Author's Note: This is a shortie, just to get it out of my brain. Nick, of course, is from the Highlander followup, The Raven.

The Author and the Immortal Ex-Cop
by Selma McCrory
copyright 1999

I should have known better than to get into another series. But I did. And now it looks like I've got another sullen character to deal with.

Not that I blame Nick Wolfe, of course. The new Immortal was very angry, and I don't blame him for that. If I was in Nick's situation, I wouldn't blame him at all for the way he was acting.

Nick was playing around on my dear Antique, which was probably a touch slower than any computer he's used to. Ah well. It didn't seem to be improving his mood any, however. I should have warned him not to surf using Netscape 3 on my computer.

"Nick?" I asked, hoping to get his attention away from the computer. Thankfully, the main story I'm working on for him, a TF story, was stored on another computer and he couldn't see how badly I'd been mangling him. He looked up. "Hi, want something to drink, no alcohol but I've got milk, and tea, and fruit juice, maybe even some coffee...."

Luckily, we did have coffee, even if it was in those teabag-type things. I was afraid for a moment he wouldn't accept, but he did. "So, how did I get here?" was his first question. "Where's here?"

"A different world," I hastened to explain, "where Immortals are fiction, and so are a bunch of other things. I don't know why you were drawn here, in case you were wondering. It's just because some people are. That's the best I can explain. Really."

Looking doubtful, he continued to sip his coffee. "Why do you think I was drawn here?"

"Because I'm writing you. That's usually how it goes. Except I usually get original characters, not series characters like you," I replied. At his look, I explained, "You were one of two main characters in a TV series that was cancelled a few months ago."

He snorted. "Figures."

"My fault. I should have figured I'd started writing fanfic on that one. I wasn't even *interested* until I heard of your fate. If you'll forgive me for being interested."

"Great. Entertainment for a million people. I didn't know death could be so entertaining."

"Sorry," I said. "I don't mean to upset you. I don't usually get these up-close-and-personal chats with series characters. And certainly not those who weren't happy campers at the end of said series."

"So, what are you doing with me? Do I want to know?"

I sighed. "I've got two pieces with you already. Another on another computer. You'll like that one, you and Greer have a ton in common once you work things out. And I might even write you a universe where Amanda told you instead of shooting you. By the way, that was a topic of fierce debate on the email list for the show. I think you might be happy to hear that most of them aren't too happy at Amanda, either."

"That's good. She had no right."

"I know. I'm sorry, Nick. I'm really sorry."

"Not your fault."

"No. But I still feel sorry about it."

The Immortal nodded as he put down his mug. As I was wiping tears out of my eyes, he disappeared. I hoped that he would be happier later.

-end