Chapter 4

Brenda--New York--Late 1978

Brenda sighed softly, her hands gently rubbing her burgeoning belly. Her time was close, she knew that. It wouldn't be much longer before her child...Connor's child would be born.

"Ah, Connor, Connor. Where are you? You said in the letter you would try to return. But you haven't. 8 months have passed with no word from you."

Brenda's soft words echoed in the now empty apartment. Who would have thought that she would have been going through this alone? She was so sure that the father of her child would have been so happy to know he was a father. But he didn't even know about the child. He had disappeared without a trace on the day that Brenda had learned of her pregnancy. Connor.. even thinking of the name was enough to elicit a soft sad smile. Such a wonderful man. So worldly and wise, yet at times he seemed to have knowledge that went past his age.

A soft groan escaped her as the baby kicked hard against her ribs. "Eager aren't you little one? To escape your confines, and strong, yes, strong you would be.. considering who you are. I hope and pray you are the best of both of us. Your fathers wit and speed.. he was so athletic you know. My love of learning and of all things ancient."

With a soft chuckle her mind stopped a moment to remember how Connor once said he was immortal and couldn't die.. how he had been alive for over 400 years.

"Well little one, if all your father said was true.. how could I not have loved him eh?" Her thoughts turned inward as her eyes looked out of the window . She often sat there in the window seat. Of course she was watching for Connor to return, even though she knew there was probably no chance of that ever happening. She had grown to realize that over the months. He wasn't coming back. Not now.. not ever.

"Well little baby, I won't do you wrong, and I will teach you about your father, when the time is right." Brenda sighed, just as sure of that as she was of not being able to tell any child of everything her daddy claimed.

The idea hit her then. She couldn't tell a child or anyone of Connor while she was still alive. But she, Brenda Wyatt was a published author wasn't she? She could write a love novel for her child and then give it to her child when her child grew up.

Yes indeed.. She could do that. She would write down everything she remembered of Connor. All his words all his actions.. All the history she knew of Connor MacLeod. She would leave it with someone she trusted, a lawyer perhaps, NO.. with Rachel! She would leave it with Rachel and when her child was old enough Rachel could give it too her once she felt the time was right.

Brenda smiled and slowly pushed herself out of the chair by the window. "No time like the present to get started old girl. The baby will be here before you know it. Once the baby is here you wont have much time to write and you know it." Laughing softly Brenda made her way out of the apartment and to her favorite shop to buy all she needed to write her little novel about Connor.

Brenda--New York--1979

Brenda put down her pen, having finished yet another page of all she wanted to say to her soon to be born child about Connor. Once she started writing it seemed the words just flowed from her mind to the paper. She explained all she knew. She wrote with a passion that she never knew she had in her. Using her friends research from months back she researched name upon name, each one slowly but surely erasing all the nagging doubts that she had let build up over the months.

No longer could she pretend to herself that Connor was normal. No longer could she laugh to herself and think him a bit daft. From all she had seen; pictures, drawings, articles, handwriting analysis, she had grown to believe that Connor was indeed all he said he was. She knew now for a fact that everything that happened that night at the SilverCup roof had indeed happened. It wasn't a dream, it wasn't a fantasy. It was fact. It had happened.

As she wrote her final words on the last page, she theorized that something about the Game had driven Connor away. She was now more sure than ever that he might never return, and if he did return, he might never believe that the child she carried was his. Why should he believe? He had said once immortals couldn't have children. But after the Kurgan quickening he said that he could. Would he believe or not? She didn't know. She could take no chances right now with telling anyone whose child this was. For the most part she feared that many would believe her unfaithful to Connor's love. Something she had not been, nor never would be.

A sharp pain raced down her spine and into her belly causing Brenda to gasp suddenly. The pain was bad enough to cause her to drop the ink pen she had been writing with. As the pain subsided she again picked up her pen and wrote a few final sentences. She wrote passionately and truthfully, asking of her child one simple plea.

Over the next few hours, Brenda had no doubt that she was going into labor. Slowly she pushed herself off of the chair at her desk. Brenda then reached over to take a manila envelope in hand. Picking up her love novel about Connor. she carefully slid the handwritten pages into the envelope and sealed it. Walking into her lonely bedroom, she picked up her suitcase. Slipping the envelope into the folder she put on her coat and walked out the door to hail a cab, hoping against hope she would make it to the hospital in time.

Heather--New York--1979

The Doctor smiled and laid a small blanketed bundle on Brenda's chest. "Ms. Wyatt, let me introduce you to your daughter," he said with a soft smile. Brenda brushed a weary but gentle hand over the soft blonde fuzz of her daughter's head. Her tired eyes looked up at the doctor with an ages old question written in their depths.

"Your daughter is fine and healthy ma'am. As a matter of fact she is quite the little fighter. She has a healthy set of lungs and if I dont miss my guess is going to lend you a merry chase one day." The doctor answered the question with a smile. already knowing what Brenda needed to hear. "She has all 10 fingers and toes and from what I can see is a most exquisite child. Do not fear, she's fine."

