Everyone heard it, a blood curdling, almost inhuman scream, coming from the bedroom across the hall. Duncan and Amanda almost fell out of bed at the sound of it, they slipped on their robes and went across to the other room. They saw the lithe figure arched on her bed with Methos standing over her, Richie was still in his bed.

"What happened?" Duncan demanded to know.

No one spoke; they all just exchanged confused looks. Duncan didn't know what was going on, but he was tired of their charades.

"What's going on here?" Duncan asked, "Amber, what happened?"

Amber looked at Methos as if waiting for a response, but he said nothing and did nothing. Finally she said, "Nothing Mac, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get you up, just go on back to sleep, I'm fine."

"If it's any reassurance, MacLeod," Methos said, "I'll stay with her until she falls asleep again..."

"I'm not too sure about that," Duncan said, "are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes, now go on to bed, I'll be fine," Amber assured him.

Still unconvinced, Duncan and Amanda turned and left, but Methos stayed, stroking Amber's head, he waited until he was sure they were back in bed, then he picked Amber up.

"Where are you going with her?" Richie asked.

"Shhhhhhh," Methos replied, "you want MacLeod back in here? Go back to bed, everything will be allright."

Methos carried her over to his room and sat her down on the bed.

"What happened kid? I haven't heard anyone scream like that in centuries," Methos said.

Amber wasn't even looking at him, she had her head tilted to the side and was looking over at his wall, as if she was ashamed to face him.

"Kid, you know bloody well you can tell me whatever the problem is, you've been doing it for the last three months, now what happened?" Methos asked.

Amber turned back over and looked at Methos, seeming only half awake, "I had this horrible dream, you wouldn't believe it. I dreamt that I was in Richie's body when he was living with that bastard, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop him from beating the hell out of me. I—I think I know what...exactly what Richie went through when he was living with that bastard. Now...all my life, ever since anyone raised a hand to me, I've just gone and repaid the favor. A guy hits me, I beat the shit out of him and move on, but Richie...Richie isn't like that, at least he wasn't...a real pacifist, and...I just can't imagine living like that, always afraid the guy I'm living with is gonna beat the hell out of me."

"And you never will have to worry about that, you know that," Methos told her.

"I just don't get it, I was always a non-violent person most of my life, but the minute I got introduced to the real world by a kick in the ass, I just naturally took to swinging, KO-ing assholes left and right, it's what I do. Richie on the other hand was introduced to it long before me, and he did nothing about it."

"Richie is a different person than you," Methos told her, "don't forget you lived with your parents most of your life, he didn't. since he was about five, he's been moved from one home to the next."

"Still, he was in a far more violent atmosphere at a young age than I was, so it still makes no sense. And now that he can fight back...he won't do it, I can't figure it out. I don't understand it, do you, Methos?"

"What? You're asking me? A man who went 200 years without taking a head? You're asking me for advice on –well that would make sense...I don't know kid, you can't spend your life worrying about other peoples' problems."

"Methos, by the turn of next century, I'm gonna be living with one of you two basket cases, so I make it my business to worry about other people."

Methos sat on the footboard of the bed watching her, "You can even the score tomorrow, tonight get some sleep."

Methos crawled in besides Amber, under the covers.

"I'm not going to sleep tonight," Amber said, already with her eyes closed, "I am going to sulk and be miserable, and think about all the shit that's happened in Richie's life, and he hasn't said one word to me about it in the six years that I've known him. Goodnight."

6:00 A.M., Duncan crept out of bed and headed over to Riche's room, he knocked on the door and heard no response, so he went in. The light next to Richie's bed was on, he was up, dressed, and sitting on the bed, cleaning a knife.

"Are you allright?" Duncan asked.

"Yeah, never better," Richie said, "slept like a rock last night, and you?"

"Oh I've had better," Duncan said.

He neglected to mention that some of those 'better nights' were spent drunk and blacked out.

"Richie, is there something going on that I should know about?" Duncan asked.

"No, why?" Richie asked.

"Well I can't help but notice how strange everybody's become lately, are you sure there's nothing wrong?" Duncan asked.

"Yeah Mac, I'm fine, everything's perfect, now go on your run," Richie said.

Duncan couldn't help but notice how red Richie's eyes were, as if he'd sunburned them, or if he'd gone without sleeping for a while. He also noticed how his eyes flinched and repeatedly blinked, as if they hurt, or as if he was struggling not to cry. But he felt he wasn't going to get anymore out of Richie without starting a conflict, so he left.

