Disclaimer: I do not own Highlander. Wish I did, and then I have money!

I want to thank my Beta reader R.J. Bingham. Please go and read R.J. Bingham's Fan-fictions, they are all well written and very enjoyable.

Chapter 2

Finally in the Arms of the Women Joe Loves. Or Quickening reappear as nightmares.

Joe settled in the beautiful first class Hotel Suite. This trip had been beyond his wildest dreams. First flying first class from Seacouver to New Zealand and now he was in a fairy-tale suite, a guy could get used to living like this. There was a large sitting room complete with leather sofas and a fully stocked bar, a dining room and forty-two inch flat screen TV with every cable channel that is possible to be broadcast in the UK and beyond. Joe opened his laptop to the watchers database and looked up Dean Morris. He found that Morris was a bit older than Gwen had guessed, 385 year old, and he tended to pick targets that were what he considered weak, either young immortals or women. His kill rate was fairly high, 537 but 90% were women or young immortals, Joe still didn't like the stats after looking at them. The guy's watcher was a Donald McDonald, who was married with five kids so there was a chance he wasn't around but with these stats it seemed that McDonald must keep a close eye on his guy. Joe speculated that this was how it was going to be from now on, Gwen off at a sword fight with an immortal and him home checking out the other guy's stats after she left.

Joe tried to forget about it but he knew that would be impossible, now he understood how Tessa must have felt every time MacLeod left to face another immortal. He looked at the clock, it had been two hours since, he arrived at the hotel and he was really beginning to worry when the door to the suite opened and Gwen walked in wrapped tightly in her trench coat.

"Hi Joe I'm back, see there was nothing to worry about." she said as she smiled at Joe, we have to order in, I only brought a small bag and I think I have to borrow one of your shirts, that damn Morris kind of torn mine to hell. Don't be alarmed I'm fine. He's dead. Are you hungry?"

Joe rolled his eyes and got up off the plush sofa, "Gee Gwen this room is something else real nice and thanks for the first class tickets, but honey I know you better than you think I do and your trying to hide something from me. So take off the trench coat, and show me just how bad it was?"

"Joe I don't know what you're talking about? Everything is fine."

Gwen since when were you shy I remember you walking through Macleod's loft naked the last time I saw you, so give it up girl." Joe insisted.

Gwen took of the trench coat and Joe could see her blouse ripped and blood stained, some of her own blood still drying on it. The cuts had healed but Joe knew that Morris had tried to cut her up pretty badly. "Joe its ok the guy is dead." Gwen said trying to explain the situation to him. Gwen wasn't used to having anyone else care how she won a head, or what pain she might have suffered, she was just used to being on her own. Then Gwen continued to explain herself to Joe. "I had to get Morris to believe I wasn't a threat to him. He had to believe he could just rip me up because I am small and a women. Then he let his guard down and I lulled him in to a false sense of superiority so that he would not have any idea who he was dealing with. As soon as he believed that it was easy to take his head. The battle was easily won then, nothing more has to be said about it. So can I barrow one of your shirts and can we just order in it's been a long day and I am very tired."

"You put yourself at unnecessary risk, for what to trick this guy? With all your mystic powers why let yourself take chances like this? Gwen you're not alone anymore, you have someone waiting for you to come back to." Joe pointed out to her.

"I am so sorry Joe, this thing we have is new for me too. I'm not used to having someone waiting for me and this isn't the reunion I had planned for us. If it's ok with you I am hitting the showers can you just pick out something on the menu for me. I need protein, not crab's, and maybe a nice salad. Does this hotel have those nice bathrobes, you know the white fluffy ones?"

"Gwen, come here first," Joe insisted. She obeyed and walked over to Joe, who then pulled her in to a big hug, then grabbed her chin and said. "I know things like challenges are common place for you baby but you need to give me a little time to get used to it ok. I just want to hold you for a few minutes. Honestly I am so happy your back with me and you're ok. That guy had pretty high kill stats and made me a little nervous."

"I understand Joe but I don't want to know things like an immortals kill stats before I challenge him and I can't have you freak out every time I have a challenge. Ok I have to lean to be a little more careful, but you have to understand one thing, I have been on my own ever since I became an immortal. I am not used to having anyone watching my back or waiting for me to come home. Even when Barney was a child I set up trust funds and nannies, because I knew I couldn't let him tie me down" Gwen looked sadly at Joe, she had never really confessed this to anyone before.

