Disclaimer: I do not own Methos or Duncan. Majkia does own Sydney.

Author's Note: When in doubt, ask Duncan. Enjoy!

"Mac, I need you to do me a favor." Methos said as he burst into the apartment.

Duncan only looked up for an indifferent second before returning to the food he was cooking on the stove.

"That would depends on how much I'm not going to enjoy doing it." Duncan said as he reached past Methos' shoulder to grab some spices.

"I need you to talk to Sydney for me." The older immortal said as he took a seat on the kitchen counter which Duncan brushed him off of a moment later.

"What am I supposed to tell her, Methos? That you had a completely average childhood and your odd references to events you could never have been at are just one of the pleasant quirks of your personality?" Duncan joked.

Methos bit the inside of his mouth. "It's not a lie I'm asking for, MacLeod. I told her everything last night."

"You what!?" Duncan asked, looking slightly flabbergasted that the old man would do something so bold or stupid. "Then what do you want me to tell her? The same thing with a few extra thousand years slapped on?"

"No," Methos growled with annoyance. "She's afraid that she might be crazy, that she might be imagining it all."

"Hard to believe why she thinks that." Duncan mumbled.

Methos glared. "I just need you to talk to her, answer any questions she has. And don't elaborate." The last part was said in warning and Duncan looked away, knowing what he meant.

Still, Duncan managed to stir his pasta in stubborn silence for a few seconds with Methos glaring into his back before he caved.

"If it will get you out of my hair for a day, yes, all right? Just let me know when she has time." Duncan grudgingly said.

"That's great. I'll go get her, she's just downstairs." Methos said as he headed for the door.

"You brought her here without asking me?" Duncan asked incredibly.

Methos just shrugged in the doorway. "I knew you'd say yes."

Sydney, who'd been feeling a bit of a fool hanging around downstairs, looked up when Methos came barreling down the stairs. "Ah there you are. I wondered if you'd jumped out a window to escape unseen or something."

"No, but I was nearly thrown out one a moment ago." Methos said simply. "MacLeod's agreed to answer any questions you like. Did you want me to come up with you?" He asked.

"Oh," she said in a small voice. "Any questions I ought especially to ask? Or not as the case may be?"

Methos smiled and walked over to her, running his hand down the side of her face. "I think not asking the questions defeats the purpose of this little outing, don't you? If there's anything you need to know especially, Duncan will tell you. All the rest is what you want to hear."

She met his eyes and nodded. "Well, I asked for it, didn't I? So no sense getting cold feet now."

"Don't worry, MacLeod's a teddy bear compared to me. Just don't get any ideas." Methos teased. "I'll be waiting down here when you're done." He promised.

She nodded and took the stairs a bit reluctantly, suddenly having serious second thoughts on the wisdom of the whole idea. One quote kept going through her head. 'Never exaggerate your faults; your friends will attend to that.' Still... she climbed the stairs and came to a stop in the doorway.

"It's open." A voice called from the other side of the door before she knocked, the sounds of pots and pans being moved around clear.

Sydney pushed the door open and stuck her head in. "Duncan. Hi. Sydney. You probably don't remember me from the other night. I'm not sure we spoke much at all."

"No we didn't," Duncan agreed as he came out of the kitchen cleaning his hands off before he offered one to her with an inviting smile. "But I've heard enough about you over the last week that I don't think that matters now."

She took his hand in her small one and gave it a serious shake. "Uhm, this is awkward. Well, for me, anyway."

"Which part?" Duncan asked curiously.

"Well, all of it really. I'm not used to going to someone else to ask questions about my friends. But since I was seriously wondering about my sanity.. well, at times I still am, here I stand."

"Considering Methos' flair for the dramatic I'm not surprised," he said with no small amount of pity. "Have a seat," He said, gesturing to the long couch in the living room. "Would you like something to eat, I was just cooking something?"

"Thank you, no. But please go ahead and eat it while it's hot." She walked over and took a seat on the couch. "You seem to be taking this well. Some strange woman you don't know coming in to ask questions. Questions which, I might add, I'm not even sure I can formulate in an understandable manner."

