Both men were seated in the 'Smoking Room' waiting for the other to be the first to speak. Placed between them on the round table was their usual cooler filled with ice and beer. Adam reached into the cooler and pulled out two beers keeping one for himself and giving the other to Xander. This was the signal used to decide who would speak first. Coincidentally, Adam was usually the first to reach for the beer.

With a sigh he began, "I have to admit, while I have thought about this particular conversation quite a few times…I can't really decide how I should start this."

Xander knew that they were about to step onto rocky ground. In the three months they had spent together they had grown quite a close bond. Yet through all the time they spent together neither man had taken any steps to inquire about the others past.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Adam, or the rest of his new friends, with his past. As long as he could delude himself into believing that keeping his two lives separate would keep his friends safe, then so be it. Now, however, there was a problem. It seemed that Adam was well aware of the 'night life.' He knew he had to come clean, and all his friends would take one step further into this raging inferno of danger.

While Xander had been reluctant to impart information on his past for his own reasons, he never truly considered Adam's reasons for doing so. He figured that leaving everyone's past in the past was of the good and not to be questions. Now, while looking into Adam's eyes, he wasn't so sure.

He was expecting to see uncertainty, perhaps some nervousness. Those characteristics were present; however there was a great deal of trepidation in those eyes as well. And that put Xander on edge.

Trying to relieve some of the new found tension, Xander gave a lopsided smile as he looked down into his bottle of beer and took a pull. After finishing he looked back at Adam and told him to simply start from wherever he felt most comfortable.

Adam gave a slight nod. "How about my name for starters, only a small handful of people actually know it." Xander leaned in slightly showing his interest a smile gracing his features showing his pleasure at being trusted in such a way.

"So…what's your name?"

"Methos"

Xander looked at him thoughtfully for a moment before leaning back into his chair and furrowing his brow in thought. He knew he had heard that name from somewhere in the past. Was it in one of Giles' books? He didn't think so, but if not…then where had he heard it?

Realizing that Xander wasn't placing the name Adam simply raised his arm, his watcher tattoo plainly visible.

Staring at his tattoo everything clicked in his mind and his eyes widened in surprise.

In an incredulous voice he asked, "Methos?" As an answer he simply received another head nod. Then more things began to click into place. Before Xander knew it he was snickering. "You're Methos? You spent all that time with the Watchers researching yourself?" Receiving a smirk in response, Xander couldn't help but to fall back in his chair and laugh harder than he had in a long while."

"Oh man that great! You must really suck at research" laughing

With a mock outraged look Methos responded. "Please, I've had thousands of years to hone in my researching skills. I simply made sure that Methos remained a myth that was probably real." With a deep smirk he added, "I was simply in charge of tracking myself, and I made sure I'd never be found." His expression suddenly became serious. "If Immortals were to find out the truth about me…I'd have every Head Hunter in the world coming after me." Xander simply shook his head in agreement as he tried to regain control of himself.

"Alexander, it is very important that when we are in public, or anywhere where we may be overheard, that you call me Adam." Xander immediately nodded his agreement and steeled his posture to show how serious he took that statement.

"I promise you Adam…Methos" Xander couldn't help but smile. "I'll keep your secret, you have my word." Xander smiled and looked down sheepishly. "Thanks…for…you know…" He let the sentence trail off as Methos gave him a smile. There were a million questions and thoughts going through his mind at that moment. But he knew there was a lot more to talk about tonight, and besides, they would have a long time to have more chats. Xander couldn't help but smile at that.

Xander was taking another sip of his beer when a memory of earlier assaulted him. He looked back at Adam…no…Methos, with a questioning glance.

"How long have you known about Demons and things that go 'bump in the night'? And what did the Polgara Demon mean when he said that he knew your War Cry? And why did he call you Death?"

The easiness that had filled the room between the two men vanished suddenly. The trepidation that Xander had seen earlier was again present in his teacher's eyes. Methos sat there contemplating how to go about this. He decided the most direct approach would be the best one to take.

"I've known about demons and their ilk for almost all of my existence. They were much more prevalent than they are today. Once they started to make their presence known they had no reason to hide from the real world, no reason to try and blend in."

"My 'War Cry' was something I used in battle." There was a far off look in his suddenly ageless eyes. When they returned they were laden with pain, sorrow, guilt, and so many other emotions that Xander couldn't even contemplate what he must have been reflecting on.

With a heavy sigh he continued. "After living in my own hell for nearly a thousand years, I was not a nice person. I was filled with such anger, hatred, and even fear it overwhelmed me, perhaps even to the depths of my soul." He took a long pull from his drink, trying to gather his thoughts in order. He hated telling this to people. Duncan had found from Cassandra what he had been, what he had done. Alexander, on the other hand, had no prior knowledge. He was afraid he was about to loose his first student in a really, really long time.

"About Four Thousand years ago I happened to meet a few other Immortals who shared my hatred of all things. It was lead by a man named Kronoss. There were four of us. We were brothers and we rode in each others company destroying, maiming, killing, plundering, and god knows what else over three continents, for over a thousand years. We were brothers." He looked up into Xander's eyes and wasn't surprised to see the horrified expression he was receiving, but he continued nonetheless. "We were known as the Four Horsemen."

Xander sat there. He was trying to process what he had just heard but nothing was getting through. Suddenly a stray thought entered his mind. With wide eyes he brought his focus back to the man sitting before him and whispered one word.

"Death."

Methos' shoulders slumped in defeat, averting his eyes, looking anywhere but at his student. The man, who would most likely be his ex-student.

Suddenly Xander was standing on his feet. Looking up, Methos was expecting to see unbridled anger being aimed towards him. What he wasn't expecting was the entirely blank, calm, yet otherwise emotionless expression he was receiving.

Grabbing his coat, Xander told Methos that he needed to get some air and think on things for a bit. And he needed to do it alone.

Following Xander out of the room, Methos got a set of keys from a board in the kitchen and handed them to Xander.

"This is for the Porsche in the garage."

Xander simply nodded and wordlessly took the keys and abruptly left the house. The next thing Methos knew he was alone in the mansion and he could hear the sounds of a powerful engine getting distant. Suddenly he felt very alone, and somewhat empty. Without even knowing it, he had pulled out his cell phone and was dialing Duncan's number. He really had no clue that he had made a call until Duncan's voice broke through his daze.

"Duncan?"

Adam? Are you ok?

"I told him Duncan. I told him everything."

What! How much is everything?

"I told him who I really am…and I told him who I used to be."

sigh How is he? Is he ok? Are you ok?

"I don't know…he left a short while ago. He wanted some time to think by himself."

Well…that's good at least. I don't think you can really ask for more.

Adam was shaking his head in agreement and was about respond with such when a sense of foreboding washed over his body sending a shiver down his spine. With wide eyes he looked off into the direction of the driveway.

"Duncan…I have to go. I think Xander is in trouble."

What? Adam…what are you… the rest of his question was cut off as Adam disconnected the phone

Grabbing another set of keys, Adam dashed like a madman to the garage.