========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 11:32:35 -0500 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis l by: Wendy Tillis March, 1996 Standard disclaimers apply Chapter 6 Duncan straightened his arms, holding the weight high above his chest. He held it a moment, then brought it down again. The bench press was not his favorite form of exercise but it was good for him and so he did it. Sometimes he felt his whole life was filled with things he didn't like but that he did anyway. A few more repetitions and he would stop. On this Saturday morning there were 6 or 7 men working out in the dojo. Richie was around somewhere - Duncan could feel him. Upstairs in the locker room most likely. He picked up the weight again. At the same time he heard footsteps on the hard wood floors. He turned his head to see Margaret Grant approaching. " That looks like fun." Duncan dropped the weight back into its holder rather harder than he meant to. The bar rattled loudly and almost fell. Duncan reached up to steady it. He sat up - acutely aware that he was wearing cut-off old sweatpants, a ratty T-shirt and that his hair was sweaty and dirty. In comparison, Margaret looked cool and collected in white slacks, navy blue silk tunic and sandals. Her hair was pulled back loosely with a blue silk scarf. " Ms. Grant. I didn't expect to see you here." " Maggie, remember? I would have called but I . . I just decided to drop in . I hope that is OK?" " Of course. What can I do for you?" Duncan grabbed a towel from his gym bag and after wiping his face, hung it around his shoulders. "Is there someplace we can talk? Duncan stood up and motioned toward the office." Please. Come." He lead the way into the office. Maggie settled into the couch and Duncan took up his customary place leaning against the desk. She looked at him and then down at her hands as if unsure how to begin. " So, how have you been Maggie." " I've been OK. The press seems to have forgotten about me. I guess they finally believed me when I said I wasn't going to talk to them anymore. Oh - I still get a lot of mail. From people who say they've had similar experiences, from people who want me to talk to their dead Aunt Elizabeth. Ha! One guy wanted me to endorse his psychic hot-line. I even got a few marriage proposals." She laughed. "I expect it will all pass in time. < a pause.> Why didn't you ever come back?" That surprised Duncan. "I didn't think you really wanted to talk to me. I'd already bothered you twice. You didn't want to talk about what had happened . . . I thought you preferred to be left alone." "Ah, I see." They sat in silence for a moment. " So - did you ever finish that paper you were working on?" " Paper? Oh that. Yes, I finished it. 'The Rise of Nationalism in the Post World War Two Era'" " So, you're a history major?" " No, I don't really have a major. Drives my advisor nuts. He thinks I'm drifting." She smiled. " I taught at the university two years ago. It seemed that most of the students were single-mindedly pursuing majors that would get them a job when they graduated. Not that I blame them." " I have an advantage over them. I don't need a job. My . . uncle. . . who raised me most of my life, died almost two years ago. He left me everything he owned - and he owned a lot. Oh dear, that sounded awful" " Passingly so , yes." He smiled to show he didn't really mean it. "So you're a woman of independent means, then." " Uncle Thomas was very good at the stock market. He had played it ever since he came back from World War Two. He knew when to buy and when to sell. When he made money - he bought things. Artwork, jewelry, houses, land. Things that held their value when the Market dropped. I don't need the money - so I don't see why I should get a job." "You don't think you'll want to *do* something? To have some reason to get up in the morning? I would think that years would get very long without some purpose." Duncan looked passed her, into the middle distance. He thought of all the occupations he had had in the last 400 years - soldier, hunter, scout, sailor, newspaper man, antique dealer. There had been very few years when he hadn't had a job. Even now, when he had enough money to support himself forever, he still showed up at the dojo every day. "Maybe you're right. Maybe the day will come when I'll decide I need a purpose for my life. Maybe. But not now. Now I think I'll just enjoy being young and rich. Pretty shallow, huh?" " No, very human." They both fell silent for a moment. Duncan was struck again by how beautiful she was. Too young for him, he knew. Though Tessa had been only 23 when they met. He wondered if she would like to have dinner with him. No harm in asking. Just as he was about to ask, Richie appeared at the office door. " Mac, I wanted to ask. . . ." Richie stopped as he realized that Duncan wasn't alone. "Uh, sorry Mac. I didn't realize. . ." Richie looked expectantly at Duncan. Duncan was irrationally annoyed at Richie's interruption. "Margaret Grant, this is my assistant, Richard Ryan, Richie, Margaret Grant." Richie looked surprised. "Margaret Grant? The woman who got shot and healed ? I saw you on TV." " That's me. The girl who rises from the dead for the amusement of her friends and acquaintances." She laughed and Richie joined in. Then, as a new thought hit Richie, he stopped laughing and looked at Duncan. He had just realized that he couldn't 'feel' her. Duncan shook his head slightly to stop Richie from blurting out something potentially embarrassing. Margaret stood up as Richie turned back toward her. " You're not going? I want to hear all about it. I was out of town when it happened but I saw the news." Richie had shifted into verbal overdrive - his normal state in the presence of a beautiful unattached woman. "How about a drink? A friend of ours had a bar - Joe's Place. . ." "Richie!" Duncan shut him off a bit strongly. " Ms. Grant came here to talk to me. Do you mind. ." And he motioned toward the door. " That's all right Duncan. I have to be going. We can talk some other time. It wasn't important. Richie - thanks for the offer but I'm afraid I do have to run." She put out her hand and Duncan shook it. " It's been nice talking to you Margaret. Feel free to stop by any time." She turned toward Richie. " Nice meeting you Richie. Good-bye." She walked passed Richie and out the door. Both Duncan and Richie stood and watched her cross the dojo and leave. Richie turned back to Duncan. " She's gorgeous, Mac! The most beautiful thing I've ever seen. But Mac? What is she? She's not one of us - or did I miss something? Do you think she'd go out with me if I called her? God, she's beautiful." " Yes, Richie, that she is."