AN – Thanks so much for all the positive reviews, and especial thanks for Laurakkc for the crash course in car mechanics, – I know what I meant but it wasn't what I said! – and Neoinean, you will find out why they call him Slick – just not in this chapter. And look, no cliffie, bet you didn't think I could do that!

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"There is no answer," Tessa put the phone down. "I was sure he would be home by now."

"You don't think?" Richie made swooshing motions with his arm.

"I don't know," Tessa pressed her lips together, worriedly. "I will call us a Taxi."

"Um. Tess, you're not going to get a Taxi to come to this neighbourhood, at this time of night," Richie indicated the street corner. "Not unless, you can give them an actual address."

"Well, we can't just stand here!" Tessa snapped. "What do you suggest?"

"You want me to steal a car?" Richie offered diffidently.

"No, I do not want you to steal a car!" Tessa sank down on the kerb and pulled off her shoe to check for blisters. "We will just wait here until Duncan comes home."

"Um, Tess," Richie looked up. "I don't think that's a very good idea."

Tessa followed his gaze to see a familiar looking red car with orange flames down its side cruising slowly down the block.

"C'mon," Richie grabbed her wrist and pulled her up across the sidewalk to shelter in a doorway.

"My shoe!" Tessa reached for it.

"Leave it," Richie pulled her back into the shadows seconds before the car passed by. After a few heartbeats, he suddenly became aware that he was pressed up very close against Tessa, in a very small space. He moved back out onto the sidewalk. "You OK?"

"I think so," Tess nodded, looking slightly dazed.

Richie jogged over to retrieve her shoe. "Your slipper, my Lady," he held it out.

"Ah, about that." Tessa reached down and held up her other shoe, with the heel twisted right off.

"$200 and they call that craftsmanship?" Richie scoffed.

"You sound like Duncan," she shook her head. "I think he believes that we should all wear boots with good, thick, sensible, soles."

"Well, you wouldn't catch me in anything I couldn't make tracks in," Richie told her. "Look, just sit there. I'll give my friend Gary a call. If he's not working, he can swing by and pick us up."

"Won't his parents mind him being out at this time of night?" Tessa worried.

"I shouldn't think so. He hasn't lived with his folks since he was fifteen and joined the circuit."

"The circuit?"

"The pro racing circuit. Course, he had to lie about his age." Richie tossed over his shoulder as he went over to make the call.

Tessa sighed, as she sank down onto the door step. She and Duncan were trying so hard to give Richie a normal, family life. But how was that possible, when his friends lived such lives? In such a place that even a Taxi would not come?

"He'll be here in a few minutes," Richie came back and sat down beside her.

"Why did he have to lie about his age?"

"Because you have to be over 18 to race."

"So, why not wait until he was 18?" Tessa wondered.

"I dunno." Richie shrugged. "Never asked."

"Don't you have any normal friends?" Tessa asked, exasperated.

"What? You mean like Mac?" Richie challenged.

"No, I mean normal teenagers, who live at home with their parents and graduate High School and spend their time playing football or soccer."

"Tess, most families in this neighbourhood are single parents. Half the brothers and sisters have different fathers. It's the kids whose parents so stay together that aren't normal."

"But it is not right!" Tessa worried.

"Its just the way it is."

Tessa was angry, with his calm acceptance of such a state of affairs. Did he not realise that he was a unique, amazing, talented, human being, who deserved to be the very best that he could be?

"And this lying and stealing and sneaking about? This is not normal? It is criminal." She reasoned.

"Hey," Richie replied, stung. "I was just trying to look out for you. We wouldn't even have been in this neighbourhood, if you hadn't insisted on taking the stupid shortcut."

The guilt that Tessa had been harbouring all evening, flared up.

"We would not have been running late, if you had told me what time it was."

"Well, I might have done, if you hadn't been acting like the ice Queen."

"If you had not been so irresponsible in the first place, then you would not have been being punished."

"Me? Irresponsible? You were the one who forget to fill up with gas."

"Me? You .." In that moment, all Tessa's fear and stress and guilt boiled over and she lashed out at the nearest available target.

