Date: Wed, 9 Nov 1994 01:08:28 -0600 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Jennifer Lynn Hedberg Subject: OtGDY Ch3 Only the Good Die Young Ch3 by Gwen Vohs They drove most of the way in silence. At the last stop light, Duncan finally blurted out,"You should have said something." "Why? So I could hear your version of the 'I love you just not in that way' speech? I'd rather eat ground glass. Besides the time was never right; you were always either shacked up with a mortal or screwing Amanda." Trying to conceal his annoyance, he admonished her gently, "There's no need to be vulgar." She laughed."Sorry, I didn't mean to be crude but it's the truth." "Well, you were usually hiding behind the walls of some convent so I wasn't the only one who was unavailable." She looked at him sharply."If I'd been living in a brothel, it wouldn't have made any difference." "Glad to have someone making my decisions for me.." "Are you saying if I'd have called you you would've come?" "If I said yes, would you promise to believe me?" "You've never lied to me yet." "Yes." "Green light." "Beg pardon?" "The traffic light....it's green now." He parked the car and they headed down towards the wharf. The silence grew more and more uncomforatble. "Cold out here tonight, eh, Highlander?" Without a second thought, he offered her his jacket. She slipped it on, and as she stuck her arms through the gigantic sleeves, he had to laugh. Then he noticed that the waist of the jacket was somewhere just above her knees and had to bite his lip to keep from cracking up. "What's so funny?" "Nothing, it's just....the way that jacket fits you is kinda..." his brain rushed furiously to find a neutral word."....charming" Before Eleni could respond, they felt the Pulse of a third immortal. "Natalie??? come on out...she's a friend." Natalie emerged from the shadows, cleaned and fed but still with that same sense of dire purpose in her eyes. "I guess it doesn't really matter anyway...is she here as a witness or something??? "No, Natalie...I'm just here to talk to you...to show you that this isn't your only choice." "To talk me out of it?" "No, not at all. After we've talked if this is still what you want I'll do it myself if Duncan won't." "Alright...I guess it couldn't hurt to listen." Relief was visible on Duncan's face, but he knew Eleni well enough to know that she wasn't bluffing. "Listen to her Natalie....she's been aroung since 708 AD." "That's right. I saw the Turks take Anitolia and Syria, I was even there when Constantinople fell." "You???" "Yes, me...by my luck and my wit I'm still here and while I may not be destined to be the *one*, I'm making the most of the time I have. Are you willing to take that risk? To make the most of the time you've been given?" "But I'm a kid...I'll never be able to vote, or drink legally, or .." She stammered embarrassedly, forcing her eyes *not* to look at Duncan. "Duncan, would you please excuse us a moment??" "Sure, Eleni...I'll be right over there." Duncan hoped his blushing wasn't too obvious ... not that he was a prude, but hearing a preteen pining over the fact it would now be almost impossible for her to loose her virginity set him on edge. "Natalie, first of all you wouldn'tneed to worry about that for at least a few years anyway. Secondly, while mortal men may have a problem with your apparent age, immortal men *won't*, after a certain point. And trust me, a man can learn a thing or two over the centuries." Natalie giggled. "So you really think I'll be okay?" "You'll do fine once you learn the rules and learn to fight...and I can teach you. How would you like to see Athens?" "Athens, Greece????" "I am Greek, Natalina...it's my home, and I know all the holy ground between Jerusalem and Rome quite intimately." "Why are you being so nice to me?" "Because Duncan has asked me to, and because you need a mother right now." "A mother? Does that mean rules?" "Indeed it does. I will expect you to follow my instructions without question until you can handle yourself." "What do I call you?" "You may call me Eleni, Elenina, or Manna" "Manna? is that like Greek for mom?" "Mom or mommy, yes." Natalie beckoned Dunca over. He approached smiling, sensing that the interview had gone well."So what have you ladies been discussing?" "Manna's going to take me to Greece!" Duncan positively beamed at the news. "That's great! You'll love it there." "Give Natalina and me a ride back to the hotel, Duncan?" "Sure!" The trio laughed and kidded all the way to the hotel. After putting Natalie to bed, Duncan and Eleni went down to the hotel bar for a drink. "So it's back to Greece, eh?" "Yes." "When do you leave?" "Well, I have break the lease on my apartment in Chicago...but that shouldn't be a problem. Then I have to get her some decent traveling clothes and id...a week, maybe five days." "That's not very long for old friends to catch up." "You know where I'll be...the postal system in Greece isn't totally decrepit...and we even have phones, if you can imagine that." "Okay, never let it be said I can't take a hint. I'll write and I'll call if you'll do the same. let's not let another fifty years go by." "Absolutely" then she finished her drink and laughed."You know what Highlander?" "What?" "I think it's going to be fun having a child with you." With that, she left the bar and went back up to her room. Duncan made it home around 11:00 that night. Tessa and Ritchie were both dieing to ask where he'd been, but neither did. They trusted him enough to know that if they needed to know, he'd tell them. 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