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Farewells and Old Friends
By LadyKat MacChatIt was a gorgeous spring day in Paris. The kind that's pictured in all the travel brochures. The sky was a clear blue, not a cloud in sight and there was a warm gentle breeze blowing through the bustling city. There seemed to be a festive air in the attitude of the people as they briskly walked down the sidewalks of the capital. Duncan MacLeod was no exception.
Being cloistered in the barge for nearly a week due to rain, Duncan was eager to be out and about. Normally running errands and grocery shopping were some of those mundane tasks that he put off, a boring necessity, but today he faced these errands with eagerness.
Walking down the Rue de la Paix Duncan began to smile as he recalled the animated banter with Madame Dupré, the proprietress of his favorite boulangerie earlier that morning. No one could make better bread or croissants nor give better advice on matters of the heart than Madame Dupré. Today, was no different. She thoroughly admonished Duncan stating that she just didn't understand young people these days.
"A man as charming as you, Duncan MacLeod should surely have a wife if not a girlfriend", replied madame. The conversation continued as she stated, "how the youth of today were just too choosy."
She informed Duncan that of course she had had her fair share of beaux, but there comes a point and time to settle down. As for madame having many loves Duncan had no doubt of that statement for even at the age of 72, Geneviève Dupré was a still a striking woman. Her long silver hair was swept up into a stylish chignon. She had high cheekbones and vivid blue eyes that sparkled with animation and impishness. Duncan sighed sadly while recollecting the morning's chat with Geneviève. Tessa very likely would have ressembled Madame Dupré had she been allowed to live that long, but unfortunately that was not to be. The conversation ended in the usual manner with Geneviève trying to fix up Duncan with one of her nieces or granddaughters and he politely declining.
Suddenly Duncan felt the presence of another immortal, jolting him out of his reverie. He continued to walk down the street, searching for the unknown immortal and finally came to a halt in front of a school yard. It was filled with noisy boisterous children; it obviously being recess time. MacLeod quickly surveyed the busy courtyard. His gaze narrowed on a young woman.
She had her back turned and was busy consoling a little girl who had scraped her knee and was crying. The female immortal then turned around also feeling the "buzz" and assessed the school yard with a sweeping gaze. She finally noticed Duncan on the edge of the school grounds. Their eyes locked and both immortals registered recognition. Duncan needed no introduction for this was an old friend. He hadn't seen Nara Tanaka for over twenty years. Their last encounter was in 1975 in Cambodia during the last days of American occupation in.
Duncan frantically ran through the congested streets of Phnom Penh after receiving a message from Nara at the U.S. embassy. All that was written on the note was, "Meet me at the church a.s.a.p., Nara." For Nara to contact him during this time of chaos Duncan knew whatever she had to tell him was very serious. The Cambodian capital was filled with a nervous energy since Lon Nol had fled the country on April 1. Talk had been buzzing around the city for days stating the U.S. embassy would close and evacuate any day now.
Duncan arrived at the church of Notre Dame du Sacré Coeur in record time. As he walked through the center doorways of the entrance he felt the sensation of another immortal. MacLeod spotted Sister Nara at the front of the church kneeling and praying in the first row of pews. Seeing her in a nun's habit never ceased to amaze him. Throughout the two centuries they had known one another MacLeod had viewed her in many manifestations from samurai warrior to nurse, but this persona seemed the strangest to him yet.
MacLeod approached Nara and kneeled down beside her.
"I'm so glad you received my message, Duncan. Rumor has it that the U.S. embassy is just days away from evacuation."
"It's more than rumor, Nara, it's true. Evacuation is scheduled in two days. What's wrong?", replied Duncan in a low voice. Westerners were viewed with an eye of suspicion these days in Cambodia and he didn't want to draw any undue attention to him nor to Nara.
She nervously wrung her hands and looked up at Duncan. "I haven't been able to get all of the church's orphans out of Cambodia."
"My God, Nara, why did you wait until now to ask for my help? You know that as soon the Americans pull out of Cambodia the Khmer Rouge will enter the city," MacLeod answered in a raised tone.
"Shhh, and damn it MacLeod, you know me better than to think I'd leave things to the last minute. If anything I'm too methodical," Nara hissed angrily.
"I'm sorry, Nara, but I thought that was one thing I wasn't going to have to worry about."
