Amanda went into the bedroom, not quite sure what to expect, when she opened the door, she saw the bedroom was lit by long red taper scented candles, she also noticed the regular white sheets on the bed had been replaced by red satin sheets, with a few heart shaped pillows thrown on top as well. She went over to her dresser and saw a bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice on a tray with 2 wine glasses, next to the tray were a few bottles of massage oils. While she waited for Duncan to show up, she plopped down on the bed and found a set of handcuffs at every corner near the bedposts.

"Candles, oils, wine, handcuffs, satin sheets, the only thing missing is mirrors on the ceiling," Amanda noticed as she looked up.

The bathroom door swung open and Duncan came out wearing a towel wrapped tightly around his waist, "why do it all at once? I'm saving that for when we renew our vows in five years," he said.

"How long have you been waiting around?" Amanda asked.

"Long enough," Duncan said as he grabbed the side of his towel.

*************************************************************************************************

20 minutes later, Methos passed by Duncan and Amanda's room from the hallway and heard loud screams and screeches and moans, so he knocked on the door and said, "hey you two, knock it off! I realize this is your honeymoon, but the kids are trying to sleep!"

Methos rolled up his sleeve and checked the time, 9 o' clock, Richie came out of the bedroom and Methos went in to see Amber, who seemed to be awake at the minute.

"What are you doing here?" Amber asked.

"Richie's worried about you," Methos replied, "are you feeling allright?"

"Fine, I'm fine, I'm okay, don't worry about me," Amber said as she turned over.

"That's what I told him, but he insists there's something wrong with you," Methos said.

"There is...I'm living here, isn't that enough to worry about? Now get out of here and leave me alone!" Amber said.

Methos saw no problem with Amber other than she seemed tired and short-tempered, he shut off the lights and left the room.

"Well, what's wrong with her?" Richie asked.

"I'd say there's nothing wrong with her other than she's tired...I say just let her rest," Methos said.

"Methos, are you serious? I mean sure she's tired and she's liable to snap your neck if you get her mad, but that's usually what she does on a regular basis," Richie said, "I think there's something seriously wrong with her, maybe beyond a physical problem."

"I think YOU'RE beyond a physical problem, good evening," Methos said as he went into his room and slammed the door in Richie's face.

Methos put his ear to the door and listened as Richie walked over to the stairs and went down to the living room.

"Poor kid...I like him, but when he starts thinking his friend's gone mental around here...well...he's not quite playing with a whole set of pinballs if I do say so myself," Methos said.

Over in Richie and Amber's room, Amber threw the sheets off, sat up, looked around, got up, threw on her jacket, opened the window and started to climb out.

*************************************************************************************************

"Methos...Methos...Methos wake up!"

Methos shot up in bed drawing in a winded breath and screaming when he saw Duncan.

"What's the matter?" Duncan asked.

"I just had the worst nightmare imaginable," Methos said, "I dreamt I lost my head and wound up in Heaven."

"What's so bad about that? If anything, it'd be a miracle," Duncan told him.

"It'd be a miracle if I was alone...the nightmare was who was there with me...YOU were there too! I was stuck with you for an eternity! Now if that isn't a nightmare, I don't know what is!" Methos said.

Duncan rolled his eyes and managed to set a serious look on his face, and Methos was vexed by it.

"What?" Methos asked.

"Turn around, and take a look," Duncan told him.

Methos slowly turned around and jumped when he saw Amber's body in the bed next to him. He could only sense Duncan in the room, so he knew she was currently dead.

"What the-how-" was all he managed to say.

"Take a look," Duncan said.

Methos pulled down the sheets and saw that Amber's arms had been deeply cut into, there was dried blood on her arms, her clothes, and the side of the bed she had been in.

"My God," he finally managed to say, "what happened to her?"

"Went out...got into a fight last night...someone cut her up, and apparently she came back here and wanted to be with you when she died," Duncan said.

"What time was it...when she got back?" Methos asked.

"About 2 o' clock," Duncan said.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Methos asked.

"Because I just found out about the fight from the officer half an hour ago," Duncan told him.

"What time is it?" Methos asked.

"3:15," Duncan said.

"Oh my God...I don't believe this," Methos said.

"Quite frankly, neither can I," Duncan said.

Now Methos felt about as helpless as ever, didn't know what to do, he couldn't believe Amber would come back in a bloody mess like that and not even tell anyone...now he knew Richie was right, there was something wrong with her, and he had to find out before she lost her head the next go around.

"Methos," Duncan said.

"Duncan, please leave...I need to be here when she revives, I need to find out what's wrong with her so I can help her," Methos told him.

Duncan did as Methos asked and left the room, Methos looked at Amber's arms to see how far into they'd been cut so he could estimate about how long it'd take for her to revive.

