CHAPTER 25
"So why Nashville?" MacLeod asked Rick when they were finally alone at the bar.
"Oh I don't know. I'd spent most of my lives in Europe, a little time in Australia and when the opportunity came up I couldn't think of a good reason not to take it." Rick replied. "And besides, it's not the location of choice for many of our kind so when I'm here, especially in the hot and humid summers, I don't have to worry as much about defending my head."
"Still the practical one." MacLeod laughed as he set down his drink.
"800 years and it's kept me alive so far." Rick told him. "Unless you count the last time we were together when I tried to throw caution to the wind and you stepped in to make sure it didn't cost me everything."
Duncan frowned. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Standing there watching, helpless to interfere."
"You know I've wondered a few times if maybe we could have taken them?" Rick mused as he watched the ice roll in the bottom of his glass.
"I've played it over and over in my mind as well." Duncan admitted. "If it hadn't been for that damn guillotine I wouldn't have thought twice about it."
"Yeah well . "
----------------- "MacLeod if we don't do something now they are going to die." Friedrich told his friend as he prepared to storm the plaza where their friends were already being led to the guillotine.
"Are you mad?" Duncan told him as he grabbed his friend from behind. "Do you not see that if we can't overpower over a dozen guards and get away before more can be called that we will lose our heads?"
"Is the cause of freedom not worth just as much to us as it is to them?" Friedrich argued as he tried to pull himself free of MacLeod's grasp. "Or are you just a coward?"
Duncan bristled at the remark. His friend wasn't thinking clearly. The pressure and stress of the past four days were showing in the deep circles beneath his eyes and the pain in his expression. They could never have imagined Hitler would assemble a court so quickly or that the sentence would be carried out the same afternoon it was handed down. It was all so fast and for the most part, had been kept a secret. Thank God they had been able to contact Hans and Sophie's parents, who had only arrived that morning. If they had not come immediately, they would never have been able to say goodbye to their dear children. It was heart breaking to watch the two holding one another, unable to show any emotion because the soldiers forbade it.
"You can stay here if you want, but I can't simply let this happen." Friedrich pulled away and started toward the line of guards who had their backs to MacLeod and the others who stood helplessly watching as Hans was led up the stairs to the guillotine.
Duncan had no other choice. He hit Friedrich over the head with the butt of a pistol he carried inside his jacket and caught him just as he heard Hans utter his last words.
"Long live freedom." Their friend cried in a loud voice as the blade started to fall.
Duncan knew that he was not a coward, but for a brief instant as he saw the brave way the young man accepted death, he wondered if any sacrifice he ever made could compare to what Hans had just offered so selflessly.
---------------
"I never thanked you for that did I?" Rick asked Duncan as the bartender poured another round.
MacLeod shook his head. "The last thing I wanted to hear from anyone that day was thank you. After what we all saw, anything I did rang hollow in comparison."
"And then I left." Rick recalled, and MacLeod didn't seem to notice that he hadn't thanked him still.
"It's good to see you again." Duncan said, giving his shoulder a rough squeeze as they turned to watch the dance floor.
"I thought about looking you up a few times, even heard you were in Paris for awhile." Rick admitted. "But the timing never seemed right."
"I understand. I know how close you were to Hans. It's hard to get over the death of someone you care about, especially when it is so senseless."
"I know if he'd lived, he would be an old man now." Rick replied. "He should have had that chance."
Duncan could only nod and agree.
The band was just taking a break and the club DJ took over the music to keep the party going.
After almost half a dozen dances, Adam had finally relinquished Beth to allow first Joe and then Richie an opportunity to dance with the bride. Amanda, Claudia and Rayna had each kept him busy, but not too busy to notice when Garrett tapped Richie on the shoulder.
Rick saw Duncan frown.
"Do I need to worry about my young friend?" he asked MacLeod as the two moved closer to the dance floor.
"He hasn't helped himself by purposely trying to provoke first Adam and then Richie."
"I know he isn't happy about your friend marrying the girl he grew up with, but what problem did he have with the other one?"
Duncan told him about the event at the stables, and Rick wasn't pleased. He'd told Garrett not to do anything to provoke MacLeod. It hadn't been a wise thing to do when the real plan was so much bigger.
"I'll speak to him." He promised.
