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 4

Sword Fighting Up on the Roof. Or Prince Valiant AKA Joe Dawson

Joe waked into the Den to find Luke, John his little sitter Julia and Mary all sitting comfortably on the oversized brown leather sofas, watching the 52" flat screen TV with a closed circuit connection to the roof. John had a joystick in which to move around the two cameras that were mounted to the house chimneys. The room was very large and on one wall was a beautiful maple bar that included fresh mead on tap. Mounted behind the bar was a neon sign, which said JOE'S. At the end of the room a band stand completely set up for a small Jazz band. There was a Oak desk had a black leather chair behind it that look as if it was from his office at the bar in Seacouver. Joe wondered if it had a bottle of whiskey and shot glass in the left upper draw. He quickly checked yep it did. Luke quickly (as if not to miss the action on the roof) showed Joe the audio system, and music library, and ½ bath, yes this was a party room.

The TV show both cameras in a split screen display, not much was happening yet Gwen and Connor were just fooling around, and talking, but the group knew the action was coming. Luke explained Gwen often taped their sessions so she could replay them later and show him what he did right and what he did wrong. But it was always great fun for everyone when Connor and Gwen practiced because they could see two immortals going at each other full tilt but not taking a head in the end. That wasn't to say one didn't end up dead but all's fair in practice sessions and everyone knew they would live again. Joe found this family activity a little strange and asked Mary why she enjoyed it.

"Hi I am Joe – I know who you are. But this is the first time we are meeting." He offered his hand to Mary MacLeod.

"Hi yes Connor's gone on and on about you. I feel like I have known you for years, and this is my daughter Julia, say hi, teen age girls make you crazy. I was a widow when Connor married me and Julia was very young he's the only father she can ever remember."

"Do you enjoy watching this sort of thing because it makes me a bit nervous." Joe said.

"Well to tell the truth no, but we all trust Gwen, and we all know this is what they do. Face another immortal with a sword in their hands and fight to the death. Connor tends to look for trouble when I wish he didn't. He feels it's his personal mission to take the heads of all the evil immortal out there. It's hard on me seeing him go off, not knowing if he's comes back. So when we come here it's all fun and games. Up there they are really hitting each other as hard as they can, but it's practice for when they do it for real. I will not go on the roof until someone hoses it off I don't want to see the blood. But Gwen would never take Connor's head or he hers, they have too much of a past to ever do that." Mary explained.

"John told me Connor was in love with Gwen once is that true, I just want to know where I stand?" Joe asked.

"Well thank God for both our sakes Gwen's in love with you, so I can keep my husband and you Joe have to decide what you are going to do. Don't listen to me because I have an agenda. I love Connor very much and it would make my life so much easier if you just married that women. Then our two families would continue to be the good friends we are. I think Joe we might have a lot to share with each other. But as I said I have an agenda I was just hoping you might have one too."

"Joe, Mom, be quiet it's starting, come and see" John said excitedly.

Mary and Joe sat down next to each other and held each others hands. The other were whipped up like it was a pro football game but to Joe and Mary things hit closer to home. Their swords clanged and John had a hard time keeping them in camera range. Connor took the first blow to his arm as the blood streamed out everywhere but he just laughed. He hit Gwen next in the other arm. Although they both were now bleeding the combat intensified as they both tried different technical moves occasionally hitting the other in the leg or torso, as they were healing from there first wounds. They just kept coming at each other like two gladiators finally Gwen knocked both their swords out of their hands and a kung fu match erupted. Joe was shocked how well Gwen could hold her own against someone much taller and heavier than herself. But Connor knew her tricks and ducked the flying knife and to Joe's dismay they both got back their swords. Finally Connor stuck Gwen through with his Katana and she fell lifeless to the ground. The battle had lasted half an hour and Joe just looked at Mary afterward, they both knew it wasn't real but knew it could have been.

"Maybe I should go up to the roof" Joe said.

"No, don't, just turn off the TV and the rest of you get out of here, I want to talk to Joe alone and Connor will stay up there until she is ok. Joe they just do this, afterward they will be laughing about the sword fight and we can't get involved, its immortal business. I hate it too, but it's how they live there life. Connor is over 500 years old, and Gwen well I bet she's a hell of a lot older than he is. Gwen can do things I've never seen any other Immortal do. I'm sure she has confided in you. All I know is that she has had a very hard life, and men have treated her very badly. Before I met Connor they were inseparable, but she couldn't commit to him. So we fell in love he was so glad to find someone who could love him back. He still always worried about Gwen, because he still loved her. Then she met you, and Connor saw how she looked at you." Mary smiled. "Connor saw the love she had for you in her eyes; well he went on a crusade to help Gwen understand she could love you."

