To my kind reviewers, I fixed the birthdate and some stuff in prev chap-thanx…

            Buffy and Duncan had been working together for about a week and had surprisingly good results. There were 3 girls that were Slayers in the area and Buffy and Duncan had persuaded them to join the dojo under the pretense of a scholarship. When they were discovered Buffy had one on ones with each girl and explained what had happened to them. When they expressed disbelief Buffy had taken them patrolling and convinced them. Vamps trying to bite you were pretty convincing.

            One morning Buffy had come in and happened upon Mac practicing with his sword, slow deliberate movements, almost like a dance. She stood there and enjoyed the grace he showed, and when he had finished and bowed she clapped.

            Mac's eyes danced, "Why thank you Fair Lady."

            "Wanna dance?" She asked sassily and he raised an eyebrow. "Are you challenging me?"

            "You bet, I need a proper work out." Buffy said, pulling out her sword and swirling it expertly, forcibly reminding Duncan that the she had killed Randall.

            Richie had come in at the end of this conversation and laughed, "Good Luck Buffy." He smiled and sat down to enjoy the show. Mac was so going to kick her excellent ass.

            They stood, formally saluted, then Buffy was on top of him in a second. Swords clashed and the two danced away, Mac with respect for her speed.

            "You're very fast." He said and she laughed. "I'll bet you say that to all of the girls." And took a slice of his workout shirt. She danced back and he fingered the hole, "That's going to cost ye lass." His Scot's accent became very strong, and they came together again, steel striking steel. Duncan was hard pressed to repel her advances and the one time he thought he had her, she had jumped over his head in a graceful aerial display and landed at his back, spanking him on his ass with the flat of her blade. He spun and acknowledged her skill with a nod, when he thrust and sliced open her upper arm.

            "Ow!" Buffy complained and stepped back to look at the injury.

            "I'm sorry Buffy." He said contritely and she looked up in confusion, "For what? You won, this is first blood." She frowned and wiped off the blood to check how deep it was and he came to check on it. "It'll heal in a couple of hours, though I am bleeding all over your mats." She joked and he smiled, "Let me bandage it." They both walked by the open mouthed Richie. "I'm going to look outside to see if hell has frozen over." He muttered and stood.

            Mac and Buffy periodically challenged each other for the fun of it, and that, more often than not, ended in a draw. It was an eye opening experience for them both, and they found their skills improved as well as their friendship.

            Buffy had the dojo to herself early this morning and she was luxuriating in the ability to crank the radio. She had already warmed up and was working out using a wooden staff, with her eyes shut. She roughly knew the dimensions of the room and would continue a pattern until the staff touched a wall, then she would turn and start again.

            Methos had arrived in town to see Duncan and Richie. Realizing that Richie was probably at school, he had driven directly to the dojo. Getting out of his car he took a deep breath of the salty air and smiled. He really loved the ocean, it was a nice change from the heavy smell of traffic in London.

            Walking inside he was about to call out for Duncan when he heard the radio cranked to his favorite song by Queen and realized no one could have heard a bomb go off. His curiosity led him to the practice room where he stood and watched a young woman practicing with a wooden staff. With her eyes closed! He was impressed as he watched. For one so young she was very very good. He slid off his loafers and walked onto the mats to stand in her path.

            Buffy was concentrating so intently that she wasn't aware of the new, stronger buzz in the back of her skull until she smelled a man's cologne. She smiled and continued to practice, her senses sharpening as she came closer. Her staff stopped and she could feel it barely touching the man.

            "You're not Mac and you're not Richie." She remarked.  Her eyes popped open to see the man in her path. 'Wow.' She thought privately. He was indeed something to look at. He had short black hair, slightly windswept and bright hazel eyes framed by high cheekbones and a strong nose. He was tall, broad shouldered with a tight fitting t-shirt of dark blue that molded the muscles of his chest. His arms were folded across his chest and his eyes shone with amusement.

            Methos watched as she looked him over thoroughly and he returned the favor. She was short, about 5'3" but positively exuded power. Her long sunny blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her face was quite beautiful, with very expressive blue eyes. She was wearing a tight tank top and tight shorts and her skin gleamed from her exercise. His heart gave an alarming thump at her slow smile and he couldn't help but smile back.

            Duncan had felt the buzz of an immortal and walked out of his office, turning down the radio just in time to see Buffy and Methos almost visibly connect. 'Damn' Duncan thought wryly as he watched the oldest immortal fall for the Slayer.

            "I'm Adam Pierson, a friend of Duncan's." Methos said and Buffy nodded, "I'm Buffy Summers, nice to meet you Adam." She stepped back to give her rampaging hormones a break and turned to replace the staff back on the wall.

            Adam admired her shapely backside and suddenly was aware of Duncan.

            "Duncan! How are you Highlander?" Methos walked over and the men gave each other a bear hug.

            "Everything is well, how was London?" Duncan asked and Methos made a face, "My home is being remodeled slightly, some of the stones were becoming loose and there was a flood in several of the rooms. Otherwise it was fine." Duncan looked over at Buffy who was watching them with interest.

