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Reina found herself tamping down her irritation as she made her way to Richie's apartment. As usual she never found out about any of the interesting happenings around her until it was too late. However, as irritating as that was it wasn't what had drawn her ire this time around. It was the fact that Richie was leaving town without so much as a goodbye in person irked her no end. She couldn't let him just up and leave like that.
Reina stopped mid-step and scowled at herself. If she were completely honest with herself she would admit that the main reason she didn't want Richie to leave was that she didn't want to be stuck playing the baby of the group again. It was completely selfish on her part. Older immortals had an annoying tendency to treat younger immortals like children. And since her rather disastrous trip to Los Angeles a few weeks earlier, Duncan had been hovering as though he were watching for signs of mental breakdown. If he weren't so nice she would really be more annoyed by it. Sometimes it would be easier if he were as obnoxious as Jonathan was, or if he were patronizing then at least then she could be angry with him.
Which brought her back to the reason she was going to Richie's apartment, to try to convince him to stay so she wouldn't have to suffer the indignities of being the group brat. Okay so I'm being selfish. But it's not like Richie's been back in town long. He just came back. Reina told herself. Why the hell should he leave so soon? Richie's arrival came on the heels of an absence caused by a rather unfortunate incident with the mortal wife of a man whose head Richie had taken over the summer. That Jennifer Hill woman, as Reina preferred to refer to her, found out that Richie was the man who killed her husband. Unfortunately, this revelation came out after she and Richie slept together. Reina had kept out of the way during Mrs. Hill's visit but when she heard that Jennifer had tried to kill Richie; Reina wanted to wring her neck. Especially after she heard about Mrs. Hill's belief that her husband's soul was waiting for her. Reina considered the widow a flake and a hypocrite of the worst kind. What thehell did she think her husband did during all the swordfights he was involved in? Needless to say she thought that the attempt on Richie's life was completely out of line. Well more out of line than a murder attempt by definition usually was. Duncan told her to drop it. And she had albeit with much protest. Fortunately, Jennifer Hill had left town so it was easy for Reina to leave it alone. She didn't have much of a choice in the matter anyway because Duncan watched her like a hawk for a week to make sure she didn't take any unplanned trips to San Francisco. Like I'd waste my time on that flake. She thought derisively.
Reina wasn't sure why Richie was leaving. She knew that Richie had met someone claiming to be Methos and that he had convinced Richie that it was possible to live without the sword. She also knew that as a consequence he has almost lost his head because some guy whose name she didn't bother to remember thought that a man without a sword was an easy target. Ironic isn't it? Richie was looking for wisdom and believed this guy because he was supposed to be five thousand years old and it turned out that the real Methos had nothing more to offer as far as wisdom is concerned than you do.
Reina breathed a sigh of relief as she approached Richie's apartment door. She wasn't too late. He was still there. She rang the doorbell.
Richie was in the middle of packing his belongings when she had rang the bell interrupting him. He seemed somewhat surprised by her presence. Naturally, he knew she was there because it was impossible to sneak up on a fellow immortal. The buzz always gave one away. He seemed to be confused by the fact that it was she outside her door as opposed to another immortal.
"What's up Rei?" He asked.
Reina watched Richie's feature's change as he realized why she was there. He didn't invite her in right away. Reina wasn't going until she had her say. She had to talk him out of leaving and if she couldn't, at the least she needed to know why he was leaving.
"Can I come in?" She asked.
"Sure. Sure. Come on in," Richie opened the door. Reina stepped into the apartment and looked around.
"I heard an ugly rumor that you were leaving town again," she said. "I guess it wasn't a rumor," she added after seeing the duffel bag.
"Yeah."
Reina sat down on the couch. She just stared at her contemporary. Up until the moment she walked into the apartment she still harbored the notion that she might be able to talk him out of leaving. But something told her that wouldn't be possible. She decided to change tact.
"Why?" She asked.
Richie shrugged and continued packing without saying a word. If you think I'm going to accept a shrug and a goodbye you are sadly mistaken Richie Ryan. She thought. Reina looked down at her sneaker, waiting for Richie to say something. After waiting awhile and hearing nothing she spoke again.
"You were expecting more from Methos weren't you?" God I hope that's not why you're leaving Richie. It's a stupid reason to go.