Duncan decided before leaving, to see if he could get anything out of the old goat, Methos. So he went over to his room and knocked on the door, and when he didn't hear anything, he went in. He stopped in the doorway when he saw Methos and Amber in the same bed, and Amber with a sheet wrapped around her body. Duncan went over to Methos and shook him to wake him up.

"What is it?" Methos yawned.

"That's what I'd like to know," Duncan said firmly.

Methos jerked up when he heard Duncan's voice, "What do you want, MacLeod?"

"What's she doing in here?"

Methos looked over at Amber, and briefly replied, "Long story."

"I've got time..."

"She wasn't sleeping well after she woke up and I figured to let the brat sleep and bring her in here so she wouldn't disturb him, now goodnight."

As Methos sunk back down into bed, Duncan jerked on the collar of his shirt, making it tight around his throat, so he sat back up, "Now what is it?"

"There's something screwy going on between everyone here and I want to know what it is," Duncan said.

"MacLeod, you are just bloody paranoid after 400 years, now goodnight."

"Methos, you and everyone else in this house know something that I don't, now what is it?"

Methos sunk down into bed with his head resting against the board, "If I tell you, then can I go back to sleep?"

"We'll see, now what's been going on around here?" Duncan asked.

"Jason Hughes," Methos spat.

"Who is he?"

"HE," Methos hissed, "Is Richie's foster father from when he was 14, he's in town, and while he is ready, willing and able to let the past go, this kid is ready to rip into the bastard with her bare hands, and I can't say I blame her."

"How can you say that?" Duncan asked.

"Well after what he did, could you forgive him?" Methos asked, "You didn't forgive me for what I did, you just accepted it."

"And Richie's accepted this, so why can't Amber?"

"Because MacLeod, she learned long ago the only way to right violence is with more violence, that's her belief and I'm not going to intervene. Bloody hell, Amanda and I have been giving her pointers on what to do when she meets the guy."

"Methos!" Duncan exclaimed.

"Relax, MacLeod, she always says things far worse than what she does, she won't do anything too serious when she finds this guy," Methos said.

"Jason Hughes!" Amber repeated for the 10th time.

"Calm down miss," an officer at the station said, "Now tell me, what's your business with finding this man?"

"He was the foster father of my roommate, I have to see him."

"Is it an emergency?"

"Yes."

"Health-related?"

"Hell yeah, I'm gonna knock the bones out of that bastard," Amber said.

"Miss, if you don't calm down, I'm going to have you arrested, now why must you see this man?"

"11 years ago he beat the hell out of my roommate and I want to find him and even the score between them."

"Now look, miss, I don't know what your problem is, but if we had any files on this man..."

"Jason Hughes! Jason Brennan freaking Hughes! He's 49 years old, from Seacouver Washington, and 11 years ago he committed over 76 acts of child abuse, child endangerment, domestic disturbance, attempted murder AND assault and battery, now either you get me the files for this bastard, or I'm going to track him down myself, drag him over here and have one of your deputies turn him into a sponge. AM I MAKING MYSELF CLEAR?"

"Ma'am, clearly you're under some serious stress, so I suggest you..."

"I'm up a tree is what I am! This man almost KILLED my roommate when he was 14 and you're not going to arrest him?"

"You said yourself these acts were committed 11 years ago, AND in a different state on the other side of the U.S., even if we found him, there is no way we could charge him with any of this."

"What a load of crap! If someone in this state murdered a 12-year-old girl in Kansas, who wasn't arrested and walked away from the homicide a free man, in this state, are you saying you couldn't arrest him?"

"If we found a man who murdered a child in another state with no witnesses, we would have to-"

"Fuck what you would have to do with procedures, if you don't find this man and see to it that he pays for what he did to my friend, I sure as hell will and I'll see to it that he lives to regret it, but not for long, now are you going to get me the files on this fruity ass bastard or not?"

Richie checked his watch, 1:20, Amber had gone out some time ago and hadn't returned, so either she had errands to run, or she was going to make the works of Charles Manson look like a playground rumble. Then he felt the buzz, and instantly felt relieved when she walked through the door, he noticed she had a shoebox in her hands.

"I've been worried about you," he said.

"You don't need to worry about me, Richie, I uh...I stopped by the police station earlier and..."

"You WHAT? Why?"

"I went down there to see if Sergeant Lassard was running the precinct, what do you think? I went down to find out what I could about Jason Hughes, found out he's already got a record, but nothing they could put him behind bars for."

"Like what?"

