Welcome Back
By: Jessica Rozek
Standard disclaimers apply. Richie, Duncan, Tessa, Darius, Methos, Joe, and Kronos belong to Rysher. All other characters belong to me. All mistakes are mine. All comments/criticism is welcomed. I hope you guys like it! I made it before I found this forum.
-April 20, 2000; Seacouver, WA
When school ended one Friday in April, a young man with slightly red hair came to ask Jessica if she needed a ride home. Home, of course, was her dormitory at Tufts University in Seattle, Washington.
"No thanks," she said. The young man was Jessica's friend/‘brother,’ Richie Ryan.
"Hey, well ya know it’s up to you," Richie replied with a shrug, "but it is a weekend. Wouldn't you like to see Mac and everyone?
Jessica replied with a sarcastic, "Well, I don't know."
Richie just rolled his eyes at her and told her to get in the car. Of course she wanted to see Mac and Tessa. They were her surrogate parents. Richie looked at Jess sitting in his '65 Thunderbird that Mac had given to him as a birthday present, and suddenly thought of her destiny.
‘She'll be great one day.’
Finally, they arrived in Seacouver, at the house, and met a welcome committee.
"It's great to have you back, Jess! We missed you so much," exclaimed a female voice.
"Oh Tessa! I missed you so much too. Thanks for all the goodies in college!"
"Oh no, the brat's back for her 25th birthday!" groaned a deep, playful voice. Jessica looked around for the source of the voice and spotted it quickly.
"Mac!"
"Ugff! Hey brat! What are you doing here?" Mac said as Jess hit him with a running hug.
She looked up at him and said, "What do ya think I'm doin' here?!"
"Am I seeing two patches of red or is it just my 'old' age?" asked a voice with a slight Scottish accent, followed by a Buzz.
"What old age, MacLeod? Yes, we have the red team of trouble is back, again."
"Connor? Joe!" Jess gave both of them a fierce hug. They were her 'uncles'.
"Connor, I didn't know you were in town." said Duncan MacLeod.
"Now Duncan, I'm always in town when the 'Dynamic Duo' are back together. Besides," Connor said on a more serious note, “I have to talk to you later. Guess who's back in town?"
"Kronos."
In the house, Jess found food AND birthday presents.
"Welcome back, Jessica."
"Well it seems that everyone has forgotten about me, so I think I shall go water down my pillow with tears of sorrow." said a loud, sarcastic voice that happened to belong to Richie.
"You go do that." replied Jess. Everyone waited for the argument that might follow. This is how Richie and Jessica were known as the trouble making redheads, even at the ages of twenty-five, Jess, and twenty-seven, Richie.
After the party, Jess found Duncan, Connor, Richie sparring, and the others watching, with swords against each other.
'Hey, even Immortals aren't perfect. They've got to practice too.' she thought as she went to watch them.
It was amazing to watch the two Highlanders, Duncan and Connor, fight against each other. Jessica was okay at the sword, but she couldn't live by it, like her Immortal friends could.
Suddenly, Duncan lowered his sword. Jess thought it might be a trick, but seconds later Connor followed in suit. Jess, who was standing next to Richie, whispered, “Immortal?"
"Yup," came the grim answer.
Joe, sitting down, knew what they were feeling, another Immortal's song.
"Real close?" she asked again.
"Yup."
The Immortals had pulled out their swords and spread out. Jessica edged back towards Joe Dawson. Both of them shared the same problem, they were mortal. Then, Connor found the unknown immortal, who was walking around a corner.
Connor muttered some astoric curse in Gaelic then said,
"God dammit, Methos! Don't sneak around like that!"
"I wasn't sneaking around. I got word that *somebody* was around and decided to come and welcome her. You were the one with a sword at my neck." retorted the 5,000 year old Immortal.
"Yeah, well I was ready to lop off your head along with your neck." mumbled a very unhappy Connor.
"What?" Methos inquired innocently.
"Nothing."
Duncan, also scared out of his mind, took it better than his older kinsman.
"Mí casa es su casa."
"Isn't that my line, MacLeod?" the ancient Immortal asked.
Duncan shrugged, “Maybe."
Methos walked over to Richie, who was still calming down.
"Richie."
"Methos." They looked at each other, and then gave each other a hug.
"How you doin'?"
"5,000 and still going. You?"
"Getting over the scare you gave us, other than that fine."
"You'll get over it."
"I know, but that's the sad part. I wanted to be mad at you for a while. Oh well," Richie said sarcastically.
Methos walked over to Joe and Jessica.
"Good to see you again, Adam." Joe said using Methos' old alibi.
"You too, Dawson." Joe and Methos had never gotten on well with each other.
"Well hullo there, young Miss." he tipped his hat. "Might I ask how you might be doin'?" Methos was trying to do his best western accent.
