Disclaimer: See Chapter One!

Plot: Set during "For Evil's Sake"; Tori and Richie help the IUA with a charismatic immortal who is dealing with literal demons; Duncan reflects on the day he first met Tessa.

Friends Don't Fade Away

Jack opened his eyes and found himself in a pile of garbage, "Ugh! The story of my life!"

He winced in pain, trying to get up before he sensed the Buzz, then he felt a hand touch his back and helped him up. Then, he looked to see a woman behind him.

"Are you okay, sir?" the woman asked with her Australian accent.

"Yeah," Jack nodded, "but what are you doing around an alleyway?"

"Helping someone in need, of course," the woman answered.

"And your name is?"

"Jewell," the woman answered, "Stephanie Jewell."

"Nice to meet you," Jack shook Jewell's hand, "my name is Jack Banks."

"Oooh," Jewell replied, "Nice. Your name has a nice ring to it."

"Thanks," Jack replied, "Um, thanks for the help."

"Don't mention it," Jewell nodded, "I better get going."

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Jack changed his clothes in his apartment in Paris and he heard the TV on. He hurried to see that the news was on.

"We are at the scene where several citizens were injured last night. Witnessed it last night when they heard strange noises, but by the time the police arrived, the demon was gone. Victims said the demon attacked without warning. Multiple counts report that it was a demon which was gray in color, fangs and very sharp claws."

Jack backed away in shock. He realized things have escalated recently. For the past few weeks he have had periodic black outs, and after he came to, he would find himself in torn up clothes and reports of a disaster would happen.

The first time that this happened was during Woodstock when she met a mysterious woman, who was stalking him. After some time, Jack had rejected the woman and in turn, he had been cursed with strange black outs. He had the first of those mysterious black outs in 1974. Janet and the IUA had managed to help Jack control the black outs by the time he joined the IUA thanks to his girlfriend Cassandra, and the black outs were put under control with annual check ups, until recently.

When he met Cassandra, she helped him realize that those black outs were when he turned into a demon, and that woman he rejected was a gypsy who cursed him and that was the curse. With Cassandra as a witch, she helped the IUA put the demon under control, and they've been together since then.

"Jack, are you all right?" Janet walked into the room with concern.

"Been better," Jack answered, trying to pack a bag, "I'm going to take a walk."

"Don't you be brushing me off, Agent Banks," Janet walked over to him, "We've got reports of a demon attacking the streets of Paris, and I'm wanting to know what is going on."

Jack sighed, "I – I have been having black outs lately."

Janet nodded and sighed, "I was afraid of this."

"What do you plan to do with me, Leader?" Jack asked.

"Nothing right now," Janet answered, "but we will do whatever it is that we have to do if it comes down to it."

Jack nodded, "I understand."

-DCH-Side-Stories-

"So, what's the situation this time?" Tori asked with Richie sitting next to him.

"It's an unusual immortal situation," Janet answered.

"I know MacLeod is dealing with Kuyler," Tori stated, "some creep he's had history."

"Then again, Mac has had history with most immortals we've encountered," Richie added, "and maybe others we've never encountered."

"I suggest we let MacLeod deal with Kuyler himself," Janet insisted, "because this situation is a bit more important in regards to IUA matter."

"Why is that?" Tori asked.

"One of our agents, Jack Banks, who is immortal," Janet answered, "he was cursed by a gypsy two decades ago, and most recently his cursed returned and now he periodically turns into a demon and he was attacking the city."

Tori and Richie looked at each other in surprise.

"So, you want us to help him?" Richie asked.

"Exactly," Janet answered, "He should be down the streets where the most recent attack happened. That's not all though."

"What's up?" Richie asked this time.

"It's suspected that the gypsy who cursed Jack years ago was also immortal," Janet answered, "Her name is Stephanie Jewell, who is of Australian decent."

"So, we should be on the look out for her too?" Tori asked.

"Absolutely," Janet answered.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Jack walked down the streets and started feeling strange again. He sensed the Buzz.

He looked to see fellow agent Tori as well as a young man with curly red hair.

"Jack, I think I remember you!" Tori exclaimed, "You gave me the stuff I needed for me going to Paris."

Jack perked up, "Really now?"

