Lyrics:
"I Knew I Loved You"
From Savage Garden's *Affirmation*

Maybe it's intuition
But some things you just don't question
Like in your eyes
I see my future in an instant
And there it goes
I think I've found my best friend
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all of my life

There's just no rhyme or reason
Only this sense of completion
And in your eyes
I see the missing pieces
I'm searching for
I think I've found my best friend

I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all of my life

A thousand angels dance around you
I am complete now that I've found you

I knew I loved you before I met you
I think I dreamed you into life
I knew I loved you before I met you
I have been waiting all of my life

I KNEW I LOVED YOU
By Pegasus
Part One of Two

SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 24, 1997
Methos settled back on the hotel bed with his laptop and accessed the watcher database. He might have resigned, but he wasn't about to give up this information. He'd find out where his enemies were then maybe some of his friends. He wasn't sure why had he chosen San Francisco, but the information would tell him where to head next.

Now that the other Horsemen were gone, his first concern was Torvald. Taking him as a student had been a mistake. In his arrogance, Methos had believed that he could control Torvald's quest for power, but he'd been wrong. Torvald had been raised to and lost a kingship, and had spent 3000 years trying to get it back. For 2500 years he had been trying to become the ruler of the immortals. He had become too powerful, too quickly, for Methos to risk the challenge.

Methos focused on the computer as the data appeared on the screen.
"Torvald. Status: Deceased 17-Jul-1997. Taken by: Elizabeth Blackburn."
"What?" he gasped aloud. "Who the hell is Elizabeth Blackburn?" he muttered.
Methos typed in his request. As grateful as he was that Torvald was out of the game, this Blackburn could be a new problem.

The data appeared and he scrolled through the text, quickly finding what details there were on the fight. Not that there was much. The fight wasn't visible, blocked by the terrain and the area too deserted to risk a direct line of sight. The sound of swords, a long fight, a quickening. Blackburn had returned to her car, showing both the effects of the fight and the quickening. Torvald's death was confirmed when his watcher dug up the shallow grave. Methos grimaced, that was being a little too thorough, but he was grateful.

He scrolled back to the top and reviewed the file. Soon, he reached for his journal with a sigh. This information would require some thought, and the first step was to transcribe it into his journal in an unknown language. He would never keep such sensitive information in a form anyone else could read.

Watcher File: Elizabeth Blackburn
Last Update: 17-Jul-1997
Born: St. Louis, MO 19-Oct-1958
First Death: Chicago, IL 21-Dec-1990
Teacher: Margarethe
Current Status: Active
Current Location: Monterrey, CA
Watcher: Jane Goodman
Heads Taken:
Steven Gould 5-Jan-1991
Alan Jackson 11-May-1993
Carl Kane 27-Sept-1994
Malcolm Redding 30-Dec-1995
William H. Bonney 6-Aug-1996
Torvald 17-July-1997

Methos paused to consider. It was an impressive list for a woman less than 7 years in the game. Oh, the first four weren't a surprise; they specialized in hunting babies and were vulnerable to anyone with decent skills. No surprise that Blackburn had been ready for the baby hunters, Margarethe's students always were. Bonney was another story, but that bastard usually killed mortals and he might have made a mistake. Well, that explained how she'd come to Torvald's attention. He would avenge a student. Methos shook his head ruefully, if Blackburn had talent, Margarethe would be the teacher that would make her the best she could be. That was the first point to think about. Methos went back to his writing.

Known Associates:
Darius
Rebecca Horne
Conner MacLeod
Brian Cullen
Amanda
Grace Chantel
Hugh Fitzcairn
Sean Burns
Terrence Coventry
Ceirdwyn
Kyra
Marcus Constantine
Kate
Alex Raven
Richie Ryan (1.)

They were all Margarethe's friends and students. She always made an introduction tour with a new student and apparently had with Blackburn. Only one surprise, Richie Ryan, footnoted. Methos glanced back to the screen, knowing what he would find before he looked. A footnote on the Known Associates list always meant that the Watcher thought they were lovers. The footnote was as expected, although Methos was a little surprised. He knew Joe and Mac had never heard about her, and she didn't look like Richie's type.

Methos paged down and glanced at the recent report. It was no surprise that the Watcher knew of Ryan's death, but the Watcher reported that she believed that Blackburn didn't know. Speculation, but the death of a lover should have impacted Blackburn in a way her Watcher would notice. Another thing to think about. He went back to his transcribing, part of his mind already considering his next actions.