"Well Gwen things have changed; you're the one who invited me here, who asked me to come. I thought Methos would have had your back since he was your teacher?"

"Sometimes, in the beginning and later when it suited him, but you know Methos ultimately it's his own back he watches best. If I was getting into something that he considered too risky for his own good I was on my own." Gwen replied. "Joe it's not like it's new to me, I am a survivor. Methos knows that, so do I, it's just how things have been since I can remember."

"Well girl maybe it's time to do more than just survive, how about try living. I came here to give us a try, and I don't think you quite understand the concept of what a couple means. You are so used to living on your own. Are we doing just a dry run here or are you really going to make a commitment and make this thing between us work?" Joe pleaded with Gwen.

"Joe I want to try to make this relationship work and make things more permanent. I am sorry you need to give me some time and be patient. I don't think you understand where I am coming from, and this is a huge change for me. You might have to make some changes in your life with the watchers too. But Joe I really do want us to work, it's just we both know there will be pitfalls, like the one tonight. It's not all a bed of roses being with me, but I do promise there are some really good points too. But can we continue this later Joe I am famished, please order dinner anything will do, as long as its protein, not carbs, and a nice salad. I need a shower I feel icky, I have blood in my hair and there's one thing I can't stand is dried blood in my hair, it's the worst!" Gwen said as she gave Joe a soft kiss on his cheek and headed off to the large bathroom.

Joe hated it when she cut him off emotionally but he wasn't going to push this time, he could see Gwen was drained so he ordered dinner to be sent up to the room. Gwen did find one of those fluffy robes in the bathroom, and felt like a new women after her shower and dinner. Joe got comfortable too and tried to forget the drama of the night and finally Gwen retired to the king size bed in the suite. Joe washed up and removed his prosthetic legs and settled in with her. He was always surprised that she never commented or seemed to care he had no legs. When he asked her about it Gwen answered that he wasn't missing any vital equipment that she found necessary. Everything she wanted in a man was in perfect working order. Joe had to laugh at Gwen's assessment of his situation.

Somehow everything came so natural to them, and even though the last time they had spent a night together was over seven years ago. The years they spent apart didn't seem to dim any of the fervor the two lovers had for one another and even Joe was surprised how deep and passionate their lovemaking was. Gwen could do things to a man's flesh that would make him feel like he had reached the seventh level of nirvana. Joe on the other hand kisses his way down her flawless body until he found that red patch of hair moist and in perfect ringlets. There he would pleasure her until Gwen begged him to stop. They joined together, slick hot and satisfyingly never wanting the pleasure to end. Joe was sure Gwen's hands were magic and when Joe felt his ecstasy over flow him he only realized the joy of being in the arms of the women he loved. Afterward the two were just very content lying in each other's arms resting and happy to be together again.

Joe awoke alone around 3 am and realized Gwen wasn't in bed so called out for her. Gwen who often had trouble sleeping was in the sitting room, and came walking in to the bedroom.

"Yes Joe sorry I can't sleep especially after I've taken a quickening, the other heads Morris took all come along with his, some are more unsettling for me to process than others. Their power, their lives, their knowledge, it's all mine now. He did some terrible things, and I have to live with that now."

"What is that like, MacLeod never talked about it much, except when he had that dark quickening?" Joe asked.

"It's hard to explain, and even other immortals do not talk about this aspect of a quickening between themselves. But don't worry I've been through this thousands of times before, these feelings will soon fade, most of the time they only resurface again in my dreams as nightmares."

"Great who knew immortals had nightmares because of the quickening's they've taken in the past, sounds terrible, Gwen just come back to bed, I came a long way to get here and Damn it I'm not sleeping alone." Joe called to her.

"Sorry." She said as she crawled in next to Joe. "Really Joe I am sorry I woke you up, I didn't mean to." Gwen put her head on Joe's shoulder and went quiet.

"You didn't wake me up honey, the empty bed did." Finally Joe touched her face but he knew she had something to say, so he just stared at her. "Spill the beans honey, I know you got something to say."