"Yeah," Tori nodded, "and it wasn't that long ago either."

"What a coincident," Jack chimed in, "Awkward, isn't it?"

"I guess," Tori nodded before she glanced towards the redhead next to her, "This is a good friend of mine, Richie Ryan. Richie, Jack."

"Nice to meet you," Richie shook hands with Jack.

"Pleasure," Jack shook hands with his new friend.

"Good to see you again," Tori shook hands with Jack.

After Jack finished, he started feeling strange again.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Tori looked on in shock as Jack was transforming into the demon. Richie was shocked as well.

"Aw, man!" Richie exclaimed, "I guess your moms wasn't joking when she said Jack was going through a demonic transformation."

"No kidding," Tori replied before she called for back up, "I better call for back up right away."

"Good idea, Tor," Richie nodded in agreement.

Jack growled before he went to attack Tori and Richie with the former trying her best to protect the latter. He even attacked the IUA agents that arrived at the scene.

Moments later, Jack turned back to normal and looked around at the others, confused.

The agents took him into custody. Darren then walked over to Tori and told her, "You two will need to come back to headquarters with us for your statements."

"Sounds fair," Richie replied.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

"Where's Kuyler?" LeBrun asked.

"I don't know," Duncan answered.

"But you sure know who the hell he is," LeBrun retorted.

"Well, you told me."

"Don't play games with me. That son of a bitch was responsible for the deaths of three very brave men today."

"Who were they?" Duncan asked.

"The men who tried and convicted the terrorists who blew up the cafe near the Bastille," LeBrun answered.

"I'm sorry," Duncan insisted, "I can't help you."

"Can't or won't? What are you, MacLeod?" LeBrun retorted, "Don't tell me antique dealer. You took out one of the best men, and he never saw you coming."

"Well, I didn't know he was a cop," Duncan replied, "I just saw a guy coming at me with a gun."

"You thought it was Kuyler," LeBrun stated, "Just like twelve years ago. I was a young cop at the time. Kuyler had just assassinated the president of one of our banks. I'd heard he was hiding out by the Siene."

12 Years Ago

Duncan found himself at sword point when he was swordless at the time as Kuyler had found him.

"If you give up, MacLeod," Kuyler declared, "I won't dismember you before I take your head."

"Go to hell," Duncan replied.

He avoided Kuyler's blade and used a pipe to defend himself. Kuyler chased him back downstairs to the ground floor. Duncan jumped through the window, then rolled across the hood of the police car that screeched to a stop in front of him. Duncan ran off before any of the police could get to them.

Duncan looked around for a moment, trying to escape the police as well as immortal assassin Kuyler. He made a decision and leapt from the bank onto the vedette.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a voice asked from behind.

"I'm sorry," Duncan apologized, "I didn't want to miss the boat."

He then walked to an empty seat, acting like nothing had happened.

"What do you think you're doing?" the woman asked.

"Ah, I didn't want to miss the tour," Duncan answered.

"Is this the way you always make an entrance?" the tour guide asked him.

"I was trying to make an impression," Duncan answered.

"You did. Bravo," the tour guide replied before she told him, "You could have been hurt, and there's another boat in fifteen minutes."

Duncan looked at her directly in the eyes, "I wanted this one."

This caught the tour guide off guard, "I….you…."

She eyed him with a mixture of humor and attraction, then turned back to the tour, "I'm sorry for the interruption, ladies and gentlemen."

The tour guide smiled, "I told you Paris is full of surprises."

She continued with the tour, "Behind you we have the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Construction began in 1163 and was completed in 1342."

Duncan smiled and sheepishly raised his hand.

"Yes," the tour guide asked, "What do you want?"

"It was completed in 1345," Duncan pointed out.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"Notre Dame was completed in 1345," Duncan answered.

"Anyway, as I said, construction was completed in 1343."

"Five."

"Three. The Seine divides Paris in two parts. This is the left bank."

The Present

"How could I forget a guy who comes crashing through a glass door, rolls over the hood of my car and disappears," LeBrun stated.

"It wasn't me," Duncan insisted.

"What were you doing there?" LeBrun asked, ignoring another detective.