            "I see you've met Buffy." Duncan said and he watched Methos eyes move unerringly to the Slayer.

 "Indeed."  He watched as she sashayed over to Duncan and bowed.

"I challenge you to a duel, Duncan McLeod of the Clan McLeod."

            Mac smiled widely and bowed in return. "I accept. But please, please, let me get you a better sword." He asked.

            Buffy turned her sword over and frowned at it, "What's the matter with it? It slices, it dices, it juliennes."  Methos chuckled.

            "Buffy." Mac said sadly, "It's ugly."

            "What? That's all? I can beat you with it, that's what matters." She sassed and he smiled.

            Methos watched in shock as Buffy and Duncan fought to a draw, and clapped for them both. "Remind me to practice to keep up." He said and Duncan clapped him on the back, "Not to worry, I've always been better than you." He laughed and Methos sighed and rolled his eyes.

Duncan smiled and decided to have a little fun, "Buffy. I'm having a welcome back dinner for M…Adam here and was wondering if you were free Friday? About 8 ish?" he asked and watched as Methos looked at him sharply. Duncan never made a mistake with his name before and he wondered what was going on.

            Buffy nodded slowly, her eyes on Adam. "I'd love to. Is there something I should bring?" she asked and Duncan smiled, "Well if you want to drink that disgusting soft drink bring some of that, and maybe a case of beer?"

            "Samuel Adams?" she asked and Methos nodded, "That would be grand." Buffy nodded, "See you Friday then."  Smiling at the men she went into the locker rooms to change.

            Every day Methos accompanied Duncan to the dojo under the pretense of helping Duncan, but in reality watching Buffy train with her 'girrls' as Duncan called them. Richie poked light fun at Duncan's Scottish accent, 'Dooncan's girrrls' is what he called them and made Buffy giggle.

            From Duncan's point of view the dinner party was a success. He didn't have to cook. When he had started digging through his refrigerator and muttered the words 'haggis', and 'onions', Methos and Richie had kicked him out of the kitchen. He smiled and gracefully bowed out of the preparation and tidied up the loft, then lit some candles. He went in and changed into a dark blue henley and tied his hair back.

            Methos had changed into a blue silk shirt that he left untucked. He and Richie were making spaghetti sauce from scratch.

            The door downstairs banged open and Buffy's voice hollered up the stairs, "Yo Mac, give me a hand!" she called and Methos visibly jumped. Richie eyed him with interest. "So, you've met Buffy?" he asked casually, giving the pot on the stove an unnecessary stir. Richie's sense of humor was tickled by the way the ancient man colored.

            "Um yes. I met her Monday at the dojo." He muttered, concentrating on chopping up the porcini mushrooms on the cutting board. Richie leaned back against the countertop and crossed his arms, "She's a hottie isn't she?" He said blandly.

            Methos eyes shot up to Richie's and he noticed the unholy glee in them.

            "Yes Richie, she's very attractive. Do you have those shallots ready?" he asked repressively and heard a feminine laugh behind him.

            "You're not so bad yourself." Buffy said, amusement in her voice as she carried in a case of beer in each hand. Richie leaped to help her but Methos could only stare.

            Buffy had pulled back the sides of her hair and curled the rest. She had tight leather pants, leather boots and an ice blue stretchy blouse with ruffles at the end of the ¾ length sleeves. To Methos she looked good enough to eat.

            Buffy smiled and watched Adam stare at her as if he had lost brain cells, it did a lot for her self esteem.

            "Hello Adam." She smiled and felt the attraction heat up as he met her eyes. Duncan rolled his eyes at Richie who was pretending to fan himself in reaction.

            "Hello Buffy, you look lovely." He looked at the knife in his hand in confusion and Buffy took pity on him. She walked over and looked at the cutting board, "Mushrooms. What are you making?" she asked and Richie answered, "Spaghetti and all of the trimmings."

            "Yum. Spaghetti's good. What kind, Chef-boyardee?" she joked and Richie laughed, "Barbarian." Buffy smiled at Methos who was concentrating on the mushrooms as if his life depended on it. She took one of the beers and opened it, placing it by the cutting board. His eyes shot up to hers and he gave her a sexy smile, "Thanks."

            The meal was excellent and Methos was finally himself, telling funny stories about Duncan and Richie and making Buffy laugh. At almost 10:00 Buffy looked her watch and groaned. "Sorry fellas, I need to go patrol." She said regretfully. Richie stood up quickly, glancing at Duncan. "Can I come with?" he asked and Buffy nodded, "Yeah, it will be nice not to have to talk to a teenage girl for a change." Methos watched in puzzlement as she and Richie got ready to go.

            "Welcome to town Adam." She said and crossed to Duncan and gave him a kiss. "Thanks for the invite and the fab meal. See you mañana." Buffy and Richie clattered down the stairs and Methos turned to Duncan, "What in the bloody hell was that?" he asked Duncan who smirked.

            "Well, if you want to leave the dishes a bit, we can follow and see." Duncan replied.

            "I'm not doing the dishes without more beer." Methos complained.