AN – OK, thanks to Southern Chickie, Arumlupi and Shady Lady for the reviews, I'm really glad you guys liked the changes! The sculpture was an addition, Tessa started to make it in I never liked Art, but its taken her some time to finish it! This is a very (very) long chapter with some major additions including the much requested swimming lesson which, I left out after Southern Chickie posted her fun story "A Lesson Learned." So please review the changes and let me know what you think.
French bits – peut etre – maybe, bien sur – of course.
***
"I have the passports, the tickets, some francs, and some magazines, " Tessa checked her hand luggage. "Have I forgotten anything?"
"Blonde, annoying, about so high?" Duncan gestured.
"Duncan, Richie is much taller than that!" Tessa laughed. "He was here a moment ago. He is in his room, peut-etre?"
Duncan knew better. "No, I .. um .. just looked there." He lied.
"You did?" Tessa blinked. "But where can he be? We must leave soon. He knows this."
Duncan winced. All too well aware how the Frenchwoman would take the next piece of news.
"And his bike has gone."
"What! How can he do this?" Tessa's voice rose. "We will miss the flight!"
"Tess, we have two hours before we need to check in," Duncan soothed. "And there are other planes."
"But this is a big step for us." Tessa worried. "I just want everything to be as it should."
"Sweetheart. This is Richie, we are talking about," Duncan smiled. "Nothing is ever quite as it should be."
"Don't you mean Jean?" Tessa smiled impishly.
"He is not going to let us call him that." Duncan shook his head.
"He asked me if he would be expected to eat snails." Tessa giggled. "I think he was afraid that he would be offered them at customs as a test, to weed out American tourists who are posing as French nationals."
"At least you didn't get stuck trying to explain the difference between a croque madame and a croque monsieur." Duncan winced at the memory.
"Are we doing the right thing?" Tessa fretted. "To take him so far from what he has known?"
"Wasn't that the whole idea?" Duncan asked.
***
Two hours and ten minutes later Duncan was starting to get seriously concerned. He hadn't been able to track the lad down to any of his usual haunts
"Damn it Richie, where are you?"
Surely if it was an Immortal, they would have had word by now. He couldn't believe that there was an ER in this city that wouldn't recognise Richie on sight. And Powell would have been just bursting to tell them if the lad had been arrested.
Which meant he had to be somewhere he didn't usually go.
"You know, Mac," Richie greeted him, without turning. "They have names for really old guys in trench coats, who hang around outside school gates talking to kids."
Duncan had a sudden, fierce urge to smack the boy, both for worrying them so needlessly, and being so damn clueless about it. Until he realised that someone else had beat him to it.
"What happened to your face?"
Richie reached up to touch the red, sore, mark on his cheek. "Lisa happened. She thought the whole, I'm not breaking up with you, I'm just moving to Paris thing, was a complete load of crock."
"Ah," Duncan winced sympathetically. "That must have been hard. Saying goodbye to your friends."
"Harder than you think," Richie pressed his lips together tightly. "Angie's away staying with her Aunt. Gary's been arrested and I haven't see Nikki or the others since before I moved in with you guys."
"So, what are you doing here?" Duncan asked lightly, slipping his arm around the lad. "Re-visiting your mis-spent youth?"
"Something like that," Richie swiped at his eyes. "You know, I don't think there's a High School in Seacouver I haven't been to."
"Likewise." Duncan said wryly.
"What?" Richie squinted at him.
"Rich, I've been looking for you for over two hours." Duncan told him.
"That long?" Richie blinked. "Oh man, the plane. We'll miss the plane."
"I already rang ahead and changed the booking," Duncan soothed. "I told them we had a family emergency."
"Oh, good." Richie nodded.
"So, do we?" Duncan nudged.
"What?" Richie blinked at him.
"Have a family emergency?" Duncan pressed.
"That depends," Richie looked over at him. "Did Tessa notice I was gone?"
"No." Duncan assured him.
"Really?" Richie was suspicious.
"Well, not until I told her." Duncan admitted sheepishly.
"Mac!"
"You were the one who missed the flight," Duncan defended himself. "You couldn't have kept an eye on the time?"
