Written 28/08/98

Official Disclaimer: "Highlander: The Series" and the characters of Methos, Duncan MacLeod, Joe Dawson, Amanda, Richie, and Connor belong to Panzer/Davis and Rysher, based on the concepts of Immortality by Gregory Widen. This "story" (and I use the word lightly) is in response to the comments I received about "The Prize" - my morbid version of the End of the Game. Reading that before reading this helps.

See the end for explanations and extra disclaimers.

Author's Notes: Okay, my last story did not go over well. Sorry, but I told you I was feeling morbid, what did you expect? Anyway, since "The Prize" resulted in an endless stream of sniffles, I've written this to make it up to you all. Guaranteed, neither Methos nor Mac nor any other lovable HL character bites the dust. Satisfactory? Good. *evil grin*

***WARNING!!! Ridiculous parody! Do not take seriously!***

This story is based on The Prize

Summary: The characters discuss their mistreatment by the author. Humour.

The Prize: Aftermath
by Moonbeam

"You got the beer?"

"Yep. The Old Man owes me big for this."

Setting the case of beer down on the nearest available surface, Duncan suddenly tensed and straightened at the sensation of another Immortal nearby. He relaxed as soon as he heard a knock at the door to the barge. Few bad guys had the courtesy to knock when trying to kill you.

Joe hobbled over to the door to admit the man they'd just been discussing. Swinging the door open, he was met not by the face of the world's oldest man but by a pile of books stacked high in the man's arms. Looking closer, Joe realized they were Chronicles. Old Chronicles.

Taking two of the texts off the pile to reveal Methos' face, Joe demanded, "What are these?"

"My Chronicles." He replied simply, pushing his way past the Watcher to deposit the stack on the floor by the couch. They were getting heavy, very heavy. He nodded in greeting to Duncan as he made his way to the man's kitchen to fetch a cold beer, absently flipping the bottle top over the fridge as he opened it. Obligatory beer in hand, Methos proceeded to drape himself in a full-scale boneless sprawl over Mac's sofa.

MacLeod, glaring at the Ancient for the way Methos always managed to make himself utterly comfortable in his home (with no concern for the furniture, no less), forcefully restrained himself from making any comment. It would only encourage the Old Man anyway, he thought resignedly.

"What do you mean 'your' Chronicles?" Joe asked as he sat himself on the only other chair in the room. Mac really had to get some more furniture back in his barge, he noted distractedly.

"Just that, my Chronicles. They're all my Methos Chronicles. Figured I'd give 'em to you now that I'm dead." He shrugged and took a swig of his beer.

"Yeah, I don't get that. You're her favorite character, why would she kill you off?" Duncan interjected.

"How the Hell should I know! Makes no more sense to me than why she'd let you win the Prize. Like you're going to do anything good with it." He grumbled nastily. It was still a sore spot for him, having lost his head like that. And to MacLeod of all people!?

Joe Dawson, seeing the tension starting to rise between to the two older men, decided to intervene before swords were drawn. "Now now, guys. You know how she gets. Moonbeam's moods are always affected by the weather, and there was that big thunderstorm the night she wrote that. She probably didn't mean anything by it. Just reflecting her feelings at the time or something. Don't read so much into it."

"But why did she have to kill me?!" Methos whined, with all the perfection of a five year old with five millennia of experience. "Why couldn't she go mess with those 'X-Files' characters? She use to have such fun torturing Mulder."

"Yeah, or the 'Buffy: The Vampire Slayer' ones? You know she's been meaning to do some serious harm to that annoying Xander kid," Duncan piped up.

"Hey! I don't see what you two have to complain about," Joe stated indignantly. "At least your were both in the story! She didn't even mention me." He glared at his two Immortal friends.

"Well she did say that every Watcher in the area was present, so that implies that you were there," Methos volunteered cheerily, an innocent smile on his face.

Joe's glare merely deepened.

"Oh, cut it out you two. And Methos," the Elder turned his attention to Mac, smirking happily at having irritated Joe successfully, "behave. Or I'll remind Moonbeam about that rather unpleasant Borg scene she was considering adding to her crossover's sequel." It was Dawson's turn to smirk at seeing the stricken look that passed over the Ancient's face at Duncan's threat.

"You wouldn't..." Methos was still in too much shock to finish the thought.

