========================================================================= Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 10:56:32 -0400 Reply-To: JJSWBT@AOL.COM Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Wendy Tillis Subject: Isabel 02/13 Isabel By: Wendy Tillis jjswbt@aol.com Copyright April 1996 Part Two ================ Saturday morning, Duncan was up early to go to the new Youth Center. He was interested in talking to Sister Gabriel again - and he looked forward to some hard physical labor, too. He hadn't gotten involved in a project like this since he rebuilt the house he had given Anne. He almost never saw her now. They had found it easier as time went on to stay out of each others lives. He missed Mary but Anne knew he was here if she ever needed him and there would be time to know Mary later. The building on Montgomery Street had been one of the first large supermarkets opened in Seattle years ago by the Kohl brothers. It had survived until the recessionary Eighties when bad management by the last remaining brother had driven it into bankruptcy. The building had been empty for almost 10 years. Surprisingly, the large plate glass windows had survived - a tribute to the general lack of vandalism in town, Duncan supposed. Duncan opened the door and stepped in. It had been a large store with high ceilings, The cash register islands had been removed years ago, leaving large scars in the tile flooring. There were few internal walls -a small manager's office directly to the right of the front doors, the storage space in the back, and the bathrooms. Toward the back of the space, a group of teenagers was busily ripping up floor tiles. Father Matthew, in a St. Thomas sweatshirt, was bent over a large worktable in the middle of the store, poring over what appeared to be blueprints. A group of men and a few women were tearing loose bits of plaster off the walls and pulling damaged ceiling tiles down. He couldn't see Sister Gabriel. Moving from the doorway, he sensed an Immortal and walked toward the back of the store to find Sister Gabriel. Still unable to see her, despite 'feeling" her , he tried the doors to the bathrooms at the back right-hand corner of the store. Just as he stepped through the doors into the Men's room, he heard a muffled voice "Damn it!!" This was followed by the clang of metal against metal. Duncan pushed the door open to find Sister Gabriel lying on her back under one of the sinks. In a black Nirvana T-shirt and jeans she looked less like a nun than ever. She was holding a large monkey wrench which she had obviously just banged against the offending pipe. " Just take my head! Anything to avoid working on these pipes any more! I hate plumbing. And to think I once thought modern plumbing was the greatest invention of mankind." She looked up at him with a wry smile. "How about I take a look, Sister?" "Excellent. Be my guest." Sister Gabriel slide out from under the sink and stood up. Handing him the wrench, she said: "Have fun. This place was used by homeless people for the last few years - who knows what they shoved down the pipes." "Great. Just what I wanted to hear." Duncan got down under the sink and began to work on unfastening the catch-trap there. After a few minutes, he too resorted to smashing the pipes with the wrench. " OK. That's enough! I guess we'll have to get a plumber after all. Thanks for trying, Duncan." Duncan got up off the dirty floor and smiled. " I don't know. That was kind of fun. What else can I do?" "Right this way." Sister Gabriel lead the way back into the main part of the store. They found Father Matthew. "Duncan! You did come. Great. What would you like to help with?" "Whatever needs doing, Father. You're the Boss." "I like the sound of that!" Father Matthew smiled. "OK. Why don't you help the boys rip up the floor. Sister, could you help Mr. Martin tear the wallpaper off the manager's office?" Duncan headed one way and the Sister went the other. The work continued steadily until lunch-time when the ladies from the Church arrived with coffee and sandwiches for everyone. Duncan picked up a sandwich and looked around for Sister Gabriel. She was somewhat apart from everyone else, sitting on the floor with her back to the wall. Duncan walked over to her. " Mind if I join you?" "No. I was hoping you would. We didn't get much of a chance to talk." "So, you're a big Nirvana fan?" He nodded toward her T-shirt. "Sure, I like nihilistic, self-absorbed boys who commit suicide when things get tough." Duncan was somewhat taken aback by her vehemence and looked at her questioningly. "Sorry. It's just that their lives are so short under the best of circumstances that suicide always strikes me as criminal. " "Not as sinful?" Duncan asked. " No - I guess not. I was born to a culture that didn't believe in "sin". I understand the concept - I just don't apply it well." She smiled. "Funny thing for a nun to say." "I haven't always been a nun." " You said you had been one since the War 'this time". So, this isn't the first time?" "No, I think this is the fourth. No wait - fifth- if you count the time I had to take the Vow in order to stay in a convent during a particularly nasty winter in Germany. Yes - five times in the last 850 years. " "You must enjoy it." "Enjoy it? No, I wouldn't put it that way. It serves a purpose - or purposes. It's not the worst lifestyle and it has some advantages." "Oh? I'm curious. If you don't really enjoy it and you don't seen to believe in it - what purpose does it serve? Or is it just a way to keep