Lady hurried down the hall of the hospital. Alex and Giles both made a grab for her, but she pushed them off. Her eyes were clouded by tears. Not waiting to knock, she threw open Doc's office door and, heaving, demanded, "What the HELL was that about?"

He was seated at his desk, his head down. Lady paused a minute, wondering if he was really hurt (she'd heard that Katherine had put up a fight), but then she remembered who he was. Any injury sustained would have healed by now. She didn't know why some Immortals seemed to take awhile to heal, but the Methoses - perhaps it was their advanced age - seemed to get over things amazingly fast.

At least, *physical* things.

Doc looked up slowly. Then he winced. "Lady, I'm sorry."

Tears flowed down her cheeks and they hurt more than the mashed foot. He understood what had put them there. Disillusionment.

"How *could* you?" She didn't add it, but he could hear the "especially now?" as clearly as if she had. Not long after Barry had forced himself on her, and not long after a suspected rapist had entered the town, he was roughing up one of the citizens? He wished he could say he was crazy with lust, not having had sex in ages, but Lilly had taken care of *that* little problem recently, and he no longer had any excuse but the truth.

And that was the most painful of all.

Standing, Doc made a move toward his OIC. She stepped back. Never had he felt anything like the pain that caused; even burning alive was easy compared to this. "Please, Lady. We need to talk."

"Yes," she said, trembling as another tear trickled down her cheek. "Talk. Explain this!"

"Come. Sit." He indicated his nice leather sofa. Lady shook her head. "Please. I won't harm you. You know that . . ."

"I don't know *anything!"

It was shouted so loudly both Giles and Alex stepped away from the door, colliding. Giles had stepped on Alex' foot, and the younger doctor was ready to give out a shout when the other put his hand over his mouth. "Shhh!!" Giles warned. Then they went back to their research.

"Okay," Doc was saying. "I deserved that. You sit. I'll remain where I am." Lady looked at him, unsure for a moment, and then decided she did need to sit. Doc took his chair behind the desk and began, "Once, I think it was after Simon Pemberton had sent you to the hospital, Methos and I had a talk about his current little problem. You remember, the one he solved by lobbing off my head?" Lady took that to be rhetorical and did not answer. Instead she remained, silent and hurt, her hands folded tightly on her lap.

Doc sighed. She was as closed off as he'd ever seen her. The woman opened like a flower, but when she was hurt she gathered herself in, putting up more barriers than . . . well, then he did.

"He warned me about this...that I was not who you thought I was. I said I'd be what you wanted me to be." He wasn't getting through, so he tried a different tact, and would come back to deeper explanations later. "If

you remember," he went on, "when Methos *did* take my head, he was then able to *do* Cain at the Halloween party. We told everyone that only Methos could do Cain, but have you ever wondered why he was suddenly able to do it after the beheadings?"

"I thought it was because he had all his pieces . . ," Lady said in a dull voice. Her eyes never left his face.

Doc shook his head. "He never took BAM's head, did he? And you would think . . ."

"You would think," Lady interrupted, echoing him and starting to look animated again, "that he'd get the anger from BAM!"

"But he didn't. He got Cain from *me*."

Lady stared, blinking, for several minutes before Doc, deciding she wasn't going to say anything, finally went on.

"I know you like to think we just all separated out, like bits from a whole. But it isn't like that. I'm not the heart of Methos, Lady, I *am* Methos as he was in a certain period of time. And in that time I was trying my best to be a doctor. Granted," he sighed, standing, "as a physician I did tend to give care to my fellow man. And woman," he added politically. Lady was still watching him, her eyes big as a doe's. He went only as far as the front of his desk and, leaning back, made no further advance upon her. "But I'm still Methos. I still have a dark side. And because I was trying very hard to contain it, I found it necessary to. . . create Cain."

"I thought you said Methos created him. At the Halloween party you talked like he was something Methos could do . . . and none of the rest of you could."

"Yes, well, I fibbed just a bit. I also told Crystal and DB that he'd have to die to turn back to Methos. I can't tell you how many times I've personally turned into and out of Cain . . ."

"You mean during the same lifetime?"

He nodded. "When it was needed, yes."

"And now he's taking over?"

Doc slumped. "When it comes to Katherine, yes. I know it's hard to explain, Lady, but we've met before. I wanted her then . . . and I want her now. I was turned down then because she could see no one but Connor. . ."

