Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, the all mighty creator of the Highlander T.V. show does.  But I do own Katie, and the MacDonald family.

Summary: Come on, if you've read this far you should know what's going on.

Reviews: Yes please, any reviews provided would be met with great glee, but positive criticism only.

Author's notes: 1. Immortals can have kids.

                          2. Alexa did not die.

                          3. Methos, and Adam refer to the same person, and are interchangeable.

                          4. ""=Dialogue, and ''=thought

Chapter #4- The Child

The question of how his chronicle got into Katie's hands had been troubling Duncan for three days.  He'd been turning it over, and over in his mind but had only come to one inevitable conclusion: someone in her family was a watcher- his watcher to be exact.  For confirmation he went to see Joe. 

Joe's place:

"…so right before I dropped her off she was looking for her keys.  She dumped everything out on her lap, then once she found the keys she stuffed everything back into her purse.  The panic began as we pulled up in front of her house that she couldn't find a book she had brought with her, I told her that I would keep my eyes open for it and let her know if I found it.  When I got home I looked for it.  It was under my seat.  The book's title: The Chronicles of Duncan McLeod." Mac said. 

"And let me guess, you were wondering if we had any watchers named MacDonald? Let me make some calls," the watcher said limping over to his chair while his friend watched with some concern. 

"It's just this damn weather, one day rain, the next sun, the next rain again, and all the while these legs just keep bothering me" he said by way of explanation. 

"Yes, the name is MacDonald, M-A-C-D-O-N-A-L-D,"  Joe told his contact.  He listened briefly as the clerk looked up the required information.  Five minutes later he hung up the phone.

"Well…" Mac said prompting the watcher.

"Well, we did have a watcher named MacDonald, but he quit, but then I asked Hank to look up your chronicle, and he said it's turned up missing around the time MacDonald quit."  Joe told him, as Duncan rose from his seat across the desk from him and began pacing the floor.

"Do you think he stole it?" Duncan asked.

"I think it's a pretty safe bet, he left the watchers, took your book, and is tracking you why?, and as for the girl, she probably just picked it up, something random to read on a night baby-sitting, she doesn't even know what Daddy did."  Joe reasoned, attempting to reassure his nervous friend.

"That's a good question, one needing an answer, and a likely possibility about Katie."  Duncan responded.

" I have no clue as to why he wants me, or for what,"  Duncan continued straightening slightly as he spotted Methos in the doorway.

"How much have you heard?" Duncan inquired of the old man.

"Enough to know, that I may be of some assistance, Methos responded, strolling into the room.

"So, tell us, Oh wise one, oh great one, why is Andrew MacDonald after Mac?" Joe asked him, a sarcastic tone creeping into his voice.

"Revenge, as for why, let me tell you a little story.  The MacDonald Clan is a highland clan that ruled the Scottish Highlands before the McLeod's, the McLeod's, were family servants actually.  The MacDonald's were childless. So anyway, a woman- she'd be  your great-grandmother, was sent to wait table at a clan gathering to celebrate the wedding of Andrew's younger brother, Andrew- clan chieftain, was sitting alone in his den when Christina walked in, a mug of ale in her hand.  Is anything the matter mi' lord? She asked.  No, nothing at all, Andrew said rising to take the mug from her, and went to lean against the stone fireplace that dominated one wall.  I am old, and childless, Krissy, and my wife still older than me.  I fear we shall never be blessed with the son I so dearly need.  Kristina froze in her tracks near the doorway thinking all the while how dignified, he looked, and how it saddened her to think that he would never know the absolute joy a child would bring. She walked to the fireplace and stood beside him, placing a comforting hand on his back.  He nodded his head to her, grateful, that someone cared.  Suddenly, he kissed her, and she kissed him back.  They both gave in to their passion that night, and a few weeks later Kristina packed her suitcase and left the castle, never to return again.  "  Methos paused then for dramatic effect.

Joe picked up the thread then:

"She was pregnant, she gave birth to a baby girl, and called it Andrea, after her father. It was Andrew MacDonald's firstborn.  She died shortly thereafter, a fall on a cold foggy night, she was walking home from the village and slipped on the ice.  No one knows what happened to the baby."  Duncan was silent all through this, taking it all in.  Finally he broke it:

"Just a theory, but I'm guessing that a McLeod killed the baby, and the MacDonald's then held a grudge, which, carried down through the generations an eye-for-an-eye type of deal, thinking that they should kill a McLeod's firstborn child, right?" Mac theorized, and they think that Mary is my firstborn right?" Mac continued beginning to pace, while thinking of the ramifications.

"I'm sorry to say but you may be right." Joe told his friend, not wanting to see the devastating look on his face.

"What am I going to tell Anne?" asked Duncan worriedly, glancing between both of his friends.

"You're not going to tell Anne anything until we have proof, and I say we wait to worry about that tomorrow, but right now, I need a drink," Methos told his friends leading the way out of the office.

"I do too." Duncan, and Joe responded in unison.

So what do you guys think?

Any reviews will be met with great glee, and I will try and incorporate any criticism into the story.

Send those reviews to: angelsbabe15@hotmail.com

I'll be waiting.