Gwen Sighed "I'm worried, do you think we can make this thing between you and me work? Today didn't go very well. Connor has told me for years I am a complete fool for not running after you and marrying you years ago, he knows your only the third man I ever loved, and in 4500 year that's a long time to go between falling in love. I know it sounds ludicrous but I do love you Joe I have since that first night we spent together. It was so stupid of me I just kept listening to Methos, when he told me to stay away from you. I am sure it was because he didn't think I was capable of really loving anyone. Joe after you spend over four thousand years living a life full of self-doubt, self-loathing, and loneliness it's hard to just start to include another person in your life, do you understand? Methos was the closest I got to putting my past behind me and including someone in my life. I don't even know anymore if that was real or not. He was just so selfish, sometimes I think I was just an amusement for him, someone to spend his time with in-between one of his 68 wives. I had just one husband who in the end only made me a whore." Gwen sobbed as Joe just held her and hugged her.

After a while and she seemed cried out Joe brushed the hair out of her eyes and told her. "Gwen did you ever think, that you're so special that maybe Methos didn't want to share you with anyone else but himself. I didn't believe him for one minute when he said he never loved you. Even though he had you on his strings all those years Methos was still unwilling to commit to you. What a fool he is, and I shouldn't say that because he's my friend. One reason I stayed away from you from the beginning was you were his gal, but I was wrong. Gwen you deserve someone who wants you, and want's to be there for you not just when they're in-between wives. Before me you have had two men in your life, both wanted to use you for their own ends, I don't want anything from you. All I want and expect is for us to love each other. Can you understand what I am telling you, it's not hard but it maybe a new concept for you sweetheart."

"Joe, why didn't I get together with you years ago, I do trust you and anything you want to know about me I will tell you, just give me a little space and time. I'm not used to this honesty thing. All Methos and I did was play games and I was never sure if he was running towards me or away from me. Joe I need you so much." And Gwen kissed him again, and with her face still wet with tears she cuddle up with Joe and fell asleep.

Sure Joe thought to himself (I had no legs, and some people thought I'm brave to get up every day knowing that, but how brave Gwen has been to have lived so long, having been a whore, a slave and unloved, how lonely she had been most of her life.) Joe thought it so sad that the great love of her life was Methos who played games with her emotions and would never truly tell her if he loved her or not. Then Joe smiled to himself and thought he was the luckiest guy in the world to have been the mortal man that Gwen fell in love with.

The next morning Gwen was back to her happy go lucky self, all she wanted to do was get back home so she could show Joe off to her friend and neighbors and make sure Luke and John were minding the shop and not enjoying the fact she was away.

The trip home was long and Gwen skipped going to her business in town, and instead stopped only at the local market to pick up a box of food Luke had ordered over the internet for her to pick up and then went right to her house. As they drove down the road that led to her house Joe was impressed. It looked like an extremely large two story ranch with a flat roof from the front but from the back you could see all three stories the lower story opening on to the beach which was on the bay. The house didn't have stairs, you entered it directly by a pathway on the circular driveway. Joe saw a four car garage at one end of the house and a few out building. It was a mansion by his standards.

Gwen rang the door bell, to alert the occupants the mistress was home. It was almost like a Laurel and Hardy movie the way Luke and John came out of the house, pushing and shoving to get out first. It was as if to prove they had been busy doing what every she had told them to do while she was gone when anyone could clearly see from the way they were dressed that while the cats away the mice will play. John had on only his swim trunks, wet and still dripping. Luke looked disheveled at best, as if he had been up all night and still in the same clothes.

"Great I leave you two alone and what happens, John I bet you have been surfing all day? Right! And don't go anywhere Mr. Denton! You were out in the pub all night? Honestly, Guys, I told you how important this was to me! Well just don't stand there get Joe's bags and put them in the master suite. John dry off first you're still dripping did you see my car from the ocean and just come in hoping I wouldn't notice! Your father would not be pleased, and Luke I got the grocery's can you prepare dinner? As soon as you're finished with dinner it's me and you with the swords on the roof. By the Goddess Ovesevea sometimes I swear I will never take on a new student again. Sorry Joe. I need to check the mail and make some business calls so I will be in my office the guys can show you around." She stopped and gave Joe a kiss on the check and with that Gwen was off in a huff disappearing into the house. All anyone could hear was Gwen rattling off a bunch of strange words. Luke and John knew all too well she was swearing in an ancient tongue that had long ago been forgotten.

End chapter 2

Chapter three – Sun, Surf and Swords, Welcome to Woolleys Bay!

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