Title: "Starting Over Pt. 1"
Author: Rebecca Bradstreet
Rated: PG-13
Archive: Sure
Summary: TJ keeps a meeting with Duncan MacLeod.
Warning: Swearing, and gunfire.
Disclaimer/Notes: This story is a Highlander/Cadfael X-Over. I don't own Hugh Beringar Ellis Peters' estate does, but this version is mine. I'm making him a Highlander Immortal. *eg* I don't own Methos, Duncan, or any of the other Highlander characters in this story either. I do own Theresa Joy "TJ" Grey. This story is set in the normal Highlander timeline between "Forgive Us Our Trespasses" and "Archangel". I am using // as thoughts, and ** as emphasis. It's not beta'd so all mistakes are my own. ;)
"Starting Over Pt. 1"
Rebecca Bradstreet (c) 2000Le Blues
Paris 1997,Joe was polishing the bar, and the glasses, and the bar. He'd been polishing them for sometime. Tonight Methos was supposed to bring TJ by the bar. Joe hadn't seen her since she'd disappeared on her Watcher over a year ago. She'd resurfaced since then. Dawson had a few reports on her movements from her Watcher Steven, but nobody had gotten *close* to her since her disappearance besides the Old Man. And, Methos had been *vague* about what he'd seen. Tonight Methos was supposed to bring TJ by the bar. Tonight Joe and Duncan were supposed to get to see how TJ Grey was doing. The Old Man said TJ wanted to see MacLeod. Dawson didn't ask. He trusted Methos... he did.
Duncan was nursing a beer, and watching the band. Despite all his practice at nursing a beer it wasn't his first one of the evening. He'd come early, and he and Joe had long since run out of conversation. Now, they were just waiting for Methos and Grey. Mac didn't know what he was going to say to her when he saw her. They'd shared their mourning of Darius and Constantine but... Grayson still haunted his nightmares. TJ had loved Grayson. He'd known it when he'd faced the older Immortal. Duncan had thought she'd survive losing Grayson, but he didn't know if she had. MacLeod wanted to see TJ, even if she hadn't survived the loss. After all this time he needed to know.
A Buzz made Duncan turn towards the door, and tense. Joe saw the change in Mac, and moved towards him keeping an eye on the door. The man that came through it wasn't Methos. Dawson wasn't sure what Hugh Beringar was doing in Le Blues, but he knew the Immortal didn't start fights. Hugh took no more than a moment to find the man he was looking for, and headed straight for Duncan MacLeod. Duncan slid his chair back from the table ready to talk to the unfamiliar Immortal.
"Duncan MacLeod? Detective Hugh Beringar, I'm looking for Amanda Darieux. I won't give her up to the locals cross my heart. I just need the information she was going to give me on a Russian mobster I'm after," Hugh explained to the Highlander, hoping the young Immortal knew where Amanda was hiding from the locals.
"Russian mobster?" Duncan repeated, glancing from Beringar to Joe.
"It's okay Mac. Hugh here has been a cop for 900 years, and known Amanda how many of those?" Dawson asked Hugh as he offered the Immortal a seat, and got ready to ask him what he wanted to drink.
"Joe Dawson? Too many. She doesn't break every law just the same ones over and over," Beringar smiled as he sat in the seat Joe offered, and ordered a beer.
"Be right back with that," Dawson nodded at Hugh's order and went back to the bar.
"You know Amanda?" Duncan asked Beringar.
Methos'
Paris 1997,Methos felt TJ's Buzz, and smiled. He wondered what she'd look like when he opened the door. She'd kept in touch in the months since he'd seen her last, but he knew just as things had changed in his life TJ had been making changes in hers. Methos opened his door and whistled softly. She was dressed in midnight blue velvet and silver blue silk. TJ had her hair braided with silver ribbons, and she was blushing while he looked at her.
"Did you get tickets to the opera with that outfit?" Methos asked only half teasing. She reassured him by scrunching her face up in a scowl, and sticking her tongue out at him.
"The opera?! Hell no!! I just thought I'd try dressing up. The velvet jacket covers the spaghetti straps," TJ told him, shifting uncomfortably on her heels. It was a different look for her. Her standard uniform -- at least since blue jeans became available to everyone -- was distressed leather and faded blue jeans.
