Date: Sun, 19 Mar 1995 21:33:00 +0200 Reply-To: Marina Bailey Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Marina Bailey Organization: CDS OnLine BBS, Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA Subject: Prophecy Fulfilled, 3 of 3 PROPHECY FULFILLED, Part 3 of 3 "Well," said Lynne, coming out of the lab with Kathryn, "that's it. She is." Duncan was very happy suddenly. In a fit of enthusiasm he grabbed Kathryn and hugged her. "That's great! That's..." He trailed off, his eyes narrowing. Kathryn knew that look, had seen it on Richie during their extended motel tour. "There's another Immortal around, isn't there?" "Yeah. Let's get out of here." He grabbed her hand and they ran from the building. The T-bird stood in the parking lot, but so did... "Daniel!" cried Kathryn. Cole's sword was not visible, but Duncan was taking no chances. He gripped the handle of his tightly, and before Cole could say a word, he barked, "You're too late, Cole. She's going to have a child. You've lost." Cole looked as if someone had just missed taking his head. "What?" Duncan stood nose to nose with Cole. "You heard me." Cole slumped. His entire bearing changed. MacLeod, on the other hand, continued. "I know you don't want to kill her, but if you try anything, something could happen. And then you'll never have what you want." Cole's eyes blazed. "All I wanted in life was for part of me to continue. And you three have messed it up for me." "Look, children are mortal people's ticket to immortality," said Duncan. "Immortals already have it. Maybe that's why we can't have children." Cole ignored him. "I'll be back in nine months," he said to Kathryn. "What you can do for MacLeod, or Ryan, I don't care - you can do for me." "Come on," said Duncan to Kathryn, opening the car door. As she got in, Duncan turned to Cole. "I hope I don't have the pleasure of seeing you again." Duncan drove off. Kathryn sighed as relief washed through her. "He meant it. I can tell. He'll be back, but not for a long time." "He might try to kill you. Or the baby." "He won't kill me. He needs me. And he'll never get near my baby." "I hope you're right." Richie, of course, went ballistic when he heard that Cole had been at the lab. "Rich, calm down! She's safe!" "For how long, Mac? We're always going to be looking over our shoulders." Kathryn stepped in between the two of them. "He'll be back in nine months. You two can plan a strategy." Richie stopped short. "Ni-- You're not telling me that - " Duncan smiled. He just couldn't help himself. "That's what she's telling you." "Really? I can't believe it!" Richie's face lit up, and he swung Kathryn around and round. "Uh... Richie, put me down before you end up wearing my lunch." "Sorry." Richie put her down. Then he hugged her. "This is fantastic!" Kathryn looked a little embarrassed, though her embarrassment threshold was pretty high after having people look through microscopes and discuss her reproductive functions. She smiled. "Yeah. It is pretty fantastic, isn't it." "Yeah! What are we gonna do? We'll have to get a decent apartment. My place only has one bedroom! And names! What'll we name the kid? What about school? How will we afford college? What..." Duncan looked at Kathryn, to find she was looking at him with the same expression on her face: amusement. "Richie, shut up!" they both said. Richie shut up, grinning. Kathryn sat in the bar. The Immortals had weighed the danger and realised that as long as she was in a public place with someone they trusted, it was okay. Still stifling, but not as bad as before. Joe had promised the bar would be her safe haven. "I can barely fit behind here any more," she said, smiling. "You look like the cat that got the cream," smiled Joe. "I know. Sometimes I just... I can't believe it. You know? I was never an outgoing person. I was always shy and reserved. I figured I'd remain single and do community work or something. Guys were never interested in me. Then Daniel came, and... he forced me to be more than I was." "And you're happy with Richie?" "Yeah. Oh, yeah. It just... it was meant to be. Really meant to be. The prophecy doesn't say, but I know, inside, that we were supposed to meet and have this baby. Maybe Daniel even had something to do with that." Joe was nodding. "Events conspired to bring you two together." "I love him, Joe. That's all. But I know that Daniel will be back. He'll kill Richie if he has to. I can't let that happen. I'll go with him when the baby's born." "You can't do that. Richie will never allow it." "I'm not going to tell him. I have to do this, or Richie and my baby will never be safe." "You think you'll be safe once you give Cole what he wants?" "Daniel loves me, Joe. He wants a child, so maybe he's projected those feelings, but he does care." "I think you're making a mistake." "I have no other choice." It was not much longer before Kathryn woke Richie in the middle of the night. "Richie! Time to go to the hospital!" Richie opened one eye. "What, now?" "Now!" "Oh! Ah... what do we need? Keys! Wait, I