"Yeah, if I had bionic vision." Richie scoffed.
"What?"
"I left my watch on my dresser this morning," Richie waggled his empty wrist. "The strap broke."
"That's what you get for buying a watch from someone named Shifty." Duncan declared.
"Hey! That watch is a genuine fake Rolex!" Richie laughed.
"When I was your age, we told the time by looking at the position of the sun."
"Mac, this is Seacouver, most times you can't even see the sun for the smog. That's why modern man invented watches."
"Doesn't do him much good when he leaves it lying on his dresser." Duncan observed.
"Yeah, well that's progress for you."
***
Richie shot the Immortal a nervous glance as they both pulled up in the alley way behind the Store.
"Tessa's gotta be pretty mad that we missed the flight, huh?"
"Don't worry," Duncan assured as he got out of the car. "You've been gone so long she'll have completely forgotten that she was mad at you for making us miss the flight."
"You think?" Richie trailed after him.
"Yeah," Duncan gave him a tight grin. "She'll just be mad at you for worrying her by disappearing like that, instead."
Richie came to a dead stop as they entered the kitchen. The table was laden with cakes and cookies.
"Is this my punishment?" he swallowed.
"You know Tess," Duncan shrugged. "When she's worried she has to do something with her hands."
"She couldn't just have remodelled the bathroom or something?"
"These don't look so bad." Duncan picked up a muffin and took a bite. His face twisted.
"Mac?" Richie asked in concern.
"I think," Duncan managed. "That she's used salt instead of sugar."
"Mac? Is that you?" Tessa's voice called. "Did you find him?"
Duncan hastily pushed Richie into a chair and placed two or three chocolate chip cookies on his plate.
"These look like they're store bought." He assured the teen. "You'll be safe enough with them."
"But what about you?" Richie looked anxiously at the muffin lurking on Duncan's plate.
"I'll live." Duncan shrugged.
"Thanks Mac," Richie gave him a grateful smile. "I owe you one."
***
"Its not that I don't want to go." Richie looked from Duncan to Tessa as he nervously crumbled the cookie on this plate.
For all he'd actually eaten of it, Duncan reflected, he might as well have had the muffin.
"Its just .. France is a whole other country." Richie finished.
"Actually," Tessa spoke up. "That is not strictly true. Many areas such as Burgundy used to be .." she broke off. "What?"
"You've been spending too much time with Mac." Richie gave her the ghost of a smile.
"Oh," Tessa shook her head. "I'm so sorry Richie, its just I have been so looking forward to showing you my country."
"I know," Richie assured her. "And I'm excited. I am. I want to go up the Eiffel Tower and see Notre Dame and all those other places you've told me about. Its just .."
"Perhaps you are afraid of flying?" Tessa wondered.
"I know I am." Duncan muttered. "Bloody unnatural way to travel if you ask me."
"No, I'm not scared of flying, prone to travel sickness, worried about DVT, or allergic to garlic." Richie thought that covered all the bases. "Its just .. things are happening so fast. I mean, my foster parents once moved down the block and that took months to sort out all the removal people and stuff. This is a different continent."
"You thought it would take longer?" Duncan discreetly hid the remains of the muffin under his napkin.
"Long enough to get used to the idea. Instead, I'm been afraid to stand still, in case I got packed, or shipped, or stored or something."
"It is normal to be anxious," Tessa assured him. "When I first came to America, everything was new and strange."
"Except Mac," Richie smiled. "He was just old and strange."
"See how well you adapt?" Duncan offered. "Next to Immortals, Paris is really pretty normal."
"Yes, I did not take the news of Immortals nearly so well," Tessa made a face "And I found new manners and customs much more difficult to adopt than you have done."
"Nice try Tess," Richie smiled. "But I'm still not wearing a waistcoat."
"So, are we OK here?" Duncan asked.
"I dunno, are all the ladies in France as pretty as Tessa?" Richie smiled.
"Oh, I think you are going to be just fine." Tessa laughed.
***
Richie had been in Paris for less than an hour when he realised that they hadn't been kidding about the new and the strange.
