I am sorry for having left this story for so long but as some of you know I have been having a rough time over the last few months. My marriage has ended after my husband had an affair with my best friend and I have been too upset to think about much else.

I hope you enjoy this chapter and I will post another soon.

Chapter 16

The sound of children playing brought Duncan to the window, he watched as three children chased each other around the flowerbeds of the garden below. A few minutes later the sound of Sandi waking up made him turn around.

"Hey, it's about time" Duncan said as he walked over to the bed sitting down in the chair, his hand taking hold of hers.

"W...W...What happened? Where am I?" Sandi said as she tried to sit up.

"Not so fast" Duncan said as he gently laid his hand on her shoulder stopping her "You were hit by a car and you're in hospital".

"B...But I can't stay here, I have to go" Sandi said breathlessly as she struggled again to get out of the bed but a wave of pain raced through her body making her fall back onto the bed. Duncan sighed, "You're in no state to go anywhere and I think it's about time we had a little chat. Now do you want to tell me what is going on?"

Sandi moved her hand to her head it was throbbing and she was finding it hard to think. She had worked so hard for 2 years to make this meeting happen and to be stop when she was so close was more than she could deal with at this moment. "I...I'm sorry Duncan I d...didn't mean to get you involved."

"Well I am but I would like to know exactly what it is I'm involved in" Duncan replied but before she could answer he saw the look of pain come over her face. Slowly, Sandi's eyes closed and Duncan knew that his questions would have to wait.

He sat back in the chair as he wiped his hands over his face; he wanted to know what was driving her so hard and why she was hiding it.

Methos's Apartment

Methos took a sip of his beer before resting his head back against the chair and closing his eyes. It had been a long time since he had thought of her.

Rome 30BC

They hadn't had to wait long before the guards unlocked the cage and herded them out into an open area. The only thing there was a raised platform, as the guards split them into men, boys and women, girls. Methos felt the young boy grip his arm and he wished he could do more but here without his sword and so out numbered there was little he would be able to do.

Methos watched as the large wooden gate opened, it wasn't long before there was quite a crowd in front of the platform. When a rather round man, with a sweat stained tunic stepped up onto the platform his fat hand wiping the sweat from his forehead, Methos knew that the auction was about to begin. One by one the group he was with were forced up and sold to the highest bidder. Methos kept a watch on the people bidding trying to gauge what they would want slaves for. His eyes were drawn to a large rough looking man with a scar that ran the length of his face he was only bidding on the men. From the roughness of his hands as he raised them to bid Methos had a feeling that he must be a galley captain or a gladiator trainer and that was one person he didn't want to go with. Either he would be chained to oars or in the cages of the gladiator school both left little room to escape and in the arena there was always the chance he could lose his head.

The bidding was quick and fierce so it wasn't long before Methos felt the hand of one of the guards as the pushed him towards the platform. As he started up the steps he felt his tunic being pulled as the young boy tried to hold on to him. Suddenly a guard roughly grabbed hold of the boy and as the guard's fist sent the boy crashing to the ground Methos leapt from the steps. The surprise attack sent the guard slamming into the ground next to the boy but Methos didn't stop there he leaped on top, his fist smashing into the guard's face. The shouting that went up around him seemed only a muffled sound to Methos as his fury seemed to blind all his other senses.

The blow to his kidneys from one of the other guard's wooden batons made Methos cry out in pain, giving the downed guard the precious seconds he needed to scrabble away from his attacker. Methos wasn't given time to recover when several more blows rained down on his body, they only stopped when there was a shout from the platform "Stop...Stop you'll damage the goods. STOP I SAID".

Methos was then picked up under his arms and dragged up the steps to the platform. The guard's hands held tightly onto his arms as they made him stand. "As you can see this one has spirit but he is strong".

He looked down as his tunic, which was torn, from his body showing his bare chest to the crowd. There was a gasp from the crowd as they realised that there were no bruises even after the beating he had just taken. As the auctioneer shouted Methos felt the familiar sensation of one of his own kind "W...Well. What am I bid? Shall we start the bidding at say... 1000 denarii?"

Methos's eyes roamed the crowd, instinctively he struggled but the guards held firm.

"1000" came the bid from the man Methos had been watching. There was murmuring amongst the crowd and another man bid 1500. Then a woman's voice called out as she walked through the gate "2000".

Methos's eyes quickly focused on a tall, slender, well dressed female Immortal. The crowd seemed to part in front of her as she walked towards the platform. A gravely voice replied "2500".

The man on the platform was getting very excited at the bidding "2500 by Lucius Caesius. Do I hear 3000?"

Although Methos was listening to what was going on his eyes were fixed on the female Immortal, his eyes exploring every part of her face. Her olive skin was framed by her black hair that had been braided and arranged on her head so each braid laid on top of another, it was topped off with a hair piece that Methos presumed to be gold. Inside he was pleading with her to bid again, he wasn't sure why after all she was an Immortal and could be only after his head but there was something in her dark eyes that made him believe that this wasn't why she was bidding.

"3000" she called out to Methos's relief. The man on the platform wiped the sweat from his forehead as he continued the bidding "3000 to the lady".

Methos watched as the man that had entered with the female Immortal whispered in her ear, with a wave of her hand the man bowed and backed away a pace. The man on the platform rubbed his hands together "3000 denarii...going once...going..."

"3500" Lucius Caesius bid again and Methos could hear anger in his voice.

"5000" came the reply. Methos looked over at Caesius who to his relief was shaking his head, he then looked at the auctioneer who could hardly contain the grin on his face, and his whole face was flushed.

"If there are no others who wish to bid" the man's eyes sparkled as they scanned the crowd hoping that someone would push the price up even further, he allowed several minutes to pass before he walked to the edge of the platform "Then sold to?"

