hlh_shortcuts fic Highlander/Doctor Who - "Endless Circles"
A belated Happy New Year everyone! I'm well behind on commenting and replying, my apologies I'm in the process of trying to catch up.
It's pretty late to be reposting but I've been away over the Christmas break and had limited access to the internet, and there always seemed to be other things to be reading when I was on. This is my entry from the hlh_shortcuts exchange. Hopefully the formatting right (this is my second time posting this this evening.
Title: Endless Circles
Writer: fractured_sun
Witten for: Diana, dkwilliams
Characters/Pairings: Methos, The Doctor(various), Duncan, Amanda, Silas. Methos/Doctor, Methos/Duncan
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Lots of timey, wimey jumps. One horsemen scene, (nothing they wouldn’t have shown in the series). Mostly gen with implied slash
Author's Notes: Mid way through writing this it dawned on me that what I was writing was less one story and more a never ending verse. I hope I’ve managed to wrestle this into one coherent story.
Summary: Methos and The Doctor have been friends for centuries; they just might not be the same centuries.
Circa 3000 BC Earth
Methos woke lying on his back in the desert. He looked up blinking into the sun at the man standing in front of him, "Do I know you?"
The man smiled sadly helping him to his feet "Not yet, Methos, but you will."
Methos narrowed his eyes in suspicion "Who are you, How do you know my name? Are you some sort of seer?"
"Close enough. I’m The Doctor" The man coughed falling to his knees.
Methos bent down, concerned “Are you sick?”
“I’m dying, really and finally. Leave me, you should head for shelter there’s going to be a storm.” He licked one finger raising it as if testing the wind before pointing to the West "That way. You should go that way."
***
1999 AD, Paris France.
Methos stopped in surprise as he registered the faint hum in the back of his head. The familiar tone laced with both grief and concern.
“Methos?” MacLeod frowned looking round, “I don’t sense them yet.”
Methos grimaced “That’s because there’s no immortal, MacLeod.”
Methos turned down the alley the sensation was coming from and half smiled at the blue box parked there. He stepped up and placed a hand on the wood patting it slightly “Hello old girl.”
“Oh, well not our sort of immortal anyway.” MacLeod grinned wryly “So are we going to go find him, or do we dare leave him to whatever adventure he’s going to have.”
Methos turned to look at him “I don’t think we need to go look for him MacLeod, he’s waiting for me in my flat.”
Duncan MacLeod was nothing if not insightful, “Oh,” he nodded thoughtfully, his concern plain to see “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Bring him too if he’ll come, and call me if I can help?”
****
Methos opened his front door, purposefully not looking at the Doctor sat on the bed. This Doctor, was one of his later regenerations, the ninth by Methos’ count and one Methos had met a dozen or so times over the years. Today he was missing his characteristic mad grin and kept his head down looking at the floor, or perhaps his own hands.
Methos said nothing just crossed the room to reach the fridge pulling out two beers opening them one at a time on the work surface in defiance of his security deposit. "So, has much been happening with you then?" He asked casually
"They're dead." The Doctor didn't look up, apparently fascinated by his hands. "All of them."
Methos raised one eyebrow "Who?"
"My people, all of Gallifray. I destroyed them."
"Ah." Methos put down the beer and reached up to the cupboard over the fridge to pull out scotch "In that case this might be more help."
The Doctor looked up and smiled warily "Alcohol? Have you ever known me to drink?"
"Sure Troy, the day after the horse, or haven't you been there yet?"
"No, you shouldn't tell me about it, possible paradox."
"The horse was a trap." Methos said flatly "Troy burnt, people died. We got very drunk in the ruins, and you really can't sing in tune. You’ll have to wait to find out which part I played in the whole mess, though. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise."
Methos pulled the bottle away taking a swig himself and then stepping forwards settling between the Doctor’s legs.
“Aren’t you seeing MacLeod?" The Doctor asked one hand holding Methos away.
Methos smiled wickedly “No, not yet at least. We’re still depressingly platonic. You’ve missed your target time again Doctor. Good to know that I’m not wasting my time there though." He leaned forward placing a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder “Who would have thought there was a plus side to MacLeod dating that woman from the University.”
***
1640 AD, Milan Italy.
The Doctor took one step back away from the sword, and the angry Scot pointing it at him "Wait, that wasn’t a threat, Duncan. I just need Amanda to give me that stone just for a minute. I'll give it right back."
