When Louise and Richie entered the front room they came face to face with Adam and Kenver lying in pools of blood on the floor with gunshot wounds to their chests. The look of death in there eyes told them without checking that they weren't going to be any help to them until they had a chance to revive.
Keeping Louise behind him Richie scanned the room looking for whoever had inflicted the temporary deaths of their friends. Shadows moved at the far end of the room and suddenly a gunshot rung out instantly followed by a burning sensation ripping through his chest.
Feeling his breath leave him as his drifted in to unconsciousness, the last thing Richie felt before he was overcome by his own temporary death was Louise's arm which came around him as he fell to the floor. He realised at the moment of death that he was going to be trapping Louise underneath him which would stop her from defending herself.
Under the weight of Richie's lifeless body Louise fell with him and like Richie last thoughts she was trapped under his dead weight. As she shook off the shock of what was happening Louise looked around the room noticing a figure emerging from the shadows, a gun in one hand and the Celtic sword, which Louise had found earlier that night in the other hand.
"Well. Well. Well. What have we here a scared little immortal? You know I thought I raised you to have more in you than that."
"Why are you doing this? What have I ever done to deserve this?" Louise couldn't help but asked as she struggled to get Richie off of her.
"You lied to me for your entire life. You pretended to be normal when you were hiding the fact you were really immortal. You played me and Patty for fools when all we ever wanted to do was offer you a family and love." Edward spat at her as anger and disappointment burnt within his eyes.
"I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS IMMORTAL. How could I have?" Louise was at the point of a break down and tears fell freely down her face as her body shook with the force of the sobs. "I didn't know I was immortal until I died, until Kenver explained to me what I was. Taught me how to defend myself, God I didn't know what I'd do when I found out. Yeah I knew about immortals but I never knew I was one. You've got to believe me."
"Why should I believe you? You lied to me for most of your life why should I believe you now?" Edward didn't wait for a response as he raised the gun at Louise and shot her in the head.
Edward looked down at the person he had once called his daughter, all the thoughts of dishonesty Louise had shown towards him ripping through his heart like nothing else. He couldn't stand the thought of her being part of his family anymore, to call her daughter was not an option any longer. He raised the sword above his head calling all the strength within him he sent the sword down to make the final blow to his once daughter's life.
A sharp pain ran through him, which started at his back and worked its way all the way to his front pushing in forward. Instantaneously the sword hit the floor to the left of Louise's throat sending ripples up his arms from the impact and in turn shooting pains shot throughout is body. Looking down at his chest he saw a blood stained blade protruding from his chest.
Dropping both the gun and sword as the blade was removed Edward placed his hands on the bloody hole trying and failing from stop his blood from escaping.
Turning around to look at the person who'd done this to him he came face to face with a gold-eyes Adam. The look of pure anger on his face made Edward believe it was in fact the face of death he had seen at O'Malley's.
"But? But you were dead?" Edward managed to say as his throat and mouth started to fill with blood as his body started to numb itself off.
"What can I say. I'm a hard man to kill." Adam sneered at him as he pushed him against a wall away from where his gun and sword he had dropped.
"You're one of them? Immortal? But you're a watcher?" Edward didn't know where he was getting the strength to ask questions from as his body started to close itself down.
"'Was' a watcher, I'm not anymore, remember? And as for being immortal, yes, I am."
Edward couldn't respond as he found all the strength he had now left his body. The realisation that he was dying sank in. He'd failed to respond to Adam's comment as he closed his eyes for the final time.
Adam watched as the man died in front of him. Still holding him up against the wall as he fell limp against his hold, once he was sure there was no danger with letting him go he released his hold on him letting him drop boneless to the floor with a thud.
A gasp of breath caught his attention from across the room and he turned just in time to see Kenver rising from the floor his legs still unsteady.
"Are you ok?" Adam asked him as he saw him sway.
"I'll live. Let's get those two somewhere more comfortable so they don't wake up with a crick in their necks."
Nodding Adam turned and gently picked up Louise and walked towards one of the sofas with her body cushioned against his. He placed her gently onto the sofa while Kenver did the same for Richie.
A sigh of relief left Adam as he leaned back into his chair it was over.
Ten Day's Later
Hammond, Louise, Richie, Jack, Sam, Adam and Janet were all seated around the briefing room table once again waiting for Thor to arrive.
A flash of light indicated Thor's arrival and everyone looked over to greet Thor.
"So, Thor, what's the news?" Adam asked as he felt like the suspense would kill him.
"The procedure was a success, Louise has been successfully implanted with a child. There doesn't seem to be any sign of her body rejecting it so I believe that the 'pregnancy' will continue at a normal rate."
"So there's no problem then?" Louise looked nervously towards Thor hanging onto his every word.
"None that we have been able to find. Mani will be continuing to stay in orbit and I have informed him that he must monitor your status throughout the whole pregnancy, which he agrees to be prudent. He will also watch over the child for some time after it has been born. If there are any problems he will beam you and the child to the research ship straight away."
"That's good to know." Louise turned and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she saw a matching smile on Richie's.
