Chapter Forty-Four
Glasgow:

It was likely mid-morning by the time Methos woke. Blearily he sat up, aware that he felt as if he'd not slept at all. The unity bond, especially when they delved into the oldest memories, the ones the ancients had left with them, always wore them out. He could barely sense a still-dozing Eleanor half a world away. It wasn't as bad when they were together as when they tried this while separated. He held his throbbing head and breathed raggedly. It definitely was time to go home.

Rising, he set about showering and shaving, noting the sunken look about his eyes. It had been worth it… it always was… and yet the aftermath was debilitating. Was that why D'Jann and Gael had stopped communicating after so many years? He shook his head and then applied the razor, carefully scraping the stubble from his chin. Gael and D'Jann had stopped communicating with one another long before he left to wander the world… so that couldn't be right.

No… this had more to do with delving into deeply buried memories to explore rather than more recent ones that one or both of them had personally shared. He rinsed his face and wiped it, then dressed. He wandered into the inn's restaurant and acknowledged Robert's wave. He joined him, slipping wearily into the opposite chair at the wooden table and ordering coffee.

"You like you had a rough night," the Frenchman laughed. He sipped his coffee as he watched Methos gulp his down and then stare at the empty cup.

Methos looked up and nodded. "You look like you had a great night."

Robert leaned close to him and whispered. "I think I was with Gina last night."

Methos arched an eyebrow. "You think?"

"Damnedest thing. I was thinking of her… of being with her… and somehow on the edge of sleep… I think I was. I feel great!" He saluted with his cup as he sat back.

Methos nodded and rubbed his eyes.

"Is that what it means to be 'one' as you were explaining?"

"United and yet separate… yes." Methos nodded and smiled when the waitress re-filled his cup. This time… he sipped it more slowly. "You'll discover that as you share each other's thoughts, that you will come to a greater understanding of one another. And yet… you have to learn to observe and be accepting of whatever the other does."

"Accepting?"

Methos sighed. "You are one for all time. I know no way to break that."

"I don't want it broken. We did this because we wanted this!" His voice rose and then he lowered it to keep others in the restaurant from overhearing them. "I love Gina."

Methos nodded. "But what will you think of each other in a hundred years? In five hundred? In a thousand years? You may find that one of you wants to move on."

Robert looked at him stunned. "I can't imagine not being with Gina."

"Not even when Madeline LeSeur was in the house?" the elder immortal teased.

"That was different. That was just idle speculation. I never would have done anything. I was floored by Gina's jealousy over so little a thing."

Methos nodded. "That's why the unity needs to be taken slowly. Once you've learned to co-exist and accept one another's thoughts, then you can begin exploring your memories."

Robert's mouth opened. "Oh…" he finally said. "That's what you were doing last night?"

Methos nodded. "It was a long hard ride."

"What?"

"Sorry. Eleanor and I usually visualize the search for memories as a horseback ride through the landscapes of our past. Last night… we visited a very old one."

"How old?" Robert sat forward, his interest piqued.

Shaking his head, Methos attempted to allay his interest. "Jut somewhere we hadn't been in a while." He had no way of knowing if Robert and Gina would also find the ancient memories buried in their minds. Their bond needed to be explored on their own without knowledge of what might be there at the base of it.

"So you were pushing the envelope of what you could do. Is it that way when you're together?" Robert was evidently feeling that first flush of unity at a distance and was eager to explore. Methos recalled that time in his and Eleanor's relationship… and then the joy of actually holding her again. "When we're together… it's more in the moment with flashes of memory. It's harder to really explore a memory and see it from all points of view when we're together. We've only done this a few times." He gestured at his head, meaning the long-range exploration. "It's tiring, however."

Robert's eyes glittered. "So… can I see Gina soon?"

Sighing, the elder immortal nodded. Yes… it was time to let those two find their own way. Surely by now they'd dealt with each other's stray memories. Even Amanda could likely handle the two of them. He rubbed his hands over his face, his stomach doing flip-flops at the thought of food. "We'll check out in a bit and hit the road south."

