***
Jessica McAndrews pulled her red jeep alongside the set of stairs. Glancing up at the red brick building and metal steps, she wondered if she had the right place. She checked the address written in her notebook. "DeSalvo Dojo" was scribbled along with it. "Yep, I guess this is it, Toby."
Jessie looked over her shoulder to the back seat where Toby lay. He blinked with disinterest. "Look, I know you didn't want to come out here. But it was more money and less snow. Granted there's more rain but I don't have to shovel that."
Toby let out a soft sigh.
"Gees," Jessica muttered clipping on her police badge. She opened the door and climbed out of the jeep. "Come on. We've got work to do." She straightened out her trenchcoat and adjusted the 9mm gun clipped to her jeans.
Toby hopped over the console of the jeep and jumped down onto the ground into a puddle of water. He lifted his front paw and shook it.
"Silly dog," Jessie grinned. She made her way up the stairs with Toby at her side. As she opened the door, she could hear soft sounds coming from the dojo itself. Cautiously, she peeked around the second door.
A man, about six feet tall, with dark hair tied in a ponytail was working out. He wore loose black pants with no shirt or shoes. Jessica figured he was doing a Kata or something similar. But he wasn't the person she was looking for. She stepped into the doorway and signaled for Toby to sit. The dog obeyed.
The man stopped and stared for a moment at the medium height, blonde haired woman and very large black dog in his doorway. "Can I help you?"
"I hope so." Jessie walked up to the man. "My name is Detective McAndrews. I'm looking for Richard Ryan. I understand he works here." She made a circling motion with her hand, which caused Toby to start walking through the dojo sniffing.
The man looked from the Detective to the dog and back to the Detective. "Duncan MacLeod." He held out his hand and waited for the Detective to shake it. "I'm sorry but Richie isn't here. He hasn't been here for a couple days."
Jessie took out her notebook from her back pocket. "MacLeod. . . oh, yes, you own this place."
Duncan walked over to a nearby bench and picked up the towel as Toby walked by, still sniffing. "Is he looking for something?"
"Just doing his job, Mr. MacLeod. Don't worry. He won't mark any territory if that's what you're worried about."
Duncan smiled. "The thought did cross my mind."
Jessie nodded. "Now, you say Mr. Ryan hasn't been around in a few days."
"That right."
"Do you know where he is?"
"No, I don't. Is he in some kind of trouble, Detective?"
"No. Not yet anyway. He was seen leaving the scene of a robbery and murder. Witnesses say he was chasing the suspect we are after. I just want to get more information from him." She reached inside her trenchcoat and pulled out a card. "If you see him, call me. Or have him call me. I really don't want to have to put an APB out on him." Jessie snapped her fingers and Toby trotted over to her side.
"I'll do that."
"Thank you. Have a nice workout." Jessie smiled and left with Toby. She got settled in the jeep and looked up once again at the dojo doors. "This is one place I won't mind coming back to, Toby. The scenery's great."
***
Duncan looked down at the card in his hand after the detective left. "She sure knows how to make and entrance, and exit for that matter," he said to himself. Then he began to worry about Richie. About what he'd gotten himself into this time. He went into the office and picked up the phone. He dialed a number and it rang several times before being picked up.
"Joe's, Mike speaking," the voice said.
"Mike, this is Duncan MacLeod. Is Dawson there?" Duncan heard Mike call for Joe and a moment later Joe was on the phone.
"Hey MacLeod. What's up?"
"I was just wondering if you had seen Richie in the past few days?"
"No. Not since Saturday when he was here with you. Is there a problem?"
Duncan sighed. "I don't know. There was a detective in here looking for him. Said he wasn't in trouble, just wanted to question him."
"You want me to ask about him?"
Duncan paused. "No. No, that's okay. I'm sure he's fine and it's nothing."
***
Jessica cleared off a spot on her desk at the police station and finished up her daily report. It was past five and technically she was off but she hated to have paperwork pile up.
Toby sat next to her with his head resting on the desk. Watching. Waiting.
"Hey McAndy!" a voice called.
Jessica groaned and looked up.
A man in a police uniform sauntered up to her desk and leaned down on it, grinning from ear to ear.
"What do you want, Frank?" Jessica went back to writing her report.
"Aww, come on. Is that any way to greet a fellow officer, McAndy?"
Jessie reached up and grabbed the man by his uniform tie. "Call me McAndy one more time and I'll stuff your badge down your throat." She pushed him off her desk as she let him go.
"Gees. . . had a bad day?"
"Not until you got here."
Another officer laughed as he passed by. "Good one, McAndrews!"
Jessica got up, picked up the report and her keys. "Bye, Frank." She walked over to another desk and dropped the report on it before leaving the station. Frank was right though. Her day hadn't gone well. She was making no progress on the robbery/murder case. Witnesses either had short-term memory loss or couldn't be found.
She decided to go somewhere for some food and a beer or two to help take her mind off things. Jessica remembered seeing a small bar on her way back from her talk with MacLeod. It seemed as good a place as any to go.
***
The strains of a blues tune greeted her ears as she opened the door. The room was about half filled. But it was still early in the day for most people. She scanned the room and found a small booth off to the side. Toby followed her in and made himself comfortable under the table while she took off her coat.
Jessie notice the grey-haired man behind the bar eyeing her and Toby. He came out from behind the bar and over to her table. He glanced down at the dog then back up. "You know. . ." he started.
Reaching into her coat, she pulled out both her and Toby's badges. She opened them and laid them on the table.
"Ah." He smiled. "Well, welcome to Joe's, Detectives. What can I get for you?"
"I'd like a draft beer and your special to eat."
"One beer and one special. Anything for him? A bowl of water, a bone? A cat?"
Jessie laughed. "No, he'll be just fine, thank you." She watched as the man went back to the bar. Very attractive, she thought. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes enjoying the sound of the music. Suddenly she felt Toby sit up, muscles tensed. Her eyes flew open and she looked around. "What is it, Toby?" Just then, the door opened and Duncan MacLeod walked in. Toby relaxed and lay back down. She looked at him under the table. "What the hell was that all about?" She didn't really expect an answer.
A waitress came over and set her beer and food on the table. Jessie reached for her coat when the waitress said, "Oh, it's okay. It's on the house. Compliment's of Joe," and pointed to the grey haired man.
Jessie smiled and nodded and watched as MacLeod approached the bar.
"Hey Joe."
"Hi Mac. What can I get ya?"
"Just a beer for now." He settled down on the barstool and sipped his beer.
