Upon entering the Blues Bar, Duncan looked around to see if Joe was there. He didn't

need to look for Methos. He could feel the old guy sitting at the corner table under

the staircase. The shadow covered all but one hand holding a drink and the two long

legs crossed at the ankles, shod in worn out hiking boots. Despite himself Duncan

had to smile. Why was Methos drinking a drink with a little umbrella in it?

From behind him he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Mac, what you drinkin'? As if I have to ask? You know someday you should try

something different. Look at Adam."

Duncan turned and with one raised eyebrow, looked Joe dead in the eye and snarled"

I've had enough surprises for one day".

Joe raised both hands and said "ok!". Took a good look at Mac, tilted his head and

changed McLeod's normal single to a double. Looked at Duncan again and made it a

triple.

Duncan took a long pull from the glass, sighed and ran one hand through his thick

dark hair, leaned across the bar and half whispered to Joe "Joe, I need to talk to you

and Methos. Privately. I've got an unusual problem."

From the corner a chair was pushed away from the tale with one booted foot. Methos

leaned into the light, took a sip of his umbrella drink and smiled, "Have a seat".

Duncan sank gratefully into the offered seat.

Joe grabbed a chair on the other side of the table, looked around and shrugged, "It's

been a slow night, they can close without my help, What's up?"

Duncan's face was alive with emotions but mostly he looked like a kid caught with

his hand in the cookie jar.

Methos looked at him and smirked " I don't care who she is or how sure she is, I'm

telling you the kid's not yours."

Duncan dropped his glass, spilling 12 year old Glenmorangie across the table.

The dawn sky was pale and quiet. Birds chirped and a gentle breeze blew through

the trees. Amanda lay with the side of her face nestled gently against the cold base

of the toilet. "Please, please, please just let me die". She opened her eyes, the

sudden motion sending a wave of nausea through her again. She rose to her knees,

assumed the position and dry heaved into the toilet.

She had been throwing up since two in the morning. Her stomach ached. It was tight

and hard too. That's what had woken her up. She had always slept on her stomach

but now there was a knot in her lower abdomen.It actually hurt to lay on her tummy.

Her breasts were swollen and sore. The nausea finally subsided. She climbed to her

feet, turned to the sink and brushed her teeth. She picked up and lathered her face

with her favorite Spanish soap. She immediately felt like throwing up again. " It's the

soap, I can't stand the smell of the soap. But I love this soap!" She laughed at

herself. " A Mother for less than 24 hours and already she hated it."

She wandered out into the kitchen to see what she could find to eat. She looked in

the fridge and in the pantry, came up with a few things and went to work preparing

them. she began to think as she fixed her breakfast. What was she going to need?

New clothes, naturally. Baby clothes, bottles, diapers. OH, dear god... diapers, she

did not want to think about changing dirty diapers.

Then another thought hit her " What of the birth?" Who's going to help me? Who did

she know that could be trusted? After all she was going to be completely helpless.

Methos used to be a Doctor, maybe but then again maybe not? Perhaps she'd have

Duncan call Ann Lindsay?" No hurry, she had nine months to decide. Or did she?

Things seem to be moving pretty fast. One day and she was already showing.

She surveyed the feast she had prepared for herself. Cold king crab legs with lemon

and mustard. Orange shebert. Navy bean soup with sour cream and gummy bears.

Graham crackers with toasted marshmallows, chocolate and green olives. Her

stomach heaved as she ran to the bathroom. She crouched over the pot and finally

accepted what her body had been telling her " If the tests and swelling tummy

weren't conclusive the meal sure was, there could be no doubt, she, Amanda was

with child. Damn, Damn, Damn...somehow Duncan was going to pay for this."

Duncan