"Here's a message for you from the chief," the detective informed him before LeBrun went back to Duncan and motioned the other officers to leave.

"Your ID checks out. Fine," LeBrun told Duncan before asking, "but who are you?"

"We've been through this already," Duncan answered.

"And we'll go through this again," LeBrun replied.

"You have my statement and my papers," Duncan said, "Either charge me or let me go."

"If I find out you lied to me about Kuyler," LeBrun warned him, "you'll share a cell with him for the rest of your natural life."

Duncan didn't respond, instead, he walked back to the barge.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

"How's Jack doing?" Tori asked as she and Richie walked into the IUA branch of Paris.

"He revived," Janet answered, "and he feels bad about the attack."

"It's not his fault," Richie replied.

"Can we see him?" Tori asked.

"I don't see why not," Janet answered before she led the pair to where Jack was being held.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

"The mutation is crazy," Jack stated, "It happened over the course of the decades. It had gotten to where I was fully transformed into a demon when I first met the immortal witch Cassandra. She managed to stop the black outs and my demon self from attacking until recently when she's not around."

"So, what's going to happen now?" Richie asked.

"We finally got around to a serum to keep the demon from coming out," Janet answered, "but we need to hurry. If we don't….."

"What will happen?" Tori asked.

"If I stay in that demon form," Jack nodded, "I will remain a demon forever."

"We should go get the serum right away," Tori suggested.

"I agree with Slick Vic here," Richie added.

"Let's do this," Janet nodded.

As Richie, Tori, Janet and the IUA Agents left the cell room, Jack groaned in pain and looked around. He knew that another blackout was about to happen. He looked down to see a gray claw appear in front of him, "Oh no. Not now."

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Richie walked back to Jack's cell to find it empty. He frowned in response. Then he felt his heart stop upon hearing a growl. Then, he turned to see a gray demon facing him. It was Jack's demon form.

"Hey, Jack," Richie staggered back to the doorway of the cell, "um, you don't need to attack me. I – I am harmless. Come on."

Jack growled madly at him, ready for an attack.

"Don't do this," Richie pleaded, "I don't want to hurt you."

Jack leapt across the room and landed on Richie. He went to bite down, but Richie lifted his arm, digging it in his mouth to keep from biting anywhere else. Richie screamed in pain as Jack started ripping at his arm with his teeth.

Trying to fight back, Richie kicked his knee up, and hit Jack in the stomach. The demon doubled over in pain and rolled off his pray. Richie tried to get up to get help. The immortal demon was a lot faster than the pre – immortal human was and Jack grabbed Richie's leg and pulled him back to the floor.

"Stop! Let go of me!" Richie yelled as Jack brought his claws. He tried to hold back his scream, but the fear was clearly seen in his eyes.

Jack picked him up and threw him to a nearby bookshelf. Richie barely managed to dodge but the bookshelf still landed on his ankle.

"Okay, this is not okay," Richie muttered as he groaned in pain.

Jack walked over to the bookshelf, lifted it and threw it aside, giving him easier access to his target. Richie tried to get up and run but the demon grabbed him, spinned him into the wall, where he landed with his back against the wall. He tried to kick the demon off him, but the pain in his ankle stopped him from doing so.

Jack pulled one hand away, preparing for the final swipe. Richie screamed in pain, making himself small against the wall and he was shaking and crying.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

The demon enjoyed the fear, pain and panic, but Jack, who was trapped in the demonic body, had a different expression.

Jack heard from Tori that Richie was a sweet guy, charming and funny. To see him like this, broke his heart, even if he barely knew him, seeing him crying in fear and pain.

"Don't do this, please," Richie whispered.

"Richie!" Jack then heard Tori call out.

"Agent Banks, stand down!" he heard Janet yell.

Moments later, in what everyone in the room considered to be a miracle, the demon disappeared and Jack looked around and saw Janet and the IUA agents slowly putting down their guns, and then he turned to see Tori comforting Richie. He saw blood on Richie's arm, and saw him limping in pain.

"I'm sorry, Tori," Jack eyed the pair, "I'm sorry, kid."

Richie nodded, tending to his wounds.

"Don't run away from your friends, Jack," Tori advised, "or your allies for that matter. You should turn to them if you ever need help. If you run from your problems, things only get worse."

