dr_daniel_jackson | (no subject)

(no subject)

He'd been teaching now for almost a month and he was enjoying it immensely. His students were great - he had three classes that he lectured in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the good thing was, he was typically done by one in the afternoon. He'd spend two more hours in his office in case the students had questions and so that he could put grades into the computer when necessary.

It was just such an afternoon and he was waiting for Methos to come pick him up for the day - they were going out to dinner that night - when a knock at his door got his attention.

"Come in," he called out in Spanish. The door opened to reveal one of his students, a young American named Brian who was probably twenty years old if that. Brian smiled as he came in and closed the door. "What can I help you with, Brian?" Daniel continued in English.

"Well, I had some questions about your lecture on World War One," he said quietly as he sat down in front of Daniel's desk. Daniel nodded and leaned back in his chair.

"What kind of questions?"

"Well, more like observations, really," Brian said with a smile. What his professor didn't know was that Brian had fought in the first world war - for America - and then again in World War II and some of the things Daniel had spoken of, Brian either didn't remember happening or he remembered them a different way. Plus, it gave him a chance to spend time with the good looking man. Of course, Brian had seen the wedding band on Daniel's finger but that had never stopped Brian before...

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Methos gave a heavy sigh, "Daniel came in to answer the phone. It was Brian. When he hadn't returned, after a few minutes... I got curious and came inside."

He gestured to the boarded up window, "Then he shot me in the head. Sniper rifle."

"Okay, maybe I should have said start from the beginning. How did you even run into this guy and how does he know Daniel?"

"He was a student in one of Daniel's classes. He's been teaching history at the local college. I came to visit Daniel one day, when Brian was in his office." Methos took a seat at the kitchen table, "He's been stalking us ever since..."

Mac walked over and sat down across from him.

"So, Daniel's gone back to teaching then. I take it, then, he's at least fully healed physically from all that happened. So, you showed up and Brian was there with Daniel and he's been stalking both of you or just Daniel?"

"Daniel more than me, but..." he frowned, "In the end he's after me."

Methos shook his head with a sigh, "We have to meet him in two days... or at least that's what he demanded. I wonder if he can't be tracked down sooner. Maybe he has a Watcher..."

Mac nodded and leaned back in the chair.

"Well, I'm sure he's got a Watcher or Joe wouldn't have known about him or that he was in the area," he said quietly. "I'm assuming you've explained the basic rules to your husband. He knows he can't interfere, right? I mean, he did suggest earlier just shooting Brian and letting you take his head. I realize he's upset but, he does know there are rules we follow, right?"

"He does realize it." Methos sighed, "But I'm concerned about whether or not Brian has any intention of playing by them too."

"Which is why I'm coming with you two when you do meet up with him... unless we can find him sooner." He pulled out his cell phone and dialed in Joe's number, waiting for the mortal man to answer.

In the bedroom, Daniel still had yet to fall asleep and he lay there quietly, wondering if he could find someway to save them all this anxious waiting and just go after Brian himself. He had a gun... all he need to do was shoot the immortal and remove Brian's head himself... Methos wouldn't have to know...

Methos sat and waited as Duncan dialed Joe. If they could find him sooner, if would save them a whole lot of frustration. And maybe Methos could fight him and end this without Daniel ever having to be involved.

Joe finally answered on the third ring and gave Duncan hell for not checking the time before calling. Mac grimaced and apologized before asking if Brian had a Watcher and if Joe might be able find where Brian was living at the moment. Joe gave him the usual grief over abusing his privileges and Mac just reminded him that another mortal was in danger here. Joe finally gave Mac the information he wanted and then rang off. Mac set down the cell phone and glanced over at Methos.

"He lives in a small town home near the school campus," he said quietly. "Joe says that, as far as he knows, Jefferson is probably there now." He watched his friend for a moment and tilted his head slightly. "What do you want to do? I know you want to protect Daniel from any further involvement in all this but... he is your husband. You can't start hiding things from him now."

Leave it to MacLeod to make him feel guilty. But at the same time, the less Daniel had to see of this man...

His brow furrowed and he looked at the ground.

"I want to end this. Now. Daniel can be angry at me later..."

He'd deal with the consequences after. All that mattered was that Daniel was safe.

"All right," Mac said quietly. "I assume you want me to stay here with him while you're gone?"

Daniel had given great thought to actually trying to go after Brian but the meds finally caught up with him and he succumbed to sleep, still trying to plan out his revenge against the immortal.

Methos nodded, "Yes.. if you could Mac. I'd appreciate it. Knowing he's safe will make this easier."

