Chapter five:
It was so blindingly obvious Duncan didn't know why he hadn't considered it before. Richie had been kidnapped to be killed. It wouldn't have mattered what time he had got there, they still would have stabbed him, or to be more accurate, the Immortal would have. That was the plan. Get Duncan there, kill Richie in front of him, then challenge him.
Revenge. This was all about revenge.
The moment he'd realised it with startling clarity he'd grabbed his Katana and car keys and headed for the car, pausing only when Connor threatened to impale him if he didn't tell him what he was doing. So very briefly Duncan had told Connor what he thought was going on. Connor had very reluctantly agreed to visit Richie instead of following Duncan, so that Richie wouldn't get suspicious by the absence of a visitor. The last thing he wanted was Richie getting worried when he should be resting.
Duncan looked at his watch and stood on the gas a little more. Noone was going to use his family like that. Noone was going to hurt his family because of something that had happened two hundred years ago, something that Duncan would do a hundred times over if he had to.
*****
"You're worried now aren't you?" Connor asked, feeling a bit guilty. He shouldn't have told the boy where Duncan had gone. But if he hadn't Richie would have thought Duncan just couldn't be bothered to visit and they were having enough problems as it was at the moment.
"No," Richie said, obviously lying.
"Yes you are. You're twitching. You twitch when you're nervous or worried."
"How would you know?" Richie demanded. "You only met me this week."
"Duncan told me." Connor said simply. "He's always talking about you."
"Great. He talks about me behind my back too."
Not the response Connor had been hoping for...
"Are you telling me," Connor asked, thinking quickly, "that he never talks about me to you?"
"Course he does," Richie said sounding confused. "You're his, like mentor. And you're family. He's always talking about you."
"So why would you think he wouldn't talk about you to me?"
"Cause I'm not family."
Connor raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to hear your definition of family then."
"Why?"
"Because," Connor said patiently, "Duncan considers you family. I consider you family. Tessa considers you family. You, it would seem, are the only one who doesn't."
Richie still looked unconvinced.
"Did you know Duncan and myself are not actually related by blood?" Connor continued. Determined now to make Richie see sense. He'd promised himself he wouldn't get involved with Duncan's family troubles... But how could he not now?
Richie shook his head disbelievingly. "But you're both MaCloeds."
"Yes. We are both from the same clan. But do you know how many people are in a clan? It would be like saying everyone with the surname Noel is related to Tessa. Our family ties come from mutual love and respect. From experiences we have had together. You are family Richie. Blood tie or no."
Bingo, Connor thought as Richie lay further back into his pillows, crossing his arms across his chest. Now they were getting somewhere.
"But that is changing the subject," Connor said.
"From?" Richie asked wearily.
"Us discussing you being worried."
"I'm not..." Richie trailed off. "Ok. Maybe I am a little."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I'm not ashamed... It's just..." This time when he trailed off he didn't start again. He looked so confused, and anxious. Connor didn't know if he was going to be helping any by pushing Richie now, but he figured the way things were going it couldn't do that much harm.
"You are angry with Duncan."
It wasn't a question, or an accusation just an observation. Richie shrugged in response.
"He told me he thinks you blame him for all of this. Do you?" Connor asked, determined to get an answer.
Richie shrugged again. OK. Connor was going to have to work for this. That was fine. He had over four hundred and fifty years on the lad. Richie would give first.
"If I were you, I'd probably blame him." Connor said.
"You're not me," Richie said, staring at his fingernails.
"No. But I am human. And I was eighteen once. And I do know what it feels like to have family betray you." Connor said softly, banishing the unwanted memories quickly.
"He didn't betray me..." Richie said quietly.
"He wasn't there. Someone came after you to get to him and he didn't even show up. I think that counts as a betrayal," Connor said trying to think like Richie.
"He had reasons - "
"There isn't a good enough reason in the world to leave you alone and scared and bleeding to death on a cold floor Richie," Connor said in what he knew sounded like a harsh tone.
"He woulda been there though..." Richie said weakly. "If he could... Wouldn't he?" At the last comment he looked up and met Connor's eyes. His bright blue, painfully young eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Aye lad," Connor said gripping his hand and changing tactics now he'd made his point. "He would. And that is what you have to remember. You have a right to be angry. But direct that anger at someone who deserves it. Direct it at the people who did this. Hold them responsible and let Duncan help you deal with it. Don't push him away Richie."
