========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 21:27:00 PDT Reply-To: Mike Goldman Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Mike Goldman Subject: "A Dangerous Game" Epilogue (22/22) HL Story "Facing up to the truth that it is time to part..." "Don't do this." Joe asked. "I have to." Rory replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why do you have to go away?" he asked for the hundredth time. "You could work it out here. We can help you." She set her glass on the bar so hard it cracked and the liquid inside began to spray out onto the bartop. Joe picked up the glass without comment and put it in the sink, wiping up the mess with a bar rag. "I'm sorry." she said as he dropped the rag into the sink alongside the glass. "It's OK." he responded, deliberately misinterpreting her apology. "It's just a glass." She sighed and slid off the bar stool, picking up a small backpack that had been laying at its base. "So that's it." he said flatly. "You're just gonna go no matter what I say." "I have to." Rory repeated. "It's the only way to work this out." "Well, maybe if you'd been a little more *honest* in the beginning, none of this would have happened!" Joe finally yelled in utter frustration and anger, then immediately regretted it as he saw the look on Rory's face, but it was too late to snatch back the words. "Aren't my nightmares *honest* enough for you?" she yelled back. Ever since Rory had been "restored" to being the only occupant of her body, she had had recurring nightmares regarding Stefan and Joe had been awakened by her screams more than once. "What was I supposed to tell you? How was I supposed to tell you? Do you know how absolutely pathetic I felt--" she shook her head angrily, "*feel* about what happened with Stefan back in Paris? I should have known better! It was my fault!" "It wasn't your fault." Joe said tiredly, leaning against the bar and running his hand over his face. Rory counted to ten and tried to calm herself down. "I know you believe that," she said softly, "and you, Anne and everyone else can say it from now until the end of the Gathering, but the problem is *I* don't believe you." "I wish you could." She nodded. "Me, too." Taking a breath to try and steady herself, she continued, her voice only wavering a tiny bit. "I am so sorry for all that I put you through. You've got a right to be angry--." She put up a hand to forestall Joe as he opened his mouth to protest that he wasn't angry. "You're angry at Stefan, at all that's happened...and at me." They stared at each other for a long moment and then Joe finally nodded. "I want to be here with you more than anything," she went on, tears beginning to collect at the corners of her eyes, "but I'm afraid. I think if I stay here, we're going to end up hating each other and I don't want that to happen. I know I need some time to straighten myself out and I think we both need some time apart from each other to sort out what's happened." Suddenly, Rory turned towards the entrance to Joe's and the conversation was interrupted as the door opened and Mac came in. Seeing the two of them, he stopped in his tracks. "I'm sorry." he stammered. "I'll come back." "No, Mac." Rory replied, wiping her eyes. "I was...just leaving." She looked at Joe who turned away and exited out the other side of the bar, making his way towards the stage. As he sat there and began fiddling with his guitar, Rory walked up to Duncan. "So you are leaving?" he asked. "For a little while." she verified. "I think it's for the best right now--whether Joe wants to admit it or not." "He loves you." Mac said. "Love makes people stubborn." She smiled a bit and wiped away the tears that kept threatening to spill over. "You should write a book." she tried to joke. "Listen," he said, "I *was* hoping to catch you before you left. I wanted to give you something." He took her hand and placed a folded piece of paper in it. "What is it?" she asked, looking at the paper. "It's the name of a friend who could help you. I took the liberty of calling and letting him know you might be coming." "Thank you." she said softly. She worried the piece of paper in her hands for a moment and then put it in her jeans pocket. Picking up a cracked and faded black leather jacket, she put it on and then slung her backpack over her shoulder. "Say my goodbyes to Anne and Richie?" she asked. Duncan nodded. Rory took one last look over her shoulder at Joe playing his guitar and steadfastly refusing to look over at the two Immortals near the door. "Take good care of him for me, will you?" she asked. "With kid gloves." he responded and she smiled to hear her long-ago words spoken back to her. "You better," she said, " 'cause I'll be back." She shook his hand and then pushed through the doors and was gone, the minute faltering of the guitar being played the only clue that Joe had noticed she was gone. Duncan stood there for a moment, listening as Joe softly sang: Too soon the time has come for you to leave my side You know I give you my best and my blessings while you try to reach the sky And away it goes, Hands turn around the time Darkness turn to shadow, shadows settle to light And through all the blackness sometime you'll find One beam of hope in the middle of your flight o child sweet child... carry goodness in your heart and your soul will find its own way* Outside the bar, Rory hailed a cab. "Airport." she said as she got in and shut the door. The cab merged back into traffic and she leaned back in her seat. She stared, unseeing, out the window for a few moments and then remembered the piece of paper Mac had given to her. Reaching into her pocket, she brought out the crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it, looking for the name of Duncan's friend. The name on the paper read "Sean Burns". "Where you going?" the cabbie asked. "Looks like I'm going to France." Rory replied. And I watch you walk thru fire when clear water runs near Watch your heart break open wide, a heart I hold so dear But look at the truth--it could burn a hole right thru you Oh, angels bow and cover their eyes And the rest of us here could just break down and cry 'Cause a soul takes its blows and it does not reveal A heart opens slow and it takes time to heal But you can let it go, it'll all turn to gold My sweet child of steel** >> >>** - Two Worlds (Joanna Connor) >>*** - Child of Steel (Rosanne Cash) Lori mgoldman@cts.com Bass Player/Musical Director for the SJD Kick-Ass House Band CFW/WAR Chief for Smokin' Joe Dawson in the first HL WAR