"Is he your student then?" Duncan asked.
"I've helped him some, but to be honest . I'd hoped to find him a permanent teacher. I don't have the patience I once had." Rick replied. "What about you?"
Duncan almost spit out his drink. "Me? I don't think so . I already have Richie, and I'm helping Adam with Claudia Jardine. Besides, I don't think he needs to be in such close proximity to Adam unless he learns to accept this marriage and stop causing problems."
"You and Pierson are close then?"
"I suppose if I had a brother, it would be him." MacLeod replied. "We understand one another even if we don't always agree."
"Now I am intrigued. It sounds as if the two of you have more than a few differences." Rick pumped him for details.
Duncan wasn't about to say anything that would reveal too much about Methos, but he did think it would be a good thing for Rick to know that Adam wouldn't have a problem disposing of unwanted complications.
"Let's just say that if one of us had to be the black sheep, it would be him. And your young friend does not want to cross him. He is not the forgiving type." Duncan replied
Across the room Beth kept a cautious eye on Adam as he danced with her sister.
"Don't tell me you are worried he won't like us sharing a simple dance?" Garrett said when he noticed where his friend's gaze kept falling.
"It's not a problem unless you make it one Garrett." She replied honestly. "If you can be happy for me and try to get along with my husband then there isn't any reason we can't remain friends."
"You know I'm your friend no matter what he thinks don't you?" Garrett said, covering his emotions when he heard her refer to Pierson as her husband.
"Then prove it Garrett. I value your friendship more than you can know, but being my friend means supporting me. Adam hasn't given you any reason to mistrust him. And I love him completely." Beth replied. "I'll protect his feelings the same way he protects me. Which means that you've got to find a way to get past this or be the reason I can't live near my family."
Garrett knew he needed to play along with it and also needed to make her smile and appear at complete ease with him in front of not only Adam but the entire room.
"I can do that." He told her. "I see how happy you are with him and you are right, it wasn't fair of me to judge him before I gave him a chance. Can you forgive me for being a jerk?"
"I've been doing that since we were twelve." Beth replied with a laugh as the two of them hugged.
Garrett kissed her on her cheek and then looking directly at Adam, another one on her hairline before he let go of her. "I love you Lea, how can I say no." he made sure his words were loud enough to be heard. "I'll do what you asked."
Beth let him pull her close as they finished the dance, happy to feel the tension between them fall away . happier still when the dance ended and she looked up to see Adam behind Garrett.
"I think we have a cake to cut." He said, seeing the bright smile on Beth's face and not wanting to spoil anything by letting his anger at Garrett show.
Garrett turned and extended his hand. "I'm sorry if I misjudged you. She means a lot to me and I am afraid my eagerness to protect her got in the way."
Adam raised an eyebrow as he shook hands with the young immortal. Across the room MacLeod and Rick hadn't missed any of what was happening, and both breathed a sigh of at least temporary relief. MacLeod because he thought maybe there could be peace between the two, and Rick because Garrett had succeeded in laying the foundation for the evening's plan.
Everyone gathered round as Adam and Beth cut the three tiered cake. Adam picked up a large bite and pretended to move it toward's Beth's mouth in a way that would leave her covered in icing.
"You wouldn't." she laughed warily, not sure for a second if he would really go through with it.
And at the last second, he didn't. He let her bite half the piece and then popped the rest in his own mouth before getting icing on both of them when he kissed her playfully. Beth wiped the icing from his chin with her fingertips, giggling when he licked them off one at a time.
"I'm sorry, but seeing Methos acting this sugary sweet is giving me a headache." Amanda whispered to Duncan, who knew exactly what she meant. He was definitely doing everything he could to make this night perfect for Beth, even if he wasn't into all of it normally.
Duncan picked a knife up off of one of the tables and began tapping the champagne glass in his hand as the room silenced to hear him.
"I think as the best man, this is my cue to propose a toast to the happy couple." Duncan said loudly as the waiters began filling glasses around the room.
"To my friends." Duncan began as he raised his glass in the direction of Adam and Beth. "May the joy you share today be just the beginning of a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment. May you never forget what is worth remembering and never remember what is best forgotten, and may the best of your past be the worst of your future."
The room raised their glasses and echoed their agreement as Adam nodded his thanks to his friend.
