========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 12:34:31 -0500 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Hidden Potential 19/22 Hidden Potential By: Wendy Tillis March 1996 All standard disclaimers apply. Chapter 19 Duncan stood in the street for a few minutes after Maggie had driven away. He wanted to believe that he would see her again but right now he couldn't. He looked down the street in the direction she had driven, then turned and walked back to his car. He drove back to the dojo. Duncan thought about going up to the loft, he needed a shower, but decided to do some paper work instead. There were a couple of guys working out but it was generally quiet. He sat at his desk for over an hour before he realized that he was doing just that - sitting. He hadn't even picked up a pencil. This wasn't accomplishing anything. Might as well go upstairs. He reached for his katana where he usually kept it - next to the desk, close at hand. It wasn't there. He sat thinking about it for a moment before it came to him. Of course. He had had it under his coat at Maggie's - he had carried it downstairs with the trunk - and draped it over the back of a chair. It was still there. Locked in her house. Damn. He would have to go get it - good thing she had left him the keys. Duncan drove back to the house. It was almost dark now- approaching 7:30pm - but it was still hot. He walked up to the porch and unlocked the door. Moving quickly he found the coat just where he had left it. Duncan slid into it and went back to the front door . He looked around sadly, empty only a few hours and it was like she had never been there at all, and went out. He locked the door and came down the porch steps. Just as he reached the bottom step he heard the drone of a motorcycle and felt the approach of an Immortal. Richie had arrived. Duncan slid the keys into his pants pocket and went out onto the sidewalk to wait for Richie. Richie drove the bike up onto the grass right at Duncan's feet and swung off, simultaneously pulling his sword from the on-board scabbard he had rigged. He jerked his helmet off and tossed it to the ground near the bike. "Where is she?" "Who?" Duncan decided to play dumb at first. See what Richie was planning. " That lying Immortal bitch, that's who. Maggie." " She's not here." " Where is she! I know she was here. TELL ME!" "Richie, calm down. What are you talking about." Duncan decided it was safest to lie about how much he knew. At least until Richie calmed down. "She stabbed me and left. I know she was coming to find you. Don't deny it. " Richie stepped close to Duncan , yelling right into his face. Duncan stepped back slightly. " OK , Richie. She was here. She came by the dojo last night. She picked up Angus and left. She didn't say what happened. I haven't seen her since. I just came over to see if she was here. She's not. Now, calm down and put that sword away." "Don't lie to me! You bastard! You were with her. I can smell her on you! Did you think it was funny? Cheating on me all summer behind my back? You just couldn't stand the fact that I finally had someone. You had to take her away from me." "Richie stop. Stop before you do something you'll regret." Richie reached out and grabbed Duncan 's forearm. "You son-of-a-bitch. Why couldn't you just leave her alone?" Duncan's voice got low and deadly. "Take your hand off me and walk away." " Take your hand off me, Richie, or I swear I'll break it off." Richie released his grip but brought his sword up to a fighting stance. Duncan pulled his katana. He looked around at the surrounding street - no place for a sword fight. Maggie's house had a fenced back yard. The six foot privacy fence would shield them from the neighbors, especially as it was almost dark. Duncan backed away from Richie toward the side yard and the gate. Richie advanced after him. They passed into the back yard and Richie swung the gate closed behind him. " Richie. We don't have to do this. I'm sorry about Maggie. I know you don't want to believe me but nothing happened between us until today. She did care about you - she just couldn't stay with you. But- she wouldn't stay with me either. We both lost her. There isn't any need to fight over her. She's gone." "Too late MacLeod. This has been coming for a long time. I think we both know that. I should have finished it last month in the dojo. I could have." Duncan carefully held the katana in his left hand and slid his arm free of the trenchcoat on his right arm. Quickly switching the sword back to his right hand, he shrugged out of the remaining coat sleeve and let the coat drop to the grass. He kicked it aside and took up a two handed grip on the sword. "You could have, but you didn't. And that was a training session that got out of hand. If we start this, it will be all-out. No quarter given. And you *know* I can beat you. I've done it before." Duncan hoped to unnerve Richie although he had little hope it would work. "Shut up MacLeod. I'm not afraid of you anymore." With that Richie attacked. Duncan defended himself, still trying not to hurt Richie. But after a few minutes, he realized that this time it was going to have to be a real fight to the finish. Richie was angry and frustrated and just plain pissed off - he would kill Duncan if he could. Duncan let go of the feelings he had once had for Richie - as a friend and surrogate son - and fought for his life as if Richie were any other vicious Immortal. Richie was better than he had been, and Duncan received several minor cuts - right shoulder and left thigh in the next few minutes. Duncan caught Richie just above the right eye , drawing blood which trickled down to obscure Richie's vision. Richie, momentarily blinded, swung his sword at Duncan's head to force him back. In his haste, Richie swung a bit high, leaving his mid-section unprotected and vulnerable. Duncan drew his sword across Richie's abdomen and Richie found himself desperately trying to hold in the purple coils of his intestines. He dropped to his knees, sword falling from his suddenly nerveless fingers. He landed on his knees, one hand on the grass, the other holding his slashed stomach together. Duncan swung the katana back and the down until it rested on the back of Richie's neck. They were both breathing hard. Richie tried to look up at Duncan but it hurt too much to twist his head upward. He dropped his head back down. "I should kill you." " Go ahead and do it. I would." " I know. But I'm not going to do it. I promised Maggie I wouldn't. I'm going to let you live. For her. But, hear me Richie, if you even *think* about going after her, trying to hunt her down or hurt her I'll find you and I'll kill you. I won't talk about it and I won't hesitate. I'll kill you. Do you believe me?" Richie said nothing. Duncan pressed the sword into the back of Richie's neck, drawing blood. "Do you understand?" " Yes, I understand." " Fine. Then we're done here. Get on your bike and get out of here. I don't want to look at you. Go on. Move." Duncan stepped back . Richie struggled to his knees and then stood. He was still bleeding heavily, though the worst of the slash had already healed. He bent painfully and picked up his sword. He glared at Duncan but didn't speak. Turning, he half ran, half shambled across the grass to the gate. He turned back to look at Duncan ,who made no sign. Richie pulled the gate open and went out. A few seconds later Duncan heard the motorcycle leave. Duncan picked up his coat and pulled it on. He tucked the sword out of sight and stood for a moment in the darkened yard, getting control of himself. He passed a hand over his eyes - he would *not* cry over Richie. Maybe it wasn't Richie he felt like crying for, he told himself. He had had the most wonderful afternoon of his life with a woman he loved more than anyone he had ever known, she had left him- maybe forever- and he had almost had to kill his best friend. He supposed he had a right to a few tears if he wanted. Of course, as soon as he gave himself permission to cry, the need passed. Shaking his head at himself, Duncan walked out of the back yard. He moved to his car and got in. He took one last look at the house and then pulled away from the curb. Time to go home. He wondered where Maggie was now. He supposed he would be wondering that alot from now on.