Richie.

He was clearly not expecting the blow. And, afterwards, that made Tessa feel so much worse. Even as they argued, he was not afraid of her, not anxious that merely stating his opinion, or standing up for his point of view, would result in the vicious slaps or angry blows that she knew all too well been his lot in the past. Her hand connected with his injured cheek with such force that a bright red mark blossomed instantly. But worse, much worse, was that the force of the blow broke the cut on his cheek open again, so that it began bleeding freely.

She looked at the blood on her hand to Richie's stricken expression in horror.

"Richie, je suis desolee," she apologised, fervently, not even realising that she was speaking French. She reached up to try and staunch the blood, only to have him jump up out of her reach.

"Don't. Its fine." He said flatly.

"No, it is far from fine," Tessa said firmly, rising to her feet. "I had no right to do such a thing. I am so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Tessa, its fine," Richie assured her, in the same, emotionless, tone, even as he swiped the blood from his face with his hand, Tessa had to stifle the urge to chide him for it, she felt she had forfeited such a privilege for the moment. "Its forgotten."

"If you say so." Tessa wasn't agreeing.

"Mac's here." Richie said, looking over her shoulder, where the Highlander was half out the car before T-Bird had even come to a complete halt.

"Tessa! Richie!"

"Duncan!" Tessa turned to run to him, forgetting that she only had on one good shoe, as she stumbled, Duncan crossed to her in two long strides and caught her against his chest.

"Tessa, are you alright? Are ye hurt?" he worried. "I saw the car."

"Oh Mac," She hugged him tightly, breathing in his scent and sense of safety, here and warm and alive. "I'm fine now."

She felt him shift her slightly in his arms, so he could look over her shoulder.

"Richie?"

"I'm fine too, Mac."

"You're bleeding."

Tessa distinctly heard the note of concern in her lover's voice, as he gently disentangled himself from her and went to stand in front of Richie, carefully lifting his jaw into the light of the street lamp.

"Don't even say it, alright?" Richie sighed.

"Sorry, Tough guy," Duncan's tone was sympathetic, as he inspected the cut, brushing his thumb comfortingly along the teenager's jaw line. "That's gonna need stitches."

At that moment, a small, beat up, jeep, driven by a dark haired boy, a little older than Richie, pulled up. As he climbed out, Duncan could clearly see that this young man had the easy grace and confidence of someone who knew exactly how to take care of himself. And his friends, judging by the protective stance he took up at Richie's shoulder.

"This guy bothering you, Rich?"

"No man, this is Duncan Macleod. The guy I told you about. Um. Mac. This is Gary. He came to give us a ride home."

"A good friend, to come out at this time of night." Duncan, offered a friendly hand.

"Yeah, well," Gary's handshake was firm and strong. "Richie and I go way back." He was frowning at the fresh blood on his friend's face. "Vinnie?"

Duncan tensed.

Richie just shrugged.

"We should get you to the Hospital." Duncan told him.

Richie hesitated.

"Hey man, I can swing by the ER if you want to get the lady home." Gary offered.

"Yeah, Mac," Richie leapt in. "You know how much you hate Hospitals. And this time of night there's probably only one guy on duty. And it'll be hours before anyone sees us."

"Hey," Duncan put a warm hand on his shoulder. "Its no bother."

"I know," Richie nodded earnestly. "But hey, Gary's already here. Doesn't seem very fair to drag him all this way for nothing. Its cool."

Duncan looked back to where Tessa was standing, with her arms wrapped around her, as if to ward off the cold, surprised that she wasn't adding her voice to his.

"What do you think?"

"I think, Richie is old enough to make his own decisions."

"Alright," Duncan wasn't at all sure what was going on with his little family. But he wasn't about to resolve it here on the sidewalk. "We'll see you at home later." That wasn't a question. "If you need anything .."

"I'll call."  Richie nodded.

"I'll make sure he keeps outta trouble." Gary grinned.

"Then you're a better man than I am." Duncan sighed softly, as he led Tessa over to the T-Bird.