"You look lovely, TJ," Methos almost managed to keep to a compliment, but he couldn't resist adding, "have you practiced wearing high heels?"
She hated the high heels, she hated the spaghetti straps, and looking at Methos' amused face she was tempted to turn around and go home. Except... except... TJ hadn't seen him in months -- hadn't seen Joe or Duncan in even longer. Instead of walking away from Methos, or hitting him with the stupid beaded purse, she hugged him. He was startled by TJ's decision, but he didn't hesitate to return the hug. She *had* changed since Methos had seen her last. He'd have to say TJ was *still* changing from all the emotions that had flickered across her face before she hugged him. It would be interesting to see what Joe and MacLeod thought of *this* TJ.
"They're waiting for us at Le Blues," he reminded her softly, not letting go until she did.
"They are," she agreed quietly into his chest.
"You said you wanted to see Duncan," Methos ventured cautiously.
"Yes... yes I did. And I do. Do you think I'll scare him in this get up?" TJ asked, looking up at him with the first signs of mischief twinkling in her eyes.
"You will certainly... surprise him," he told her, approving of the glint in her eyes.
"Come on then, can't keep a surprise from Duncan MacLeod," TJ let go of him, stepped back, and gestured to the Porsche he hadn't noticed behind her.
"New question -- have you practiced *driving* in high heels?" Methos asked, looking at the Boxster she had undoubtedly bought to go with her outfit.
"Climb in, and find out," TJ challenged, the mischievous twinkle having brightened to a wicked gleam.
Methos followed her out the door, stopping to lock his door behind him, and *pray* that he wouldn't need his Immortality between his place and the bar.
Le Blues
Paris 1997,"Egypt?" Hugh sighed. It was the last place Duncan had heard Amanda was heading.
"After her last visit she needed to get out of town for a while," MacLeod smiled.
"Probably," Beringar couldn't help agreeing with a grin. Just then they both felt a Buzz, and this time Duncan was sure it had to be Methos, and TJ.
They'd survived the drive over. The Old Man wasn't entirely sure how, but they'd survived the drive over. TJ parked the car, got out of it, and stood nervously by it waiting for Methos to get out.
"Very thoughtful, waiting for me so I can see the look on MacLeod's face when he sees you in that outfit," Methos teased her gently as he got out of the car, and moved to stand next to her.
"Walk me over?" She asked putting a hand on his arm, and looking up at him uncertainly. The Old Man folded her arm around his, and walked her across the street. He opened the door for her, and watched as she walked into Le Blues like she was taking her first steps onto a new planet. Joe had to resist laughing. TJ managed to look incredible, *and* incredibly uncomfortable at the same time. He managed to keep his reaction to a wide smile. She gave him a fleeting grin. Then she turned to face Duncan and her expression became more uncertain. Mac's face was full of surprise -- surprise at how she was dressed, and how uncertain her movements were.
"Mac?" TJ said, low and cautious like she was afraid he might bite her.
"You look... very nice," Duncan offered with a hesitant but friendly smile.
"Thank you," she gave him a more confident grin.
"I get the feeling I should get going," Beringar got up from Mac's table, "Thank you for your time MacLeod. The beer was excellent Dawson. Good evening..."
"TJ, Theresa Joy Grey, but I don't know your name," TJ moved to block Hugh's escape. She hadn't noticed Beringar sitting at Duncan's table. TJ had only been looking at Joe, and Mac. She wanted to know who the Immortal was. His blue eyes...they weren't Grayson's, but there was something about them.
"Detective Hugh Beringar... TJ," Hugh offered both his name and his hand. When she took his hand, he shook hers firmly.
"This is," TJ began to introduce Methos, but she wasn't sure what to call him.
"Adam Pierson," Joe answered before Mac or the Old Man could. Adam didn't argue he just nodded at Hugh.
"Adam... funny. You seem to match Amanda's description of *the* Methos," Beringar grinned wickedly at Adam.
"Amanda's description? She give you descriptions of legends a lot?" Dawson asked.
"When I press her for exact descriptions of ones she's using as alibis. I'm not even going to ask if she was actually with you on the dates she claimed. It's just nice to see how good her descriptions can be, Methos," Hugh smiled offering his hand to the Old Man. Methos sighed, and shook Beringar's hand.
