Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1996 08:23:00 PST Reply-To: Mike Goldman Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Mike Goldman Subject: Counterfeit Friends (5/22)--HL Story BTW: OK, beginning romance scene warning; however, very mild and full of needs for the use of the imagination. Also, this includes an example of "mood" lyrics. Rory seemed to consider the question for a moment. "Sure." she called back, and quickly walked the short distance back to the parking lot. Joe unlocked the passenger side of his Forerunner. She climbed in, he carefully shut the door after her and walked around to his side of the vehicle. As he got in and shut the door, she thanked him for the ride. "No problem." he said, starting up the engine and pulling out into traffic. She gave him directions and they reached her place in about 30 minutes. hey pulled up to what looked like an abandoned house, gravel crunching underneath the wheels. Joe looked up through the windshield at it. "Are you sure that's yours?" "You don't think I'd be knowin' where I live?" she teased. "It's not that," he said, "It just looks so...empty." "Ah, but that's only the outside." she said, grinning. "Come inside and I'll show you the difference." Joe shrugged. Why not? He got out of the car and went around to Rory's side and opened the door, helping her down. They walked over the gravel drive to the outside steps that led to the second level of the house. As they drew close to the steps, Rory changed direction a bit and walked to the garage door. "Look." she said, pointing to one of the windows. Joe looked through the window and saw an empty garage that had a skeleton workout area set up. "It's so no one can see me working out." she explained, "You wouldn't *believe* how many questions people will ask a girl with a sword." As she directed him back to the stairs, she added, "We use it to practice new band songs as well. It's far enough away from the neighbors that they don't call the police on us." They walked up the creaking wooden staircase and Rory fumbled for her keys, then unlocked the door. She stepped in and turned on some lights. "Come on in." she invited. "I apologize for the mess, but I'm still unpacking." Joe entered the room and looked around. He was in the kitchen, but could see most of the rest of the house through the archway that separated the kitchen from the living room. Open, labeled boxes could be seen in both rooms. "Joe?" Rory said. "Hmmm?" "I can't shut the door until you move." "What? Oh, sorry!" He moved further inside the kitchen and she shut the door behind him. "Take a look around." she said, making a grand sweeping gesture with her arm. "I *gotta* get out of these jeans. Be right back." Tossing her keys on the table, she strode off through the living room and disappeared down the short hallway. Joe stood in the kitchen, indecisive. What the heck was he doing here? He was already feeling a little uncomfortable at being physically attracted to Rory. Sure, he'd seen female Immortals before - and had even thought several of them were quite lovely; however, he had never been in such close proximity with one of them at the same time. He made as if to turn around and even opened his mouth to holler an excuse to Rory, then he stopped. It couldn't hurt to stay awhile, he reasoned, it was a friendship being formed -- and he was already friends with another Immortal -- Mac. So he turned back, entering the living room and studiously avoiding the small inner voice that jeered back, "Yeah, all you want to be is friends." The living room was cluttered with furniture and boxes. There was a large bay window that had a worn gray couch and several mismatched chairs around it. A closed steamer trunk resided in another corner of the room. A throw rug had been placed diagonally across it and it looked as if several small mementos had been placed on top. Crossing over to the other half of the living room, his cane alternately tapped on the hardwood floor and then silenced by the rugs Rory had placed on the floor. He manuevered around some more boxes and another couch and reading lamp that had yet to find a home and inspected the stereo system and CD's that were lined up next to it. As he straightened up from reading the titles, Rory re-entered the room, seemingly more comfortable in faded jeans and a T-shirt. "You want some coffee or something?" she asked him. "Sure. Thank you." he responded. She walked into the kitchen, slightly raising her voice to keep up the conversation. "The coffee pot was the first thing I found after I moved. I can't exist in the morning until I've had some." She returned some minutes later holding two cups. "You want anything in yours?" "Hmmm. No." he said as she crossed over to the mantel where he was standing. He took down a small picture in a frame. The picture showed Rory and a young dark-haired man, arms around Rory's waist, standing in front of a brick wall. A ring had been carefully attached to the frame. "Who is this?" Joe asked. She handed him a cup and took the frame from him. "That's Kieran." she said. Her thumb rubbed lightly over the ring. "This was going to be his wedding ring." At hearing this news, Joe's sip of coffee turned into a gulp and he nearly scalded his throat. , he thought. Rory looked up and caught some of the expression on his face as he placed the coffee cup on the mantel. "Joe, it was twenty years ago. I did my mourning, I laid him to rest and I've moved on." She replaced the picture of the mantel, setting her coffee down. "I keep the picture to remind me of the good times." Before he knew it, Joe was telling Rory about Lauren. When he finished, Rory reached up and touched his face. "Time to move on." she said. Joe caught Rory's hand and held it between them for a long moment as they looked at each other, then he leaned in and kissed her. Her lips were warm and soft against his and she circled the back of his neck with her hand, prolonging the contact. When they broke apart, both seemed a little shaken. "I should go." Joe said, preparing to pick up his cane. Rory grabbed his hands. "Why?" she demanded softly but insistently. "Rory, I'm a *Watcher*." he said. "So? Watch me." she smiled. "It's not that simple." Joe replied, shoring up his resolve. "When I became a Watcher, I took an oath -- a vow. That vow was that I would observe and record, but that I *would not interfere*. I swore not to become involved." "You're already involved with Duncan and Richie." "That was an accident. It shouldn't have happened." he protested. "And now that it has...would you trade all your experiences together to go back to the way it was?" she asked, moving so that he had to look directly at her. There was silence for a moment. Then, "No." "Then why do you seem willing to trade this away?" Joe could feel his resolve ebbing away. "I don't think I can." he admitted. "But..." he continued, stopping Rory short as she opened her mouth to speak. "There's something you need to know. Among the Watchers, a renegade group called the Hunters sprang up. They believed that the last Immortal left after the Gathering would use the power to enslave and rule over mankind and felt that they needed to kill the Immortals so there would be no Gathering. They were the ones who killed Darius." Rory drew in a sharp breath. Joe forced himself to go on. "The leader of the Hunters was my brother-in-law, James Horton." Rory looked away for a second and then back at Joe. "Where is he now?" Joe exhaled sharply. "When it came down to either allowing the Hunters to continue or preserving the vows of the Watchers, I chose the latter --and helped Mac kill him." Rory turned over Joe's left hand and passed her thumb over the faded tattoo, looking down at it as she did so. "I do not care about the Hunters or the Watchers." She looked up at him. "What I care about is the man -- and I think that you are a rare find, Joseph Dawson." She leaned up and kissed him again. Joe returned the kiss with increasing passion. She broke the kiss and handed him his cane. Taking his hand, she inclined her head, smiled and led him down the hall. We are awakened, restored and renewed The bonds of desire have led me to you The heat of the questions that linger and stir Is this fire that enfolds us, a place to be cured Salvation and rescue, And the one thing of which I am sure Your hand on my heart And it's beating in time To the sound of your voice And the look in your eyes The moment you touch me All down inside Is the fire of the newly alive. "Fire of the Newly Alive" -- Rosanne Cash =========================================================================