Lady gasped. "Does she know he's here?"

Shaking his head, Doc replied, "No. But I think Ev has a surprise planned for her. Don't you see, Lady? Once she sees Connor I have no chance. And I can't control Cain. At least not when I see her. . ."

Lady stood and came to him. Placing her arms around his neck, she whispered, "Would it help to bring Cain here as his own person?"

"Yes," was the answer, "but we don't want to do that. We really do not."

"Maybe we can keep him locked up. Or . . . let him roam around on the other side of the River. The K'Immies can use him for target practice."

"Trust me, they will be the ones shot full of holes." Lady groaned, snuggling further into his arms. Doc's embrace tightened and he whispered, "Thank you, Little Mother, for your trust."

"Cain never came out before," she explained. "My guess is that Katherine is triggering it, and you can still be Doc around me. But you two will have to work this out."

"I know one good way that can be accomplished."

"Without forcing her into it!" Lady said hotly.

"Oh, of course." He sighed again, holding her close. "But how to get her to go for it?"

Lady continued to snuggle in. "Personally, I think she's nuts." Then, realizing what she said, she started. "I mean, well . . . okay, so I like Connor but I guess I have a soft spot for SIMs."

"Gee," he said in a voice that mimicked Modern Methos', "I never would've guessed."

Lady struggled out of his arms and gave him a playful tap on the nose. He winced and chuckled. "I'm gonna have to get used to this," she teased.

He took her hand gently. "We just might have to spend some more time together."

"I'm not Katherine. You want Katherine."

"Yes. I must admit to being somewhat obsessed in that quarter. But that does not mean I wouldn't enjoy an evening in your company."

"And Cain?" she asked nervously. "Am I right about him?"

"Yes. He only comes out if he is provoked. And I promise you, he won't get past the love I have for you and your children." I was said so honestly that she couldn't help but trust him. In another minute she was back in his arms, relaxing into the warmth of his embrace.

A few minutes after that they came out of the office. Alex and Giles were waiting unashamedly to see what was going to happen. Lady looked at Giles, kissed his cheek, and said, "Can you make plans for tonight?"

"Of course, Darling," was the reply, although his eyes regarded his elder colleague warily. "If you're sure."

"She's sure."

There was a moment of silence in the hall, when all three SIMs sized each other up. Then Lady took Doc's arm and said, "Come, Benny. Let's get the kids."

Giles slid back against the wall, letting the couple pass. When they were gone Alex looked into Giles' eyes and said, "Is she nuts?"

"No," sighed the other. "She's making a point. If she'll let him touch the kids, we'll all know that she trusts him. It's more important than letting him touch her."

Not that this was going to be easy. Aimee had heard of the incident, and was frankly shocked to see Lady come in with the wayward Doctor. Holding Tia protectively, the young Immortal Caregiver eyed the ancient one with fear and a bit of loathing. Lady reached over, disengaged her daughter, and handed him to Doc. Then she stroked Aimee gently on the arm and said, "It's all right, hon. And thanks."

Pem crawled up and bleated. Lady looked down, smiled at her now-mobile son, and said, "I'll bring the walker over tomorrow." "That may help," Aimee said, thankful to have something else to talk about. "There's only so many places he can get to in that!" Her eyes slipped to Doc and Tia, even though Lady knew she was trying hard not to show her concern. What she saw was a delighted tot, holding on to her "father"'s nose. Tia let out a shrill giggle as she twisted it, and Doc rearranged her in his arms, pushing up her pinafore dress in the bargain. Lace petticoats covered her oh, so modern diaper, and Aimee bit her lip. Both the dress and the petticoats had been gifts from Doc. When she looked away her eyes met Lady's. The DOSA was looking at her knowingly. Switching Pem to one arm, she gave Aimee another arm-squeeze before leaving with her family.

***

"Well," Doc said as they headed for the penthouse, "That was unsettling."

"Your behavior today was unsettling."

He nuzzled Tia, who tried, once again, to grab his nose. "What is it with this child and noses?" he asked, and Lady joked that it might have something to do with future interest in other parts of a man's body before turning serious to say that The Nose was the one feature Tia identified with her father . . . or fathers. Doc kissed the child and delighted in her immediate need to cuddle with *this* father.

