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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-04
Words:
1,848
Chapters:
1/1
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6
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1,168

In The End

Summary:

A conversation, a challenge, an end and a beginning.
From the Highlander Lyric Wheel.
Theme: The End is the Beginning
Song: In The End by Linkin Park

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

In The End

 

Duncan wondered if he was too late. Not that he could have done anything. The challenge was made. He couldn't interfere. It wasn't his fight. He couldn't do anything for either one of them. This was crazy. Methos and Cassandra were both important to Duncan MacLeod. He cared for both of them. They were his friends. Yet, hadn't Methos been in this position before? Had to watch, knowing that the outcome would mean the return of a loved one and the loss of a loved one, as well.

He remembered a conversation he and Methos had a few weeks earlier. It was strange for the older immortal to speak the way he did. He usually let Duncan figure things out for himself. It was almost as if Methos had wanted to get things out in the open before it was too late. A chill went up Duncan's spine.

The two of them had been sitting inside the barge. It had been a few months since he had lost Connor. Duncan had invited Methos over for dinner. Their conversation wasn't particularly serious, but something had triggered a serious mood in Methos.

"One thing. I don't know why. It doesn't even matter how hard you try."

Duncan frowned at him. "It doesn't?"

"Don't worry, Duncan...I'm not going to spout off a bunch of nihilistic crap....I know you'd tune me out in a heartbeat. There's more..."

"Sorry, Methos...go on. That rhymed by the way."

"No it didn't."

"What you said before the nihilistic crap part did."

"Why, Thank you, MacLeod. So it did. Keep in mind, I designed this rhyme to explain in due time all I know."

"Uggh. I refuse to start calling you Master M."

"Master M? Actually...I think I like that."

"Get over it."

"Right. OK. Anyway. You know the sanctimonious assholes who tell us time doesn't exist?"

"Not personally."

"Funny. Well, it's a bloody ridiculous theory. I've spent five thousand years of this non-existent thing. The clock ticks life away. I've tried so hard to remember that time is a valuable thing...I've tried to hold on to it, Duncan. I want you to know all I know. I don't mean that I'm passing on a great wealth of knowledge to you...just some things that are important to me."

"Should I refill the Scotch, first?" Duncan tried not to sound too flippant. He wasn't sure how serious Methos was going to become.

"Yeah. Good idea." Methos waited for Duncan to pour the drinks and return. "Duncan, not too long ago, after O'Rourke...you told me you still didn't know who I was. That hurt me at first. I felt it was a rejection. I finally realized that you really didn't know me, and wanted to know who I was. I thought once that I could explain things in due time...but the longer I waited for the right time, the more I wasted it."

"I'm sorry. Now that you mention, I was tactless, wasn't I?" Duncan said. He felt somewhat ashamed that he had hurt Methos.

"Yes, you were honest, though. It's so unreal, in these past ten years...what has happened. Learning about you, meeting you, and putting my trust in you. There were times before when I tried hard, but this time, I felt it was for a good cause."

"And that was...?"

"I've said it before...how you are too important to lose."

Duncan shook his head, dismissively. "Methos. Don't start."

"No. It's true. But, I didn't even know..."

"Know what?"

"What that really means, now. I've wanted to ensure that you were -the one' at the end. I've stayed close for that reason. Things went smoothly for a while. Then, of course, Kronos and Cassandra showed up and all bloody hell broke loose."

"I'm still here. You're still here." Duncan was starting to feel uncomfortable with their conversation.

"We are still here, but it all changed after that. I kept it all inside, thinking it didn't matter, that since I had changed...the past could be left alone. But I didn't look out below. I watched time go out the window. You were so angry, Duncan. I knew it didn't matter that you wouldn't even recognize me anymore. Not that you knew me back then. But that's just it. You couldn't have known how much I'd changed. So, there was only one thing I could do. I had to make you see how I had been."

"You told me, Methos...about how you were...what you had been."

