AN- Thanks for the reviews, I really enjoy the feedback, especially since I know how it all turns out!! And a quick note to Arsinyk – thanks for the detailed crit, you were very kind as I noticed several errors you didn't mention, but that's what happens when you write at 2am, I wrote this in daylight so I hope these commas are in the right place, but what can I say? Punctuation hates me!

!!!

"What?! No!" Duncan's eyes went wide with genuine consternation. "It isna like that!"

"No?" Richie challenged. "Tessa only got on the plane this morning and by lunchtime you're making plans to blow me out to meet your lady friend. Got dressed up real nice for it too."

He hadn't much noticed, or cared, before that the Immortal was not wearing the same clothes as when he had left that morning. Both Mac and Tessa might go through several outfits in a day, depending on what they were doing. Richie thought it made for a lot of laundry, but it wasn't really his business.

This was, Tessa was his friend. He'd be dammed if he'd see the Scot jerk her around like he'd seen so many of his foster fathers do to their partners in the past.

"Richie, listen to me .."

"Why? So you can tell me how hard done by you are? How difficult it is, cos you love them both, really?" Richie sneered in disgust. "Damn it, Macleod," Richie blinked hard, at the stupid, treacherous, tears that burnt in his eyes. "I thought you were different .. some one I could .. look up to. I respected you .. but all that stuff about honour and family values and stuff was just a load of crock. Wasn't it?"

"Richie, I am different. I am Immortal."

"What? So, that means the normal rules don't apply?" Richie scoffed. "You types are allowed a harem or something? You wanna try explaining that to Tess?"

"Not if I want to keep my manhood." Even in the circumstances, Duncan couldn't help but grin at the very thought.

Richie paused.

"You're laughing at me." He accused.

"No," Duncan tried unsuccessfully to keep his face straight. "No, I'm not and Tessa would be very proud if she knew how vehemently you had defended her honour."

"Vehemently?" Richie frowned. "That's a good thing, right?"

"Yes lad, it is," Duncan agreed. "Its what families do for each other."

"Alright," Richie eyed him cautiously. "Sooo, why am I getting the idea that I have the wrong end of the stick here?"

"You have the right end of the stick," Duncan allowed. "Its just .. well it's the wrong stick."

"I'm guessing that made sense in your dimension."

"I did meet a woman today," Duncan admitted. "But it wasn't a date. At least, not in the sense you mean. She was an Immortal, Rich."

"An Immortal? As in .." Richie made swooshing motions with his arm.

"Yeah." Duncan admitted, studying the teenager's face carefully for his reaction.

"Oh." Richie looked down at the bedclothes. Suddenly, he felt like such a whiney kid. Here he was sulking that the Immortal hadn't shown up and all the time the guy was fighting for his very life. "You shoulda told me," he said quietly. "I woulda understood."

"Would you?" Duncan asked, levelly.

Richie bit his lip and turned away, to hide his sudden flush. He supposed he couldn't blame the Immortal. He'd acted like a spolit brat. Mac had been good to him, more than good. He'd given him the time off to take part in the race, he'd taken him tout o practice, and defended him to Tessa, he'd even bought him all that cool gear. And as soon as the going got a little rough, Richie had bailed on their friendship and thought the worst. Who was he to lecture the Immortal about honour and stuff?

"So, .. what happened?" he asked, quietly.

"I tried to talk her out of it. I couldn't." Duncan sighed.

"So, you fought?"

A nod.

"And, you won?" Richie shook himself at the Immortal's telling glance. He was here and alive, wasn't he? Of course, he won. But that meant. "Did you? Um. What happened to her?"

"I took her head." Duncan said hollowly.

Richie pressed his lips together, disconcerted by the Immortal's evident chagrin.

"But that's what you have to do, right?" he asked, uncertainly.

"Sometimes." Duncan admitted.

"Sometimes?" Richie arched a brow.

"Its your decision. If you think they are merely brash and foolish or deserving of mercy, you can spare them. But it is always a risk."

"And you figured she wasn't worth it?" Richie winced at how bad that sounded. "I mean .."

"I know." Now it was Duncan's turn to look away. "She'd been watching us Rich, the store, the apartment, where we went, what we did. As we fought she told me that she had gone after you and Tessa both. I guess she wanted to put me off my stride. Instead, she just made me all the more determined to win."

"Tessa?" A look of consternation flashed across Richie's face. "Did she hurt her? Is she alright?"

"She's fine," Duncan reassured him. "I was able to reach her in Seattle. She doesn't know about this and I'd like to keep it that way. No sense in worrying her without cause.

"Yeah. Well. Its over now, right?" Richie agreed.

"Until, the next time," Duncan met his eyes. "You gave me quite a scare, Tough Guy."

"Me?" Richie looked genuinely surprised. "Why me?"

"Remember, what I told you when you agreed to move in?" Duncan reminded him. "That it would be dangerous, living with an Immortal?"