your head? An excuse to stay on holy ground most on the time?" " The nunnery gives one a lot of time to think. Most of the day is filled with activities that leave the mind free. Prayer time can be used to think about whatever you want. Scrubbing floors keeps the hands busy and the mind untroubled . It is peaceful. And it lets me develop - odd as it may seem - friendships what I wouldn't be able to otherwise." "I thought friendships between Sisters were frowned on." "They used to be - things are different now. Though, of course, even when they were forbidden, one formed them anyway. However - I meant friendships with other Immortals. You know how hard it is to make friends. Men have it a little easier - they seem to make friends - or buddies- more easily that women. When two female Immortals meet - they almost always fight. When a male and a female Immortal meet - they either fight or they end up in bed. You've heard of the human 'flight or fight' response? I think Immortals have a 'fight or fu well, you take my meaning. As a nun, I have the luxury of getting to know the Immortals I meet without having to face either of those responses." " I hadn't considered that. Interesting." They sat for a few minutes finishing their lunch. She stood up and stretched as Duncan gathered the wrapping from their sandwiches to throw out. " I must be out of shape." She laughed. "I didn't used to stiffen up so fast in the bad old days." " And just how long ago *were* the bad old days?" "A long time ago - I was born in 97 BC. Oh! I didn't think of it - I turned 2000 this year. Darn. I always planned on having a big party if I made it that long. And I totally forgot. Well, maybe for 3000, eh?" Duncan was about to make a comment about her not looking a day over 1500 when Father Matthew called out to get everyone started working again. Duncan tossed the garbage into a 55 gallon drum standing nearby and went back to the group pulling up the old flooring. Isabel picked up a wrench from a near by table and headed back toward the bathroom with a very determined look on her face. The Church group kept working until it was almost 5:00pm. One by one, and then in groups, the helpers went home. Finally it was just the priest, Sister Gabriel and Duncan. "Time to close up." Father Matthew declared. Duncan looked around. They had made a good start. It was going to take a lot of work but if Father Matthew could keep the parish involved, they would have a nice Center here. The three went out onto the street and Father Matthew locked the door. "Thank you for coming Duncan. Sister, I'll see you in the morning. Good night." "Good-night Father." "Good night." "Would you care to walk me home, Duncan?" "Of course." It was dark and cold and he didn't like the idea of her being out alone. These streets weren't holy ground and she didn't look like a nun now. Not that he believed that a habit would protect her from a really ruthless killer. They turned to walk up the street. As they passed the last of the large store windows they came to a heavy door in the building's wall. There was an old intercom visible and a small button below it. "We're here." She smiled at her joke. She took a key from her pocket and opened the door. Behind it, stairs climbed up to the second floor of the store building. There appeared to be just one door at the head of the stairs. "Here? You live above the shop, so to speak?" "Yes. There is an apartment up there. Two bedrooms. Needs some work - the windows are painted shut, the garbage disposal doesn't work, the stove only has one burner - but its better than a lot of places I've lived." "Are you safe here?" He paused. "I mean two women living alone in this neighborhood? And what if someone comes after you . ." "We're fine. This door has a strong lock and once the Center opens, they'll be more people around. The area will get better, yes? I'm not afraid and Sister Michael thinks it's a great adventure. She spent the last four years living in the Chapter House in San Diego. This is a welcome change for her, I think." "If you say so. I better be going. It was nice talking to you." "It was nice talking to you too. Come back. The Center still needs a lot of work. " "I'll be back, I promise." ========= A few days later, Sister Gabriel was finishing up the breakfast dishes and Sister Michael was getting dressed when the outside intercom buzzed. At the same time, Sister Gabriel felt an Immortal's presence. She checked her watch- 7:00am . Pushing the intercom button, Sister Gabriel answered: "Yes?" "It's Duncan MacLeod." "Mr. MacLeod." She glanced at Sister Michael who had come out of her bedroom at the sound of the intercom. " I'll be right down." Sister Gabriel left the apartment and walked down the stairs. She opened the outside door to find Duncan standing there in old work clothes, a large toolbox in his hands. "What's this?" "Hang on." Duncan smiled. "I have some more in the car." With that he put the toolbox down and went back to the T-Bird which was parked at the curb. He opened the trunk and lifted out a large, apparently heavy, cardboard box. Carrying it in both arms, Duncan came back to Sister Gabriel. "May I come in?" "Sure. Of course. Right up the stairs." Sister Gabriel picked up the toolbox and, staggering slightly under its weight, followed Duncan up the stairs. Sister Michael was looking at Duncan with some concern as he stood in the living room, box in arms. Sister Gabriel was curious too. "What is all this?" "You said the other day that the apartment needed some work. So - I thought I'd