Date: Mon, 19 Feb 1996 19:24:00 PST Reply-To: Mike Goldman Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Mike Goldman Subject: Counterfeit Friends (9/22)--HL Story BTW: Mild profanity warning. Thanks for all comments so far...Lori Duncan pulled the car away from the house, down the short driveway and merged into traffic. Joe snuck a quick peek and saw Mac's face looking like it had been carved out of stone. , he thought. At the rate of speed Macleod was traveling, he ruefully reflected, probably. Oh, well. He settled himself in the seat as they sped onto the freeway. The ride into Seattle seemed to take forever. They pulled up in front of an equipment warehouse and Duncan got out without saying a word. When Joe picked up his cane, he got only a curt "Stay here" in response. He mentally shrugged and prepared to wait. Duncan came out approximately 45 minutes later, a pink receipt in his hand. He got back into the car without saying a word and started the engine. "Where are we going?" Joe asked. "Somewhere we can talk." was the answer. "Marvelous." Joe mumbled, trying to unobstrusively look and see where Mac was keeping his sword these days. Duncan drove through Seattle streets, finally stopping at a small lakefront with a deserted pier. He turned off the engine and looked at Joe. "Let's go out there where no one can hear us." Joe got himself out of the car and followed Duncan to the end of the pier, the stiff breeze finding its way under his jacket. Joe stood slightly behind Duncan, watching him look out over the water and waiting, the grey sky adding to the ominous feeling of the situation. When Duncan turned around, the Immortal started right in. "What do you think you're doing, Joe?" Duncan demanded. "Excuse me?" said Joe, already feeling his temper rise. "Since when the hell do I answer to you, Macleod?" "Since you started sleeping with Immortals!" Duncan yelled. He belatedly heard his voice carry and saw a couple far off down the shore turn towards them. Lowering his voice, but not the intensity, he continued. "All the time I've known you, you've kept telling me that the Watchers 'don't get involved'." "Yeah, and the first person I broke that with was you!" Joe shot back. "I jeopardized one of the best parts of my life to help you!" He continued. "I don't recall you being so choosy about any of my other affiliations when you wanted Horton or when I saved your ass from Rita!" Duncan opened his mouth and then shut it. That was true -- Joe's friendship had saved his head several times. He softened his voice, trying a different tack. "What happens when you get older and she doesn't?" Joe looked away from him and out towards the ocean. "I don't know. I'll deal with that when it happens." Duncan pressed his point. "Joe, there's a lot of things you don't know about her -- you said it yourself -- her Chronicle is pretty much bare. I just don't want to see you get hurt." Joe gave a humorless chuckle. "Thanks for being so concerned about my welfare." When he turned back towards Duncan, there was an angry look on his face that Duncan had never seen before. "Who exactly do you think you are?" he started, his voice gaining volume and intensity as he continued. "You've been immortal for so long, you've forgotten what it's like to be human! You and everyone else -- Amanda, Richie -- you run around the world, walk thru the centuries, and we're just window dressing! Blink your eyes and we're gone!" "Joe--" "Have you ever thought what it's like to be on the other side? I've spent over 15 years of my life so far being your Watcher -- that's 15 years I'm never gonna get back! I don't *get* to remake myself over when it's time to move on or when I've had enough of somewhere." Joe kept going, now slightly calmer. "I almost died once in Vietnam, Macleod. I know that I'm going to die someday and, although I wouldn't trade your friendship, sometimes being around you is like a reminder of my own mortality -- ages and ways I can never be again. Because I *am* mortal, I have to do what I can with the here and now. Maybe Rory and I won't stay together, maybe being in love with her isn't the right choice -- but it's the choice I'm making *now*." He turned back and began to study the ocean once more. Duncan was quiet for a moment. "I never knew you felt that way." "You never asked." Duncan turned and studied the ocean with his friend while he thought about what Joe had said. In a detached sort of way, he knew Joe *would* die someday -- just as he knew he would miss him deeply, but Joe was right. Since Tessa had died, he had never really thought about how other mortals would view their relationship with *him*. He placed a hand on Joe's shoulder. "Joe, I'm sorry." Joe nodded and the two men continued to watch the waves crash onto the shoreline and recede back into the water as they had for centuries, the way they would after both men were gone. After a short while, they walked back to the car and continued on their way. =========================================================================