"Any word on Richie?"
Duncan shook his head. "Nope. Not yet."
Joe leaned forward a bit. "Tell me something, Mac. Did that detective you talked to today have a big black police dog?"
Duncan cocked his head to one side. "Yeah. Why?"
"She's sitting in a booth behind you."
Duncan turned around and saw Jessie eating and looking though her notebook. The dog lifted its head as Duncan looked. Duncan figured the dog must have made a noise because a few seconds after lifting its head, the detective looked up too. Duncan waved.
Jessica motioned to the booth, hoping he'd join her, which he did.
"Good evening, Detective." He slid into the booth being careful not to step on the dog.
"Jessie. I'm off duty." She smiled. "So, what's a nice guy like you doing in a nice place like this?"
"Well. . . the music's nice, the people are nice, I know the owner. . ." he grinned.
"Ahh. . . I see and so far I can agree with your first two reasons. The food's not bad either." She took a bite of her salad. "So, I don't imagine you've heard from Mr. Ryan since I left?"
"I thought you were off duty?"
Jessie chuckled. "I am but I guess I can't completely turn the detective part of me off."
"To answer your question, I haven't seen him."
Jessie couldn't help but notice the concerned tone in his voice. "Does he up and disappear often?"
"No. That's what bothers me." Duncan felt a nose rub against his thigh. He looked down. "Hey there big fella."
Jessie looked down. "Toby." Then in perfect Latin said, "Lie down. Behave."
"It's all right. He's not bothering me."
She looked at Duncan, bit surprised. "You speak Latin?"
Duncan grimaced. "Umm. . . yeah. A bit."
"I didn't know dojo owners knew Latin."
"You'd be surprised at the things I know. But why did you say that to him in Latin?"
"All police dog handlers are required to teach the commands in a foreign language. It helps to keep others from trying to give commands to the dog. Though in Toby's case, he wouldn't listen anyway."
"Why's that?" he scratched the dog on the top of the head.
"Just the way he is. I've had him since he was six weeks old. He's about five years now. He'd listen to my father and me and that was it. One of the quirks of his breeding I guess."
"Which is?"
"He's from German stock Shepards with wolf in him. I got him when I went over to Europe with my father. The police department I was working for at the time let each K9 officer pick their own dog providing it was from a specific breeder. They didn't like the idea of him being part wolf but they wanted me. My father helped to convince them too."
"Oh. Does he work for the police too?"
"No. He was just a consultant of sorts."
"Was?"
"Yeah, until last year. He was killed in some sort of freak auto accident. His head was severed clean off his body. My mother died in the same accident."
That didn't sound much like an accident to Duncan. "Was that here?"
"No, it was back in Chicago."
"Chicago. Nice place. Were you born there?"
Jessie looked quizzically at Duncan. "Are you always this curious about people?"
"Not all people." Duncan smiled. "Just a few." He liked the way the light made her blue eyes twinkle.
Jessie returned the smile. "Well, I am honored then. But no, I wasn't born in Chicago. I was born in the middle of the Highlands in Scotland. My parents were traveling from Edinburgh to Inverness and I decided I was ready to see the world about a month before they expected."
"Scotland? Really?" Duncan became more and more interested about her as these little bits of information came out. But he was also interested in her father.
"Yep. About a year and a half later my father just up and moved us to the states. Never told me why. But then he never told me a lot of things." Jessie paused for a minute. She wondered just how much she should tell this man. She didn't even know anything about him, though she wouldn't mind finding out. "Say, there's a Scottish clan called MacLeod in a little village along a loch."
Duncan just smiled and nodded. "You don't say?"
"Yeah, been there a couple times. Nice people. Interesting legends."
Duncan took a quick sip of beer and decided it was time to change the subject. But Jessica beat him to it.
She glanced at her watch. "I hate to leave so soon but I've got an early day tomorrow." She slid out of the booth.
"That's okay." Duncan helped her put on her coat. "Maybe we can do it again some time."
"Maybe." She smiled and headed towards the door. On the way, she stopped and thanked Joe for the beer and food.
Duncan followed her and watched her leave. She was of average height and weight but she had a very seductive aura about her.
"You can put your eyes back in your head, MacLeod." Joe joked.
"Very funny, Dawson." He held out his empty mug for another refill. "There's something about her. . ." he trailed off.
Joe set the second beer on the bar. "There always is."
***
Jessie arrived at work the next morning fairly well rested even though she was up half the night going over what few clues she had on her case. They were sketchy at best. The suspect was close to six feet tall, dark blonde to light brown hair, Caucasian in his 40's. That narrowed it down to maybe 100,000 people in the area. What she really needed was to talk to that Ryan character. He had to have been close enough to get a good look at the guy.
She reached into the desk drawer and pulled out the paperwork to file an APB on him. She had no real choice. He was their only real witness. She filled it out and took it over to her Captain.
"Don't send this just yet." She requested. "I'm going to try one more time. If I don't get anywhere, I'll call and give you the go ahead. Okay?"
"It's your case, McAndrews."
"Don't remind me," she said half jokingly and left the station. She and Toby climbed into her jeep and headed for MacLeod's dojo. Though it was still somewhat early, she hoped that maybe she'd get lucky.
Apparently, it wasn't too early for MacLeod. He was working out when she walked in. He stopped and smiled. "Detective. Getting an early start on things?"
Jessie sat down on a bench. "I was hoping to. I thought I'd give it one more shot before I put an APB out on your friend."
Duncan's smile quickly turned into a frown. "I'm sorry. If I could help I would. But I haven't seen or heard from him."
"Okay." She watched as Toby sniffed about the dojo again. Then he suddenly stiffened, the hair on his hackle rising. Jessie jumped up with her hand on her gun. "What's the matter, Toby?" She heard the footfalls coming into the room and the object of her search walked in.
"Hey Mac!" He suddenly stopped and looked at the stranger and the dog staring at him. "Uh oh."
"Uh oh is right, Richie." Duncan motioned to Jessie. "This is Detective McAndrews. She wants to have a word with you. And then it's my turn." Duncan glared at Richie.
Richie sighed. Sometimes he hated it when Mac played father. "What can I do for you, Detective?"
"You can tell me where you were two nights ago between 10:15 and 10:45." Jessie walked around Richie.
"I was just out. Not doing anything special."
"So what. . . you consider chasing robbers and murders a normal occurrence?"
"Oh. That." Richie looked up at Duncan. He had think fast. "I never got a good look at the guy. He had a bunch of friends waiting for him in an alley. They jumped me."
