It took three months for the duo to regain their strength and health. Obviously Methos recovered more quickly than Xander, nonetheless the ordeal had hit the immortal hard as well. They were in Methos' world now. Two weeks after getting out of the desert Methos had run into an old 'friend' and nearly lost his head.
He had contacted Amanda, Joe, and Macleod, each of them were fine and hadn't been bothered by any strangers. Methos was relieved but pissed off. He'd been trying to get ahold of anyone involved with the Sanctuary since then. No one would return his calls or meet with him. He didn't dare leave Xander so they waited. Once Xander healed the two would go to Magnus and get some straight answers.
So Methos waited. He had feelers out in the scientific world and what little of the magic world he could confirm as legit, which wasn't much, in an attempt to find a way back to Xander's world. Magic it seemed, was just not a powerful thing in Methos world. It could achieve some small things but was nothing compared to what Willow could do.
Xander was sleeping, he did a lot of that. He'd been on the verge of organ failure when Methos' private doctor had finally gotten his ass in gear.
Methos dozed off sitting next to Xander's bed. He dreamed they were in the desert again, only this time he couldn't find any water. Nothing, not a drop. He watched as Xander faded and died in agony.
"Xander!" he shouted waking himself up.
"I'm right here, no need to shout." Xander grumbled. Methos sat up and smiled at Xander.
"Bad dream." Methos said.
"When can we get out of here?" Xander asked.
"Soon as you're on your feet."
"Then let's go, look it's going to take forever for me to be a hundred percent again, let's just get to the Sanctuary and find out how to get back to my people, okay?"
Methos frowned.
"Fine, but only if Franks says you can travel."
The doctor arrived and declared Xander weak but fit for travel. Methos paid him off and the two packed quickly. They were on the way to the airport in less than an hour.
The Sanctuary security was as tight as ever. Methos leaned on the call box at the gate and screamed for Magnus. Finally after what felt like an eternity the gate clicked open. He and Xander left their rental at the gate and walked up to the main building.
Xander was winded and pale when they reached the door. A man creature, a yeti or maybe bigfoot opened the door and escorted them inside.
"I need to speak to Magnus immediately." Methos snapped as he helped Xander sit. The big man thing nodded gracefully and spoke.
"Certainly, please make yourselves at home I will have refreshments brought, does your friend need medical attention?"
"Just get us Magnus." Methos snapped. The man faded as Methos turned his attention back to Xander.
"I'm fine mother hen." Xander grumbled.
"Who are you?" Magnus demanded. She was flanked by two well armed strangers, security?
"Where is Druitt? Did you know what he was planning?" Methos demanded angrily. Magnus looked angry and then confused.
"I asked you a question." Magnus said coldly.
"You know who I bloody well am Magnus! Druitt set me up! He nearly got me killed!"
"NO! You are not who you appear to be! You can't be! Ben Johnson is lying dead in our morgue, he has been for months!" Magnus snarled.
Methos' jaw dropped open and his knees felt weak.
"What?" Methos asked helplessly.
"Come with me." Magnus ordered. Methos obeyed automatically, Xander limping behind him. They followed Magnus through the Sanctuary and into its bowels and finally the morgue. She pulled a tray out of a bank of drawers.
A sheet draped corpse was revealed. She jerked the cloth free and revealed…Methos. The body was pale and cool but had not appeared to rot or decay in any way.
"Wh-what?" Methos stammered staring at himself. Unconsciously he reached toward the corpse, felt his fingertips brush the flesh and then – nothing. A flash of bright light and pain and then nothingness.
He gasped and sat up. The sheet fell away from his body, and he shivered, naked in the cold air.
"What the fuck?" Xander gasped. Methos stared around. There was a pile of clothes on the ground where Methos had been standing.
"Ben?" Magnus asked, eyes wide.
"What the hell is going on here?" Methos demanded. He pulled the sheet around his waist and slid off the steel tray, the cold metal clung to his bare flesh. His legs buckled under him as he tried to stand.
"Take it easy Ben, you're body has been inactive for months, you have no strength."
"What's going on Magnus, what the bloody hell is going on, and where is John?"
Magnus' face clouded with pain.
"Ashley and John are dead Ben." She said calmly.
"What? How?" He demanded.
