Rich History

Richie Ryan worked slowly through the kata, the wooden sword whistled sharply though the air. As he stepped into position he felt the presence of an Immortal. He turned quickly as the doors to the dojo opened. The wooden sword fell from his hands at the sight before him.

Shylock Williams had blossomed into a stunning woman. Sensual curves drew the eye downward. Her fair face and full mouth begged to be kissed and touched. The rich pure blue of her eyes glowed in the muted light. She had let her hair grow out; the rich mahogany color glistened. It brushed her shoulders, caressing the pale skin as she looked around.

"What a surprise Richie," She said gently as he stood gaping. Her eyes swept up and down his body. "You look great."

Richie felt Mac as his friend stepped off the elevator; he couldn't move. Mac stepped up beside Richie, "Hi, can I help you?"

Shylock arched a brow, it was beautiful. "It seems Mr. Ryan has lost his tongue. When he finds it, have him call me." She held out a card and Mac accepted it. "Nice meeting you, Richie's friend."

Richie pulled in a breath and gagged, he grabbed his chest and looked around. "God, was I hallucinating?"

Mac waved the card under his nose, "Nope. I never thought you knew beautiful women, Richie."

Mac and Methos were seated across from Richie. He stared at the glass in his hands; the memory opened in his mind.

SEACOUVER, 1991

Richie ran across the quad as he dodged students and staff alike. He ran holding books and balancing a backpack. As he moved he saw his target clarify. The group of students where sitting at a picnic table waiting for him. He ran up and kissed his girlfriend before sitting down.

"Sorry I'm late; Professor James decided to lecture me after class." Richie caught he tension at the table. He glanced to the quiet presence of Shylock Williams. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

He looked across at his best friend, Paul Jones and then at his girlfriend Regan Williams. Regan was crying and looking horribly upset. She glanced at him before bursting into fresh tears.

"What is going on?" He asked, looking around at the table again.

Paul spoke slowly, "Richie, um, this isn't easy to say but...Regan and I..."

Richie didn't hear anything after that. He kept staring at his girlfriend, she wasn't looking at him. Finally Regan jumped up and ran away. Paul glanced at Shylock before following her.

"Richie?"

He stared into her blue eyes; behind the glasses they were as blue as her sister's. He stood up sharply and jerked away from her hand. "You knew about this?"

"Didn't you hear what he said?" She asked; clarity shone across her eyes and she sighed. "Regan's pregnant. Paul says it's his and their getting married."

Richie backed away again, "How could she do this to me?"

Shylock didn't give an answer.

"Oh I get it," He said sharply, "He's rich and I'm not, he's sexy and I'm not. Paul is the better version of me, right?"

"Not really." Shylock spoke quietly, "He doesn't have the heart you do."

Richie shook his head and walked away.

PRESENT DAY

"Had I known that was the last time I would see her, I would have been nicer." Richie set aside the glass and shook himself. "Shylock was killed that night. The school newspaper said it was a suicide. But I knew Shylock, she wouldn't do that."

Mac stood up and refilled his glass, the sound of running water was loud. "Well you get the chance to ask her. When are you going to call her?"

Richie stared at the card sitting hear him, "I'm not going to call her." He stood sharply and grabbed his coat, "I'll see you later guys."

Methos watched the young Immortal leave, "He's a mess, Mac."

"When isn't he?" Mac muttered and finished off another glass. "She must have a million questions."

"Why is that?" Methos asked, "Someone could have trained her."

Mac shook his head, "I meant about Richie."

Shylock stared at the generic exterior of Joe's. There was nothing interesting about the place, yet Mac had specified the meeting be here.

The interior of Joe's was simple and just the same as the exterior, generic. Nothing stood, nothing interesting.

The saving grace; the two gorgeous men sitting at the bar, of them was Mac. Both turned at her entrance, they both stood up as well. She smiled at the old fashioned courtesy.

"Thanks for coming," Mac said lightly and offered a beer.

"No thanks, I don't like to drink." Shylock noticed the older man behind the bar. He nodded politely.

"Richie should be here soon," Mac assured her and sat down. "This is Methos."

She glanced at him; he was cute in a dark kind of way. She got the feeling he wasn't what he appeared to be.

"Why was it you who called me and not Richie?" She asked gently, taking up a seat beside Methos.

"Richie seemed really upset when he left. But I also know you want to talk to him." Mac spoke with a quiet tone. "So you're sister was his girlfriend?"

"Not exactly, Regan was engaged to Richie. But then Paul asked and that was it. Regan was fickle, she loved money more then heart. So that's what she chose." Shylock shook her head, "It was the biggest mistake of her life."

"And you told her that." Mac commented.

"I did." Shylock shivered, "That was the biggest mistake of my life. Paul murdered me that night. A few minutes later I popped back up and realized my whole life was ruined. I had to give up my dreams of a History degree and leave home for a while. Not exactly a happy time for me; but here I am and that's worth a lot."

Mac glanced at Methos, "You were killed by your sister's fiancé?"

Shylock lifted her head, meeting his eyes. "Paul had asked me first, but I wasn't won over by the private jet and big house. I knew what was more important for me and Paul didn't have it. When he asked Regan I knew there was something behind it. Then I found out that Regan was pregnant." She paused, "When Paul told Richie the news he spun the angle his way. I wanted to kill him for it. Richie was...is a great guy. He deserved better then that."

Mac nodded in agreement. He felt Richie arrive. Mac saw Shylock react. She tensed and turned as Richie walked in.