Brenda smiled softly and cuddled her small daughter to her. With a soft voice she settled the name she had chosen upon this small gift granted her. "Your name will be Heather. Heather Nash MacLeod."

Chapter 3

Rachel--New York--1978

Rachel slipped the keys to the store into the lock and opened the door. Her right hand automatically went up to turn off the security alarm and flip on the lights to the show floor. Taking off her coat as she made her way to her desk she smiled, knowing that her father, although always late, would surely make his way into the shop just in time to have missed most of the inventory.

Laughing softly to herself she sat down at her desk and slipped her purse into the lower right drawer as usual. As she did, her eyes moved over her desk taking in what paper work she had to do that morning. Her eyes stopped on a simple white envelope with her name on the front in her fathers hand writing. "Oh, so not gonna show up at all for inventory is that it Dad?", she thought as she went to open the envelope. With a soft gasp she read the letter over and over, hardly believing what her eyes were seeing.

My Dearest Rachel,

It is with a sad and heavy heart that I must tell you this. I know I said it a few weeks earlier, and that it did not come to pass, but as of today it has. Russell Nash dies today. But then you knew he would. I had explained that to you years ago. You already know what my real name is and how to contact me should some disaster occur. I explained in length that night why I would have to go. You my daughter are the only person that knows the true reasons why I have to go.

It hurts me more than words can express that I have to leave, but I can leave now with a less heavy heart as you have found Jake. He will take care of you. Of this much I know. Remember, you are always my daughter. You are special like no other.

I am sure Brenda will seek you out, try to not tell her too much my daughter. Brenda will fret too much. You know all that she saw that night, and why I have spent time with her up until now, reassuring her that it was all just some wild flight of her imagination. She will need you more in the days to come I am sure.

I also have deeded the antique shop into your name. I trust you to run it as I would. All that I ask is that you keep my inner room safe, and all the items within it. They are still my memories and of my past in some way or another.

I trust you to handle it Rachel. You are the only one who can.

With all my love,
Your father,
Connor.

Rachel couldn't think. She always knew this day would happen. She just didn't expect it so soon. Rachel took a deep cleansing breath, and fought the tears that threatened to stain the letter and the papers on her desk. Carefully folding the note back into the envelope she placed it carefully into her purse. Standing up she walked around the shop, composing herself, making her self ready to forge into her future with her father gone.

Brenda and Rachel--New York--1978

Brenda stepped out of the taxi and looked up at Nash Antiques, a whirlwind of emotions playing out on her face. She remembered well the day Connor took her into his round room and proceeded to put a dagger in her hand and stab himself. Even though Brenda had convinced herself that this was all a show and the dagger wasn't real, the emotions that played out that day were real. She remembered it all with clarity. Taking a deep breath she walked up to the front door of the shop and let herself in.

"Rachel? Are you here?" Brenda's husky breathless voice called out through the reaches of the deceptively large shop.

"Rachel? Its Brenda! I really need to talk to you!" Brenda called out again as she'd gotten no response to the first question.

"I'm in the back Brenda. One Moment," came Rachel's finely cultivated voice from the back of the shop.

As Rachel stood from the inventory, she pushed her hair back out of her eyes gracefully. She did not look forward to this meeting. Indeed she knew it was going to be one of the hardest meetings she'd ever had. As she made her way to the front of the store, her soft blue eyes swept over Brenda Wyatt. What she saw broke her heart. Brenda was pale as a ghost, her eyes shadowed with a pain that Rachel could only guess at. Yes, she had lost her father, but she still had her Jake. Brenda had no one now.

"Hello Brenda, I won't ask how you are doing. I';m pretty sure I know that answer."

A soft laugh escaped Brenda unaware "If you only knew Rachel. If you only knew." Brenda looked at Rachel intently. " Listen if you have any idea where your Father is. Id really like to know. I have news I need to tell him. Its important. His disappearance is really most ill timed."

Rachel looked at Brenda with a deep sadness. "I wish I could tell you Brenda. But I can't. I don't know myself where he went. He did this sometimes, when he needed to escape. But he has never done it when involved with someone. I don't know how to help you. I wish I did. but I don't."

Brenda sighed softly. She had hoped against hope that Rachel would know. Of course, Rachel had no ideas of where Connor had disappeared too and with that knowledge Brenda knew that she was just going to have to deal with her little predicament alone.

Brenda looked at Rachel a long moment. "I'm sorry, I know you've lost your father. That's got to be as hard as me losing the man I love. I hope that over time we can continue being friends."

Rachel smiled at the younger woman. "Of course Brenda. Father would have it no other way."

Brenda smiled at Rachel and turned to walk out of the shop, to try to forge a new life. She knew she would be unable to forget Connor, especially now, but there was something more important she had to concentrate on. Yes, there was definitely something more important to concentrate on.