Chapter 32

Paris, that evening

Early evening in a Paris spring had always been one of his favorite times. Joe Dawson sat comfortably in the lawn chair, gazing about the small garden at the rear of Amy's house… watching the twins, three-year old Dawson and Abigail run about the small yard chasing butterflies… heedless of danger… caught in the moment as only small children seem capable. Watching them, Joe felt complete. Something of him… something of who he was… would remain in the world after he was long dead. They were his immortality. Did he have the right to endanger them?

Amy's hand touched his shoulder, giving it a small squeeze as she walked up behind him to watch the twins. His daughter leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Dinner's almost ready."

Joe reached up to pat her hand… and held it a moment.

"Suppose you tell me what's on your mind?" Amy said as she settled in the lawn chair next to his. "I know you well enough to know something is going on." Amy gazed at him sternly.

Joe chuckled. "Yeah… by now I guess you do." He glanced around the yard and leaned close to her. "How safe are we here?"

Amy sobered. "Does this have something to do with that phone call yesterday?" When Joe nodded, Amy closed her eyes a moment obviously thinking.

"How much does Burt know?" Joe prodded.

Amy shrugged. "After the twins were born… I had to tell him something so that he'd know… if something happened to me… to get the twins out of here safely. I finally told him about the existence of immortals about six months ago. I had to. But he knows he can't tell anyone… talk to anyone. He doesn't know you know… he just thinks it's this strange research job I have."

"Has he asked you to leave?"

Amy nodded as Abigail came running up, to have her shoe re-tied. Once her daughter's shoes were re-tied and Abigail had re-joined her brother, Amy continued. "I've explained that like security… this is not a job I can just leave. I've tried to make him see this job is just a passion of mine, and that there is no real danger to any of us… but I think he suspects. Joe… I need to tell him everything… but I also need to be certain the children are safe. I'm afraid to tell him what we've been doing… I fear he'll say or do something to endanger us all."

Joe sighed as he stared at the children. "But we may need him. Can we ship the twins to your mom's for a while?"

Amy gave him a startled look. "You think it may be necessary?"

Joe nodded. They'd discussed this possibility before the twins had been born. Amy's mother, Laura Ayers-Brennan who had retired from the Watchers before Amy had been born, had remarried several years ago, and was happily settled in Liverpool. Her new husband had died suddenly a few months ago, and since then, she'd been begging Amy to bring the twins for a long visit. Laura had been out of the organization so long… that she'd have no idea how things had changed. Especially now!

Amy watched her children at play… and felt torn. She wanted to remain and try to learn what it was that Henry Rawlins and his people were doing both to the immortals… and to the Watcher Organization… she wanted to help her father help his immortal friends, but she also wanted her family safe. "I'll call and make the arrangements tomorrow," she finally said. "Now what's happening?"

"Methos came to see me last week," Joe murmured under his breath.

Amy stared at him. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

"I hadn't had the chance… But he's gone missing. I promised a friend I'd see what I could find out. Has there been any activity on him?"

Amy sat back. "Nothing I'd noticed… but then… I'm still not in the inner circle." Amy had slowly and carefully been working her way into Rawlins' group… trying to learn more about what he was doing. "I can do some checking."

"You be careful!" Joe warned her.

Amy smiled, "I will Joe… I will. Believe me… I do not have a death wish. But despite our being so careful… I haven't really noticed any backlash toward Watchers who ask questions. They just don't get answers… nor are they given new assignments. Many of the older ones have retired as their immortals have vanished in the past few years… Most of those I see are a new breed… very focused… very secretive."

"Get the twins to your Mom's, see if there's been activity on Methos' file… and keep it under your hat," Joe finally said… "Depending on what you learn… I'll fill you in… both you and Burt."

"Why Burt?"

"Because he has other contacts… and I think he may need to know what's going on. You said you told him some of it… did you tell him about Amanda and Nick?"

"He guessed, as I thought he would."

"Then he may be pursuing his own means of investigation without telling you. I need to know what he knows… and I may need him to do some legwork. I'm not as spry as I once was." Joe grinned, winking one eye at his daughter. "Not to worry… we just all need to be on the same page."

"Joe," the tone of Amy's voice cut the old Watcher to the core, "Who's looking for Methos?"

Joe considered his words carefully, finally he looked at her and said simply, "A friend… a very dear friend."

Amy pursed her brows and stared at him thoughtfully. "I would say MacLeod… but I think if it were him… you'd have told me. You saw someone yesterday… didn't you?"

Joe nodded barely perceptively. Nervously he ran one hand through his beard and looked away. He felt Amy's hand reach for his and give it a squeeze.

"I won't push… if you think you cannot say… but I'd never betray your trust. You do know that."

Joe squeezed her hand back. "It's just that… it's someone I don't think is in Watcher records… and I promised to say nothing." He finally met her smile.

"Now why do I think it's a woman?"

Joe chuckled, but said nothing further. He'd begun to understand over the last eight years… just how important it was that Ellie be safe. He'd die first… Just as Methos had once told him that he couldn't tell Joe Eleanor's story… it was something that only she could… Joe felt the same way. If Ellie revealed her presence to Amy… then no problem… but unless she did so… Joe felt that he needed to remain mum about her.

"Mynishka indeed," he thought… thinking of the Watcher legend of the mysterious green-eyed immortal whose appearance kept changing… an immortal no Watcher had ever been able to describe. What wouldn't Rawlins and his men do if they ever learned that the mynishka was real… that she still existed? No… Joe would say nothing.

Joe Dawson watched his grandchildren play and wondered if tonight might be the last time he'd ever get to spend time with them.