AN – What can I say? I got bored just revising old stuff! Please review, I need feedback!
***
Duncan scowled at the chess board, moved a piece, frowned, changed his mind, and moved it back again.
"Why do you not just go and ask him how he is getting on?" Tessa murmured, without looking up from her magazine.
"He'll think I've no faith in him." Duncan shook his head.
"Do you think he can do this?" Tessa arched a brow.
"He can't manage more than a mumbled sentence when he's talking to you and I," Duncan pointed out tersely. "I can't think his fluency is going to be improved by standing up there in front of a class full of virtual strangers, do you?"
"His French is not so bad," Tessa protested. "And he has a dictionary."
"He didn't tell you what the report was about, did he?" Duncan realised. "Trust me, his vocabulary is the least of his problems."
"Oh, no!" Tessa put her hand to her mouth. "They wish him to talk about his childhood?"
"Apparently, they think it'll help the students understand each other's background and cultures," Duncan rubbed at his face. "Usually, I'd agree. But I don't think B and E 101 was exactly what they had in mind."
"Oh Mac," Tessa looked worriedly at him. "This was supposed to be a fresh start for him. He should not have to carry this with him."
Duncan looked at her from a long moment.
"No. Indeed he should not." He vowed.
"Mac?" Tessa asked warily. "What are you thinking?"
"That you, Tessa, sweetheart, are a genius." Duncan gave her a quick kiss, before bounding up and heading towards Richie's room. At the top of the steps he paused and turned back sheepishly towards her.
"Um. I still need an excuse to go in there though."
"There's some chocolate cake in the kitchen." Tessa offered.
"There is?"
"I hid it in the oven." Tessa smiled. "I did not wish Richie to eat the whole thing at once."
"The oven," Duncan nodded to himself. "Of course, no one would think of looking for a cake in the oven in this house."
***
"Rich," Duncan popped his head around the door of the teenager's cabin, only to draw it back hastily as something flew through the air.
"Merde," Richie swore fluently. "Sorry, Mac." He apologised as the Immortal stepped into the room.
"For swearing at me? Or trying to behead me with a …" Duncan picked up the missile. "dictionary?"
"I wasn't swearing at you." Richie protested.
"You shouldn't be swearing at all." Duncan scolded.
"I was delirious," Richie had caught sight of the chocolate cake in his other hand. "Low blood sugar or something."
"Here," Duncan passed it to him. "I should make you ask for it in French."
"Je voudrais le gateau, s'il vous plait." Richie surprised him.
"That's great Tough Guy." Duncan praised him. "Although, with family, you can say s'il te plait. When did you learn that?"
"What do you think I've been doing for the past two hours?" Richie glared at the dictionary Duncan was still holding. "I've practically memorised that thing. Most of the words I need aren't even in there."
Duncan saw his opening.
"So, what have you written?" he asked casually.
"Crap." Richie slumped in his seat.
"Richie .." Duncan warned.
"You don't believe me? You read it." Richie thrust the crumpled paper into his hands.
"My name is Jean Richard Ryan," Duncan read in French. "But everyone calls me Richie. I am seventeen years old and I still have all my own hair and teeth. I was born in Seacouver, Washington State, USA., where I lived all my life until now. Seacouver is a cool city, with a beach and parks and mountains. My hobbies are motorcycles and dating girls who think I'm cute." He looked up. "What's wrong with that?"
"I have to talk for two minutes, that's what." Richie groused. "Do they even have a word for Juvie in French?"
***
"You told him that he could make something up?" Tessa looked shocked.
"It seemed only fair." Duncan shrugged. "Or shall we tell your parents that the man they think is an Antique dealer from Scottsdale, is in fact a 400 year old Scottish warrior?"
"Its not the same." Tessa protested weakly.
"Isn't it?" Duncan chased his advantage. "We want him to make a fresh start. To have the chance to enjoy being part of our family. We've come this far. Why not let him be exactly who he wants?"
"Because he will decide to an international spy or some other such nonsense." Tessa scoffed fondly.