"I had to show you, Duncan. I had to fall to lose it all. The pride, everything that kept you from knowing me. But in the end it doesn't even matter. I wasted time just to watch you go."

So Methos had become far more serious than Duncan had expected. Duncan wondered if this was why he told Methos he didn't know who he was. Maybe he didn't want to know. Maybe, he was afraid to know that he could be so important to Methos...this immortal, millennia older than Duncan. But, what did Methos mean by -in the end it doesn't matter?'

"Methos, this is beginning to sound nihilistic...you said you weren't going..."

Methos cut him off. "No. Stay with me on this one, Highlander. Up until then, I felt safe with who I had become. I relaxed...even started to feel safe with our friendship. As in... I would be there for you and you would be there for me. I would venture to say you felt comfortable as well, accepted me into the clan, so to speak."

Duncan rolled his eyes. "Please, Methos. Spare me the clan jokes."

"But, it's true, right?"

"Right." Duncan sighed.

"See, that's when it all fell apart, for both of us...you acted like I was part of your property, but you didn't know who I was before. For me, I was too angry and too proud to let you know how disgusted I was with what I had been. It's time you knew."

"But, Methos you told me you regretted it. I understood."

"I know. Still, you don't know me, because I've kept things inside. Duncan, I've pushed as far as I can go. And for all this, there's just one thing you should know."
Methos stopped talking, and reached his hand out and placed it over Duncan's heart. Duncan was stunned, but he understood Methos' intention. That's how important he was to Methos. "Do you know who I am?" Methos asked, the question was direct, but not accusing.

Duncan answered, hoping he expressed the conviction he felt. "Yes. I know who you are, Methos."

Methos reached to pull him into an embrace. "Good." Duncan could feel the tension leave Methos, and himself, as well. Methos let go of him, and smiled. "I feel so much better, now."

Duncan laughed. They both finished the drinks, and Methos left soon after.

Duncan's attention returned to the fight. Was he just imagining it, or was Methos starting to tire. Was Cassandra using her -voice' on him? Duncan hoped that given his age, Methos could resist it. Cassandra advanced and Methos retreated, but fell back on the uneven ground. He did not get back up to a standing position. He kneeled, as if admitting defeat. Duncan mouthed the word -No'. Cassandra slowed her attack, sword poised high overhead. Duncan couldn't believe Methos was letting this chance for recovery pass him by. Damn him.

Cassandra's sword started its descent, and Duncan closed his eyes. The sound that reached his ears was not consistent with what he thought was inevitable. It was the sound of blade meeting blade. He opened his eyes. Methos had played possum, and now had complete control. He had blocked the strike at the last minute and unbalanced a very surprised Cassandra. Methos wasted no time. Duncan closed his eyes again. There was no sound of blade upon blade this time. Cassandra was gone.

Duncan waited for the quickening to pass. He walked down to Methos.

"Methos?"

He knew Methos heard him, but it was a moment before he looked up. "Duncan. I'm sorry. You know she challenged me, don't you?"

Duncan nodded.

"This is what I meant. In the end, it doesn't even matter, does it?"

"I think it does, Methos."

Methos looked at Duncan questioningly.

"I loved her, Methos. But she couldn't let things be." Duncan's voice broke. "Now she's gone." He paused to regain his composure.

"But maybe the end is the beginning." Duncan returned Methos' gesture from before, placing his hand on Methos' heart.

Methos sighed. "Maybe it is."

"Let's go, Methos." Duncan placed his hand on Methos' shoulder and the two of them left.

 

The Lyrics

In the End
Linkin Park

(It starts with)
One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time
All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal
Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on / but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried
so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how
I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so (far)
Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end
You kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
And for all this
There's only one thing you should know
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
And for all this
There's only one thing you should know
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

Notes:

This orphaned work was originally on Pejas WWOMB posted by author Struck.
If this work is yours and you would like to reclaim ownership, you can click on the Technical Support and Feedback link at the bottom fo the page.