have to phone Duncan, ah..." Kathryn already had the phone in her hand. "Duncan? I'm having the baby and Richie's having an anxiety attack." "I'll come and pick you up. I wouldn't miss this for the world." When she put down the phone, Kathryn approached Richie. "Richie, I hate to tell you this, but your pants are inside-out." "What? Ah, no." "I called Duncan. He's coming over." "Duncan's coming? Good. That's good. Have to change pants. Okay, where are my jeans..." As Richie rummaged around, Kathryn merely smiled. The doctor stared at the two Immortals at the door. "Only the father is allowed in here," he said. Richie and Duncan looked at each other. "Uh...We're... you see, we..." began Richie, attempting to explain in some inadequate way. He knew that he wasn't about to leave Duncan standing outside. There was no way that he was going to deny his best friend - the person who had saved his life more than once - the opportunity to see this for himself. The doctor assumed the wrong thing, of course, and didn't look too impressed. "You people. All right, you can come, but you'll have to wear gowns and masks." "Thank you." In they went, to find the nurse administering an injection. "What's wrong?" asked Richie. The doctor didn't look too concerned. "Nothing, really. The pain seems extreme. We just gave her an epidural. She'll be fine." "Kath?" "Richie... whatever happens, look after the baby." Richie stared at the doctor. Duncan didn't look impressed either. The doctor was used to it. "She's scared. But she'll be fine, really." Kathryn had been walking around for hours before waking Richie; thus the procedure at the hospital did not take as long as it might have. And at the end... "It's a girl!" said the doctor, holding up the baby. Kathryn started crying. Richie's eyes were straining, so wide open were they. Duncan had tears in his eyes too, as the baby was handed to Kathryn. He wasn't sure why - happiness, mainly. "Oh, she's beautiful," said Kathryn, looking from the baby to Richie and back. "Is she okay?" She started counting fingers and toes. "She's perfect," said the doctor. And she was. Richie had a very hard time being a father, because he could never get Duncan away from the baby. While Richie did a little work at the dojo, Kathryn would take the baby to the loft - at least they were safe there. But she could hardly get near the baby either. Duncan was always bathing her, talking to her in gentle tones, and generally behaving as if it was his baby. Kathryn often had to just about yank her daughter away from him. "There we are, Amy," Duncan would say. "All nice and clean and powdered." "It's time for her feed, Duncan." "Oh." "So give her here before I have to hurt you." The conversations were often like that, but Kathryn - and Richie - often didn't know what they'd do without Duncan. He knew a heck of a lot about babies! "Richie..." Kathryn said, rocking the baby while paging through papers with the other. "Yeah?" "Do you know that tomorrow it will be a year since we've known each other?" "Really? No kidding. Cool! We should celebrate. Have we ever been out to a like, really fancy place?" "No." "Well, then, let's go." "What about Amy?" "The babysitter from Scotland will be happy to oblige, I'm sure." "What babysitter from Scotland?" asked Duncan. "You, Mac." Duncan sneered. "Don't you mean babysitter from hell? You're always complaining that I'm stealing your child." "Well, we didn't want to say that..." mused Kathryn, laughing. "Yeah, Mac, it might give you the idea we don't appreciate you or something." "Hm. So, where will you two be going to celebrate?" "How 'bout this restaurant down there near the pier? I hear the food's terrific." But Kathryn was quiet all through the dinner, which was very expensive, and extremely delicious. Something kept telling her that this time of ecstasy would soon be over. "What's wrong?" Richie asked, for about the third time. "Huh? Oh... He's coming back, Richie. I can... I can *feel* it. Inside. I'll have to go with him this time. I didn't want to tell you that, but... It's the only way to avoid you two fighting, and to keep my child safe. Because if he kills you he'll take me anyway, and what about Amy?" "I won't lose," said Richie. "I can't take that chance, don't you see? Amy needs us. Or you, if he takes me. But if you die she loses us both." "Duncan would look after her." Richie knew it wasn't the right thing to say. "Duncan is not her parent! We are! I'm not sorry we had her, but I'll have to do this, for her. And you. Because you two are the people I love most in the world." Richie grabbed her wrist across the table. "I won't let you do this. I'll challenge him first. He's not going to take you away from me!" "And he's not going to take you away from your child!" Kathryn yelled, pulling her wrist from his grasp and rushing outside. People were starting to stare. Richie followed, feeling... He stopped, grabbed the handle of his sword. Too late. Cole was here. The buzz was getting stronger. "Kath!" he called. "Leave