"So why Nashville?" MacLeod asked Rick when they were finally alone at the bar.
"Oh I don't know. I'd spent most of my lives in Europe, a little time in Australia and when the opportunity came up I couldn't think of a good reason not to take it." Rick replied. "And besides, it's not the location of choice for many of our kind so when I'm here, especially in the hot and humid summers, I don't have to worry as much about defending my head."
"Still the practical one." MacLeod laughed as he set down his drink.
"800 years and it's kept me alive so far." Rick told him. "Unless you count the last time we were together when I tried to throw caution to the wind and you stepped in to make sure it didn't cost me everything."
Duncan frowned. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Standing there watching, helpless to interfere."
"You know I've wondered a few times if maybe we could have taken them?" Rick mused as he watched the ice roll in the bottom of his glass.
"I've played it over and over in my mind as well." Duncan admitted. "If it hadn't been for that damn guillotine I wouldn't have thought twice about it."
"Yeah well . "
----------------- "MacLeod if we don't do something now they are going to die." Friedrich told his friend as he prepared to storm the plaza where their friends were already being led to the guillotine.
"Are you mad?" Duncan told him as he grabbed his friend from behind. "Do you not see that if we can't overpower over a dozen guards and get away before more can be called that we will lose our heads?"
"Is the cause of freedom not worth just as much to us as it is to them?" Friedrich argued as he tried to pull himself free of MacLeod's grasp. "Or are you just a coward?"
Duncan bristled at the remark. His friend wasn't thinking clearly. The pressure and stress of the past four days were showing in the deep circles beneath his eyes and the pain in his expression. They could never have imagined Hitler would assemble a court so quickly or that the sentence would be carried out the same afternoon it was handed down. It was all so fast and for the most part, had been kept a secret. Thank God they had been able to contact Hans and Sophie's parents, who had only arrived that morning. If they had not come immediately, they would never have been able to say goodbye to their dear children. It was heart breaking to watch the two holding one another, unable to show any emotion because the soldiers forbade it.
"You can stay here if you want, but I can't simply let this happen." Friedrich pulled away and started toward the line of guards who had their backs to MacLeod and the others who stood helplessly watching as Hans was led up the stairs to the guillotine.
Duncan had no other choice. He hit Friedrich over the head with the butt of a pistol he carried inside his jacket and caught him just as he heard Hans utter his last words.
"Long live freedom." Their friend cried in a loud voice as the blade started to fall.
Duncan knew that he was not a coward, but for a brief instant as he saw the brave way the young man accepted death, he wondered if any sacrifice he ever made could compare to what Hans had just offered so selflessly.
---------------
"I never thanked you for that did I?" Rick asked Duncan as the bartender poured another round.
MacLeod shook his head. "The last thing I wanted to hear from anyone that day was thank you. After what we all saw, anything I did rang hollow in comparison."
"And then I left." Rick recalled, and MacLeod didn't seem to notice that he hadn't thanked him still.
"It's good to see you again." Duncan said, giving his shoulder a rough squeeze as they turned to watch the dance floor.
"I thought about looking you up a few times, even heard you were in Paris for awhile." Rick admitted. "But the timing never seemed right."
"I understand. I know how close you were to Hans. It's hard to get over the death of someone you care about, especially when it is so senseless."
"I know if he'd lived, he would be an old man now." Rick replied. "He should have had that chance."
Duncan could only nod and agree.
The band was just taking a break and the club DJ took over the music to keep the party going.
After almost half a dozen dances, Adam had finally relinquished Beth to allow first Joe and then Richie an opportunity to dance with the bride. Amanda, Claudia and Rayna had each kept him busy, but not too busy to notice when Garrett tapped Richie on the shoulder.
Rick saw Duncan frown.
"Do I need to worry about my young friend?" he asked MacLeod as the two moved closer to the dance floor.
"He hasn't helped himself by purposely trying to provoke first Adam and then Richie."
"I know he isn't happy about your friend marrying the girl he grew up with, but what problem did he have with the other one?"
Duncan told him about the event at the stables, and Rick wasn't pleased. He'd told Garrett not to do anything to provoke MacLeod. It hadn't been a wise thing to do when the real plan was so much bigger.
"I'll speak to him." He promised.
"Is he your student then?" Duncan asked.
