Even as he promised Gary he'd be there, he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Duncan would tell him no. There was no way that Duncan was going to let him go to the party. Ever since the Immortal had declared himself Richie's "parent" the man had been impossible. Well, at least most of the time.

Richie had to admit that there were a few perks he appreciated. The first week he was laid up in bed had been pretty sweet, actually. The way Duncan and Tessa doted over him, making his favorite foods, buying him magazines and generally being at his beck and call had really helped ease his boredom. He didn't really even mind how nosey Duncan was being. Monitoring what he watched on TV, fussing over his injuries and constantly trying to get him to sleep had been flattering at first. But the teen had fully expected the babying to stop once he was on his feet. Instead, it had gotten worse.

Duncan wouldn't let him do anything. No lifting, no bending, no standing for more than a minute at a time. Every time Richie tried to do something, Duncan would do it for him, insist he sit down or, worse yet, tell him to go take a nap. The teen had learned to dread his own bed. The first time he actually worked in the store, the man had him stretched on the couch in his office, allowing him to only dust small items that were handed to him. It was truly ridiculous. He knew there was no way he was going to be allowed out of the house, especially by himself. He went down the street for a burger a couple of days ago and, even though he knew it wasn't really possible, he thought the Immortal was having a heart attack when he got back. That's when Duncan told him, in no uncertain terms, that he was never, under any circumstances, to leave the house without letting the Scotsman know.

It was a restriction that Richie didn't like. But he could get used to it. That is, he would have been able to get used to it, had that been all it took to leave. Sure, he was used to coming and going as he pleased but, if it really meant that much to the Immortal, he was willing to yell "Hey, Mac, I'm going out" across the store if it would keep the man happy. But it didn't. Every time he decided to leave the Immortal would either go in his place or, if he insisted on going out, then the man would tag along with him. For weeks, Duncan had gone everywhere he went. Richie couldn't handle the constant shadow any longer. Everywhere he turned, there was Duncan, beckoning the teen to his side. "Richie, where are you?" "Richie, come here." "Richie, are you feeling okay?" "Richie, Richie, Richie."

"Richie. Earth to Richie." MacLeod's voice brought him out of his daydream.

Putting down the phone he was still holding, Richie took a deep breath before turning to face the insufferable man. "Yeah?"

"Are you feeling all right?" Duncan frowned as he approached the teen and raised a hand to the boy's forehead. "You don't seem yourself."

"Mac, I'm." Richie paused in his defense. Suddenly, he knew how to get out from under the Scotsman's watchful eye. Instead of shrugging off the Immortal's hand, as he was accustomed to doing, he allowed the man to feel his temperature. "Actually, I'm sort of tired. Would you mind if I went to lie down for a few minutes?"

"Tired?" Duncan's brow creased in worry. As he gripped the teen's arm and moved his hand to the back of the boy's neck, hoping to get a better reading of his temperature, his voice was filled with concern. "Do you feel all right?"

"Yeah, I'm all right." Richie made sure to keep the joy out of his voice. Duncan was taking the bait. "I sort of have a headache, though."

"Go get ready for bed." Duncan ordered. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"It's really early." Richie knew better than to go without at least a slight protest, he didn't want the Immortal to get suspicious.

Duncan smiled at the teen, deciding it was best just to humor him. If he got him settled in for the night, the Immortal had no doubt Richie would be asleep before he knew it. "You don't have to go to bed yet. Just go get you pjs on and we'll watch some TV in your room, okay?"

"All right." Richie turned towards his room, not wanting Duncan to see the victorious smile on his face. At the rate things were going, he'd be out of the house within an hour and the Scotsman would be none the wiser.

As Richie walked out of the bathroom, a wave of guilt flowed through him. Duncan was already perched on the edge of the bed waiting for him, a glass of water in one hand and a couple of aspirins in the other.

"Thanks, Mac." He said sheepishly, taking the offering from the man.

Pulling back the bed covers and taking the empty glass back from the teen, Duncan sent a generous smile Richie's way. "That's what I'm here for. Come on, climb in."

"It's too early to go to bed." Richie feigned a half-hearted protest as he climbed under the covers and allowed the Immortal to secure them around him.

Settling down next to the teen, Duncan patiently replied. "You don't have to sleep, Rich. Let's just watch some TV, all right?"

"I'm not going to sleep yet." Richie replied, guilt continuing to swarm through him.

The arm Duncan wrapped around him didn't help. "I know. What do you want to watch?"

Twenty minutes later, the Immortal switched off the television and shifted the silent teen off his shoulder and onto the pillow. After securing the blankets tightly around him and planting a quick kiss on the boy's forehead, Duncan quietly left the room, shutting the door behind him.

Five minutes later, Richie was fully dressed and ready for a night of freedom. He just wished Duncan hadn't tucked him in. He was having a hard time shaking off the guilt of having lied to the man. But as he thought of being stuck in the house for yet another night of coddling, he rationalized the action. Duncan would never be the wiser. Quietly pushing the screen out of the window, Richie headed out to begin a night of adventure.