"DUI, attempted robbery, domestic assault, and attempted rape...either this guy knows his attorneys or the state of Florida doesn't see it as their job to stop what they themselves do."

"They never did...so what's the point?"

"He's living in an apartment about six miles from here, and he's going to get a visit from death tonight."

"Methos is going with you?"

"No, I'm going to send him straight to hell providing everything goes according to plan, I also mentioned what he did 11 years ago."

"You WHAT!"

"I didn't give any names, in any case, it didn't matter, they said they couldn't arrest him because the 'alleged' crimes weren't committed within the area, and they were committed longer than 8 months ago. Apparently Tampa will only wait 8 months before they give up on stopping crime."

"Amber, please tell me you are not going to go through with this tonight," Richie said.

"Why are you so afraid of this guy? He can't do anything to you now, and if he does, I'll kill the fruity little bastard with my bare hands, now whether or not you want to admit it, something has to be done with this guy and whether or not you want to come, I am going over there tonight and knocking the shit out of him. Now are you in or not?"

Richie said nothing and instead went over to his bed and sat at the foot of it. Amber sat down beside him and put her arm around him.

"Richie, why are you afraid of this man? Why now? I've never known you to be afraid of anyone before in your life."

"It's hard enough to deal with things as they happen, but to see the same person responsible for it some years later, it's just proof that they got away with what they did. I don't like facing that."

"So you just prefer altogether to pretend that nothing's wrong?"

"It gets easier as time passes, you get used to it."

"Not me, I have to much pride to let this fucker walk away with what he's done. And I'll tell you another bloody thing, I have too much 'heart' as Amanda says, to leave this to the authorities to sit on a shelf for 20 years. Now I'm going over there tonight and odds are only one of us will come out alive, and it ain't gonna be him, do you want to see him pay or not?"

"I still don't know how I let you talk me into this," Richie said.

"I didn't, I gave you an ultimatum and you took the latter, it'll be over before you know it," Amber replied.

Amber parked the car and they got out, they headed into the apartment building, got in the elevator and headed up to the floor where Jason was living. Amber knocked on the door and waited for the man to answer, her heart in her stomach, Richie's in his throat. The door finally opened and Amber saw a man standing little over 6 feet tall, near 200 pounds, with a bad complexion and a scar under one eye.

"Jason Hughes."

"Yes I..." the man looked up from Amber and looked behind her at Richie, "Who are...Richie Ryan? Well fancy that, what are the odds of..."

"You keep your damn hands off of him," Amber said, "that's why we're here, I'm going to see to it that you pay for what happened 11 years ago in Seacouver."

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked.

Amber jerked Jason down to her height by tugging on his shirt, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. Jason Hughes, I'm Amber Jenzon, Richie's roommate, now let me introduce you to MY FIST!"

Before Jason could reply, Amber punched him hard in the jaw, as he backed up, Amber kicked him in the mouth and caught in a daze, he turned around and fell over onto his stomach. Amber stepped on his back firmly with one foot, right before she jerked her foot up his back, ripping deeply into his skin with her custom made steel-bottom boots. Jason let out inhuman screams of excruciating pain as Richie waited by the door and watched, a sinister smirk slowly forming on his lips as he saw the revenge he waited so long for. Amber then kicked Jason in the mouth as he turned his head and he rolled completely over as Amber kicked him in the stomach. It was then that Richie realized what Jason was doing. Under the chair right behind him was a handgun, he reached over and grabbed it, in an instant pulled the trigger, and lodged a bullet directly into Amber's chest. Richie heard the bullet hit the tiled floor; he looked on in horror at the grotesque sight. No matter how many times he saw it, he never really got used to a fatal injury from a bullet.

"You killed her!" Richie exclaimed, unable to find any other words.

"I...I...I had no choice, she was going to kill me, it was self defense, she would've killed me," Jason muttered, "...and you knew that, didn't you?"

Richie didn't say anything, he just hoped Amber revived soon enough to see him finish beating the crap out of Jason.

"I don't believe this, you brought her up here...to kill me?" Jason asked.

"She brought herself, she decided to take me so I'd see it. Now I know why she wanted to, she didn't know you, but she knew what kind of person you were."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jason said.

"You know very well what I'm talking about, hell, I put up with you for three damn months, I should know. You beat the shit out of me if I breathed, and every day, I hoped to God that I would live to see the day that you got everything in return...Now it finally has, but nothing she could ever have done would come close to half of what you did to me!"

Richie felt a vibration against his back as someone pounded on the door.