"Where you in that alley for the past two days?"
"No. I tried to find the guy but didn't have any luck."
Duncan finally understood what had happened. The guy must have been an Immortal.
"So, you can't tell me anything about this guy?"
"No, like I said I didn't get a good look at him."
"Fine. Should your memory improve though, Mr. Ryan, I'd appreciate a call. Mr. MacLeod has my number."
Duncan waited until the Detective was well out of hearing range. "What the hell happened, Richie?"
Richie shook his head and paced. "I was just walking along, in a not so great area of town, when I hear this gunshot. I get the buzz and this guy comes barreling around the corner and runs into me. He had a purse. So I figured he had just robbed and shot someone so I took off after him. Been looking for him even since."
Duncan sighed.
"Mac. . . what was I supposed to do? Just let him get away?"
"No. But you should have been more careful. Now you've got the police after you cause they know you got a look at him." Duncan paced over the punching bag.
"I told her I didn't get a good look at him."
"Oh come on, Richie! She's not buying that for a minute." He gave the punching bag a quick shove. "What did he look like?"
Richie closed his eyes for a minute to get a good mental picture of the guy. "About 6 foot, brown hair, dark eyes, medium build, 35 or 40."
"Is that it?"
"Yeah. . . no wait!" He snapped his fingers. "He had a scar on his neck. At least a couple of inches long. I just got a quick glimpse but it looked pretty nasty." He watched as Duncan searched his 400 years of memories for a person that matched the description. "Ring any bells?"
Duncan shook his head.
"Maybe Dawson would. . ."
Duncan cut him off. "We can't go running to Dawson every time there's an Immortal out there that we want to find."
"But Mac, he killed somebody!"
Duncan whirled around. "I know that Richie!" He took a deep breath. "I didn't say we weren't gonna try and find this guy. We just have to do it without Dawson's help."
"And without the police finding out."
***
Jessie dropped her notebook down on her desk with a loud slap. She tossed her trenchcoat on top of a pile of papers and plopped herself in her chair. Toby put a comforting paw on her lap. She scratched his head. "Thanks, pal."
Toby let out a soft whimper, pushing his head into Jessie's hand.
"You think he was lying?" She looked around the police station at the other 10 or so desks in the office. A few were occupied but most of the officers were out on the streets solving their cases.
Jessica was a good detective, good enough for this police department to move her 2000 miles. But she didn't feel worth it today. At least back in Chicago she had sources to go to. Sources that she could trust to tell her just about anything she wanted if they knew the answer.
"What's he hiding? Who's he hiding?" She looked down at Toby as he licked her hand. "And why did you spaz out like that? That's twice in less than 24 hours. You better not being go through some bizarre wolf related crisis."
Toby just looked at her with his big brown eyes and wagged his tail.
"Do you think this Ryan character is involved in this somehow? An accomplice maybe?" She leaned over and picked up the phone, dialing an internal extension.
"Records," the female voice replied.
"This is Detective McAndrews. I'd like all the records you have on a Richard Ryan."
"Juvenile and adult?"
"Yes, both."
"Okay, we'll send them right over."
"Thanks." Jessie hung up the phone. "Maybe this is give us some answers."
***
Richie walked over to the refrigerator in Duncan's loft. He pulled out some milk and poured it into a glass. "You know what freaks me out about this detective chick, Mac?"
Duncan looked up from tying his shoes waiting for the reply.
"That dog. I mean did you see the way it was looking at me when I walked in?"
"Yeah I did. It was looking at me the same way last night at Joe's."
"The dog was at Joe's?"
"Not by itself."
"Oh, har har, Mac. What's Joe doing letting a dog in the bar?"
"It's a police dog," Duncan got up and tucked his shirt in is pants. "It goes where ever Jessie goes."
"Jessie?? You're on a first name basis already?" Richie sighed and wondered if he'd ever have the same kind of luck with women Mac had. Granted, he'd had some luck lately, like with Kristin. But that ended up being bad luck, especially after finding out she almost killed Maria and Adam took her head. "Where are you going?"
"First down to the police station to try and keep them from coming after you and then I'm going to look around the area of the robbery."
"I spent two days looking around there. What makes you think you can find him when I couldn't?"
Duncan picked up his coat and walked to the elevator. "He doesn't know who I am."
***
Toby bounded through the grassy hill behind the police station and dropped the ball in Jessie's lap. "Eww!" she groaned. "Dog slobber!" She laughed as Toby barked and hopped around waiting for her to throw it again.
She had spent the last hour and a half reading though Richie's police records. They turned out being longer than most novels she read. And it definitely wasn't a pretty story.
She tossed the ball toward the corner of the police station and gasped as Toby near plowed over MacLeod coming around the corner. Luckily, MacLeod had quick reflexes and was able to jump out of harm's way. The dog stopped his chase of the ball and stared at MacLeod as he walked by.
"Sorry about that, Mr. MacLeod."
"Duncan. I'm off duty. And it's okay." He strolled over the table. "Mind if I join you?"
"Not at all."
Duncan watched the dog playing with ball taking in the fresh crisp air. "Nice weather, isn't it?"
"What did you come here for, MacL. . . I mean Duncan. Certainly not for a weather report."
He sat down on the picnic table next to Jessie but said nothing.
"Did your friend regain his memory or something?"
"No. I just came here to let you know he's not involved in what happened."
"Oh? Look, I read his police record. It's longer than Stephen King's Insomnia. Granted the past few years have been fairly clean, but it's enough to make me suspicious."
"What's the worst thing on his record? Petty theft? Certainly nothing to make you think he's capable of murder."
Jessica sighed as Toby dropped the ball at her feet. She picked it up again and threw it. "Look, someone's dead and the only lead I have is Richie. Other witnesses swear he was close enough to the suspect to smell what he had for lunch on his breath. But Richie insists he wasn't. It just looks a little suspicious, don't you think?"
"I guess it does. " He looked over at her. "There's more to this isn't there?"
Jessie grinned. "What are you? Psychic?" She got up, stuffing her hands in her jean pockets. "I was being stalked by some whacko in Chicago. Which is part of the reason I came out here. We had no clues as to who this guy was. But his M.O. was to kill someone and take their purse or wallet and leave it on my front doorstep."
"And that happened this time?"
"Yep. I went out to get my newspaper and the purse was there. We tried everything to catch this guy. But he avoided it all. Even with the latest in technological crime fighting equipment, we got nothing. Then I got an offer to move here. So, after a length discussion with my Captain there, I decided to take it."
