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LONDON, JULY 4, 1969
The man looked down at his conference program. Yes, all very nice. Lots of technological and medical terms that when distilled gave directions for making babies in petri dishes. Edwards and his crew from Cambridge were going to share the 'magic.'
Well, what was that old slogan? 'A chicken in every pot?' Maybe the modern version would be 'a baby in every womb.'
Methos, whose name tag read 'Dr. Ben Adams,' stopped outside the door of the hotel's ballroom. The place was huge, and well on its way to being packed. He thought about leaving. He was here on a whim anyway...
Then he felt a presence. An immortal was nearby. And the depth of the presence he felt alerted him to the fact that the other was old. Not as old as he was. Maybe half his age?
And there was something else. A gentle familiarity.
Now he was intrigued! Whoever it was, he knew them. Intimately. Only a student or a lover would feel like this. Methos stepped cautiously into the room and looked around.
He saw him at once, standing near the dais. Caught the stiffening of the other's posture as he felt immortal presence and turned. Then Methos smiled.
The other man immediately excused himself and crossed the length of the room. He grabbed the older immortal's arm in a firm grip. "Me... My dear old friend!"
Methos' smile became a grin as they shook hands. In the old days there would have been a warm hug too. "Juls, it's been ages. How are you? You look dashing as ever."
Dr. Julian Fremont nodded. "Thank you. And you still look like a lad!" He looked Methos over critically. The last time they'd been together was in 1870. Pasteur had been in Paris at the Sorbonne, and Lister in London. Medicine was just beginning to make monumental strides.
"I see you're still in the business."
"Hard to give up after, well, you know." He chuckled. "However long it's been. And you're still working on your pet project?"
Julian nodded assent.
Methos looked around the room at the gathering mortals. Suddenly, he didn't want to be around them. Not at all. He looked at his former student.
"Julian, are you part of this dog and pony show?"
The other man laughed. "Yes. But I'm not running it. Why?"
"Could we go somewhere? Talk?"
Julian nodded. "Sure, I have a suite. We'll have a drink."
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
"Tequila?" Julian remembered that Methos had developed a taste for mescal a couple (three, four) centuries before. He poured a measure and took it over to the man on the couch.
He shook his head. Methos had removed both jacket and tie, and opened the collar of his shirt. His loafers now resided under the coffee table. Trust the ancient one to get as comfortable as possible as quickly as possible.
"Want to tell me what's wrong?" Julian took a seat on the opposite end of the couch from Methos. "And don't try to tell me 'nothing.' I know you."
"You do." The old immortal shrugged. "It's this obsession with having children, Jules. I don't understand. People--mortals, some immortals--will kill for kids. To have them, get them, keep them."
"Methos, you know as well as I do that's a survival trait. To pass on their genetic material."
"You really think so?" Methos drank off half the tequila in his glass. "I wonder, if it's not sheer vanity. To have control over another being..."
Julian looked over at his former teacher. His former lover.
"Methos? What happened?" He moved closer to the old immortal. Within reach, but not touching.
"I, uh, I lost two patients just this week. No, make that FOUR."
"I'm sorry..."
"One was 22. Married a year. Had a heart murmur. I told her she... But her family and his..."
Julian nodded. He heard that sort of story all the time.
"The other was 43. Her sixth. Never had a problem. Before."
"Sounds like you need a vacation, Methos."
"Maybe. I've been thinking about it. Giving up the practice. Doing research. Something different."
Methos finished the tequila and looked down at the empty glass. "I've gone all maudlin on you. Sorry. I guess I should just ditch this scene." He started to rise, but Julian grabbed his arm. Tugged him back down, but didn't let go of his arm.
"What else, Methos?"
"What do you mean?"
Ah. That sharp edge to his voice. Julian knew something else was on the old man's mind.
"I mean what else, or who else is bothering you."
Methos smiled and shook his head. "You always could read me, Juls." He sighed.
"Her name is Charity. We were engaged. She said she wanted me even with my 'peculiarities'." Suddenly the old immortal relaxed. "Assured me we could have a 'liberal partnership.' I was head-over-heels, Juls."
"Until she found out I can't father children, that is."
"Wait." Julian shook his head. "You're telling me that she had no problem with you being bisexual? No problem with you having male lovers while you were married? But couldn't 'deal' with you being sterile?" He thought his head might explode. "That's..."
"Exactly. But you see, I fit her specifications. She thought we would produce 'lovely, intelligent offspring.' Four. Two of each."
"Sorry," the younger immortal began to chuckle. "But that is bizarre! Where did you dig her up?"
"Edinburgh. Good family, well educated, Master's in Anthropology, 'enlightened,' even..."
"Gods, Methos, how DO you find them?" Julian couldn't help his laughter.
"I'm lucky, I guess?" He held up his glass. "Think I could get lucky now?"
Julian sat up. He looked over at Methos. Yes, the desire was there, clear as the whisky-amber eyes. He drew in a breath. "I. It's been..."
"Gone all respectable on me, Juls?" Methos didn't move.
The other man thought about it. Had he? Was that what was holding him back from accepting his former teacher's invitation?
He was Dr. Julian Fremont, Reproductive Medicine Specialist. A leader in his field. A new and wide-open field. And one that was being scrutinized by government and media alike.
He shook his head. "No." He leaned forward. "No, Methos." He smiled gently. "It just takes something--someone--pretty fucking important to get my attention."
Julian got up and offered his hand to the other man. "Looks like this is my lucky day." He grinned and pulled him up.
Methos accepted the tugging gracefully, and then wrapped his arms around the younger immortal's waist. He nuzzled the tender spot under Julian's right ear as they moved together into the suite's bedroom.
"Mmm. I'd forgotten how good you taste, Juls," he whispered. Then he took his lover's mouth with his own. "So good, Julian," he breathed as he pulled away to ease the man out of his jacket. "And I really like this tie."
Methos took his time undressing Julian. Kissing and caressing between the opening of each shirt button. Stopping to fondle and tease. Finally reaching for the fastening of his slacks.
And Julian responded in kind until they were falling naked onto the bed. Limbs locked together in a wild tangle.
"Fuck, Julian," Methos moaned.
"Only if you're prepared to return the favor, lover." Then the younger man nibbled first on one of Methos' nipples, then the other. Kissed his way down the lean, hard belly.
Methos writhed with pleasure at every tickling breath and kiss and lick Julian lavished on his body. His knees fell open as first one, then the other inner thigh was ravished.
"Oh, Julian," he said breathlessly, "what I'm going to do to you if you keep this up?"
"Come?"
"Oh. Yeah...!"
End
Originally posted 9-13-01
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.