volunteer to help out. I know most of the effort is being directed downstairs at the Youth Center - but I didn't think you two should be living in substandard conditions - vow of poverty or not." He smiled. "So I picked up a new garbage disposal, some new burner units, that sort of thing..." Sister Michael looked uncomfortable and Duncan noticed her concern. " I spoke with Father Matthew - he said it was all right." At that, Sister Michael's worried frown became a smile and she turned and went back into her bedroom. She left the door open. Duncan realized that she hadn't spoken two words to him since they had been introduced last week. " You'll have to excuse Sister Michael" Sister Gabriel said. "She entered the Order very young and still isn't very comfortable around men. Here - let's take these things into the kitchen." She picked up the toolbox again and lead the way. Duncan looked around the apartment as they went. The building was about 50 years old, build right after the War. The apartment was large but it needed work. The paint was old and dirty - though the walls showed signs that someone - the Sisters no doubt - had recently tried to scrub them. The bare wooden floors were scarred from years of traffic and little care. The living room furniture was obviously second-hand - probably donated by someone in the parish. There was a water mark on the ceiling of the hallway - there must have been a leak in the roof at some time. The kitchen was no better. The sheet linoleum flooring was split and stained. A Formica-topped metal table with four metal chairs sat in the middle of the room. The stove was probably 30 years old, the refrigerator at least 20. Metal cabinets that had been painted a hideous shade of avocado sometime in the past. The place was clean - the nuns saw to that - but it was old and no amount of cleaning could change that. Duncan sat the box on the table and began pulling out parts. Sister Gabriel put the toolbox on the floor near the sink and stepped back. " Mind if I watch? I could help - hand you the right tools? I can't say I'm mechanically inclined but I do know a wrench from a screwdriver." "Sure, I'd like that." Gabriel sat at the table, in clear sight of Sister Michael who was now in the living room- reading her Bible. Keeping her voice low, Sister Gabriel remarked: "We can talk, so long as we keep our voices down. Once she starts to read, she tunes everything else out." "Fine." Duncan opened the door beneath the sink and began to remove the old garbage disposal. "You said the other day - you mentioned your 2000th birthday. Where are you from originally - I can hear an accent but I can't place it." "An accent? I never think of it. I guess I do. After all these years, living so many places, I'm surprised you can hear it. Your own accent is very faint most of the time. I was born outside of Rome in 97BC - give or take a few years. They keep changing the calendar on me." "Rome? Hmmm . What was it like then?" " I don't remember much. No - that's not true. It's just hard to describe. It was just *home* then - nothing special. It was a lot like living near any big city. Rome was the center of the world - but our everyday life was just . . well, everyday life. We lived about a day's ride outside of Rome. My Father had been a military man. My Mother's family had minor political connections. I was happy. When I was 15, I was married to a man my father knew and liked. He as older than I , of course. His family made tiles - the small colored ones for mosaics - you know. He loved me. I grew to love him. He regretted we never had children but he wasn't difficult about it. We were happy. . ." "What happened?" " What always happens to our kind. I was about 25. We were riding into Rome from our villa. We were beset by ruffians- I suppose they were part of the Rebellion but I don't know. My husband refused to hand over the cart pony. They killed him - was an accident. They hit him and he fell and hit his head on a rock. Then they killed me to keep me quiet. I woke up a while later and walked into Rome. I stayed with friends for a few months - unaware of what had happened - until I was spotted by another Immortal. He explained what I was. I stayed with him a few years - learned the rules, learned to fight - and then we went our separate ways. The rest, as they say, is history." "I'm sorry." "Sorry? For what? You didn't kill my husband or me. And, truthfully, what is there to be sorry about? I died when I was still young and pretty- still strong enough to carry a sword and use it effectively. And . . I've lived 2000 years longer than I would have if I'd been mortal. I don't regret it. . I wouldn't trade my Immortality for anything in the world." Duncan was silent. He had often wished to be mortal. Most Immortals did. "You don't find the years . . . . wearing? The constant change, the lost friends and loved ones. . ?" "Wearing? Yes, of course, sometimes. Some aspects of living forever are bad - the losses, the mistakes that follow you for hundreds of years. But the . . . alternative? A few short years and then death? No - not for me. If we have a greater share of loss - we also have a greater share of love, of experience, of . . life." Duncan had the old disposal out now and was working on installing the new one. He thought about her words, Segur had said almost the same thing to him 250 years ago. So had others. He wondered when he was going to start believing it. He decided to change the subject to something lighter. "So, Sister. How do you like Seattle? Father Matthew