me alone, Richie. You know it's the truth." And then Cole stepped out from behind a van. "This is the last time, Ryan. When I kill you, she'll be mine. And I'll get what I want." "Fine." Richie held up his sword, in the parking lot, not caring who might see. Luckily there was no one around just at that moment. "No!" Kathryn ran and stood between them. "Daniel, I'll go with you. Just leave Richie alive, please." "Ah. Perfect solution." Richie stepped up behind Kathryn and pulled her aside. "You're not going with him." He stepped out again, facing Cole. "Let's do it." Kathryn watched helplessly as the battle ensued. At times it seemed that Cole had the upper hand, and at times Richie. Richie was using every sword trick Duncan had taught him, and it seemed to be working. He drove Cole back, put him on the defensive with each successive sword thrust. Kathryn couldn't help herself as she moved forward to keep within sight of the duel. Richie was going to win, she saw it now. And everything would be all right. But Cole saw it too. Richie would win eventually. And he, Daniel Cole, would lose everything. Not just his life, but his only real chance at immortality. And the woman he loved. For he did love her, even if his reasons were wrong. Maybe Richie would win the battle, but he'd lose in the end. Because Daniel Cole was going to take Kathryn Warner with him. If this was the only way they could be together - in death - then let it be so. In a desperate last-minute maneuver, Cole dropped to the ground, rolled out of the way, and stood up next to Kathryn. He grabbed her around the waist. "I'm not dying alone," he said, pulling her backwards with him towards the railing, which overlooked the sea. "No!" Richie was there, sword held high, but there was nothing he could do. "Let her go!" "I might lose, but she's coming with me!" And, still holding the woman Richie loved, Cole jumped over the railing. "Noooo!" Richie rushed forward, to see a last splash as they went into the sea. "Kathryn!" Richie kept his eye on the spot where they'd disappeared as he made his way along the railing to the steps that led down to the area underneath the pier. He couldn't lose hope, but inside, he knew. It was over. At the bottom, Cole was struggling out of the sea, his sword gone. Richie caught a glimpse of a broken body in the water, a little further up. "Rocks," said Cole. "If I couldn't have her, you can't either." Richie raised his sword. "Goodbye." "I'm unarmed." Cole stood there. "It isn't right to kill an unarmed Immortal." "Gee, really," said Richie, and swung, severing Cole's head with a very satisfying slice. Cole's body toppled over, and Richie was still scrambling over rocks to get to Kathryn, when the Quickening overtook him. Every bit of energy that penetrated his body held a yearning for true immortality... a child. And a perverted type of love for the woman who could provide it. Richie screamed, and he didn't know if it was from the infusion of this man's lifetime obsession, or because he knew that Kathryn was dead. Both, maybe, because in Cole's Quickening Richie found the knowledge that she was. That in this one way, Cole had beaten him. The Quickening subsided. Richie collapsed on the rocks for about two seconds. "Kathryn!" Then he scrambled over them again, and picked her up out of the sea. "Kathryn." She was indeed dead. Richie held her to him, crying. "Noooo!" he yelled into the night air. But the night had no sympathy. Richie and Duncan stood in the cemetery, Richie holding the tiny baby. "What am I going to do, Mac? How can I look after a baby all by myself?" For once Duncan had no easy answers. "I'll help you," he said. He knew it wasn't enough. They were Immortals. The Gathering was here. Even together, they could not look after and protect Amy. Richie turned and looked up at Duncan. "I should have left Kathryn alone. At least she'd be alive now." "It's done. It was the legend, and the legend was fulfilled." They turned to leave, when they felt the sensation of another Immortal nearby. They were safe on holy ground, but... Then they looked over and saw who it was. Richie didn't know because he had never met this man, but Duncan did. "Marcus." "MacLeod." Richie was quite surprised. "You're Marcus Constantine? The Roman guy?" "Yes." He looked at Amy. "Is this the baby?" "Yeah." "Can I hold her?" "Sure." Richie carefully handed the child to him. "She's beautiful," Marcus said to the other two. "So was her mother," Richie replied. "Definitely." Duncan had been wanting to ask Constantine something for ages but had never gotten round to it. If he had, maybe Kathryn would still be alive. "Marcus, is that legend over now? There isn't anything else you've neglected to tell us, is there?" "No. But..." He hesitated, passing the baby back to her father. "The legend implied... that for the 'immortal seed' to be preserved, the woman in the legend would die." Duncan took a deep breath. "What if she hadn't had an Immortal's baby? What then?" "MacLeod, you and I both know it doesn't work