EVE
Beginning Two

Joe Dawson had just put a bottle of Duncan MacLeod's favorite beer in front of the Immortal when that well-known. . .well, at least to Watchers. . ."look" crossed his friend's face. And then a tight, closed look that told the Watcher who was coming.

Joe mentally cursed, knowing who was approaching the bar and wishing his timing was better. At least MacLeod wasn't going to reveal the fact that Watcher "Adam Pierson" was actually an Immortal to the Watchers currently hanging around the bar. That alone gave Joe some hope for the two men reconciling.

MacLeod glanced up at the Watcher and smiled grimly. "Methos." He murmured and Joe nodded. MacLeod had once explained that Methos had a very unique signature and he'd had no trouble knowing when the Ancient Immortal was the one approaching.

Joe kept one eye on the door as he sank into a chair, pulling his own drink toward him, waiting for the Old Man to enter. He smiled slightly as it swung open and the familiar figure stepped in. He opened his mouth to call out a greeting then froze, eyes widening, mouth hanging open.

"Shit!" He muttered and MacLeod threw him a puzzled look before turning to follow his eyes. He blinked, wondering what was wrong with this picture then he saw what Joe had. That while this figure was of the same height and build as the man he knew, there were. . .*curves* were there shouldn't be.

This figure, complete with an all too familiar *Buzz*, was a woman.

She stepped even closer and MacLeod took in the short brown hair, gold-green eyes and pale skin. And the face, a familiar face somehow feminized, the prominent nose softened and *just right* for a face that could not be called beautiful but, in its own way, cute. She walked to the bar to ask Mike something and he pointed in their direction. The woman turned, stared for a long moment then walked toward them, running an eye over the duo before smiling a familiar cynical smile.

"I understand my brother tends to hang out here." She said, her voice and accent a softer version of Methos'. "His name is Adam Pierson."

"Brother?" Joe's voice squeaked and he paused to clear his throat. "Errrr, yeah. Yeah, he does. Though I don't know if he'll be in at all. I mean. . ." How could he explain the events of the past couple of weeks to this patiently waiting woman? He couldn't. Instead he settled for clearing his throat again. "I'm Joe Dawson. I own this bar."

"Ahhhh." She slipped off her coat, revealing a fisherman's sweater...oversized...and jeans. Jez, they even dressed alike, Joe thought hazily. Even the coat was the kind Methos would wear. She fastened a bemused look on Joe. "And how high is his bar tab?" She asked.

Joe laughed. "It hit four digits last week. I plan on whamming him with the printouts of the tabulation I did. I think I could paper the walls with it."

"A couple times or three, no doubt." She draped the coat over the back of an empty chair and leaned on it, looking at MacLeod. "Does it speak or is it just here to fill the chair?" She asked Joe politely.

Joe grinned, watching as a faint flush crept up his friend's neck. "Sometimes I wonder. This is Duncan MacLeod. And your name is. . .?"

The woman's smile deepened. "Three guesses. And the first two don't count."

I think I'm gonna like her, Joe thought. "Eve." He said without hesitation and the woman nodded. "Have a seat, Eve. Wanna beer? Or is that a stupid question?"

"A beer'll be fine." She casually turned the chair to sit on it backwards, arms crossed over the back. "I get most of my tastes from Adam." She grinned and added. "But not all."

"Adam never mentioned a sister." MacLeod said slowly. "Brothers, yes. . ."

Eve looked at MacLeod thoughtfully, eyebrow raised inquiringly. "Somehow, I doubt Adam willingly mentioned his brothers to you. It's not a part of his past he's particularly proud of." She said pleasantly. "So something has happened. . ."

"They're dead." MacLeod said bluntly, watching the woman for her reaction.

Eve nodded. "Well, good riddance to bad rubbish and it's about time. I was always tempted to do it myself but Kronos had poor Adam tied up in such knots I was afraid of how it would affect him. I never could find Caspian and as for Silas. . ." She shrugged. "Away from the others, Silas wasn't a bad sort."

"Meth. . ." MacLeod started only to be cut off by Eve.

"Adam." She said sharply with a glare to match the tone of her words. He faltered, cleared his throat and continued.

"Adam killed Silas."

Eve blinked. "Oh. Poor Adam. Silas is the only one he really cared about." She said sadly. "And the other two. . .?"

"Me."

"You'll have to tell me how it happened sometime. Though I've an idea. Could I get something to eat, you think?"

"Oh, sure." Joe caught the waitress's attention and Eve ordered a steak. . .very rare. . .and a potato. And another beer.