"If that is all, General Hammond, I must be getting back to my ship, the Replicators are once again attempting to attack one of our major home worlds."
"That's fine, Thor. There's nothing else." General Hammond said as a small smile appeared on him face happy for his friends.
"Errr, General there was something else I wished to discuss." Jack jumped in before Thor could disappear in a flash of light.
"Go ahead Colonel." General Hammond sighed internally having a feeling what this would be about.
"Thor with all this talk about Loki's creations being immortals it's got me wondering. Is mini me an immortal?" Jack asked bluntly and Richie looked over at Jack with a puzzled look on his face.
"I have no information on whether your clone is immortal at this point in time O'Neill. If you wish it I will have Mani run some scans to find out."
"I think that's for the best Thor. I can tell you if it was me out there I'd want to know if I was going to have to face the thing immortal's have to face."
"Very well. I will have Mani scan your clone and transmit the results to Doctor Fraiser. I have instructed her on what parts of the genetics are the Asgard genetic markers. Although I believe the only way to truly find out if your clone is immortal would be to have another immortal be within close proximity to him. I have observed all the immortals during the time I have been in contact with Earth over the past few days and believe they are able to sense of another immortal's presence when in close proximity."
"But, Thor, Janet did all the tests on him." Suddenly it hit him that if there were anyone who would know if his clone was immortal or not it would be Janet. "Janet?"
Janet knew ever since finding out that Loki was the creator or immortals Jack was going to ask this question at some point.
She knew she was going to have to answer it truthfully and to be honest she could see Jack's point of view for wanting to know. Jonathan would require some training; he'd need someone to tell him how to adapt to his immortality.
"Yes. Jonathan has the potential to become immortal, but sir. I think it would be best if we don't inform him about this situation until we have no other choice in the matter. He's already lived a weird enough life as it is. I think it would be best to let him live as much a normal life as possible until he can no longer. He may not even die a tragic death at all so he may get the chance to live out his life unaffected."
"Doc, did you hear yourself there? He's me. As soon as he re-finishes high school he's going to join back up with the Air Force. No doubt, he'll get transferred back here where he'll be out there fighting the good fight. Of course he's going to die a violent death. Hell, the only reason I haven't is mostly to do with having a good team behind me and lots of dumb luck."
"Colonel, I'll leave the decision up to you whether to tell your clone about this situation. Let's get back to work, people. Dismissed." Hammond stood from the briefing room table before anyone could reply and walked out of the room.
Moment's later Thor disappeared in a flash of light and everyone rose from their seats at the table. "Louise, if you would be so kind to show our guests to the surface I would appreciate that." Jack said indicating Richie and Adam then turned his attention back to Janet. "Doctor, I'd like to discuss this matter more with you so would you like to come with me and grab something to eat while we discuss it."
"That would be fine." Janet said guiltily.
"Then let's go eat." Jack turned and left the room with Janet following him closely.
Sam said her goodbyes to Adam and Richie, wishing Adam good luck as well as he had a job interview later on that today then turned and left the briefing room.
"So, I'm going to be a granddad. That's something I never thought I hear myself say." Adam said as Louise led the way back to the surface.
"You think that's weird. Louise is going to have a brother or sister through Sam and I'm going to have a brother or sister through you. Then if you really want to get technical we're going to be step brother and sister when you and Sam get married."
"God, I never though about it like that." Adam realised with shock then couldn't help but laugh.
"What's so funny, old timer?" Richie couldn't help but laugh himself.
"Nothing really. But, who would have ever thought immortals would have a family triangle like this." The laughter suddenly died from Adam's eyes as he thought about another issue that he needed to discuss. "Louise, there's something I wanted to discuss with you."
"What's up, Adam?" Louise replied curiously noticing the seriousness in his voice.
"It's Patty."
Louise's face paled slightly and then hardened. "What about her?"
"She's been in contact with Joe asking if he would pass this on to you." Adam's hand dug into his pocket and he pulled out an envelope and handed it to Louise.
"Thanks but I don't think I'm going to be reading this any time soon." Louise suddenly got the temptation to throw the letter in the closest rubbish bin.
"Louise, she didn't know Edward was going to kill you. At least not until the night at O'Malley's and when she found out and tried to stop Edward, he knocked out. She woke up the next morning in hospital and knew it was going to be too late for either you or Edward so the only thing she could think of doing was to go home and wait. When Edward didn't show up after a few days she assumed the worst and contacted Joe. I've checked out her story, Louise, and she's telling the truth. Maybe you should think about reading that letter? Find out what she has to say for herself." Adam knew deep down how Louise was feeling after the betrayal of her father but knew that if her mother was telling the truth then she should be at least given the chance to explain herself.
"I'll think about it, Adam, but that's still all I can promise at the moment."
"That's all I ask." With that the elevator arrived and the three of them boarded in silence.
The End
A/N: - Well that's it end of Secrets 3. Good thing for you is that my beta said there were unfinished issues so i've started Secrets 4.
Let me know what you think of this story. Reviews always welcome.