Chapter 7

Joe went back to his apartment at 6 to get ready for his dinner date with Methos. He was beginning to feel like a nervous teenager on a first date. After getting dress, he went back into the bar. He paced and puttered behind the bar till Mike got frustrated with him and sent him to his office. "Go wait in the office. When he gets here, I'll send him back." 

Joe was sitting at his desk trying to do some paperwork. It was a hopeless cause. He couldn't get his mind on it. Right about then Methos came in and gave him a kiss. That helped Joe feel a little better since he was beginning to feel that there was no way Methos would want to be with him. Joe responded and kissed him back. 

"Are you ready to go?" Methos asked. 

"Where are we going?" but Methos wouldn't answer him. He just gave him his little mysterious smile and said, "You will see when we get there." Methos helped Joe get in the vehicle, before shutting the door, he reached in and kissed him. "I can't do that enough, Joe." 

"You keep that up, I'll suggest going to either your place or my place instead of out for dinner." Joe squirmed to get comfortable and thought all the things he could to get his cock to lay still. 

It was only a 15 minute drive and when they pulled up, Joe's eyes almost popped out of his head. This was the fanciest place he had ever seen. He had never been in there since it was one of those places you don't go on a watchers pay. The name of the place was Emperors Palace. Methos pulled up out front, when an attendant approached them, they got out of the vehicle so he could park the car. As they walked in, the maitre de greeted them and asked their names. "Party of two for Adam Franklin," replied Methos. 

The maitre de check his list, "Ah here we are Mr. Franklin." He flagged down a waiter to take them to their table. On the way, Joe was astonished that there were no tables open for anyone to view. They arrived at the back of the room by the exit by what looked like a hallway. The waiter led the way and it wasn't a hallway, but just a little like pathway to a table just around the corner. The waiter then put the menu's on the table and stood back while Methos pulled out Joe's chair and helped him to sit, then went around and sat in his own seat.

"Can I start you out with a drink?" 

Methos ordered a bottle of the finest champagne in the house. Then turned to Joe and said, "This is a celebration of our first date and hope there are many more." 

The waiter returned with the bottle and offered Methos the first taste to make sure it was what he wanted. Methos nodded his head so the waiter poured Joe a glass and finished filling Methos glass. After the waiter left, Methos lifted his glass and toasted, "To you Joe, and our relationship." The waiter came back and asked if they were ready to order, Methos said, "No, we haven't looked at the menu yet. You can bring us your Sampler for our appetizer and we can let you know then if we are ready."

"I know you are richer than Adam, but how can you afford this place?" asked Joe. "And how can you get reservations so fast? The last I heard, there is a six month waiting list to get in here."

"I own it. The first guy to own it was an Immortal, well when MacLeod took his head about 50 years ago, I took over ownership. I had papers drawn up that made me his cousin and since I was his only kin, it became mine. This table isn't reserved by anyone else so the waiters know when someone sits here, it's the person who owns it or a very good friend. That's why I had to use Adam Franklin for our reservations. I stuck close to MacLeod without him knowing it and got property whenever I could. You'd be surprised how much I was able to collect that way." 

"Most Immortals that take another Immortal's head gets his stuff. How did you manage to get it from MacLeod?" asked Joe..

"MacLeod rarely takes the man's possessions. He figures he has enough and not only that, he leaves it for the man's family. If the man has family, I don't touch it but if he doesn't have family, then I become his only living relative," replied Methos.

"That's how the watchers get the funds to keep us going. We figured the state would get it so we step in and take it from the ones who don't have any family. We never realized that other Immortals were doing the same thing," said Joe. "After the way the watchers have treated me the last few years, there is no way I'm going to tell them about it either."

The waiter arrived with their appetizers and asked if they were ready to order. Joe told Methos to go ahead and order for him since he knew the menu and what was good and he didn't. "Don't holler now if you don't like what I ordered or you don't know what it is."

"You know the bad thing about you having artificial legs, I can't play footsie with you and rub my toes up you leg. You don't feel it," Methos said.

Joe giggled and said, "That way you can't tickle me and make me jump. I knew it would come in handy having fake legs one of these days."

"That's another thing I respect you for. You can joke about your legs and not feel sorry for yourself. That takes a strong man which there are very few of them anymore," replied Methos. "I really do love you and hope to spend the rest of your life proving it to you."

"I love you too Methos. Sometimes I wish my legs were real so I could run like I use to. At least I can walk and stand on my own two legs."

The first course was a small bowl of French onion soup followed by a green salad. They talked and eyed each other while eating. The main course was prime rib with a baked potato and asparagus. The waiter approached them and asked, "Would you like some desert?" Methos ordered Cherries Jubilee for them both. 

When they finished, Methos said, "Let's get out of here. I want to make love to you and even though I own this place, I don't think they would appreciate us putting on a show."

They walked out, Methos started to step off the curb when Joe saw a car bearing down on Methos. Joe hollered, "LOOK OUT!" Methos heard him and jumped out of the way. Methos looked after the car remembering the license number so he could check it out later. Just then the attendant came up with Methos vehicle. "Here you go sir. Have a good evening." Methos tipped him before getting in the car. 

Joe asked, "Do you have any idea who that was and why they were trying to run you down?" 

Methos answered, "No, but I memorized his license plate so I can check it out later. I have a friend who works at the DMV. Now do we want to go to your place or mine."

"We better go to my place since things are set up for me there. Let's stop at Joe's first though and see if Mike has any news about what is going on. Maybe the watchers have an idea who is after me and my loved ones." With that, they headed on back to Joe's. The talked and held hands on the way like young lovers.. 

"You know I'm going to be accused of cradle robbing. You look like you are young enough to be my son." 

"I can make myself look older if you want," Methos answered.

"No, I like the idea of people thinking that I'm good enough to attract a younger man." 
Methos parked right in front of Joe's. Methos opened the door for Joe to go first. Before the door shut, a shot rang out striking Methos in the back.. He flew forward and landed on his face. All Joe could do was stare at Methos and the pool of blood under him spreading. He looked at Mike not really comprehending what was going on. Mike took over and closed the place down. He told the couple of customers that he had to call the police and an ambulance. Since it was a crime scene they better leave or be held until all hours of the night. They left without an argument then. Mike then got a chair for Joe and had him sit down while they waited for Methos to come back to life.

To Chapter 8