Disclaimer: Highlander belongs to Davis/Panzer. They are being borrowed and returned hopefully in about the same shape they were taken in. Jeff, Emmy, and just about everyone else, belong to me. You can use them if you like, just return them please.
Chapter 9
As the three companions entered Rick's house, Jeff steeled himself for this conversation. He had never actually had it before. His first meeting with Rick had been a bit different. Different was an understatement. Rick had pretty much sought Jeff out. That had been early in his time down in Florida, back before Rick took Devon's head. Since that time, their lives had been quiet. Oh, sure Rick whacked the occasional Immortal, but it was by no means like it had been during his first year down here. It was weird. Rick had pretty much cleaned house back then. But that was then, and Rick had known about the Watchers already; so the fact that he had found Jeff was not such a big deal. This meant actually being the one to reveal a secret organization to a new Immortal. Jeff was not sure that he and Emmy had been friends long enough for this to work, and yet he had to try. He wanted this partnership to be a full one, on all sides.
"So, what's on your mind, Jeff?" Emmy asked as she sat down on the couch and leaned back.
Emmy's voice entered into Jeff's thoughts and drew him out of his reverie. He met her gaze. "Look Emmy, if you're going to be a part of this partnership, you need to know everything, and that means knowing who I am."
"Jeff..." Rick said, a low warning tone in his voice.
"I called and got permission this evening Rick, don't freak out."
"Permission for what?" Emmy asked. She was on her feet, looking back and forth between the two men, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face.
Jeff paced for a second, took a deep breath and began, "I am a Watcher. I'm part of a secret organization that observes and records the history of Immortals. We know the truth about Immortals, all the rules you live by, and we observe and record, but never interfere. You could say we are a special kind of historian."
Emmy stared at Jeff, her face carved in stone. "If you are supposed to never interfere, then why are you telling me this, and why does Rick know about you?"
Jeff took a deep breath again. He could not read her expression. He could not tell if she was upset by all this, or if it was terrifying. "I'm a special member of the Watchers, and you could say, in a way, we do interfere. We are called Servants. Our job is to make sure that an evil, bad, off-kilter Immortal is not the last one. We want the winner of the Prize to be a good guy. To ensure that happens, some of the good Immortals have a friend in the Watchers, to help them find evil Immortals who are hurting people in their area, and take them out. That's what I do here."
Emmy did not say anything as Jeff stopped speaking. She just stood there, completely still and unreadable. She was like a shell of iron.
It was not she who broke the silence, but Rick, "Believe it or not, Emmy, the Watchers are the good guys. For the most part."
Emmy stopped staring at Jeff and turned to look at Rick. "How did you find out they exist, anyway?"
"I've known about them almost since I became an Immortal. My teacher was approached by one. In this case, I approached Jeff; though he was more than happy to talk with me. When I first came here, there were several not-so-nice Immortals wandering around this city. It was a lot scarier then, than it is now. I wanted that to change. I asked for Jeff's help." Rick shrugged, "They watch all of us."
"So I have a Watcher?" Emmy asked.
"You did. Now that I've told you who I am, I get to pull double-duty and watch both of you." Jeff replied.
"So where's my Watcher?"
"Still back in Pennsylvania. We have lives, too. We don't always just pack up and move immediately with our Immortals. Sometimes our lives... our jobs... won't let us." Jeff shrugged.
"And you never interfere?" Emmy asked.
Jeff shook his head, "Not in a one-on-one combat. It's one of the rules. We respect the rules."
Emmy nodded. "Okay."
"Look Emmy, I know that this is a lot, but I didn't want you to become a part of this team and be left half in the dark. It wouldn't be fair. You are my friend. I like you and I trust you. If I didn't trust you, I never would have told you about this. I know it's weird and kind of stalkerish, but Immortals are an important part of history." He paused to breathe deeply before continuing. "We don't want their stories to be destroyed like so much of the world's history already has been. Because we have the chronicles we do, we know more truth about the past than most people. And now with the Servants, we can help the world stay a safer place, for everybody."
"How long have you been watching us?" Emmy asked, sitting down again. Her shell was starting to melt, though it was still impossible to read what it was she was feeling.
"For thousands of years. I can tell you when you were born, where you died, and the first head you took and when."
"Am I supposed to be impressed? Excited that my whole life is documented somewhere never to be forgotten?" Now, finally, she looked angry. She was staring piercingly at Jeff.
Rick spoke, his voice strained but not loud. "No, Emerald, you're supposed to understand their desire to keep a history of the events that pass in the world; even if some of those events are kept secret from the general public. I know it's creepy. There are times that it still weirds me out, but one of my best friends before Jeff was a Watcher. He is one of the most caring men on the face of the planet. I would never give up our friendship. Watchers are just that: Watchers. All they want is to help mankind—in their own unusual way. Now, you already know Jeff. What was your opinion of him at dinner?"
Emmy did not answer, but she would not look at Rick, either.
He continued more softly. "I can tell you what your opinion of him was. That he was a sweet, silly young man with an overactive libido. You liked him. He was fun and full of life, and a great friend. He is still all of those things; the fact that he's a Watcher doesn't change who he is. All it means is that you don't have to hide who you really are, from him. He knows everything. Not just that we don't die, he really understands the danger of our lives, and he's willing to face it with us. He's more loyal than a Saint Bernard."
"Hey now," Jeff interjected, "there will be no comparing me to a dog."
Emmy snickered quietly. "Okay, Rick, you've made your point. It's just a lot. I mean, to find out that my whole life I've been followed by people and never known they were there. It's kind of creepy."
"It's our job to be invisible; we actually have training for it," Jeff said brightly.
"You go to school for this?" Emmy raised both eyebrows at him.
"It's actually called the Academy, and you can do it part-time while you're doing school full-time. It's kind of fun, for the most part." Jeff smiled his silly grin, and then went and sat next to Emmy on her right, gently looping his left arm around her. "I promise I don't have any diseases and will never follow you into the woman's restroom, so long as you promise to still be my friend." Jeff gave Emmy his best impersonation of a begging puppy dog. "Please?"
Emmy could not help laughing. "You can be the silliest kid when you want to be."
"I know. It's why all the girls fall for me. I'm just so darn cute," Jeff said, and then he turned to Rick. "See, I told you."
Rick rolled his eyes, "Okay, Peter, now that you've revealed your secret identity, I think we should all head to bed. Some of us still have to work tomorrow."
"Peter?" questioned Emmy, looking slightly confused.
Jeff grinned sheepishly. "It's an inside joke. Rick often refers to me as Peter Parker, mild mannered photographer by day, superhero by night."
"Yeah, I guess that fits! Except Rick is the one with the Spidey-sense." Emmy nudged Jeff and grinned.
Rick laughed. "Ain't that the truth? Okay kiddies, everyone out to the car, I need my sleep. I don't know about you two, but I've had enough excitement for the last few days."
At that, the party broke up and everyone headed to his car; he still had to take them home.