"A boat?" Richie looked at the structure in question, floating just in front of Notre Dame. "We're going to live on a boat?"
"Actually, it's a barge." Duncan corrected as he climbed out of the car.
"But we can't," Richie reluctantly followed "I mean, Tessa got seasick just watching Titanic."
"We're a pretty long way from the sea here," Duncan smiled. "You'll hardly notice the tide."
"But a boat, I mean, that's gotta be a lot of work," Richie worried. "I mean, it could spring a leak, or flood, or sink, or anything, and then all of Tessa's nice things would be down there in the mud and the slime."
Duncan looked out over the water.
"Rich, Do you know how to swim?"
"Who me?" Richie looked up. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"You're not answering the question." Duncan noticed.
"That's because I don't want you to know what a wuss I am," Richie scrubbed at his face. "Its not like it matters. If I fell in there, the pollution would probably kill me."
"I could teach you. If you like." Duncan offered. "Although, maybe we could find a swimming pool. You might be right about the pollution."
"You don't have to." Richie looked away. "I mean, you gotta have a lot of other .. stuff … to do."
"Like what?" Duncan arched a brow.
"C'mon, Mac. You practically invented the work ethic. You gotta be planning on doing something while we are here."
"Yeah. I'm gonna spend time with my son." Duncan put a hand on his shoulder.
Richie stood silently for a moment, taking strength from the Immortal's open affection.
"I might not be very good .. I mean .. not at first." Richie said hesitantly.
Duncan was suddenly fiercely glad of the opportunity to prove his worth as a teacher to the lad.
"That's alright." He smiled kindly. "We can just take our time."
***
"This is your idea of taking our time?" Richie looked at the azure pool in disbelief.
"Its as good a time as any," Duncan shrugged. "Tess, will be tied up with those "suit types" he mocked gently, "at the museum until dinner. And if you believe for one second I'm even gonna think about attempting the unpacking without her there to supervise."
"How much room can there be to re-arrange stuff on a barge?" Richie wondered.
"You'll find out." Duncan said darkly.
"This sure doesn't look like the Y." Richie wandered over to inspect the gilded lions which stood guard at the poolside. "Are you sure the dude who owns it won't mind us using it?"
"I doubt it. Connor doesn't spend as much time in Paris as he used to."
"This is Connor's place?" Richie blinked, looking around at the ornate grandeur in disbelief. "Isn't it kinda .."
"Gaudy?" Duncan supplied helpfully. "I think it was a stage he was going through."
Richie looked nervously back at the pool. "It looks kinda deep."
"That's alright, we're only gonna be using the top bit." Duncan teased.
"Speak for yourself," Richie swallowed. "I'm thinking, sinking like a stone, here.
"I won't let you sink." Duncan assured him.
"Maybe, this isn't such a good idea," Richie hedged. "I mean, we came out of the water, right? Millions of years of evolution can't be wrong."
"Yeah," Duncan nodded. "And if you fall in you can just do what any self respecting 16th Century sailor would do."
"What's that?" Richie asked curiously.
"Drown."
"You're snowing me, right?"
"Nope," Duncan shook his head. "They felt that a quick death was better than swimming around for hours, with no hope of rescue, knowing that eventually you'd tire. Of course, they didn't know how unpleasant drowning can be."
"Not pretty?" Richie gulped.
"Not my favourite way to die." Duncan allowed.
"OK," Richie swallowed. "So, what do I have to do?"
"Well, it usually helps to get in the water."
"Right," Richie nodded determinedly and headed towards the steps.
"Um, Rich?" Duncan put in. "You might want to get changed first."
***
"I can do this," Richie swallowed, as he waded in waist deep. "I've seen people swimming loadsa times."
"Actually, its harder to sink than swim."
"It is?"
"Basic physics."
"See, that'll be the problem," Richie gave a nervous grin. "I never liked physics."
"That doesn't mean the laws don't apply to you," Duncan advised him. "But first, you need to relax."
"Just like that?" Richie gave him a sceptical look.
"Sure," Duncan encouraged. "Just lean back."
"But then my feet will be off the floor." Richie objected.
"That is the general idea," Duncan encouraged. "Don't worry, I've got you."
