Disclaimers: they are my characters they all belong to other people. I haven't seen the last highlander film. It didn't even reach the cinemas and hasn't even made it to video yet. I heard Duncan killed Connor. So I'm just ignoring that film.
Methos stared at the package on the coffee table and picked it up. Why would someone send him a parcel? He held the parcel to his ear just to see if it was making a ticking noise. No sound at all. Methos opened the parcel with care and tipped the contents onto the table. A videotape was the only thing that cam out of the parcel. Methos picked up the videotape and put it into the video recorder. He then pressed play. What he saw next shocked him to the core.
Hello brat. I bet your sitting there in shock at the moment. You see I'm dead. This tape would only get sent to you if I was dead or missing. So if I'm missing I could walk though the door any moment. If I'm dead, well it doesn't matter. I hope that cousin of mine didn't take my request seriously. Shit that's what most probably killed me. A few days ago I asked Duncan to kill me. Rachel was dead and I was grief stricken. I loved Rachel as if she was my own daughter. I bet that little bastard Duncan took my head. With all the trouble we had with this immortal he most probably killed me to get me out of the way. If he killed me for selfish reasons I'll come back and haunt him. Better yet I'll drive him mad. No I'm kidding if I'm dead it really doesn't matter anymore. Whoever received my quickening worry about them. I never really did talk to you about my past did I? You had been a watcher so I you knew everything there was to know about me. Well I'll explain it in more detail for you. I would have told you before all this happened. If you are watching this tape and I am not with you then it's to late. If you already know about my past just fast-forward the tape. My watcher journals start from 482 years ago. The watcher journals record my first death as being one in battle. The journals are wrong. I'm a hell of a lot older than 482 years. As for how old. I'm 6,789 years old give or take a century. After a while you tend to stop counting.
The Connor of Scottish myth is true. I came to Scotland 482 years ago. It was shipwreck that caused me to wash up on those Scottish shores. The Macleods found me and took me into their homes. The shipwreck caused me to forget all about my immortal existence. All those years of my life wiped out by that single accident. So when I did die in battle I honestly thought it was my first death.
So when did I remember every detail of my life? When did I remember all those years? I remembered every detail of life just over a week ago now. You most probably noticed some sort a change in me. Suddenly remembering the last 6,s07 years of my life. Its hurting me like you wouldn't believe. I done things you can't even begin to imagine. The things I've done are haunting my dreams and my waking moments. I've done things that make the four-horse man seem like toddlers in the sandpit. If Duncan killed me the quickening should have killed him. If someone had taken my head in battle it should have caused total devastation. If Duncan is still standing then something went terribly wrong. Why am I saying Duncan killed me? I asked him too. I didn't think the boyscout would take me seriously. So if I'm dead I've lived a long enough life. You should know what it is like to live as long as I have. Its like carrying chains around your soul. As the years past a new link gets added. In the end the years just weigh you down. If I died and I never got to tell you the truth, I should be sorry but I'm not. I only remembered my whole life a week ago and its slowly killing me. I've done far to many things in life and a great deal of them I just want to forget. I've been to places where no mortal or immortal ever wants to go. If Duncan beheaded me, he'll hate me with a passion. It doesn't really bother me what that boyscout thinks of me. I've been to hell and back. I've had the devil himself sit back and judge me. Duncan judging me makes no difference at all. Duncan in comparison is nothing more than a child. A child who cannot even begin to comprehend most of the things I have done.
If Duncan didn't kill me, I'm missing. If I am missing why did I send you a tape. It was an automatic thing. My lawyer sent the tape. He was under orders to send the tape to you if he suspected Duncan of being involved in my death or disappearance in any way. I not making a whole lot of sense am I. Adam if you suddenly remembered every detail of your life, how would it effect you. You would disappear wouldn't you? You wouldn't tell anyone where you had gone. If I am missing, I've gone underground for a reason.
So if you fast-forwarded the tape. Here you are watching the final words of Connor Macleod. What can I tell you? I could give you the meaning of life, but that's too easy isn't it. Live each day as if it was your last. Sounds drastic and simple, but that is essentially it. Adam nothing turns out how you thought it would in life. Since meeting you, nothing has happened how I thought it would. Adam if I am missing I will come back. If I did die. That cousin of mine better not have buried me. I hate being buried. Bad memories.
The video went silent as it showed Connor just staring towards the camera as if he could see Methos on the other side. The silence was broken when Connor spoke again. Hey Adam I will be back. Connor let out a world-weary smile.
The screen went blank and the tape ejected itself. Methos sat there staring at the blank screen. Tears steadily falling down his face. Why didn't he tell me? Methos got up out of the chair and took the tape out of the video recorder and put it on top of the bookcase next to the television. Methos then walked straight out the apartment and headed straight for Joe's. He knew damn well that he would find Macleod there. Questions needed to be asked and that damn boyscout had better have the answers. Duncan had better give him the truth, because the mo0d he was in at the moment Duncan wouldn't live to see dawn if he lied.
Connor drove his rental car towards seacouvers hotel. What the hell am I thinking? I should just get the hell out of dodge. Connor turned the rental car around and drove back to Joe's bar. Might as well have one more drink for the road. Its not like its gonna kill me. Connor parked his car outside the blues bar and quickly got out of the car, before he could change his mind. Connor walked into Joe's and headed straight for the bar.