"How do you know our names? Are you a witch?" Duncan asked keeping the sword in front of him
"You told me your names, Duncan. Please would you just give me that stone before there's more trouble."
"I'm not giving you this, it's mine.” Amanda pulled away “It took me weeks to steal it and I'm not going to just hand it over to anyone who asks."
"It's not yours Amanda you stole it and I'll give it right back. I just need to block the signal it's sending out before it brings down an army." The Doctor reached out to take it, but was blocked again by Duncan.
“I think if I had told my name to a mad man I would remember." Duncan said firmly.
"Ah yes, well I might have looked a little different. You remember I was wearing a long scarf and I stopped some cybermen from killing you. The men made of metal."
Duncan narrowed his eyes in suspicion but lowered his sword slightly "You look more than a little different, you look like a different man. What sort of magic are you using?"
The Doctor sighed "Just give me that stone. We can argue some more once it's safe."
"Doctor!" Martha called, as the swarm of appeared out of the air.
"Too late.... run!" The Doctor grabbed Martha's hand and pulled her along behind him.
Amanda and Duncan ran alongside, "Here have the stone." Amanda called throwing it to him "Just make those, whatever they are go away."
***
5027 AD, The fifth moon of Satunal seven
The Doctor stumbled out of his newly... acquired TARDIS staggering from his first trip, and falling at the feet of a tall human with a long nose.
"Doctor," The man sounded amused as he reached down to pull The Doctor out of the puddle he had tripped into. The Doctor mentally corrected himself at the slight tingling sensation, not a human, at least not exactly. He frowned slightly trying to remember where he'd heard of that sensation before.
"Are you breaking in a new regeneration or testing the contaminant levels in the rainwater? You don’t usually go for regenerations that appear quite that young. You look like a runaway teenager.” The man turned to the TARDIS running one hand over the smooth metal exterior she had adopted in this time “She looks different. You fixed the...." The man cut off abruptly his eyes narrowing "You have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?"
The Doctor straightened pulling his arm from the man's grip "No, so if you'll excuse me. I'll be going before you do irreparable damage to the timeline."
The man snorted, "I wouldn't worry, kid. We run into each other occasionally, somehow the timeline always copes. Come on, you look like you need some food that doesn’t come in those cubes the TARDIS produces. It’s MacLeod’s turn to cook tonight, and he loves feeding waifs and strays. We’ll help you work out your next move runaway.”
***
Circa 1000 BCE
"Oi let me go you ignorant oaf. You're going to regret ever laying hands on me."
Donna kicked and punched as the giant dragged her towards the tent. She was not going to wait for the Doctor to come up with one of his ridiculous rescues, but she allowed herself a little satisfaction at the thought of what he'd do to these men. Hard hands shoved her towards the entrance of a tent. A small voice in the back of her head was screaming and then another hand shot out grabbing her captor’s wrist.
"Silas, stop". The new arrival was dressed entirely in white, with one half of his face painted blue. The man in white turned cold narrowed eyes to her, his gaze flicked up and down assessing her "Donna Noble, companion to the Doctor. Where is he?"
She pulled herself up to her full height full of righteous indignation, "And who are you then? I wouldn't tell you where the Doctor is if you paid me a million quid."
"Brother, you want her?" The larger man asked
"Want her, want her? I'm not some sort of piece of meat to be passed around you."
"Silence." The man in white snapped at her, and despite herself she shut up. "No, I don't want her. She's bad luck and trouble. Silas, where's the man she came with?"
The larger man, Silas, frowned in confusion "He's with the other slaves, what's wrong brother?"
"We have to let them go, now." The man in white, paused apparently considering "They're cursed. Death and destruction follows them and comes to anyone who harms them. Go and get him and bring him here. Tell him I sent you to let him go."
Silas was quiet for a minute, obviously considering, before nodding as if this made perfect sense and stomping off.
Donna opened her mouth to demand answers, but the man in white spoke first “Do you know who I am yet?”
“Why, should I, are you famous or something?” She put her hands on her hips unimpressed.
A thin smile twisted his lips “I’m certainly something.” He said as the Doctor strolled into view hands in his pockets.
“Methos,” The Doctor nodded at him, a study in tightly contained fury “Look at what you’ve twisted yourself into. You need to stop, stop yourself before I have to stop you.”
Methos laughed thin and bitter “You won’t do anything to me Doctor, you never do. I’m too large a ‘part of human history’ you won’t risk messing with that. Not when I’m letting you and your friend go. Isn’t it about time you flew off, for another few centuries.”