Nervously Richie leant back, feeling his feet float up as Duncan's hands supported him under his shoulders.
"OK, now what?" he asked.
"Just relax." Duncan advised. "And get used to the water."
Richie lay there for a while, looking at the fresco, painted on the ceiling. This was kinda nice. But wasn't he supposed to be learning how to swim?
"Mac, I'm turning into a prune here."
"Yeah, but you're not sinking." The deep baritone came from in front of him.
Realising that Duncan was no longer holding on to him, Richie squeaked, tensed, and immediately began to sink.
"Easy." Duncan laughed, catching his arm before he head could go under and steadying him whilst he found his feet.
"What was that?" Richie demanded.
"That was you, swimming." Duncan told him.
"Mac, that was not swimming." Richie shook his head.
"What else would you call it?"
"Well, I wasn't moving for a start." Richie challenged. "And don't I have to put my face in the water or something?"
"Not in backstroke. All we have to do is get you to move your arms and legs a bit and you'll be swimming laps in no time." Duncan assured him.
"I will?" Richie looked pleased.
"Want to try it again?" Duncan encouraged.
"Sure," Richie enthused. "Just wait till I tell Tessa I was swimming."
"Yeah, maybe she'll bake you a cake." Duncan tousled his damp hair.
"Not funny Mac."
***
Duncan rolled over in bed. Beside him Tessa slept soundly, her even breathing a balm to his soul.
But something had woken him. Or rather, someone.
"And I'll warrant you'll no have thought to put on a coat." Duncan muttered.
Sure enough, the teen sat huddled in the brow of the barge, in a thin T-shirt, his arms wrapped around himself against the autumnal chill.
"Do I need to add sleep walking to your list of talents?" Duncan draped the warm blanket across his shoulders.
Richie gave him a brief, grateful, look, before returning his gaze to the water.
"I'm guessing that only counts if I've actually been to sleep?"
"Want to talk about it?" Duncan sat down beside him.
Something that might have been a smile flickered at the edge of Richie's mouth. "Would it make the slightest difference if I said no?"
"Well, it might take a little longer .." Duncan slipped an arm around him.
"Its not much like Seacouver is it?" Richie surveyed the Paris skyline. "Has it changed a lot? Since you were first here?"
"Well, they didn't have a MacDonald's," Duncan shrugged. "Although, there was this little brothel …"
"The one with the redhead?" Richie smirked
"I should never have given Connor our e-mail address." Duncan muttered darkly.
"Is it true that you didn't learn to read until you were fifty or something." Richie asked quietly.
"Or something," Duncan agreed. "I didn't get much schooling when I was a lad. Somehow, just surviving seemed more important."
"I tried to keep up my grades," Richie said quietly. "I used to do my homework in the bus station, or at the mall. But, I guess I just couldn't cut it."
"Cold and hunger will dull the sharpest of wits." Duncan murmured.
"Yeah, and telling a teacher that a wino ate your report is a one way ticket to a failing grade. I told you. Teachers hate me."
"Rich, if you don't want to go back to school, just say so. We don't have to do this."
"This is like some reverse psychology thing, isn't it?" Richie shot him a dark look.
"Not at all. Its your life Rich. The way I see it, my job is to give you choices and opportunities, what you decide to do with them is up to you."
"Are you saying you won't be the least bit disappointed in me if I don't make the most of them?" Richie demanded.
"Disappointed for you maybe." Duncan allowed. "You didn't fail Rich. You were failed by those who were supposed to help and protect you. You deserve your chance. But hey, if you want to wait until you're fifty, I'm not going anywhere."
"No," Richie gave him an affectionate look. "I guess not."
He paused.
"You know they say teenagers hit their sexual peak when they're eighteen."
"Really." Duncan said drly.
"Yeah, maybe, I shouldn't wait until I'm fifty. That way I can enjoy the whole range of .. extra curricular .. opportunities." Richie waggled his
eyebrows.
"Then you'd better make sure you know the French for Drugstore." Duncan advised.
"Maac!" Richie blushed.
***
Duncan endured the teen's monosyllabic responses all through breakfast and could hardly get a word out of him in the car. Finally, he could stand it no longer.
