Disclaimer: Since this is the last part, I just want to remind everyone that I'll have the boyz cleaned up and back on the shelf for someone else to use very soon. Other Info: Thanks again to my beta's: TAE, better known as Wonder Woman ( I wonder what this paragraph would be like if....); Nickerbits, who truly lives up to her name (Nick the paragraph there, or you could add a bit here...); and Gabrielle B, who could give Nixia sword lessons (Slice that out. No, that doesn't follow through...) You three are a great combination and this story is SO much better (not to mention longer) because of it!!!!!

by Wnnepooh

Studying the warm, brown liquor through the glass, Jim forced himself to ask the necessary question. "How do we handle clean up?"

Knowing the ethical dilemma of the decision, the captain swallowed the brandy and responsibility in one gulp. "You know, those vigilantes are crafty people. I don't think we'll ever be certain which aggrieved family member was responsible..." Simon just puffed his cigar a bit and smiled solemnly.

"You HAVE had experience with this..." Jim said quietly, meeting Banks' gaze. He threw back the last drop of his own brandy, then turned to his partner. "C'mon, Chief. I think we need to give Nix some peace tonight." The three men cast their eyes at the woman asleep on the other sofa.

Simon stood up, flanked by his two friends, and set an arm around each of their shoulders. "I think you've got the right idea, gentlemen. Connor and Methos will take good care of her."

The three made their way through the front door, hearing a brand new set of barrel bolts slide into place.

Methos rested his back against the door, shoved his hands in his pockets, and sighed. Connor was carrying Nixia to her bedroom and quietly threw his own good-nights over his shoulder. Methos just couldn't sleep yet. He took up a spot on the balcony and began to speak in a mix of languages. He wasn't really talking to anyone in particular, just running through a list of "Thank You's" to all the powers he knew in the universe.

~~~~~ ~ A week later ~

"So what's with the formal invitation?" Blair asked as he climbed the stairs to Nixia's apartment. "We're just eating dinner here, right?"

Hearing the question just as he opened the door, Methos chuckled through his answer. "A bit more than that, Sandburg." As Simon, Jim, and Blair made their way to the living room, they noticed the staging area had a large velvet- draped table. The oldest Immortal saw the curiosity on their faces. "We'll have dinner in a while, but Nix has something she wants to do first..."

"Something important." Came her voice. "If you'll join me at the table." Gathering up the folds of her silk robe, she crossed the room knowing there were at least three pairs of eyes upon her. They stood before the table, seeing then the swords set out for display.

"A sword is a living thing." she began in a reverent tone, her hands and gaze flowing over the gleaming weapons before them. Meeting each of their curious faces, Nixia continued. "As an instrument of battle, its touch should bring truth - a death void of suffering. As an instrument of peace, its sight should inspire righteousness - a life void of suffering. And no living thing may exist without a soul, to know the difference of right and wrong. Each of these blades has been given a soul to match your lives. A wondrous gem, imparting its gifts to the sword so it may serve you justly, and with honor."

Nixia took up the first and pointed it, chest level, towards Simon. "Your gift was easy on many levels. As your ancestors worshiped the Moon above, and as the Moon itself gave its blessings to them, I commend its soul to your guardianship." Her smile was one of respect. "I also find," she continued, "that you only show your fire when you're tilted just the right way." To that he laughed, and she flipped the sword over presenting it, hilt first, to Simon. He took it, bowed, then stepped back admiring the living fire of the large Opal.

Taking up the next sword, she pointed it towards Blair in the same fashion and crooked her finger motioning him forward. "I was tempted to give you the Sapphire just because of your eyes. But the truth is, I think the stone would be jealous." His slight blush made her smile. "But I know your true gifts. As a friend and child of the Earth, I charge you with her protection." With the same flipping action, Nix changed her hold on the broad sword and handed it over to Sandburg's outstretched palms. After bowing as Simon had, Blair stepped back, quietly staring at the Emerald. Before he could say anything, Nix winked at him and added a simple smile before moving her attention to the last man and the last sword.

"I thought about this quite a bit." she began. "I couldn't decide exactly what suited you, and I wasn't sure you would take a blade so easily. You're a warrior, true, but you have your own defense system. Right now I'm still just a stranger to your territory." Picking up the familiar blade, Nixia ran her hand lovingly over the engraved finish. "I don't know how long I'll be here, either in Cascade or on this Earth, but I know that for right now, I feel a sense of safety." She almost couldn't meet his gaze, afraid that he would see the dewy sheen of her eyes. The lump in her throat was making it hard to continue. "You're the reason for that feeling. And I think, maybe, I shouldn't jinx it. So I pass on to you the Soul of the Unknown, Sentinel. I beseech you to guard it well'"

Taking the sword into his hands, Jim met Nixia's gaze with questioning eyes. The slight nod he received filled him with a sudden sense of pride. This was her personal weapon, the one she'd used to stay alive all those years. It was never easy to just pick up a new weapon once you'd trained and worked with one repeatedly. For all intents and purposes, Nixia had just given over the protection of her life to him, and Jim knew he'd die before failing her faith.

The room's quiet was shattered by Blair's single, emotionally all encompassing utterance. "Cool."

~~~~~

"C'mon."

"No, Sandburg."

"C'mon. I promise no jokes."

Nix laughed at the young man. They'd been sitting around for a few hours, enjoying a nice dinner and some good wine and good friends. Conversation had ranged from Kurgans to cooking, but Blair had returned to Simon's age about every 10 minutes. It was obvious - now at least - that Simon had kept his secret very well, even to the other Immortals. That had involved some very fortunate occurrences, or some damn good timing.

