TIMELESS – CHAPTER TEN

We that are true lovers run into strange capers; but as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly." --From As You Like It (II, iv, 53-56)

UNTOLD SECRETS: PART TWO

Darcy stared at the boat like it was a sleeping beast. She didn't want to set foot near it, much less on it. But as she stood there, she knew it was useless. She walked toward the boat.

"I can always say no," She whispered to herself. "I can always say no." Repeating it did little to ease the tight ball in her stomach.

"Hey!" Mac said as she appeared below deck. "I was just making breakfast, do you want any?"

"No, thank you." Darcy stayed away from Mac as he sat on the couch. "I don't think I'll be staying long."

"Is Methos back already?" Mac asked.

"No. I just..." Darcy stopped herself. She couldn't bring herself to say it; there was no way she could say it. "I just have plans."

Mac lifted his big brown eyes to hers. Darcy's breath caught, "Plans?" He made the word sound sexual. Darcy closed eyes and shook her head, "So you don't have any plans?" His voice was perky again, "Have you ever played chess?"

Darcy opened her eyes, "What?"

"Have you ever played chess?"

"Not recently,"

She found herself sitting across from him. Mac broke out the chess board and she was learning about the game.

Evening swelled over the gray of the sky as Mac walked Darcy home. They didn't talk about anything. Once they reached her step, Darcy turned to him. She stared into his face and again was speechless.

"Thanks," Was all she could manage.

Mac grabbed her hand as she turned to leave, "Darcy,"

Her breath caught at his touch; his hand was so warm, or maybe she was just that cold. She turned to face him.

"Thank you for today." His tone was sincere. "Don't worry about Methos. He'll be back soon."

She nodded and his hand touched her cheek, she flinched at the softness of it. Tears sprang to her eyes and she jerked back from him. Darcy fled up the stairs and slammed the door behind her.

She fell to the bed in great sobs of fear as her mind filled with images. Mac without his shirt, Mac touching her hand; underneath this there was an dark voice whispering.

No one will ever know. Everyone does it now a days. Besides, he left you.

"He hasn't left me!" Darcy screamed at the deepening darkness. "He wouldn't do that to me."

THE NEXT DAY

Darcy balanced the grocery bags as she kicked the door closed. After putting the dishes away she absently checked the telephone for missed calls. Her heart stopped at the sound of Methos' voice.

"Darcy? I guess you're out. I should be home at around six tonight. I love you, see you then."

Darcy sank to the floor with relief. He was coming back and nothing had happened. Methos was coming back.

The clock chimed seven and he still hadn't shown up. Darcy paced the floor as the clock ticked off the minutes. Seven-thirty, eight, nine-thirty; Darcy grabbed her jacket and left the place.

She went for a quick walk; not to Mac's just out. She had to do something other then pace and wait. Darcy returned home shortly and ran up the stairs. She unlocked the door and stopped cold.

Her eyes squinted at the shadows. She took one step, then another, her boots made clear sounds on the hard surface. Her eyes began seeing clearly. She stopped and bit her lip.

Two figures were in the bed and she knew the male voice. The upper body that sat up was chiseled and also familiar. Darcy stared into shocked eyes and was choking on her tears.

"Darcy!" Methos moved but she was faster.

Darcy ran from the sound of his voice and never looked back. Her legs pushed harder and ran faster then ever before.

"Darcy?"
She lifted her head and saw Mac standing before her. Her body threw itself against him and he held her.
"What is it?"

The sobs made talking impossible but she managed in a quick rush. "Methos....liar...not alone."

She fell into greater fits of crying.

Mac held her to him, not fully believing her, "Methos is cheating on you?" He couldn't help the disbelief in his voice. "Are you sure?"

Darcy had regained some of her composure and nodded, "I know what I saw. I saw him and another person, in bed and they weren't talking."

Mac sat on the couch and brought Darcy with him. "I'm sure you thought you saw..."

"Damn it MacLeod!" Darcy snapped and pulled away from him, "I know what I saw!"

Mac held up his hands, "Alright. Okay, so Methos is having an affair." The words sounded so strange to Mac that he nearly laughed.

Darcy stood up and began to pace, "Why would he do this to me?" She was shaking her head. Her hands hugged her arms, "I loved him the best I could. I never kept anything from him."

Mac was still stuck on the image of Methos cheating. "You said he left suddenly. Perhaps it has something to do with this?"

"I know why he left!" Darcy snarled, "I know why he refused to tell me."

Mac watched her and saw pure rage; pure, untainted anger. He actually worried for Methos for a moment. Darcy looked ready to kill him, for good.

"Now hang on," Mac said, he stood up and grabbed her. "This isn't making sense. Methos just wouldn't do this."