He guessed it would be an hour at most, that would give him some time to think, he didn't know how this could've happened. And to make matters worse, he didn't know how to help Amber. The first thing he had to do was get to the root of the problem so he could help her.

*************************************************************************************************

Amber woke up gasping for air, Methos turned around as soon as the Immortal presence hit him, now was the time to bite the bullet.

"Amber, what happened?" he asked.

"When?"

"Around the time you got hacked up and came back here to bleed to death," Methos said.

"Oh...I went out for a while, got into a fight with a couple of gang members...one of them took out his switchblade and the rest is history."

"Why didn't you tell anyone what happened?" Methos asked.

"Methos, I've been sick for almost a week, do you really think if I told them I was going out they would've let me?" Amber asked.

"I don't mean that...when you came back, why didn't you tell anyone what had happened to you?" Methos asked.

"I don't believe this! You're sounding like a parent and a dumb one at that...I'm 16, I'm sick, I'm stubborn, I'm bleeding to death, I ain't gonna tell anyone, I'd rather take my chances with the Grim Reaper than with one of you lecturing me for six hours about the consequences suffered if you don't say anything," Amber said.

"What were you doing in my bed?" Methos asked.

"I wanted to be near someone when I died, and I wanted it to be you," Amber told him.

"Why didn't you say anything when you came in here?" Methos said.

"Because I figured if I was going to go and just come back, I didn't want anyone even thinking about me...it's as easy as that...for once, I'd like to die and be able to come back without my last memory of life being someone upset because of me...is that too much to ask?" Amber asked.

"Amber, this problem goes beyond the fight," Methos said, "Richie told me earlier that there was something wrong with you but I didn't think he was serious...but now I'm seeing that there is a problem...what I need to know is what's wrong with you."

Methos noticed Amber was avoiding making eye contact with him, she held her head low, slightly above the pillow, he sat down on the other side of the bed and brought her head up with his hand and forced her to look at him.

"I want to help you, Amber...but to do that, you have to tell me what's wrong," he told her.

"I can't do that," Amber said.

"Why not?"

"Because it involves you," Amber said.

"What is it?" Methos asked.

"I told you I can't say," Amber said.

"Give me a break, I'm 5,000 years old, there's hardly a thing I haven't heard about myself, so what is it?"

"Methos...when I first met you, I saw you as this bloodthirsty, brutal, adventureous, cut-throat Immortal," Amber said.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, kid," Methos said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Methos...I..." there was a long silence as she tried to say something, "...who's Kalas?"

"What?"

"I said who was Kalas?" Amber stood on the bed and look him straight in the eye as he got up.

"Kalas? He was another Immortal who-"

"Who you couldn't defeat, why? How could he be so powerful that you couldn't kill him?" Amber asked.

"That is a long story, but in short, he almost took my head and I wasn't able to defeat him," Methos explained.

"So you offered your head to Duncan...I can't believe this! You, a 5,000 year old Immortal, surrendering to a 400 year old Scotsman? I don't believe this," Amber said.

"I don-if you had been there when both Kalas and MacLeod were looking for me, you'd see it's not as simple as you make it out to be," Methos told her.

"I'm just having a little trouble trying to figure out how you, who have always seemed like a cold, merciless murderer, could actually be-THIS!" Amber said.

"Basically you're in shock to find that I'm not as bloody as I always seem?" Methos asked.

"Yes," Amber said, "you were the first Immortal I really knew since Mario, pain in the neck and all that, was exactly how I remembered you and exactly why I liked you...I can't imagine you being...I don't even know how to describe this!" Amber said.

"Hold it," Methos grabbed Amber and tried to restrain her from doing anything drastic, "calm down before a blood vein explodes...look...I don't know where you got this idea from..."

"Richie," Amber quickly answered.

"But I'm not exactly as vulnerable as he makes me out to be," Methos said, ignoring Amber's hurried response.

"I don't think you're vulnerable, I just don't think you're as ruthless as I first figured...that's where it hurts!" Amber said.

"Oh boy," Methos laughed, "I don't know what to say other than...there's nothing wrong or different with me...I'm the exact same person you met 4 years ago...the only difference is now you know me about as well as I know myself, if not better..."

"But I-"

"Look, I assure there there's nothing wrong with me," Methos told her.

"I know...it's just...I always saw you as being the bloodthirsty, crazy, homicidal person you were...and I respected that...it's how I learned to be...and then when I heard about the other side to you...I just-"

"What you're seeing is the basic two sides to me as there is to any man...it's all normal, there's the side of which Richie described, then there's the side that involves beheadings, drinking, running around in bedsheets and crab grass, and all that other good Samaritan stuff... especially since what I do gets on Duncan's last nerve..."