Duncan put the food on a back burner and came back with only a bottle of wine and two glasses. "You might need this." He said simply and poured them each a glass before continuing.

"Methos isn't the first immortal to tell someone about what we are, and he won't be the last. But it's good that you're questioning it now. It doesn't just mean that you believe it's true, it's that you want it to be true." Duncan said. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Well, firstly, I want it to be true only in the sense that if it isn't then Methos is mad and I'm not far behind him. I suppose, given that, I just want some sort of ... I've no idea. Someone who can say that yes, what Methos has said is the truth. Am I making any sense at all, because I'm seriously wondering if I am at all."

"He told you he was a 5,000 year old immortal who couldn't die? That the only way to kill him is to take his head with a sword and that he's not the only immortal in the world?" Duncan asked dead pan, his face blank of expression.

She took a deep breath, and then a swallow of wine. "Yeah, that's pretty much what he said."

"Did he tell you that I'm like him, an immortal?"

She nodded and took another swallow of wine. "Afraid so."

Duncan smiled. "Don't worry, he's not that creative."

"Oh," she said, staring down at her wine glass. "So, that it then?"

Duncan shrugged. "If that's all the questions you have, which I doubt. But I do want you to know that you're not in danger here, even if the old man wasn't pacing downstairs I won't let any harm come to you." He said seriously.

"Oh," she repeated giving him a rather bewildered look. "It never occurred to me I might be. You're his friend right?"

"I'd like to think so most of the time, or at least the closest thing you can have as friendship with another immortal. You just seem nervous that's all. I'm just not sure what about." Duncan said as he refilled her glass.

"Well, this feels a bit like hallway gossip and I abhor that. So I'm feeling a bit defensive is all." She paused and added, "He's asked me to go to Europe with him over my summer holidays. I'd like to hope that if he's likely to behead me while we're there you'd warn me."

"You're not immortal, and what's more you're not an aggressive immortal. So you have nothing to worry about in that department." Duncan said, though he looked slightly surprised. "When did he ask you to go to Europe?"

"Oh." She paused. "I really should move on to a different letter of the alphabet. Uhm. He asked me... oh a few days ago." She knew exactly when but wasn't about to say so.

Duncan set his glass down and tried to word what he said next very carefully. "You don't get sick easily, do you? No illness or anything...that would make traveling hard, I mean?"

"I'm sorry?" she asked, the bewildered look back. "Do I look ill? I mean, I'm a bit confused but otherwise reasonably healthy for a woman my age. Do allergies count?"

Duncan felt a weight lift and he smiled. "No, and you look...perfectly healthy, I was just wondering if that might be the reason you'd turn him down. He told me you were a historian, I'd offer the same thing if I were in his shoes."

"Oh. Hell, there's that letter again. It's ... well, you know how you're raised to always carry 20 dollars in your bra so you can get home if the guy turns out to be an ass and you have to slap his face and call a taxi? Well, doing so from Europe is a bit more expensive and I'm a historian who makes a decent amount of money for New York , but who isn't exactly used to jet-setting around Europe with boyfriends. Particularly not boyfriends I've only known a few weeks, really. You know?"

Duncan chuckled. "Not really, but I can imagine."

He stood and walked over to a chest of drawers and opened the topmost one. "But if you're so worried about things going south and being stranded in the middle of Madrid, I'll do this." He said after a bit of rummaging and then came out with a small roll of hundreds which he held out to her. "I'll lend you this, no strings attached. If you feel extremely guilty you can leave something as collateral, but I can't promise to keep it. If things go bad, use it to get home."

Her jaw dropped. "I can't take that."

"I'm not giving you a choice." Duncan said bluntly.

"Of course I have a choice," she retorted sharply. "It's a nice gesture but no thank you."

Duncan frowned. "All right, and if you're fears come true, then what? I don't remember history teacher being a good way to make fast money in a foreign country."

