Things soon changed for the antique family.  Chloe was becoming more interested in boys and spent more time on the phone.  Duncan had to set a phone limit so that she wasn't always taking up the time for people other then her friends to call the store.  Duncan became more involved with immortal business and found himself running out of the house more often.  Chloe didn't understand what her father was doing and the one thing that has crossed her mind was that her father had been cheating on her mother.  Richie knew that Chloe worried about her father, but he told her that there wasn't anything to worry about.  That did not persuade her to think differently and it also made her hate Richie more. 

            One night right before dinner Chloe noticed her mother and Richie talking in the kitchen and they both looked like they were scared about something and that scared Chloe.  She knew that they were talking about her.  Duncan called twenty minutes ago saying that he'd be home in time for dinner and to wait for him.  Chloe sat by the door with the phone in her hand hoping that he'd call to say he got stuck in traffic. 

            "Chloe way don't you and Richie go ahead and eat," said Tessa taking the phone

            "Mom where is he?"

            "I'm not sure sweetheart I'm sure that he's fine.  Go ahead and eat with Richie I'll wait for him."

            "Mom something is wrong isn't it?"

            "No sweetheart nothing is wrong." said Tessa knowing that Chloe read her all too well.  She swore that she'd not let her find out about immortals until she was much older.  The more normal of a life she lived the less likely she was to be endangered.

            "Tessa?" said Richie standing next to him

            "Richie go eat.  I'll wait for Mac to come home."

            "I'm sure that he's fine.  He probably just needs to take care of some business."

            "I know he's alright."

            The hours passed and still no Duncan.  Tessa started to call the police to see if maybe he'd been picked up.  Chloe now wanted to know the truth of what was going on. Richie though refused to tell her anything, but what he'd been telling her for the past three hours.  Tessa was just about to go look for Duncan when he walked through the door.  She grabbed him and Chloe ran over to him wrapping her arms around him.  Duncan looked and smelled like the river.  They didn't care as long as he was alright

            "Dad, what happened you stink and you are all wet?"

            "I went for a swim.  Tessa I'm sorry."

            "Why don't you go change and we'll eat.  Chloe and Richie have already eaten." said Tessa

            "Hey Richie, thanks for holding down the fort for me."

            "No problem Mac."

            Duncan went with Tessa into the bedroom.  Chloe followed trying to hear from outside the doors, but Duncan yelled at her to go finish her homework.   She gave Richie one evil look.  She had no idea that he wanted her to know that they were only trying to help keep her alive.  Her whole family had been keeping a secret from her for too long and it was about time someone told her what the heck was going on.  They were always walking on tip toes around her.  Tessa wouldn't even let her answer the door anymore.

            "Duncan what happened to you?"

            "An immortal came looking for me or rather he's goons.   They tried to kidnap me and I managed to get away by jumping into the river."

            "Chloe is scared Duncan she thought that you'd really weren't coming back this time.  We need to tell her something."

            "I'm not telling her the truth this time.  I have a feeling that this isn't going to be the last time that we see him and I have a feeling that Richie and Chloe are the next targets."

            "Maybe I should take them to the cabin."

            "No then they will know that something is going on.  The last thing that I need is for my daughter to think that I'm abandoning her.  What did you tell her?"

            "The only thing that I could that you were coming back home and were probably just stuck somewhere without a phone." 

            "I'll go talk to her.  We need to keep an eye on her."

            "Duncan I don't think that we should take her out of school.  The last time we did that it drove her nuts sitting in the house all day"

            "I know that's why I'm sending Richie to keep an eye on her when she's there," he said walking out to the other room.  Chloe sat in the living room staring off into space.  Richie was in his room strumming on his guitar.  Duncan went and sat down next to Chloe.  Chloe didn't even move or look at him.  He knew that she was upset that she wasn't being told the whole truth about what had been happening.

            "Chloe, can we talk for a minute?"

            "Why so that you can lie to me some more about what it is that you are doing when you walk out that door?" she said bitterly which Duncan understood, but it hurt to hear her talk to him like that.

            "Chloe what is going on is not something that…"

            "I need to know.  I'm just so sick of having people telling me that you are alright and that there isn't anything to worry about.  I'm not stupid you know.  I can tell that there is something wrong and I think that if Richie knows that I should have the right to know too."

            "Chloe…."

            "You aren't going to tell me are you?  That's fine.  Just leave me out of everything.  I can just pretend that this really isn't my family, because apparently the way that I feel doesn't really matter. I'm not some little kid anymore.  You can't hide me from this anymore I deserve to know that you are coming back every time that you walk out that door." said Chloe

            "Chloe I'm doing this for your own protection I don't want to see you get hurt."

            "Dad, it's too late for that though.  You've been hiding something form me for years.  What makes it worse is that Richie's know the whole time and I'm being kept out of the picture completely.  I'm your daughter and I think I should know this before you go and tell some kid that you find off the street and decide to bring into the house and completely change our lives!" Chloe said storming out of the room

            "Chloe come back here.  Chloe Anne don't walk away from me."

            "Then tell me what is going on?  What is it that you are involved in?  Are you some secrete spy for the government?  Are you some undercover cop, the F.B.I., the C.I.A? Just tell me why mom gets that look on her face when you walk out that door late at night."

            "Chloe, I can't because it's for your own good.  The less you know the easier it is to keep you safe."

            "I don't want to be safe though. I want to know that you are safe.  I'm so sick of being kept in the dark."

            "Chloe, I'm not going to go into this any farther tonight." said Duncan

            "Fine," said Chloe walking out and going to her room

            Tessa walked out to the room.  She knew that Duncan was doing the right thing, but she wondered if maybe he was doing it more for his own good. 

            "Tessa I want to tell her I do, but I don't want her to get involved in this.  I know that she takes after me and the second she knows is the day she wants to learn how to use a sword and she's going to want to go with me to places.  I can't put her through all of that."

            "Duncan, then don't tell her.  She might be angry with you, but when she really does find out she'll thank you."

            "Yeah, but she's right that I shouldn't be talking about this in front of her with Richie.   The only reason he knows anything is because he walked into the situation.  I'm going to lose her Tessa if I don't tell her something."

            "Duncan, I don't want her to know, but you think that she really needs to know then tell her, but make sure that it's really what you want to do, because your relationship will never be the same once you tell her."

            "Do you regret staying with me?"

            "Duncan MacLeod how can you say that?  I don't regret staying with you.  I love you and you are the best father that I could ever ask for Chloe.  Sure there are things that make this hard, but the hard parts are what make the good times that much better."

            "Tess I don't know.  I'll let her sleep on it and decide what to do later. Right now I'm starving and tired."

            "I'll go bring you a tray."

            When Tessa came back though, Duncan lay sleeping in the chair.  Tessa grabbed the blanket and covered him up.  She gently kissed his forehead.

            "Goodnight my highland prince."