Disclaimer: If you recognize them, I don't own them and I'm not getting paid to do this.
Sorry about taking so long to post. I had some holiday revelry and a few personal crises. I'll try to get the next few chapters out more quickly.
It was almost midnight on New Years Eve and the crowd at Dusty's was in full party mode. The bartenders were pouring cheap champagne for the big moment. Gwen scanned the crowd and spotted Richie and Andrea at a table with a group of Andrea's friends. Duncan and Adam had elected to go to Joe's. As much as Duncan wanted to spend time with her, he realized that she would be performing the entire time and he didn't want Joe to think that he was completely deserting him. Adam knew that he could put the beer he drank would go on his never ending bar tab at Joe's, so he was keeping Duncan company.
Peter and Gwen counted down to midnight and there were hugs and kisses all around the bar. Richie and Andrea made to the stage to offer Gwen happy wishes in the New Year then moved off as the band started playing again.
Meanwhile at Joe's, Duncan, Joe and Adam rang in the New Year by toasting each other with their respective drinks. Around one in the morning, Duncan ordered another scotch. The bartender started to pour another beer for Adam, but he stopped him. "I'm finished for the night, but thanks. I think I'm going to head home. Tell Joe I'll talk to him tomorrow."
Duncan smirked at him, "You're calling it a night? Getting old, are we?"
"MacLeod, I've been old for a long time," he replied. "I'm just FEELING old tonight. I'll see you later."
He past Dusty's as he drove back to his apartment and noticed that there was still quite a crowd inside. On impulse, he pulled to a recently vacated parking spot and got out. There was no one at the door taking cover charges due to the late hour. He didn't sense Richie inside and assumed that he and his girlfriend had already gone home. However, the band was still playing. In fact, they had just started a song by Squeeze that was one of his personal favorites.
Stopping at the bar, he ordered a beer, then made his way through the remaining crowd to get closer to the stage. Gwen was too involved with the music she was playing to notice his presence. As the song ended however, she looked out in the audience and saw him. He raised his bottle in greeting and was rewarded with a brilliant smile. They played three more songs, then thanked the audience and left the stage.
As people began to leave, Adam moved to the bar and sat down. A few minutes later, he sensed her at his side. "What are you doing here?" she asked him with a smile. "I thought you guys were going to Joe's."
"I was at Joe's. In fact, MacLeod is probably still there." He took a drink from his beer before continuing. "I was just on my way home and there happened to be a good parking space outside, so I decided to stop in."
"You must have just missed Richie and Andrea, then." Gwen waved to the bartender and asked for a bottle of water. She drank half of it before speaking again, "So, how was Joe's? Was there a good crowd?"
"It was pretty good. Not as good as this one, apparently," he said looking at the bottles and other litter around the room.
"Yeah, it was fun. Richie and Andrea seemed to have a good time." She finished off the water and set the bottle back on the bar. "Well, I have to go help load up. I'm glad you came by." Impulsively, she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek and said, "Happy New Year."
Before he could reply, she was up on the stage helping to pack up the equipment. He just smiled to himself, finished his beer and went home.
The day before the semester started, Gwen was in her office finishing up the syllabus for one of her classes. She pulled it off the printer and headed out the door to the copier down the hall. As she turned right out of her doorway, she ran directly into Adam.
"Whoa!!" she said, stepping back. "Hi! How's it going?" They had not seen each other since New Years. Neither had been purposely avoiding the other, they had just been keeping different schedules the past few days.
Adam surveyed her appearance - no makeup, hair in a ponytail, T-shirt, sweats and running shoes. "Is this the way you dress for work, Professor Ambrose?" he asked with a smirk. "You look more like a student than a teacher."
"No, Dr. Pierson, I do not normally dress this way for work," she replied, rolling her eyes at him. "I'm heading over to the dojo as soon as I finish up. Are you getting settled in okay?"
"I'm all ready, I guess," he shrugged. "My office is as organized as it will ever be and I seem to have everything that I need to get started. How about you?"