"And I need to duck and cover when the swords start flashing. Sure."

"I also said .. that if you are living here, you are going to be a target, which means anyone who wants to get to me, might try to go through you."

"Yeah, but ..," Richie squirmed slightly. "I guess, I didn't really take that part seriously. I mean, its not like I'm important or anything."

"You are to me." When I couldn't find you I got worried. Then when I realised I didn't have a clue where to begin looking for you, I was frantic. If she really had taken you, I would have had no idea what to do. By the time you walked through the door all I could see was that you were alive and still had your head .." he caught himself. "And all your arms and legs, of course. I guess I was so relieved, I just .."

"Started yelling?" Richie finished for him with a grin.

"Yeah," Duncan gave him an abashed look. "Pretty daft, huh?"

"Naw," Richie gave him a lopsided smile. "Teresa used to do it all the time."

"Teresa?"

"Old foster mother. She said it was only because she cared .." Richie flushed slightly. "Um, I mean .."

"I do care about you, Rich," Duncan reached out and tousled his hair. "You're family, don't you know that yet?"

"I've been family lots of times. Doesn't usually last."

"Well, I'm going to be around for a real long time. So, you better get used to it, Tough Guy."

"Maybe, I can fake it." Richie grinned, cockily at him.

"Don't start that, again," Duncan retrieved his empty mug and stood up.

"So, with these enemy Immie types, are we talking kidnapping, torture, or just being bored to death with tales of their evil exploits?"

"We're talking you telling me where you are going, with whom and when you will be back." Duncan threw back over his shoulder as he padded into the bathroom. After a brief search, he plucked the bottle of painkillers from the cabinet and filled a glass with water.

"Definitely torture," Richie was muttering as he returned.

"I heard that," Duncan put the painkillers and water within reach on the nightstand. "If you need em, use em. Understand?"

"Yes, Mom," Richie rolled his eyes.

"So," Duncan settled himself back on the bed. "How was the race?"

"It was alright."

"Just alright?" Duncan teased. "No blow by blow account? No interviews with the world's media? Should I look for you on the local evening news?"

"Maac."

"You could at least tell me where you placed?"

"I finished." Richie shrugged.

"Well," Duncan swallowed his own disappointment and tried to be encouraging, for the lad's sake. "That's an achievement in itself. You said it was a very strong field."

"Yeah," Richie gave an over exagerated yawn. "Sorry, I guess I'm pretty tired."

Duncan eyed him with suspicion, but decided not to pursue it for now. If the lad was embarrassed that he hadn't won, it would be better to talk it out over a hearty breakfast in the morning, after a good night's sleep. They had both had enough emotional turmoil for one day.

"Alright," Duncan stood up and retrieved the tray. "If you need anything .."

"Thanks, Mac," He waited until the Immortal was almost at the door. "Mac?"

"Yeah?" the Immortal turned.

"I'm glad you're OK, it .. well it wouldn't be the same round here without you."

"The feeling is mutual laddie." Duncan grinned.

!!!

Pulling the bedroom door slightly to, and turning on the hall light, Duncan made his way down towards the kitchen, depositing the tray on the counter. He was putting the used crockery in the dishwasher, when the phone began to ring. Thinking it might be Tessa, he quickly wiped his hands and went to answer it before the answer phone cut in.

"Hello?"

"Look, I'm sorry to call so late," an unfamiliar voice apologised. "But is this the right number for Richie Ryan?"

"It is, but I'm afraid he can't come to the phone, right now."

"Pretty wiped is he?" The voice laughed. "I know the feeling. Could you give him a message for me?"

"Sure," Duncan asked. "Um. Who is this?"

"Oh, right, sorry, its been quite a night. I'm Marco Ferranti, I own the outfit that Richie races for. I was just calling to tell the kid that Sarah had a boy and I already spoke to Frankie so you can tell him I'm keeping my word and calling the baby, Ryan. Oh and there'll be a few extra dollars for him next time he comes around. I don't wanna lose him to the big leagues if I can help it. Not just yet."

"I'm sorry?" Duncan felt like he was losing the thread of the conversation.

"Well, from what I heard he had quite a few pro-circuit scouts interested in signing him up on the spot. Still, what can you expect after a big win like that?"

Duncan swallowed hard. Richie had won?

"The kid has class and no mistake," Marco was still talking in his ear. "Tell him, I'll catch up with him soon. I wanna see the trophy."

"Trophy?"

"Yeah, real nice piece of silverware. Must be worth a mint," Marco enthused. "Well, gotta get back to the family. You tell him I called, Mr Macloed, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Duncan managed. "Thank you for calling and congratulations on your son. Ryan is a fine name for him. I'm sure he'll make you very proud."

Putting the phone down, Duncan's eyes slid to the sliver of light leaking under Richie's bedroom door. Richie had won. He should be swinging from the rafters.

So, why hadn't he said a word about it?