"I can't help it," Richie said in a frustrated voice. "He didn't come. I really believed he would, but he didn't. I don't want to blame him. I know it's unfair, but I just do..."
"So talk it out with him. Tell him how you feel." Connor urged.
"What if he hates me for it though?" Richie asked, looking like a scared child.
"If he does he isn't the man I thought he was," Connor said firmly. "You feel how you feel Richie. You can't hide from your emotions. You have to face them. If telling Duncan all this helps you, tell him."
"But what if it doesn't help?" Richie asked softly. "What if it makes it worse?"
"It won't. Trust me Richie." Connor said, hoping he'd finally got through to the lad.
*****
Duncan pulled his car over next to the seemingly abandoned building. He knew better though. For one thing he could feel the buzz of another Immortals presence nearby, and for another this was where it had happened nearly two centuries ago...
Of course there hadn't been a building here at the time, just open country, but some things changed a lot over the years. And some things didn't...
Picking up his katana, but not bothering to conceal it Duncan headed into the building.
"Took you longer than I thought, Highlander," a disembodied voice greeted him as he stepped through the door. "I expected you here much sooner."
"I'm here now, Campbell." Mac said in a low voice, casting cautious looks around, trying to locate the body that went with the voice.
"Yes, you are. Oh. How is your little friend? Breathing still?"
"You leave Richie out of this. He has nothing to do with it," Duncan warned.
"Oh but he does. He has everything to do with it," Campbell chuckled. "It's just a shame for him you took him in. He might have lived to a ripe old age if you hadn't. Now I don't fancy him making it to nineteen. Is he alone Highlander? Have you left him unprotected again?"
Duncan felt his blood boil at the veiled threat on Richie's life again "No, he's not. And if you try anything..." Duncan began.
"Now, now. You are hardly in a position to be making threats," he was cut off. "I still have two men waiting for the opportunity to finish what they began. Are you sure he is safe?"
Of course Richie's safe, Duncan thought, biting back his anger at the other Immortals words. Connor was with him... Until visiting hours ended, then he'd leave. But the hospital wouldn't let anyone in after visiting hours, but it wasn't exactly difficult to get up to a ward after visiting hours if you wanted to. Duncan had done it himself enough times...
"Does he hate you yet?" The Immortal was continuing. "I must admit I never expected him to live, that wasn't part of my plan. He was supposed to just die. But I am curious, does he hate you for doing this to him?"
Duncan was about to answer when he realised something. This Immortal didn't know Richie was pre - immortal. Campbell thought Richie was just some mortal kid he'd taken in. He didn't know that even if his lackey's had killed Richie that he would have lived anyway. The possibilty of Richie blaming him only came up when he found out he was still alive. So Richie really was just a pawn. A way to hurt Duncan. He'd been nothing... The thought made Duncan angrier than he'd thought was possible.
"Lost for words Highlander? That has to be a first." Campbell's voice hardened then and lost all trace of humour. "Maybe now you know how I felt when you took my son form me. Did you really think I would have forgotten about that? Did you think I would let you have what you took from me? I may not have succeeded before, but I promise you now, that boy will die and there will be nothing you can do to stop it."
"I swear to god, if you go near him again..."
"I have no intention of going anywhere. My business is here. With you. But you will die knowing that as I take your head here, miles away in a hospital bed you're son will be dying and I will be responsible. I have already made the necessary call."
Shit! Duncan was torn. He wanted to stay here and finish this here and now with Campbell, but what would the price be if he did? Richie's mortal life? Connor knew nothing of the danger Richie was now in, he would leave at the end of visiting hours, and Richie would be on his own. Vulnerable.
He couldn't risk it. He had to get back to Richie. Now. It had taken an hour and a half to drive up here. If he pushed it he could be back in Seacouver in half that time. He had to get to Richie, Campbell could wait.
Unfortunately Campbell had other ideas. He stepped out of the shadows, sword raised. A look of grim determination etched on his face.
"Now, we will fight," he said and ran at Duncan.
The temptation to meet the challenge was almost overwhelming. But Duncan couldn't give into his own wants at that moment. Killing Campbell wasn't important. Saving Richie another ordeal like the one only a few days ago was. So Duncan did something he had very rarely done before. He turned tail and ran as fast as he could back to his car, Campbell following closely, cursing his name.