"You've never acted like that, Doc," Lady mused as they went up in the elevator. "What if you start having trouble holding on to Cain?"

"I can control him most times. I told you, you need not fear for yourself or your children. . ."

"I'm not afraid," Lady said firmly, and he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was telling the truth. "But I have to worry about the other women in town. What if Cain starts wanting someone else the way he wants Katherine?"

As they walked down to the apartment, he assured her, "He won't. This only happened because he was unsatisfied then. And despite your rules here, I feel it *will* happen again. She'll reject me . . . and once she knows that Connor is here, I'll never have a chance to show her what she meant to me."

"And if I have a talk with her?" asked Lady as she opened the door. "What then? How can I ask her to give you a chance after the way you behaved?"

Doc paused in the doorway. "I don't suppose I can say, ‘You know me better,' because you do. You know whatever happens tonight between us will mean nothing with me and Katherine. I'm asking you to trust me, Little mother. I'll do what I can to make this right. I've done well hiding Cain so far, haven't I?"

"Very well," Lady agreed, putting Pem into his high chair. The baby screamed his outrage and she went to get his walker while Doc put Tia into her seat. When Lady bent down to put her son in his walker, Doc's arms enfolded her.

"I don't know if this can be fixed, Lady, but I do know I have control over him most of the time. It's only when I feel like I'm reliving the past that he comes out. After Katherine left the last time, I was able to go on

a Cain binge. I can't do that here. And although I try to stop it, I keep reliving that . . . fear of rejection. Then I make it happen. I reenact it."

"So you forced yourself on her?"

"Something like that." He kissed her neck before turning her about. "Now, have I ever done that before?"

"No. Not at all." She sighed. She had to feed the babies and Tia was starting to complain (Pem had already gone walk- about, and she'd have to get him back), but it was nice in his arms. "You know, once I thought I was in love with you."

Doc lifted her face and kissed her. "I was almost a very lucky man, then."

She shivered. {{Damn, how could this man hurt anyone??}} Finally she pulled herself away. "Go round up Pem, will ya Doc? And I'll get them something to eat." He went off without a word, but she was thoughtful. {{How the HELL was she going to ask Katherine? She didn't even KNOW her!}}

After dinner, Lady watched curiously as Doc played with the babies. Pem was crawling into everything when not in his walker, but Tia was just in the rocking stage, and he seemed delighted just to lie on the floor in the Great Room and watch her efforts. Lady was so enthralled watching *him* that she missed Pem walking into Crystals' old room and pulling off the comforter from the bed. Later he helped her bathe and change both twins and then, when Lady thought she couldn't possibly stand another tender moment, he plopped both on his lap for a good night story. She had to leave him to it because the sight was so gut wrenchingly poignant she thought she was going to cry. When the story was over and each twin had been kissed and tickled into exhaustion, Lady and Doc went into her bedroom. He lit the fire and, slowly but cautiously removing his clothes, slipped into bed beside her. She was already nude, her body warming a small patch of the sheets, and he moved into her arms with a sigh. "Thank you," he said softly.

"We haven't done anything yet," she giggled "Or are you too tired? The kids can be a handf-"

Doc kissed her to shut her up. "Thank you for the kids, as you call them. And I don't mean just having them, although you know how grateful I am to you for that. In this case I meant thank you for permitting me the time with them."

"Oh, Ben. You can come over any time. You know that."

"Yes," he whispered, lightly running a finger across the line of her jaw. "I do. But it has never meant as much as tonight's little display."

"Display? Was that an act?"

"Oh, dear, no. I meant your display of confidence. In me."

"Oh," she said. "That."

"That," Doc repeated, kissing her. "You are the most fetching female at times. Did you know that?"

"You wouldn't rather be with Katherine right now?"

His eyes blazed for a moment and Lady held her breath. But then he softened. "Trying to goad me, are we, Little Mother? Well, I promised I'd keep Cain in check, and I will. No, I want to be with you."

"But you've had me already, so to speak."

"Ah, so you think this is about conquest, is it? Did your mother tell you that once a man has had you, he loses interest?"

"My mother would want the man first," Lady said bitterly, then pushed it away. "If it's not about conquest, what is it about?"

