³Where are we going then?² Sarah asked the man driving the car at an illegally high speed, even on a highway.
³I don¹t have a clue. Wherever you¹d like,² he answered with a small smile.
³Well, you¹re the one running away, you get to be the one who decides,² she replied with a larger smile.
³Fine. Then it will just be the next town which happens to be on our way. He won¹t be looking for me so close to LA, will he?²
³You¹re the student of human nature, Methos, not I,² Sarah replied mischieviously.
³Hey, here¹s a road sign. Sunnydale. Does it sound good to you?² the old Immortal asked, eluding the answer to her previous statement.
³Perfect,² the brunette replied.
³Then Sunnydale it is, my young friend,² he declared joyfully, turning the wheel to get out of the motorway.
³Don¹t call me that,² she protested, as usual.
Methos chuckled slightly, not answering this. Sarah was a good friend. And she *was* approximately 4900 years younger than him. He had every right to call her his young friend.
After a few more minutes, they arrived in Sunnydale, a lovely little Californian town, apparently. They checked in a motel and took two adjoining rooms. Then Methos left, going to look for some food, as the sun was setting.
Sarah ran a hot bath and started stripping out of her clothes. She immersed herself in the hot water, sighing contentedly and closing her eyes. She started thinking upon the recent events which had made her leave on a road trip with Methos.
---------------
Los Angeles, the previous morning
Sarah was drying her long brown hair as she felt the buzz and heard someone enter her apartment. She let the hair dryer on and seized her rapier. She silently tiptoed to her living room to discover an old friend of hers studying her collection of CDs. Methos.
He lifted his head, taking in the sight of her. She was dressed in a bathrobe and her hair was still wet.
³Didn¹t mean to disturb you,² he apologised.
³Of course you did,² she answered with a smile. ³What do you need me for this time?²
³I¹m offended,² he replied in a mock hurt tone. ³So you think I only come to see you when I need you?²
³Methos, please,² she answered.
³Well, ok, I do need you. Or your flat, really,² he explained. ³I need a place to stay for a few days. You have a guest room, right?²
³Who are you running from?² she asked matter-of-factly.
³Geez, I¹m really becoming predictable,² he muttered.
Then he explained everything to her. How, a couple of centuries ago, the doctor John Adams -- one of his numerous pseudonyms; he just couldn¹t walk around telling everyone he was Methos, the oldest Immortal alive -- had been engaged to a sweet French beauty called Marie.
However, another Immortal had been trying to woo. At least until Methos and she had announced their engagement. When he had heard the news, he had gone mad with rage. Literally. Matthias, for that was his name, had gone directly to Marie¹s place and killed her in a fit of anger.
Methos had come to see her and he had witnessed the murder. He had challenged Matthias and had taken his head just as Matthias¹ pupil at the time, a fiery youth named Nicolas, had come in and witnessed the death of his teacher. That day, Nicolas had sworn to kill John Adams.
And now he was on Methos¹ trail, and he didn¹t seem inclined to drop it. Methos knew he could kill the boy easily, if he wanted to. The only problem was, he did not want to. The kid hadn¹t done anything wrong. All he wanted was to revenge his teacher¹s death. He didn¹t know that his death was legitimate, and he didn¹t want to know it, that was the problem. Blind loyalty to his teacher. Very common in the young.
Consequently, Methos was running away from him in order not to have to kill him. Arriving in Los Angeles, he had obviously thought of Sarah.
Just as Methos had completed his tale and Sarah had finished dressing, they both felt another buzz.
³The kid won¹t let it go,² Methos grumbled. ³Back door?²
Sarah sighed.
³I guess I¹m coming with you,² she said as she gestured towards the fire exit.
She quickly grabbed some clothes, put them hurriedly in a bag and followed him outside. Just as they got into Methos¹ car, she could catch a glimpse of this Nicolas, running after the already accelerating car. He looked like any twenty-year-old young man of the time, with short blond hair and casual clothes.
They had quickly lost sight of him, and their improvised road trip had begun.
