Disclaimer: Highlander is the property of Davis-Panzer Productions. Gwen MacQueen and her assorted bunch of sidekicks are mine.

I want to thank my beta reader R.J. Bingham. Please go and read R.J.'s Fan-fiction, his stories are both well written and enjoyable.

Chapter 7

May We Live in Interesting Times or The Return of Methos

Gwen and Joe showered, dressed and got out of the house about six-thirty before anyone else was awake. She took him to her favorite little breakfast spot, which was coincidentally also, ran by some distant member of the McDermott family who Gwen had gotten to know very well.

After Gwen showed off her new fiancée and engagement ring; the owner gave everyone a pint of ale to celebrate. Joe thought Ale at 7AM he might get to like this country after all. To tell the truth the other McDermott's thought Joe was a little old for their lovely Gwen but they had seen other May – December romances before that had worked out well and really were very happy that the best catch in town was going to tie the knot.

Afterwards they went to the travel and tourism office and met Victoria, Gwen' secretary. She couldn't take her eyes off the ring Joe had given Gwen. Victoria was a single mother in her mid-forties with two teenage sons, she was very pretty with blond hair and blue eyes. Gwen would be lost running the office without her. Victoria had spoken to Joe on the phone many times, even seen photo's of him but was still surprised after meeting him in person, and he seemed such a gentile, kind and humble man. She couldn't help but be a tad bit jealous that Gwen who always seemed to have everything now had the perfect man too. Victoria's only consolation was Joe would be working with them at the agency after the wedding; especially since Luke and John were unreliable at best. Now it would be good to have someone who looked as stable as Joe did, to be there when Gwen was on one of here frequent absences. Victoria explained a few basic pieces of information about the business but promised Joe a full week of one on one training, after they returned from their honeymoon. Gwen was thrilled that they were getting on so well, she had no idea Victoria was flirting with Joe but he noticed, and knew he'd have to talk to Victoria about it later when Gwen wasn't there.

Gwen had to run a few errands, and soon she and Joe left. After they visited a few palaces, Joe said he was getting tired asked if he could look around the town himself and then they' meet up again for lunch, with the MacLeod's. Gwen smiled and agreed and soon Joe found himself walking the busy streets of Whangarel himself just enjoying the atmosphere while Gwen ran her many errands.

Joe found a street bench and sat to relax and just watch the city go by when he felt some one tap his shoulder. Then they tapped his shoulder again and Joe nearly jumped out of his skin with surprise, as the tall thin man with a large nose sat on the bench next to him.

"Nice place isn't it Joe?" the man said.

"METHOS!" Joe yelled out you almost scared me to death!

"Joe, stop yelling, you trying to get me in trouble" Methos responded.

"No, I think you're doing that just fine all by yourself. What are you doing here?" Joe asked in a nervous voice.

"I thought I'd come to the wedding and maybe see if I could give the bride away." Methos smiled back at him.

"I think the bride might rather have your head than let you give her away, you were the one telling her not to marry me for the last six years as far as I can tell. You're not on the guest list buddy, and what name are you going under these days?"

"Smooth transition, Joe to you I am and always have been Methos, as for a name on my passport, well that's on a need to know basis only, anyway are you still a watcher? I see you sold your house in Seacouver and your Bar in Paris is now named McAnally's, the old neighborhood's going to hell without you."

"Oh good I am glad you're just the same trusting soul you always were, but I think you're making a mistake if you're here for my wedding. Sure we are friends but the bride might not want you around, come to think of it why on God's green earth would I want Gwen's ex-lover to give her away? Methos I think you have lost your mind." Joe shook his head in exasperation.

"Joe, I am trying to show her I have given up bothering her and am supporting your marriage, didn't I help you with the ring? I bet she just loved it, am I right?"

"Yes she loves it, so you are promising not to meddle in our lives?" Joe asked.

"Well I never said that I just said I respect your marriage, and stay away from Gwennie, but come on Joe, give up meddling in you're life? Joe, don't ask that because you know how much meddling in your life amuses me. Hey we are old friends; maybe Gwennie can put whatever is between her and me aside for the twenty years or so for your sake. She always did that for me when I was married. Any way you can't live forever Joe. Then I get another chance to make things right with her after your dead."