“You’re right. I won’t do anything to you, or to your brothers, but the horsemen must stop. You’re going to stop yourself.” The Doctor reached out one hand grabbing Methos’ arm.
Methos gasped, dropping to one knee “What did you do?” He stood unsteadily and grabbed the Doctor by his lapels “What did you do to me, Time Lord.”
The Doctor shook off his hands, “I’m a touch telepath Methos, you’d buried your conscience and humanity deep, but not any more. You can feel again, you can’t hide from what you’ve done anymore. You’ll do the rest.”
***
5027 AD, Trevalis
In a staggering coincidence, twist of fate or convergence of time streams the first time Methos met the Doctor, he was standing in a field watching sheep like creatures eating purple grass at exactly the same time as the first time the Doctor met (a much older) Methos half a galaxy away.
Matrios stared at the man who appeared in front of him who stared back in frank astonishment
"This is the 49th century...How can you be? What? But.... How old are you?" The stranger splutted
Matrios crossed his arms angrily "This is my house, and I'm 15 how old are you?"
"2956 not that, that matters. What do you mean this is your house? How can this be your house? You're from 3000 BC."
“No I’m not.” Matrios crossed his arms angrily muttering under his breath “Crazy weirdo.”
The Doctor stumbled as a tremor shook the ground. He looked over quickly checking the young Methos, Matrios, was not hurt.
“What was that?” Matrios asked scared.
“I’ll explain later, run.” The Doctor shouted grabbing the teenage pre-immortal by the hand.
***
2009 AD, Manchester England
"So that went well." the Doctor said cheerfully.
"You should set your bar a little higher Doctor getting tied to a chair back to back, with a lunatic does not fit my definition of going well." Methos twisted trying to work out of the knots
“We know who they are now, and what they want.” The Doctor pointed out “And best of all, where the computer system that runs their ship is.”
“Great. I don’t suppose you have a way out of here, so that we can use that knowledge. Before they come back and try to find new ways to kill me.” Methos snapped annoyed.
“Well, not exactly I’m still working on that bit.” The Doctor said brightly “I wouldn’t worry though, I’m sure River and Duncan are nearly here.”
Methos sighed in exasperation "Why do I let you talk me into these mad schemes? I should know better.”
“You are so negative. Everything is going exactly to plan. They saw you resurrect and brought us both here, right where we need to be.”
“They shot me three times, that hurts you know.” Methos complained “You know most people your age have at least a rudimentary sense of self preservation. I see plenty of 400, 500 year olds running around tilting at windmills but they tend to grow up or die off before they reach 4 figures."
The Doctor grinned, as River slipped through the door "Where would be the fun in that?"
"The fun would be in the not getting kidnapped and threatened." Methos grumbled rubbing at the rapidly healing rope burns “Well go, do your thing to their computers so we can, save the world and get out of here.”
***
Circa 3000 BC Earth
"This is really where you want to stay?" The Doctor asked “I could take you anywhere, all of time and space.”
"It was inevitable wasn't it? When we first met you expected me to have grown up in this time. Three thousand years before the birth of Christ.”
The Doctor smiled “You caught that did you, I didn’t think you’d remembered.”
“It was a memorable day, and immortals have perfect recall.” Methos looked around at the bleak landscape eventually shrugging. “It won’t be so bad. I get to live through all human history, the slow way this time."
"Methos, I can't leave your memories intact, not here.” The Doctor warned.
Methos nodded, "I know, three thousand years of travelling through time with you I have picked up a bit about paradoxes."
The Doctor smiled sadly, "Three thousand years and four regenerations that's a lot of memories to erase."
"We'll meet again though right? You knew me, the future me."
"Oh yes we'll meet again, lots of times, and in lots of places. The TARDIS here will see to that, she's always been fascinated with you,” The Doctor paused “Which makes a lot more sense now. You've lived in her longer than anyone. Well except me of course."
"So Doctor how do we do this?" Methos asked bringing his mentor back to the task at hand.
"We don't, I do. I wipe your memories of the TARDIS and of your home and replace them with memories from this time. They’ll be vague but enough that you can get around." The Doctor lifted his hand to make mental contact.
Methos stepped backwards quickly, "Wait, will I ever remember any of this?"
"Over the centuries some of it will come back to you, and I'll always seem familiar to you, and her of course." The Doctor smiled patting the TARDIS “I won’t know though, not this not yet.”
