered as they moved to the gentle beat.
Adam smiled as he nudged her head against his shoulder. "Interesting, because that's when I knew I loved you, but I was too busy trying to protect myself to let you know."
Beth inhaled the familiar scent of him as she closed her eyes and let him lead her around the dance floor. "I knew." She replied finally.
"You did?" he asked, looking down at the top of her head curiously.
"That's why you got so quiet that night when we first danced, and why you held me like this . keeping me close, but hoping if I couldn't see your eyes I wouldn't guess."
Adam buried his face in her hair. Even then she knew him so well. It hurt to think of what his life would be like if he had succeeded in pushing her away, if he hadn't let himself love again. The song ended, but they didn't stop dancing. He picked up the rhythm of the next selection without losing a step.
"I'm so happy Adam." Beth told him honestly. "I could dance with you like this forever."
Adam chuckled softly. "With all your family and friends around us?"
"They're not here ." she replied. "When you are holding me like this and I close my eyes, there is no one in the world but us."
He closed his eyes and let his chin rest against her temple. He knew exactly what she meant. "We'll have thousands of nights like this. I promise." Adam told her. "This is just the beginning for us."
Beth lifted her head from his shoulder and looked deeply into his eyes. "You've kept every promise you've ever made to me. And I'm holding you to that one above all the rest."
Adam nodded before cupping the back of her head in his hand and kissing her with a passion that showed he had forgotten anyone else was in the room.
Garrett dropped a beat and the bass player turned to look at him questioningly, but all he could see was the scowl the man couldn't hide as he watched the couple.
Amanda didn't miss it either as she and Duncan circled between their friends and the stage. "I don't like that kid." She said in a low voice so no one else could hear. "And I don't like how he is staring at Adam."
"As soon as I can, I'm going to talk to Rick about him." Duncan assured her. "I'm not worried Adam couldn't take him easily, but it would make it hard for Beth to deal with. They've been through enough to be together without her friend's jealousy causing more trouble."
"Do you trust Rick? I mean . how long since you saw him last?"
"It's been almost 60 years." He admitted. "But he's a good man. I've never known anyone so loyal to a friend as Friedrich Shaeffer."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. Duncan was a good judge of character and if he was certain then she could relax.
Across the room, Rayna and Rick were dancing, but the topic of conversation wasn't his last trip or what she'd been doing. Instead, he was more than casually interested in how she was going to be helping her sister with the baby at the Inn. He hid his interest in the desire that he'd like to be spending that time with her himself. She didn't question his motives as she gave him all the details, even down to the bucket of Adam's favorite iced beer the innkeeper was supposed to have in the room waiting.
On the drive over to The Barn, Duncan had explained to Amanda and the others how he and Rick worked together in Munich to try and undermine the government's hold on the university. "We worked with some of the bravest young people I've ever known. They took tremendous chances for the sake of freedom they had really never known, having grown up under the influence of the Nazi party."
"You sound sad when you speak of them." Amanda replied.
"Aye, it is a sad story indeed." Duncan admitted.
-----------------------------
"God no." Friedrich whispered as he saw armed Gestapo members rushing into the building where Hans and Sophie were distributing the latest White Rose Leaflet.
"Someone must have tipped them off." Duncan replied. "Let's try the back way."
The two immortals stayed low as they ran through the bushes that bordered the main science building of the University of Munich. But they arrived only in time to see Hans, his sister Sophie and another member of the group, Christoph, being led away by armed officers.
Hans lip was split, and one eye was obviously injured, but he managed to nod briefly to his comrades before being shoved into the back of a covered truck. Christoph didn't resist and was allowed to climb in on his own, but when the shorter and obviously upset Sophie stumbled on the stair, it was all Duncan could do to keep Friedrich from rushing forward when they hit her square in the back with a rifle butt.
"Why did you stop me MacLeod?" Friedrich raged after they watched the truck drive away with their friends.
"Because all you would have done was make it worse. The two of us are no match for 7 armed guards." Duncan replied. "They are going to need help, real help. Someone needs to contact their families and we've got to find out where they are being taken so we can arrange a defense."
Friedrich pounded his fist against the wall before turning and acknowledging Duncan was right. He'd never had a friend as close or as loyal as Hans, and it killed him to watch them lead the young man and his sister away for their brave and selfless actss.