Indicating the paper in her hand, she said, "I just have to run some copies of this syllabus and I'm all set. Actually, I've got to get going. Duncan promised to spar with me at three o'clock. I just have time to get this done and over there."
Adam looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I haven't worked out in a while. Maybe I'll see you there."
"Okay, see you later," she waved as she moved off down the hall.
Duncan was waiting in the office when Gwen rushed into the dojo. "I'm so sorry that I'm late," she called out as she removed her jacket. " I was trying to get a few things finished up before the madness begins tomorrow."
"It's okay. I was doing some paperwork that Richie left," Duncan said, coming out of the office. "Why don't you go ahead and stretch while I get the swords."
"You're the boss!" she said, saluting him. "Oh, by the way, Adam said he might by and work out later. I wouldn't have pegged him for a gym kind of guy. Maybe a runner or something…"
Duncan laughed long and loud at that. "Adam running? That'll be the day. He does work out some, though. Not enough, in my opinion, but some."
"Well, not everyone keeps as fit as we do, I suppose," she said. "Are you ready?"
He handed her one of the practice swords, "I am if you are. I'm not going to let up on you any today, so…"
"Like you EVER let up on me!" she interrupted him. "Bring it on, buddy."
They had been working for about twenty minutes when Duncan sensed the presence of another immortal entering the building. He did his best not to react to the sensation. He knew it was Adam, not only because Gwen had mentioned that he was coming by, but because of the quickening they had shared in Bordeaux.
Adam slipped in quietly and watched as Gwen went on the offensive, attacking Duncan with calculated moves that pushed him back into the corner. Unfortunately, she got a bit too overconfident and he quickly turned the tables on her. She found herself defending her ground. Blocking the blows that the Scot was raining down on her, she maneuvered herself until her right side was facing him. She raised her sword to block a swing and leaned away. The next thing Duncan knew, her right foot landed in his stomach, causing him to stumble back a couple of steps.
"That was a dirty trick," he managed to say as she came at him again. She had improved so much, that he was having trouble not going full out when they sparred.
She easily blocked the next swing. "What ever works," she said with a smile.
Adam watched with a mixture of amusement and awe. He enjoyed watching MacLeod get bested a little every now and then and that little kick had caught him off guard. Duncan had been right when he said the Gwen was pretty good. This girl could be a player in the game with a few more years of practice, although, he, like Duncan hoped that it wouldn't happen anytime soon.
MacLeod finally wore Gwen down enough that she dropped her guard and he was able to disarm her. Panting heavily, she sat down on a mat and looked up, noticing Adam for the first time. "Got here just in time to see me get me butt kicked – again!" she said with a smile.
"From what I could see you were holding your own pretty well," he told her as he crossed the room to her. Indicating Duncan, he said, "This big brute has knocked me around a few times in here, too."
"That's because you don't spend enough time in here working out!" the Highlander said has he walked over and sat down with Gwen. "You, however, almost had me a few times. Good work!"
Adam grinned at them both, "I personally liked watching MacLeod get kicked in the gut. That was a nice move."
"Yeah, I'm pretty proud of that, too," She said winking at Duncan. "Not exactly kosher, I know…"
"No, it wasn't kosher," Duncan told her, "but like you said, what ever works."
"Well, as fun as this has been, I've got to get going." Gwen got up from the mat. "I've still got laundry to do tonight."
"I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow," Adam said. "What time is your first class?"
"I have my Intro to Religion at nine," she replied. "It's a pretty big class this semester. Must be the time slot. I don't think that many freshmen are interested Pre-Biblical Near Easter Religion."
"Maybe it's the professor, not the time," Duncan smiled at her.
Gwen blushed. "I don't know about all that. But thanks. Now I know where to come when I need an ego boost. I've really got to go now. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
After she left, Adam turned to his friend, "You were right about her fighting skills. In a couple of years, she might be able to take you."
"She might at that," he said thoughtfully. Snapping out of it, he asked, "So, did you just some to watch or do you want to work out?"