*****
It was so blindingly obvious Duncan didn't know why he hadn't considered it before. Richie had been kidnapped to be killed. It wouldn't have mattered what time he had got there, they still would have stabbed him, or to be more accurate, the Immortal would have. That was the plan. Get Duncan there, kill Richie in front of him, then challenge him.
Revenge. This was all about revenge.
The moment he'd realised it with startling clarity he'd grabbed his Katana and car keys and headed for the car, pausing only when Connor threatened to impale him if he didn't tell him what he was doing. So very briefly Duncan had told Connor what he thought was going on. Connor had very reluctantly agreed to visit Richie instead of following Duncan, so that Richie wouldn't get suspicious by the absence of a visitor. The last thing he wanted was Richie getting worried when he should be resting.
Duncan looked at his watch and stood on the gas a little more. Noone was going to use his family like that. Noone was going to hurt his family because of something that had happened two hundred years ago, something that Duncan would do a hundred times over if he had to.
*****
"You're worried now aren't you?" Connor asked, feeling a bit guilty. He shouldn't have told the boy where Duncan had gone. But if he hadn't Richie would have thought Duncan just couldn't be bothered to visit and they were having enough problems as it was at the moment.
"No," Richie said, obviously lying.
"Yes you are. You're twitching. You twitch when you're nervous or worried."
"How would you know?" Richie demanded. "You only met me this week."
"Duncan told me." Connor said simply. "He's always talking about you."
"Great. He talks about me behind my back too."
Not the response Connor had been hoping for...
"Are you telling me," Connor asked, thinking quickly, "that he never talks about me to you?"
"Course he does," Richie said sounding confused. "You're his, like mentor. And you're family. He's always talking about you."
"So why would you think he wouldn't talk about you to me?"
"Cause I'm not family."
Connor raised an eyebrow. "I'd like to hear your definition of family then."
"Why?"
"Because," Connor said patiently, "Duncan considers you family. I consider you family. Tessa considers you family. You, it would seem, are the only one who doesn't."
Richie still looked unconvinced.
"Did you know Duncan and myself are not actually related by blood?" Connor continued. Determined now to make Richie see sense. He'd promised himself he wouldn't get involved with Duncan's family troubles... But how could he not now?
Richie shook his head disbelievingly. "But you're both MaCloeds."
"Yes. We are both from the same clan. But do you know how many people are in a clan? It would be like saying everyone with the surname Noel is related to Tessa. Our family ties come from mutual love and respect. From experiences we have had together. You are family Richie. Blood tie or no."
Bingo, Connor thought as Richie lay further back into his pillows, crossing his arms across his chest. Now they were getting somewhere.
"But that is changing the subject," Connor said.
"From?" Richie asked wearily.
"Us discussing you being worried."
"I'm not..." Richie trailed off. "Ok. Maybe I am a little."
"It's nothing to be ashamed of."
"I'm not ashamed... It's just..." This time when he trailed off he didn't start again. He looked so confused, and anxious. Connor didn't know if he was going to be helping any by pushing Richie now, but he figured the way things were going it couldn't do that much harm.
"You are angry with Duncan."
It wasn't a question, or an accusation just an observation. Richie shrugged in response.
"He told me he thinks you blame him for all of this. Do you?" Connor asked, determined to get an answer.
Richie shrugged again. OK. Connor was going to have to work for this. That was fine. He had over four hundred and fifty years on the lad. Richie would give first.
"If I were you, I'd probably blame him." Connor said.
"You're not me," Richie said, staring at his fingernails.
"No. But I am human. And I was eighteen once. And I do know what it feels like to have family betray you." Connor said softly, banishing the unwanted memories quickly.
"He didn't betray me..." Richie said quietly.
"He wasn't there. Someone came after you to get to him and he didn't even show up. I think that counts as a betrayal," Connor said trying to think like Richie.
"He had reasons - "
"There isn't a good enough reason in the world to leave you alone and scared and bleeding to death on a cold floor Richie," Connor said in what he knew sounded like a harsh tone.
"He woulda been there though..." Richie said weakly. "If he could... Wouldn't he?" At the last comment he looked up and met Connor's eyes. His bright blue, painfully young eyes filled with unshed tears.
"Aye lad," Connor said gripping his hand and changing tactics now he'd made his point. "He would. And that is what you have to remember. You have a right to be angry. But direct that anger at someone who deserves it. Direct it at the people who did this. Hold them responsible and let Duncan help you deal with it. Don't push him away Richie."