"Oh yeah sure, just like he wouldn't' slaughter a village, right? Just like he wouldn't kill innocent people." Darcy shook Mac off and stalked across the room. "He's not a boy scout."

Mac knew that reasoning with her was a moot point. She was too angry. "Let me talk to him."
Darcy spun on him, "Talk to him!" She threw up her hands, "A lot of damn good it'll do. He'll probably tell you some story or whatever. He's a cheat!"

THE FOLLOWING DAY

Methos paced outside of Mac's boat, he knew the Highlander would show eventually. He just wasn't used to waiting for things anymore. Methos turned sharply at the sense of an Immortal.

Mac stopped at the sight of Methos as the man turned to face him. Beside him, Mac felt Darcy tense up. He grabbed her arm as she took a step forward.

"MacLeod," Methos looked to his wife and saw the rage and pain, "Darcy."

Mac nodded, "Methos, care to talk?"

"Yes, actually, I would."

Darcy made an angry sound and lunged. Both men were caught off guard and Methos held her back from clawing his eyes out. Her fists beat his face and chest. She was making strange noises.

Mac hauled her off and was surprised at the effort it took. "Darcy! Stop! Let us talk!" Mac turned his back to Methos and set her firmly on the ground. Both arms were locked around her and she still fought him.

"Please," He whispered to her, "Let me talk to him."

Darcy tore herself loose and ran away.

Once inside the boat, they settled on the couch with beers. Mac wasn't sure were to start, Methos did.

"I am sure Darcy has told you what she saw?"

"Yep. I still don't believe it."

Methos put his beer aside, "Mac, I love her, I really do. But..."

"Methos, you don't cheat on the girl you love, especially not when she's your wife."

Methos nodded, "I know, just hear me out. I got a call at four in the morning from Kleo. I had to go and help her with a problem."
Mac had heard of Kleo a few years back, "You mean the girl with the tattoos? The one who sold you the apartment?

"Yes, that one." Methos entwined his fingers, "Mac, she asked for a ride to Paris. I didn't see any reason to leave her strained."

"Let me guess, she asked for a drink and then it just all happened?"

Methos stared at him, "I can't explain it."

"You had better figure out how. I saw her Methos, Darcy was ready to kill you."

Methos touched his face, it had healed completely, "I got that."

"No, that display was nothing." Mac shook his head. A sudden thought occurred to him, "Did you leave Kleo at your place?"

"Yes, why?"

Mac stood up, "I have a bad feeling."

Darcy was deaf to the woman's pleas for mercy. Nor did she pay attention to the tears on her skin. The only thing she could see or hear was Methos as he made love to her.

She spun on the girl and hit her. The anger and rage surged outward and Dary fell to the floor.

"Why?!" She screamed and shook the woman, "Why?!"

Mac ran up the stairs with Methos a step behind. The door was open and he found Darcy shaking the girl. He grabbed her; the savagery she hit him with, was a shock. Methos went to the girl and Darcy fought harder.

"YOU!" She got loose and flew at Methos. He fell to the floor with Darcy pounding on him, "HOW COULD YOU?!"

Methos flipped them over and pinned Darcy's arms. She was crying now.

Mac knelt beside the woman; her face was bloody and she was hysterical. Gently he removed the tape and motioned for silence.

"Tell me what happened," he asked her, "Did someone put you up to this?"

The girl was nodding, "Yes, a woman, with red hair. She said I had to make it look like he was cheating on her. I had to make her angry."

Mac looked over to Methos, his cuts were healing over. "Did she tell you her name?"

"Cassandra." The girl started to sob, "I swear nothing happened, it just had to look like it. He didn't even want to; but the woman said she'd know if I didn't try. I had to. I am sorry."

Mac helped the girl to her feet and called a cab. "Now listen, Cassandra will know if you talk to anyone. So don't."

"But..."

Mac put a finger to her lips, "Not a soul."

She nodded and looked down to Methos, "I am really sorry Adam, she said I had to. I couldn't stop myself."

He nodded as he continued to hold Darcy down, "Good bye Kleo."

Mac sat at Darcy's head; she had exhausted herself with hysterics and was now sleeping. Methos kept moving to touch her only to draw back. He looked awful. Mac felt sorry for him.

"She'll never believe me." He said finally.

"She might."
Methos shook his head, "I saw the look in her eyes, Mac. Darcy isn't going to forgive me."

Mac followed the gaze of his friend. "Methos, don't..." And watched in disbelief as Methos took off the ring and pressed it into the Highlander's palm.

"Just say...Just say I left."

Mac grabbed the man's arm, "Methos this is what Cassandra wants. She wants you to give up." The desperation in Mac's tone wasn't enough to convey his feelings.

"I'm tired Mac." Methos stood up and walked out the door.