Methos realized Amber had fallen asleep in his arms, he had to laugh at himself, even when he wasn't trying, he could talk people to sleep, he laid Amber down on his side of the bed where it wasn't bloody, and pulled the sheets up. Then he went over to his closet, pulled out a spare pillow and laid down on the couch and dozed off himself.

The next thing, it was morning, Amber woke up to see Methos getting dressed right outside his closet.

"How in the world do you sit down?" Amber asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Methos turned around.

"Well from the look of it, you don't have any butt to sit on," Amber said.

Methos turned his head to try and see what she was saying, then it hit him he already had his jeans on.

"You little pervert," Methos spat.

"So I am, so what?" Amber asked.

"I'm taking it this meant you slept well last night," Methos said.

"Yeah, after you started in on being a good Samaritan and all that stuff...where's Richie? I don't recall seeing him last night," Amber said.

"You wouldn't, he just got back 2 hours ago himself," Methos said.

"What time is it?" Amber asked.

"7 o' clock," Methos answered, "so how are you?"

"Well I...apparently, excpet for being winded and full of sinus, I feel like I'm back to my old self again," Amber said.

"Well, perhaps this means you'll be going drinking with Richie tonight?" Methos laughed.

"Heck no, I'm staying put, until I can be sure I ain't gonna fall down in the middle of anyplace, I'm staying here where I know where everything is...that way, I don't have to worry about falling on a drunk who belongs in a place like the Blue Oyster Bar...well...see you later."

"Where're you going?" Methos asked.

"I'm going to shorten the leg on Joe's walker so it'll wobble, for some reason, that gag never gets old," Amber said.

"Good to have you back, kid," Methos said.

"Good to be back too...Well...see you later, I've got mayhem to cause."

"Me too," Methos replied.

After Amber left, Methos went back to his closet and pulled out something on a hanger covered by a bag.

*************************************************************************************************

Duncan and Amanda had gone through a long night of making love, and were at it again, perhaps it was lucky they were covered by the sheets when the door flew open.

"What the hell?" Duncan turned around.

"Don't mind me," Methos said, "I'm just the maid around here."

"I was right, you DO have the paperwork to cover that!" Duncan said.

"And the dress," Amanda added.

Methos was wearing a skimpy black French maid's outfit with a short white apron.

"Methos!" Duncan complained, "What in the hell is the meaning of this?"

"Consider it my wedding present," Methos grinned as he dusted the furniture.

Suddenly, a heavy breeze blew in the open window, blowing up Methos' skirt, revealing his tight, pale butt. Amanda screamed in shock and covered her eyes, Duncan was just disgusted.

"METHOS!" he repeated.

"What?" Methos turned around, "Duncan...I may occasionaly crossdress, and I may take into consideration dating men once in a while...but I absolutely REFUSE to wear the silk panties that came with this outfit!"

"I don't believe this," Duncan said.

"Neither can I...this is our honeymoon, a romantic, private sexual escapade between two people," Amanda said.

"It may be romantic, and between two people, and undoubtedly sexual, but it sure as hell ain't private...everybody in this house can hear you, thank God they can't see what you're doing...although, with all your screaming and moaning and shrieking, it leaves very little to the imagination," Methos said, "although I'm guessing it means that the Kama Sutra has proven to be very useful."

*************************************************************************************************

Richie checked the clock, 11:55 PM, he threw on his jacket and headed over to the window when Amber came out of the bathroom, "going somewhere, Romeo?"

Richie slowly turned around with almost a sinister grin on his face, but it just meant that he was anxious to get out of there, "actually...yes."

"Drinking again..." Amber assumed.

"How'd you know?" Richie asked.

"Consider me your mother, I always know, I know everything you say, everything you do, even before you do it," Amber said as she straightened his collar.

"That sounds an awful lot like Someone Else," Richie replied, "are you coming?"

"Thanks but no thanks," Amber said as she plopped down on the bed, "I'm staying here...the last time I went to a bar, I wound up dead by 3 in the morning...I went out to try and see why you're so interested in going out drinking every night, and instead got hacked up by some punk with a blonde mohawk and a trenchcoat...scared the hell out of the cops when I got up though...maybe another time."

"Fine with me," Richie said as he started out the window.

Amber went over to the window and saw Richie drive down the road, then she picked a pen up off the table and put an X on the date on the calendar. This marked the third time Richie had gone out to drink after the regular hours...maybe it was normal, and maybe it'd become routine, but she figured something was up.

"One of these days, he'll slip up again, and when he does, I'll be waiting for him," she said to herself.

Richie could play his cards and act like everything was smooth as silk for a while, but eventually, he'd slip up again, and that would be right where Amber would step in, and take action. Richie did well by himself, but sometimes