London, 1795

"They tell us that America is the place to be in the next century," Benjamin Adams said to his friend Julian Fremont, as they were walking home from a joint call to the home of a patient. For the last several years, Dr. Adams had been helping Dr. Fremont build his practice in London, and now finally was working with him on a semi-permanent basis.

It was an early March evening, caught somewhere between very humid and drizzle. Fog swirled about their feet as they walked, not so bad that they could not see, but definitely enough to be careful.

The two Immortals, neither of which were married at the present time, lived in a small flat together on the outskirts of London. Methos had just returned from a trip to India, while Julian had lost a wife to another man's embraces, and had let her go graciously, for he had regretted the marriage all too soon after the honeymoon.

"I've been thinking of going there," Julian said, "when I 'retire.' I am sure America could use a few good doctors."

Methos laughed. "Isn't it time you took on another student of your own? It's past time to give some unlucky infant the treatment you took so well from me."

Julian preened. "Was I a model student? Did you teach me well indeed? Ah, those were the days!" He laughed. "And now if I kissed you on the street they would hang us both!"

Methos laughed with him. "You'll just have to restrain yourself until we get home, then."

Julian glanced at his former teacher, eyes dancing. "I'll try to be patien--" His voice broke off suddenly at a strong rush of Presence, and immediately both men stopped still, looking around steadily and warily.

Two Immortals stepped out onto the street from an alleyway. At first appearance, they both looked like boys, their slender figures clothed in simple blouses and trousers, allowing them the freedom to move with perfect grace. But when Methos heard their voices, he knew they were not boys.

"We are the Amazons," the taller of the two declared. "I am Hippolyta, and my companion is Artemis. We come take you into us. We challenge you by sword in the ancient battle of our race."

Methos glanced carefully at Julian. They both well knew that the Amazons were very old indeed, and very good sword fighters. They would not break the rules by fighting two to one, but would gladly engage one at a time, wearing down their opponent for sometimes days at a time. They were headhunters, and they were ruthless. They had probably been following Methos and Julian for weeks now, tracking them, and had caught them in the most deserted area they had to pass through on their walk home.

"Shall we?" Methos asked.

"Yes," Julian said. "My name is Julian Fremont, and my companion is Benjamin Adams," he called to the women. "We accept your challenge."

Like dancers beginning a ballet, the four of them moved out onto the open street and paired off, Artemis fighting Methos, Hippolyta engaging Julian.

-----

The Quickening was deep and hard, thundering into Julian's bones, whispering across his spine, sensual as a hurricane. Hippolyta was almost three thousand years old, and the heads she had taken in her time were many.

At last the breathless, quasi-sexual passion left him limp on the ground, struggling to his feet, finding that his clothes were torn and bloody. After dumping Hippolyta's body in the river, he moved slowly back to his coat, picking it up with a groan, and then picking up Methos' longjacket, which lay beside it. He could still hear the clashing of swords in the distance, which meant the battle still raged between Methos and Artemis. He hurried toward the scene, still holding his own sword.

Just as he reached the quay where they were fighting, he could see Artemis go down, losing her sword hopelessly in the water. And then he heard her voice, pleading.

"I'll give you anything you want, including myself," she tempted. "And Hippolyta too. The three of us can have so much fun together."

Methos looked up, meeting Julian's exhausted eyes over Artemis' head. "I don't think you *have* anything I want," he calmly stated, and swung the sword, almost lazily.

There was a soft thump as her head fell to the ground. Then the Quickening started. Julian staggered over closer to Methos just as the first lightning bolts hit, as Methos groaned in sweet agony.

A tendril of Quickening fire wrapped around Julian, firing all along his overloaded nerves with a pleasure that crossed the line into pain.

There was a long moment of silence after it was over, both of them on the ground, Julian sitting, quiet, eyes closed, Methos lying full length on the quay. For a few moments, everything was peaceful.

Then, the faint echo of footsteps in the distance. They both stirred and got up, immediately. Methos pushed Artemis' body almost carelessly over the quay into the water. It would rain later tonight and the blood would wash away, he knew.

"Your coat," Julian said tonelessly, and handed it to him. Their fingers met, and a tiny spark of the Quickening flew between them. Suddenly they were not quite so tired anymore.

"By the gods of Greece," Julian whispered, all too quickly coming alive. "I'll kiss you here, should I hang for it!"

Methos smiled, and their lips met in a long kiss, desperate, sweet, and filled with the promise of what would happen as soon as they got home.

