Disclaimer: I still don't own anyone that you recognize. If I did there
would still be a show on the air and not just in reruns!!! This story is
post End Game, but Richie never died, because that just should have never
happened. So, as far as a time line goes, it is just my own little
universe. Thanks for reading.
"Hey! Sorry I'm late." Richie said in a rush. "I see you two have met. What are you talking about? Me?"
"Actually, I just got here. We haven't had much of an opportunity to talk about anything." Gwen smiled at the young man.
"What brings you to Seacouver?" Duncan asked.
"I am going to be teaching a few classes at the University this semester and possibly next," she answered. "I really need to get back to Berkley to finish my dissertation, but I was asked to help out with the new department, so here I am."
"What new department?" he queried. "Not the Near Eastern Studies department?"
"Yes, that department," she replied. "I didn't think it was that well known if they needed my help to get it up and running. How on earth did you hear about it?"
"I teach a class in Celtic lore there. Word gets around," Duncan responded casually. "What is your primary interest on the Near East?"
"My main focus is the mythology of ancient Sumeria. I teach history of the Tigris and Euphrates region and pre-Biblical Near Easter Religion." Gwen looked at Richie, whose eyes had started to glaze over at all the intellectual discussion. "Sorry, Richie. Are you ready?"
"Yep. Are you sure you want to work with the swords?" he asked. "We could start with staffs if you want."
Duncan's interest was peaked. "You want to learn to sword fight? That's an unusual request."
Before Gwen could answer, Richie piped up, "I told her that you were the expert, but that I'd get her started."
"Why are you interested in the swords, Ms. Ambrose?" the older man asked.
"First of all, it's Gwen. My father got me started in a fencing club when I was ten. I enjoyed it for a couple of years, but then we moved again," she answered. "When I came in a couple of weeks ago and saw the practice swords on the wall, I thought it might be a good time take it up again."
"Well, Gwen," Duncan replied. "You realize that fencing is different than the forms used in martial arts? I'm not sure it's going to be just 'picking it up again' like you think."
"I have been studying martial arts in one form or another most of my life, Mr. MacLeod," Gwen said defensively. "For the past five years, I have been kickboxing and this past year I began an intensive study of aikido with a noted instructor in Berkley. I think I'll 'pick it up again' just fine! Ready, Richie?"
Duncan held up his hands. "Okay. Sorry. I didn't mean any offense. I was just pointing out the differences, that's all. I'll be more than happy to help you out if you want. And it's Duncan. "
Gwen relaxed a bit and turned back to look at him. She took a deep breath then said, "No, I'm sorry, Duncan. I grew up as the only child of a career Army man. Moving so much meant everything was that much more difficult for me - keeping up with school work, making friends. My mom expected me to be like her and settle down with some GI. I am so used to people, men especially, telling me that I'm not capable of doing what I want to do. I realize that this will be hard, but I like to be challenged."
Richie quickly stepped in between the two. "Well, now that the love fest is over... Gwen are you ready to work out?"
"I'm ready. Show me what to do." As Gwen and Richie moved out onto the dojo floor to start their first lesson, Duncan watched for a moment, then turned and went back into the office. He reached for the phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hi, Joe. It's me. We may need another watcher soon and it better be a good one. I just met a girl who is pre-immortal and she appears to be quite the handful."
"Hey! Sorry I'm late." Richie said in a rush. "I see you two have met. What are you talking about? Me?"
"Actually, I just got here. We haven't had much of an opportunity to talk about anything." Gwen smiled at the young man.
"What brings you to Seacouver?" Duncan asked.
"I am going to be teaching a few classes at the University this semester and possibly next," she answered. "I really need to get back to Berkley to finish my dissertation, but I was asked to help out with the new department, so here I am."
"What new department?" he queried. "Not the Near Eastern Studies department?"
"Yes, that department," she replied. "I didn't think it was that well known if they needed my help to get it up and running. How on earth did you hear about it?"
"I teach a class in Celtic lore there. Word gets around," Duncan responded casually. "What is your primary interest on the Near East?"
"My main focus is the mythology of ancient Sumeria. I teach history of the Tigris and Euphrates region and pre-Biblical Near Easter Religion." Gwen looked at Richie, whose eyes had started to glaze over at all the intellectual discussion. "Sorry, Richie. Are you ready?"
"Yep. Are you sure you want to work with the swords?" he asked. "We could start with staffs if you want."
Duncan's interest was peaked. "You want to learn to sword fight? That's an unusual request."
Before Gwen could answer, Richie piped up, "I told her that you were the expert, but that I'd get her started."
"Why are you interested in the swords, Ms. Ambrose?" the older man asked.
"First of all, it's Gwen. My father got me started in a fencing club when I was ten. I enjoyed it for a couple of years, but then we moved again," she answered. "When I came in a couple of weeks ago and saw the practice swords on the wall, I thought it might be a good time take it up again."
"Well, Gwen," Duncan replied. "You realize that fencing is different than the forms used in martial arts? I'm not sure it's going to be just 'picking it up again' like you think."
"I have been studying martial arts in one form or another most of my life, Mr. MacLeod," Gwen said defensively. "For the past five years, I have been kickboxing and this past year I began an intensive study of aikido with a noted instructor in Berkley. I think I'll 'pick it up again' just fine! Ready, Richie?"
Duncan held up his hands. "Okay. Sorry. I didn't mean any offense. I was just pointing out the differences, that's all. I'll be more than happy to help you out if you want. And it's Duncan. "
Gwen relaxed a bit and turned back to look at him. She took a deep breath then said, "No, I'm sorry, Duncan. I grew up as the only child of a career Army man. Moving so much meant everything was that much more difficult for me - keeping up with school work, making friends. My mom expected me to be like her and settle down with some GI. I am so used to people, men especially, telling me that I'm not capable of doing what I want to do. I realize that this will be hard, but I like to be challenged."
Richie quickly stepped in between the two. "Well, now that the love fest is over... Gwen are you ready to work out?"
"I'm ready. Show me what to do." As Gwen and Richie moved out onto the dojo floor to start their first lesson, Duncan watched for a moment, then turned and went back into the office. He reached for the phone and dialed a familiar number.
"Hi, Joe. It's me. We may need another watcher soon and it better be a good one. I just met a girl who is pre-immortal and she appears to be quite the handful."