In Your Blood
Chapter Three

Adam Pearson, otherwise known as Methos, as well as a host of other names over his long life, was sitting back and enjoying a beer. While it wasn't Joe's Blues Bar the beer was cold there wasn't a TV in the corner blaring out sports and someone had wisely unplugged the ancient jukebox and were using it as a table.

He didn't mind sports, just when you've seen the great games at the colosseum watching a one on TV didn't compare. Same for music, sharing a stage with the Stones was great, listing to what passed as pop music from a tinny blown out speaker just didn't do it for him.

That was why Adam found a quiet corner in the quietest bar he could and was currently idly flicking through an old history book. It wasn't entirely right, but the mistakes were good for a chuckle.

Adam had spent a little longer in Rome than he originally planned. From the looks of things he was going to be cooling his heels for some time. He hadn't meant to do any of this.

Aside from the infamous poet come Immortal rockstar Byron Adam hadn't had an apprentice in centuries. Maybe even a thousand years or more. It wasn't that he didn't like apprentices, he'd had many before. But these days they had to be something special to get his attention.

Dawn? Well Dawn had survived years as the sister of a Vampire Slayer without getting dead. She had an attitude on her and kept her head in stressful situations. That meant a lot. Adam had lived long enough to get a good idea of people very quickly and he could already tell Dawn was going to be a handful.

He could just leave her be. Leave it all behind and spend a couple of decades at a monastic retreat. There had to be another Immortal that could train her. After all Duncan was still out there, somewhere, as well as a number of others that avoided headhunters. They could be a lot better at this sort of thing and he was never one for following the rules to the letter.

That said he had a responsibility, a duty and while he would often bend them he would never actually break a rule. Especially if it meant leaving a fellow Immortal untrained and virtually helpless.

There was a kinship shared between Immortals, one that in someways went deeper than the commitment to the Game. The grief, the loss, the persecution, the endless regrets they shared. It meant something. Something mortals could only begin to imagine. Dawn was just stating on that path, but it wouldn't be long before the crushing reality, well, dawned on her.

He would give it a week. If she didn't call him by then he'd check up on her, carefully. After that, Adam decided he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. Reaching for his beer he felt the phone in his pocket lurch.

Not a lot of people had the number and checking the screen came back with caller unknown. While he hadn't programmed it in he did recognise it was coming from a hotel switchboard. The same hotel Dawn and her family were staying in. 'Hello?' He answered.

'Hi Adam. It's Dawn.' She sounded like she was far way from the microphone. Or on a speaker, but he ignored that.

'Dawn, I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon. Have you come to a decision?' he asked carefully.

There was a long pause. 'No, not yet.' She said uncertainly. 'I need to know a bit more. About this whole thing. Still not sure I am what you think I am.'

'Well I would ask how else you could be alive, but you deal with things I don't want to think about so…' He shrugged, forgetting she couldn't actually see him.

'I get that and we're looking into that stuff too, but we're sort of curious.'

'About Immortals?' He interrupted her and carefully ignoring the fact that she let slip she wasn't the only one interested. 'Why am I not surprised? Can you convince your sister not to try and kill me?'

Another long pause. 'I can ask her.' It was obvious that the Slayer was listening in and probably wasn't open to the idea of not cutting his head off.

Grinning to himself Adam lent back and was tempted to put his feet up. 'Well if you can keep her homicidal impulses to a minimum I'm sure we can talk. Face to face.'

'Great! That's great!' She said with hollow enthusiasm. 'Where would you like to meet?'

Adam already knew the best place. 'There's an old church just down the street from your hotel, the Santa Prassede. Should be safe enough.'

'I know it. Thought we, you were supposed to avoid churches. Holy ground was dangerous or something?'

He let her slip go as there was nothing he could say. 'No. Quite the opposite really. There is nowhere safer for an Immortal than holy ground.'

'Why?' Someone he didn't recognise asked in a Boston accent.

'Sorry, didn't quite catch that.' Adam smirked.

There was an uncomfortable pause and even without seeing he could easily imagine a group of people desperately waving at each other contradictory instructions. Eventually Dawn came back, her voice taught and brittle with false calm 'When did you want to meet?'