"How did you meet Me. . .Adam?" MacLeod corrected himself after a harsh look from Eve.

Eve chuckled. "He's my brother, my twin actually. How do you think I met him?"

"There's no such thing as Immortal twins!"

Eve's eyes narrowed. "Say it a little louder, why don't you? I don't believe the deaf man in the corner heard you."

MacLeod flushed fiercely.

"I've never heard of Immortal siblings." Joe said hastily.

"Adam and I are a very long story. Thank you." She said as the waitress set a plate in front of her. She waited for the woman to move out of hearing before continuing. "And it's not really any of your business. Are you expecting him tonight?" She asked Joe as she sliced into the steak.

"I'm not sure. He might not feel very welcome." Joe couldn't help but look MacLeod as he said this.

"Oh? And why not?"

"It might have something to do with the thousands of people he killed." MacLeod snapped.

Eve chewed, swallowed and looked thoughtfully at the Highlander. "Was this a recent thing or are you talking about what happened some three thousand years ago?"

"Does it matter?" MacLeod asked, surprised.

"Of course it does. Blaming Adam for what happened three thousand years ago a bit like blaming the current youngest generation of Germany for what Hitler did. He is not the same man he was then. Just as I am not the same...person I was then. Or you. . ." She waved the bottle at MacLeod sternly. ". . .are the same person you were three hundred years ago. Or he. . ." and she waved at Joe this time. ". . .isn't the same man he was thirty years ago."

MacLeod stared at her in disbelief. "He. . !"

"I know what he did. And I know what he didn't do."

Joe was nodding and grinning in agreement though he hastily stopped when MacLeod scowled darkly at him.

"Where were you when Adam was cutting a bloody swath through Europe?' MacLeod asked.

"I was cutting a bloody swath through China. Africa. Up into Europe. Adam was clear of the Horsemen by the time we met. Good thing too."

"Or there would have been five Horsemen?"

Eve started laughing, choking on the beer she had just started to swallow. Joe started thumping her back while MacLeod alternated between apologizing and mopping up the beer that spilled from the woman's mouth and nose.

"Good lord! What the hell did you do to my sister?" Adam Pierson stood behind the trio, staring in fascination at the choking, laughing woman. She looked up at him, still giggling and crooked a finger at him to come closer. He leaned over and she whispered "Five Horsemen" at him before collapsing into laughter again.

Adam didn't laugh. He looked at MacLeod soberly for a long moment then thumped Eve hard on the back. "Come on, Eve. Knock it off."

She rolled her head enough to peer at him. "It's funny!" She insisted.

"No, it's not. Eve. . ."

She scowled, sitting up. "Spoilsport." She poked a finger into his ribs. "Sit down, Adam."

Adam hesitated then pulled out the chair on Eve's other side. Draping his coat over the back, he sat down. Glancing around, he started to gesture to a waitress only to have Eve grabbed his hand, holding it down.

"I understand you have a bar tab." She said pleasantly.

"Errrr, yeah. I guess so. A small one."

It was Joe's turn to choke on his beer.

"According to Joe, it's somewhere in the four digits."

"Oh surely not." Adam threw the Watcher an imploring look but Joe was gone. The next minute, a thick stack of printouts thumped onto the table. Joe grinned at Eve.

"Told you I could paper the bar with it."

Adam blinked at the stack, poking at it gingerly. "Joe. . ?" He raised it the stack to peer at the total, paling visibly. "Joe!"

Eve leaned over to peer at the amount, whistling softly. "Pay up, bro."

"With what?" Adam glared at her. "I don't carry that kind of cash!"

"Write a check."

Adam threw her a horrified look. "That'll clean out my account!"

Eve leaned close until she was nose-to-nose with the man. "Pay. It. Check. Credit card. I don't care. Pay. It."

Adam grimaced then sighed, reaching into his jacket for a checkbook. Joe blinked in amazement. He hadn't thought Adam would actually pay the tab. It had been a running joke among them for such a long time that he had long since given up any hopes of actually getting the money. Adam glanced at the total again, winced, glanced imploringly at Eve then silently wrote out a check, handing it dutifully to Joe. Joe studied it, wondering if he should dash right out and deposit it then discarded the idea.

"There!" Eve smiled brightly. "Now you have the fun of running up another tab."

"And you'll be back in three years to make sure he pays it?" Joe asked hopefully.

"If need be."

"Now can I have a beer?" Adam asked plaintively.

end beginning two