Try as she might, Dakota couldn't remember a time when the three men - Simon, Blair, and Jim - had NOT been in close proximity to each other. Each time she'd been near one, the other two hadn't been far behind. They masked each other. In her quest for some understanding, Nik had talked it over with Methos. Their conclusion was that the Sentinel and Guide merely bounced an Immortal's signal back at that same Immortal. So their interaction with her, as well as the others, had given a false notion that they were the only ones that buzzed. Add to that the fact that Simon's buzz - his Quickening - was small, easily overpowered by Nix.

That figured. He was a peaceable man, from what she'd seen, and probably avoided head hunting. Not that she faulted him for it. Too many of the Immortals hunted because they didn't believe in anything else. They didn't experience life, just took it. In her book, that meant they didn't appreciate it. Knowing, after all her weeks in the department, Captain Simon Banks wasn't the kind to hide behind a badge, she gave him a great deal of respect. *He's doing something meaningful with his life. Isn't that what you're trying to do?* she thought and smiled, returning her attention to the continued debate.

"Sandburg, I'm warning you..."

Blair sipped his wine and continued to badger his captain. "That's nice, sir. Now answer the question."

Jim chucked his friend on the shoulder. "He's not gonna let this go, Simon. You know that. Just tell him what he wants..."

With an exasperated sigh, Simon ran a hand over his face, removing his glasses as he did so. "I'm over a hundred. Satisfied?"

"No," the young man quipped. "But that'll do for starters. So," and he licked his lips, trying to word the next question JUST right. "If you're an Immortal, you can't die and your body heals itself. Then how... I mean... you were shot, a couple times... and in the hospital.."

"You're wondering about when I got shot in the bank robbery. How come it didn't just heal over?" Puffing his cigar, he smiled as Blair's head bobbed up and down. "I can't begin to tell you, Sandburg. Don't think I'm volunteering for any of your tests, though. I've seen you with Jim. Uhn- UHN!"

There were lots of smiles as Methos cleared his throat. "I believe I have an answer for you."

Even Nixia was curious and stared at her friend.

"There was a nasty incident a few years ago with some rogue Watchers." Methos began.

Jim and Blair groaned loudly. "Rogues. We know a thing or two about them.."

Methos continued. "They did some experiments - painful experiments - on kidnaped Immortals. But the end results found that modern medicine inhibited the natural healing powers of an Immortal's Quickening." He saw Blair physically mulling over the information. The bouncing, widened eyes, and the most obvious - his notebook appeared out of nowhere. *He seems to have his own magic...*

"Did they find out anything else?" the young man asked with no little interest and found Methos more than willing to talk. The two sat there for a half hour before Connor tired of the academics and decided he wanted lighter conversation.

"Bottom line, Sandburg." the Scot interrupted. "You can never know how a body will react. Kurgan went around for a few hundred years with safety pins holding his neck together. Ramirez had sliced it open - but I think the gargoyle actually liked how it scared people." Pointing a finger at Simon, Connor smirked. "And donna forget, you're still a newbie in the Game."

The large black man laughed, thinking how grateful he was to be in the room with three Immortals who were NOT after his head. "Compared to THOSE two -" Simon said pointing to Nixia and Methos. "YOU're a newbie too. I think I'm in good company."

Jim's curiosity had tweaked at the mention of the same name he'd heard the Immortals use before. "Who or what is a Ramirez?"

Connor and Methos smiled as Nix headed to her wall of pictures, removing a small oil painting.

"Juan-Sanchez Villa Lobos Ramirez, one of the greats..."Connor said as he admired the framed picture. "He was my teacher and my friend. If it werrna for him, Kurgan would have taken my head." He smiled at the recollection of the fanciful man in the bright red suit and plumed hat. "Spanish Peacock..."

Shaking his head at the joke the three Immortals shared, Jim turned his attention back to Sandburg.

Still curious about Simon's history, Blair faced the man and turned his notebook to a blank page. "You know, Connor has had a place on Hudson Street - Antiques and stuff - for about 200 years."

"He's single minded." Banks replied. "He's also Scottish - does it surprise you?" Puffing his cigar a bit more, he shook his head and dreaded the next question. "Just what is it you want to know, Sandburg?"

"Well. What else have you done over the past hundred or so years?"

Jim just held up a pair of empty hands to the baleful look his friend cast him. "Let me remind you, though," the Sentinel said with little sympathy, "that you know OUR secrets..."

"Oh, THAT makes me feel good..." That said, the large man reached for his jacket, pulling his wallet from the pocket. "You've been getting interrogation lessons from Ellison." Removing a card and holding it close to his chest, Simon raised an eyebrow and looked down at his young friend. "Are you sure you can handle this?"

The other Immortals in the room just smiled.

At the short, anxious nod from the young man, Simon handed over the card, watching in extreme pleasure as the recognition came.

Holding the card carefully, Blair switched his gaze between his captain and the picture. "You? Carl Robinson - the professional baseball player?"

Hearing the name, Jim snatched the baseball card from his partner. "Nah. Simon? You're not kidding..."

There was a deep, resounding laugh that filled the room, inciting others to chuckle as well.

Letting the warmth and security wash over, Nix silently raised her glass to the group. *To your health, gentlemen. And mine...*

~~~~~

Finis

Feedback welcome - good, bad, or ugly. Send to wnnepooh@erols.com. I know you probably have some lingering questions. But rest assured, I've already started MORE fic to answer them! Thanks for reading - wnnepooh.
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