Author's Note: This was supposed to be the start of the preceeding chapter but I forgot about it but I think it works really well as the start of this one.

Duncan MacLeod watched the world's oldest man drive away from him. 'Let it go,' he'd said, though he must have known it was not MacLeod's nature to let things like this go. Petra was his friend and she was hunting the man who had tortured her for thirty years. But Cassandra was his friend too, and he had stopped her killing Methos who had been as much a monster to her as Hades had been to Petra. Duncan sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair before climbing slowly into his car.

He knew Amanda would have taken Petra and George back to the barge, but the Highlander needed to get his thoughts in order before he talked to Petra again.

Although he had been horrified when he had learned about Methos' past a few years ago, he had slowly come to accept it as part of the man he had come to consider a friend. MacLeod's visions about what the world would have been like without himself in it had shown him that the darkness that had turned Methos into Death was still present, but he had also come to believe that he had had an influence on the ancient immortal, and helped pushed that darkness even deeper.

At the time, when Duncan had shouted for Cassandra not to kill Methos, he hadn't known why, only that he couldn't let Cassandra kill someone who was on their hands and knees sobbing. He had also wanted a chance to get a better explanation out of Methos. Duncan pulled over into a tourist parking lot next to the river and leaned his head on the steering wheel, trying to ignore the beginnings of a pounding headache.

Methos had, in Duncan's opinion, proved himself a changed man. Although for some time after the events at Kronos's 'fortress' Duncan had had lingering doubts about whether Methos had done it because, as he said himself, he went with the winning team as a matter of self-preservation and had known Duncan would be the winning team or because he wanted Duncan to win. But after a lot of reflection, Duncan had realized that either side could have won, the deciding factor being where Methos placed his loyalty. Methos had chosen MacLeod to be the winning side.

Duncan straightened up and started the car again and pulled back onto the streets, heading for the outskirts of the city. He didn't pay much attention to where he going until he saw smoke coming from a deep ditch. He pulled over and got out, pulling a first aid kit automatically from under the passenger seat. He tossed it back in, however, when he felt another immortal nearby. He gripped his hilt and stepped cautiously towards the edge.

Methos was crouching halfway up the slope, one hand holding a bush for balance and the other resting on his sword. He met Duncan's startled gaze for a moment before continuing his climb. He accepted the hand Duncan held out and a moment later was standing beside him.

"What happened to you?" Duncan asked, taking in Methos's dishevled and bloodied clothes and over-turned car.

"George happened. He has Tristan, come on."

Duncan turned around surprised. Methos was already getting into the driver's seat of Duncan's car.

"Hey!" Duncan objected.

"Get in or I'm leaving without you." Methos started to car as Duncan scrambled into the other side and took off in a rush. Duncan held the dashboard with one hand and pulled out his cell phone with the other. He awkwardly dialed Amanda's phone with one hand and waited for her to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Amanda, it's Duncan. Is Petra still there?"

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen. You want to talk to her?"

"No, not just yet. What about George?" Methos scowled at him.

"George left about 45 minutes ago. Why? Is something wrong?"

"Has Petra said anything to you about where she's staying?"

"No, she hasn't. Duncan, what's going on?"

"We think George has Tristan and..."

"Think?" Methos demanded.

Duncan ignored him. "I don't think he'd kill Tristan without Petra, so just keep her there."

"I'll do my best," Amanda promised. "Speaking of which, her phone just rang, I'd better go."

Duncan flipped his phone shut and looked over at Methos. "Petra's still at the barge, Amanda's going to try to keep her there so we have a bit of time."

"Great, let's hope Petra doesn't get past Amanda with a sword." Methos answered grumpily.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Methos hesitated for a moment, then quickly related everything that had happened since he'd left Duncan at the church.

"So there's two of them hunting him now? Wonderful."

"Petra's got money," Methos said as they entered the city's centre. "So we'll check the better hotels first. I know the three aliases she usually uses."

It took them only three tries to find the hotel Petra and George were staying at. Knocking got them no answer, but Methos charmed a maid into opening it for them.

"He wouldn't bring Tristan here, but there's gotta be something to say where he would take him."

"And if there isn't?" Mac asked. Methos gave him an unreadable look. They searched the room carefully, including the pad of paper by the phone.

"Methos, I got it. A boat house on the outskirts of town."

"Good, call Amanda, make sure Petra is still at the barge, and let's go."