"Mary well I am touched, I had no idea. Did Connor ever mention Methos?" Joe asked knowing that he was still his main rival for Gwen's affections.

"Yes, and this Methos would be smart to stay away from Connor, so if you know him tell him, because Connor says he wants his head if he ever bothers Gwen again, is he good with the sword?" Mary said in a worried tone of voice.

"Methos mostly avoids fights, so I bet he'll stay away from Connor."

"Good, Joe your Ok, it can't be easy seeing Gwen die before your eyes, trust me last time it was Connor. They must be taking turns, I don't know. Are you staying here with Gwen?" Mary asked. "Connor even brought you something from Seacouver, he got it from Duncan. I know he wanted to tell you but I am too excited, it's your parent's wedding rings and your mother's engagement ring. So there no pressure now Joe." Mary smiled.

"Those Damned Highlanders are ganging up on me." Joe smiled. "Is Mac coming to New Zealand too?"

"I am sworn to secrecy, the ball is in your court anyway Joe" Mary answered.

"What if she says no Mary, you do not know this woman like I do. The last 24 hours we have spent together have been difficult for her to accept. Gwen is older than you can imagine, and lived a life where women were property, she's been treated by men in ways I can't even conceive of. Gwen has lived thinking sex was love but knew all the time it was a poor substitute. Gwen tried to love but it always ended up just being sex. I don't think she could tell the difference, between the two." Joe sadly reported. "All the men she thought she loved didn't seem to care about this even when they knew, they just continued to take advantage of her."

"Well I think she views you in a different light from other men, Connor talked to Duncan about it at length, you're a good man Joe, and can I tell you a secret but don't tell Gwen please." Mary said.

"Ok you got my attention I'll bite" Joe replied

"I know this because Gwen told Connor; the last time you saw her, she propositioned you and you refused to sleep with her. At the same time you told her it was because you loved her. How do you think that affected Gwen?" Mary paused to gather her thoughts. "Let me put it to you another way how many men do you think have ever refused her, and said it was because they loved her. Now think hard before you answer, because I know if Connor and I were not married they would celebrate their battle by making love, and he says he loves her. This Methos Guy I doubt he passed up a chance to get her in the sack, and you say he loves her. But six years ago you said no, her life was too complicated and if you and Gwen had sex it would just make things even more so. According to Connor you told Gwen it was bad timing, and the last thing you both need to do was put sex in the mix. It didn't change the fact that you were doing it because you loved her, and didn't want to see her hurt any more than she was already."

"Mary this is difficult having my personal life hashed through by perfect strangers, but I guess you and Connor have the best intentions." Joe said.

"OK Joe I understand but I told you I had an agenda and that is to see you and Gwen married. You do know my husband loves her, and I need to make my marriage rock solid. I can do this by getting Gwen in a position that my honorable Connor will respect, then he'll stop thinking about her, and he will be 100% mine. So forgive me for delving into your personal live. " Mary looked deeply into Joe's eyes as she said these words

"Ok Mary so you're telling me that I am the only man in all 4500 year of her life who's loved her enough to say no to being her lover because it wasn't the best thing for her to be doing? That's a little far fetched, I can't even imagine that" Joe said in a shocked voice.

"No Joe, I think you're the first man in her whole life that turned her down period. The fact you did it because you loved her was so much icing on the cake. Gwen's been the queen bee all her life, she infects men and Connor said after Gwen had sex with a man she could even control their minds to get them to do what she wanted them to do." Mary said candidly. "Joe don't you see you are the fist man to ever have said no to her, even though you were a former lover too. Then you spent the next six years building a relationship not on sex, but on friendship, respect and love." Mary was crying by the end of her little speech. "Joe it is all so romantic."

"But Mary I messed up then, because last night I couldn't keep my hands off her." Joe confessed.

Mary laughed "its ok you already proved your point Prince Valiant, she's already in love with you. All you men you're all such dopes, can I make you a cup of coffee, trust me don't drink the mead it's a killer?"

Mary and Joe walk to the Kitchen and talked some more while they had coffee. Joe now understood what was happening between himself and Gwen and felt a connection with Mary, as a spouse of an immortal they were going to be in a special club only a few could understand. But would Gwen even accept his marriage proposal? Joe was just waiting for her to come back to him after the sword fight on the roof, and frankly his nerves were a bit fried.

