Chapter 23

The next morning saw Methos and Joe walking into Gregor's office. Duncan was already in the room and the minute he saw them, he jumped up and asked Methos, "What is going on?"

Joe and Methos looked at each other and grinned. "Sit down Mac. I have some very shocking news for you and if you are standing, you will probably fall down." Methos waited till he sat down, then continues, "Joe and I are going to be parents. I'm pregnant."

Duncan's mouth fell open and just flapped like a piece of paper in the wind. He looked from Methos to Joe and back again. He tried to speak again, but nothing came out. 

Methos laughed and said, "It's becoming a habit you acting like you are a hotel for flies. If you want proof, come in the room while Gregor does the ultrasound.

Gregor came out to let Methos know he was ready, Duncan still not saying anything followed Joe and Methos into the room for the ultrasound. Gregor had Methos lay on the table. He prepared Methos and then dimmed the lights so they could proceed. Duncan still not saying anything, stood by and watched. There was a tiny blip on the screen and Gregor said, "That's the baby's heart beat. You aren't far enough along to tell much else at this point. I would like to do another ultrasound in about 3 months to make sure everything is okay. Get cleaned up and we'll go into my office and discuss what we are going to do."

Joe just sat back and said, "We really are going to be parents."

Duncan finally was able to speak and said, "I have to protect you, Joe and the baby."

Methos answered, "I can protect my own." He then turned around and stomped out of the room.

Duncan ran after him saying, "Me-uh Adam, you can protect yourself, but we don't know at what cost to the baby. Let me help you. Please." Duncan was thinking he had to protect Methos and his baby at all cost. Babies were so precious and this baby was really rare.

Joe got up and followed the guys out of the room. "Hey guys, what about me. I can help take care of Adam and the baby." Which really set Methos off.

He was working up to a full blown Methos type tantrum when Gregor interrupted them. "Please come into my office if you are going to fight. I don't want any of these delicate instruments ruined."

After everyone was seated, Gregor said to the very angry and pouting Methos, "Adam, Mac is right. You can protect yourself and your own under normal conditions, but you have to admit these aren't normal in any way shape or form."

Begrudgingly Methos sat, still grumbling that he was old enough to take care of himself. He turned his back on everyone. Joe moved over and put his hand on Methos' shoulder. "Please Adam, let's listen to Gregor before you make any decisions."

Methos jerked away from Joe and said in a very cold voice, "I have no intentions of listening to you guys. I know how to disappear and protect myself or I wouldn't still be alive after all this time."

Duncan knew he had to come up with a good explanation or he would never see Methos again. He said, "I know you can protect yourself, but I'm thinking about the baby and what would happen if this got out. No matter how good you are, you nor the baby would be safe. And to me that's the most important thing. Not your pride. Stop and consider what it would do to Joe to not only lose the baby, but to lose you too. He loves you."

Methos sat stewing for a while and thinking over what he was told. He finally turned to them, "Okay, I'll listen to what you have to say. That doesn't mean I'll do what you say. It's my baby and I know what's best for it and me."

This really hurt Joe and he said, "Yes, it's your baby, but don't forget it's mine also. I love you and don't want anything to happen to either of you. If that means for us to help you, even against your will, then so be it. The welfare and safety of this baby comes first." With that he sat back and turned to Gregor. "Okay I'm ready to listen even if he isn't."

"Okay, this is uncharted territory for all of us. So we are going to have to go day by day. For one thing, I don't think it would be a good idea for you to take a quickening, Adam. We don't know what effect it would have on the baby. It could be harmful but there is no way to tell."

When Gregor said that, Methos and Duncan looked at each other with concern. Joe looked from Duncan to Methos knowing what they were thinking.

Methos said with concern, "I died once since becoming pregnant, would this hurt the baby? It was when that guy was after Joe and killing off his friends."

Gregor answered, "I don't think so. I feel it was early enough in your pregnancy that it wouldn't harm the baby. It was still just an egg dividing. But we won't know for sure till the baby is born. That's another reason to have the ultrasound in 3 months. If it caused the baby any harm, we would be able to tell then. Do you have anymore questions? If not, I think it's time to start making plans so you can go into hiding before you start to show. And preferably holy ground so you won't have to worry about fighting."

Methos sat back and thought a while. Finally he said, "I'm sorry for blowing up guys. I'm just not use to having anyone look out for me. I keep forgetting it's not just me anymore. I have a place I can go to. It's secluded and holy ground, but I can't ask anyone to give up their life to go with me."

Gregor said, "Well Adam, I don't know about the others, but I was thinking about a vacation for a couple years or more. I'd be willing to go with you to take care of all the medical needs. And since all this equipment is mine, what we need can go with us."

Joe replied, "Wherever you go, I will follow you. In fact, I was thinking of resigning my position as Mac's watcher."

Duncan turned to Joe, "Don't resign yet. If you resign now, they will put a watcher on me and I can't follow Me-Adam. And you know how I like to run away from the game."

Methos looked at everyone with tears in his eyes. "Thank you everyone. Now we have to plan on how to do this. We have to get rid of Gregor's watcher so no one will know where we are going. And since we will be living together, I think we need to fill Gregor in on a few things, like my age, the double quickening and my name. What do you think Mac and Joe?"

Duncan and Joe looked at Methos and both said at the same time, "Whatever you feel is best."

"First off, my name is Methos, the oldest living Immortal. As far as I can figure I'm over 5000 years old. I don't remember my first death and only vaguely remember my first quickening. And here's the big one. A year ago the 4 Horsemen were reunited. I'm one of them and was known as Death. After riding with them a thousand years, I escaped them and had been hiding from them for about 2000 years. Kronos was the leader. He found me and forced me to join them. I sided with Mac to defeat them since I felt like I was no longer one of them. Kronos had sent Caspian and Silas after Mac and they held to the rule of one on one. Mac defeated Caspian and while taking his quickening, he dove into the river to get away from Silas. Silas returned to Kronos to let him know what had happened and Mac followed him. Mac then challenged Kronos and I challenged Silas. 

When Mac beheaded Kronos, I had beheaded Silas at the same time. When the quickening started, somehow it combined and became a vortex. Then it split and hit Mac and I at the same time. Now when he takes a quickening, I can feel it and when I take a quickening, he can feel it. I can feel his emotions if they are real strong, I don't know if he can feel mine though. We haven't had a chance to talk about what happened yet. Too many other things have been going on. Not only that, I'm a shape shifter." Then Methos turned to Duncan and said, "It's your choice. The only thing I'm going to say is, if he goes with us and since you don't have any control yet, he's going to see something. What are you going to do?"

Duncan thought a minute and then said, "I'm a shape shifter also. Only unlike Methos, I have no control over mine. It just started happening about the same time he got pregnant and he hasn't had a chance to help me learn control over it yet. Right now all I can change into is a wolf, but that's only happened with 2 out of 3 quickenings. And why it happened then I don't know. So now you see why I have to go into hiding with Methos. For him to help me and for me to avoid taking heads."

Gregor sat and thought for a bit. "Okay, let's start making plans. You all can explain in more detail when we get where we are going. But right now our main concern is getting Adam or is it Methos into hiding so the baby is protected."

Methos answered, "It's okay to call me Methos when we are alone like this, but in public you need to remember to call me Adam until the time he has to die. Methos is a myth and I want him to stay that way. All right down to planning."

To Chapter 24