Adult-FanFiction.org : Television / Streaming

Quest, Reversal In Time	By : highlandgirl Category: G through L > Highlander Views: 1888 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Highlander: The Series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Quest, Reversal In Time

by

Frances Rolfe

Rating: PG-13, Slash, m/m

Key: ****** Scene change,
Italics Thoughts

Summary: Methos demands answers to his many questions.

Disclaimer: My main characters and the Immortal theme still is owned by Panzer/Davis. The original characters and the story itself is mine.

A/N: My spell check keeps insisting I change Duncan's Hopi name Pahana to peahen! Doesn't quite have the same ring to it, does it? Also, the end of the story is in sight. I don't believe in prolonging a good tale just to make it as long as I possibly can. <g>

fr

Chapter 16

Disclosure

Duncan spotted the Buffalo Clan's pueblo two days later. Villagers scaled the steep cliff walls and surrounded their Pahana who'd returned seemingly from the dead. Owl pounded him on the back, as did Running Antelope. The two children Duncan had separated from arguing those many months before, Little Coyote and Red Feather, danced about his heels.

MacLeod grinned and returned the greetings.

"You know, Pahana, Rising Star has almost committed herself to someone else," Owl teased his brother-in-law.

Duncan flushed and swiveled his head to glance over at his lover's amused face.

"Who is Rising Star, Pahana?" Methos asked, instinctively aware that this was one of the things Duncan had neglected to tell him.

"Oh, um, ah, she is my… ah. . ."

Owl laughed at Pahana's discomfort, not understanding its true source. "Rising Star is my sister-in-law and Pahana's wife."

MacLeod did not have a chance to comment because the Anasazi woman in question literally threw herself in her husband's arms. Nor did he notice the momentary stunned look on the ancient's face before Methos masked it.

"Pahana, you are alive! You are here!" she laughed, her black eyes glittering with unshed tears of joy.

Duncan swung her around and lifted her up in his arms, Methos forgotten for the moment. This young Indian woman had risked so much to prove her love for him. She was even ready to give her life, if the dreams he'd had before coming back in time were true. "Yes, I am here, Rising Star," he reassured her, kissing her tenderly on her curved lips.

The two Immortals were hustled into a pueblo and seated. Rising Star thrust both food and water into their hands, while other family members gathered around them. MacLeod noticed the puzzled, and at the same time amused, look in Methos' gaze. He tried to ignore it until later, but his deception of the old man bothered him.

Rising Star settled herself beside her husband in the home she'd built for the two of them over the intervening months since his capture. She'd not given up hope of Pahana's return, in spite of everyone else telling her that he was lost. The petite beauty then turned to his companion. "I am Rising Star."

Methos nodded to the obvious 'Clan Mother.' "I am deeply honored, Rising Star. I am Mica."

A few concerned looks were cast his way. The Catoris had obviously heard of him, so he quickly reassured them, "I am not here to bring harm to you or your village. I came with Duncan to share the trail with him. I am heading for the north country, the land of snow, when I leave here."

The other Clan members were more than willing to share the wonderful tale of how Pahana had miraculously appeared and had generously accepted Rising Star's request of being her mate. They had not been together but a short while when he'd joined the trading journey and had been kidnapped and not heard from since then. The tale telling went on long after the food was eaten.

Methos did not alter his countenance, but he knew now more than ever that there was more to his lover than even he'd guessed.
If he suddenly appeared, where did he come from and how did he get here? More unanswered questions.

* * * * * *

When the group finally broke up, Mica was escorted to Running Antelope's home to spend the night. The young farmer's wife welcomed him into their small room and made sure he had a blanket to ward off the night chill.

Once he was lying down, his arms crossed beneath his head, Methos reflected over the day's events. He and Duncan had not been afforded time to talk in the bustle of Pahana's jubilant homecoming. Methos intended to find out some answers and soon. As he'd thought earlier to himself, Rising Star was just one of Duncan's secrets. What other little tidbits had he withheld?
What explanation will he give his bride regarding my presence? What else does he know about me?
How did he know about my Horseman days? So many unanswered questions, of which he intended to demand answers.

Somehow though, Methos couldn't hold a grudge against MacLeod for not opening up to him. The tall, Highland warrior with skin the color of the burnished sun and innocent eyes of a doe had quite enchanted the four thousand year old man. As such, Methos' dreams were filled with his fetching figure and entrancing voice.

* * * * * *

Rising Star tidied up their home and sighed with relief. She at last had her husband to herself. It had been a long day since his arrival. Turning toward him where he lay beside her on their sleeping mat, she threw herself into his arms and welcomed his kisses, caresses and the slow, satisfying love he bestowed upon her.

Dimly, Duncan felt guilty for betraying Methos, not only for hiding the fact of their past friendship, but also because he cared for the eldest Immortal so much. He should be him, not his beautiful wife.
I hope he'll understand.

