Date: Sun, 18 Feb 1996 20:02:00 PST Reply-To: Mike Goldman Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Mike Goldman Subject: Counterfeit Friends (6/22)--HL Story BTW: Continuing romance scene warning (again, imagination required). Mild profanity. The weak sun struggling to make itself seen through the gray clouds finally reached Rory's bedroom window and straggled in through the opening in the curtains. The slight change in light brought Joe to a more alert state as he lay in bed. He'd been having a very nice dream and didn't want to open his eyes and have it fade away. However, as the light became slightly stronger, it lightened the room further, forcing his eyes open. After a brief moment of disorientation at the unfamiliar surroundings, the events of the previous night came flooding back to him. Looking around, he saw his cane, prostheses, and his clothing on the floor by the bed. he thought to himself. He rubbed his face with his hand and then thought to turn his head and look at the other side of the bed -- only to find it empty. Raising himself up on his elbows, he called out "Rory?" He heard nothing for a moment and then the sound of footsteps which stopped as Rory appeared in the doorway. "What time is it?" he asked. "About 9:30 in the morning." she replied, crossing over and sitting next to him. "You were sleepin' so peaceful and with such a nice smile on your face, I hated to wake you." "Actually," he said, almost hating to admit it. "I thought I was having a great dream." Rory shook her head. "It was-and I am-very real." She reached up and smoothed the hair back from his face, using her arm to shield her eyes from his. "Do you want it to stay that way?" He took her hand and brought it to his lips to give himself a moment to think. He knew he had found something with Rory that had been missing for a long time, but in the back of his mind was the Watchers. Looking at Rory, he caught her biting her lip. "What's wrong?" he asked. She looked at him, eyes bright with unshed tears. "I'm afraid you're going to say that you've reconsidered." She brushed her eyes with her free hand. "Would you look at the way I'm actin'?" Joe let go of her hand and pulled her to him, mindful that she was expecting to hear that she was going to suffer yet another loss. "I'm not going anywhere." he said, making his choice. The smile that came back to him made his heart leap. They began to kiss, but the ringing phone interrupted Joe's task of divesting Rory of her T-shirt and shorts. "Damn! I have to answer that." she apologized. "I haven't found my answering machine yet." She rolled over to the other side of the bed. "H'lo?" she said shortly. Then she sat up. "Oh, Mac! Hi." Joe, who until that point had been admiring Rory's legs while she picked up the phone, had his attention rudely jerked back to the present. He sat up. "Um, no, I'm fine." she said. "Just a late night last night. No, you didn't wake me up." She rolled her eyes. While she was talking, Joe decided that if he was living on the edge, he'd take it a little further and began to kiss the back of Rory's neck while she talked to Mac. "No, really, I'm fine." she said, struggling to maintain her composure. "Lunch today? That would be fine. OK, I'll meet you at 12:30 at your place." She hung up the phone. Leaning back against Joe's chest, she moaned as if in pain. "Oh God! Make a note: Find the stupid answering machine!" "This could prove to be interesting." Joe said, wondering how his Immortal friend would take this news. They sat there quietly for a moment and then Rory shook her finger at Joe. "You are very bad!" she scolded him. Joe put on his most innocent face. "Really?" he said. "I thought I was pretty good." Rory laughed and pulled his face down to hers. "Oh, ye are that, Joseph Dawson, ye certainly are that." This time, Joe completed his task. Later Joe gave Rory a ride back to Seacouver, dropping her off a few blocks from Duncan's place. She quickly kissed him goodbye and told him she'd see him tonight. She rapidly walked the last few blocks to Duncan's, her cowboy boots clicking on the pavement. She found Mac waiting on the front steps of the dojo, wearing one of those Italian shirt and pants outfits that he was so inordinantely fond of. She had never been able to understand that. Give her a good pair of Levis anyday. She waved so he would see her. "Where are we going?" she asked. "Sushi?" he suggested. "Macleod," she responded. "you may have spent time in Japan and feel perfectly comfortable with eating live bait, but where I come from, that stuff is used for fishing and I'd feel absolutely awful if I interrupted the oceanic food chain." Duncan laughed. "OK, how about Mexican?" "Much better." She linked arms with him while they walked over to the convertible and absorbed the scenery during the short ride to the restaurant. After they had placed their order and the waiter had poured water and left their chips and salsa, Duncan got down to his agenda. "Y'know, Rory," he started. "I've known you for quite some time." Rory put down the chip she'd been about to munch and crossed her arms defensively. "Somehow I knew that lunch wasn't the only thing on your mind, but are you not even goin' to let me eat first?" Duncan had the good grace to look slightly ashamed. She sighed. "Go ahead." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to come right to the point." Her look told him that was a good idea and that he'd better hurry. "Are you still involved with the IRA?" "Is *that* what this is all about?" she hissed, trying to keep her voice down although she felt like taking his head right there. "What? Do you think I'm here to plant some bomb?! Or maybe assassinate someone?!" "It wouldn't be the first time!" Duncan shot back. "You shot *me*!" "Eighty-three years is a long time to hold a grudge, Macleod!" "This isn't about me!" Looking around, he noticed several patrons at nearby tables trying to eavesdrop unobstrusively. He lowered his voice. "It's about what you believe and the methods you've used." "And what if I still was an active member?" Rory asked, making an effort to relax in her chair. "If you were an active member and I found you were trying to instigate some action on this side of the Atlantic, I'd have to try and stop you." he said. "You've tried before and you haven't always been successful." she reminded him. She leaned her elbows on the table. "Would you take my head?" =========================================================================