Still don't own anything other than my original characters and the plot, such as it is. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and is reading this thing! I appreciate the feedback.

Matchmaking not really being my thing, I admit I was pleasantly surprised when Richie Ryan and my roommate Anne hit it off. Richie came with us to the frat party, and very kindly acted as a buffer when one of the drunken boys got a little too overzealous. Not that we were in any more danger, than dealing with very crude propositions or maybe having someone throw up on our shoes, but Richie, it seems, has a protective streak and as much as he looks like a sweet innocent kid he has a core of iron when one of his friends is threatened. It rather sexy, really, and Anne obviously thought so because by the end of the night they were what my friends back home and I liked to call a 'One True Pairing'. By the end of our first month of school, Richie and Anne were a solid team.

I was rather proud of myself.

As for me, I was still pining for Duncan MacLeod, as much as I knew I shouldn't. I kept hoping he'd do something completely dorky or cruel or stupid, anything to shatter the image that had been built up in my mind since I was a little girl, but he wasn't obliging. He was kind, and smart and, God help me, sexy as anything. If I were in any kind of decent narrative, he would have spotted me as his one true paring, but it didn't happen. We had a certain level of familiarity, but it never got past exchanging pleasantries and discussing what we were learning in his class. Most of the time when I was at the Dojo he was nowhere to be seen, so I never even had the opportunity to impress him with my karate skills.

So life settled into a routine with schoolwork, friends, and training at the Dojo, but nothing dramatic or romantic was happening in my life. Finally, by October, I'd resigned myself to having Duncan as only a peripheral person in my life, and once again tried to simply be grateful he was there at all. So naturally, life being what it is, right before Halloween, things started to change.

One Saturday Anne came with me to the Dojo, as she and Richie had a lunch date, and when we got there, Richie and Duncan sparring with swords. Now I realize this is going to sound completely unenlightened and Freudian, but there is something unbelievably sexy about men with swords; especially men like Duncan and Richie. Anne and I slipped in, unnoticed, and watched them as they fenced, if such a tame word could be applied to what they were doing. Duncan's technique was everything my grandfather had told me, and Richie, though not nearly as skilled, obviously knew what he was doing. It was thrilling to watch and when it was over, (Duncan winning, of course) Anne and I burst into applause. They both looked over at us, surprised we were there, then, laughing, bowed dramatically.

Anne ran to Richie and, er, greeted him enthusiastically, leaving Duncan to exchange embarrassed grins before he went into the office and I started my warm ups. Eventually Richie and Anne trotted off to their lunch, and I was left alone. I was about halfway through my Kata when Duncan came back into the room, and stood watching me for a while. This of course made me nervous, and by the time I made my third mistake, I stopped, groaning in frustration.

"I'm sorry," Duncan said, "I didn't mean to disturb you. I was watching you from the office. You're very good."

"Really? I mean..." I stammered, pleased at the compliment, "thanks. I've been doing it for a pretty long time." I cast about for something to say. "I really enjoyed watching you and Richie with the swords. That was amazing. I've always been kind of fascinated by fencing. My grandfather used to tell me..." I almost said 'Duncan stories'. "Um, stories about sword-fighting and stuff. It's one of the reasons I took up martial arts."

"Did you ever think of taking a class in Kendo?"

"Yeah, but my mother didn't want me to. She wasn't really comfortable with me learning how to use a sword. She was never too thrilled I took up martial arts. I think she had a vision of a daughter who did ballet or jazz, or at least gymnastics. She didn't mind the Kata, she said that was almost like dancing, but she had a really hard time sitting through any of my tournaments. Having a daughter come home with a bruised face wasn't necessarily what she signed up for. So, I didn't pursue the sword fighting. I figured she was suffering enough." I grinned. "So if I ever get chased by pirates, I'm out of luck."

"Well we can't have that, can we," Duncan said, removing two practice swords from the wall, "why not give it a try now?"

I took the sword, and looked at him, and once again couldn't help but think my Grandfather's spirit was somewhere in the room, nodding in encouragement. Look Grandpop! I'm fencing with Duncan Macleod! "Okay. I'll give it a try."