The Catori woman was still awake when she heard Pahana's soft snores that told her he was sleeping. She wondered of him. He seemed different from when she last saw him. It was almost as if he had held himself back from her. Was he embarrassed in front of Mica or was it something else? Could it have anything to do with the visions she'd been having? Could it be her visions of a great evil befalling her people, visions of Pahana battling a fierce enemy, visions of her village scattering to the four winds and visions of her own death?

Her thoughtsrledrled through her head until it was well past the middle of the night. Not until then did she fall asleep, cradled in her husband's comforting embrace.

* * * * * *

A week passed that was filled with Duncan resuming hatteattern of living that he'd had before Chaco Canyon. He and Methos worked in the fields on top of the mesa with the other men; Mac hadn't any problems scaling the ladder up to the mesa this time.

The two of them hadn't found the time to do more than exchange yearning looks and brief stolen kisses when no one was looking. Duncan knew his lover demanded more of him, the truth of their situation and what his plans were for the future, if any.

He also knew it wouldn't be too much longer before Quetzalomeyocan would show up for a final confrontation. He didn't want to admit it to anyone, even Methos, but he was petrified of losing him to the Toltec. Methos had taken his place before, with Lemuel. He'd won that one, but who was to say he'd win this one with a stronger, more cunning adversary? He was subject of doing it again, but Duncan was determined not to lose him. He would be the one to have a final reckoning with their nemesis.

* * * * * *

Duncan found an isolated moment with Methos a few days later. The two of them had gone to hunt game for the tribe. After acquiring a brace of rabbits, he wasn't surprised at the ancient's first question.

"What is going on, MacLeod? What haven't you told me? Why didn't you tell me you had a wife? Where do I stand in all this?"

MacLeod blinked under the old man's barrage of questions. He paused to gaze upon the quiet valley from the secluded spot they'd chosen atop the mesa. Duncan knew he had no choice but to tell Methos the truth. He wanted to tell him; he was tired of hiding things from his beloved. "This will probably sound unbelievable to you, Methos, it is to me. I haven't been honest with you… about some things."

"Obviously," the ancient dryly replied, "but I don't think much of anything will surprise me about you."

Duncan grinned, "You might change your mind when you hear what I have to say." He looked to see if Methos said anything. When he didn't, he took a deep breath and plunged into his tale. "I was born in Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel in Scotland, in the Brit Islands. I am four hundred and six years old, but my birthday is December 21st, 1592." He sheepishly peered up through his lowered eyelashes to see Methos' reaction.

It was rather slow in coming, but when it did, the ancient's mouth dropped open. "1592?! But, that's not even. . .!"

"No," Duncan quietly said, "It's over five hundred years from now."

"But, if you're four hundred, then. . ."

"I have come back in time from the year 2000, somght ght hundred years from now."

Methos sat back against the rock he'd been leaning against in shock. "My God! I expected a weird tale but never this!"

"No, I don't suppose you did."

"How? Why?"

Duncan settled back and related his incredible story of how a Hopi shaman wrapped in in a buffalo hide and sent him back to the days of the old man's ancient ancestors. He shared of Lemuel Priest, his nightmares and of Rising Star visiting him in his dreams. He told him of the girl's ghost beckoning him back in time to avenge her death and also, what had happened to him since then.

When he'd finished, Methos sat slack-jawed in stunned shock of what he'd just heard.

Duncan watched him for a moment and then leaned in to kiss him upon his lips. "What I didn't expect, Methos, was to cross your path." He hesitated and added in a ragged whisper, "or to fall in love with you."

Methos returned Duncan's puppy dog look of love with one of mutual devotion. He then opened his arms and the Scot wriggled over until his head lay in Methos' lap, the elder Immortal stroking his long hair back off his face. "You have been through so much for one so young, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod." Ironically, Methos hada cla clue as to how many times he'd repeat that same phrase, Duncan MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod, in the future.

"Yes, but now I have you," the Scot replied, lifting his head for Methos' lips to meet his own.

Their kiss deepened, but before anything further developed, Methos drew back. "How will you get back to your own time?"

Duncan shook his disheveled head. "Don't know. I may not get back. Do you mind if I come with you? That is, if I can't go back to my other life?"

Methos grinned, "You can come with me to the ends of the earth, Highlander, to the end of time."

They embraced and made slow, intense love, trying to make up for the centuries they might be apart. Duncan didn't dwell upon the thought of Rising Star. He knew he couldn't stay with her if he remained in this century. He just hoped she'd somehow understand.

Before they departed to return to the pueblo, Methos caught Duncan's arm. "If by some chance you return to your time, I'll be there waiting for you to awaken. I promise."

Duncan smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, I know you will, my love."

* * * * * *

--TBC--
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Quest, Reversal In Time