"So did I until this morning. Sister Marguerite arrived here with her group. They barely made it back here to the church. All the fighting that's going on outside of Phnom Penh and Khmer troops roaming the Cambodian countryside they were lucky they weren't killed. The guide I had lined up for them decided they weren't worth the risk, abandoned them and took off with the money. That thieving low-life had better hope I don't ever meet up with him," Nara snarled.
"Sister Marguerite's group is the Amerasian orphans isn't it?" Duncan asked grimly. Nara nodded with a pained look. "You know what the Khmer Rouge will do to those children, Duncan. I can't let that happen and you're my only hope. I'd do it myself, but I have to tie matters up here and if anyone suspected what I was doing, Marguerite and the children…," MacLeod cut her off.
"You don't even have to ask, Nara, you've always been there for me when you could. If it wasn't for you I would never have made it off Hideo Koto's estate, let alone Japan. What do I need to do?"
"You need to take the orphans and Marguerite to Thailand. I have a contact at a refugee camp just a ways across the Thai border. All I have is a truck and not much extra gas. It's not much, but it's a start. I'll meet you twenty miles north of here at Saang no later than 3:00 p.m. If I'm late leave without me." MacLeod stood up as did Nara.
They said nothing but just looked at one another. Duncan looked down into her warm brown eyes and fought the urge to gather her in his arms and kiss her. He knew the attraction was mutual, but it just wasn't the right time nor the place; it never was for one reason or another for the two of them. Nara reached for his hands and briefly gave them a loving squeeze then hurried off to another room in the church.
She never looked back, said thank you, nor said good-bye; it just wasn't her style. He asked her once why she never said good-byes and she said maybe one day she would tell him why. But for the many years they had known each other and occasionally crossed paths he had yet to hear the explaination.
Duncan walked across the courtyard weaving his way between the noisy children darting about and stood in front of Nara. "Hello, Nara, it's been awhile."
"Yes, it has, Duncan," she replied uneasily.
"Working with children again I see."
"You know me, MacLeod, I can't resist the little ones. Everything is so new to them. It's a joy to see and experience life through their innocent eyes. They restore my faith in this world."
For a minute Nara had forgotten her initial uneasiness with meeting Duncan again, absorbed in discusssing her work with her young students. Mac just grinned and allowed her to continue talking. Suddenly she stopped and blushed, "Listen to me prattle on. I've probably bored you to tears with all my stories."
"Not at all. It's just nice running into you again. I was beginning to worry when you missed our last get-together. I can excuse a few minutes of tardiness, but it's been at least twenty years," admonished MacLeod with a raised eyebrow.
Nara's cheeks reddened again and she tried to give Duncan a reply, but nothing intelligible came out. Mac knew it was wrong to relish in Nara's discomfort, but in all the time they had known each other it was a rare occasion indeed when he had the upper hand in a situation. She always seemed to be so self-assured, prepared to handle any event that came her way, have all the answers. In addition he also had to admit to himself he was still a bit angry with her for not showing up. Twenty years and not even a postcard simply stating, "Hi, Duncan. Still have my head. Love, Nara."
He had often thought of asking Joe if she were okay, but always stopped from doing so. It was more comforting to think of her alive than to discover that someone had actually taken her quickening twenty years ago.
"About not showing up…," rushed Nara. Mac cut her off thinking it was time to let off the hook.
"Look, let's not get into that now. Have dinner with me, tonight and I'll give you every opportunity to explain yourself and say you're sorry," Duncan grinned mischievously.
"Are you sure? I know you're probably angry with me…,"
"Yes, I'm sure, and yes, I'm angry with you, but we'll work it out over dinner. Here's my card. Meet me at the barge at seven tonight," MacLeod interrupted. The bell suddenly rang and children started returning to the building.
"I have to go now, Mac. And yes, I'll have dinner with you. Just take it easy on me, okay," Nara replied with a sheepish grin. MacLeod returned her grin and watched her go into the school building.Nara arrived at the barge at seven sharp. MacLeod looked at his watch as he sensed her approach. He chuckled to himself and thought, "well, I'm glad she's back to being her usual punctual self."
Nara entered the barge. At 5'5", short black hair cut in a stylish shag, big flashing dark brown eyes, and wearing just the barest hint of cosmetics, Nara Tanaka was a stunning woman. She was dressed in a burgundy velvet dress with long sleeves, not too tight yet attractively showing all of her womanly curves and showing off her legs to perfection. The only jewelry she wore was a pearl necklace with matching earrings and of course a watch. MacLeod could sense she was nervous and understood why. They had unfinished business from their last meeting.