For the next hour I had a crash course in Kendo, the art of the sword. Because I'd been doing martial arts for so long, I'd gotten used to being good at it, even if I do say so myself. It was extremely humbling to be doing something that I, not to put too fine a point on it, sucked at. Duncan was a patient teacher; correcting my mistakes and encouraging me when I got it even a little bit right. By the time we were through I was sweaty and exhausted and pretty darn glad I wasn't an immortal, because I don't think I'd last a week in the game.

"That wasn't bad." Duncan said after returning the swords and bringing me a glass of water. "You really picked up on the moves by the end." I just stared at him. "No, really. I'm sure after a few lessons you'd be quite good at it. You're a natural."

I blushed at that. "Well, I don't know about that. It is fun though."

"We have a couple of different classes here, why don't you sign up for one?"

"I really can't. I already stretched my budget with my membership here. I can't afford any extras." I smiled, hoping I didn't sound too pathetic. "You know, starving college student and all that."

Duncan looked at me thoughtfully. "Would you be interested in working here a couple hours a week? That would cover the extra cost of the lessons, and I could use an extra instructor for the beginner classes. Richie has decided to start taking some college credits and won't be around as much. Are you interested?"

Well, Duh. "Yes. That would be great. I did some instruction at home, so I have experience." Granted it was with the five year olds, but still... "Thank you." Thank you seemed a really inadequate thing to say, but somehow I think falling to my knees, kissing his feet and shouting hurrah wouldn't be a good career move at this point. So 'thank you' it was.

"Hey Anne," I said as we were walking home later, "Duncan seems to think you're a good influence on Richie."

She grinned at me. "Oh, it's Duncan now, is it?"

"Shut up. He told me to call him that because I'm going to be working for him. At the Dojo," I added sharply when she started making 'ooohh' noises. "Anyway, I'm talking about you and Richie. Duncan said that Richie was dead set against college until you came along. He's very pleased."

"Well, I didn't do anything. Well, maybe I did a little. We were talking about jobs, or something, and he made this sort of joke that I would eventually outgrow him since I'm going to be a doctor and he was just some punk kid and always would be. So, I told him I knew he was capable of doing anything he set his mind to. A couple of days later he told me he'd decided to give college a try."

"Aw, that's sweet."

Anne blushed. "He's sweet, really. I'm so glad you invited him that night. Anyway, back to you and Professor Hottie. I think he may actually have a thing for you."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Get out. He does not. He couldn't possibly. Why do you say that?"

I don't know, it's just when Richie and I came back after lunch there seemed to be an, I don't know, atmosphere, or something."

"An atmosphere?"

"Yeah, you know. A tension. Something. You said he came out to watch you do your Cantina thing."

"Kata."

"Yeah, that. And then he offers you a job? Intriguing, don't you think?"

"No." I started walking again, my mind in a whirl. I knew I couldn't let Anne's words trick me into seeing things that weren't there. I wanted it to be true too much. It would get me in trouble. "I think he's just a nice guy who likes to help people out."

Still, I couldn't keep the excitement out of my voice when I called my mother that night to tell her I was working at the Dojo. I didn't tell her why, exactly, I still don't think she'd like me using swords, but I thought she'd be interested to know that I was getting to know the real Duncan Macleod. To my surprise, she seemed more worried than interested. "Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked me.

"Yes, of course I do. Why?"

"Well, your grandfather did say he was never supposed to interact with people like Duncan Macleod, there's probably a reason for that."

"Mom, he was his Watcher. I'm not. Anyway, it's like whales."

"Whales?"

"Yes. If you go whale watching, the boat isn't allowed to get to close to the whale, but if the whale comes to the boat, it's okay. He came to me. And he's my teacher. I couldn't very well run away shouting 'I'm not supposed to talk to you!"

"I know honey. I'm just concerned. I worry about you getting too involved."

"What? Are you afraid I'm going to fall in love with him or something?" I said shrilly, protesting way too much. "Because I'm not. I mean, there's no chance he would ever...I mean, there's no danger...I'm fine..."

"It's not just that," she said. "It's the life he leads. I know the stories too. He gets involved with dangerous things. He has people coming after him with swords, for goodness' sake. What if you get caught up in that?"

"Mom. That is not going to happen. I'm sure my relationship with Duncan will never progress beyond a casual friendship, if that. He's just being nice to a student. I really don't think my life will ever be in danger because of the Gathering thing." I spoke firmly, confidently, completely unaware that what I was saying was pretty much 100% wrong.