Lounging on the floor between his two friends, Mac let a tiny satisfied smile grace his lips in response.

Recovering from his speechlessness, and never being one to be outdone, Methos settled back into the couch and consciously forced his body to relax into an even deeper sprawl. Silently congratulating himself for managing to achieve the position (and noting Joe's look of awe as he did), Methos finished off his beer in one gulp.

"You do that, Highlander, and I just may find myself left with no other choice than to point out that Amanda's unerringly close to where Connor's been hanging around for the last little while."

Frowning slightly, Joe couldn't help commenting on Methos' rather obscure come-back. "I don't see what difference that would make, Adam. Amanda's never shown any interest in his clansman. Besides, Moonbeam would never write something like that, it would go against the show's canon."

Both Methos and Mac turned to stare at Dawson as if he'd gone crazy. The old Watcher squirmed a little under the intensity of their gazes. Immortals had really perfected the art of intimidation by staring, he observed uncomfortably.

"Canon, Joe? You're not serious, are you? She's a fanfic writer! The word 'canon' isn't in her vocabulary! That's the whole point of fanfiction, the fans get to write whatever they want. And if the show doesn't meet up to their standards, they ignore it and go write it how they think it should be."

Since the Watcher stilled looked doubtful, Methos added his two cents. "Yeah, Joe. Do the words 'Clan Denial' mean to anything to you?"

Duncan's mood faltered a bit at that. Personally, he'd always agreed with the Clan Denial. Richie didn't deserve to die, and The Powers That Be really screwed up when they killed him off. And why'd they have to make him the one to kill the boy?! That was going a little overboard on the dramatic irony, if you ask him.

"Anyway," Methos decided, changing threads smoothly back to the original topic, "I'm sure she'll make it up to me. Rumor has it she was planning on giving me the starring role in an NC-17 fic. After she finishes the crossover's sequel, that is." The Eldest Immortal closed his eyes and allowed himself a moment to dream about what lovely fantasies Moonbeam could have planned for him.

Joe looked at him dubiously. "I'll believe that when I see it. She still hasn't finished that Angel and Buffy story she was working on. You know she has to be careful she doesn't get caught writing those sex stories, her family would kill her!"

"Give her a little credit, Joseph. She got all those MSRs out without being noticed," Joe conceded Methos' point with a slight nod.

Duncan was looking between the two in confusion. "What's 'MSR' mean?"

"Mulder/Scully Romances?" Seeing the Highlander's still confused expression, Methos didn't bother explaining further. "Don't worry about it, MacLeod. It's an X-Files thing. Doesn't concern us."

"Unless she uses it in a crossover. But that's not likely to happen for awhile because she's still busy with the 'From Now Until Eternity' sequel," Mac finished, having caught on after all.

Methos indicated his approval by emptying another poor defenseless beer bottle.

"Well I think she should forget you two, and write something for me. After all, I'm a much more interesting character." Joe smiled slyly, mentally bracing himself for the rebuttal he knew was to come as both Methos and MacLeod wound up to start expostulating on why they were the better characters.

Secretly, his smile grew even wider. He'd have to remember to thank Moonbeam for the very enjoyable private evening she'd given him the other night, when every body else was still too concerned about the End of the Game to notice his absence. She was a real clever piece of work, that one. And a very talented writer, he remembered contentedly.

Explanations: Okay, so I had fun tooting my own horn. Tough, I'm allowed to brag every now and then. Besides, it was such a wonderful opportunity, how could I pass it up? The "crossover" repeatedly mentioned above refers to my Highlander/Buffy/X-Files/Star Trek:TNG Crossover called "From Now Until Eternity". There is a planned sequel, but good luck seeing it finished...

Variety Disclaimer #1: "The X-Files" and the characters of Mulder and Scully belong to Chris Carter, 1013, and FOX. I am a 'shipper, so I do tend to favor MSRs, though I have nothing against any of the other characters.

Variety Disclaimer #2: "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" and the characters of Buffy, Angel and Xander belong to Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy Inc., and the WB network. I don't like this show anymore, so I don't write it.

Variety Disclaimer #3: "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and the Borg belong to his deceased lordship, Gene Roddenberry, and Paramount. This series will be playing a greater role in the "Eternity" Crossover's sequel--if I ever finish it! Then you'll probably be able to find my fanfic at Alt.StarTrek.Creative Archive, but until then don't hold your breath.