"Marvelous," grinned Robert. "Absolutely marvelous. Now if I had Amanda's number, I'd call her and tell her we're on the way."

Methos pulled out his phonecard and tapped in Amanda's number. "Be my guest," he muttered. "I'll be upstairs packing." He rose to make his way back to his room. He didn't have much to pack, but that bed was looking very inviting again. He could still sense Eleanor on the edge of her exhausted sleep. "Might as well join you," he decided. A few moments later, he was asleep.

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Niebos:

J. D. slipped away while the others were at lunch. He pretended not feeling well, and instead of going to his room while Grace was serving the meal, slipped out of the villa and crossed the courtyard on his way to the village.

From his room at the hospital, Kenny saw the boy and decided that it was time he checked himself out of the hospital against orders. He was tired of being put off. Carefully he eased down the corridor and past the nurse's station, watched this morning only by one of the mortal nurses. He did not sense Greg anywhere. He seemed to be the one putting in the hours here now, and Kenny wondered why. When he reached one of the outer doors, he opened it and raced off in the general direction of J. D. The boy interested him for several reasons… not the least being that he was a potential target. His quickening wouldn't be much… he was so young… but it would be something.

The sun beat overhead in a cloudless sky, and the look of the sea was dark… as if made of something besides water… something like blood or wine. The whitewashed stone buildings of the village seemed to glow in the heat, and insects buzzed about him as he slunk through the grasses.

Kenny caught sight of J. D. looking around and then making a beeline for an overgrown path. He gave him several minutes and then stepped out of the grasses and trotted toward the path.

"Hey you!" a man shouted. "You can't go that way. You know the rules."

Kenny paused. He knew of no rules. He pointed down the path.

"No!" the man insisted as he came closer. He pulled Kenny away from the path. "Going that way risks the anger of the gods. If you want to go… climb the mountain!" He pointed toward another path snaking up the side of the mountain.

Kenny nodded with a sneer and backed away toward the other path, thinking that he could get out of sight and double back. But the man kept watch. Every time Kenny looked back, he saw him staring at him. When he was halfway up the path, and the man still kept watch, Kenny shrugged and began to trot faster, curious as to what he'd find.

At the villa, Chou and Denis finished lunch and took a portion of dessert with them to the room they shared with J. D. When they didn't find him there, they paused only a moment before realizing what he'd done.

"He's gone to the cove again," Chou said. "He wasn't happy when we told him we wouldn't go back there with him."

Denis tossed the slice of cake on J. D.'s bed. "Let's go."

"Shouldn't we tell Phillip?"

"He's at the cove. It's almost low tide."

"What about Grace? Or Carl?"

"We can handle this," Denis said and led the way. Time was of the essence. They cut around to the rear of the villa and raced to the path, catching its serpentine loops halfway up. They'd done this before… over the years, when they were in a hurry. And right now… they were most definitely in a hurry.

Reaching the top of the mountain, Chou slowed and looked about. "Do you feel someone?"

"All the time," laughed Denis and raced through the ruins until he reached to top of the stairs. Once there he crouched down.

"What is it?" Chou asked.

"Just Phillip. We promised him we wouldn't go down there, remember."

"But why don't we tell him about J. D.?"

"I don't want to get him into trouble. He's likely around here someplace. If we're here, he can't get down there. We'll stop him and then go back down the mountain." Denis flopped onto his back to stare at the clear sky. "It sure is hot today," he said, wiping his brow. "Wish we had something to drink."

Chou crouched beside his friend. "Maybe that's who I felt earlier when we reached the summit."

"Musta been. If he doesn't show up soon, we'll go back down."

The smaller immortal shook his head as he flopped down beside Denis. "At least we're watching the steps."