Adam made a show of checking his watch. It was just after three in the afternoon. 'I think sometime this evening would be best. Say around eight. Does that sound easy for you?'

'Eight. yeah, that's good for me.' She still sounded tense and answered a bit to quickly.

Over the millennia Adam had developed a good sense of self-preservation and he could tell this was all moving a little too well. 'Just promise me that you'll hold back your homicidal sister for long enough for me to convince her not to try and kill me.'

'That might take some convincing.' Dawn said lightly. 'But I'll try.'

'Then I'll see you at eight.' With that he hung up and drained his beer.

He had every intention of meeting with Dawn and her family at the appointed time. Only he was going to be a little early that was all.

He already knew the Church, Very well actually. He'd watched it being built centuries ago and while the area had developed and changed over the centuries it remained. If you were an Immortal it helped to know nearby holy ground. It was just good practice. Pulling the battery from his phone he took his glass back to the counter.

Leaving the bar he headed over to the Santa Prassede. With what he knew it wasn't hard to slip in behind the scenes. Adam made his way into the back of the chapel. There, amongst the dead, he opened up his book and began reading again.

'I still think he'll be a no show.' Faith repeated.

Buffy shrugged. She didn't really disagree, but after Willow's attempt to trace the phone failed this was their next best chance at tracking him down. What was really getting at her was that this guy had been in Rome all this time and Dawn knew it.

He'd blown up their apartment, had them living out of a couple of suitcases, and killed Buffy's boyfriend. She was going to kill him. Immortal or not. Whatever Dawn thought. If this guy was stupid enough to turn up she knew what to do about it.

'So, want to go over the plan again.'

'If we can call it a plan.' Dawn said sarcastically from behind.

Buffy spun on her. 'Don't feed Dawn to the psycho that want's to chop your head off. That's not plan like to you?'

'He won't hurt me.' Dawn protested. 'Like he said, holy ground is safe.'

'Like he said.' Buffy whispered quietly.

Dawn glared but said nothing.

'Well I have looked over some of Dawn's research; There is reference to holy ground being considered safe by their kind. Some sort of divine protection.' Andrew spoke up. 'It was all very vague.'

'Yeah. You know, I wish there was just a big book of everything we needed to know. I mean what has Readers' Digest been doing all these years?' Xander asked, which got a chuckle.

The Church this mysterious Immortal Adam had directed them to was just around the corner. 'Right; Faith, Robin, Xander. You guys swing round. Make sure this guy doesn't try and sneak up on us.' It was all part of the plan they'd hammered out back at the hotel. They were going to patrol the outside and call if they saw something. Buffy, Dawn Willow, Andrew and Giles would wait inside. Dawn wasn't going to leave her side, despite what she said Buffy wasn't going to make the same mistake again and let this guy sneak up behind her.

Inside the church was the usual. Lots of wood, marble and stone. The alter was at the far end, highly decorated, surrounded by paintings and other such stuff. You'd seen one church you'd seen them all.

'Dawn, is something wrong?' Giles asked.

Buffy's little sister was rubbing her forehead. 'Just a headache.' She stopped suddenly and looked up. 'He's already here. I can feel it.'

'Feel it?' Buffy asked looking to Andrew who shrugged. She didn't feel anything either.

'It's the Quickening.' A British voice answered from the behind. The man they were waiting for stepped out from the alter and towards them.

Dawn groaned and half collapsed, holding her head and stomach. Giles caught her as Buffy leapt across the Church. Adam, if that was his real name, was fast enough to dodge out of the way. At first.

It didn't take long for Buffy to catch him though. Quickly grabbing him and pushing the guy against a column. Holding him tight she reached for the sheath behind her back and pressing the knife against his neck before he could say anything. 'Whatever you're doing to her, stop it. Now.'

'It's, it's not something I'm doing.' He croaked out. 'She's not used to the presence of other Immortals yet. She'll be good. Just give her time.'

Buffy could see Dawn was already recovering, if still a little green. 'So I can chop of your head now and all's good.' She smiled at him.

'I can give you two very good arguments why you're wrong there.' He edged away from the blade as best he could.