Duncan slowly regained consciousness at first not recognizing where he was nor why he was there. Then suddenly he recalled all that had occurred, memory rushing in on him like a tidal wave.
A squadron of Khmer Rouge had finally caught up with Duncan, the children, and Sister Marguerite after Kage had so heartlessly left them behind, opting to transport his drugs rather than to help the sister and children. Duncan tried to fight off the Khmer soldiers, but there were too many of them. They could have killed him, but it was obvious they wanted him alive. Badly beaten, Duncan was forced to watch the brutal rape, torture and murder of Sister Marguerite as well as the inhuman slaughter of the children. He had witnessed numerous heinous acts in his long lifetime, but these were truly some of the most barbaric.
Duncan had lost track of time and no longer knew how long he had been at the camp. His tormentors had him tied to the wall of a thatched hut and placed electrodes on his chest. Each time his torturers asked him a question and he refused to answer a switch was thrown and electricity coursed through his body. The pain was excruciating. It felt like his skin was going to explode. They repeated this a dozen times before MacLeod eventually passed out.
Duncan slowly opened his eyes. It was dark but he knew that he was in some kind of pit crudely dug out of the ground. His Khmer interrogators had dumped him into the filthy hole after he lost consciousness. MacLeod tried to stand but discovered the pit would allow him only to remain in a crouched position, like an animal. Over the hole above his head were makeshift bars made of bamboo secured somehow so that he was imprisoned. Mac started to go through his options of possible escapes when he felt the "buzz" of an immortal.
"Duncan, Duncan, is that you?", MacLeod heard a familiar voice whisper.
"Yes, and am I glad to hear your sweet voice. Now, get me the hell out of here!" Nara removed the bamboo bars and helped MacLeod out of the hole.
"Quiet now, and follow me," replied Nara in hushed tones.
It took them nearly an hour to sneak out of the camp but they managed it. They became one with the darkness, avoiding Khmer soldiers and then slipped past the perimeter of the camp. After they had distanced themselves a few miles from the torture camp Nara and Duncan rested beneath a banyan tree.
"Aren't you glad I taught you some of those skills I'd learned as a Ninja?" replied Nara.
"I nearly thought you'd kill me when you put me through all that training, but I must admit I have relied on those lessons from time to time," admitted Mac. "I want to thank you for saving me. Nara, Marguerite and the children…."
"I know Duncan. I found what was left of them. I arrived in Saang earlier than anticipated. When 3:00 went by and you didn't show up I knew something had gone wrong. Oh, Duncan, what they did to poor Marguerite and those beautiful little babies," Nara cried out.
Duncan took her in his arms and let her cry out her grief. A lump formed in his throat and as he listened to her heart- wrenching sobs and then tears of his own started to slowly trickle down his cheeks.
"I tried to save them, Nara but there were just too many Khmer soldiers," he choked out huskily. "They didn't have to die, you know. That bastard Kage could have flown them to safety," Duncan spat out angrily.
Nara looked up at MacLeod with a hard look. "Kage could have saved them? I knew he was a ruthless, scheming viper, but to allow that butchery is beyond comprehension."
"He chose a shipment of heroin over their lives," Duncan's voice shook with emotion. Their eyes met and without saying a word a vow had been made to avenge the deaths of Marguerite and the orphans.
"We'd better get going, Duncan. Thailand is long way from here," she replied wearily.
They continued on to Thailand and arrived at a refugee camp on the border. They were at the camp for a week helping out the overworked Red Cross workers when Nara agreed to take on a mission and lead a group of Cambodian refugees to the camp. She promised MacLeod when she accomplished the mission she'd meet him at the Red Cross station located at the Thai border camp. That was over twenty years ago.
"Let's have dinner first and then we'll talk about the past," Duncan stated. Nara looked a bit relieved.
As they ate dinner Duncan asked Nara about the school. She said she had been teaching there since September. She told him she loved working with the six and seven year olds. Their young outlook on life was just what an old soul needed. MacLeod noticed how she glowed when she talked about her work. He was glad in that aspect Nara hadn't changed at all. She was the champion of the weak and defenseless, children being her particular favorite. She told him once it was her way of being a mother.
After finishing dinner, they walked over to the couch and sat. Duncan poured them another glass of wine and then asked, "Why didn't you come back to me? When I realized you weren't coming back I searched everywhere for you, thinking the worst."
