Saxton had just reached the top step when a figure appeared in front of her.
"Saxton you do not mean the things you said" Hestia said placing a hand on Saxton's cheek.
"Who the hell are you?" MacLeod asked in amazement at the woman who just appeared out of thin air.
"I am someone who is trying to help all of you Duncan MacLeod."
"You still haven't answered by question, who are you?" MacLeod stepped forward wanting an answer.
"I am Hestia"
"Hestia! Your Hestia?" Adam came up behind MacLeod.
"You know her?" MacLeod asked turning surprised to Adam's reaction.
"Know of her MacLeod."
"It is good to finally meet you Methos."
"Would someone like to tell me what's going on here?" Duncan asked still not sure about what was actually happening.
"No!" Saxton almost spat at MacLeod then turned back towards Hestia. "Move out of my way Hestia, there's nothing you can say that's going to change my mind on this matter."
"It doesn't matter that you need to help someone? It doesn't matter that you will let a man you used to call friend die believe things that you know not to be true? It doesn't matter that you'll just run out on problems that need to be solved?" Hestia asked her face taking on a look of grave concern.
"There is nothing I can do here. I have tried to find reason to forgive but I can't. I'm sorry Hestia but I think you've come to the wrong person. Please, move out of my way!" Saxton asked tears pricking at her eyes threatening to fall.
"Saxton, I have never made a mistake in my chooses. I know you know in your heart that you must forgive. It is your anger that is fuelling you at the moment. You need to let go of that anger and confront the truth."
"For god sake Hestia, I can't. Please just let me pass."
Hestia bowed her head realisation finally hit that she couldn't do anything to help Saxton realise what she truly felt. She only hoped that Saxton realised it before it was too late.
Hestia stepped aside and let Saxton pass. Saxton was out of the door as fast as she could once her path had been cleared. MacLeod still waiting for answers as to who Hestia was and why she had just literally appeared in his barge couldn't help asking the question once again. "Ok, who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing here?" Everyone present could tell that MacLeod's voice was clearly showing his annoyance.
"As it has already been pointed out my name is Hestia. I have come here Duncan MacLeod to try and resolve a problem that needs to be resolved before something that shouldn't happen, happens."
"If it shouldn't happen why is it happening in the first place?" MacLeod sceptically asked.
"It is happening because evil wishes it to."
MacLeod couldn't help but note the matter of fact way that Hestia spoke which for some reason caused a shiver to run down his spine.
"Oh great that's all we need is for another run in with Evil and MacLeod to run in like the Boy Scout he is trying to save the day." Adam almost spat as he picked up his coat off of the chair and shrugged it on. "I'm outta here." Adam not wanting to get stopped by Hestia like Saxton had decided to leave by the door in the bedroom area of the badge.
"There is nothing more I can do here. MacLeod, listen too your heart and know that what people say in anger is not what they truly mean. You did not know what you were doing, you were manipulated by evil, Saxton knows that deep down. Believe in your heart that what you did wasn't your fault." Those were the last words spoken by Hestia before the image before MacLeod and Samantha had faded away leaving a pair of very shocked immortals.
Once Saxton reached the top of the wharf she realised that she had nowhere to go. All that she had brought to Paris with her was still on MacLeod's barge. Samantha had checked out of their hotel room, and Adam was still with MacLeod, hence no way for her to get back into his apartment.
The thought of the Joe's blues bar dashed into her mind, it was the first place she had first met MacLeod and Adam, in this incarnation at least and then remembered how Joe was from when he knew Richie. The thought of having a possible friend sprung slight hope into Saxton and she wondered if it would be open at this early an hour, the prospect of a stiff drink was very appealing as well.
Knowing which direction to head in thanks once again to Richie's memories Saxton headed in the direction of the Le Blues Bar in hopes to getting that stiff drink and hopefully a friend to confide in.
It wasn't long before she was once again standing out front of Le Blues Bar but this time the inside was empty and the lights turned off. Disappointed to find that it was closed Saxton started walking not realising where her feet were actually taking her before until it was too late. She found herself standing in front of Adam's apartment building knowing that deep down she had to talk to someone and Adam was as good as anybody. Knowing that she would have to wait for Adam to return she was just about to sit on the steps when a voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Sax, is that you?" Adam asked noticing her just standing there with a frown on her face and a sad look in her eyes. He could tell she wasn't paying him any attention, as she looked like she was just about to take a seat on the steps before he spoke.
