Can There Be Only One?

Chapter 72

We got off of the ship and Methos and I departed, him going to the barge where I went to my home, getting us settled down. As soon as we entered, Remus and Elena headed to the couch and looked around for a long time.

"This place is freaking huge, Maria... you live here alone?" I looked at Remus and sighed, setting down my bags along with Methos's.

"That was Richie's room," I said and pointed to the empty room, not wanting to even go in there. Elena sighed and walked over to me, trying to hug me, but I moved out of the way and messed with the music box, which Piton had showed me and opened the secret room, hiding Methos's papers and documents in there for now. Elena and Remus made their way into the room and looked at everything I had hid in there, which was all of my valuable things too, including the swords I had brought from Romania. I put them in there and hung them up, sighing as I remembered Ingrim and the events in Romania. I was happy to have Methos back in my life again.

"Do you ever dream about Ingrim?" Remus asked, Elena looking at him weirdly, but I somehow didn't find the question weird at all.

"Yeah... I dream of him when I met Duncan... which was when he died, and of when I made the swords. It is all kind of a blur now, but I know I loved him and Shana deeply," I finished and grabbed at the necklace and bracelet, holding both of them tightly as I looked in the tiny mirror. I sighed, realizing how much better of a better mindset I was in after Romania... also realizing I owed it all to Methos. I wouldn't have stayed sane if it weren't for Methos, because he always seemed to make me laugh even when it wasn't a good time. I felt an immortal and they burst through the front door.

"Welcome Amanda... to my abode," I said and I went to hug her, but she pushed back and stared at me as if she were guilty of something.

"What happened while I was gone?" I asked and she sighed and looked at Remus and Elena, taking my hand.

"We should have a meeting at the barge," she said and I nodded slowly and followed her, Amanda not saying a word as we walked. I got down to the barge and entered without knocking, not thinking about it. I saw Duncan, Methos, Joe and Abe all sitting there together and it made me stop dead in my tracks. I stared at Methos and he smirked, which made me almost laugh, but I held it in.

"Maria... is there something you would like to tell us before we tell you the bad news?" I looked at Methos and he stared at me and then I looked at Joe and Abe and shrugged my shoulders, not really knowing what he was talking about at first.

"What... is there for me... to tell you, Duncan? Oh, I got you a souvenir," I said and tossed him the coin Remus and Elena had found in the yard. He looked at the coin and sighed, looking back up at me as he stood up, which made me head over to the drink stand where I poured a big glass of beer.

"Why aren't you surprised to see Methos?" Joe asked and I looked back at them slowly and up at Remus and Elena, who bolted and ran down the seine.

"And why are you drinking beer?"

"Okay... I can explain it all. I... don't know how to-"

"Okay, Abe got put on research for a week so I decided to volunteer to be her new Watcher," Methos said and took my cup of beer, chugging it. I stared at him and he handed it back to me, smiling and I  just shook my head and smiled as I poured more. I looked at them and they were all looking at each other with complete confusion.

"Where were you two then?" Duncan asked and I looked at Methos and he looked down at me and we both tried to hold in our laughter.

"Um... well, I followed her to... to Romania." Duncan stood up again and I put my head on Methos's shoulder, laughing.