"We'll get Richard medical assistance," Janet informed them before motioning two agents to escort Richie to the medical wing.

"Thanks, Mom," Tori replied as Richie was being escorted to the medical wing.

"Where's that Australian gypsy who cursed me, Leader?" Jack asked Janet.

"Lucky for you," Janet answered, "I have Miss Jewell's location. She is at an apartment complex location downtown. Not too far from MacLeod's current location."

"You mean the same city as the barge he resides in?" Tori asked.

"Exactly," Janet nodded.

"Then that is where I am going to put an end to this nightmare for good," Jack declared before he stormed out, with the location coordinates in his hands.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Jack spotted Jewell at her apartment, just as Leader told him she would be located.

"Hello, dear Jack," Jewell smiled smugly, "Did you miss me?"

"You're the gypsy that cursed me all those years ago!" Jack exclaimed, "You're the one who caused me to mutate into a damn demon and I nearly killed an innocent kid because of your curse!"

"I cursed you because you rejected me," Jewell replied, "any man would have been lucky to have had me."

"Yeah, right," Jack got out his sword, "Now, pick up your sword, you Tegan wannabe."

Jewell scoffed, "Are you serious?!"

"Damn serious," Jack answered, "Pick up your sword."

"So be it!" Jewell exclaimed before she picked up her sword and the two immortals immediately began to fight.

Inevitably, Jack disarmed his opponent and took her head.

"It looks like the curse is over for good," Jack declared before taking Jewell's quickening.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

Duncan walked through the crowd of mannequins at the warehouse as he knew that Kuyler was was there somewhere.

He continued walking through the mannequins until Kuyler suddenly attacked and Duncan narrowly avoided the blow.

"MacLeod, how good of you to call. So you did find me briefly," Kuyler stated. Duncan looked around briefly before his opponent declared, "Oh, it's just me and you, and there's nowhere to go."

"Get on with it, then," Duncan replied.

Kuyler clicked his tongue, "What's the big hurry to die? You know, I've never told you before, but I missed you all these years."

He poured a glass of absinthe and held it out Duncan, "One for the road?"

Duncan didn't say anything and Kuyler shrugged, "I do so hate to drink alone."

He swallowed a mouthful from the glass and set it down, "Now I can finish what I started, all those years ago."

"Well, I think things are going to be different this time," Duncan declared.

"Why's that?" Kuyler asked.

"I forgot to mention….." Duncan pulled out his katana, "I brought this."

"And I thought you were just a pretty face," Kuyler replied before they began their fight.

During the fight, they destroyed mannequins in the process. Inevitably, Duncan disarmed Kuyler before taking his head and quickening.

Duncan grabbed both swords and left before any of the police could arrive.

-DCH-Side-Stories-

"This better not be what I think it is!" Duncan exclaimed as he saw Richie being carried by Jack and Tori as they entered the barge. Tessa walked in as she saw them as well. The Highlander was annoyed as Richie had gotten himself hurt again just as he was finished dealing with LeBrun once again.

"He was just trying to help," Jack insisted, "but I was the one who caused it."

"What the hell did you do?!" Duncan demanded.

"Remember that IUA mission we told you about?" Tori inquired as she helped Jack lay Richie on the couch.

"About a demon attacking the city, right?" Duncan asked.

Tori nodded before answering, "Well, Jack was that demon. We helped him deal with what he was cursed with. Thank goodness we didn't have to take his head."

"But I took the head of the gypsy responsible for my curse," Jack stated, "so, it's safe to say the curse is over."

"I hope so," Richie replied. Jack then explained everything to Duncan and Tessa in regards of what happened.

"I don't know you that well," Duncan faced Jack, "but you are lucky that I wasn't there when you attacked Richie. I would have taken your head."

"Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod," Jack introduced himself, "my name is Jack Banks, an immortal agent of the Intergalactic Union Agency."

"All right," Duncan nodded, "I take it the IUA has files on me, right?"

"Yeah," Tori nodded, "I believe so, as a trusted ally."

"But Richie will be okay, right?" Tessa asked.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," Richie answered, "just a sprained ankle and my arm was scratched up."

Duncan gave Jack a disapproving look, "Consider yourself on thin ice."