"And here you are?"
"Uh huh. And it looks like he is too." Jessie paced around the picnic table.
"Any idea what he wants?"
"Nope. It all started shortly before my parents were killed. That was almost a year and seven bodies ago."
Duncan stood up. "He's killed seven people?"
She nodded. "I don't know if he's doing it to drive me insane or giving me a hint at what he's gonna do to me." She looked over at Duncan. "But I have to find him before it happens again. That's why I am desperate for Richie to talk to me. I need that information."
"I'll see what I can do." He looked at his watch. "I have to go."
"Okay. Thanks for your help."
Duncan nodded and started to walk away then stopped. "Would you be interested in dinner tonight? I know a great little restaurant on the wharf."
Jessie hesitated. She was willing to spill her guts to this man but was scared to take him up on a dinner offer. And she knew why. She took a deep breath. "Sure. I'd like that." She pulled her notebook out of her back pocket.
Duncan chuckled. "Do you go anywhere with out that?"
"Just to bed." She blushed and scribbled her address down.
"7:30 sound good?"
"Yep. See you then."
***
Duncan made a slow and careful sweep of the area where the robbery occurred, hoping he'd find something. But there was nothing but the usual assortment of bums asleep in alleys and pushers selling drugs and women selling themselves. He sat in his car wondering just what this Immortal wanted with Jessica. And he had a sneaking suspicion that it was this Immortal that killed Jessica's parents. If he was willing to kill her mother, who Duncan believed was mortal, than he would have no problems killing Jessie, if that's what his plans were.
Sitting here thinking about all this isn't going to you anywhere, he said to himself. He started the car and headed back to the loft to clean up for his date.
When he arrived, Richie was sitting on the couch reading a book. Duncan draped his coat over a chair.
"Did you get anywhere?" Richie set the book on the coffee table and picked up the beer sitting nearby.
"Well, I got a dinner date if you consider that anywhere."
"Mac! I thought you were going there to keep me out of hot water not improve your love life." Then he muttered, "Like it needs it."
"There's more to this case than we first thought, Richie."
"Like what?" Richie watched Mac as he pulled out a sweater and a clean pair of jeans for the armoire.
"Like the fact that this guy has been killing people and leaving their belongings on Jessica's doorstep for nearly a year. And I believe he's also the one responsible for the death of her parents."
"Whoa. That's heavy. And you just now found all this out?"
"Some of it, yeah. Some it I already knew but she just confirmed it for me."
"So what's your plan?"
"I don't know yet."
***
Jessica buttoned up the red shirt and did one final check in the mirror. She hoped they weren't going anywhere too fancy. She wasn't much of a dress up person. Jeans and boots were about as dressy as she got. Everything looked okay so she headed downstairs where Toby was laying on the couch looking pathetic.
"Get off the furniture, you. I don't even own it."
Toby slowly got off the couch. He tensed and his hair stood up as he looked towards the door.
Jessie stared at him. "What is with. . ." She was interrupted by the doorbell. She opened the door and smiled in both relief and pleasure when she saw Duncan standing there. He looked nice in black jeans, a white turtleneck, blue jacket and his hair partially tied back. "Hi." she finally said after realizing she had been staring.
"Hi." He waited for a few seconds. "Mind if I come in?"
Jessie snapped herself back to reality. "Oh, yeah. Sorry. Come on in." She stepped aside and let Duncan in.
Toby wagged his tail and sat near the stairs.
Duncan looked around the house. It was a small but well decorated two-story house done in mostly tan, off white and browns. The living room had a couch parallel to the door and a love seat positioned at a right angle from the couch, across the walkway from the stairs. He noticed the abstract art hanging above the fireplace, on the wall opposite the love seat. "Nice piece of art."
Jessie glanced over to it. "Oh. Thanks, but it's not mine. I'm just renting this place. It came fully furnished." She went into the dining room and took a short, black, leather jacket off a chair. "I hope I'd dressed okay. I'm pretty much a jeans kinda gal. Goes back to my childhood tom-boy days."
"You look just fine." Duncan stepped up to her and reached out to brush her check when he felt it.
Toby jumped up, teeth bared, growling, and hackles raised.
Jessica instinctively reached for her gun clipped to the back of her jeans and looked back and forth from Duncan to Toby very confused. "What?! What is it?!"
Duncan turned back to her and in a low commanding voice said, "Stay here." He started for the door.
Toby headed for the back door barking wildly so Jessie followed him back mumbling, "Stay here my ass. . ." She drew her gun and pushed the curtains back. "Quiet. Stay." Toby immediately obeyed the Latin words. Jessie was just about to open the door when Duncan called to her.
She ran over to the front door and looked down at the step. It wasn't a purse or a wallet this time. It was a picture of her and Duncan at the police station. A thick black 'X' was drawn across Duncan. She pulled a tissue from the box on the table in between the couch and loveseat and carefully picked up the picture. "Damn it!"
Duncan took the picture from her, looked at it, then set it on the table. "I doubt you'll get any finger prints off it."
"I know." She slipped her gun back in it's holster. "Look, maybe dinner isn't such a good idea."
"Sure it is. I'm still hungry."
Jessie looked at Duncan wide-eyed. "Duncan, this is obviously a threat by somebody."
"Right. And if it's him, we both know he won't do anything in public. We're safer at the restaurant than we are here."
Jessie put her hand on her hip. "Were you a cop in a past life or something?"
Duncan smiled. "Or something."
Shaking her head, Jessie picked up her purse. She knew Duncan was right. Public wasn't this guy's style. And if he had wanted to kill Duncan or her or both, he'd have tried to do so already. She turned to Toby who was still sitting by the backdoor. "It's okay. Now you behave."
Toby lay down and whimpered.
"Look, the rules say I can take you everywhere I go, not that I have to. I'm entitled to a little privacy don't you think?"
"You talk to him like he understands you."
"What makes you think he doesn't?" She grinned and stepped through the threshold of the door. "Coming?"
***
Dinner was quiet as they talked, trying to avoid the subject of the madman that now seemed to be after both of them. Afterwards, Duncan walked her up to the front door of her house.
"Would you like to come in for a nightcap?" She unlocked the door.
"That sounds good."
They stepped into the house and were greeting by Toby who ran in circles barking.
"Okay. Okay." Jessica scratched him behind the ears. "You'd think I was gone for weeks by the way he acts." She looked back at Duncan. "Make yourself comfortable. I have feed him and I'll bring something to take the chill out of us." She went into the kitchen and set her gun down on the counter.
