Disclaimer: I wrote this story a while back. It takes place after To Be. Yes, I know I don't own the Highlander characters, yadda, yadda. It's rated PG. It's a love story featuring Duncan MacLeod and my character Caitlin Taylor. There's some mild swearing and tastefully done loves scenes. Nothing you wouldn't have seen or heard in an episode on the telly. It hasn't been beta read and punctuation and such are not my strong point. So, whatever mistakes were made are solely mine. I would like to thank, Elaine Nicol for correcting my attempt at a Scottish accent. It was greatly appreciated. E-mail comments are welcome. Illusions By Barbara Lavelle Chapter One Caitlin Taylor looked solemnly out of the office windowfrom the twentieth floor of the Regency building. She had a panoramic view of the entire skyline and shimmering crescent shaped harbor. The pristine blue sky was dotted here and there with wisps of filmy white clouds, and the sun shone brightly. It probably was a beautiful summer day in Seacouver for most people, but not for her. The past six months had been the most devastating time in her thirty-two years of life. Not only had her ten-year marriage to a local prominent corporate attorney ended divorce, but just as she was to putting her life back together again, she was dealt the hardest blow. The sudden death of her father. Famous architect Jonathan Dewitt Taylor from a fatal heart attack less than two weeks ago. What still hurt and haunted her the most was the fact that she never had a chance to say good-bye. Just being in this building, brought back painful memories. The Regency was located in the Galaxy North Office Complex. Its surrounding shops and businesses, were designed and completed by her father's company just over a year ago. She remembered how excited he had been when he first showed her the plans and asked her to contribute some of her own design ideas to the project. It was the first high profile project they had worked on together. The complex had become the centerpiece for the entire economic renewal of this area after years of neglect. Andrew Scott, her father's attorney and long time friend, observed the young woman from behind his desk across the room. Standing slightly slumped with her arms folded across her waist, she appeared smaller than her tall and slender five-foot, nine inches. Shoulder length, natural honey blonde hair brushed against the collar of her stylish sage colored linen blazer, as she arched her neck back, closed her eyes and slowly moved her head from side to side to relieve the tension in her neck and shoulders. "Do you have anymore questions about your father's will, Caitlin?", he asked quietly, his blue eyes full of empathy for her loss. He too, was going to miss Jon Taylor. He was more than a client, and weekly tennis partner, he had been his oldest and dearest friend. Lost in thought, it took a moment before Caitlin realized Andrew had spoken. Turning from the window, she gazed at the distinguished looking gray-haired man she had always considered more of an uncle, than her father's attorney and friend. "What? I'm sorry Andy, did you say something?" "I asked if you had anymore questions concerning Jon's will?" Giving a negative shake of her head, Caitlin walked over to take a seat in one of the two charcoal gray leather chairs that faced his desk. "No, not really, it's pretty much what I expected." Then, frowning slightly, she asked. "Now that you mention it though, there are a couple of things that seem odd. Why dad never told me about owning a cabin in the hills up towards Mount Clammier. He never was much for the "great" outdoors. And, why he stipulated holding the deed and other papers for a month before giving them to me. Did you know about the cabin before?" "No." He had been just as surprised as Caitlin. "When he mentioned the cabin and the surrounding property he wanted to leave you in his will, it was the first time I was aware of it. As it was, he only told me he owned the property, and wished you to have it. That's when he left the packet of papers concerning the cabin's location and so forth. Adding the request to hold the papers for a month. Perhaps, he just wanted a quiet, secluded place away from the city and the pressures of business. I didn't see any reason not to tell you about the cabin now, since it's yours anyway. You know your father and I had been friends ever since we were roommates in college but, there were times when Jon could be very secretive. I don't think anyone really knew him completely, not even your mother." Caitlin sat quietly for a few moments thinking, before nodding her head in agreement and saying. "You're probably right, dad did like to get away every once and a while by himself. It used to make mother furious." Leaning forward, she picked up the medallion shaped paper weight on the attorney's desk and turned it around in her fingers while thinking about her parents divorce fifteen years earlier. "I remember mom and dad used to argue a lot. Mother always accused him of caring more about his work, and his own pursuits than he did his family." She silently pondered the accusations her mother had hurled at her father for a moment, then dismissed them. "But, it really doesn't matter now, does it. I guess dad did put his work and personal pursuits ahead of his family at times, when they were married. But, he changed over the last few years. He was there for me when it counted, Andy. When my marriage fell apart, he was my rock. Dad was the one who offered me encouragement and to help in anyway he could. Even before mother remarried and moved to California, we had drifted apart. Motherhood never was a role she was comfortable with." Sighing, Caitlin stood up, laid the paper weight back down on the desk and walked over to the window again to gaze out at the city again. Andrew watched her for a moment wishing he could ease her pain, then asked what was on his mind. "What will you do now, Caitlin?" Caitlin shrugged her shoulders and looked down on the street, watching the hustle and bustle of the traffic and people below. It reminded her of an ant farm her father had given her as a child. "I haven't really thought about it much lately." Andrew sat deep in thought for several minutes, while he drummed his fingers on the desk blotter. He knew Caitlin had put her own career and plans for a family on hold, while she helped her former husband Brad Merck build-up his law practice. After struggling for years to make it a success and finally succeeding, Caitlin was devastated when he told her he was leaving her for the twenty something daughter of a wealthy client. Hoping it was just a fling, and unwilling to let go without a fight, she had suggested counseling, or a trial separation. But, Brad insisted the marriage was over and wanted a divorce. Finally, as painful as it was, she accepted the fact that he no longer loved her and agreed to end their mutual unhappiness by consenting to the divorce. She had recently taken her maiden name back to try and distance herself from the pain of the divorce. Seeking to lift her spirits, he said. "Jon was very pleased when you decided to follow in his footsteps by going to college and becoming an architect. The proudest day of his life, was the day you graduated. He often told me, he could see how talented you were just by the few projects you had worked on together. I don't think you realize how much he wanted to bring you into the firm full-time while you were still married to Brad." Caitlin turned from the window and smiled, tears shimmering in her emerald green eyes. "It's funny, dad and I had talked about that on and off over the past few months." She swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat and exhaled. "Just yesterday, Harve Bennet called and mentioned he really wasn't comfortable handling the full responsibilities of the business. His title as vice-president was more dad's idea than his. He always was more comfortable working behind the scenes doing the designing. I know he's more than willing to be relieved of the responsibility, and show me the ropes until I feel confident enough to run things on my own. But, right now, I'd just like to get away for a while. The news media have been driving me crazy. Calling me day and night for interviews. Wanting more background information about dad's life and his different projects over the years. Not to mention dredging up my parents divorce and the sordid facts that lead to the failure of my own marriage." Contemplating the pattern in the deep burgundy carpeted floor for a few seconds, Andrew started to stand when his hand brushed against the large manilla envelope laying on his desk. Smiling, he picked it up and walked over to Caitlin. Gently taking her hands and turning them palms up, he laid the envelope across them. Gripping her shoulders lightly, he looked into her puzzled eyes and said. "Caitlin dear, it seems your father is still looking after you. Here's your getaway, the cabin near Mount Claymore. I don't think Jon would mind under the circumstances, if I gave you the papers now, instead of waiting."