"I think you'll be surprised." Duncan murmured.
"But should we be encouraging such a thing?" Tessa worried. "We want him to feel safe to share things with us. Not feel that he has to hide his past."
"Maybe, if he feels confident that he can trust us to keep his secrets, like he keeps ours, he'll be more willing to confide in us."
"You speak for yourself Duncan Macleod." Tessa said loftily. "I have no secrets."
"Oh no? So what are all those carrier bags at the back of our wardrobe?" Duncan teased.
"They are just a few small things." Tessa smiled impishly.
"How small?" Duncan asked huskily.
"Would you like to see?" Tessa took his hand.
"Um," Duncan swallowed hard.
"Is this a bad time?" Richie's voice asked.
"Yes," Duncan shot over Tessa's shoulder with a grin.
"Duncan!" Tessa slapped him on the chest. "Have you finished your report?"
"No, I just came to tell you Conner sent an e-mail, but its all Greek to me, so I'm guessing its for you."
Duncan's heart sank. It stood to reason that Connor would not have taken the news of Richie taking up fencing at all well. It probably wasn't wise to keep him waiting for a response as well.
"Um," he looked at Tessa.
"Go," she shooed. "I can contain myself for a few moments."
"Yes, but can I?" Duncan murmured with a smile.
"And that'll be Gaelic, not Greek, you young heathen." He cuffed Richie lightly as he passed.
***
In fact, it was Greek, since his teacher was presently on the island of Kos. The e-mail made Connor's disapproval of Duncan's decision quite clear. Knowing the Hotel that the elder Scot favoured when he was there Duncan steeled himself and picked up the phone.
"What were you thinking?" Connor's ire was immediately clear.
"What was I supposed to tell him?" Duncan demanded. "You can't play with the nice swords right now laddie, because you're going to have to learn how to kill with them later?"
"A simple no would suffice." Connor said dryly.
"This is Richie we're talking about," Duncan reminded him.
"And you're his father. Its your job to say him nay, when his welfare is at stake." Connor retorted.
"Its one thing to keep him from a broadsword or the like," Duncan argued. "Even in Richie's old neighbourhood, the lad wouldn't see anyone pulling a blade like that from their coat pockets. It's a different thing when he sees youngsters his own age taking part in the sport."
"What we do is no sport."
"And Richie's not one of us yet. Perhaps you'd like me to explain to Tessa why our lad can't do as his friends do?" Duncan played his trump card.
"You've had cold showers before." Connor wasn't moved.
"Never out of choice," Duncan shivered. "Lord knows, Connor, its not as if I'm planning to spar with the lad."
"You weren't going to put him to the sword either." Connor snorted.
"So, are you pursuing business or pleasure?" Duncan asked, with an edge of concern for his mentor.
"I'm not head hunting Duncan," Connor assured him. "But I am here on business, busts to be exactly."
"Sounds like pleasure to me." Duncan smirked.
"Greek busts, Duncan." Connor rolled his eyes. "Classic sculpture?"
"There's some nice marble in Paris." Duncan invited obliquely.
"The young hellion proving a bit of a handful is he?" Connor chuckled. "You need Uncle Connor to come and keep him in line?"
"Its not that," Duncan paused. "Its just .. he's still young Connor, a few weeks seems like an eternity. In a year or so he'll barely remember you. I want him to know his family, in case .. you know."
"Aye," Connor didn't tell him that nothing could happen to him. They both knew that wasn't true. "I know. I'll not be a stranger Duncan."
***
Duncan paused as he saw the light burning under Richie's door. Worried that the lad was still fretting about his paper at this late hour, he put his head around the door.
Only to break into a rueful smile.
Richie had fallen fast asleep at the desk, his head pillowed on his arms.
"Its been a long couple of days for you hasn't it lad?" he murmured fondly.
Slipping one arm around his back and another under his legs Duncan lifted him easily onto the bed, prising the blankets out from under him and slipping off his shoes and socks, he had moved on to unbutton his shirt before he realised Richie was watching him through one eye.