Magnus helped Methos and Xander to the infirmary with the help of the big hairy man they'd met at the door. Will still hadn't made an appearance. As they walked Magnus explained how Ashley had been turned and how she'd died, and then how John had sacrificed himself to capture and destroy the bizarre murderous creature that had ridden him and forced him to murder so often.
Methos was stunned. The pretty strong girl he'd seen on the Island was gone. John, his love, his enemy was gone. He'd been dead or something like it for months and yet lived and thrived in another world. He needed a drink.
"Magnus I… I'm so very sorry." Methos said gently, clasping Helen's hands in his own. A single tear fell on their joined hands.
"Where does this leave us?" Xander interrupted.
"Tell me what's happened to you." Magnus insisted.
Methos did his best. Xander jumped in to answer questions and fill in details Methos missed. Between the two of them Magnus gained a pretty clear idea of the rollercoaster their lives had been on since she'd last seen Methos.
"Well, I think the best thing right now is to run some tests and let you two get some sleep." Magnus suggested.
"Where's Will?" Methos asked.
"On his way. He was out on assignment when you arrived." Magnus said preparing a syringe. Methos nodded and watched her draw blood. The big hairy abnormal swabbed Methos' chest and attached electrodes. He seemed like a competent assistant.
"I'm sorry if I was rude to you earlier, I apologize, it wasn't necessary." Methos said softly.
"Thank you, for your apology, it is unnecessary. Please allow me to work." His voice was rough but intelligent and kind." Methos nodded. Satisfied the air had been cleared.
"I'm going to give you both a mild sedative." Magnus said inserting a needle into Methos' I.V.
"Helen, I trust you, but the last time I was here I ended up in a cage. I'd rather not sleep."
"I understand your feelings Ben, but your body is exhausted, it's been dormant for months, you need to rest or risk overtaxing it. How are you feeling?"
"Fine, although, well, since the Island my Quickening has felt … odd, now it doesn't it feels fine and strong."
"Good, perhaps it can help you regain your strength. I won't sedate you if you promise me you'll sleep."
Methos nodded, Magnus moved to Xander.
Methos slept and did not dream. When he woke Magnus was at his side.
"Good morning, I trust you slept well?"
"Very, didn't dope me when I wasn't looking?"
"Considering how stressed and worn out your body was its small wonder you slept well." Magnus mused.
"Is Will here?"
"Yes he arrived a few hours ago, he should be down soon." Magnus said glancing up from the various monitors spitting out readings.
"How is Xander?"
"Ill, but getting better. He says the two of you nearly died in the desert near Las Vegas."
"We did."
"The best I can figure is that when you crossed that fence the second time your body and soul were somehow separated, your body was thrown in to a secondary universe."
"It seemed more planned than that."
"I agree but I'm not sure how it could have been planned."
"Well maybe Gumby slipped into that universe's version of himself, and when we were tossed into this world that my Gumby stayed behind, or never made it and died." Xander suggested.
"So, that would mean that the John of your world and this Initiative already had a deal set up to draw their Ben into this nonsense, and when the perimeter hit our Ben it thrust him into their Ben?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"So, when you were thrust back into this world, their Ben died or was left behind, leaving ours, but then, why would he have a corporeal body?"
Xander shrugged.
"You're the scientist Dr. Magnus."
"Sorry I'm late." Will said entering the infirmary. He froze when he saw Methos.
"Wow, Magnus told me but, wow." Will said in wonder.
"Will Zimmerman, meet Xander Harris, demon fighter, smart ass, would be assassination victim, Xander Harris, Will Zimmerman, genius, hyper observant, protégé and heir apparent of Dr. Magnus." Will smiled and nodded at Xander.
"Will, I'm sorry about John and Ashley." Methos said gently. Pain flickered across Will's features and he nodded.
"Thank you, it couldn't have been easy to find out." Will said kindly.
"Nothing about the last eight months or so has been easy. Honestly I can't help but wonder what would've happened if I'd told John to fuck off in Paris."
"I would've come to see you myself and forced you into assisting us Ben." Magnus said coolly.
Methos didn't feel like arguing.
"Can you get me home?" Xander asked.
"I don't know. The only teleporter I knew of was John, Ashley manifested the ability shortly before her death." Magnus sighed.
Xander sighed and closed his eyes.
It was what he was afraid of.