Richie raised an eyebrow at Reina. Reina nearly rolled her eyes. What? Do you think I'm blind and deaf? I can see what's going on. I can hear things for myself. I don't need everything spoon-fed to me. "Duncan didn't tell me anything," she said. "He doesn't tell me much you know. I think that he thinks I'm about two steps away from a loony bin." Which is two steps further away than Jonathan thinks I am. "The truth is I've just managed to meet the man and your name was mentioned in the conversation so I figured that you'd met him earlier. On top of that there's that whole Cutbait or whoever incident. I figured that the real deal must have been quite a letdown for you compared to the first Methos you met."
Richie nodded. "It's not just that."
You could have fooled me. Reina thought. I don't see any other reason for you to up and leave. Unless there's something going on that I'm not aware of. Reina looked at Richie intently. Could it be that he really was expecting more?
"So you were expecting more?" She asked.
"Weren't you?"
Reina bit her lip as she thought about the answer to Richie's question. Were you expecting more? She asked herself. 5000 years is a long time but how long does it take to get insight on human nature? Mortals manage to do it with considerably shorter lifespans. Now Immortal nature is another story. But how can one get insight on immortality? No one knows where we come from. Why would anyone know why we're here? Except for the game. Stupid euphemism for constant duels and beheadings. I don't even know if there is a prize. And I don't think Methos does either. No one will know until there's only one left and I don't want to find out that badly.
"No," she said aloud.
"Why not?"
Reina shrugged. "Because I don't expect much wisdom from anyone."
"Not even from someone who has five thousand years behind him."
Reina shrugged again and said nothing.
"You're telling me that you meet a man who's over five thousand years old and he turns out to be a free-loading, beer guzzling, cynical, sarcastic, know-it-all and you expect it?"
"I don't know about the free-loading beer guzzling part," Reina said carefully. "But I can see the sarcastic, cynical, know-it-all part. It doesn't take five thousand years to figure out that people are basically selfish." Frankly I'm surprised that Duncan isn't more of a cynic.
"You're a cynic."
"Is that an accusation?"
Richie laughed. "Just a statement of fact."
Reina shrugged. "Maybe I am a cynic." Maybe?
"Maybe?" Richie asked echoing her own thoughts. "So you weren't expecting to hear something more enlightening?"
"Like what? The meaning of life?"
"I was thinking more along the lines of the reasons for our existence. There has to be something more to being immortal than playing the game."
"The game," Reina rolled her eyes. "That's one hell of a euphemism for what we have to do," she sighed. "I'm not even entirely convinced that there is a prize. What if all this time we've been killing one another and it's been all for naught. What if this whole game thing is someone's sick idea of a practical joke? A fairy tale told by some immortal who was around before Methos was born." A practical joke? That's some theory Reina. This would have to be the sickest joke in the history of mankind or immortalkind as the case may be.
"If there is no prize then why are we here?"
"Why are any of us here?" Reina shrugged. "I used to think I was left behind to avenge Ben and Scott. I couldn't even do that. And I'm still here. So maybe there's some other reason. Or maybe we're not meant to know. Even if we do live to be five thousand."
"That's why you weren't surprised by Methos."
"Exactly."
"Okay, then tell me something. If you think the game and the prize are all bullshit why do you carry your sword?"
"Because I don't want to end up like you almost did this afternoon," Reina snapped. "Why did you decide you wouldn't carry a sword? What were you thinking?" Were you thinking?
"I don't like killing."
What the fuck kind of bullshit reasoning is that? Who the hell likes killing? I sure as hell don't but I damn sure won't make myself a sitting duck by leaving my house without the sword. "I wasn't under the impression that taking pleasure from killing was a prerequisite to becoming immortal," Reina said. "Besides, very few people like killing it's what separates the semi-normal people from the sociopaths. I can understand not wanting to take heads unless it was absolutely necessary. But it's another thing entirely to set oneself up as a sitting duck by walking around defenseless."
"I wanted peace," Richie said. "And you can't have peace while carrying a weapon."
"You can't keep your head by walking around without one either." Oops did I say that out loud?
"He managed."
I guess I did say that out loud. "Yeah until that asshole Cutbait took his head."
"Culbraith," Richie snapped. "His name was Culbraith."
Culbraith, Cutbait, asshole, whatever. Reina thought. "Whatever," she said.
"Culbraith was one guy," Richie told her.
"It only takes one guy," Reina pointed out. Surely I'm not the first one to mention this. You cannot be that naïve.