"I'm sorry, Duncan, but after seeing what those animals did to Marguerite and the children I knew I had to stay. I had to try and help those poor people, saving anyone I could from Khmer death squads. I also went looking for our friend Kage," Nara answered with a pained expression on her face. " I became obsessed with finding him, consumed with hatred for the lives he had condemned to brutal murder."
Nara stood up from the couch looking out at the Seine from one of the barge windows and continued to speak. "I would have horrible nightmares always the same scenario. I would see myself sobbing with Marguerite's mutilated body in my arms. What was left of the children scattered in senseless carnage on the ground and then feeling an immortal approach. I would look up and there would be Kage standing above me, gloating. 'Nara, Nara, Nara, you care too much about these mortals. War is an opportune time to make money and I am, after all, a businessman.' Then he'd take my head," Nara finshed with a shudder.
Duncan left the couch and stood behind Nara, embracing her, giving her comfort. "We crossed paths about three years ago," replied Duncan. "He wasn't Kage anymore, but going by the name of John Kirin." "I never thought I could forgive that son of a bitch for not helping Marguerite and the children, but I did. He had changed so much since our run-in in Cambodia. I couldn't judge him for the acts the old Kage had committed when he was no longer that man. Does that make any sense?"
"It makes sense to me, Duncan. I finally caught up with Kage, too. By then he had become John Kirin when we met again. I tracked him to a Tibetan monastery. I wanted so desperately to take his head but when he offered me his head without a fight, saying how sorry he was for what he had done all the need for vengeance seem to drain from my body. I had become so weary of war and killing. John and I eventually came to an agreement. I'll never forgive Kage for the atrocities he committed, but to John I was able to give mercy."
There was a brief silence and then Duncan asked, "Why didn't you keep come back to the refugee camp."
Nara turned around and faced MacLeod. "Believe me, I truly wanted to come back to you, Duncan, but the years just seemed to slip away. I did eventually come back to the camp but by then you were gone. I felt too much time had gone by and that's why I never searched for you."
"I was very angry with you and I have to admit I was hurt and disappointed. I thought I might finally have you to myself and that finally we could be more than friends," Duncan said passionately. He looked down at Nara their eyes locking. He gazed at her longingly, intently.
Nora dropped her eyes and sighed, "Maybe becoming more than friends isn't…" Nara began.
Duncan stopped her reply with a kiss. Nara gasped in surprise but then returned his kiss and slowly wound her arms around his neck. MacLeod went from kissing her mouth to slowly nibbling down her neck, putting his strong arms around her. He then recaptured her mouth and inserted his tongue. Nara met his tongue with her own and then returned his heated kiss with a frantic fervor of her own letting out a contented sigh that almost sounded like a purr. MacLeod let out a primordial growl lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed just a few feet away.
Duncan placed her on the bed and started to undress her, continuing to kiss her sweet lips and caressing her body. After removing an article of clothing he would trail kisses on that part of her body which was now revealed to him. When he completely had Nara unclothed MacLeod stopped and paused briefly in his lovemaking to admire her. Nara had beautiful full breasts that rose rapidly up and down from the quick passionate breaths she was taking. Her waist was tiny and her skin was smooth and white as porcelain. She held out her arms to MacLeod and he reclaimed her lips, not taking the chance she might change her mind. He had waited too long for this moment.
Nara and MacLeod's first joining was frantic, filled with heart-pounding desire. The centuries of attraction they had felt for each other and never consummating it only heightened their heated lovemaking. Their passion spiraled out of control and nearly consumed them. Their desire became an inferno, finally culminating in earth-shattering release, almost painful in its intensity. They continued to make love throughout the night until they collapsed in exhaustion wrapped in each other's arms, legs entwined. Their lovemaking had exceeded all of Duncan's fantasies. They quietly talked for a short while saying more with their eyes than with words and then drifted off to sleep.
It was late morning when Duncan awoke with a very satisfied smile. He rolled over in the bed and his smile soon began to fade. MacLeod found himself all alone in his bed. There was no sign of Nara except for the trace of her perfume on the pillow next to him. While he slept, she had quietly gotten dressed and slipped out of the barge sometime in the early hours of the morning. He hadn't heard a sound obviously enjoying the sleep of the truly sated. He cursed that damn Ninja background of hers. He knew better than to expect a note. She had never said good-bye to him in all these years and he didn't expect one now. Saying good-bye just wasn't Nara Tanaka's style.
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