"Methos, did anyone ever tell you, you're a conniving, sadistic, old Bastard?" Joe stated.

"You did Joe on many occasions but one thing I like in my friends is honesty, and I know you always tell me just how it is."

"Yea that's because Methos you're a lying old bastard so much of the time that you need an honest man around to, keep you're compass pointed in the right direction. Damn it you're giving me a headache. I really don't want to tell Gwen you're here, but we are trying not to keep any secrets from each other."

"Welcome to married life, it's not easy. I still don't think I got it right 50% of the time even with Alexa and that woman was wonderful to me. I was lucky just to have her for the short time I did. I still messed things up all the time. I never should have left her to help MacLeod with that dark quickening stuff. Nevertheless I did anyway, and she was alone in a strange city for several days. Joe you still can back out of this marriage, it's not going to be a bed of roses especially if you're marrying to an immortal." Methos warned his friend.

"Gee thank you for your concern, but since you're the chief rival for my fiancées affections I don't think I should take your advice. Sorry maybe after 68 times you should just forget marriage, and it's not something your good at, like honesty." Joe sent a cheap shot at Methos.

"Joe I am not your rival, I have been to see Gwennie almost every year since she moved here and tried to apologize to her. I bet she never told you any of this." Methos looked into Joes eyes, as his friend said nothing. "I thought she wouldn't tell you, well do not worry Gwennie was like a fortress, and she never let me in for one minute. The first couple of years she was so mad at me she just stabbed me on sight, and if I wanted my head I had to leave. Oh would you give her back this knife, for me, it has sentimental value to her. I had to leave once with this knife still in me." Methos said as he handed Joe a very old knife in a leather holster.

Joe looked at the old knife, and asked Methos. "Did she tell you about us? I know I did but did Gwen?"

"Oh yes, the last couple of years she wasn't quite as violent when she saw me, we actually talked. We had a meal, before she tossed me out on my ass. Why do you think I helped you with that engagement ring? Joe I knew she had finally changed, Gwennie was shedding her past and it was because of you old buddy. Life is about change, especially when it comes to very old immortals like Gwennie and me. If we cling to the past for too long it can come back and bite you on the butt and someone will use that as an advantage to take your head. Gwennie always clung far too much to the past. Now I see her moving forward, really for the first time in millenniums." Methos gave Joe a pat on the shoulder. "Joe you're good for her, you got her to change and stop hating herself for circumstance that were not her own doing. I tried to but was never able to accomplish a quarter of what you have by just talking to her these past seven years."

"Methos, I am glad you're on my side because frankly I wouldn't want you for an enemy, sometime you beat around the bush so much. So what you are really saying is you believe Gwen and I are good together?" Joe said.

"I don't think I beat around the bush as you put it, but yes, you are just what she needs right now, you have my full support. But don't expect me to stop meddling in you're life Joe, as I said you amuse me way too much to ever give that up." Methos smiled at his friend. "So will you ask her if I can give her away, I think I am the closes thing to family she has?"

"I promise talk to her about it, but there is another problem, Connor MacLeod, is here too and he doesn't like you at all." Joe said bluntly.

"Well the wedding is going to be at her house right?" Methos asked and Joe nodded. "Well I may have neglected to tell Gwennie that I built that house on holy ground."

"How could you have neglected to tell Gwen that the house was built on holy ground? I mean you sly son of a bitch you did that on purpose, knowing that way she be safe asleep alone in that big place, and didn't tell her! Why Methos?" Joe exclaimed.

"You know how stubborn that woman is, and all I wanted was to keep her safe. Sometimes she used to get plagued with so much self-doubt and self-loathing because of her past, well it made me crazy to even be around her. If she was on Holy Ground I didn't have to worry about her. Joe she will be your wife and I will respect that. You should know we go back way too far and that I will never stop trying to protecting her especially when she doesn't know I am doing so. I hope you can accept that my friend. Anyway as long as I don't have to put my head on the line for anyone, you, Gwen, Duncan, Luke, Amanda and Richie are all part of a small circle of friend I would like to see stay alive as long as possible," Methos revealed.

