It was late at Joe's. Except for Joe and the group of Immortals at a table in a shadowed section deep in the bar, it was empty. Soft blues guitar played in the background. Most seemed to be lost in thought, no one looking at anyone in particular, gingerly sipping at drinks. Fitz absently puffed on his pipe, while Richie munched on a generous helping of nachos.

Connor MacLeod finally spoke up, directing his penetrating gaze to his younger kinsman. "Duncan, you shared in a unique experience for our kind. You should be grateful, all things considered."

Duncan slowly looked at Connor, "I am grateful. But to have it end like it did, with no way to change it...it doesn't sit well with me, Connor."

Connor smiled kindly and patted Duncan on the shoulder, "I know. Trust me, I know. I could go on some monologue about how we should learn to accept the occasional inevitability in our lives. It's what Ramirez would have done. But I've never been keen on that approach, either. But the alternative is to go mad. It happened. It was meant to happen. And so, it was meant to happen to you. Everything about that experience, and the part you played in it, and everything you gained from it, it was meant for you."

Duncan looked at him skeptically.

"Amanda said she was picked for this because of her resourceful nature, and the resources she had to call on. You are one of them, Duncan. So, pleasure and pain, all earmarked for you," Connor said.

Duncan snorted.

Connor chuckled and took a drink from his glass, "Yeah, destiny can be a bitch." He then stood up and secured the front of his trench coat. Duncan stood up, facing him.

"Cousin, tomorrow is another day, with everything you carry forward. Not a bad deal, really," Connor said. He and Duncan embraced warmly.

"Stay in touch, Connor," Duncan said warmly, his dark eyes a bit misty.

"I will," Connor said with a smile. He shook the hands of the others, thanked Joe for the drink and hospitality, and was out the door, fading into the night.

Richie and Fitz then stood up, too. "I've gotta roll, race coming up," Richie said. "My bike was in the shop, I need to make sure it's ready."

"The world once again is in motion," Fitz exclaimed, "And we must run to keep up." Fitz tried to sound jovial, but a sorrow could be felt. Then, a strange look came over his face, his head cocked, as if listening to something. Richie took on a similar countenance.

They both looked at Amanda and nodded. Amanda appeared to understand.

When the two were gone, Duncan looked at Amanda wonderingly.

Amanda paused, as if listening to an inner voice, "Fitz and Richie were the two Rebecca and Darius loved the most, outside of us. And they gifted them with something special, and a way to continue, to share their lives from this point on. We have a little of it, too, Duncan, but Fitz and Richie received special gifts based on their relationships with them."

Duncan paused, and seemed to feel something. He then smiled warmly. "I understand."

"Well, I don't," Joe said, "What's the deal?"

"I don't understand it, Joe," Amanda said, "But in that final great Quickening, Rebecca and Darius somehow left something of themselves with us...even moreso than what Immortals normally do in a Quickening. They're still with us."

Methos stared at Amanda, "Can you speak to them? Like Rebecca spoke to them?"

Amanda paused, then smiled warmly "I don't know. Maybe one day."

Duncan then stood, "We need to go, Joe. I promised Anne I would let her know how this all turned out."

Joe traded hugs with Duncan and Amanda and said, "Gimme a call, Duncan."

"I will, Joe," Duncan promised, assisting Amanda with her coat. The two of them then left, arm in arm.

Joe looked down at the table, then noticed Methos staring at him, a strange look in his eye.

"What is it, Methos?", Joe asked.

Methos took a long pull from his drink, then paused. He then said in a soft voice, "I was left a gift, too. Maria, Arphael's paramour and my friend, wanted me to understand what had driven Arphael to madness."

"The legend was, he saw the face of God, saw Paradise," Joe said. "And?"

"I think I saw it, too," Methos murmured.

Joe looked at him in astonishment. "Can you tell me what it's like?"

"No," Methos said firmly, with a touch of...fear. He then smiled wanly and said to Joe, "I truly wouldn't know how. Maybe one day..."

Joe opened his mouth, as if to say something, then thought the better of it.

The two of them sat, lost in thought.