"You're going to have to tell me," he said as he parked the T-Bird in front of the School. "Because last night I thought you were fine with this?"
"You couldn't have found out how old I was just a few weeks earlier?" Richie gave him a sour look.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Tessa frowned.
"I wouldn't just have missed the first few weeks of school, that's what."
"Rich, this is an International Language College. They have new people coming and going all the time. It's not like High School." Duncan reassured.
"Are you sure about that? Cos, I had to transfer mid-year a couple of times when I was in High School and I'm telling you, it majorly sucked."
"A couple of times?" Duncan raised a brow.
"I probably shouldn't have mentioned that, huh?" Richie made a face. "Just forget I said anything. Ever."
"What happened?" Tessa asked.
"Well, I could tell you that I was in the witness protection programme. But then I'd have to kill you." Richie evaded with a nervous grin.
"Or you could just tell me the truth." Duncan suggested.
"I didn't exactly do anything the first time," Richie sighed. "I got moved to a new foster home and it was right across town, so they put me in a new school."
Duncan hid a frown. Usually the authorities were reluctant to pull children out of familiar environments, unless there was a pressing reason to do so. He wondered what Richie wasn't saying.
"It was after Teresa had tried to adopt me," Richie sighed. "I guess they thought it would be easier, a clean break, a fresh start. All that."
"And the second time?" he asked.
Richie looked genuinely uncomfortable.
"I got arrested. Could we please not get into that right now?" he looked anxiously around at the other students milling around the parking lot.
Duncan caught Tessa's eye and she shook her head. Perhaps some things were better not discussed in public.
"You know, we should probably go get you registered," Duncan said, as if the idea had just occurred to him. "Before there's too much of a queue."
"I thought I was supposed to be the one learning the language?" Richie demanded. "Americans get in line, they don't queue."
"Ah, but we are in Europe now," Duncan looked smug. "And they queue. Actually, I think it's a national sport or something."
Tessa stood on tiptoe, seeking out the hall marked registration. Her face fell.
"What?" Duncan asked.
"I told you we should have got here earlier." She sighed.
***
He hadn't been wrong about the length of the wait, Duncan reflected. Richie began to look increasingly anxious, as if he expected Interpol to emerge out of the woodwork at any second.
"Will you calm down?" He asked out of the side of his mouth. "You're attracting attention."
"Just because you've done this before .." Richie hissed.
Something in Duncan's demeanour made him pause.
"You have done this before, right?"
"Not exactly." Duncan murmured.
"Not exactly .." Richie raised his voice, bringing it swiftly back to a whisper when people turned to stare. "What do you mean, not exactly?"
"I've never had to do this for a minor before." Duncan admitted. "It's .. more complicated."
"Oh great. Just great." Richie threw up his hands. "You know we're gonna get deported don't you?"
"We are not going to get deported. Just keep your mouth shut, and say what I told you to say, and we'll be fine."
"How can I say what you told me to say if I'm keeping my mouth shut?" Richie huffed.
"Just let me do the talking, alright?" Duncan clarified as they reached the table.
"Nom?" The woman demanded.
In response, Richie crossed his arms and looked Duncan.
The Immortal sighed. This was not a good beginning.
Fortunately, the paperwork produced no unexpected surprises. Duncan was able to produce all the mandatory scholastic records and medical information, Tessa found one of the spare passport photos in her wallet for the ID card and Jean Richard Ryan was duly enrolled.
"So, when do your classes start?" Tessa looped her arm through his.
"How should I know?" Richie peered at his schedule. "This is all in French."
"Let me see?" Tessa offered.
"S'OK. I can work it out." Richie shoved it in his rucksack. "Later."
Tessa sighed,
"Rich, if you need help .." Duncan tried.
"I can handle it," Richie assured him "I mean, I managed to make it all the way through Elementary School, without anyone noticing that I couldn't actually read. This can't be so different from that, right?"
"What!" Duncan and Tessa exclaimed.
"Geez guys. Your faces," Richie laughed. "Even my childhood wasn't that tragic."