'And I'm the one with a knife. So bye!'

'Buffy!' Giles snapped. 'At least hear the man out!'

She looked at him again. This guy knew Buffy wanted him dead, but he still came to talk with them. That had to mean something right? Coming to a decision reluctantly Buffy nodded, but didn't move the knife. 'Three minutes, that's all you get. Make them good.' She threatened.

She saw him swallow, nearly nicking his Adam's apple on her dagger. 'Well first of all, Dawn's Immortal now. That means, as much as she might not like it, she's part of the Game. Someone needs to teach her the rules. How to live and how to fight.'

Buffy smirked back. He'd used that line earlier on Dawn and it wasn't going to work on her. 'Well I'm a Slayer, so we've got the fighting thing down. We've also got lots of books, so research isn't going to be a problem. Should pick up the rules in no time. Sorry, have to try better.'

'It's one thing reading about it, it's another actually playing the Game.' He pointed out.

Giles spoke up. 'He has got a point, practical experience is more useful than pure research. Especially in sword fighting.'

'Whose side are you on?' Willow asked.

'As we've discovered we have very little information on his species.' He explained. 'I'd rather not kill our only example. If we can learn more from him alive…' Giles left it hanging. Buffy didn't want to admit he had a point.

'While I'm not looking forward to being a lab rat I can start with my second reason. Which might help.' Adam offered.

'Better make it good, you've only got one minute left.' Buffy told him.

The Immortal grinned, like he knew something she didn't. 'There's a reason I'm safe on holy ground. I didn't blow up your flat. Not deliberately at least.'

'What's that got to do with anything?' Buffy asked, not seeing where he was going.

He shrugged, somehow pulling it off without cutting himself deeper. 'When I took your Boyfriend's head I realised his Quickening. The thing that made him Immortal. The thing Dawn's feeling now. That's what the explosion was. Cut off my head…'

'You'll explode.' Willow put it together, 'But why holy ground?'

'Something about it magnifies the explosion. No ones sure why, but if you take my head Slayer you won't just end up dead yourself. I'm fairly sure you'll wipe Rome off the map.' The man gave her a cocky looking smile.

Buffy looked him square in the face, but couldn't tell if he was bluffing or not. There had been something weird about the explosion at the apartment after all. She remembered the floating debris hovering there just after the explosion. Lighting flashing in the wreckage.

'Buffy…' Andrew said nervously eyeing her blade. Obviously someone was buying the story.

'Like I'm supposed to believe that.' She snapped at the so called Immortal.

'You willing to risk it?' He was almost smirking now. Like he knew he'd already won 'There's a legend; two Immortals in an dual. The fight reached the steps of the Temple of Apollo. In a little town called Pompeii.'

'You almost had me until that part.' Buffy returned the smile. 'Really? Even I know that was a volcano. Not some one cutting off some guys head.'

Giles coughed loudly. 'I think the gentleman is suggesting that the beheading was a catalyst for the volcano.'

That was something she hadn't thought of. Buffy also remembered the amount of times things in Sunnydale were mis-reported or just excuses. If he was telling the truth, could she risk it? He'd been confidant enough to just walk up to her and unless this was a really crazy made up story he was the one to suggest a Church.

Not wanting to risk it Buffy stepped back and lowered her knife, but was still ready for him to run. He didn't. 'So not here. Doesn't mean I can't drag you outside and do it then.' She didn't mean it though. If there was even a chance that a big boom was possible they needed to know more. A lot more.

Strictly speaking the legend of Pompeii was just that. A legend. There wasn't any evidence for it. At least none that wasn't buried under a volcano. The other slight lie was that the sister killing him would cause a disaster.

A mortal could actually kill him on holy ground, without the world ending. That was how Darius met his end after all. Adam wasn't going to mention that part to the Slayer. Not until he was sure that revealing that inconvenient fact wouldn't end with him dead.

Or she died of old age. One or the other.

'How are you feeling?' He asked Dawn. The brunette sister was a lot steadier on her feet now.

The girl winced. 'Still a bit wobbly.' She admitted. 'What was, what is that?'

