Chapter Thirty-Nine
Niebos:

Despite the wonder of this Greek island of immortals, Jayne Wyndham-Wyatt had been anxious ever since the day that Methos had left.

First of all… he brings her here… tells her she is to be the new Watcher in residence on the island… and then he vanishes a few hours later. He'd dumped her! She was still his Watcher! He shouldn't have left her behind.

Angrily she'd stormed about the villa that day to the amusement of Douglas Monaghan.

"You might as well relax," the older man had said as he had watched her in Phillip's study. He'd lit a pipe and grinned. "Pacing isn't going to make him return even sooner."

"But he knows better!" Jayne had exclaimed.

"Likely so. And you could try to follow him… but unless Eleanor tells us where he's gone… you'll likely not find him."

"But what if something happens? That Manning woman is still out there!" Jayne had protested.

Monaghan had shrugged. "I'm certain he can avoid her. I sincerely doubt a challenge made him take off so fast."

Jayne had paused in her pacing. "You're right. So I need to figure this out. I've Watched him for nearly two.years. He hasn't taken off once in that time. He's really very quiet and off the radar of most immortals."

Monaghan had nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. I was here when Marianna was born. He told me then that remaining out of sight and out of challenges at least until the children were grown, was his main focus. He wanted to be certain that they grew up and that he was here to see it through." Monaghan smiled. As Watcher in residence on the island, he was one of three Watchers who knew the truth of J. D. and Marianna's birth… the others were his predecessor Stephan Portocullis and MacLeod's Watcher Joe Dawson. Dawson had warned Monaghan when he was assigned here that whatever he learned here would have to be kept in sealed Watcher records and that certain things would have to remain unreported until the immortals gave their permission for the information to be reported. Monaghan had no problem with that. He'd learned a lot over the last nine years and while he knew and accepted that many of his reports would be sealed and locked away… they would one day be common knowledge among Watchers.

Both he and Portocullis had been elderly when they'd been assigned. They'd both been experienced Watchers and willing and able to understand the importance of secrecy… especially after they'd arrived and witnessed the truths unfolding here.

But Jayne was still young… fresh off of her first assignment… Methos himself. Monaghan had shaken his head and wondered if she had been a good choice to be his successor. In fact, he wondered that she'd even been let in on the Methos secret and given the assignment of Watching him. She would not have been his choice had he been in charge.

But he wasn't in charge. He was just an old man ready for retirement. He knew to keep his mouth shut.

He'd watched Jayne's eyes widen when she'd seen the pregnant Grace Chandel. Her mouth had opened and he could almost see things falling into place for her about Methos and Eleanor's two children… that they weren't adopted… that they were theirs.

So far, neither had said anything. He'd been content to wait for her questions… but the day had finally come for him to move on. Monaghan had hoped that "Adam" would return before he had to leave. His curiosity wanted to cross that last "t" and dot the final "i" on whatever was happening here. If he left on the morning ferry as expected… he'd likely never know… not unless he met and spoke with Joe Dawson he supposed.

"So… anything else before I take my leave of you?" he finally asked as he watched Jayne still pacing days later as she read reports of the island's immortals.

"What? Oh… no. I think I have everything," Jayne said as she waved at him distractedly.

Instantly figuring that she was still thinking of Methos, he went on. "You do realize that immortals have gotten on without us in their lives for millennia, don't you?" he tried again.

Jayne stopped and took a deep breath. "Yes… but I've lived with his family… I've traveled with him. I wouldn't let him brush me off… and as soon as my back is turned…" She slapped her legs with both hands at her side. "… he's off like the wind."

Monaghan smiled a bit secretively. "Like the wind," was a phrase that Phillip had used in speaking about Methos once. Monaghan had a feeling that there was more to it than that, as if the old elements of creation myths were represented by certain immortals. Phillip had laughed at Monaghan's suggestion… but Monaghan was still curious.

"I'm the old soldier I suppose," he murmured to Jayne as she accompanied him to the ferry. "It's time I fade away. Are you certain you have no further questions?"

"I have the copies of your records. I'll be studying them," she laughed. "I can't think of thing now… but I'm certain that as soon as you're gone… I'll have a thousand questions."

"Then don't be afraid to message me or call me. You have the number."

Jayne nodded.

"And the number of my predecessor… as well as Joe Dawson's number?"