"Well," he sighed, putting an arm around her shoulders and snuggling close, "I do suppose the Katherine thing is about conquest . . . although there is far more than that to it. You and I, we have nothing at all, whatsoever, to do with that. This is about affection, or at least, I hope it is. Affection and respect."

"Do you respect me?"

"Oh, surely."

"And will you respect me in the morning?"

He chuckled softly. "Undoubtedly."

Lady put her arms around his neck. "Then come here."

Doc came willingly. And unless he was thinking of Katherine and faking it, so to speak, with her, he certainly appeared to want to be there. Lady opened her legs to allow him entry, but he whispered softly into her ear that he had one last thing to prove to her. "Patience," he said in answer to her questioning look. "Something we both know our friend Cain has little of."

"None of!" Lady giggled.

"I stand corrected."

He began kissing her, first softly and then with more ardor. Although moved to passion, Lady chose a time to push him back and say, "What if I asked you stop now? Cain wouldn't be able to. Can Doc?"

He looked at her closely, his jaw slack with disbelief for a moment. Then he seemed to recover and, clearing his throat, he answered, "Yes. I would not be pleased, but I can. Shall I go?"

Lady threw her arms around his neck and gave herself totally and completely to him.

***

There was one last test, and she didn't even know about it until it was happening. Waking during the night, Lady found herself alone. The fire had burned down to mere embers, and she felt alone in the darkness. She felt herself beginning to cry, abandoned, until a noise made her turn toward the nursery monitors. Getting up, she threw on a robe and made her way to the babies' room.

There she found Doc, wearing only his odd-style underwear, looking down at the silent, sleeping infants. She tried to be quiet, but he heard her and, turning, smiled. "This is, indeed, a rare treat for me," he explained in a whisper. Lady brushed away a tear.

Doc returned to her side and they went back to bed. They even made love again. And when she woke in the morning, the sun was shining in her eyes and she felt his warmth against her body and heard his soft, melodic breathing. She felt comforted by it. In many ways she had never loved him more, despite his one great Flaw. Perhaps it was in spite of it.

***

When she got out of work that day, Lady was still wondering what to do about Doc/Cain. The only thing she could do was go see Katherine. She hoped the woman wouldn't punch her out for suggesting . . . what she had to suggest. She didn't know her well, so she couldn't say what her reaction would be.

Lady knew she was staying at Crystal MacLeod's house, so she went there. Nervous, she knocked, then waited for the door to open. She had to wait a long time, and it made her even *more* nervous.

Katherine was the only one in the house. She answered the door, smiled, and greeted Lady politely.

"Hi, umn," the DOSA stuttered, "My name is Lady and I . . . well, I just wanted to welcome you to the City."

Katherine thanked her, saying she was about to go out and sit in the garden area. "Would you care to join me?"

"Thank you," said Lady as they went toward the indicated area. "The truth is, this is kinda awkward. I heard about your run in with Doc, and I . . . well, frankly, we need to do something. I don't want unpleasant feeling in the city, and I *really* don't want to see you hurt by him!"

Katherine bowed her head, a little shamefaced. "I think I probably overreacted. I'm sure he didn't really mean anything by it," she said softly.

"Oh no, it's . . . pretty complicated." Lady sighed. "I know you're new here, but things are . . . different in SIMs City. When you knew Methos he was Doc. But here, Methos is split into several people. And the way they split sorta sets up some weird shit, if you pardon my language.

"In this case," she went on, "Doc is reliving his time with you, and it's bringing up the one Methos Identity we don't want in the City."

Katherine looked a little confused by this at first, but then she closed her eyes and appeared to be listening to some voice. "I'm not sure what you are saying. Do you mean that Ben has another personality or something? "

"Sorta. Methos is so complicated there are layers to him. When he was Doc he was trying so hard to be good and decent and caring that he needed to throw all his. . . evil, dark and amoral thoughts into one container. And his name was Abel Cain."

Katherine looked thoughtful. " I think I understand - most of the time what I pick up from him is good. I really do enjoy his company most of the time. But every once in a while, something *dark* overshadows him. The same type of *dark* that I have to relive in my nightmares every night." She was struggling to control her emotions. It had to be hard to admit she had these problems and fears, especially to a total stranger. "When he gets like that he scares me. It makes me think of things I wish with all my heart I could forget."