'Like I said, the Quickening. It wasn't that bad before because you were still fresh.' He explained. It was also stronger than most because it was his Quickening she was sensing. Another thing he was in no rush to explain.

So you Immortals can feel if another is nearby?' The red haired woman asked. 'Is it some sort of psychic connection, or more mystical?'

Adam looked at her, she had the bering of a witch. Steeped in mysticism and power. 'Neither.' He told her. 'It's similar to two magnets meeting. The fields react to each other and no two are exactly alike.'

'Willow?' the Slayer asked, her knife still clutched in her hand.

The witch didn't take her eyes off of him. 'Just thinking.' She told them. 'He's pretty confidant that Dawn's actually like him and she did have a reaction to his presence.'

'It's probably something he did.' The elder sister protested. 'A spell or something.'

'Why don't we find out?' The Witch suggested. 'If there is a spell or something I can undo it, but if Dawn is somehow one of these people and there is something to sense between them.' She left it hanging.

Adam wasn't happy with that and let it show. 'I don't trust magic. Too much can go wrong.' he pointed out.

'Agreed.' said the Englishman. 'But the gain outweighs the risk in this situation.'

Buffy smiled as if she won something. 'Will, what's the spell involve?'

'Oh it's easy. You've done it! Remember when…' Willow stopped, her mouth open. Glancing at him she obviously reassessed what she was about to say. 'That time, you er… You thought your mother was being hurt by a spell. It's just that.'

Buffy looked wide eyed at that. 'That took all afternoon! What are we supposed to do? Get something to eat?'

'You're a Slayer, I'm a witch. It's a lot easier and I've got the practice.'

She looked a little more convinced, but was still uncertain. 'Didn't I need a load of stinky herbs that took forever to get the smell out?'

'I'm the witch. Don't need them.' She reminded the Slayer again.

Buffy took that on board and finally nodded. 'Do it.'

'Would you mind letting me in on this?' Adam asked, mentally tracing a route through the back of the building to an exit he was fairly sure the Slayer didn't know about, or have covered.

The witch shrugged. 'Nothing much. Meditation, a little chanting. Nothing sacrilegious, or, you know, bad. You won't feel a thing. I promise.' She babbled.

Taking the look he was still getting from the Slayer and the general distrust form the rest of the people in the church Adam decided to agree. 'I have no objections.'

'I'll start with Dawn.' She announced.

'Me?' The new Immortal asked, surprised.

'I know you. If something has changed I'll see it, then I'll know what to look for with Adam.' She said standing next to the girl. 'Give me your hand. You won't feel a thing.'

Dawn shrugged and took the Witch's hand. After a moment the red haired woman set her shoulders and closed her eyes. Adam watched carefully as she slowed her breathing. She was clearing and focusing her mind. He'd seen spell casters and mystics do it often enough to recognise the signs.

After a few minutes of silence. The witch, Willow, opened her eyes and looked at Dawn. 'Oh wow! I can… I can see it. I can see it now!' She beamed a huge smile. 'It's life. Just life. You're overflowing with it Dawnie, it's pouring out of you! You can't contain it. There's just so much! Its beautiful!'

Dawn took a step back and pulled her hand free. Willow shook her head and grinned.

'So, this is a spell right. Something done to her?' Buffy demanded.

She disagreed. 'No, this is something from within. Not without and it's her.' The witch waved her hand at the girl. 'It's like she was this caterpillar and now she's a butterfly.'

'Yes, I've hit puberty. What's that got to do with anything?' The young Immortal snapped, obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing.

Adam chuckled. 'You're right about that.' He smirked. 'Everything changes after your first death.'

'Okay, way too much information.' Buffy said. 'So Will, you're sure this is nothing he could have done.'

'It's Dawn, one hundred percent.' She announced with a certainty.

'That still doesn't tell us she's one of these Immortal things.' The Slayer said stubbornly. 'You know what, it tells me she isn't. Because Dawn is not a demon, so she can't be one of them.'

Adam shook his head. Arguing wouldn't get him anywhere and it appeared there was only one way he could make her believe. He offered his hand to the witch 'Let's do this.'

'Will.' Buffy stepped up with her knife ready.

Willow took his hand and began to meditate again.

End Chapter Three