Methos nodded "Do it."
END
It's pretty late to be reposting but I've been away over the Christmas break and had limited access to the internet, and there always seemed to be other things to be reading when I was on. This is my entry from the hlh_shortcuts exchange. Hopefully the formatting right (this is my second time posting this this evening.
Title: Endless Circles
Writer: fractured_sun
Witten for: Diana, dkwilliams
Characters/Pairings: Methos, The Doctor(various), Duncan, Amanda, Silas. Methos/Doctor, Methos/Duncan
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Lots of timey, wimey jumps. One horsemen scene, (nothing they wouldn’t have shown in the series). Mostly gen with implied slash
Author's Notes: Mid way through writing this it dawned on me that what I was writing was less one story and more a never ending verse. I hope I’ve managed to wrestle this into one coherent story.
Summary: Methos and The Doctor have been friends for centuries; they just might not be the same centuries.
Circa 3000 BC Earth
Methos woke lying on his back in the desert. He looked up blinking into the sun at the man standing in front of him, "Do I know you?"
The man smiled sadly helping him to his feet "Not yet, Methos, but you will."
Methos narrowed his eyes in suspicion "Who are you, How do you know my name? Are you some sort of seer?"
"Close enough. I’m The Doctor" The man coughed falling to his knees.
Methos bent down, concerned “Are you sick?”
“I’m dying, really and finally. Leave me, you should head for shelter there’s going to be a storm.” He licked one finger raising it as if testing the wind before pointing to the West "That way. You should go that way."
***
1999 AD, Paris France.
Methos stopped in surprise as he registered the faint hum in the back of his head. The familiar tone laced with both grief and concern.
“Methos?” MacLeod frowned looking round, “I don’t sense them yet.”
Methos grimaced “That’s because there’s no immortal, MacLeod.”
Methos turned down the alley the sensation was coming from and half smiled at the blue box parked there. He stepped up and placed a hand on the wood patting it slightly “Hello old girl.”
“Oh, well not our sort of immortal anyway.” MacLeod grinned wryly “So are we going to go find him, or do we dare leave him to whatever adventure he’s going to have.”
Methos turned to look at him “I don’t think we need to go look for him MacLeod, he’s waiting for me in my flat.”
Duncan MacLeod was nothing if not insightful, “Oh,” he nodded thoughtfully, his concern plain to see “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Bring him too if he’ll come, and call me if I can help?”
****
Methos opened his front door, purposefully not looking at the Doctor sat on the bed. This Doctor, was one of his later regenerations, the ninth by Methos’ count and one Methos had met a dozen or so times over the years. Today he was missing his characteristic mad grin and kept his head down looking at the floor, or perhaps his own hands.
Methos said nothing just crossed the room to reach the fridge pulling out two beers opening them one at a time on the work surface in defiance of his security deposit. "So, has much been happening with you then?" He asked casually
"They're dead." The Doctor didn't look up, apparently fascinated by his hands. "All of them."
Methos raised one eyebrow "Who?"
"My people, all of Gallifray. I destroyed them."
"Ah." Methos put down the beer and reached up to the cupboard over the fridge to pull out scotch "In that case this might be more help."
The Doctor looked up and smiled warily "Alcohol? Have you ever known me to drink?"
"Sure Troy, the day after the horse, or haven't you been there yet?"
"No, you shouldn't tell me about it, possible paradox."
"The horse was a trap." Methos said flatly "Troy burnt, people died. We got very drunk in the ruins, and you really can't sing in tune. You’ll have to wait to find out which part I played in the whole mess, though. I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise."
Methos pulled the bottle away taking a swig himself and then stepping forwards settling between the Doctor’s legs.
“Aren’t you seeing MacLeod?" The Doctor asked one hand holding Methos away.
Methos smiled wickedly “No, not yet at least. We’re still depressingly platonic. You’ve missed your target time again Doctor. Good to know that I’m not wasting my time there though." He leaned forward placing a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder “Who would have thought there was a plus side to MacLeod dating that woman from the University.”
***
1640 AD, Milan Italy.
The Doctor took one step back away from the sword, and the angry Scot pointing it at him "Wait, that wasn’t a threat, Duncan. I just need Amanda to give me that stone just for a minute. I'll give it right back."
"How do you know our names? Are you a witch?" Duncan asked keeping the sword in front of him
"You told me your names, Duncan. Please would you just give me that stone before there's more trouble."