"I can make a fire in the fireplace if you like," Duncan called from the other room.
"Nah, that's okay. I'm always afraid they'll end up burning the whole house down." Jessie put some water on the stove and set about searching the U-shaped set of kitchen cabinets for a couple of glasses. "I know they're here somewhere," she mumbled. Once she found the glasses she wanted she set them next to the stove. She pulled an opened, half-full can of dog food from the refrigerator, spooning it into a bowl sitting next to the sink. Then she dumped a cup of dry dog food into the bowl from a bag in pantry before setting it on the floor.
As Toby happily began eating, Jessie knelt down and whispered to him, "I hope I'm not making a mistake."
The water in the teakettle whistled that is was done so Jessie set about making two cups of hot chocolate with varied and small amounts of several liqueurs. She topped it off with whipped cream and cherry before bringing them into the living room.
She handed one to Duncan and sat next to him on the couch. "Give that a try."
He took a sip. "Mmm. . . that's good. What's in it."
"Ancient family secret," she replied then started laughing.
"What?"
"I'm sorry." Taking a deep breath, "You've got whipped cream on your nose." She reached out and carefully wiped it off with her finger.
Duncan gently wrapped his hand around hers and licked the whipped cream off.
Jessie felt her heart stop. She tensed and tried not to panic. She slowly pulled her hand away.
"Jess. . . I'm sorry. . . I. . ."
Jessie shook her head. "It's not you, Duncan. It's me. There's stuff in my past you don't know about. Fears I haven't been able to over come."
"I want to help. If you'll let me." Duncan set his glass on the coffee table and did the same with hers.
"It's not that I don't like you. I do. I mean I've told you stuff about me, my past, my family, that I normally wouldn't tell just anyone." Jessie shifted on the couch.
"I'm sorry, Jess. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable."
Jessie reached out and touched Duncan's hand. "I know. I just haven't faced these feelings in awhile."
Duncan turn to sit sideways with his elbow propped up on the back of the couch. He gently rubbed Jessie's shoulder. "And what feelings are these?"
Jessie couldn't bring herself to look at Duncan as the tears welled in her eyes. "You seem very sweet and kind and it could easily turn into love. But. . . I don't want to get hurt again."
"I don't want to hurt you." Duncan struggled to keep himself from taking her in his arms and holding her, afraid that it would only push her away. "What happened to make you so afraid?"
Jessie closed her eyes, the memories of those horrible years all coming back. "When I was eighteen, I married this man. He was everything I wanted. We moved to Michigan. Bought a house and started to live a real life despite my father's protests. And then he changed. He didn't want a wife. He wanted a slave, a piece of property. It was your typical case of a battered wife. I thought he'd change though. Then one day, I found out I was pregnant. I avoided telling him for as long as I could. He just went off when I finally did. Called me a cheat and whore. Said he knew it wasn't his cause he couldn't have children. He said he'd find the bastard I slept with and kill him." Jessie cried harder.
"It wasn't your fault he couldn't handle the responsibility for what he'd done." He handed her his handkerchief.
"That's just it. He was right. It wasn't his. I had an affair with someone, someone who loved me for me. I broke it off after a few months because I felt so guilty for what I did. By then it was too late."
"What happened to the baby?"
Jessie bit her lower lip. "He killed her. The self-centered bastard killed my baby girl. The night I told him, he went into a rage. He beat me, kicked me. . . I felt like his punching bag. And then he left. I started to bleed a little while later so I called an ambulance. I lost her a few hours later." She took a deep breath and looked up to the ceiling. "My only consolation was that I got one good strike in on him, with a knife right across the neck."
Duncan sucked in a deep breath. That sounded like the guy Richie had been chasing and that had been stalking Jessie. "But you got away."
"Yes, because of my father. I called him from the hospital and he flew out that night and had me packed and on a plane back home with him in 24 hours. From that point on I promised I'd never let myself get hurt like that again. I'd never be a victim."
"So you joined the police force?"
"And now there are seven dead people because of me."
Duncan turned Jessica to face him. "No! Not because of you. Because of someone else. You didn't kill those people."
"Then why do I feel like I did?"
Duncan wiped the tears from Jessie's face. "It's not your fault."
Jessie looked into his soft, comforting eyes. She slowly leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips.
Duncan took her face carefully in his hands. "Are you sure this is what you want?"
"I'm sure. I need someone to trust. . ." She reached out, touching his face. "And I want that someone to be you."
Duncan gathered Jessie in his arms and held her, gently stroking her hair.
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his shoulder. He smelled good, clean and musky at the same time. His every touch sent electric tingles through her body. She turned her head, nuzzling against his neck. She felt Duncan move her hair. Goosebumps rose on her skin as he kissed the back of her neck. Instinctively, she pressed herself into him.
Duncan was unprepared for the move and fell over backward onto the couch taking Jessie with him. They laughed for a few minutes.
"Sorry about that," Jessie blushed.
Duncan looked down at her, smiling. "It's okay. I enjoyed it." Then the expression on his face changed. As he lifted Jessie off and sat up, they heard Toby barking madly in the backyard.
They both jumped off the couch and ran for the door. As they flung the door open, they heard gunshots and the yelp of a dog. Jessie flipped a switch that flooded the backyard with light. They bounded down the short flight of stairs. Jessie headed towards the black body lying in the yard as Duncan ran for the gate.
"Toby!!" Jessie fell to her knees next to the dog's body. The dog whimpered and thumped his tail on the ground. Jessie scooped the dog's head into her lap and saw the blood pouring from the wound in his chest.
"Oh Toby," she cried. "Don't die, buddy. . . please don't die."
"I called 911," a voice yelled over the fence. "They're sending an ambulance and the police."
Jessie looked up. It was a neighbor. "Thank you." She looked down at Toby and watched as his breathing got slower. "Hang on Toby! Hang on."
"Can I get you anything?" The neighbor asked.
"Towels!" Jessie cried. "I need towels to stop the bleeding!"
Within minutes the neighbor came running through the open gate with a handful of towels. Jessie took one and pressed it against Toby's chest. "It's gonna be okay. Just stay with me."
Toby licked Jessie's arm before he stopped breathing.
"No! Damn it!! No! You can't die!!" Jessie rocked back and forth, tears falling from her eyes. "I love you, Toby." She finally whispered. Carefully she laid her dog's head on the ground then covered him with the towels. She gave him one final scratch on the head then got up and ran towards the gate. She slammed into Duncan as he came around the corner.