"I've helped him some, but to be honest . I'd hoped to find him a permanent teacher. I don't have the patience I once had." Rick replied. "What about you?"
Duncan almost spit out his drink. "Me? I don't think so . I already have Richie, and I'm helping Adam with Claudia Jardine. Besides, I don't think he needs to be in such close proximity to Adam unless he learns to accept this marriage and stop causing problems."
"You and Pierson are close then?"
"I suppose if I had a brother, it would be him." MacLeod replied. "We understand one another even if we don't always agree."
"Now I am intrigued. It sounds as if the two of you have more than a few differences." Rick pumped him for details.
Duncan wasn't about to say anything that would reveal too much about Methos, but he did think it would be a good thing for Rick to know that Adam wouldn't have a problem disposing of unwanted complications.
"Let's just say that if one of us had to be the black sheep, it would be him. And your young friend does not want to cross him. He is not the forgiving type." Duncan replied
Across the room Beth kept a cautious eye on Adam as he danced with her sister.
"Don't tell me you are worried he won't like us sharing a simple dance?" Garrett said when he noticed where his friend's gaze kept falling.
"It's not a problem unless you make it one Garrett." She replied honestly. "If you can be happy for me and try to get along with my husband then there isn't any reason we can't remain friends."
"You know I'm your friend no matter what he thinks don't you?" Garrett said, covering his emotions when he heard her refer to Pierson as her husband.
"Then prove it Garrett. I value your friendship more than you can know, but being my friend means supporting me. Adam hasn't given you any reason to mistrust him. And I love him completely." Beth replied. "I'll protect his feelings the same way he protects me. Which means that you've got to find a way to get past this or be the reason I can't live near my family."
Garrett knew he needed to play along with it and also needed to make her smile and appear at complete ease with him in front of not only Adam but the entire room.
"I can do that." He told her. "I see how happy you are with him and you are right, it wasn't fair of me to judge him before I gave him a chance. Can you forgive me for being a jerk?"
"I've been doing that since we were twelve." Beth replied with a laugh as the two of them hugged.
Garrett kissed her on her cheek and then looking directly at Adam, another one on her hairline before he let go of her. "I love you Lea, how can I say no." he made sure his words were loud enough to be heard. "I'll do what you asked."
Beth let him pull her close as they finished the dance, happy to feel the tension between them fall away . happier still when the dance ended and she looked up to see Adam behind Garrett.
"I think we have a cake to cut." He said, seeing the bright smile on Beth's face and not wanting to spoil anything by letting his anger at Garrett show.
Garrett turned and extended his hand. "I'm sorry if I misjudged you. She means a lot to me and I am afraid my eagerness to protect her got in the way."
Adam raised an eyebrow as he shook hands with the young immortal. Across the room MacLeod and Rick hadn't missed any of what was happening, and both breathed a sigh of at least temporary relief. MacLeod because he thought maybe there could be peace between the two, and Rick because Garrett had succeeded in laying the foundation for the evening's plan.
Everyone gathered round as Adam and Beth cut the three tiered cake. Adam picked up a large bite and pretended to move it toward's Beth's mouth in a way that would leave her covered in icing.
"You wouldn't." she laughed warily, not sure for a second if he would really go through with it.
And at the last second, he didn't. He let her bite half the piece and then popped the rest in his own mouth before getting icing on both of them when he kissed her playfully. Beth wiped the icing from his chin with her fingertips, giggling when he licked them off one at a time.
"I'm sorry, but seeing Methos acting this sugary sweet is giving me a headache." Amanda whispered to Duncan, who knew exactly what she meant. He was definitely doing everything he could to make this night perfect for Beth, even if he wasn't into all of it normally.
Duncan picked a knife up off of one of the tables and began tapping the champagne glass in his hand as the room silenced to hear him.
"I think as the best man, this is my cue to propose a toast to the happy couple." Duncan said loudly as the waiters began filling glasses around the room.
"To my friends." Duncan began as he raised his glass in the direction of Adam and Beth. "May the joy you share today be just the beginning of a lifetime of happiness and fulfillment. May you never forget what is worth remembering and never remember what is best forgotten, and may the best of your past be the worst of your future."
The room raised their glasses and echoed their agreement as Adam nodded his thanks to his friend.