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Near Ayers Rock, Australia

Amber disentangled herself from the others and, grabbing a blanket, wrapped it about her as she stood up. Noticing the state of the campfire, she stirred the embers and added some fresh wood. Listening to the comforting crackle as the new wood caught, she sat by the fire with her legs drawn to her chest and stared at the monolith still a few miles away.

Amber ran her fingers through her tangled hair as she tried to figure out why she was even here?

She'd left the ship after Cassandra had spoken to her. She'd waited until Derrick was occupied and then she'd just left. The last thing she wanted to do was to be the cause of his death, and Cassandra had been very certain that Amber's presence at the upcoming confrontation would contribute to Derrick's dying. So she'd packed her few belongings in the knapsack and left without a word to anyone. No note… nothing.

Less than two hours after leaving the ship, her financial state… or lack thereof… had caused her to check out some bars in a seedy area of town. She'd entered one biker bar, thinking about asking for a job, when she'd felt the other immortals.

She'd become so accustomed to the feel of other immortals, she'd almost not even reacted, and then it had dawned on her that she felt them… they felt her… and that they were strangers. She found she was almost happy to see other immortals, and had approached them. After all… the bar was crowded, even this early, and surely no challenge would be made.

She'd been right. These three weren't really interested in a challenge. In many ways, they seemed much like Derrick's group, especially when they'd been biking across the Australian West. Just hanging together and seeing the sights. It was during the conversation that Amber realized just how much she missed being with others of her kind. It came as a shock to a woman who had lived most of her life avoiding other immortals when possible. Had Derrick changed her so much?

When the subject of Ayers Rock… Uluru in the native tongue… had come up and she and the others had both spoken of a desire to see it… that's when the invitation for her to join them had been made. Any other time, Amber would not have trusted these three enough to have gone anywhere with them. But that day… with her emotions still in an uproar about what she'd been told and what she'd decided to do… even her continued existence seemed unimportant. After all, if she were dead… then Derrick was safe. She left with them, climbing behind one of the males and hugging to him as he roared off down the road. As she'd slipped her arms around him, she'd wondered if he would also feel as hard and firm as Derrick. He didn't. He felt like any mortal man she'd ever known.

When they'd camped here, and darkness had fallen, she'd watched the female and one of the males begin to make out by the fireside. She'd looked away while the other male sat closer to her. He soon made his intentions clear… he expected her to have sex with him. That in itself she'd understood as implicit from the beginning… from the invitation to join them. Besides… Amber was still curious if Dieter was anything like Derrick. She'd acquiesced… also hoping to bury her memories of her time with Derrick .

But if anything, they'd been brought into sharp focus. Dieter was only interested in the act… in thrusting between her legs and then collapsing and rolling off of her. There had been no attempt to satisfy her. That, apparently wasn't his strong suit… as Amber had soon learned.

She'd pushed him way and sat much as she now sat, by herself, wrapped in a blanket, gazing at the dark landscape. That's when Brynn, evidently finished for the moment with Sean, had joined her. She'd offered a cigarette and sat making small talk about the shortcomings of men. Amber had found herself joining in the spirit of Brynn's diatribe… and then Brynn had mentioned how it takes a woman to know what a woman wants.

Round two… or at least what Amber had come to think of as the second part of her initiation into the group had involved Brynn's slow and very intense seduction of her. It had been truly amazing and she'd not even been aware that that the men were sitting to either side watching them. Even when she'd realized that they were there, it had not distracted Amber from the way Brynn was making her feel.

Round three had been Sean and round four… Amber glanced back at the three of them still intertwined and sleeping off the effects of booze, drugs and sex… had been a full-blown orgy that Amber was not certain she could clearly recall. Sitting here now, she couldn't imagine that she had participated so willingly… it just wasn't her. Her mouth had a sour taste to it, and her head pounded with an odd thrum that seemed to originate from the monolith as well as from her head.