"It was him wasn't it?! It was the son of a bitch that's been following me!"
Duncan pulled Jessie aside as the police cars started to arrive. "I'll explain everything later. Just tell them you don't know who is was okay?"
"Duncan," she whispered harshly back. "I can't lie. The bastard killed my dog and he's got to pay!"
"He will! But not with this kind of justice. Trust me, okay?"
Jessie nodded as one of the policemen came up to question her and Duncan.
Several hours later, Jessie watched as the coroner loaded Toby's body into a van. She sighed as Duncan came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm sorry, Jess."
Jessie shook her head. "He was a good dog. And a good friend." Tears ran down her face as the van pulled away.
Duncan started to lead her back into her house but she stopped. "What's wrong?"
"I don't want to stay here. It'll just remind me of him."
"Just pack some things. You can stay with me."
***
Duncan slid the gate to the elevator up and ushered Jessie into the loft. She sat down on the couch as he put her things away and fixed her a drink.
She leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees when she noticed some papers on the table. She picked one up, scanning. She looked over at Duncan, shocked and confused. "Duncan, what are these papers? They have my father's name in them. They have name in them."
Duncan walked over and sat down with her. He took the papers from her and handed her the drink. "Drink this."
"I don't want something to drown my sorrows in. I want answers."
"I know. "
Slowly, Jessie lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, never shifting her gaze from Duncan's eyes. Whatever was in the glass tasted good. It calmed her stomach and warmed her up. She sipped at it again. "Now, please tell me what's going on. What's all those papers talking about watchers and immortals?"
"What I'm going to say you may find hard to believe, but I'm not lying to you. Immortals are people who cannot die. They live and work in the real world just like regular people only some of them have lived for hundreds and in a few cases even thousands of years."
"Duncan. . . I think you've been hitting your liquor cabinet a little too hard lately."
Duncan set his drink down and got up. "I know it sounds unbelievable. But we're just like you. Only we don't get older and we can't die by normal means. They only way we can die is to be beheaded." He went into the kitchen.
"Wait. . . what's the 'we' stuff all of a sudden? And how do you know about these immortals?"
Duncan reached into a drawer and pulled out a kitchen knife. He walked back to Jessica and knelt in front of her. "Because I am one. And so was your father." He placed the knife in her hand and wrapped his own around hers. "Do you know where to stab someone body to kill them?"
"Yeah but why? What're you doing?" There was a panic in her voice.
"Whatever happens, don't call anyone." He took their hands and rammed the knife between his ribs and into his heart.
Jessie screamed and let go of the knife as Duncan fell backward, a red stain slowly spreading across his white shirt. "Duncan!!" She jumped down on the floor next to him. "Why?!" She took Duncan's hand.
"I'll be all ri. . . " Duncan whispered with his last breath.
Jessie reached up and felt for the pulse in his neck. It was gone. "Damn you! What were you trying to prove?!" She laid her head on his chest and cried. Suddenly she felt his chest rise and heard him gasp for air. She jumped back in both shock and horror.
Duncan sat up and winced in pain. "God, I hate that." He looked down at his shirt. "Ruined a perfectly good shirt too." He looked at Jessie who was staring with her mouth hanging open. "I'm sorry but it was the only way." He stood up.
Jessie took a step forward and reach out to touch the spot where the knife had gone in. "It healed."
Duncan took her hand and kissed it. "It always does."
She reached up. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled him into a hug. "God, I thought I'd lost you too."
Duncan pulled back. "I'm not going anywhere." He pulled off his shirt and tossed it into the trash.
"I'd hate to have your clothing bill."
They sat back on the couch and Duncan explained more about Immortals and Watchers and why he believed that her father was one and so was the man she had once married. "It's the buzz that lets us know another one of us is around."
"Is Richie one too?"
"Yep."
Jessie's eyes lit up as it suddenly occurred to her. "Toby must have been able to sense this buzz or whatever and that's why he'd act funny when one of you would come near."
Duncan shrugged. "Could be. I've never heard of anything like that before though."
Jessie rubbed her eyes. "It seems like one giant nightmare right now where nothing really makes a lot of sense."
Duncan reached over. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled Jessie into a hug. "I know. Why don't you try and get some sleep?" He brushed aside her hair and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
Jessie nodded. She faught back the urge to insist he join her. She was sure he would if he felt it was right. She slipped into a nightgown and then into bed. She watched as Duncan switched off all the lights and walked around the loft in the moonlight. After a few minutes, she figured he wouldn't be joining her, so she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
Duncan looked at Jessie's still form lying on the bed. He wanted to go to her, to comfort her, but at the same time was afriad he might push her away. He decided he had to try. He slid carefully under the covers of the bed. He smiled as Jessie rolled over and greeted him with a warm hug and a kiss.
***
Jessie finally woke the next morning to a blinding stream of sunlight coming through the window. The bed next to her was empty, as was the loft. She threw off the covers and shivered at the chill of the air. Throwing on some sweats, she walked into the kitchen were she noticed the note.
I'm downstairs. Come down when you wake up.
Duncan
Jessie took the elevator down to where Duncan was working out. She just stood and stared as he went through the kata with grace and beauty. She felt foolish just standing there, staring, as Duncan had to know she was. She even thought about doing the kata with him but last night's sleep wasn't very restful and she didn't feel like she had the energy.
Finishing up the kata, Duncan picked up a towel from a nearby bench. He wiped the sweat from his face then looked at Jessie and smiled. "Morning."
Jessie blushed. "Morning."
Duncan went to her. He lifted her chin and kissed her. "Hungry? I make a great omelet."
"Food sounds good."
They went back up to the loft. Duncan went into the bathroom to clean up before starting on the omelets. Jessie sat on the couch with her feet tucked under her.
"What's your plans for today?" Duncan pulled the omelet fixings out of the refrigerator.
"Well, I have to go down to the station and write up the report from last night. And I'll have to sign all the papers so they can take care of Toby." Jessie swallowed hard. She still couldn't believe he was gone. "They'll no doubt force me to take at least a week of vacation. Like I could rest knowing that son of a bitch is out there."
"I have a feeling he won't be for long."
"What do you mean?"
"He knows who I am and probably where to find me. And he's figured out that I stand the way of him getting to you. I imagine he'll be issuing a challenge soon."
"A challenge? You mean you'd accept it?"
Duncan set the knife down on the counter. "It's what we do. If I can find him first, he'll be the one doing the accepting."
"How are you going to find him?"
"Once you tell me his name, I have sources I can go to. But you have to promise not to get the police involved."