''I'm doin' mighty fine, sir." Jessica said pulling off her best western.
They looked at each other, laughed, and pulled each other into a round of hugs. The two MacLeods had stayed there to listen to Methos, until he started the western act with Jessica. They made eye contact with Joe. Joe just rolled his eyes at Connor and Duncan. The two Highlanders snorted and went inside to help Tessa with dinner.
"Adam Pierson. Stop flirting with my daughter and come inside and greet me!" said a piercing voice from inside.
''Yes mother," Methos rolled his eyes and went in. Richie and Jess looked at Joe and the door and laughed.
"Richie, get up and help Joe." So, Richie, Jessica, and Joe all came in. Jessica felt lucky to have such great friends, mortal and Immortal alike.
For dinner, Tessa Noel made ribs and elbows. For dessert, there was a choice between chocolate mousse and strawberry cheesecake
“You always seem to know what I like, Tess,” Jessica said while gulping down some cheesecake
“You know there could have been more BBQ sauce on th…”
“Richie,” came Duncan’s voice with a playful tone that meant ‘shut up.’
“Just kidding. Love the food,” exclaimed Richie, unperturbed by the comment.
“Obviously,” mumbled Tessa as Richie was helping himself to his third serving of ribs.
“You know, when I was a kid, we didn’t have such an abundance of great food,” said Methos with a lovely glint in his eye.
“METHOS!” exclaimed Tessa with a sharp intake of breath.
“It’s true, I didn’t either.”
“Nor I.”
“Men,” Jessica said with a warning tone to Connor and Duncan.
“I did.” Everybody turned to look at Joe and laughed.
“Well, as you all know, I also grew up with great food. Ya know, McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s.”
“Hmmf. Lazy Americans.”
“Methos knowing you, you where probably hanging out with some ‘sexy’ Neanderthal when you were young,” retorted Richie. Everybody laughed as the 5,000 year old Immortal blushed. Duncan was beginning to worry because someone else was supposed to show up for dinner. He was soon relieved by their Buzz. All the Immortals heard it, but pretended not to notice it.
“Jess, go and open the door would you?” asked Duncan quietly.
“Why?”
“Just do it.” Jess shot Richie a nasty look. “Before my head falls off,” ‘with this infernal ringing.’ Jess went to open the door and when she did a slightly accented voice said,
“Am I late?”
“Darius!!” Jess hadn’t seen him for two years. She pulled him inside to greet everyone else. Tessa jumped up and ran over to him.
“My dear Tessa, every time I see you I get jealous of MacLeod. Sometimes I wish I could lop off his head also, but you know,” Darius said humorously.
“Darius!” Tessa said and gave him a kiss.
“Got food?”
“If Richie didn’t eat it all, hm hm!”
“Eh?” inquired Richie.
“Nothing,” said Tessa as everyone snorted into their food.
“Duncan, you move over. Darius can sit between you and Rich,” Connor ordered.
“Nice of you to join us ‘Father,’” Duncan joked as he moved over.
“Would you like some ribs or elbows?” asked Tessa.
“You make it sound like we’re eating somebody!” exclaimed Darius.
“Ah hum!”
“Yes, ‘Father Darius meet Joe Dawson. Joe this is Darius,” said Connor giving Joe a stony look.
BEEP! Everyone glanced at the oven and Tessa.
“Oh Tess! You didn’t have to! I already had dinn…”
“It’s not dinner, its chocolate mousse.” She set down a plate of mousse in front of him. “This,” nodding at the food out of the oven, “is for me.”
“Mank moo!” Darius said while scarfing down the cake. Then Darius realized that everyone was staring openly at him.
“Father, Father naughty you!” scolded Jessica.
“This time I have to agree with her,” Richie said, nodding in the direction of his 25 year old ‘sister.’ “Hey, stop staring at me!” he told everyone who turned to look at him.
“Guys. That includes you Mac.” Not a single person didn’t laugh.
“See you, Joe,” said Duncan and Connor as Joe left.
“Good seeing you again, Jess,” Joe said.
“Yeah, you too!” replied Jess. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow, kid,” replied Joe as he left.
“Bye.”
“Hey, MacLeod!”
“What Neanderthal lover?” Duncan replied without turning around. Methos blushed again.
“Okay, okay. Got something to *drink?*”
“Like what, beer?” Duncan replied, walking to the fridge.
“Yeah, got any of tha…”
“CATCH!” Duncan interrupted Methos and threw him a bottle of Scotch.
“Brilliant catch, he fumbles it then… a possessive hold on the bottle! Score!” Richie commentated.
“Oh, do shut up, Ryan,” Methos growled.
“Why? There has to be something interesting around here. Oh no thanks, Mac,” Jessica said to Mac, who was offering her a bottle.