"Open up! Police!"

Richie moved away from the door as he heard someone jigger with a gun, immediately, four bullets were blasted through the door and it was kicked in. They only saw Amber's body for a brief second before they turned to Richie and asked him what happened.

"I can't really say, all I know is he was on the floor and he grabbed a gun and shot her," Richie said.

They approached Jason and cuffed him, and walked away reading him his rights over his obscene protests to their barging in on his private property.

"What the hell is going on?"

"A neighbor called and complained about a ruckus, fortunately we were passing by the area, you have the right to..."

Richie listened as they continued down the hallway until they were inaudible, then he went over to where the bullet landed. It was covered with a near black bloody mucus of some sort. Now Richie was relieved she hadn't revived just yet, if the police saw Amber come back to life, they'd...what was he thinking? The police wouldn't help Amber any more with Jason than just giving her the files, why would they come now? He then felt the buzz as Amber drew in a long breath and opened her eyes.

"Well Richie, how was my performance? Did I die convincingly enough?"

"Amazing, you should've seen the look on his face, I swear, after he shot you...and then the cops came and...wait a minute, something's wrong here," Richie realized.

"What is it?"

"The cops wouldn't help you with this guy before, why would they come now?" Richie asked.

"Because these are new cops, they just started working down at the precinct, the older brothers of some of our classmates."

"Aren't they gonna find it suspicious that your body's gone?"

"Na, they're in on the take, I told them I was going to fake my death, but in order to do so, he was going to beat the hell out of me. So they're going to pull the right strings to get him locked up," Amber said.

"How?"

"Well I did a little more research and found out that he has killed a couple of people in fights before, so this would just be one more notch in the wall," Amber said, "don't worry, the cops don't suspect a thing about us, and they'll see to it that the fruity ass bastard gets what he deserves."

"Well who called them?" Richie asked.

"I did," came a feminine voice from the doorway.

Richie and Amber turned around when they felt the pre-Immortal buzz. In the doorway stood a young woman looking early in her 20s.

"Who are you?" Richie asked.

"Did I do allright?" she asked Amber.

"Beautifully, nobody suspected a thing," she replied.

"I heard the fight from the floor above, it was very convincing, you must have had a lot of practice to keep the bullet from injuring you, yet making it seem as the cause for your demise," the lady said.

Richie stared on in puzzlement at the lady.

"Richie, this is Yvonne Taylor, we met at the University, Yvonne, this is Richie Ryan, my roommate and the intolerant, arrogant towhead I was telling you about," Amber told her.

Yvonne extended her hand to Richie's and shook it firmly, "Nice to meet you, Amber has told me so much about you."

"Wish I could say the same," Richie said, "You knew this was going to happen?"

"Well she told me she had a score to settle with a relative and needed some assistance, so I offered to help, are you allright?" Yvonne asked.

"Fine, just fine..."

Fine and shocked, a woman like this, so beautiful, so seemingly innocent, with no idea of what she would become.

"So we have another Immortal going to the University, huh?" Richie asked when they returned home.

"Pre-Immortal," Amber said, "she doesn't know what she is yet, I haven't bothered to tell her, she'll find out soon enough, she doesn't need to be getting any ideas yet. Now how are you holding up?"

"Fine, I'm fine, I heard that Jason's gonna be locked up for 47 years with no parole, so I guess that's good."

"By that time, he'll be dead and in hell so it won't matter, should he even live that long," Amber said, "you saw what I did to him."

"Yeah...I still can't believe that there has been a pre-Immortal in our school and you didn't bother to tell me!"

"You never asked, besides I don't really know her. We attend different classes, we just bumped into each other one day, and that's that."

"Oh..."

There was a knock on the doorframe to their room, so they turned around and saw Methos and Amanda standing in the doorway, "So, Erik, Lyle, how was the battle?" Methos asked.

"The fight's over, Jason is going to jail for 50 years, Richie has his life back together now, and he's got a lady in mind for later."

"What a shame we weren't there to see what happened," Amanda said.

"You don't have to worry about that, I planed a spy camera on Richie that recorded the entire thing, and then had it transferred to a tape. We can watch it tonight," Amber said.

Amber picked up a videocassette and handed it to Methos, "Let's go, I want you guys to see this while the adrenaline is still high."

They headed out of the room and down to the living room, Richie followed behind Amber, and Amanda followed behind Richie, and Methos started to follow behind Amanda when he ran into Duncan.

"What's going on?" Duncan asked.

Methos handed him the tape, "let's find out, shall we?"