Richie stopped short at the sight of the girl before him. "What is she doing here?"

"Richie, I think you should hear her out." Mac said gently.

"There's nothing to hear." Richie moved to go.

"Paul killed me Richie." Shylock stood as she spoke. "He did it because I tried to show Regan she was wrong in choosing him." Shylock took a step forward, "It wasn't his baby she was carrying, Rich, it was yours."

Richie spun around at that. Mac and Methos exchanged surprised looks. "What?"

"Regan never knew who the father was. Not until the baby was born and it was too late then. But I knew."

"How could you?"

Shylock sighed, "Because he was with me the night it happened."

"But it could have been his," Richie snapped.

Shylock held up her hands, "Fine, I just know what I know. All I came to say was that I'm sorry this happened to you. Regan was a fool to not hang on to you. As for me..." She held up her hands, "I learned my lesson when he threw me off the bell tower."

Richie was staring at her; "Did he marry him?"

"Yes, five months later, over summer holiday. Regan never went back to school, she never got her degree."

"I bet you didn't either."

Shylock shook her head. "I hope to finish it later on." She drew out an envelope and placed it on the bar. "Regan asked that you have this. She wanted you to know the truth." Shylock nodded to Mac and Methos and left the bar.

Richie stared at the envelope. His feet were like lead as he moved toward the bar. His hands were in a cold sweat as he touched the smooth paper. Mac and Methos stood up, shrugging on their coats.

"We'll see you at the dojo." Mac said lightly and squeezed Richie's shoulder as he passed.

Richie stared at the hand written letter, it was Regan's writing. His gaze shifted to the small pictures that were tucked inside the letter. The baby's face was bright and happy. The date was 1991; the second one was marked 1993, two years ago. It the same child who looked remarkably like him. The hair color was a dead give away. Not to mention the eyes, they were his too.

Richie read the letter. He was crying before he reached the second page. Richie never finished the letter; he was sobbing too hard. His heart was breaking all over again.

Mac felt the presence and expected Richie, not Shylock. She stood stiffly, as if unsure of her welcome. Mac offered a beer and she smiled slightly.

"I guess Richie got the letter?"

"We haven't seen him," Mac said gently.

Shylock glancd at the second man, he shook is head. "Not much for words are you?" He shook his head again. She smiled.

"Um, Shylock," Mac paused for a moment, "When you came back to life, well, is there anything you want to know?"

She laughed softly, "I saw the movie Mac. I know the rules, it's amazing what kids can learn from the movies."

"What about sword fighting?" Mac asked.

Shylock sighed, "I'm a historian not a warrior. But yes, I can swing one around. Not that I do. I don't go looking for trouble and it doesn't look for me."

Mac opened his mouth to continue when Methos stood. That one action silenced the Highlander. "That's commendable; but you do realize that someone will come for you eventually."

She shifted her gaze to Methos and sighed. "I won't doubt you. But I'm not going to start worrying either. The whole idea of being Immortal is enough of a mind trip. I try to take things in pieces."

Methos crossed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. "Did you ever date Richie?"

Shylock grinned, "He was never interested in me. I wasn't always beautiful. It took death to shape me up. After diving off fifty stories, I decided to buff up."

Methos looked at her over the door, "You remind me of a parking ticket."

Shylock arched a brow, "Oh?"

"You've got fine written all over you."

She laughed joyously. Her eyes sparkled as she blushed.

Mac loudly cleared his throat. "Are you going to wait for Richie?"

"Nope." Shylock put her hands in her coat pockets. "I'm leaving for Paris right away. I've never been there but I've always wanted to go. I figured why not now? I'll feel better being in another country. I won't have to worry about anyone knowing who I am."

Mac stood up, "It was nice meeting you." He offered a hand, "I hope you do well."

She looked up at him and smiled gently, "You know Mac, you're one of a kind, Richie's lucky to have you as a friend."

Methos shut the refrigerator door, he was carrying a can of soda. "It was nice meeting you."

Shylock grinned, "Same here," She left the apartment and Mac glanced at Methos.

"Fine as a parking ticket it?" Mac scoffed, "How long did it take you to think that up? A century or two?"

"I heard it in a movie," Methos took up his seat again, "How long do you think she'll last?"

Mac shook his head, "It's hard to say. But I'd give her a fair chance."

"How about Richie?"

Mac sighed, "I have no idea. That kid's got more baggage then I expected. I mean what a blow to take, huh?"

Methos nodded, "I can't imagine getting that kind of shock."

"Not after five thousand years anyway," Mac muttered and looked at the man, "Sometimes being old is good."

Methos laughed.

Richie shut the door to his apartment and tumbled into the couch. He was numb and hurting. No matter what he died, nothing eased the pain in him.

The ringing of his phone made Richie cry harder. The answering machine picked up.

"Hi, Richie, it's Shy, I'm leaving for awhile. If you ever want to talk or hang out, you know where to find me."

Richie stared at the carpet and pulled in a few deep breaths. Leaving would be a good idea. He had to get away for a while; work things out for himself, he needed out.

Mac heard the answering machine turned on and he was surprised at Richie's voice. "Mac, I'm leaving for a while." The line clicked dead and the machine snapped off.

Methos paused in washing the dishes and gazed at the man. "Well?"

"What do you want to bet he's gone to Paris?" Mac muttered and shook his head, "We can't do anything for him."

Methos stared at the Highlander and saw pain. Mac was worried about Richie. Methos went back to the dishes, this wasn't his problem.

Richie Ryan was his own problem.