“Oy. MacLeod Jr., over here!” Connor called out. SMASH! As Tessa flew into the living room she heard,
“He fumbles and drops it. Bad catch on Connor MacLeod’s part…” Richie stopped noticing that Tessa had walked in.
“Men,” Jess said to Tessa, who nodded approvingly.
“Richie, I’m going to sneak up on you while you’re sleeping one day and chop off that head of yours,” Connor grumbled, obviously embarrassed. Jessica, sitting next to Connor, gave him a light slap on the shoulder. Duncan, coming to sit down on the other side of Jess, reprimanded him in Gaeilge.
“Conchobar, ní dhéanfá sin. Níl sin go deas.” (1)
“Donnchadh, bhí sé tuillte aige.” (2)
“Um, translation please. Everyone else can’t understand a word you two are saying.” Jess complained. “I mean how did I get stuck between two Gaelic speaking Highlander Immortals?” She collapsed back on the couch, “Just my luck.”
“Look who’s talking,” Richie muttered.
“Stop arguing! Now who’s going to pick that up?” Tessa demanded to know.
“URP!”
“Very appropriate, Pierson. I guess you’re going to pick it up.”
“Ha ha.” Tessa glared at Richie who shut up immediately.
“Would you like to pick it up?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Good, now Adam, Methos… who ever you are, pick up that bottle!”
“Methos will do fine, my gentle lady,” Methos replied, getting up. Tessa tried to angry at him, but failed and laughed.
“You do it every time… Methos.” He did a mock bow and sat down. “Oh well. I’m going to bed now. ‘Night everyone. See you in the morning,” Tessa stated.
“Night, Tess,” came from everyone. So now Jessica was; one-the only girl, and two-left alone with five head-lopping Immortals, all different ages. She went over them in her head;
‘Let’s see, Mac: 408, Connor: 482, Darius: over 1,000, Methos: over 5,000, and Richie: 27.’ She giggled.
“What’s going through that brain of yours?” asked Darius.
“Oh, nothing.”
“Not true,” Richie butted in.
“Fine, I just realized that: one-me and Richie are the youngest here and two: that I’m sitting in a company of men who look to be from their 20’s to 40’s, but are actually 400 to over 5,000 years old.”
“Richie and I, young lady,” said Darius with mock anger.
“Whatever,” she replied, rolling her eyes. They all laughed, trying to imagine what this would like to an ‘uninformed’ mortal.
“Anyway, I call a toast to… everything. Cheers!” Methos said slightly drunk.
“Cheers!”
After the toast, Darius asked, “So how’s it going, young one?”
“Ha ha. Um, you know same old, same old. Have leftovers for breakfast, work my ass off, have lunch, work my ass off again, have leftovers for dinner, then repeat. So how’s it for you guys?” Jess replied.
“Ah, you know same old. Have breakfast, try not to get in trouble, get in trouble, find Immortal, chop off head, and come home, have dinner, then repeat,” Duncan replied sarcastically and sighed, “All in a day’s work.” All of them stayed up late into the night and slept where they had been sitting.
“MORNING!”
“Not so loud,” Methos complained.
“I thought Immortals didn’t get overhung,” Tessa replied rather nastily.
“Not that. I flew in from France yesterday on a redeye. I NEED sleep!” he said and fell back asleep promptly.
“Jeez, it’s 10 o’ clock. Okay Jess, get up. Duncan, sweetie, up now. Connor, Darius, Richie, get up.”
“What?” Jess said groggily.
“Time to get up.”
“What time is it?”
“Ten o’ clock.”
“Getting up.”
“Highlanders, up NOW!” Finally, Tessa got everyone up. Tessa said she needed to leave early, but still made an excellent breakfast. Darius went to the local church to pray, leaving Duncan, Richie, Jessica, Connor, and Methos, who was still asleep, in the house with nothing to do.
“So, ahh. What are we going to do on this fine day?” Richie inquired, while looking out the window.
“What do you want to do?” Duncan shot back.
“I say we go to Joe’s later,” Jess added tentatively.
“Well, lazy is here on the couch, ‘Father’ is up at the church and they can take care of themselves,” Connor said, ignoring Jess’ comment.
“It’s a beautiful day, why don’t we walk around Seattle,” Richie pondered.
“That’s a damn good idea, let’s do it!” Connor exclaimed very forcefully. Walking around Seattle was rather educational and fun with Duncan telling its history.
“The Ward House was built in 1882 when…” Duncan got cut off by a Buzz that was incredibly loud. Jessica noticed that the Immortals started to look around anxiously.
“Good thing we’re on Holy Ground, right?”
“Yeah, I guess. That’s him, Kronos. Keep a lookout for him,” Connor answered pointing to a man in a brown trench coat.
“Okay.” They made straight for him.