Only a few more details from Blackburn's chronicle caught his specific attention. The circumstances of her first death were certainly not like anything he had ever heard before. Shot by a fired employee, odd but not significant. The fact that she had been a sparing partner for Margarethe before her first death was significant, but not unusual. Methos knew that Margarethe preferred to tell adults and start their training immediately. That they had had eight years was just good fortune. The third thing to catch Methos attention was the Swiss accounts that the Watchers had found. Established for her in November 1958 by Red Marshall and turned over to her after her first death.
He knew Red had done things like that before, but he had thought Red was out of the Game. That could wait.

Methos sighed and turned to a new page. First things first. Was this young woman Richie's lover? He made a list of the relevant dates in her chronicle and called up Ryan's. The dates matched up. They had apparently met in October of 1993, just after Richie took Mako's head, and they had stayed together until January 1994. Mac and Joe had often wondered where Richie went when he evaded his Watcher. Methos had an answer now. Whatever the relationship between Ryan and Blackburn, it had come to swords once, after Mac's Dark Quickening. Apparently, they had worked it out, since Ryan had been back twice more, most recently for 3 months before he had shown up in France the last time. Methos turned back to his screen, a decision made. First he would find Margarethe.

MONTERREY, CA SAME DAY
Elizabeth glanced at the clock with impatience, willing the hands to move closer to closing time. This was harder than she had ever imagined. Owning the shop had always been a dream, but it was boring a lot of the time and this past week had been difficult. She wasn't sure what was happening to her, though she knew it had something to do with that last quickening. The challenger had never identified himself and the quickening had been stronger than she had ever imagined possible. Margarethe had warned her about the possibility of being overwhelmed, but this wasn't like she'd been told. It was as if a place in her mind stuttered and burned, like a force field in sci-fi movie.

She had thought about calling her teacher, but Margarethe was with Conner and Elizabeth was supposed to be taking care of herself. What she really wanted was to be with Richie. She had never tried to find him before, but she knew he would come if he could. He had left her four numbers, Duncan MacLeod and Joe Dawson, one each in Seacouver and Paris. They had all gone unanswered, not even a machine. She would deal with it; life tended to work out like that for Elizabeth.


SAN FRANCISCO, JULY 26, 1997

Methos impatiently waited while the plane finished boarding. He resented the necessity of this trip. He'd fly to New York for one conversation and then he would return, most likely with company. Margarethe hadn't been hard to find, but he had been surprised when he found her living with Connor MacLeod in New York. That the elder Highlander was actually in New York and not searching for the younger; implied that Connor had not heard about the racetrack. Methos had thought Joe would let him know, apparently not. Just one more thing on his own shoulders; Methos sighed to himself.

NEW YORK CITY, JULY 28, 1997
Methos studied the woman beside him as he again waited for the plane to finish boarding. She was clearly worried about her student, as Conner had been about his. He wasn't sure which conversation had been worse. Telling Conner that Duncan had taken Richie's head, or telling Margarethe that her student had taken an ancient evil. At least he had enough history with them both that they believed him, they both knew who he was. Margarethe's voice brought him back.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why fly across a continent to tell us these things?"

"You needed to know."

"Not good enough, I know you better than that. What are you up to?"

"Your student could be dangerous."

"True, if she loses herself."

"Will she?"

"I hadn't thought so, but Torvald? I have to find out."

"Was she in love with him?"

"With Rich? Not exactly."

"Oh?"

"Mutual support, affection. They both knew it, more a strong friendship than love. Being new immortals gave them a strong connection but, as people, they were very different. He needed her to be strong and not judge. She needed to be needed and to learn to enjoy life. It was good for both of them"

"He never mentioned her."

"I'm not surprised. I spent very little time with him, but from what Elizabeth said, he expected his friends to give him grief about her."

"Probably."

"Why? Why would you and the others think she was bad for him?"

"He didn't have a great track record, Felicia and Kristen. I would have just given him general grief; as would have Joe. Mac on the other hand..."

"I gather it wasn't a smooth relationship?"

"No, it wasn't."

"It's never easy, but it's worse when you are very different. I was lucky with Elizabeth."



END PART ONE OF TWO



I KNEW I LOVED YOU
By Pegasus
Part Two of Two
Disclaimers in part one

MONTERREY, CA JULY 28, 1997

The sun was just setting into the Pacific as Methos and Margarethe approached the small house. Methos stopped abruptly and turned to his long time friend.

"What is that?"

"I don't know. It almost feels like two of us. No, not quite like that either."

"Tell me what you feel."

"Now? She knows we're here."

"Let's go, we have to talk about this first."

"Methos, that's cruel."

