Date: Sun, 28 Jan 1996 05:14:14 -0600 Reply-To: Ninianne Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Ninianne Subject: Daddy's Little Girl part 19/21 It's getting close isn't it??? The last 2 parts are going to be pretty big, about 36k together. So don't worry, it's comming :) For those that are missing past installments, my page, http://www.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/~copelasa/ has all the back-issues. Samantha (who, as of yesterday, is no longer a teenager!!!) Daddy's Little Girl Samantha Copeland copelasa@vuse.vanderbilt.edu ******Part 19****** They opened the cabin door to find not only their traveling companions but a visitor. It was the man that Chris had met three years before, known to her as Russell Nash. * I wonder what he's doing here. * Chris thought. "Hello Andrew. How's it going?" "I'm fine Connor, how's the antique business these days? * Connor??? * Chris thought as she rose an eyebrow. "It's fine. These days I only do consulting work, mostly for my old clients. I got out of the buisness for the most part a few years ago." Chris grabbed her dad's arm, taking him aside for a moment. She wanted to know what the heck was going on, and she didn't want to wait around anymore. "What do you mean 'Connor'," she demanded quietly, "I thought his name was Russell." "Well it is, at least legally," Andrew said. Having overheard their conversation, Connor stepped forward to clarify the situation. "Permit me to introduce myself properly. I am Connor MacLeod." Chris looked at Duncan, "Relative of yours?" "Sort of, we're clansmen actually." "I thought I'd drop by the dojo and pay a visit to Duncan this week, seeing how it's the holidays, which is just as good an excuse as any other. I met someone outside." Connor paused, "He said he was a friend of yours and told me I'd find you here." Duncan thought for a moment, trying to think of who could have been hanging around the dojo. After a few seconds, he realized that it was probably Joe trying to catch him before they left. Duncan tried to think quickly of the best way to put off telling Connor about the Watchers, "That was Joe Dawson. I asked him to drop by while we were out here to make sure that the place was O.K. I told him that a relative of mine might be dropping by and that he should tell him where I was." * God I hope he buys this * Connor didn't. "I don't think so, Duncan. There is no way you or he could've known that I'd be coming by." "O.K., Connor. Here's the way it is; Joe's a Watcher, he's been watching me for the last 16 years and he knows all about _Us_. Grace here is his niece; she's one too. Are you happy now?" "And you weren't going to tell me?" "I'm sorry Connor. I didn't think you needed to know." "Well maybe you should let me decide that?" "Sorry." "Forget it." "O.K. guys, now that we've gotten this out in the open, can we move on?" Grace said, showing tht she wasn't particularly thrilled with the fact that now everyone in the room was looking at her. "Yeah guys, she's a friend, let's move on." seconded Chris. "Why don't you, Grace, and Richie go outside for a while? I ned to discuss a few things with Connor and Duncan... alone," Andrew told Chris. "Fine." She shrugged, "Come on guys. They want us out of their hair right now. Let's see what there is to see on this island." As the trio went out, Richie began to tell them about some of the sights on the island. "Andrew, there was no need for you to get rid of them." Duncan said. "Like I told them, we need to discuss a few things." Andrew responded. "I want a few promises from the two of you." "Come on and sit down, then we'll talk." Duncan responded. Andrew, Duncan, and Connor sat down at the table and began to discuss the game plan for Robert Alexander. In the course of their discussion, Andrew exacted the promise from Connor and Duncan that, should they encounter Alexander at the same time, that they wouldn't try to take him on themselves. There weren't any objections to Andrew's request. Neither Duncan or Connor sought a fight with any Immortal, and since Andrew had a reason, they were quite willing to leave it to him. The only thing he wanted them to do was for them to keep Chris safe while he dispatched Alexander, and if he wasn't able, then they were free to take what ever action they wanted. If Chris wanted to take Alexander on, he wanted them to make sure that she was ready. "Andrew, that's fine that you want to protect you daughter, but it's not just about being her father. In case you haven't forgotten, she's an Immortal. If he comes after her, we can't interfere." Duncan reminded Andrew. "Don't you think I know that Duncan?!" Andrew said barely keeping his temper in check. "I have been thinking about this since the day she came into my life... Ever since you called Duncan, I've been trying to think of how I'm going to handle this. Right