She stood up. "I'll... I'll hook on a street corner, all right? Really. Are you.. immortals all crazy, because right now I'm wondering."

"I'm not trying to offend you," Duncan said quickly, back pedaling from a fight. "But I obviously have, and I'm sorry." He slipped the money into his pocket. "Please, sit back down."

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too. I know you didn't. It's just... It's me." She sat back down though, and chugged some wine.

"Maybe the wine was a bad idea." He said before putting the bottle aside. "What I should have told you is Methos wouldn't do that. If you have a fight, maybe things don't go along as planned, he'll make sure you get home in one piece. He's already swearing to protect you just by being around you; I don't think a little spat will make him retract that."

She looked at him warily. "Oh. Kay," she added quickly. "I won't worry then. I'll just keep my visa in my bra. Really, thank you, Duncan. And I acted horribly to you, and yes, perhaps it was the wine."

"My fault for suggesting it."

"No," Sydney said, blushing. "It's me. I knew you meant only to help. I just get... silly some times. The same reason I hesitated about taking Methos up on going to Europe. I'm used to paying my own way and I'm a bit too proud about it I guess."

Duncan smiled. "And Methos is used to leeching off of every mortal and immortal in the surrounding area just because he can, so you make the perfect couple."

"Uhm, he can't afford the trip? Should I just say no?" Sydney asked worriedly, biting her lip.

"I said he doesn't usually, I didn't say he couldn't." Duncan corrected.

"Ah," Sydney said, still looking a bit uncertain. "You've known him a long time?"

"Thirteen years." He calculated aloud.

"Oh, so, uhm, not long in the, uhm, long sense. Still..."

"I know it doesn't seem like a long time, but it's enough to know what the old man's like. He was a myth before, even to me." Duncan scoffed at the memory of meeting the myth.

"Meaning you knew of him but hadn't met him.. I see... This through the demented paparazzi? Or through other... immortals?"

"He's been a legend since before I was even born, a fairy tale." Duncan said and then paused. "Demented paparazzi? What's he been doing lately?"

"He mentioned some organization which spies on you. They seem pretty perverted to me," she explained. "A fairy tale..." she mused.

Duncan laughed. "You mean the Watchers? I've never heard them explained like that. Oh...Joe will get a kick out of that."

She laughed with him. "Well, granted he didn't say much about them, but... But he did mention Joe. A friend of yours too, then?"

"Well, not in the beginning, no." Duncan said awkwardly. "I had a misunderstanding of what the Watchers were at first, then some problems with a few rogues. But Joe straightened it out, later on he told me about a researcher of his, Adam Pierson. That's how I met Methos."

"Oh. Hmm. It's all very complicated isn't it. Well most relationships are. Longstanding ones anyway. But earlier you said something.. about Methos swearing to protect me," she frowned. "What did you mean?"

Duncan sighed. "There are all kinds of immortals out there, Sydney. Not good, or evil, we run the spectrum like all humans do. But there are immortals out there who would use you to get to Methos, you need to know what kind of danger you'll be in just by knowing us. But his choosing to be with you, means he'll do what he has to to protect you."

"Well, as you say, us normal humans are the same. I could get mugged or murdered any day. Another building could get blown up here in the city. Or the jet to Europe could crash. So just living, and not being afraid to take risks, is dangerous. But thank you for explaining that." Sydney paused, "I've taken up far too much of your time. But I thank you for what you've said, and for the offer of assistance, even if I behaved badly about it. I'm glad to met you, Duncan MacLeod."

Duncan let out a sound somewhere between a frustrated sigh and a growl before he looked at the woman across from him with an ounce of pleading. "Look, I didn't mean for it to sound that way. It's just that some people think we're inhuman, monsters for some reason because we don't die like the rest of the world. You just need to know that you're part of the Gathering now, just a friendly warning."

"The gathering?" she asked. "What gathering is that?"