Lady reached out and took her hand. Being mortal, she could not *sense* things like some others, but ever since her vampire bite she just seemed to understand people better. "I don't want you to relive this, really I don't. But if Cain keeps pushing at the surface, we could lose Doc. I want to *keep* Doc as he is, and I think you do, too."

Lady paused a moment, then went on, "Other than letting Cain come here as his own person, and believe me, we don't want to do that . . . what you experienced is just the beginnings of Cain coming over him . . . we'll see more of him." She turned to Katherine and looked pained. "Somehow you and Doc have to come to terms with his- his *desire* for you."

Katherine sat blot upright, a startled expression on her face. "Are you saying this is all my fault?"

"Oh God, no! It's just that. . . when he wanted you the last time," Lady bit her lip, "he went off and spent a few days as Cain. He can't do that here. Or, he can't if we want everyone to be living together happily." Lady bit harder. "Oh, damn. It's really a compliment. He's . . sorta . . . obsessed with you."

Distressed and unhappy, Katherine took a deep breath to calm herself. She has never told anyone what she is about to say. "Did Doc tell you how we met?"

"No, he . . . sorta said what happened when you last met. And how much you love Connor."

The other woman sighed deeply before beginning a very painful memory. "I had taken employment with a nobleman's family as a governess for the children. We were on a ship in the Mediterranean when pirates attacked us." She paused, struggling to say the words. "The nobleman's family had relatives willing to ransom them. I had no one."

Lady opened her mouth to say something, but then decided all she could really do was make sympathetic noises. Instead she sat a bit closer, letting the woman feel her presence. "I was raped by them all," Katherine said after a bit. "When they got to port they sold me at a slave auction," Tears were streaming down her face as she remembered the humiliation and terror of being stripped and place up on the auction block. "The people that bought me ran a brothel near the docks. They kept me chained up and tried to beat me into submission. Ben found me there and bought me from them." She buried her face in her hands and wept.

Lady comforted her as she told her story. "See? Doc's sweet. It's Cain who is hurting you. I'm sure of it. And without an outlet, I'm afraid what my . . . what Doc will become." She paused, letting Katherine cry some more. Crying was good, Lady knew. "I see you call him Ben. Before spoilers were off, he told me his name. I called him Benny when no one was looking."

Katherine managed a weak smile through the tears. "He hates that name, you know." For a moment Lady was jealous. Then she was worried. What if she didn't know him as well as she thought she did? Wiping the tears from her eyes, Katherine continued, "He had a hard time understanding why I did not want another man to touch me for a long time. And this part of him that is this Cain you are talking about must think he still owns me."

"He let me call him Benny," Lady said softly, "because it was something only I knew. He really is sweet. And loving. And he does know why you wouldn't want another man to touch you . . . he's a doctor, after all, and he understands suffering. At least he tries. Doc is the identity Methos used to try and understand mortals . . . But Cain was still there, and Cain was and is selfish. And very strong. What he wants he wants."

Lady paused thoughtfully. "I could be wrong about this, hon, but I think it's more about jealousy than anything else. And you do know in this town we frown on that sort of thing, don't you?"

"He is jealous because I love Connor?"

Lady nodded. "Although Doc understands why you love him, Cain doesn't understand why you . . . rejected him in favor of Connor."

Katherine was lost in thought for a moment before saying quietly, "So in a way, this is my fault then."

Lady winced. "It would have happened eventually, I suppose," she said, trying to soften it. But she doubted Doc had more than one unresolved issue. At least of this type. "None of us knew he was the one holding Cain. We all thought it was just in Modern Methos."

"What can I do though? I can't change what has already happened!"

"Oh no . . . we have to deal with the way things are now. How are you two going to be together? I can't have him attacking you every time he sees you!"

Shuddering, Katherine turned pale. "Then I should leave!"

"Oh no . . ," Lady worried. "You mean you can't make it up to him at all? You have no feelings for him at all?" Lady stood and walked away nervously. "Katherine, I really want you to stay. But part of the City's rules is . . .well, how can I put this? We do *date* quite a bit. Monogamy is not really an option, if you know what I mean. Now, no one forces anyone to . . . date . . . someone you don't want to, so please don't think I am telling you that. But . . . it would help if you and Ben could work out your differences and be nice to one another." She wrung her hands. "God, this is difficult. I'm not asking you to sleep with him, but, hell, I guess I *am*, and that's terrible, isn't it?" There were tears in her eyes.