"Yar a fool Katie-girl! A bloody fool!" she murmured softly. Now here she was, miles from civilization with three strangers, and not certain how to extricate herself from this group without losing her head. Although, she snickered, as bad as her head felt right now… that might actually be a consideration.

She looked up sharply as she heard a jet cycle in the distance and saw the cloud of dust emanating from the lone rider in black making a beeline for their campsite. Amber swallowed nervously, aware that it was Derrick. He'd come for her. She stood up and pulled the blanket tighter… ready to face him… and lie to make him leave without her. Blasted fool! Didn't he understand how important what he was trying to do was? He shouldn't be out here! Amber glanced nervously at the other three, slowly waking up and wondered if it were here that Derrick would meet his fate… because he'd come for her.

The bike slowed to a stop and she could sense him already… as could the others. He pulled off his helmet but remained seated on the bank… staring at her morosely… as if it were the end of the world. Then he turned the bike off and swung his leg over and off as he took several steps toward them.

With a snarl, Sean rose, and grabbed for his sword. "Be right with you!"

Derrick paused and spread his hands.

"He's not armed!" Amber realized in terror. She turned and grabbed Sean's arm. "He's a friend of mine. Let me talk to him."

Sean gave her a cold look, but then nodded. "Tell him to be on his way."

"I will. Just give me a few moments… please," she replied, aware that Dieter had grabbed his sword as well. Bryn sat laughing in the pile of blankets, her bare breasts jiggling with each chuckle. "Dieter," Amber added, "I'll take care of this." She backed away from the two immortals thinking how odd they looked, naked and holding swords compared to Derrick, who was dressed but with no sword apparent.

Turning she crossed the campsite to talk to him. "Ya found me."

Derrick nodded. "Come back with me… please."

"Can't do it." She tossed her head and smiled. "It was fun Derrick… but it's over. I've moved on."

"Cassandra told me what she said to you."

"Doesn't matter. That just gave me an excuse. Now ya run along now. Tell everybody I said 'Hi!' and not to worry."

'You don't mean that."

"Sure I do!" she said brightly, fighting the tears that wanted to form in her eyes. "Ya have things to do… now be off with ya."

"No. I'm not leaving without you."

"Well ya have to. My new friends will see to it."

Derrick's shoulders sagged as he looked back at the others and then at her. "I can't do this without you. I need you."

Amber froze, closing her eyes. She shook her head finally, "Ya don't need an ignorant girl like me. I'm not important. Besides, Cassandra could be right."

"I know she could be right… but I'm willing to take the chance. I can't live my life in fear of tomorrow. I have to live it today. And today… I want to take you back to the ship. If you don't want to be with me… that's fine… but you shouldn't be here." He gave her a thin smile. "They are not what you need. This lifestyle is not what you need. Look within yourself if you doubt my words. See the truth."

He was right… damn him! Amber had come to the same conclusion and here was her way out. But to go back with him? A sob escaped her throat and she turned away, unable to prevent the tears from falling. She sensed him stepping closer to her, his voice soft and pitched for her. "You don't want to stay here. If I can see it… how long before they notice it. Please Amber… I'm only thinking of you."

She turned back and felt his arms go about her. He held her gently as if she were a porcelain figure that might break. He felt so good, and she noted the hard feel of his chest and arms. Gradually her arms went around his chest and she clung to him while weeping. Both physically and emotionally, Derrick was her rock.

When she finally stopped she looked up at him. He smiled, took her face in his hands, wiped her tears, and kissed her brow. "Now get dressed. We'll talk later."

Amber nodded and then looked for her discarded clothes and her knapsack. While hurriedly dressing, she noted that Derrick crouched next to the fire and was joined by Sean, who'd pulled on his pants, and Dieter who'd grabbed his and was holding them. The three were deep in conversation, speaking German she thought. Well… Dieter was German, but Sean was an American slightly older than she was. He'd been killed by an English soldier during the American Revolution. Brynn was English, a free-spirit of the 1960's. They weren't really in the game… except when it impinged on their travels and lifestyle. They'd been around the world three times since the three of them had hooked up… and had welcomed the occasional mortal into their little group… but rarely had they welcomed an immortal as they had her. Some of that had come out in the bits of conversation that Amber could still recall. Perhaps it had been their attitude about the game that had lowered Amber's resistance to traveling with them… and participating fully in their activities.