"I'm not giving you this, it's mine.” Amanda pulled away “It took me weeks to steal it and I'm not going to just hand it over to anyone who asks."
"It's not yours Amanda you stole it and I'll give it right back. I just need to block the signal it's sending out before it brings down an army." The Doctor reached out to take it, but was blocked again by Duncan.
“I think if I had told my name to a mad man I would remember." Duncan said firmly.
"Ah yes, well I might have looked a little different. You remember I was wearing a long scarf and I stopped some cybermen from killing you. The men made of metal."
Duncan narrowed his eyes in suspicion but lowered his sword slightly "You look more than a little different, you look like a different man. What sort of magic are you using?"
The Doctor sighed "Just give me that stone. We can argue some more once it's safe."
"Doctor!" Martha called, as the swarm of appeared out of the air.
"Too late.... run!" The Doctor grabbed Martha's hand and pulled her along behind him.
Amanda and Duncan ran alongside, "Here have the stone." Amanda called throwing it to him "Just make those, whatever they are go away."
***
5027 AD, The fifth moon of Satunal seven
The Doctor stumbled out of his newly... acquired TARDIS staggering from his first trip, and falling at the feet of a tall human with a long nose.
"Doctor," The man sounded amused as he reached down to pull The Doctor out of the puddle he had tripped into. The Doctor mentally corrected himself at the slight tingling sensation, not a human, at least not exactly. He frowned slightly trying to remember where he'd heard of that sensation before.
"Are you breaking in a new regeneration or testing the contaminant levels in the rainwater? You don’t usually go for regenerations that appear quite that young. You look like a runaway teenager.” The man turned to the TARDIS running one hand over the smooth metal exterior she had adopted in this time “She looks different. You fixed the...." The man cut off abruptly his eyes narrowing "You have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?"
The Doctor straightened pulling his arm from the man's grip "No, so if you'll excuse me. I'll be going before you do irreparable damage to the timeline."
The man snorted, "I wouldn't worry, kid. We run into each other occasionally, somehow the timeline always copes. Come on, you look like you need some food that doesn’t come in those cubes the TARDIS produces. It’s MacLeod’s turn to cook tonight, and he loves feeding waifs and strays. We’ll help you work out your next move runaway.”
***
Circa 1000 BCE
"Oi let me go you ignorant oaf. You're going to regret ever laying hands on me."
Donna kicked and punched as the giant dragged her towards the tent. She was not going to wait for the Doctor to come up with one of his ridiculous rescues, but she allowed herself a little satisfaction at the thought of what he'd do to these men. Hard hands shoved her towards the entrance of a tent. A small voice in the back of her head was screaming and then another hand shot out grabbing her captor’s wrist.
"Silas, stop". The new arrival was dressed entirely in white, with one half of his face painted blue. The man in white turned cold narrowed eyes to her, his gaze flicked up and down assessing her "Donna Noble, companion to the Doctor. Where is he?"
She pulled herself up to her full height full of righteous indignation, "And who are you then? I wouldn't tell you where the Doctor is if you paid me a million quid."
"Brother, you want her?" The larger man asked
"Want her, want her? I'm not some sort of piece of meat to be passed around you."
"Silence." The man in white snapped at her, and despite herself she shut up. "No, I don't want her. She's bad luck and trouble. Silas, where's the man she came with?"
The larger man, Silas, frowned in confusion "He's with the other slaves, what's wrong brother?"
"We have to let them go, now." The man in white, paused apparently considering "They're cursed. Death and destruction follows them and comes to anyone who harms them. Go and get him and bring him here. Tell him I sent you to let him go."
Silas was quiet for a minute, obviously considering, before nodding as if this made perfect sense and stomping off.
Donna opened her mouth to demand answers, but the man in white spoke first “Do you know who I am yet?”
“Why, should I, are you famous or something?” She put her hands on her hips unimpressed.
A thin smile twisted his lips “I’m certainly something.” He said as the Doctor strolled into view hands in his pockets.
“Methos,” The Doctor nodded at him, a study in tightly contained fury “Look at what you’ve twisted yourself into. You need to stop, stop yourself before I have to stop you.”
Methos laughed thin and bitter “You won’t do anything to me Doctor, you never do. I’m too large a ‘part of human history’ you won’t risk messing with that. Not when I’m letting you and your friend go. Isn’t it about time you flew off, for another few centuries.”