"You know Tessa, we still haven't discussed what his allowance should be." Duncan gave a feral grin.
"Ah, in France it is the custom that the parents pay very little." Tessa hid her smile.
"What!" Richie squeaked.
"And I'm sure we can find him a few chores around the barge." Duncan added.
"A few?" Tessa quirked a brow. "It is a very big barge."
"Guys!" Richie protested. "C'mon. It was just a joke. You can take a joke, right?"
***
"Shouldn't Richie have been home from School by now?" Duncan looked at the clock.
"You don't think he has got lost?" Tessa frowned.
"Well, I don't think he's gone to the library," Duncan grinned. "Unless, of course, he's met a study partner."
"That is not what he is supposed to be studying." Tessa giggled.
"I dunno," Duncan kissed her. "Its bound to expand his .. vocabulary."
"Perhaps, you should go and look for him?"
Duncan tilted his head at the sound of a car engine approaching. He crossed to the window in a couple of strides.
"Do you know anyone with a Renault 5?" He asked.
"I don't think so,"
"Well, it seems Richie does."
"He got a ride home from School and he is still so late?" Tessa smiled. "Is she pretty?"
"I couldn't be sure from this distance, but I think she looks like a man."
"Duncan, that is unkind!" Tessa scolded. "She may be a very nice girl."
"Who's a very nice girl?" Richie asked as he bounded into the barge. "And when do I get to meet her?"
"Who's your friend?" Duncan asked.
"His name is Marc. He's like the only person I met today who could actually speak English.
"So much for his vocabulary." Tessa murmured.
"So, how was School?" Duncan asked.
"Aren't you supposed to fetch me the milk and cookies first?" Richie scowled. "I turned up to all my classes, I copied down my homework and I didn't get a detention, satisfied?"
"Fine," Duncan said mildly. "But what I was actually wondering was if you had a good time?"
"Oh. Sorry," Richie made a face. "Bad reflex, huh?"
"So, did you?" Duncan let it go.
"Um, yeah, actually," Suddenly Richie looked uncharacteristically shy. "You know this place does like clubs and societies and things?"
"Uh huh."
"Well, they have a fencing club. Only, if you are under eighteen, you gotta have your parents permission." Richie looked awkward. "I'm guessing that's you."
Duncan swallowed hard.
Every one of his instincts, honed over four centuries, told him that it was not a good idea to put a sword in the hand of a pre-immortal. It attracted entirely the wrong sort of attention.
"So. Is it OK?" Richie tried not to look too hopeful.
On the other hand, his son never asked him for anything before.
"Where do I sign?"
The brilliant smile that blossomed across Richie's face was echoed by Tessa's approving look.
"Thanks Mac. You're the best."
"You wear all the right stuff and you do exactly as you are told, understood?" Duncan instructed.
"Absolutely, positively." Richie nodded.
"A sword is not a toy," Duncan reminded him. "I want your word on this, Tough Guy."
"I promise." Richie grinned. "I gotta go call Marc."
"Marc?" Tessa asked. "But you have only just this minute parted."
"He's the guy at School who told me about the club," Richie explained. "He's been fencing for ages. He's got cups and things."
"I thought this was a social club?" Tessa frowned. "You did not say you would be fighting duels."
"They're competitions Tess. Not duels. They have rules and everything." Richie explained.
"It'll be safe enough, Sweetheart." Duncan assured her. That was the least of his worries. "These things are very carefully controlled."
Richie shot him a grateful look for his support.
"Can I e-mail Connor as well?" Richie begged.
Duncan winced. He was sure his kinsman would have a few choice words to say on the matter.
"Just remember, your phone bill comes out of your allowance!"
"Whatever." Richie paused. "You know, you're shaping up into a pretty good Dad."
"Go," Duncan shook his head fondly. "And don't slam the door." He called after him.
"That was a good thing you just did." Tessa complimented him.
"He was pretty happy, wasn't he?" Duncan's smile faded slightly.
He fervently hoped that it was not an indulgence that he would live to regret.
***
For those who don't know, a croque is a sandwich made from French toast, cheese, and ham, and the difference between a croque monsieur and a croque madame is that the latter has a fried egg on it!