Author/pseudonym: Nelle

Title: Once Again: Methos' POV

Disclaimers: I don't own 'em, I make no money out of 'em. I promise I'll return them when I'm done playing with them.

Notes: Once Again: Methos' POV *must* be read first!

Summary: Something unusual happens to Methos and it changes Methos' and Duncan's relationship.

Once Again: Methos' POV
by Nelle
***

I never thought that I would see the day when I would die. I mean, I knew that someday I would die. I never expected to be the one, truth be told; the reason that I hung around for 5000 years was because I didn't want the prize to be taken by someone unworthy. And now I'm dead, the real forever kind of dead. I had always wondered what happened right before the quickening hit.

I guess that I know now. It's been 5000 years if love and pain. Climbing the highest peaks of elation and then crashing down into the bottomless pit of desperation. I have seen every shade of the rainbow, I have felt every nuance of emotion, heard every sound that can be heard, every prick of sensation except for one. I felt that one for the first time today, the kiss of cold steel slicing through muscle, tendon and bone. So here I am, floating 10 feet above a young punk who just happened to get lucky. It's oddly freeing, not having the bonds of solid form. I could get quite used to this. It's really quite strange that I can still see and hear. How come Duncan is sitting by my body sobbing? Why is he placing my head where it should be, on top of my shoulders? I wonder what would happen if I decided to go back into my body? With an ethereal shrug, I dive towards my body, expecting to be pushed away and forced into the victor's. I am let back in.

Quite honestly, I have never been this surprised in my entire life. And having lived for 5000 years that is saying quite a bit. Back in my solid form, I can hear and feel, but not see. I can feel the slivers of blue lightening healing my neck. I hear Duncan's katana being unsheathed and him
yelling and running towards my killer. I hear my opponent's neck being chopped off and Duncan's screams during the quickening. I think that my neck is fully healed now, and my wounds are almost mended. I feel the first gasp of air rushing into my collapsed lungs. I try to open an eye and find that I can. I roll my head over and see Duncan collapsed on the ground, his body convulsing in sobs. I somehow manage to get my feet beneath me and walk unsteadily towards him and put an arm around his shoulders. He turns towards me, probably expecting to see Amanda or Joe. I see the look of grief replaced by one of elation quickly followed by one of awe. I try my vocal cords for the first time, hoping that I somehow have a voice left. I've never had the best singing voice in the world, and I certainly didn't want to end up like Kalas. "It's me Duncan." I say and am pleased that I still have my voice.

"Methos." He says quietly. "You were dead." Grief still tinges his voice.

"I know, Duncan, I know. Lets go grab a beer at my place. I need to figure some things out." I offer him a hand and help him stand up. Once he's standing, he pulls me into a hug so strong it crushes my ribs. He lets me go, and we walk out of the alley hand in hand. When we get back to my apartment, I grab us each a beer and we both sit down next to each other on the couch. I have never had a beer that has tasted that good before. We don't speak to each other, we're just reveling in each other's presence. I let out a huge yawn and move to get ready for bed.

He stops me, "Methos, would you mind if I spent the night?"

I knew that he would ask this; I had planned on it. "No I wouldn't, Duncan." Where he will sleep goes unsaid. I again offer him a hand up, and we collapse in my bed. His broad, strong body curling around my equally strong but lithe body. Sleep comes slowly this night. I concentrate on his breathing and I know that he is concentrating on mine. When I fall asleep, he is still awake, standing silent guard over my life. I am happy.

~~finis~~