"So everyone's been properly introduced now. Can a girl get a drink Joe? What are you doing in this fine establishment Hugh Beringar?" TJ smiled up at him.
"He came in looking for Amanda," Dawson answered her gruffly as he got her a drink.
"MacLeod told me the last he knew she was headed for Egypt," Hugh explained to TJ.
Methos sat down at Duncan's table, and whispered to Mac, "How long has he been here?"
"Long enough to catch TJ's eye," Duncan whispered back.
"He's a nice peace offering," Methos teased MacLeod.
"I didn't invite him. He *did* come looking for Amanda," Duncan growled back.
"You haven't met him before?" The Old Man's voice was more than a little skeptical.
"No, I haven't," Mac stopped watching TJ and Hugh to glare fully at Methos.
The Old Man raised his hands defensively, "Okay. He's a good guy MacLeod. He's been one for 900 years. Be a change for TJ."
"If she does more than take him back to her hotel room for the night," Duncan said doubtfully.
The look that flickered across Methos face before he responded made Mac wonder if he'd said the wrong thing, "She came here tonight to see Joe and you," he didn't add out loud, "Not to troll for a bed warmer."
Duncan heard the unspoken just as clearly as Methos' words. Mac got up from his table, and stood next to TJ. She set her drink down on the bar, and looked up at him guardedly. Beringar slid away from them, and sat back down at MacLeod's table. He glanced at Methos for some clue to what the tension was between Duncan and TJ, but the Old Man only shrugged.
"I can't say I'm sorry I killed Grayson," Mac admitted to her tiredly.
"I don't want you to. You shouldn't be sorry. Life always chooses life. I just... I just wish I knew what I wanted," she sighed and rested her head on Duncan's chest.
He hugged her, and whispered over her head, "Life always chooses life."
"He killed Grayson?" Hugh whispered to Methos.
The Old Man nodded as he gestured for Joe to bring beers for Beringar and him.
TJ let Duncan hold her for a while before she pulled back from him, and asked, "You really like the outfit?"
"I like it," Hugh offered impulsively.
She looked once more into his blue eyes, and felt that... that something, "Thank you."
MacLeod might have said something about TJ's outfit then, but gunfire cut into the conversation. Men with machine guns speaking fluent Russian fired repeated bursts into the club. Joe ducked down behind the bar, and covered his head against the shattered glass that rained down over him. Duncan went over the bar to take cover behind it with Dawson. Beringar pulled TJ down under the table next to him. Methos had managed to get under the table without spilling any of his beer.
"What the Hell?" Joe growled to Mac in the silence between two bursts.
"I bet it's Kelnikov," Hugh shouted over a burst.
"Friend of yours I take it?" TJ smiled at Beringar even as she flinched at another burst of gunfire.
Hugh nodded, "If he'd come himself we'd have felt it. The man is about 1,200 years old. Unfortunately just because he didn't come himself doesn't mean he didn't give them orders to take the heads of everyone in here."
"Great. I knew this place needed a back door," Grey sighed, taking off her velvet jacket, and her heels.
"Tell Joe and Duncan I was really glad to see them," TJ said to Methos, handing him her velvet jacket, and shoes before taking a gun out of her purse.
"Promise," the Old Man nodded to her solemnly before having some more of his beer.
"Please tell me you're armed Detective Beringar," Grey asked as she set her purse at Methos feet, and got ready to move.
"Always. You got a plan?" Hugh asked pulling his piece, and mirroring TJ's pose.
"Yeah, you and I are going to punch our way through those guys to my car, and *we're* going to lead them away from Methos, Duncan, and Joe. Are you up to it?" Grey asked.
"If you are I am. Ladies first?" Beringar asked her.
TJ laughed, and gave Methos a glare daring him to do the same, "Sure. Count of three?"
"One, two, three," Hugh said. TJ moved he covered her. Then he moved, and she covered him. They disappeared out the front door, there was the sound of Grey's Porsche starting, and then angry cursing. When the cursing died away, Joe and Duncan stood up. Methos was once more sitting at the table drinking his beer.
"TJ said to tell you she was really glad to see both of you," the Old Man told Dawson and MacLeod as he finished his beer.
TJ Grey's
Paris 1997,"That damned Porsche was brand fucking new, ow, not to, ouch, mention this dress! You think we got all of those bastards?" TJ scowled at Hugh.