"All right. I'll stay here. But look... I don't normally condone you doing so because I think it breaks the rules, but I'm willing to risk it this time. Take two swords with you. If he's not going to play by the rules, then maybe you shouldn't either..." And that was a hard thing for Mac to suggest because he lived by those rules. But he'd heard enough about what this immortal did to other immortals and their spouses. Methos and Daniel had both been through more than enough.

He nodded, "I'll do that."

And he'd be carrying a gun, just in case. And several knives. He wasn't taking any chances.

Methos stood, "Thank you, highlander. I owe you."

"Yeah, well, come back with your head still on your shoulders and consider it even," Mac said quietly, standing as well. "I mean it, Methos. I don't want to have to tell your husband you're dead... for good this time."

Methos smiled, "I haven't survived this long because I'm easy to kill. Just because I tend to avoid fights doesn't mean I can't win them."

He went in search of his coat, swords, as various weaponry.

Mac watched him wander about the house before heading into the living room to take a seat on the couch. As Methos came back to leave, he gave him a quick look.

"Call me when it's over so I know."

"Of course, Mac. Of course." he agreed, and then he was gone.

The drive was shorter than Methos expected, but he'd still had sufficient time to plan. He parked out of range of Brain's ability to sense him. He pulled out his set of binoculars and scanned the property and inside the windows to see if he could spot the Immortal.

Brian was sitting at a desk inside his study, typing away at the laptop that was there, planning out his next move. His plan was to meet with Dante and the professor in two days time. He would take Daniel and leave the immortal in suspense for a few days, wondering and worrying as to where his husband might be. Eventually, Brian would tell him... and then Brian would have the immortal's head.

He stood and walked away from the desk and towards the bedroom where he stood in front of an obviously old portrait hanging from his wall. most likely, his first wife...

He didn't trust Dante and, as a precaution, had someone watching the immortal's home and his husband...

Methos watched Brian as he walked about his bedroom. He inched toward the house, still out of range to be sensed. His eyes caught the portrait, and an evil glint went to his eyes.

He dropped the duffel bag that he'd brought with him, and pulled out the three Molotov cocktails he'd put together using the gasoline from his car. He had to be close enough to be sensed in order to throw them. So he took one readying breath, lit them, then took a running start and hurled one right into the open window of Brian's bedroom. Sending the portrait a blaze almost immediately. He tossed the other two inside the downstairs windows after he'd broken them, setting those rooms on fire as well.

The element of surprise was blown. But the effect it would have on Brian's mood would be worth it. Anger would make him sloppy. And Methos planned to use that to his advantage. He made his way to the doorway, back pressed against the outside of the house, so that Brian wouldn't spot him, only feel his presence.

Brian felt the immortal just before his whole world seem to catch on fire around him. Grabbing his cutlass, he dashed downstairs and outside, still feeling that presence and looking around intently. The alarm in his house would no doubt be sending emergency crews soon enough. Damn it!

"Dante! I know you're out there! Leaving your husband on his own was not the smartest of your ideas!" Even now, as he watched carefully for the other immortal, he hit the speed dial on his phone and waited for his contact to pick up.

"Grab the professor..." he growled into the phone still searching for Dante.

He pressed the gun to Brian's temple just as he spoke those words, having snuck up on him from around the corner of the house as he'd been dialing.

"Tell whoever that is on the other end of the line to stand down or I will blow your head off right now, and take your head-- damn the rules. You've lost the right to them a long time ago, anyway." Methos voice was absolute and deadly.

"You'll shoot me and take my head anyway, Dante," Brian growled even as he smirked slightly. "Not much incentive for me to cooperate, is there?"

At the house, Mac was reading through one of Daniel's books on the Revolutionary War when he heard a noise coming from the back of the house.

"Daniel?" he called as he stood and headed for the noise.

Methos glared, "I suppose you're right."

He pulled the trigger. He would just have to trust that Mac could handle whatever was being sent his way. There was nothing else he could do.

He was still going to play this by the book. He wanted to end Brian in God help him, a fair fight. But it wouldn't be here. He quickly tied up Brian with Duct tape and dragged him to the trunk, grabbing Brian's sword as well. The fire crews were off in the distance and he had to take this somewhere else.

Methos drove off, until they'd made significant distance between themselves and the fire. Plus he could hear Brian starting to struggle in the trunk. He pulled off onto a service road and parked.

He got out of the car and popped the trunk, grabbing the now waking Brian and dragging him out kicking and screaming.