"Come on." Duncan told his friend. "I know a car we can borrow. Let's hurry and see if we can follow them."
Duncan's thoughts were interrupted by Joe, pointing out the turnoff to The Barn. He turned the car into the parking lot, and pulled alongside the jaguar Rick and Rayna were just getting out of.
When Chris and her husband realized Duncan and Rick were old friends, she discreetly changed the place cards so they could be at the same table. MacLeod had so many questions for his friend, but any real conversation would have to wait until they couldn't be overheard.
"Has anyone seen our guests of honor?" Joe asked while everyone waited for dinner to be served. It was obvious the staff was waiting till they arrived.
"Well the limousine has been here for at least ten minutes." Richie replied with a chuckle. "Want me to go rap on the windows?"
Claudia gave him a playful whack on the chest as the table agreed that wouldn't be necessary. And then as if on cue, the main door to the club opened to let Adam and Beth inside.
The room burst out in applause and a few of the staff tossed glitter as the two made their way toward their friends and family. There was another round of hugs and well wishes before they could be seated.
"Have trouble finding the door old man?" MacLeod couldn't resist as Adam passed him to pull out Beth's chair. Adam smirked in response and then in a low voice replied. "The temptation not to find it was tremendous."
Duncan understood. He knew these two had been through one wild ride over the past 6 weeks and were ready to simply be together.
The conversation during dinner was light and although Duncan, Methos and the others were curious about Rick and his ties to Garrett, it was a topic they couldn't touch because Rayna was at the table.
Beth wasn't really hungry, so when the music finally began Adam took her hand and led her to the dance floor. "Did I ever tell you that the first time I realized I was falling in love with you was when we were dancing?" she whispered as they moved to the gentle beat.
Adam smiled as he nudged her head against his shoulder. "Interesting, because that's when I knew I loved you, but I was too busy trying to protect myself to let you know."
Beth inhaled the familiar scent of him as she closed her eyes and let him lead her around the dance floor. "I knew." She replied finally.
"You did?" he asked, looking down at the top of her head curiously.
"That's why you got so quiet that night when we first danced, and why you held me like this . keeping me close, but hoping if I couldn't see your eyes I wouldn't guess."
Adam buried his face in her hair. Even then she knew him so well. It hurt to think of what his life would be like if he had succeeded in pushing her away, if he hadn't let himself love again. The song ended, but they didn't stop dancing. He picked up the rhythm of the next selection without losing a step.
"I'm so happy Adam." Beth told him honestly. "I could dance with you like this forever."
Adam chuckled softly. "With all your family and friends around us?"
"They're not here ." she replied. "When you are holding me like this and I close my eyes, there is no one in the world but us."
He closed his eyes and let his chin rest against her temple. He knew exactly what she meant. "We'll have thousands of nights like this. I promise." Adam told her. "This is just the beginning for us."
Beth lifted her head from his shoulder and looked deeply into his eyes. "You've kept every promise you've ever made to me. And I'm holding you to that one above all the rest."
Adam nodded before cupping the back of her head in his hand and kissing her with a passion that showed he had forgotten anyone else was in the room.
Garrett dropped a beat and the bass player turned to look at him questioningly, but all he could see was the scowl the man couldn't hide as he watched the couple.
Amanda didn't miss it either as she and Duncan circled between their friends and the stage. "I don't like that kid." She said in a low voice so no one else could hear. "And I don't like how he is staring at Adam."
"As soon as I can, I'm going to talk to Rick about him." Duncan assured her. "I'm not worried Adam couldn't take him easily, but it would make it hard for Beth to deal with. They've been through enough to be together without her friend's jealousy causing more trouble."
"Do you trust Rick? I mean . how long since you saw him last?"
"It's been almost 60 years." He admitted. "But he's a good man. I've never known anyone so loyal to a friend as Friedrich Shaeffer."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. Duncan was a good judge of character and if he was certain then she could relax.
Across the room, Rayna and Rick were dancing, but the topic of conversation wasn't his last trip or what she'd been doing. Instead, he was more than casually interested in how she was going to be helping her sister with the baby at the Inn. He hid his interest in the desire that he'd like to be spending that time with her himself. She didn't question his motives as she gave him all the details, even down to the bucket of Adam's favorite iced beer the innkeeper was supposed to have in the room waiting.