"I can't help it," Richie said in a frustrated voice. "He didn't come. I really believed he would, but he didn't. I don't want to blame him. I know it's unfair, but I just do..."
"So talk it out with him. Tell him how you feel." Connor urged.
"What if he hates me for it though?" Richie asked, looking like a scared child.
"If he does he isn't the man I thought he was," Connor said firmly. "You feel how you feel Richie. You can't hide from your emotions. You have to face them. If telling Duncan all this helps you, tell him."
"But what if it doesn't help?" Richie asked softly. "What if it makes it worse?"
"It won't. Trust me Richie." Connor said, hoping he'd finally got through to the lad.
*****
Duncan pulled his car over next to the seemingly abandoned building. He knew better though. For one thing he could feel the buzz of another Immortals presence nearby, and for another this was where it had happened nearly two centuries ago...
Of course there hadn't been a building here at the time, just open country, but some things changed a lot over the years. And some things didn't...
Picking up his katana, but not bothering to conceal it Duncan headed into the building.
"Took you longer than I thought, Highlander," a disembodied voice greeted him as he stepped through the door. "I expected you here much sooner."
"I'm here now, Campbell." Mac said in a low voice, casting cautious looks around, trying to locate the body that went with the voice.
"Yes, you are. Oh. How is your little friend? Breathing still?"
"You leave Richie out of this. He has nothing to do with it," Duncan warned.
"Oh but he does. He has everything to do with it," Campbell chuckled. "It's just a shame for him you took him in. He might have lived to a ripe old age if you hadn't. Now I don't fancy him making it to nineteen. Is he alone Highlander? Have you left him unprotected again?"
Duncan felt his blood boil at the veiled threat on Richie's life again "No, he's not. And if you try anything..." Duncan began.
"Now, now. You are hardly in a position to be making threats," he was cut off. "I still have two men waiting for the opportunity to finish what they began. Are you sure he is safe?"
Of course Richie's safe, Duncan thought, biting back his anger at the other Immortals words. Connor was with him... Until visiting hours ended, then he'd leave. But the hospital wouldn't let anyone in after visiting hours, but it wasn't exactly difficult to get up to a ward after visiting hours if you wanted to. Duncan had done it himself enough times...
"Does he hate you yet?" The Immortal was continuing. "I must admit I never expected him to live, that wasn't part of my plan. He was supposed to just die. But I am curious, does he hate you for doing this to him?"
Duncan was about to answer when he realised something. This Immortal didn't know Richie was pre - immortal. Campbell thought Richie was just some mortal kid he'd taken in. He didn't know that even if his lackey's had killed Richie that he would have lived anyway. The possibilty of Richie blaming him only came up when he found out he was still alive. So Richie really was just a pawn. A way to hurt Duncan. He'd been nothing... The thought made Duncan angrier than he'd thought was possible.
"Lost for words Highlander? That has to be a first." Campbell's voice hardened then and lost all trace of humour. "Maybe now you know how I felt when you took my son form me. Did you really think I would have forgotten about that? Did you think I would let you have what you took from me? I may not have succeeded before, but I promise you now, that boy will die and there will be nothing you can do to stop it."
"I swear to god, if you go near him again..."
"I have no intention of going anywhere. My business is here. With you. But you will die knowing that as I take your head here, miles away in a hospital bed you're son will be dying and I will be responsible. I have already made the necessary call."
Shit! Duncan was torn. He wanted to stay here and finish this here and now with Campbell, but what would the price be if he did? Richie's mortal life? Connor knew nothing of the danger Richie was now in, he would leave at the end of visiting hours, and Richie would be on his own. Vulnerable.
He couldn't risk it. He had to get back to Richie. Now. It had taken an hour and a half to drive up here. If he pushed it he could be back in Seacouver in half that time. He had to get to Richie, Campbell could wait.
Unfortunately Campbell had other ideas. He stepped out of the shadows, sword raised. A look of grim determination etched on his face.
"Now, we will fight," he said and ran at Duncan.
The temptation to meet the challenge was almost overwhelming. But Duncan couldn't give into his own wants at that moment. Killing Campbell wasn't important. Saving Richie another ordeal like the one only a few days ago was. So Duncan did something he had very rarely done before. He turned tail and ran as fast as he could back to his car, Campbell following closely, cursing his name.
*****