"Methos you can protect her, anytime you want. I would be thrilled to know Gwen' got a guardian angel out there. I worry about her all the time, she fought a guy we met at the damned airport who's kill stats were off the charts, and trust me your secret is safe with me because we both will catch hell if Gwen knew that you were doing this." Joe answered Methos back, "but I think I need to know more about the house being on Holy ground."

Just then Methos gave Joe a funny look and Joe knew that it meant, another immortal was there, they looked around but didn't see Gwen, or either of the MacLeod's just a tall thin blond man who was nicely dressed in a white linen suit wearing a white hat staring at them, "my queue to go, see ya later Joe." And Methos got up and made an exist quickly to stage right and was lost in a crowd of people as quickly as he had appeared.

The well-dressed Man continued to walk over to Joe finally stopping at the bench Joe was sitting on. Joe said "hi beautiful day isn't it"

The man looked at Joe and said "Are you Joe Dawson, the man who was with a certain Gwendolyn McDermott Adams in Auckand International Airport three days ago?"

"That a lot of personal information to ask me, and it was only two and one half days ago but you seem to know my name and I don't remembering you introducing yourself, Mr.?" Joe asked.

"Sorry this is really not any of your affairs except for the fact you seem to be with the lady in question. I am Samuel McConnell, and Dean Morris was my partner for over three centuries. I believe your friend killed him. So all I want to know is where to find Miss Adams and I will be on my way." Mr. McConnell snapped back at Joe.

"You seem to have a lot of information, how did you come across this type of information? Joe continued the line of questioning.

"From a Mr. MacDonald who seems to sport the same tattoo as you do, and he seemed willing enough to tell me what I wanted to know after I took his wife. Now I do not care who you are, I have heard whispers but as long as you men with the tattoos stay out of my way I will not bother any of you again. I will release Mrs. MacDonald unharmed. All I want is a clean fight with Ms. Adams, to revenge my partner. You seem to be knowledgeable in our ways so here is my card and please tell your mistress of my intentions. If you do so no mortal blood will be spilled, and I will be on my way back to Sidney." Samuel McConnell threatened Joe.

Just as McConnell spoke his last words he started to look around, and Joe who now almost thought he could almost feel a buzz himself from the look on the other immortals face. It wasn't coming from Gwen, instead walking down the street but the figures of two tall men and one tall woman. Joe's heart jumped, the men from the Clan MacLeod plus one was here and they would surely chase Samuel McConnell away for now. As Joe looked back to where Samuel McConnell had stood he was gone into the crowded city,

"Joe good to see you, but who was that immortal you were talking too," Duncan asked as Joe stood up and gave his old friend a hug.

"I don't think I know him either." Connor replied, but you can tell us at lunch Gwen has sent us to fetch you, your late and she was worried."

"Oh I can take care of myself, but who do you have with you Mac?" Joe inquired with curiosity.

The tall woman walked up to Joe and smiled, "Joe it's good to see you again, and Duncan tells me you are getting married to one of us, an immortal. Congratulations, well if anyone could understand our life I guess it would be you. I hope you have many happy years ahead of you both." Cassandra said as she kissed his cheek and then returned to Duncan's side.

"Cassandra how wonderful to see you again I didn't know you and Mac were seeing each other again?" Joe commented.

"Well we are old friends, and since Duncan is unattached at the moment it seemed like now was as good a time as any to renew our friendship." Cassandra said as she caressed Duncan's arm.

Joe smiled and gave hugs and shook hands and they whisked him into their waiting car and off to the restaurant to meet up with Mary and Gwen, but all Joe could do was think to himself, (Cassandra and Methos meeting up again that would be a horror show waiting to happen. This Samuel McConnell guy wants Gwen's head and has a watchers wife as hostage, and I am out of the watchers so I don't know if they will take my calls. What did that Chinese curse say that Methos told me about? Oh yes "May we live in interesting times". Well times just got way too interesting, ok I may be selfish but does it all really have to happen at my wedding? How am I going to tell Gwen about this and still pull this whole thing off? Some days it's not worth getting out of bed in the morning.)

End chapter 7

Chapter 8

Watchers, Challenges and Secrets Revealed