"I'll make note of that," Jack nodded.

Author's Note: I had a fan casting with Jewell being Janet Fielding of Doctor Who fame, just as fan casting for Jack is John Barrowman of same fame. I thought I'd share that information. I can tell you within the next couple of chapters, the events of this chapter will surely haunt Jack and he will have to help MacLeod.

Author's Note:

"Where's Kuyler?" LeBrun asked.

"I don't know," Duncan answered.

"But you sure know who the hell he is," LeBrun retorted.

"Well, you told me."

"Don't play games with me. That son of a bitch was responsible for the deaths of three very brave men today."

"Who were they?" Duncan asked.

"The men who tried and convicted the terrorists who blew up the cafe near the Bastille," LeBrun answered.

"I'm sorry," Duncan insisted, "I can't help you."

"Can't or won't? What are you, MacLeod?" LeBrun retorted, "Don't tell me antique dealer. You took out one of the best men, and he never saw you coming."

"Well, I didn't know he was a cop," Duncan replied, "I just saw a guy coming at me with a gun."

"You thought it was Kuyler," LeBrun stated, "Just like twelve years ago. I was a young cop at the time. Kuyler had just assassinated the president of one of our banks. I'd heard he was hiding out by the Siene."

12 Years Ago

Duncan found himself at sword point when he was swordless at the time as Kuyler had found him.

"If you give up, MacLeod," Kuyler declared, "I won't dismember you before I take your head."

"Go to hell," Duncan replied.

He avoided Kuyler's blade and used a pipe to defend himself. Kuyler chased him back downstairs to the ground floor. Duncan jumped through the window, then rolled across the hood of the police car that screeched to a stop in front of him. Duncan ran off before any of the police could get to them.

Duncan looked around for a moment, trying to escape the police as well as immortal assassin Kuyler. He made a decision and leapt from the bank onto the vedette.

"Hey, what are you doing?" a voice asked from behind.

"I'm sorry," Duncan apologized, "I didn't want to miss the boat."

He then walked to an empty seat, acting like nothing had happened.

"What do you think you're doing?" the woman asked.

"Ah, I didn't want to miss the tour," Duncan answered.

"Is this the way you always make an entrance?" the tour guide asked him.

"I was trying to make an impression," Duncan answered.

"You did. Bravo," the tour guide replied before she told him, "You could have been hurt, and there's another boat in fifteen minutes."

Duncan looked at her directly in the eyes, "I wanted this one."

This caught the tour guide off guard, "I….you…."

She eyed him with a mixture of humor and attraction, then turned back to the tour, "I'm sorry for the interruption, ladies and gentlemen."

The tour guide smiled, "I told you Paris is full of surprises."

She continued with the tour, "Behind you we have the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Construction began in 1163 and was completed in 1342."

Duncan smiled and sheepishly raised his hand.

"Yes," the tour guide asked, "What do you want?"

"It was completed in 1345," Duncan pointed out.

"What?" she asked incredulously.

"Notre Dame was completed in 1345," Duncan answered.

"Anyway, as I said, construction was completed in 1343."

"Five."

"Three. The Seine divides Paris in two parts. This is the left bank."

The Present

"How could I forget a guy who comes crashing through a glass door, rolls over the hood of my car and disappears," LeBrun stated.

"It wasn't me," Duncan insisted.

"What were you doing there?" LeBrun asked, ignoring another detective.

"Here's a message for you from the chief," the detective informed him before LeBrun went back to Duncan and motioned the other officers to leave.

"Your ID checks out. Fine," LeBrun told Duncan before asking, "but who are you?"

"We've been through this already," Duncan answered.

"And we'll go through this again," LeBrun replied.

"You have my statement and my papers," Duncan said, "Either charge me or let me go."

"If I find out you lied to me about Kuyler," LeBrun warned him, "you'll share a cell with him for the rest of your natural life."

Duncan didn't respond, instead, he walked back to the barge.

I had the flashback of when Duncan met Tessa when I covered the "Timeless" episode aka chapter: Facing the Music. This chapter has the extended version as this was the only favorite part of "For Evil's Sake" as I enjoyed knowing how Duncan MacLeod met Tessa Noel.