Disclaimers in Part 1

Big Nose faced the Thing, the sword in his hand. Scully sensed his indecision – torn between the instinct to run, and a powerful curiosity. It was a feeling she knew well. If he'd had a tail, it would have twitched.

"You … are a demon," he breathed.

"And you are a pathetic excuse for an immortal." Its voice no longer sounded normal. It had a strange echo to it.

"What … are you doing here? I'm not the Champion."

"You're going to kill him."

"That was you, earlier. I'll be damned."

"You're going to take his head."

"You tried to trick me. I'm curious – how did you expect to get him to stand still while I beheaded him?"

"I will make you invincible."

Her human did not respond to that.

"That's right, Methos. I can make you unbeatable. Unstoppable. You can be the final survivor. The One. You know no ordinary moral code can forbid you to kill immortals. That Law is older than Time. There Can Be Only One. How many times have you feared the outcome of a Challenge? Feared to face the void of a death from which there is no returning? Never again. Take the head of the Highlander, and then all the others will fall before you. You need never be afraid again."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then your next Challenge will be your last. Think about it."

There was silence in the room. Scully's heartbeat sounded very loud in her ears. When her human spoke, his voice sounded very ordinary, but she could smell his fear. She really wished he would stop talking to the demon!

"Every game has its rules. What are your rules, demon? You can't kill the Champion, yourself, and I don't think you can arrange my death. Threats are coercion. What you need is willing betrayal. I won't do it."

"Brave words from such a coward. Don't worry, little man; I'm not here to kill you. I'm here to buy you."

Scully sensed her human growing more confident. The smell of fear was fading.

"Well, you'll have to do better than that. I suppose the Prize is an obvious bribe for an immortal. The Prize doesn't mean fuck all to me, and you'd know that if you were truly omniscient. So, I take it, there are things you don't know."

Scully shivered as the man-demon changed form before her eyes. It also changed location. Big Nose whirled to the doorway, raising the sword. Another long-haired man stood there, with strange markings on his face, and very heavy looking clothing latched on his body.

"Bright boy. You've got me all figured out. Yes, oh wise one, you have seen all my secrets. But then, you always were the clever one."

Big Nose gripped his sword with both hands. His face seemed to turn whiter.

"I don't fucking believe this," he said.

"Is that any way to greet your brother?"

II

"What game is this? We both know Kronos is dead. What's the point of this?" Her human's voice was more high-pitched than usual.

"Then put down your sword. What are you afraid of?"

Big Nose didn't move. The demon-thing lounged on the bed, its booted ankles within Scully's reach. Not that she could bring herself to do anything about it. Her human kept the blade of the sword between himself and the End of Everything.

"You'll notice, brother, that I offered to make you the last immortal. I didn't say anything about a Prize. How do you know there is one? Would you like to know? I can tell you. Where do immortals come from? What are they here for? Would you like to know your mother, Methos? I am older than life, and I am part of the fabric of existence. I can show you everything. The meaning of Life. You think of yourself as a scholar. I will tell you everything you've ever wanted to know."

The point of the sword wavered. Again, there was silence in the room, but for the slight hum of the computer.

"You could do that?"

"He wants to die, Methos. That part was no deception. Be his friend. Behead him in a fair fight; give him the peace he craves, and I will tell you everything."

Her human shifted his weight. "Once the Champion is dead, what binds you to keep your word? I think you tell me first."

"Stupid fool!" it roared. Scully cringed, and lay her ears flat. "You have no comprehension of where you are! Do you think we toy with pebbles here? This is a contract with chaos! You do know the rules; they are in every story your kind has told around eons of campfires. And I know your pathetic attempt at deception. I am omniscient. I know every sacrifice you've made to survival – every betrayal; every abandonment. I know your plans and fears. Don't think to deceive me!"

Her human lowered the sword. The demon's shouting did not seem to have frightened him.

"Keep it down. My neighbors work, you know, omniscient one."

The demon-man stood, and leaned toward her human. Was he going to hurt him, now?

"Your neighbors are dead. I just killed them. Play false with me again, and more will die."

"No," Big Nose said, his eyes wide.

"Oh yes. What is your answer?"

"Get thee behind me," he whispered.

Destruction laughed. It was a horrible sound. Scully lay her ears back flat and cringed again, until it stopped.

"Do you think to invoke a god? How amusing, coming from you. I am the only god, here. It is I who have the power of death. And of life. You may still change your mind."

The red mist rose, this time, from the floor. Scully pulled back to make sure none of it touched her. To her immense relief, the man-demon was gone, and Big Nose stood alone, staring at the bed.

Alone? Then who was it who was weighing down the bed above her?

III

Big Nose moved to the bed. The sword fell from his hand with a heavy thud. Scully came bounding out, and leaped upon the top of the bed.

A woman lay on the bed. Another intruder? How did she get there? Scully meowed her distress and her relief. Her human watched her, as she began a careful approach up the covers toward the woman's lap, still mewing.