Katherine was astonished - no one had fully explained the *rules* of the city to her before. She studied the ground for a while, lost in her thoughts, before looking up again. "Are you saying that if I was to go to bed

with him it would stop this?"

"Well, it would sure help," Lady said quickly, then she stopped herself. "What I mean is, if you agreed to meet as lovers . . . not you just doing it because it would help - God, I'd never ask that of anyone - but that you liked him enough to meet him as a lover - then the rift would be healed. Anyway, I hope it would. You understand . . . it's not the act, it's the feelings that would go with it. You couldn't do it unless you liked him, and he would sense that, and Cain's jealousy would be appeased." She sat dejectedly.

"Or something," she added. Laughing sadly, she explained, "I'm sorry, I have this thing about trying to make everything *right*. I guess I'm naïve enough to think love conquers all?"

"I do like Ben," Katherine admitted. "A lot. It's this Cain part that terrifies me. What if he was to show up while we . . " She was unable to finish - the thought was too horrible for her. Lady took her hand. "I was with Ben last night. Cain was nowhere to be seen. And a more tender lover you wouldn't want . . . as long as it's Ben. He has control over Cain until . . . he thinks he's going to lose you. But I do understand. I was frightened when I went with him. I'm glad that I did, though. I'd miss my Benny."

Katherine looked at Lady intently, knowing that every word she spoke was the truth. "Maybe we can start over," she said slowly. "A fresh slate". She smiled slightly. "If he is attentive and polite that would go a long way."

Lady giggled, relieved. "Oh, if I prod the man to action, you'd be surprised how polite that one can be on your account!" Her eyes glistened. "A little of Crystal's advice, perhaps . . ." She mused thoughtfully.

Katherine giggled, too. Then she smiled at a memory that suddenly came to her. Looking up at Lady with a glint of mischief in her eyes, she told her, "Connor gave me a surprise birthday party once. He had the whole day planned out." She laughed at the memory again. "He treated me like the Lady I was born to be, not the serving girl I was." She continued to giggle. "I got drunk on one glass of wine and ended up in his bed." Her face glowed with her happy reflection. "The whole day made me feel like I was someone special."

"I think a little coaching is in order," the Dosa giggled with her new friend. "What else do you like? Flowers? He once gave me the nicest bubble bath massage . . ." She stared off dreamily into space before adding, "That ended nicely."

Katherine raised her eyebrow slightly before breaking out in laughter. " I can't believe I'm even contemplating being in the same room with the same man whose's nose I busted yesterday! I do hope it healed straight!"

Lady laughed with her. "Oh, believe me, it healed! And isn't that a Godsend, with THAT nose!" They both laughed together for a moment. Then Lady grew suddenly serious and took her new friend's hand again.

"Honestly, hon, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. It's just that we don't want the guys running around forcing the women here. That's the point of this place . . . no one will look down on you if you want more than one lover. But it is YOUR choice who you sleep with. I just want you to be happy, and if Doc turns Cain every time he sees you, then no one will be happy, least of all you. And I happen to think this would be worth it . . . if I can get the old man to cooperate and woo you . . ."

Katherine smiled. "You know, this place is kinda getting to me already. If it wasn't for Ev I think I would have fallen for Rayden in a heartbeat! And that nice Lord Greystoke I met at the zoo earlier just about turned me into butter when he kissed my hand! And God help Connor if he ever shows up!! Do you realize it has been over a hundred years since the last time I . . ." Katherine blushed and hid her face in her hands. Getting control over herself, she raised up and went on, in a less humourous tone, "Tell *Benny* that tomorrow I am all his to wine and dine. If he can convince me that this Cain fellow won't show up, maybe things will end up like he has been wanting all along."

Standing also, Lady bit back a comment. She knew what Katherine had in store for her, but then again, she didn't want to encourage Katherine and Connor being exclusive. "Oh, I will. And just for the record, I've been wanting a night with Johnny myself," she said as she shook the other woman's hand. "And I'll do my best to see that BEN, who is normally very understanding and not a bit jealous, and not CAIN, shows up at that dinner!"

They giggled like old friends and hugged. Lady knew it was not an easy decision for Katherine to make, but she was grateful she made it. For her sake, and the City's.