Jayne chuckled and nodded. "I have them written down as well as entered into my PPC. You three are my contacts when I have questions. No other Watcher is to be admitted to this island and no information about what happens here is to ever be given to another Watcher."

He chuckled. "By George…"

"I think I've got it," she finished with a laugh and kissed his cheek. "I'll be in touch."

Douglas squeezed her hand before climbing the gangplank of the ferry. Retirement beckoned like a welcome friend. But he wished he'd remained just a bit longer. He'd liked to have seen the next act of the tale of the immortals.

Jayne watched the ferry pull out and vanish on the horizon before returning to the villa. She'd learned that J. D. had fallen last night and was in the hospital. Perhaps they'd let her go by and see him. She had always been fond of Methos and Eleanor's two children… even before she had learned that they were truly theirs. The whole idea of immortals even having children was so contrary to everything she'd ever learned about them that it still staggered her imagination. Part of her wanted to call her dad in London and tell him. But he was not on the "need to know" list. Keeping this secret was important… if not crucial to the immortals' future. But she already missed her father… missed talking to him. Surely she could still talk to him some. Surely the ban on information would not apply to her just talking to her father.

She sped up the dirt path to the villa, already anxious to be about her duties now that she was well and truly the Watcher of Niebos. Arriving at the villa, she saw two of the young immortals "… Small Ones," she reminded herself lolling about on the terrace. It was the two boys Chou and Denis. They looked morose.

"Good morning," she said brightly, realizing that she'd likely need to learn some Greek while she was here. She wondered if the boys spoke English.

They gazed at her with eyes devoid of interest… as if she were a servant about the place. Jayne paused, wondering how to make friends with them. While they'd been introduced to her in her first days here, she'd not had time to really speak with them. Besides, they and J. D. were usually off running about the island.

As if in understanding, she asked, "How is J. D. this morning?"

The two boys shrugged. Denis, the dark one mumbled, "Nobody tells us anything."

"Perhaps I can learn something and pass it on," she tried again, still trying to be pleasant. "Or maybe find out if you can visit him?"

The boys brightened a bit at that thought. Evidently their guilt over J. D.'s accident was tearing them apart inside.

"Perhaps a word to Phillip?" she suggested with a smile.

The boys nodded.

Jayne left them and entered the house, quickly finding Phillip's study. The Greek was busy at his computer and for a moment, Jayne thought he seemed far more home at it than with a sword in his hand. She'd been told of his skills, but he just seemed like a pleasant and rather sedentary man to her. He glanced up at her. "Did we have meeting on for this morning?"

Jayne shook her head. "No… I was asking the boys about J. D. and they seemed awfully upset that they hadn't seen him and didn't know how he was."

"J. D.'s in the hospital for observation. They know that. They're not children," he said scratching at his beard absently.

"But they are children," Jayne insisted. "They may have centuries of memories, but their abilities to hand certain things… especially emotionally might still be those of children. They need to be reassured."

Phillip leaned back comfortably in his chair. "What do you propose?" He seemed almost amused.

Jayne thought quickly… What was she proposing? She was the newcomer here. She was the mortal… the Watcher. "Perhaps they just need to see him," she finally said. "When you're a child, you can be told that a friend or loved one is all right… but sometimes you just have to see him." She thought of her own fears when her father was injured on the job so many years ago. No matter what her mother or grandmother had told her… she had been terrified that she would never see him again.

Phillip nodded. "Perhaps you're right. Let me call the hospital first to be certain that J. D.'s awake and can have visitors. He reached for the telephone.

Jayne let out a deep breath. She was going to fit in here… she just knew it.

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Shortly later, Jayne returned to the terrace. "He's awake and having lunch according to the nurse."

The two boys crowded about her.

"Can we see him?" Denis asked hopefully.

"I think so," Jayne laughed. "The nurse said she'd speak with Dr. Powers and that one of them would let us know… let Phillip know," she added lamely.

Still the two immortals seemed relieved and satisfied with her information.

"While we're waiting… perhaps we could talk?" Jayne figured that she might as well get to know the boys a bit better. "We really haven't had a chance."

Chou laughed merrily. "Have you read Douglas' files?"

Jayne blushed. "Well… not all of them. I just thought it would be a good way for us to get to know one another."

Chou hit Denis' arm and shrugged. With mischievous glee the two settled back to tell some tall tales to the young woman. It would be a fun way to spend the time until they were allowed to see J. D.

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