"The Gathering is, it's hard to explain." Duncan said as he took a swallow from his own glass. "First you need to know what happens when an immortal kills another immortal, there's this power called the Quickening which transverses all that immortals abilities, memories and knowledge into you. Making you smarter, faster and more powerful. The Gathering is when all the immortals try to challenge and best each other for the ultimate goal..."

"That's... what ultimate goal?"

"That in the end there can be only one." Duncan said simply. "One immortal with the power of all the other immortals. And with that much power and knowledge, they will rule the world for centuries."

"You're not serious," Sydney said.

Duncan just shrugged. "I honestly didn't believe it either at first. It might not even be true, but there are more then enough out there who do believe it. And that's enough to keep the killing going."

"Yes, some people believe almost anything. And kill for a lot of totally insane reasons. So you're telling me that Methos is a target of these maniacs and that I may be simply because I'm his friend?" Her eyes went wide.

Duncan nodded.

"Are you telling me this because you think Methos is putting himself at risk because of me?" she asked, meeting his eyes. "And that it is a mistake?"

"No, I don't think it's a mistake, you're all he talks about." He said quickly. "Which is a welcome change since he's either moping or bothering me to pass the time. But you have a right to know what you're getting yourself into so when things do start happening, you can...make the right decision based on the truth."

She frowned at him thinking over what he'd said, and more, what he hadn't said. "Are all of you this lonely?"

Duncan was quiet for a moment. "We try not to be."

Sydney watched him for a moment. "I'd think immortality alone would be awful enough to have to deal with, without the crazies trying to grab power by taking your heads. Which, I suppose, is a gruesome enough occupation to attract a certain sort of man - or woman. I thank you for explaining it. I'm not sure I believe it all, understand, but then I've seen crazier things believed by others, so who am I to say it isn't, or can't be so."

"I'm just glad you had an open enough mind not to run screaming the first few minutes." Duncan said with a little laugh as he stood and shook her hand. "I'm here if you have anymore questions, Sydney. Don't be afraid to call over if you have any."

"Thank you, Duncan. Maybe I'll see you in less .. educational circumstances."

She was looking thoughtful as she walked down the stairs to where Methos waited.

"So, did MacLeod shed light on any of my less then appealing qualities?" Methos asked jokingly, but there was an edge of worry to his tone.

"Mmmmm. He did," she replied gravely. "He said you tended to sulk and hogged the hot water."

Methos sighed. "The century old complaints of an ungrateful room mate, now you know my horrible secret."

"I do," she said with a laugh. "So no pulling any scams on me, buster."

"Fair enough," Methos said as he leaned forwards to kiss her cheek. "No brooding after six and I'll wait to take a bath at my own place. Deal?"

"Deal," she said wrapping her arms around his. "He's very odd, though."

"How so?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"He frowns a lot, doesn't he?"

"MacLeod...is...well, he tries to be the stoic one. You'll find though that the man can be pretty damn devious when he wants to be. Then there's no hope of wiping that manic grin off his face." Methos grumbled.

Sydney grinned and cocked her head. "He assured me you wouldn't suddenly decide to take my head. I confess I hadn't ever thought you might."

"That's good to know." He said, thinking about leaving something unpleasant in Duncan's bed tonight.

"And he asked me some very confusing questions. Thus my comment that he's odd. Still, he's your friend so I'm glad for the chance to get to know him a little. I was surprised you've only known each other for thirteen years. I guess... well, I thought you'd known one another much longer."

"Oh, believe me. It feels like MacLeod's been walking on my shadow for much longer then that." His brow furrowed. "But you said strange questions, strange how?"

"Oh I don't know. About traveling. Like he thought I'd have trouble with it or something."

"Trouble?" Methos raised an eyebrow. "You're not having second thoughts again, are you?"

"No, not at all," she replied. "It was more like he thought I was ill or something. As I said, very strange."

"He what?" Methos asked just above a whisper and his face changed. The smile was gone and his eyes were smoldering. He gently extracted himself from Sydney's arms and kissed her forehead. "Stay here." He told her before he went barreling back up the steps to Duncan's apartment.