"I usually expect dinner and a movie." He blinked sleepily.
"I made you dinner." Duncan teased.
"So you did, which reminds me," Richie rolled over and pushed himself to a sitting position. "I really need to go and brush my teeth."
"Remind me to introduce you to Garlic ice-cream one day." Duncan laughed.
"Savoury ice-cream? That's gross Mac," Richie levered himself up. "Back in a sec."
While he was gone Duncan busied himself picking up the odd pieces of dirty laundry that were scattered around and straightened up the bed so the lad wouldn't be sleeping on wrinkles. His eye fell on the report.
"Did you finish your homework?" he asked without turning.
He grinned as he imagined the frustration on Richie's face. The teen prided himself on his ability to move soundlessly and it irked him that he could never sneak up on the Immortal. To give him his due, he'd been as quite as a mouse. Duncan hadn't heard him return. Still, it didn't hurt to keep him on his toes.
"You gotta check I crossed all my ts and dotted all my is?" Richie asked, the edge of his irritation at being caught still evident in his voice, as he climbed into bed.
"If you like." Duncan agreed easily.
Richie gave him a suddenly, vulnerable, look.
"You really wouldn't mind reading it? Cos, I mean, its kinda long and I know its late and you don't have to .." he babbled.
"Give it here .."
***
"So, had he invented a wild and wonderful past for himself?" Tessa smiled as Duncan settled down beside her.
"Not unless you think having a French step-mother and a Scottish father is particularly exotic." Duncan shrugged. "And as I recall that was our idea."
"Nothing?" Tessa was surprised.
"Tess, the picture he painted was so normal I half expected to see the lad wearing a bow-tie with creases in his jeans."
"That is not normal." Tessa giggled.
"Although, he does have a hidden talent."
"Mac." Tessa asked warily. "We do not need to have the Principal on the phone because Richie is teaching the other children how to get free sodas out of the drinks machines."
"I didn't know he could do that." Duncan raised a brow.
"This is something else?"
"Oh yeah, this is definitely something else." Duncan sighed.
"What happened?"
"How was I supposed to know? He never gave me any clue."
"What did you do?" Tessa asked resignedly.
"My hobbies are motorcycles, pop music and .. chess?" Duncan read. He looked up in surprise. "I didn't know you could play chess."
"You think I'm making it up?" Richie challenged. "Cos, you can ask Darius if you don't believe me."
"Richie, I never said I didn't believe you. I was just surprised." Duncan defended himself
"Yeah, right." The teenager hunkered down in the blankets with a definite sulk. "Surprised at someone like me being able to play chess."
"Did I ever mention I was a trapeze artist once?" Duncan asked casually.
Richie's jaw dropped.
"You .. I mean .. in those tights and sequins and all?"
"What?" Duncan pretended offence. "You don't think I have the body to carry it off?"
"I never said that." Richie protested, sitting up a bit.
"So, I'm not athletic enough? I don't have the co-ordination? What?"
"Mac, I didn't mean you wouldn't make a great trapeze artiste, the best," Richie assured him, leaning forward. "I was just .." he trailed off in realisation.
"Surprised?" Duncan enquired mildly.
"Yeah, that." Richie gave him a rueful grin. "Alright, I get it."
"Get what?" Duncan asked innocently.
"You're not gonna make me say it?"
"Yep." Duncan gave him a tight grin.
"OK, just because I was surprised, didn't mean I thought you couldn't do it." Richie rolled his eyes.
"Ditto." Duncan ruffled his hair.
"I wonder who taught Richie to play chess?"
"Grandpa Jensen," Duncan told her promptly. "One of his foster mother's had her father living with them."
"He actually told you this?"
"He was pretty tired," Duncan grinned. "And I think the whole trapeze arts thing knocked him for six."
"Yes." Tessa smiled. "You have not mentioned this before?"
"I'll have you know I was very good."
"I'm sure." Tessa murmured, with a speculative look.
"What?" Duncan asked.
"Do you still have the outfit?"