Jessie rolled her eyes. "It's a little late for that. I am the police. And how do you know for sure it's my ex?"
"I won't until I do some checking."
Jessie grinned. "Isn't that supposed to be my line?"
***
Jessie gave Duncan all the information she could about her ex-husband and the two parted to do their own things.
There was a sad and solemn air in the police station as Jessie walked in. By now everyone knew she had lost her partner and offered her their condolences. Even Frank was less annoying than usual. She went first to the morgue to get the hardest part over with. She requested that Toby be cremated and a plaque placed in the police cemetery in his honor. It seemed like a morbid thought at first but Jessie wanted Toby to always be with her in body as well as spirit. She was just getting ready to leave when the coroner came out with Toby's collar, license, and collar badge.
Jessie managed a thank you as she stared at them. She stroked them gently. "I miss you, buddy." Wiping the tears away, she put them in her jacket pocket and headed for her desk.
Two hours later, she had finally finished the report. She hoped she had managed to leave out certain events without making it look like there were gaping holes. She picked up the report and headed for her Captain's office. She knocked lightly on the doorframe. "Captain Eakin?"
The older, slightly balding but well built man looked up from his desk. "Detective McAndrews, come in. Shut the door." He loosened the black tie of the police uniform.
Jessie did as she was told. She laid the report on the Captain's desk and stood waiting.
"You can sit down, Jessie." He flipped through the report and set it aside. "I tried calling you last night."
"I'm sorry, Sir. I wasn't home. I stayed with a friend. I know I should have called."
Captain Eakin nodded. "It's okay. You had a rough night." He paused. "Are you okay?"
Jessie fumbled around for the right words. "I don't know, Sir. I guess. . . maybe it just hasn't set in yet."
"I want you to take a week off. I'll turn the case over to someone else."
"I don't want anyone else on this case. It's mine."
The Captain shook his head. "You know the rules. You're too personally involved now. Especially if this is the same guy from Chicago." He leaned forward on his desk. "Jessie, just take a week off. Go somewhere, anywhere. Just get away. That's an order."
Jessie stood up and gave a mock salute. "Yes, sir." She picked up a pen and paper and scribble down Duncan's number. "This is where you can find me for the next couple days. I'll let you know if I go anywhere else."
"Right. See you in a week."
Jessie picked up a few personal items from her desk and headed back to Duncan's. The place was quiet when Jessie walked in. Had she been alert, she would have noticed it was too quiet. But she took the elevator upstairs without a second thought. She never even saw the man come up behind her with the chloroformed rag.
***
Jessie blinked her eyes at the blinding light. Her head was pounding and her stomach was churning. She blinked again, trying to focus on something, anything to make the room stop spinning. She tried to rub her eyes but her hands were firmly bound together underneath her.
Slowly, things came into focus. A small window about 8 feet off the floor sat in the wall on her left. Above her was a light, the source that was initially blinding her. The room itself was barely 10 feet by 10 feet and filled only with her, the cot on which she laid, and a small sink and toilet straight across from the foot of the bed. The one door was off to Jessie's right.
Jessie sat up on the cot trying to fight off the wave of nausea. She hated the after effects of anesthesia. She looked around some more at the dull gray walls. "This place could use a woman's touch that's for sure." She stood, wavered, and then regained her full balance. She stepped up onto the cot and tried to look out the window but it was still too high. "Damn!" She hopped down.
Whoever had her here either wanted to make sure she wasn't comfortable or didn't plan on keeping her here for long. In the back of her mind, she knew just who it was too. Then the sudden realization that Duncan may have found him and not survived made the nausea return.
Jessie plopped back down on the cot. She couldn't understand why, after having left him almost 10 years ago, he insisted on making her life hell. She did know he meant business and wouldn't hesitate at hurting her or Duncan.
She tugged at the rope that tied her hands. Twisting and turning, she tried to free her hands but to no avail. The rope was just too tight. She needed to stretch it just a bit.
A grin spread across Jessie's face. "Rope stretches when it gets wet and there's a sink." She pulled back the top cover on the cot exposing the sheet. If she dried her hands on the cover, it'd be very noticeable. Not that wet rope itself wasn't, but it could by her more time.
She soaked the ropes under the ice cold running water. "Figures he couldn't spring for a water heater in here," she muttered. Turning off the water she ran back to bed hoping to keep the floor as dry as possible. Then she began working at the ropes.
After what seemed like an eternity, the rope had stretched enough for her to slip her hands out. Rubbing her wrists, she went about her next task, opening the door. She needed something to pick the lock with, something long and thin.
Jessie was tucking the cover back under the cot when her sleeve got caught on a spring. She cursed at first. Lifting up the slim cot mattress she examined the coiled springs. "Not exactly department issue lock picks but they'll work." She pulled out a couple of the springs and headed over to pick the double lock deadbolt.
Jessie estimated it took 10 minutes to finally get the lock released. The coils were a bit hard to maneuver in the lock but at least it worked. Carefully, she opened the door a crack.
Boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. From the looks of things, she figured she was in a warehouse of some kind. Opening the door a little more, she craned her head around. She couldn't see anyone close by, so she slipped out and shut the door.
She heard voices coming from the center of the warehouse. She couldn't make out what was being said, but one voice belonged unmistakably to him, Jon Delmont, her former husband.
Jessie kept low to the ground and crept forward using the boxes as cover. She found a place that allowed her a small view of the area where John and the man stood talking.
John hadn't changed in the last decade. "But then he's Immortal, he's not going to change," she thought to herself. Still 6 feet tall with brown hair and a fairly well muscled body.
He was pacing back and forth, spouting curses to the other, smaller man. "Damn it! Where is he?! I told him 6 o'clock sharp or I'd start sending bodies to his doorstep!" His black trenchcoat flapped behind him as paced.
The other man looked at his watch. "It's only quarter till."
John stopped in mid stride, turned and glared at the man. "Go to his place. See if he's still there!"
The smaller man nodded and hurried off.
John pulled his sword out. He brushed his had across the blade and kissed it. "Soon we will have yet another head to add to our collections as well as having my one true treasure back."
Chills ran down Jessie's spine. He was truly a cold-hearted bastard. She had always hated when he called her "his true treasure". It made her feel like an object to be possessed, not a person. And apparently, John's looks weren't the only thing that hadn't changed over the years.