Sydney stood there for a couple of seconds wondering just what had happened. Then, frowning, she followed him.

"Where do you get the right to compare her to Sydney!?" Methos seethed in Duncan's face, his hands fisted in the Highlander's shirt as he pinned him against the wall.

"I had to be sure, Methos." Duncan said calmly.

"What did I say?" Sydney asked, loudly so they'd hear her. "I'm sorry. I've no idea what made him angry, Duncan."

"It's all right, Sydney. He's right." Duncan said quickly, but Methos didn't turn to her.

"You're damn right, I'm right!" Methos hissed before he shoved Duncan hard against the wall one last time before releasing the Scott. "Not everyone I love is dying, so stay out of it Highlander!"

Sydney bit her lip, turned and took the stairs at a near run.

Methos caught the flash of her hair as she ran down the stairs. "Sydney?"

As Methos ran after her, Duncan went to his earlier deserted glass of wine and swallowed it in one go. "Never again." He swore.

Sydney didn't slow down, she marched across the dojo floor and headed out the door.

"Sydney, slow down." Methos said as he jogged to catch up with her.

She looked back over her shoulder at him. And came to an abrupt halt. "What?"

"I need to explain." He said. "The last thing I want is for you to walk away because of this."

"I really really hate it when friendships of long standing suddenly fall apart because of someone who comes into them. Really. Hang onto Duncan. He's got your best interests at heart." She'd turned and stood with her hands crossed protectively across her chest, looking up at him a bit defiantly.

"You're not," Methos said. "Believe me, this particular friendship's been through a lot worse. And what just happened has nothing to do with Mac disapproving of you."

She looked down at her shoes. "Well, then what was it? I mean, I have no idea what I could have said. I'm sorry."

"I..." His voice died in his throat and tightened. "Alexa...her name was Alexa. She was a waitress at Joe's bar."

She hesitated, then said, "Let's go find a coffee and somewhere to sit down. Then you can tell me all about it."

Methos nodded mutely, hands in his pockets as he followed her.

They found a diner and ordered coffee. She sat across from him and said, "Alexa. Tell me about her."

Methos took in a deep breath and let it out in a short, nervous laugh. "Alexa was...beautiful, charming, funny. I never had a chance. I thought I'd found someone I could spend a lifetime with, no matter what...Then Joe told me she was dying." The smile that twitched across his mouth faded. "I told her it didn't matter, that I could handle what was going to happen to her and that I'd stay with her until the end. The doctors said she didn't even have a year, but I was stubborn. I wanted her to see the world, so her last days on earth would be happy ones. I never told her who I really was so we could just focus on visiting places she'd only ever read about..."

Methos' finger curled around the coffee cup, his eyes in the black depths of the coffee itself.

"We only made it to Switzerland before things took a turn for the worst...she never saw anymore then that." He took another deep breath but it sounded shaky on the way out. "MacLeod was afraid that I might be revisiting my mistakes. He was a ringside spectator to how I handled Alexa's death."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't know... And when I said you'd invited me to visit Europe he thought... Oh." She reached out for his hand.

"Like I said, it wasn't your fault." Methos said, turning her hand in his.

She sighed. "I just... Are you sure this Europe trip is a good idea? If it's going to dredge up nothing but pain for you, then we should just forget about it."

Methos took her hand between his. "Alexa and I had wonderful memories with the time we had together. This trip, it's something different."

"Are you sure? Because I'm not seeing you because of a promised trip. I'm seeing you because I enjoy you and you make me laugh, most of the time anyway, and .. " she blushed, "and because .. because it's been a long time since I felt about anyone the way I feel about you. And I like it."

Methos smiled and kissed her fingers. "Then come with me."

She studied his eyes for a moment. "All right. Last chance. I say yes now and we're committed. No matter what."

"Fine by me."

She smiled into his eyes. "Good. I'd hate for that killer lingerie I just bought to go to waste."

Methos smirked.

P.S. Reviews please the immortals and make the mortals giddy. :)