like that. She *had* to. The implication was that only one child would be born. And the only way to ensure that..." Constantine trailed off. "Was for her to die," Duncan finished. "Why didn't you tell us?" "Because I didn't believe the legend then, and even when you told me, I felt... I hoped that with you two around, she'd be safe." Duncan could understand Marcus' reasoning. He knew what it was like to try and cheat fate. Fate always won: "MacLeod, you will have hundreds of women, but you will marry none! You will always be alone, do you hear me? Alone!!" He had tried to cheat fate with Tessa, and fate had taken her away. But he knew he'd keep on trying. Always. "What about the baby, Marcus? Why did there have to be a baby?" "I don't know, MacLeod. Her birth during the Gathering must be significant. Maybe... she'll grow up to have something to do with the one who wins the Prize. Maybe her father is the predestined winner. Maybe she'll marry the winner, bear children. All we can do is wait." Richie had simply stood there holding Amy, not saying a word. Now he looked at Duncan and Marcus with an intense, cold fury in his eyes. "She'll never have a normal life. Not with me. While Kathryn was alive, we could dream. Kathryn brought normality to Amy's life. Now that normality is gone." "No!" Duncan said suddenly. He knew what Richie was going to do. "You can't give her up! She's part of you! You'll be doing to your child what your parents did to you. Kathryn didn't want that. She died to keep you together." Richie's heart broke as he looked down at his daughter. "Mac, you and I both know that we have no other choice. And when the Gathering draws to an end, maybe we'll find out why she was born. Maybe not. But we both know I can't keep her." Inside himself, Duncan knew that Richie was right. He nodded, unable to speak. "I'm sorry," said Marcus. Then he turned around and walked to the grave, to pay his respects to a woman who had bravely played her part in the saga of the Immortals. Duncan looked at Richie. "Let me arrange it. I know some people. You can still check on her while she grows up, she won't be lost to you." Richie nodded. "Mac... will she be human? Mortal?" "I hope so." In truth, no one knew. The couple were your typical suburban types. Duncan had said they were 'occasional friends' - meaning he probably saw them once every five years. The woman held Amy in her arms tenderly. Richie hurt so much he could barely speak, but the woman was asking him something. "Would you like us to keep the name you gave her? Amy?" Richie nodded. "Please... just look after her." "We'll love her with all our hearts, I promise." The man reiterated: "You can visit any time you like." "Thank you." "What if she asks who her parents were?" Richie hadn't really given that much thought. "Can't you pretend that you're her parents?" "That won't work, Richie," Duncan chipped in. "The children always find out." They both also knew - could *feel*, somehow, that Marcus was right - Amy would have something to do with the Gathering. What, they didn't know. But something. And if that was the case, knowing where she came from would not be a bad idea. "You can tell her," he said to the couple. And if she came looking for him, he'd tell her. Everything. "Richie, don't you think you've had enough?" asked Joe. "When I pass out, you'll know." "This isn't going to help matters, you know." "I'll be fine tomorrow. Just let me feel sorry for myself tonight, all right?" "All right." Joe went in the back and called Duncan. Duncan dumped Richie on the couch in the loft, and for a while he just stood there, looking at him. Images and memories came to mind: "It's over. I'll pay for the window." "Did you bring the bail?" - "This is France, Richie." "No one's ever beheaded themselves before, but you might make history." "Mac, are we ever going to have to face each other?" "She was a part of our lives, Richie. Never pretend she wasn't." "Just because a relationship changes, Richie, doesn't mean it ends." "You did the right thing." - "Did I?" - "Yeah. They're alive." As much as Duncan wanted a child of his own, he wasn't sure he could have handled what Richie had gone through. Not again. But he would have had to, wouldn't he? He knew the pain his friend had gone through, and would still go through, for years - maybe centuries - to come. All he could do was be there, and hope it helped. THE END Copyright Marina Bailey, March 1995. All rights reserved. Comments to: tmar@cds.Alt.ZA. - Marina. \\ "I don't care about their different thoughts; ||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> // // different thoughts are good for me." || R I C H I E >> \\ \\ - Tanita Tikaram; Twist in my Sobriety ||>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> // //======tmar@cds.Alt.ZA=======Marina Bailey======|| \\ \\=============Chief Flag Waver and Defender of Richie==============// ... "Apology accepted, Captain Needa." --- Blue Wave/RA v2.12 [NR] =========================================================================