She watched as John laid his sword on a table and walked away. It was the opening she needed. Sneaking around the boxes to gain a direct line at the sword, she noticed the gun on the table too. She remembered what Duncan had said about Immortals, that they die but come back. Knowing she'd never stand a chance in a sword fight with John, she decided to play dirty.
She snuck up to the table. Picking up the gun, she stood, aiming it at John, and cocked the trigger. "Hi, honey. I'm home."
John whirled around. "Ahhh... so you are. Now is that hardly the way to greet your husband?"
"That's ex-husband."
"Well, I hope to remedy that soon." He took several steps towards her.
"AH! Don't try it! I know how to use this."
John stepped back. "So I've noticed. You've really made a name for yourself in law enforcement. And you're still just as pretty."
"You've made quit a name for yourself too. Only up until recently, I didn't know it was you."
"Mmm... too bad. I liked the anonymity." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Are you sure you don't want me back?"
"There's only one thing I want. And that's you. . . dead!"
"You wouldn't shoot me would you? You loved me once."
"Loved. Past tense. And you're damn right I'd shoot you. After all the people you've killed. After killing Toby!"
John made a dive for his sword but Jessie shot him in mid-stride and then again as he fell to one knee. She walked up to the table and picked up his sword. "Nice. . . very nice. I guess I should have told you what I'd do after I shot you."
John looked up from his kneeling position on the floor as Jessie raised the sword over her head.
"I'm gonna chop your immortal bastard of a head off!!" As Jessie swung down, she saw pure fright in John's eyes and heard a voice call out.
"Jessie!! NO!!" Duncan yelled as he ran as fast as he could towards her. But it was too late. John's head was on the floor and the Quickening had already found him.
Jessie watched in both awe and fear at the lightening show that ensued with the Quickening. She stared as it enveloped Duncan and flowed into him. She dove for cover when light bulbs overhead began to burst. It all ended as quickly as it began.
She ran to Duncan as he collapsed on his knees, panting and sweating like he had just run a marathon. She wrapped her arms around him. "Are you okay?"
Duncan nodded leaning on Jessie for support.
She looked around the warehouse and at John's headless body. After a few moments of silence she took a deep breath. "I'm not even gonna ask what that was."
Duncan pushed himself to his feet. "Good. Now let's get out of here."
***
Duncan came out of the bathroom after showering and changing to find Jessie sitting, staring out a window. He put his arms around her, kissing her ear. "You okay?"
Jessie leaned her head into the crook of Duncan's arm. "In my five years with the police, I've never killed."
"It's not easy, Jess."
"That's just it. . . it was easy Duncan. It was so easy it scares me. I've never killed anyone in the line of duty because I didn't think I could deal with the guilt of it, not because I never had the opportunity. I'd always make sure I could take the suspect without having to kill them even if it meant it took longer. But now. . . now I know what it's like to kill and I'm afraid I won't think twice about doing it again."
"You killed because you had to."
"No. I didn't have to. I could have taken him in custody and let him rot in jail. But I didn't. I wanted to kill him. I know it's sounds cliche but I wanted it so bad I could taste it." She looked back at Duncan. "What if it happens again?"
Duncan shook his head. "I don't know."
Jessie stood. "I need to get away for a few days."
"I know just the place we can go."
"No. I mean me. By myself. I need to think, Duncan." She took his lips in her mouth, kissing him slowly. "And it's nothing against you." She smiled.
"I understand." He walked over to a wooden box on a shelf. He pulled out a set of keys. "I have a place you can go."
***
Three days later, Jessie returned from Duncan's cabin on the island. She knew what she wanted to do now. She just hoped they'd let her. Pulling open the door to Joe's, she stepped in and let her eyes get adjusted to the dim light. Near the edge of the stage, Joe stood changing light bulbs.
He glanced at her and smiled. "Welcome back, Detective."
"Thanks." She leaned against the bar.
Joe stopped what he was doing and went behind the bar. "Can I get you a drink?"
"Coffee will do fine. It's a little early for anything stronger."
Joe poured two cups of coffee and waited for Jessie to continue. It was apparent there was something else on her mind.
She sipped the coffee for a minute. "Did Duncan tell you what happened?"
"Yeah."
"Did he tell you everything?"
"You mean about you and him or about you knowing about Immortals and Watchers?"
Jessie grinned. "That answers that question." She traced the rim of the coffee cup with her finger. "Just what does one have to do to get into the Watchers?"
"What about your job with the police?"
Jessie shrugged. "I'm sure lawlessness won't run rampant if I'm not around."
"Well, you've come to the right place if you want to get into the Watchers." Joe picked up his jacket from behind the bar. "Come on, I've got some people you'll need to meet."
***
Later that night, Jessie sat at Joe's bar again. This time drinking something a bit stiffer than coffee. She had phoned Duncan about 10 minutes before and asked him to come meet her. He seemed just as happy to hear from her, as she was to talk to him.
She slid her empty glass to the edge of the bar, making eye contact with Joe.
"Another one? I hope you don't plan on driving."
She waited for him to pour the drink. "Nope. At least not a car," she teased. She caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.
Duncan walked in, looked around then saw her sitting at the bar. She looked good. The rest at the cabin must have been just what she needed.
Jessie rose and held out her arms as Duncan approached. They greeted each other with a hug and kiss then sat down.
"Can I get you a drink, MacLeod?"
"Thanks Dawson. A beer would be great." He waited for Jessie to speak. When she didn't he decided to start the ball rolling. "So, how was your vacation?"
"It was good. I missed you though."
Duncan picked up her left had, kissing the back of it. "I missed you too."
Jessie winced at the pain as her wrist bent.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
She slowly pulled her wrist away. "There's something I need to tell you." She looked at Joe who nodded encouragingly to her. "Maybe it'd be better if I showed you instead." She carefully rolled up the sleeve of her shirt and unwrapped the bandage, showing her wrist Duncan.
"A Watcher tattoo?"
"Yeah. I hope you're not mad."
"No. I'm not." He looked down at the bar.
"I'll only be gone for a few months while I go to the Academy in Geneva. Then I'll be back."
"Until they assign you an Immortal."
"I won't be a field agent. I'll be a researcher's assistant. . . Joe's assistant."
Joe walked up to the pair and smiled. "Being head of the North American division keeps me piled up with paperwork. Jessie gets to help me get and stay caught up."
"And they're gonna approve of you being with me?" Duncan looked from Joe to Jessie.
Jessie stood up and grinned. "They're being flexible." She took Duncan's hand, pulling him towards the door. "Come on, I leave for Geneva in a day and a half. And I want to spend all of it with you."
*** The End ***
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