"Please Margarethe, trust me on this."

Methos remained silent as he drove away and found them a small empty bar. His mind considered the possibilities. There had always been myths and legends among their kind. He had never been much of a believer, but he had seen far too much to discount the possibilities.

Margarethe watched her long time friend in bemusement as they settled with their beer into a private corner of the bar. He acted oddly from time to time, but always for good reason. She had to admit that the presence she had felt outside Elizabeth's door was unsettling. His eyes met hers and he spoke.

"You first. What did you feel?"

"The presence of a young Immortal. Inherently strong on the inborn level. Not much power in the first harmonic, but the first well integrated for one without the higher harmonics."


"You're not sure of that. That there are no higher harmonics."

"No, I'm not sure. It felt like I was feeling the higher harmonics of another. Someone who had no inborn power or first harmonic. But not the dissonance that occurs in a dark or light quickening either. It was odd, certainly nothing I've ever felt, but it didn't seem dangerous. Do you know what it is?"

"Maybe."

"Methos?"

"Myths and legends, Margarethe."

"Talk to me. Is Elizabeth all right?"

"If it's her we felt, from what I've heard, she's more than all right. She's saved herself from Torvald's power, walled it away because she wasn't strong enough to control it."

"Is that possible?"


"So I have heard, I've never seen it happen before."


Methos let Margarethe consider that. He had felt something else, something she obviously hadn't, and he wasn't willing to share that feeling. The quickening he had felt had wrapped around him like a comforting blanket. It had caressed his quickening, eliciting a flood of warring of emotions. Desire and protectiveness, peace and aggression, love and lust, all stronger feelings than he ever remembered feeling.

Methos knew that Lifemates weren't a myth. After all, he had known Mahire and Ian for centuries and he couldn't deny what he had seen for himself. Mahire had told him that if ever met his potential Lifemate, he would know it as soon as he felt the presence. He had dismissed that as romantic nonsense. He'd been wrong. The Immortal he felt today was his potential Lifemate. He sunk himself deeper in his memories, what did he know about Lifemates?

Becoming Lifemates required both partners to have strong and integrated quickenings. Quickenings that harmonized and strengthened each other and Immortals strong enough to control the combined powers. The Lifemate bond didn't form until the pair had already established a deep relationship, one without doubts or fears between them. Even then, it was a dangerous thing. The actual time of joining couldn't be chosen and if it happened in the wrong time or the wrong way, the pair would incinerate in the resonance of their own quickenings. Far more Lifemates incinerated, than bonded he knew. He had seen that twice. It was definitely something he had no desire to experience, although at his age, he did have a small chance to survive it. However, since an Immortal had to be close to a millennia old before they could integrate all the harmonics, if they had really felt Elizabeth, then he had a long time before he had to worry about that. Or the rest of it, he briefly considered the legends about what Lifemates could do. Complete telepathic communication sounded like more trouble than it was worth, but the idea of being able to draw on his partner's skills and power in a fight sounded useful. Well, he wouldn't be finding out anytime soon. The sound of his friend's voice brought him back.

"There's more you're not telling me. Is Elizabeth a danger to herself or others? Should I be worried?"

"No, no need to worry. If it was her we felt."

"Point taken. If we can go find out, I won't push for whatever it is you aren't telling me."

"Yes, we can go."

They found Elizabeth waiting on her front porch; both were relieved as they identified the unusual presence coming from the young woman. The dark circles around her eyes and the strain in her body spoke of the pain and stress of the last few days. Methos hung back as Margarethe rushed forward to envelop Elizabeth in a hug. "Oh child, you've had a rough time. Why didn't you call?"

"Margarethe? Was it you here earlier?"

"Yes child, I am sorry about that, a last minute errand."

"Thank god. I was afraid they were hunting me in pairs this time and I don't think I can take another quickening right now, let alone two."

"Not to worry child. I heard about Torvald."

"Torvald?"

"The head you took 11 days ago."

"Oh, was that his name? He never introduced himself. Who was he?"

"A very strong and old evil. Bonney's teacher."

"Oh. Am I still me?"

"If you can ask that, then I suspect you are."

"Opps, Manners. You taught me better. Please, you and your friend, come inside."

"Yes, I taught you better, but haven't remembered any better myself."

At her look, Methos stepped to her side and she began. "Elizabeth Blackburn, I'd like you to meet..."

Methos interrupted before she could finish, ignoring her baffled look as he spoke. "Methos, although I usually go by Adam Pierson for obvious reasons. It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Blackburn."