Finally Connor and Gwen came down the elevator, Joe smiled at her but she just smiled back and went in to the master suite with out a word. Connor came over and kissed his wife, "so what have you two been talking about? Sorry Joe Gwen just needs a shower and she'll be out in a while.

"I think I will go in and see how she is myself, thanks Mary for the coffee, Connor can you try to stab her a little less hard next time?" Joe said as he followed Gwen in to the Master suite.

"What's the matter with him?" Connor asked as Mary began to fill her husband in on what she and Joe had been talking about. "So now you're opening the eyes of the blind, I am so lucky to have you for my bride."

"No Connor I was just letting our Prince Valiant know what he did right. Sometimes when you love some one you have to say no for their own good. You should be ashamed for using that girl the way you did." Mary angrily said.

"Mary, what did I do?" Connor looked innocently.

"You know what you did. You seduced her." Mary reminded him

"Not as I remember I was in love with her and she seduced me and it was before you were even born, so why am I in trouble about this?" Connor complained.

"Its just Joe was in love with her and wouldn't have sex with her. Why are all you immortals sex crazed?" Mary accused Connor.

"Mary, lets not fight, let just stick to the plan and get Gwen and Joe together. You must have helped because he's in her bedroom, Mary why is Joe in her bedroom?" Connor asked.

"Because he wants to marry her you silly goose and he was worried about her when you killed her tonight. I know to you just killing another immortal is no big deal but to us mortals it's very upsetting watching our loved one die right in front of our eyes. Honestly sometimes you can be the most insensitive person." Mary said angrily at Connor.

"Ok I am an insensitive SOB, but I am also hungry; do you know where Luke is and when we are having dinner?" Connor smiled at his wife. "Mary I love you, do you want me to say it, I am sorry about my whole damn life now will that make you happy. I can't stop being what I am, now kiss me women." Connor grabbed his wife and kissed her, and she melted in his arms.

Joe entered the master suite and went over to Gwen's dressing room she was in the steam shower, but not standing she was all curled up in a ball under the water. Joe grasped some fresh towels opened the shower door, turned off the water and said.

"Gwen come here you've been in there a half an hour, honestly why do you let Luke and John video tape you and Connor fighting, It's not what I would call family entertainment. Gwen it scared the life out of me seeing him run you through with that katana of his." Gwen still stayed balled up in the corner of the shower, now getting cold. "Gwen God Damn it you will catch your death of a cold now get out of there, I have some nice dry warm towels for you."

Gwen looked up and smiled at Joe and finally walked out of the shower and he wrapped her up in the warm towels. "You did it again Joe, you said I would catch my death of a cold and I can't catch my death of a cold, in fact I can't die."

"Well you did a good imitation of death on that roof! Did you know I quit the watchers? Ok I put in my retirement letter but once they see me with you they will revoke my pension. I really don't want to watch immortals kill each other any more. I just want to stay here with you." Joe said as he helped dry her off. "I could work at your travel business. Most people say I have a likeable face and a winning personality." Gwen laughed, and began leading him toward the bed. But Joe said, "hey later babe we have guests and I thought I smelled dinner out there, why don't you get dressed and after dinner we can excuse ourselves early."

Gwen smiled and kissed Joe then walked in to her closet to get dressed, and he followed her to continue drinking in her beauty and the conversation.

"Joe I'm sorry if watching that practice fight upset you, Connor and I play hard and fast, I will tell the guys no more watching it if it upsets you. I don't get a chance to push full out with any one but Connor except when I am in a real challenge, its emotionally draining for me too. Sorry I was such a wreck, honestly Joe I don't know what I would do without you to pull me out of my funks." Gwen appeared dressed in a pretty flower sun dress.

"You look beautiful, and did I tell you that I love you, and always will." Joe smiled.

"Yes but keep telling me Joe, so let go to dinner." Gwen stopped and put her arms around Joe's waist, "Did I tell you I'm so glad you're here, and I love you too. So what do you think Luke cooked for us, he's quite the chief. I saw you talking to Mary MacLeod, what do you thing of Mary?"

"Mary is a wise woman, and I like her. You're not getting out of this room with out kissing me again and you're completely crazy for wanting a broken down old war horse like me." Joe said.

"Joe, first you're not a broken down old war horse. Second I'm over 4,500 years old, you think I want a kid to spend my life with? Anyway I am the older women in this relationship and don't you ever forget that. You are just a mature younger man." Then Gwen kissed him and they both laughed and walked hand in hand out to meet the others for dinner.

End chapter 4

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Chapter 5

The Clan MacLeod Wedding Crashers - Plus One