-------------
Sarah shook the thoughts off as she plunged her head under the water, relaxing finally. Hopefully, Nicolas wouldn¹t catch up with them too soon. For once, Methos was showing some sign of humanity and emotions in his desire not to kill the Immortal. Sarah planned on enjoying her friend¹s state of mind as long as possible.
Her friend. As if they really were friends. They had always been much more than that, ever since their first meeting. Unfortunately, they were not meant for each other at all.
-------------
New Orleans, 1893
Sarah looked around the ball room as she felt a buzz. Not tonight, she inwardly pleaded. She really did not want to fight tonight.
Suddenly, she caught sight of the other Immortal walking in with a charming blond creature at his arm. Sarah smiled; the tall dark-haired man did not seem to be in the right mood to fight either. Good.
The two Immortals finally locked eyes and the man headed for her. He met some acquaintances of his on his way, stopping to exchange a few words with them, leaving his companion there as he continued on towards his fellow Immortal.
Sarah excused herself out of her friends¹ company and walked towards him as well. As they finally reached each other, the unknown Immortal took her offered hand and kissed it.
³My name is Benjamin Adams,² he introduced himself with a charming half-smile.
³Mine is Sarah Courtier,² she replied with a blush.
She already liked him. Who wouldn¹t, after all? He had a wonderful smile, mesmerizing eyes, his body seemed well-defined, and he had such a powerful aura of charm, that Sarah thought no woman could possibly resist him.
³I hope you are not looking for a fight, my dear,² he ventured as he offered her his arm, ³I would much prefer a dance with a creature as beautiful as you.²
Sarah did not reply but blushed again and took the offered arm. He led her to the dancefloor, where they spent most of the evening.
Finally, when it was time for Sarah to leave the ball, he offered to walk her home. All her delicate manners felt offended at that thought.
³I¹m afraid it wouldn¹t be quite proper, Mr Adams,² she replied coldly.
³I didn¹t think people like us lived along codes of conduct which are not of our time,² he objected politely.
³I *am* following the code of conduct of my time,² she replied, even more irritated at his insistance. ³My first death occurred only a few years ago.²
He looked genuinely surprised at this statement.
³Well then, please accept my sincere apologies, Miss Courtier,² he asked. ³I thought you much older than that.²
In his mouth, it sounded like a compliment to Sarah. She blushed again.
³On the other hand,² she continued, ³it is true that I will some day have to abandon the codes of this time. Perhaps I should prepare myself for that.²
She boldly seized his arm and they walked out into the night. She told him everything about her death, or rather about the fact it must have been so painful that she had pushed it off her memories, into oblivion. Nobody had noticed she had died. She was still living her life as if nothing had happened.
Of course, it had been hard to find excuses to go and train with her teacher every day. But the Immortal who had taken her as his pupil had looked old enough so that no improper rumours had roused. He had left her only a couple of months ago. She had decided to stay here instead of accompanying him. She needed some independence.
Benjamin had told her how surprised he was that she should tell him so much of her. If he had been ill-intentioned, he would now know everything he needed to defeat her and take her head.
She had looked him in the eye as she had replied that she already felt as if she knew him better than that. He had answered that she was right; he was not after her head.
As days passed, Benjamin had regularly called on Sarah. They had become friends, and soon lovers. He was helping her detach herself from her time ; to understand to what extent she had to be timeless from now on.
The two of them had moved to France and pretended they were married. This way, they were able to live together. Only they soon discovered that living together seriously tempted them to take the other¹s head. They were not meant for that life.
Although they got on very well and enjoyed each other¹s company, their personalities seemed incompatible in an everyday couple life. They had separated at the end of the nineteenth century, staying friends nonetheless.
----------
Sarah stepped out of the bath and wrapped herself in a towel. And since then, they had been seeing each other from time to time, never resuming their previous state of lovers. Yes, they had slept together a few times, but nothing serious or committal. Simply two Œmore than friends¹ enjoying each other¹s bodies.
The Immortal smiled at the thought. She crushed a cockroach,
quietly travelling across the clouded mirror, with one of her shoes, at
the same time. She sighed. And now she was stuck in this cheap shabby motel,
waiting for him to bring them back something edible. Just perfect. She
smiled again.