"A mutual one Mr. Pierson. Although, since this is California, please call me Beth or Elizabeth."

"Indeed it is California. Beth then for now and make it Adam."

"Thanks. Please both of you, come in where we can be comfortable."

Methos silently ignored the looks from Margarethe, and studied the young woman who ushered them into the house. She hid her feelings well, but her expressions were too like her teacher's. As she settled them in the living room and returned with the beers, he knew she had felt the odd response to his quickening. Just as easily knowing she had attributed it to him being who he was. Time enough later to talk about that. Much later. He focused on the conversation.

"Why didn't you call me, child."

"I didn't want to bother you and Conner. I'm supposed to be taking care of myself."

"Of course. Thanks for the thought, but I will always be there if you need me."

"I know. I will next time. I tried to find Rich."

"I didn't know you could find him."

"Yes, he left me some numbers in Seacouver and Paris. I had never used them before, but they all went unanswered. Adam, Rich mentioned knowing an Adam Pierson. Rich Ryan?"

"I knew him."

"Knew? He's gone?" Elizabeth choked out.

Margarethe once again moved to hold the young woman. "I'm sorry. That's the other reason we came. I wanted to be here when you found out."

Adam watched as Beth controlled the emotions. He admired strength, and this young woman had it in abundance. He was still surprised at her next question.

"It was Mac wasn't it? He went insane again and took Rich's head?"

"I'm afraid so." Adam answered; knowing this woman wouldn't appreciate evasions.


"Rich said it would happen."

Margarethe and Methos shared a startled look and Margarethe asked the obvious question. "He did?"

"Rich told me that Mac was too honorable to admit that he blamed him for Tessa's death. Rich knew he did, and blamed himself as well. He said that that was why Mac always tried for his head when he lost control. Rich wouldn't fight Mac, no matter what, although he knew that, eventually, it would cost him his head."

"Damn kid. Why didn't he just stay away." Adam muttered

"I know." Beth answered. "But Rich did what he had to do for himself. No one could make that decision for him. I had hoped it wouldn't happen so soon, but I have always known it could."

"I'm sorry." Margarethe said as she hugged the young woman tighter.

"So am I. I'm sorry to be rude, but could you; make yourselves at home for a while? I need to walk on the beach."

"Of course, we do understand." Margarethe answered the continued. "Why don't I see if I can put together a meal."

"Thanks. You should find something. Oh, both guestrooms are set up; you're both welcome to stay. Be at home."

"We will. I'll deal with the details. Go, come back when you're ready."

Beth grabbed her jacket and slipped out the back door. Margarethe surreptitiously studied her friend as she began to show Adam around the house. They settled into the guestrooms, then met in the kitchen. With the ease of long practice they began to prepare a meal. She saw his distraction and followed his gaze. Elizabeth stood on the beach, silhouetted in the moonlight. It was indeed a beautiful picture and she turned to her old friend to comment. That was when she recognized the look on his face. She had seen it there many times, although not so frequently in the last millennium. She spoke softly. "You are in love with her."

"I..." he began then trailed off for a moment. Margarethe knew him too well; there was no point in denying what he felt. She did not need to know just how much more this was. "Yes."

"Methos, please don't hurt her."

"I will do my best."

Margarethe sighed as she watched him step onto the back deck. She had few doubts that Elizabeth would soon return his feelings. Methos certainly had the experience, and they were well suited. But she had seen this often enough to know that loving the ancient one was not easy. Being his friend wasn't easy; she had never wanted more. Margarethe knew she had never been strong enough to be Methos lover, but Elizabeth was. They could work, she decided, as she went back to the cooking. She would certainly help all she could.

Methos stood on the back deck and watched the ethereal form in the moonlight. He whispered to the wind the words he knew it was far to soon feel, let alone to say. "I knew loved you before I met you."

END PART TWO OF TWO.


Notes:
1. Score extra points for yourself if you recognized the name William H. Bonney. Historical Character AKA Billy the Kid.
2. Richie took Mako's head in "Under Color of Authority" and MacLeod sent him away.
3. MacLeod nearly took Richie's head the second time in "Something Wicked"
4. Richie shows up in France the last time in "The Ransom of Richard Redstone"
5. Richie died at MacLeod's hand in the infamous racetrack incident from the Episode "Archangel"
6. Harmonics, dissonance, resonance, integration of quickenings, power levels, joined quickenings and Lifemates are all ideas I have been toying with for awhile. More explanations would have made this story even longer, but I would be willing to discuss this further via E-mail with anyone who is interested. If you want to know the rest of the story, feedback will encourage me to work on future installments



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