When dressed, she approached the campfire hesitantly, still worried about how her new friends would take her leaving them so quickly. She noted that Bryn had pulled on Sean's shirt and had joined the others at the campfire. She'd crouched down near Derrick and was working to get his attention focused on her and her availability.

Brynn looked up at her and said, mainly to Derrick. "So… you're her old boyfriend?"

Derrick chuckled. "Something like that."

"She's fun. I like her. Are you fun?"

Derrick laughed several moments. "Not particularly."

Then the conversation took a turn Amber did not expect.

"So," Sean was saying, "what changes for us if we come with you?"

Derrick shook his head. "Likely nothing."

Amber's mouth opened in confusion. What was he thinking? And where would he put them on the boat? It was already full!

As if aware that she was confounded, Derrick winked at her. "Your personal relationships among yourselves is not a problem. You should respect the others on the boat though. They might not be interested."

There were some low comments between the three as Derrick rose and held out a hand to Amber. "Ready?"

"Aye," she said and took it. They walked slowly to his bike where he climbed on and she climbed on behind him. She slipped his arms around his chest, feeling again his lean hardness and laid her face against his back, breathing in his familiar smell.

"Wait!" Sean shouted. "We're coming too!" The three sprang to get dressed, kicked out the campfire, gathered their belongings and loaded their bikes. Derrick waited, not starting the jet cycle until the others were ready, then he pulled on his helmet again and took off. The other two bikes followed.

-----

Oliver Titus nearly missed the whole thing. He'd stopped on a small rise, far enough away from the immortals to still be able to watch them with his telescope. He'd actually traveled with them for a while… and had found he rather enjoyed their free and easy lifestyle. But he'd known that he couldn't remain, not after Brynn had noticed his Watcher tattoo. They hadn't known what it was, so Oliver had just said it was a remnant of his misspent youth and then left them to follow and watch at a distance.

They'd picked up a replacement for him at the biker bar. He'd noticed her climbing on behind Dieter when they'd left the bar and made a notation in his PPC that they had a new playmate. Then he'd followed them until they stopped. He hadn't dared light a fire… not out here where even a match could be seen, so he'd had a cold dinner while watching the festivities. By the time the orgy started, he'd stopped watching to deal with his own reactions to their activities and had finally gone to sleep.

The sound of the new bike had awakened him. He hadn't gotten a good look at the newcomer, he'd had his back to Oliver, but the Watcher figured pretty quickly that it was some biker looking for his runaway girlfriend. He held his breath wondering about how one-sided a fight would be, but then it looked like she was leaving with him, and Oliver supposed that that was that. All seemed quiet.

He'd stopped looking long enough to pack his few belongings and to relieve himself so that he was caught by surprise when he realized that Sean's trio were leaving with the newcomer. Maybe they were all off to see the rock, he mused, and waited for them to pull out before starting his own bike and following at a short distance. He'd gone overland rather than on the road, and managed to hit a rock, skid, and lose control. The bike flipped him over when it went airborne. By the time he picked himself up and got back to the bike… now with a flat tire and a bent rim… his assignments had vanished.

Oliver didn't think much of it. Sean, Dieter and Brynn were fairly regular in their gypsy lifestyle. He'd pick them up at the next town… likely at a bar.

He didn't, of course. Not finding them when he finally returned to Broome, after catching a ride with a farmer in his pickup, he contacted the local bureau chief and put out a request for information should there be any sightings. He didn't mention the new girl or her boyfriend. After all, they were likely just mortals who'd gone their own way.

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