"We have to be careful, though," Julian said, drawing back. "You know what could happen."

Methos shuddered. "Remind me of that, and you'll kill the mood," he said. "I do *not* want to be pregnant."

"Me neither," Julian said.

"So, no sodomy," Methos continued, grinning.

"Right," Julian said. "Fortunately, there's a lot more to love than that."

"Fortunately," Methos shot him a teasing smile that turned all Julian's bones to water, suddenly. "Let's go home, lover."

They made their way through the darkened streets hand in hand, slipping into alleyways to snatch brief kisses, not caring for once who saw them.

"Those clothes are a loss," Methos remarked to Julian just before they got to their rooms, raking Julian's form with his eyes.

Julian nodded, and fumbled for his keys. Finally they got into the rooms they shared and locked the door behind them.

Not even bothering to light a lamp, they let coats, complete with swords, fall to the ground and for once, simply left them there. No one else would disturb them tonight. Their lips met, without a word spoken.

A familiar fire sparked somewhere deep inside Julian as he let go of his ancient teacher, both of them breathing hard.

"The clothes?" Methos' voice brought Julian back to earth. "We can hardly do this with you dressed, *caro*."

Julian smiled at the endearment, and quickly pulled off his clothing, as Methos removed his. When they were finally completely naked, Methos smiled, and took Julian by the hand, leading him into the bedroom that was ostensibly his, but that they actually both shared most nights.

It was too cold to stand by the bed and kiss, but they did anyway, feeling Quickening spark into their bodies, slowly settling. The urge to take Methos inside himself was almost overpowering to Julian for a moment. Carefully, he drew back.

"Under the covers," Methos whispered, eyes luminous.

"I love you," Julian whispered back, as they settled into the bed. Then, softly, "Methos, this is dangerous, this desire."

Methos seemed to understand just what Julian was referring to. "Maybe we should sleep separately tonight," he said.

Julian shook his head, crawling on top of Methos and molding himself to the beautiful body of his teacher. "No. Want to touch you."

"Yes?" Methos laughed. Whatever he was going to say next faded into a groan as Julian licked his throat -- one of the most sensitive places on Methos' body.

The next few moments were lost for Julian to the wonder of Methos' body, mapping out all the sweet spots that made Methos moan and clutch hands on Julian's shoulders.

At last Julian took Methos' erection in his mouth, and Methos simply breathed out, half sigh, half moan. Methos tasted like salt and smelled like snow, Julian thought, sinking into the familiar feel of his lover, swirling his tongue around the head of Methos' cock.

Quickening-stimulated as Methos was, it did not take too long before Methos was groaning out release and Julian was licking up semen, like a spoiled cat. Methos's eyes had sagged shut, and he was purring, almost, lying sprawled on the bed. Julian was still thrumming with repressed energy, though, and crept up to lie beside Methos, waiting.

"Dear one," he whispered, lips moving against Methos' bare shoulder. Methos stirred at the endearment, and lazily opened his eyes, smiling the smile of the utterly satiated.

"Julian," he said, and his voice took on a mischievous tone, "you haven't had any yet."

Julian shivered, not from cold. "Can't wait," he answered.

"Impatient child," Methos teased, but turned to take Julian in his arms. The night was quickly growing colder now, so they dared not throw off the blankets. Instead Methos ducked underneath and pulled them up above both their heads, so they were enclosed in a warm dark cocoon that smelled faintly of sweat and semen.

Their bodies came together without a thought, and Julian felt himself get hard just from the feel of Methos' naked body against his. Methos didn't seem to be interested in a second round for himself, instead just concentrating on making Julian have the same experience he had so recently had.

Julian sighed as Methos' mouth attached itself to one of his nipples -- Methos knew quite well how sensitive Julian's nipples were. Julian was breathing hard with arousal before Methos moved on, licking down his stomach to his groin.

Methos was as good at giving head as he was at being sneaky, Julian thought, shuddering at the feel of his lover's tongue sweeping up and down his erection in long strokes.

Groaning, Julian felt the worlds divide into stars, tiny sparks of light flying across the insides of his eyelids. All his being was concentrated on the feel of Methos' warm wet tongue on him, the feel of Methos's skin pressed tight to his.

Everything faded into light, suddenly, and Julian's body shook with tingling thrills, for what seemed like several moments.

Dimly, he was aware of it when Methos let him go, and moved up to put his arms around him. He turned into Methos' embrace, and together they slept there until the dawn.