"Adam?" The woman spoke. Scully crouched beside her, and suffered the stranger to absently fondle her ears with one hand.

"Where am I? Where are we? What . . . what's happened?" She held out her hand toward Scully's human, who stood very still before her, his gaze moving from Scully to the woman.

"Alexa," he croaked. Scully had never heard his voice sound so odd.

The woman sat up straighter and peeled one layer of blankets away before pausing, looking at the man. Big Nose looked at Scully. She mewed her What's-going-on cry, but stayed beside the woman. Nothing about her was frightening.

"Adam, I feel … I feel fine! What's happened? Was there some kind of miracle?"

"Miracle …" he choked, and returned his gaze from Scully to the woman. He dropped to his knees beside the bed. He threw his arms around her waist, and buried his face in the covers still draped on her lap. He made strange, muffled sounds.

Scully felt very agitated. He wasn't paying attention to her, and he was very distressed, again. At least this time his head was within easy reach. She paced around him and the woman, and tried to lick the salty water from his face. He reached for her, and batted her away.

"Scully …"

He raised his head, and looked at the woman who had her hands draped on his shoulders.

"Alexa … Alexa … it's so good to see you!" He moved so swiftly to sit beside the woman on the bed, and grasp her to him, that Scully had to leap away to avoid being sat on. Hey!

"Good to see me? Have you been gone? How did I get here?"

They separated, slightly.

"What … do you remember?"

"I was in the hospital in Zurich." She looked around. "Are we still in Zurich? You were there. You had come back from … from something you had to do in France. And then I don't remember anything."

"Oh, God. Alexa …" Big Nose ran his hands over her face and hair. "This is … This isn't …." He stood abruptly, releasing her. He strode away, only stopped by the wall, which he faced, raising one tight fist to his face.

Both Scully and the woman cried at him. "Adam?" The woman unfurled the remaining blankets and stood just behind him. The gown she wore draped teasingly at Scully as she moved, but she was gone from the bed too swiftly for Scully to bat at it.

The woman placed a hesitant hand on his tense back. He turned slowly, and returned his own hand to the side of her face. "Please tell me what's wrong," she said.

He placed his arms around her, and looked down into her face. She was much smaller, standing, than he was, Scully saw.

"Alexa, this … is not real. It's a dream."

She pulled back from him.

"What?"

"I mean it. You're still sick, and this is a dream."

"Adam," her voice trembled. "Don't joke like this."

"It's no joke. There is no miracle - at least, not yet. I know it seems real, but dreams always seem real while you're having them, don't they?" He said the last with one hand out, toward her, because she had pulled entirely away from him. Scully stayed silent, watching.

"You're telling me that I'm still dying, and this is some kind of wish-fulfillment dream."

Big Nose had water on his face, again. "Yes."

The woman slumped. Scully had never had cause to develop any sensitivity to any human's feelings but her own human's, but she now sensed a great grief from the woman. Big Nose was drawn the two steps to her side, and wrapped his arms around her slight frame, again.

"Alexa, trust me. I love you. I need you … I need you to tell me something. Can you do that? For me?"

The woman moved her head against his chest.

"If you could …" He made a choked sound. "If you could live, but someone else had to die, would you choose to live?"

She pulled back and looked at him. She sniffled.

"You mean like a transplant or something?"

Big Nose closed his eyes. "Yes. Something like that."

"Someone … innocent? Who hadn't done anything wrong would just … lose their life, like I am?"

He nodded.

She separated from him, again, and walked to the bed. Scully looked up at her. Maybe if she rejected him often enough, he'd send her away and Scully would have him to herself again.

Abruptly, the woman collapsed on the bed, making those muffled sobbing sounds. Scully had to leap out of the way, again. She looked urgently to Big Nose, but he didn't come to comfort Scully. He came to the woman.

"It's not fair!" the woman cried. "You can't ask me a question like that! You can't! I want to live. Anyone would want to live. Don't make me say I would hurt someone. It's not fair!"

"Alexa, Alexa, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my love." He gathered her in his arms, and continued to pet her and cover her with kisses. "You're right. It's not a fair question. I'm sorry. I wanted you to … It's my choice; I can't make it yours. I'm so sorry. I love you so much."

They were both sobbing, now. Puzzled, Scully licked her paw. It had been dusty under the bed.

"What happens now? Can the dream last a little longer?"

Big Nose hugged the woman fiercely. "No." He made that choking sound, again. "It has to end, now. God, I love you. Someday … I hope … Ahriman! That is your name, isn't it? Ahriman! My answer is no, damn you!"

Somehow Scully knew that word. She knew it for the summons it was. Was he crazy? She zipped beneath the bed, again.

She felt the demon-thing return as above her she heard her human say, "I love you Alexa. I will always love you." Then, the load on the bed was lighter, and Evil was back.