“Nice seeing you again, MacLeod, Ryan. What do we have here? A…” Kronos hesitated, seeing the look in Duncan’s eyes. If Kronos said anything about Jessica, either Duncan or Connor would personally take his head. “A young one,” Kronos finished, reaching out to touch her. Jess moved away, ready to fight. Richie put a hand on her.
“I’m 25, jerk,” Jess muttered rebelliously. Unfortunately, he heard her.
“Ha, a youngling… mortal!” Jess noticed the slight hesitation. ‘Something to ponder on a rainy day,’ she thought.
“So big shot, why are you here?” Richie asked angrily.
“Richie…” Duncan growled.
“Hmf. Big shot, eh. How long?”
“Seven almost eight years, why? You scared of young Imm…” Richie looked around nervously. “…young ones?”
“No, I just wanted to see how ignorant you are,” Kronos whispered to Richie. Duncan grabbed Richie, before he could pound Kronos into the ground.
“Calm down. He’s trying to make you act irrationally,” Duncan warned.
“Well, he did a pretty damned good job of it too,” Richie growled into Mac’s ear and settled down.
Connor went face-to-face with Kronos and said, “Okay, whose head do you want? We’ll fight fairly.”
“What fight? I don’t want a head. I’m just enjoying Seattle,” Kronos cackled as he walked away.
“Yeah right,” Jessica said aloud.
They drove home to find Tessa sitting with Methos and Darius looking very worried.
“What’s up?” Connor asked.
“Methos has been drugged,” Darius replied.
“So…”
“So, he’s not healing from it. He’s ‘died’ at least twice already.” Connor swore heavily in Latin. “Now Connor, that’s not very nice to say,” Darius scolded.
“Yes, but now there’s two problems. One, Methos isn’t healing, and two, who did it and how?” Duncan said, overwhelmed by coincidence.
“That’s three problems, little kinsman,” Connor remarked dryly. Suddenly, Tessa went to Methos and slapped him really hard. Seeing that everyone was shocked at her she said,
“That should wake him up,” and left the room.
“Wow! That hurt!” Everyone stared at Methos, who seemed to have woken up. “Why do you all look so worried?”
“Um, you were drugged, weren’t healing, died twice, Tessa, unexplainably, just slapped you, and you ask what’s WRONG!?” Richie yelled at Methos, working himself up.
“Methos, do I hear your voice?” asked Tessa from the hallway and walked in. Suddenly, Methos started throwing fits and screaming.
“No don’t come near me, Devil! NO!” Jessica, Darius, Duncan, and Connor all jumped on top of Methos. Richie just stood there until Duncan yelled,
“Richie, jump on, now!”
“Ohmy God!” screamed Tessa, clearly freaked out. The world’s oldest Immortal was having seizures and nobody could do anything about it. “I’m calling Joe!” Tessa yelled and ran out of the room.
Methos came out of his seizures and asked, “Why, on blazing Earth, are you on me!?” They looked at him in amazement.
Duncan explained, “You started screaming “No, don’t come near me Devil1” when Tessa came in the room, then you had seizures.”
“I did?”
“Yeah, Richie answered, “You freaked us out!”
“That was vaguely put, Rich,” said Jess, who was pooped out like the others, but they healed; she didn’t, as fast. “Hey that’s not fair!”
“What?” Connor asked.
“Here I am… pooped and you guys are… all ready for another round.” The Immortals looked at each other uncomfortably. “No need to worry you guys, … just wanted to say… something,” Jess reassured.
“Okay.” Connor replied and mumbled, “Oh no, here comes Tessa.”
“Methos close your eyes,” Duncan ordered.
“Why?”
“Just do it!”
“I called Joe and he’s on his way,” Tessa said.
“Good,” Darius replied. He noticed every time that Tessa spoke, Methos flinched. “Ah, Tess?”
“Yes?”
“Would you mind leaving when Joe comes?”
“No, of course not.”
“Thanks.” Tessa knew that they must want to talk about secret, serious Immortal stuff. They didn’t have to wait long before Joe arrived.
“Joe’s here, you guys,” reported Richie, who was looking out a window. “Bye, Tess!”
“Bye guys. I hope Methos gets better.”
“So do I,” came Joe’s grisly voice from the doorway. They all heard Tess’ car pull away.
Also hearing the noise, Methos muttered, “Finally, its gone.”
“What do you mean by that?” Richie shot at Methos.
“Nothing.”
“No really, Methos,” Duncan pressed.
Methos sat up on the couch. “The Devil is gone! All shall rejoice!” He fainted.
End Part One
(1) Conchobar, ní dhéanfá sin. Níl sin go deas. – Connor, you wouldn’t do that. It’s not nice.
(2) Donnchadh, bhí sé tuillte aige. – Duncan, he deserved it.