about now, I honestly don't know. I always knew this would happen. I guess I'm too close to it all." "You're right, Andrew. You are too close. You really should leave and let things take their course. Granted, she's your daughter, but if she's ever going to have a chance. you can't protect her any more than any other Immortal. I understand what you are thinking, remember Rachel... John, I can't really protect either of them from the world anymore than you can protect Chris from another Immortal." Connor added. "OK. Connor. You've made your point. But it's going to be hard, for me and for Chris." "The right choices usually are. Either Connor or I are perfectly willing to teach Chris if something should happen to you, we will protect her as long as she wants us too, but if he challenges her, there's not a whole lot that we can do," Duncan adding the last sentence softly. "That's all I really wanted. She's my little girl, I just want her safe. that's all any parent wants." "In case you haven't noticed, Andrew, she's pretty much grown up now." "Well, I suppose all daughters remain 12 years old in their father's eyes, Connor. I suppose you know what I mean." "I understand. Sometimes I'll talk to Rachel just like I would to my son John. She'll look at me in a certain way, and I'll know what I've done. There is a difference here though, you have to consider that in the not too distant future, you won't be able to treat her as a child, but as an equal." "Thanks for the advice Connor. But I know that already, it's just knowing and doing are two different things." "I don't think that this was such a good idea Andrew." Duncan stated. "What wasn't such a good idea?" "Your raising her. Sure, it might have seemed like a good idea at the time. She'd be able to have a teacher from the start, someone who knew what was going on, someone who knew the full story, someone looking out for her. But this also places you and her in an awkward situation. Sure, there's Connor and myself, but it's nothing near the father and daughter relationship that you and Chris have. I just hope that you have thought this thing through and have considered what you are going to do" "I have often asked myself those same questions, and you aren't the first of my old friends to ask me these questions. The only thing I can come up with is that I couldn't turn her away. I think the two of you know what that's like." Andrew knew that bringing that part of the past up now might be a mistake, but he was trying to make a point. "She needed a home, and I could give her one. I decided that she was special, and I took that chance. It was my choice, I just hope that she'll understand." "I think she will once you explain it to her. She seems to understand things pretty well. Give her a little credit, and she'll come through." He paused for a few moments, deciding to change the subject to one of a less serious tone. "Well now that we all know where each of us stand, what have you been up to these last few years, Andrew?" Duncan inquired. *** Late that afternoon, when the young trio had judged that enough time had passed for those in the cabin to have finished their discussion, they returned. They returned to a much more relaxed group than they had left. Andrew had gotten a few of his concerns out of his system. Connor, Duncan, and Andrew had managed to do a little catching up with what each had been up to in the last few years. During the excursion over the island earlier, Grace regretted having not brought her camera. She was a bit of a shutterbug, and some of the views of the almost untouched nature had been spectacular. She hoped that she would one day have the opportunity to capture it on film. Chris promised her that when all this mess was over with, and if MacLeod permitted, they would return and go on a photographic expedition. The evening passed uneventfully, and the next morning, Connor left. Everyone had their hands full, and his presence would just complicate matters, sooner or later he would be back though. No one really wanted for him to leave but it was probably for the best, his presence created the potential for further complication. The last thing any of them needed was another Immortal hanging around that would confuse them, and possibly getting someone killed. It was enough that there were four Immortals hanging around with each other, a fifth one wasn't helping matters. There were very good reasons that Immortals didn't normaly hang out a lot with each other: so they knew when danger was around. When a lot of Immortals were coming and going, it was possible that they could become a more relaxed and off guard if they thought it was someone that they expected. An enemy might just slip thorough their defenses and the friendly Immortal was likely to end up dead. =========================================================================