is a good man." "Father Matthew? He is very nice. He warned me about you, you know. "What!" "He saw us talking together on Saturday. He said you were a good man but that trouble seemed to follow you around. He suggested caution." She smiled. " As for Seattle - I like it. I've never been here before, I really haven't sent much time in America. Maybe when I leave the Order, I'll spend some time looking around the New World." " Do you plan on leaving soon? If you've been in 50 years now - how do you get away with it? Someone must have noticed you don't look 70. " "Thank you for the compliment. It is tricky, I admit. It was easier when we wore habits all the time - they cover a multitude of sins, so to speak. Actually, this isn't the Order I joined in 1945. I was in another - a Missionary Order. I got sent to Kenya - ran into the Mau Mau Uprising. Had a spot of trouble with an Immortal and had to leave quickly. I managed to change Orders and play with the paperwork a bit - changed some dates." " Still - that was 1956?" "Yes. I've only managed this long because a dear friend, who knows my secret, joined the Order a few years before myself and has worked her way up to a position where she can cover for me. She moves me from Chapter House to Chapter House and fixes the paperwork. Still - I can't do it forever. And I wouldn't want to. Being a nun is nice but I don't see it as a long term position - not for any Immortal. We can't hide forever - the Game has a way of finding us. But enough about me, what about you. What's your story?" Duncan was thinking about what she'd said. About the Orders not being the place for any Immortal. He thought of Darius. The Game had found him, eventually , in the form of Horton's Hunters. He was silent a while before he realized she was waiting for him to answer. " Me? I was born in Highlands of Scotland in 1592. Son of a clan chief. I should have been chief after him. But, in 1622, I was killed in a battle. When I rose from the dead . . . well. . . let's just say that my Clan asked me to leave. I wandered a bit, was found by a kinsman who was also Immortal. After I had learned all he could teach me, I left. Wandered the world, all the way to China and back. I was a soldier, mostly . Eventually someone convinced me that it wasn't right for me to pick sides in mortal wars. After that, I traveled more, tried to see the world, learn what I could. Lately I've split my time between here and Paris. I like this area , I don't know why - maybe it reminds me of home." " The constant cold damp weather seems familiar, huh?' She laughed. "Maybe." Duncan laughed in return. They both turned toward the open door but Sister Michael didn't seem to have noticed the outburst. Duncan finished with the garbage disposal and went to work on the stove. Replacing the whole thing would be easier than fixing this relic but Duncan took up the challenge. After he had banged about for a while, they began to talk again. "2000 years. That's interesting. I think I've known more 2000 year old Immortals than 200 year old ones." Duncan ran down the list in his head - Darius, Ceirdwyn, Constantine, Nefertiri, Grayson and now Isabel. And of course Methos who was much older than 2000. "If you think about it" she said "it makes sense. First, the young ones always die in greater numbers than the old ones. The baby turtle phenomena - most don't last a year on their own but if they do - they stand a good chance of living a long time. Plus - I think that era -2000 years ago - was a good training ground for Immortals. High civilization coupled with incredible barbarism. We who grew up then - we can move through today's civilized world with ease - but we aren't put off by the need to chop off the occasional head. Some of the new ones - they seem to have trouble with the killing part of Immortality." "Speaking of young Immortals. . I have a friend. . . an ex-student. . . . he'll be in town soon. Named Richard . . Richie . . Ryan. I'll bring him around to meet you when he gets into town - in a few weeks maybe. He's a good kid. . . very young though. I'll introduce you two so there isn't any chance of an accident or mistake. Sometimes he leaps before he looks." "Don't they all?" She said kindly. "Yes, I guess we all did when we were young. Anyway - his heart is in the right place and I want his head to stay put too. You'll like him. Maybe he'll even help out . . . . he was raised on these streets. He could have used a place like the Youth Center." "I'll look forward to meeting him." Just then Sister Michael appeared in the kitchen doorway to see what was happening. "Sister Gabriel . . it's time we were going. Father Matthew is expecting us." " Yes, of course, Sister. Thank you for reminding me." Duncan was up to his elbows in the stove's inner workings. "Mr. MacLeod? We have to leave. You're welcome to stay if you like? Just lock up when you go.." "Thank you, Sister, I might as well finish this - or you won't have anything to cook on tonight. It should only take an hour or so." "Fine, thank you again - we appreciate your help." Sisters Gabriel and Michael left the kitchen. Duncan heard then puttering about the apartment as they prepared to leave. Sister Michael seemed reluctant to leave Duncan alone in the apartment but Sister Gabriel shushed her. They gathered coats and books and headed for the door. Duncan went back work. He wondered if he could sneak a new stove in without anyone noticing. No, better not. He settled down to make this one work if it took him all day. ================= End Part 2