"Adam?" Saxton quickly looked up slightly startled noticing Adam for the first time. "I thought you'd be still with MacLeod?"
"I left not long after you, Hestia hinted at another of MacLeod's Boy Scout stunts and I decided to get outta there before he tried pulling me into his plans." Then giving her a puzzled look asked, "What are you doing here? I thought this would be one of the last place you'd want to be."
"Where else can I go? Samantha checked me out of my hotel. All my things are still at MacLeod's and even Joe's blues bar's closed so I can't get drunk and drown my sorrows."
"You know drowning your sorrows never really works."
"Yeah but it's always worth a shot! Hell, at this point I just wanna go home and forget I ever met MacLeod. If I could ever forget coming to Paris I wouldn't look back. All I've done since getting her is find out I have the memories of someone who died twenty three years ago, find out I'm going to end up immortal if I'm unlucky enough to die a violent death. I guess the only good thing about this trip is that it looks like I have a new friend." Saxton smiled at Adam although she knew he would more then likely be able to see her sadness.
"Hell meeting me is reason to come to Paris on it's own" Adam added trying to lighten the dark mood that had drifted over Saxton. "Come on lets take this somewhere less public."
They walked in silence up to Adam's apartment, Saxton closely following behind Adam as he unlocked the door and walked through holding the door gentlemanly like while she entered.
"Go sit down, I'll be there in a minute" Adam said turning from Saxton and heading in the direction of the kitchen.
Doing as Adam said Saxton seated herself on one of the sofas and thought over everything that had happened. Why was she finding it hard to understand everything? She had come looking for answers only to find them and the questions replaced by even more questions.
She now knew what the dreams meant, it was the death of her, no her souls former body. Killed by the person he had thought of like a father. No matter how many times MacLeod had betrayed his trust before he always forgave him. If that was the case, why was she finding it so hard to forgive him this time? Forgive him for the final wrong doing towards Richie.
Thinking back to the dream she remembered how Richie had never tried to defend himself. He never raised his sword to stop the swing of MacLeod's katana. How she whenever she was put in his place she always did the same, was it Richie's decision not to do anything to stop MacLeod? Or was it something else? Was there something that was holding him, stopping him from defending himself?
"Sax, what's wrong?" Adam asked in concern having watched her for a full five minutes without her even acknowledging his presence.
Saxton jumped when she heard Adam's voice. Realising she had been locked in Richie's memories, she looked up at Adam with sad eyes. "Why can't I do as Hestia asked? Why can't I forgive MacLeod?"
"I don't know Sax, only you can truly answer that question." Adam took a seat beside Saxton pulling her into his arms. "There is only MacLeod that truly knows what happened that night at the racetrack, and from what Joe managed to get out of him over time it sounds like Richie didn't defend himself. MacLeod thought he was another of Ahriman's illusions.
"There is one other person that knows what happened that night. Richie knew, and now I know." Tears started as Saxton lifted her head looking into Adam's eyes. "Something stopped him. Richie saw the blade coming and it would have been easy for him to stop MacLeod, but there was something stopping him from raising his sword. If there wasn't anything stopping Richie from defending himself he could have survived. All it would have taken was a simple move, one of the first moves Richie had ever learnt from MacLeod. Richie was murdered that night, but it wasn't by MacLeod. Yes MacLeod may have made the final blow but there was something else to blame."
"Ahriman?"
"No, whatever it was it wasn't evil. It was…" Saxton broke off deep in thought trying to think of where and if she had felt that feeling before. "There's something I'm missing, something that's staring me straight in the eye, yet I can't see it."
"Just try and clear your mind, let the answer come to you."
"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" Saxton couldn't help but crake a smile no matter what she was feeling at the time. There was always something about Adam that made her laugh, and she liked that feeling.
"Yeah, I guess it does sound slightly stupid."
"I know the truth about what happened but yet I can't forgive him. I know if it was Richie sitting here instead of me he would have forgiven him a long time ago, but it's not and I can't."
"Just give it time, you obviously want to forgive him so just give it time and you'll be able to."
"I hope your right Adam."
"I am right."
"Thank you" Saxton sweetly smiled at Adam grateful for his insight into a problem that deep down she knew he knew nothing about, but was still willing to help.
Adam smiled back at her and their eyes locked. Without realising it they slowly drifted towards one another until there lips were locked in a mind-blowing kiss.