"But if the word got out…
"The word did get out," Reina said interrupting. "This phony Methos, he traveled around spreading the word and what happened? The men and women who listened to him lost their head to the next immortal who didn't heed the word. This fake Methos lost his head to a man so venal that he'd take the head of an unarmed man. And you almost lost your head to this same asshole. Offhand I'd say that the spreading word hasn't been doing much good. If you don't want to spend the rest of your life hunting heads that's fine. I don't see where doing other things and taking heads are mutually exclusive anyway. Duncan doesn't go around hunting for people to take their heads and Reynaldo didn't either. There's a balance." Now if I can only find this balance for myself.
"You're probably right," he said. "But that's something I have to find out for myself. And to do that I have to go away. I need to be alone with my thoughts and away from the influences, no matter how well meaning, of my friends."
Which friends would that be? "Mortal or immortal?" She asked.
"Both. I don't think my friends from the old neighborhood would understand," Richie said. "Besides, I don't really see them too often anymore."
"I know what you mean. I haven't talked too much with my friends from back home since Reynaldo died," Reina admitted. "When Reynaldo was alive I could go on pretending that nothing's changed. Immortality hasn't changed me. I can do almost everything I used to. I just have to carry a sword. But my friends are getting older and while I am as well it's easier for me to stay a perpetual young adult because I'll always look like one. I don't have the burden of figuring what it is I want to do with the rest of my life. I can choose one thing and if I don't like it change it. My friends are planning futures. You know career, marriage, kids and I feel weird listening to these grandiose plans. What am I supposed to say? 'Well I thought I'd have a few false id's made because in about five years or so I'm going to have to fake my death and start a new life.' Not bloody likely."
"Then why are you fighting so hard for me to stay. You are going through exactly the same thing Reina. "Except you aren't in your home town at the moment."
Shit! "You're right," she sighed. "I guess you've gotta do what you gotta do. Are you going to be back for the holidays?"
"I don't think so. Why?"
"If you're still on the road, why don't you swing over to Washington DC for Thanksgiving?"
"I don't know anyone in DC."
"You know me," Reina said.
"You aren't in DC."
"I will be. I told Jonathan I'd go out to DC for Thanksgiving. No doubt it's a ploy for him to see if I've gone off the deep end. But I'll be there nonetheless."
"Jonathan? Your brother? The FBI agent with no sense of humor?"
"The one and the same," Reina said.
"And you want me to go so you'd have an excuse to blow out of there?"
"I don't need an excuse to do that. But it wouldn't hurt to have a friendly face out there," Reina admitted. "Plus Jonathan just called me last week and said that he wants to introduce me to his girlfriend. Knowing Jonathan's taste in women she'll have no sense of humor I'm sure. So, if you come out, I'll have someone to play with."
"Did you clear this with Jonathan?"
"Hell no. I don't need his permission. He said I could bring a guest. I'm bringing a guest." Besides,if I tried I'd never get his blessing to hang out with any of them.
"I don't know Rei."
"Come on Richie," Reina purred. "I'm sure you don't want to spend the holiday alone." And I don't want to spend the holiday alone with Jonathan.
"You sound like Amanda when you do that."
"Really? I'm flattered. But you haven't answered my question. Come on. Please? It's the least you can do since you're leaving me here alone to deal with Duncan's parental impulses alone."
"Since you're begging."
"Smart ass."
"Where should we meet?"
"How about the Lincoln Memorial. It shouldn't be too hard to find."
"Okay. What time?"
"Five. I'll have to meet Jon after work and I'd just as soon skip the tourist shit."
"Five it is."
"Thanks Richie!" Now I won't have to face Jonathan's disapproval alone.
Richie looked around his apartment one more time to make sure he didn't leave anything behind. "I'm about done here."
Reina looked at the duffel bag and the sword lying next to it on the table. Richie traveled light. "All right I can take a hint," she said sighing.
Richie stared at sword momentarily before taking it and placing it in its sheath. "Come on. The open road awaits."
Reina hadn't realized that she was holding her breath until she saw Richie pick up his sword. She sighed in relief. Richie hadn't noticed. At least he's taking his sword with him.
The two twenty-something immortals left the apartment. Reina watched as Richie locked up his apartment. They went downstairs in silence.
"I guess this is goodbye," she said.
"Until Thanksgiving."
"Right. I hope you find what you're looking for Richie," Reina kissed Richie on the cheek.
"If I do, I'll let you know. Take care Reina."
"Watch your head."
"I will. I like it where it is."
"So do I."
"Bye!"
Reina said nothing. She merely waved as Richie pulled off. She didn't move from where she stood watching Richie as he rode off, waiting until she couldn't see him anymore before walking to her own apartment.
finis
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