"What can I get for you," asked Joe
"Whisky," answered Connor.
Joe poured out a whisky for Connor and placed the drink in front of him. Connor looked directly at Joe and noticed the flicker of emotion that flew across Joe's face.
"Connor I thought you were dead," said Joe as he tried not to gap at Connor.
"Adam, my names Adam. I was in here earlier on," said Connor as he ran his hand though his blond hair.
"Yeah I remember now. You look and sound so much like him," said Joe still stunned by how much this man looked like Connor.
"So Mr Dawson who is this Connor," asked Connor. Let's see what he really thinks of me.
"He was an old friend. He was quiet a unique man to know," said Joe
"Sounds like he was a good man to know," said Connor
"He was a bastard," snapped Joseph having a funny feeling about this Adam clay
"What did he do," asked Connor trying to keep a calm expression on his face.
"He went and got himself killed. He left his partner without a single goodbye. What sort of man would do that," said Joe hoping that would provoke some sort of a reaction from Adam clay.
"A man who had no choice," said Connor trying to keep a calm tone of voice. When all he wanted to do was lean over the bar and punch Joe's lights out. How can he even suggest such a thing? He never hurt Methos intentionally.
Midway though the conversation Methos had entered the bar looking for Duncan.
"That's no excuse," snapped Joe.
"There may have been reasons that even you or this Connors partner never knew about," said Connor as he finished of his whisky.
Meanwhile in the far corner of the bar Methos had found Duncan.
"Duncan," said Methos in a clam tone of voice.
"Adam where have you been. We've all been worried about you," said Duncan.
"Cut out the bullshit Macleod. You know damn well where I have been," snapped Methos
"How could I possibly know where you've been," asked Duncan shocked at the way in which Methos was acting towards him.
"Did you take Connors head," Methos simply asked.
"You know I did. Connor asked me too," replied Duncan.
"You took him at his word. Tell me Duncan do you feel any different. Does it feel like you have Connors quickening inside you," asked Methos as Duncan went silent for a moment, as he seemed to be concentrating on something deep inside him.
"No, I don't feel anything," said Duncan in a mixture if shock and surprise as he raised his voice.
Joe by this time had come over to Duncan and metros leaving Adam clay at the bar with a bottle of whisky.
"Could you guys keep the noise down. I have other customers in here," said Joe as looked at Duncan who he could see was in some kind of shock. "What's wrong," asked Joe concerned for his friend.
"His not dead," Duncan and Methos both said at the same time.
"Who isn't dead," asked Joe.
"Connor. I haven't got his quickening. His still alive," said Duncan.
"Are you sure," asked Joe.
"Of course I'm sure. Do you think we would joke about this," snapped Duncan.
"Oh my god. That means he is Connor. I should have known," said Joe.
"Where is he," snapped Methos as he glared at Joe.
"I was talking to a Adam clay at the bar. We were talking about his likeness to Connor. The only difference between the two of them is his blond hair," said Joe as they all turned to stare at the bar. At the bar sat a solitary figure. The man at the bar got up from his stool at the bar and headed for the bar's exit.
"Hey Adam I hope you paid your bill," shouted Joe as the figure slowly turned around.
When the others saw Mr clay they received the shock of their lives. It was Connor. It had to be Connor.
"Money is on the bar," said Joe as he looked at Joe and noticed who he was with.
"Hey Connor," shouted out Duncan as he hoped to provoke a reaction.
Connor turned and pulled the door of Joe's bar open, but when he heard his name being called he hesitated for a spilt second and the others noticed it. Connor let the door fall back shut and turned round to Duncan who along with the others
had come out of their state of shock. Duncan went to say hello to his cousin, but Connor held up his hand. This did not stop Duncan who kept on coming towards Connor.
"Cousin your alive," said Duncan pleased to his kinsmen with his head still attached
"Don't come any closer," spat Connor.
"Cousin don't be like this. I thought we buried you next to Rachel," said Duncan.
"I'm not your god damn cousin. If you buried me 6 foot under how in hell do you think I got back out? Don't you think someone would have noticed the gaping hole in the ground," snapped Connor as he looked towards the bars exit and back at Duncan.
"What if we buried something else," said Duncan.
"Why do you believe I'm Connor," Connor asked ignoring Duncan last statement and speaking to Duncan as if he was a child.
"You look like him and you sound like him," said Duncan pleased with his answer.
"That doesn't answer my question," said Connor with a wry grin.
"Perhaps I can answer that question," said Methos as he and Joe went and joined Duncan.
"Connor Macleod is a man to who has been my partner for ten years. He is the man who just over a week ago found out who he really was. You are the man who ran away from your past hoping it wouldn't catch you up. Connor is the man who sent me a tape. Telling me who he really was. You are that man. Why would you deny who you are," asked Methos as he took a step closer to Connor.
Connor looked at the others.
"Why won't you admit who you really are. You actually let me believe I killed you. How could you do that to me," snapped Duncan.
"I knew I should have just kept on driving. I should have taken a different route, but no I had to come back here," said Connor as he ran his hand though his hair. Making it even more spiky
"So are you really Connor," asked Joe who felt like he was asking the most obvious question.
"I really am……..