========================================================================= Date: Wed, 6 Mar 1996 11:33:41 -0500 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Hidden Potential 9/22 Hidden Potential by: Wendy Tillis March, 1996 Standard disclaimers apply Chapter 9 "You're late" Duncan had been waiting for Richie. They had been scheduled for some sword practice at 9:00am. It was now almost 10:00. "Sorry. I got hung up." Richie was very chipper this morning. He took off his coat and dumped his gym bag on a bench. He started to do a few warming up exercises. "Hung up? Look, if you don't want to practice - fine. It's your neck. But I closed the dojo so we could have some privacy and the least you could have done was called." "Come on Mac. I'm here now. I was just over at Maggie's. Time slipped away." Duncan grunted a noncommittal response. " Mac, I tell you. I'm in love. Really in love this time. She is the most wonderful girl I've ever met. I think about her all the time. I know its only been a month but I know it's the real thing."" " Richie! With you it's always 'the real thing' - until the next one comes along." " No, this time is different. She makes me feel. . I can't describe it. I want to spend the next 50 years with her . I want to tell her what I am and . . " Duncan cut in. "Richie - you have got to stop thinking with your pants and start using your brains. You don't really know this girl. It's been - what - four weeks since you started going out? And already you want to tell her *everything*. That's your hormones talking, not your heart." " Mac, I'm serious. This time I'm in love." ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1782 Italy "But Duncan, this time I'm in love." Duncan slowed down and looked back at his young friend . Donal was a few paces behind, trying to straighten his hat, his coat and his stocking simultaneously while also trying to catch up with Duncan. Donal looked 16 but was, in fact, closer to 40. Duncan had met him in a beer hall in Hamburg a few months ago and they had been traveling together since then. " That's what you said last month about Mirabelle. And the month before that with Clara. You can't spent five minutes with a woman without falling in love. I tell you, Donal Beauchamp Wallace, you have to start thinking with your brain not your pecker." "I don't know what you mean! Do you think the Duchess will bring her daughter to the recital? I know that if I can just have a few moments conversation with her, she will be mine. She's so beautiful, so sweet, those eyes. . ." "Donal! Stop it. Think about what happened with Mirabelle. You fell in love with her, convinced her to elope with you, ran off together, and her all of fifteen. Did you stop to find out whether she was really ready to give up everything she knew for *you*? No. You may have ruined her chance for marriage and almost got beheaded by her father - for what? Three nights in a wayside inn? And Clara? You met her at a ball and before the evening was over - you were in love. Did you just forget to ask about a husband? He shot you. If I hadn't been there to drag you away, you would have had to explain why you weren't dead! You have to learn to *think* , man, before you act." Donal finished adjusting his clothing and they began walking down the street again. " But Duncan. I *try*. I do. It's just that when I see a beautiful woman - I can't help myself. I wish I could be calm and reserved like you, but I can't." As they approached the door to the recital hall, Donal began readjusting all of his carefully arranged clothing again. Duncan could only shake his head and sighed under his breath. " I would not be eternally 16 for all the tea in China." " What ? What did you say? How do I look . . . . " ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ " So? what happened to him?" Richie was done warming up and they had moved to the center of the dojo with their swords. They started slowly, getting into the rhythm. " He died about 6 months later. He fell in love with an Immortal's step daughter and lost his head. Literally. He never learned to control his raging hormones - you better. " " So what are you saying." " I'm saying that we are what we are. A man who becomes Immortal at sixty may have a great deal of experience and wisdom to draw on - but he also has a sixty year old's nearsightedness and weakened hearing. He can work out and train and become as good a sixty year old as possible - but some thing's he can't change. Or Kenny - he may have 800 years of experience but he is still *basically* a 10 year old boy. His critical thinking is that of a child. And when it comes to sex - well, he may be mentally frustrated at not being able to have something he sees others having, but he isn't physically frustrated because his body is only 10. You - well, as you used to say - your libido is in meltdown. And it always will be. You'll have to learn to take that into account when you make decisions. Donal never did and he died because of it." " And I suppose you were the perfect age to become Immortal?" The pace of their practice had picked up as the conversation went on. They were being still careful not to hurt one another, but Richie, in particular, was becoming irritated. " No, not perfect. But I did, at least, get to experience at bit more of life than you did before I became Immortal. I was an adult." " So I'm not an adult?" " Richie! That wasn't what I meant. It's just that you can't change the fact that you are always going to be 19 - with all that implies. You're fast, you're strong, you have all your hair - and you have the drawbacks too - one of which is falling in love with every woman who smiles at you." They were fighting harder now. Swords flashing back and forth as they advanced and retreated together, Richie had nicked Duncan in the upper arm, not unusual for a training session. Even after 4 years, Richie's control with his blade was suspect - especially when he got angry. That was why Duncan always closed the dojo when they were practicing - easier than explaining cuts that vanished. What was more unusual was that Duncan had nicked Richie in the leg. Duncan *never* drew blood during training. Breathing hard from both exertion and anger now, Richie hit back: " I don't think this is about my raging hormones at all. I think this is about your raging ego!" "What!" "You heard me. You can't stand the fact that Maggie loves me - not you. Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod always gets the beautiful woman. Not Richie- he's just a kid. But not this time. And it's killing you." With that, Richie lunged unexpectedly at Duncan. Duncan, stunned by Richie's accusation, stepped back, slipped and ended up sitting on the floor, sword behind him. Richie stepped forward and laid his sword at Duncan's throat. They both froze - surprised to find themselves in this position. Duncan looked up at Richie, waiting to see what he intended. Duncan *thought* he could roll out of danger if Richie decided to strike. He would at least try. Duncan couldn't imagine just sitting there waiting for the sword to fall. Richie could feel his heart beating against his chest. Everything was black except for MacLeod's face looking up at him. Richie felt hot and cold at the same time. It would be so easy - there was no one around. Duncan had been riding him for months. Never a break. What did Duncan expect him to do? And no matter what Duncan said, Richie knew that he *did* want Maggie for himself. Richie started to pull back his sword. Duncan looked at him. Just as he started to swing the blade down, Richie had a flash of memory - all the things that Duncan had done for him over the years. He checked his swing at the last moment , throwing himself and the sword away from Duncan with a cry. Duncan got up off the floor. He went into the office and laid his katana on the desk before returning to Richie in the dojo. He didn't trust himself to continue the conversation with a sword in his hand. Richie was leaning against the staircase that lead up to the locker room. He was taking deep breathes, trying to calm down. Duncan came closer but stayed out of sword range - a precaution he had never taken with Richie before. "Richie." No answer. "Richie." "What." I think maybe we ought to each practice with someone else for a while, huh? Let things calm down between us." "Yeah sure, Mac. I'm going." "Richie, we can still be friends. We can work this out." " Can we, Mac? I don't know. I do know that I love this girl and she loves me. I'm going to marry her if she'll have me. You just stay out of my way." With that, Richie walked over, picked up his warm--up jacket and gym bag and left. Duncan, frustrated, banged his head against the wall. "Stupid! Stupid! That was stupid, MacLeod." he said to himself. Richie would never listen to him now. Duncan headed towards the elevator. He wanted a hot shower and a drink. It might only be 11:00 am but he had already had a hard day.