The female Immortal glanced over her shoulder and the man who had whispered to her earlier moved forward pulling out a leather pouch "The name is Messalina Antonia".

The crowd seemed to gasp at the name and Methos wondered why but he didn't have much time to think as the guards that were flanking him pushed him down the steps towards Messalina, he glanced over at the remaining slaves and his eyes met the terrified eyes of the young boy who was being pulled up onto the platform. Messalina's eyes followed his gaze and as he reached her she spoke "Does he mean anything to you?"

"Not really we've only just met" he replied as the man that had just paid for him joined them. "My Lady we should leave here, it's not the kind of place you should be".

Messalina's eyes didn't leave the child's face as the bidding started. "Nikandros I will decide when I leave and it will be when my business has finished. Now I wanted that boy and if you don't want me to bid I suggest that you do it for me."

Nikandros cast his eyes to the ground "I'm sorry My Lady I didn't mean anything."

She placed her hand on his shoulder "I know. You're just trying to protect me but I keep telling you I don't need you to."

Nikandros nodded "How much should I bid?"

Messalina smiled "I don't care just make sure you win and to make you feel more comfortable I will wait outside with my other purchase".

"I don't think that is wise" Nikandros started to plead but a wave of her hand silenced him and he bowed before moving back towards the platform. She then turned her attention to Methos "Now you're not going to cause me any problems while we wait are you?"

Methos looked down at the chains he was wearing "I don't think I could dressed like this"

Messalina smiled and her face flushed a little as her eyes roamed over his bare chest before making their way to his eyes "I kind of like the way you're dressed".

Methos's apartment – Present day

The sound of ring brought Methos back from his memories he reached across picking up the phone "Hello"

"Methos, its Joe".

"Hi Joe what can I do for you?" Methos replied as he picked up the beer bottle with the other hand. "I've been asked how long I'm going to need that Chronicle. Are you nearly done?"

Methos sighed before he took a sip of his beer, he glanced over at the clock on the wall he had been lost in his own memories for nearly two hours "Err...I'll try to have it back to you this evening."

"Ok, whenever you're done but don't be too long."

Methos put down the phone and for a few moments he let his eyes drift around the room before he closed them and let the warmth of his memories wash over him. A smile broke across his face.

Rome 30BC

He had only been a slave for a week before Messalina had given him his freedom and much to his relief a sword. He had planned to leave but there was something about her that made him stay. He had been there over a month now, they spent most evenings sitting in the garden talking, or rather he would talk and she would just listen. He found himself telling her things about himself that he had never told anyone before and it wasn't that she probed him with questions, he just found himself talking.

"I don't know why I just told you that?" Methos said as he reached across for the jug of wine. Messalina smiled "Maybe because you needed to tell someone".

Methos shook his head and smiled "Nothing I've told you frightens you?"

Messalina stood up and walked over to where some flowers grew, she bent down and picked one "No, you're not the man you speak of"

"That's just it I am" Methos replied as he watched her walk over to him and sit down on the bench beside him. She took a moment to look into his eyes then he felt the touch of her hand on his face, it was cool and oh, so soft "That is who you once were. The man sitting here beside me is someone different. Yes, shaped by what has pasted but not the same man"

Methos reached up his hand until it touched hers, he then gentle took hold and moved it towards his mouth, kissing it gently. He then let his other hand trace the side of her face as he searched her eyes and for a moment the world seemed to stop. He could no longer hear the bird's song or feel the breeze on his face, he wasn't sure he was still breathing as he slowly moved towards her. Part of him had expected her to stop him but she didn't so he pulled her into his embrace as he crushed his lips to hers.

As they parted Messalina got to her feet holding out her hand, silently Methos placed his hand into hers and allowed her to lead him inside.

Dawn was just creeping in through the window when they finally lay in each other's arms. Methos had been with many women in his past but this time it had been different, the warmth of her body next to his seemed to give him a feeling of peace that he had never thought possible. Slowly, he stroked her hair and felt the warmth of her breath flow across his chest as she softly sighed.

That night of passion was only the first of many, as their worlds became intertwined.

Messalina squealed with laughter as he caught her as she ran around one of the statues in the garden, he swung her around before laying her gently on the ground. He lay on top of her.

"Now I've got you," he said as he rained kissed all around her neck, which only made her squeal even more "I give in...I give in".

Methos stopped and looked down at her smiling face, he moved the strands of hair away from her eyes "You are so beautiful. I want to stay here with you forever"

As he spoke he saw a little sadness in her eyes.

"Let's not speak of the future, let's just enjoy now," she said as she reached up letting her fingers run through his hair. Methos hesitated for a moment this had been the first time he had seen anything like sadness in her eyes.

"Then there is only now," he said as brought his lips down onto hers.

Methos's apartment – Present day

He couldn't help smiling as he opened his eyes; the memory of the warmth of her touch seemed to remembered by every fibre of his being. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he sat forward in the chair, he glanced across at the clock on the wall it was nearly 1 in the morning. He shook his head, Joe wouldn't be getting the Chronicle back yet, and he flicked back through the pages.

Suddenly as his eyes read the words on the page, he felt his blood run cold and every muscle in his body tense; knots appear in his stomach that sent waves of nausea through him. He slammed the book onto the table sending the beer bottle leaping into the air. As the remaining beer spilled out onto the table Methos leapt to his feet, he quickly looked around the room until his eyes fell on his coat lying neatly in a crumpled heap on the sofa. He grabbed it thrusting his arms into the sleeves before checking his sword and thrusting the Chronicle into the pocket.

With a slam of the door he disappeared into the night.