“You’re right. I won’t do anything to you, or to your brothers, but the horsemen must stop. You’re going to stop yourself.” The Doctor reached out one hand grabbing Methos’ arm.
Methos gasped, dropping to one knee “What did you do?” He stood unsteadily and grabbed the Doctor by his lapels “What did you do to me, Time Lord.”
The Doctor shook off his hands, “I’m a touch telepath Methos, you’d buried your conscience and humanity deep, but not any more. You can feel again, you can’t hide from what you’ve done anymore. You’ll do the rest.”
***
5027 AD, Trevalis
In a staggering coincidence, twist of fate or convergence of time streams the first time Methos met the Doctor, he was standing in a field watching sheep like creatures eating purple grass at exactly the same time as the first time the Doctor met (a much older) Methos half a galaxy away.
Matrios stared at the man who appeared in front of him who stared back in frank astonishment
"This is the 49th century...How can you be? What? But.... How old are you?" The stranger splutted
Matrios crossed his arms angrily "This is my house, and I'm 15 how old are you?"
"2956 not that, that matters. What do you mean this is your house? How can this be your house? You're from 3000 BC."
“No I’m not.” Matrios crossed his arms angrily muttering under his breath “Crazy weirdo.”
The Doctor stumbled as a tremor shook the ground. He looked over quickly checking the young Methos, Matrios, was not hurt.
“What was that?” Matrios asked scared.
“I’ll explain later, run.” The Doctor shouted grabbing the teenage pre-immortal by the hand.
***
2009 AD, Manchester England
"So that went well." the Doctor said cheerfully.
"You should set your bar a little higher Doctor getting tied to a chair back to back, with a lunatic does not fit my definition of going well." Methos twisted trying to work out of the knots
“We know who they are now, and what they want.” The Doctor pointed out “And best of all, where the computer system that runs their ship is.”
“Great. I don’t suppose you have a way out of here, so that we can use that knowledge. Before they come back and try to find new ways to kill me.” Methos snapped annoyed.
“Well, not exactly I’m still working on that bit.” The Doctor said brightly “I wouldn’t worry though, I’m sure River and Duncan are nearly here.”
Methos sighed in exasperation "Why do I let you talk me into these mad schemes? I should know better.”
“You are so negative. Everything is going exactly to plan. They saw you resurrect and brought us both here, right where we need to be.”
“They shot me three times, that hurts you know.” Methos complained “You know most people your age have at least a rudimentary sense of self preservation. I see plenty of 400, 500 year olds running around tilting at windmills but they tend to grow up or die off before they reach 4 figures."
The Doctor grinned, as River slipped through the door "Where would be the fun in that?"
"The fun would be in the not getting kidnapped and threatened." Methos grumbled rubbing at the rapidly healing rope burns “Well go, do your thing to their computers so we can, save the world and get out of here.”
***
Circa 3000 BC Earth
"This is really where you want to stay?" The Doctor asked “I could take you anywhere, all of time and space.”
"It was inevitable wasn't it? When we first met you expected me to have grown up in this time. Three thousand years before the birth of Christ.”
The Doctor smiled “You caught that did you, I didn’t think you’d remembered.”
“It was a memorable day, and immortals have perfect recall.” Methos looked around at the bleak landscape eventually shrugging. “It won’t be so bad. I get to live through all human history, the slow way this time."
"Methos, I can't leave your memories intact, not here.” The Doctor warned.
Methos nodded, "I know, three thousand years of travelling through time with you I have picked up a bit about paradoxes."
The Doctor smiled sadly, "Three thousand years and four regenerations that's a lot of memories to erase."
"We'll meet again though right? You knew me, the future me."
"Oh yes we'll meet again, lots of times, and in lots of places. The TARDIS here will see to that, she's always been fascinated with you,” The Doctor paused “Which makes a lot more sense now. You've lived in her longer than anyone. Well except me of course."
"So Doctor how do we do this?" Methos asked bringing his mentor back to the task at hand.
"We don't, I do. I wipe your memories of the TARDIS and of your home and replace them with memories from this time. They’ll be vague but enough that you can get around." The Doctor lifted his hand to make mental contact.
Methos stepped backwards quickly, "Wait, will I ever remember any of this?"
"Over the centuries some of it will come back to you, and I'll always seem familiar to you, and her of course." The Doctor smiled patting the TARDIS “I won’t know though, not this not yet.”
Methos nodded "Do it."
END