Re: The Other Kind of Roommate

[Tartra]

Good. This was good. So - maybe Xander wasn't in a coma after all. That was much, much better than anything he could've asked for. 'Raring to go', though? He tried not to let her in on his skepticism, but it wasn't like he had a lot of practise at it. And - hey, speaking of that!

It wasn't slow motion, he insisted. And it was only for a second anyway. I wasn't... you know... The thought bubbled up again. Argh - no! Stop it! I mean... I'm not thinking about that. Anymore.

He completely was, now more than ever just because he knew it was off-limits. And she had to say 'nurse', too.

His toe hadn't been too much of a problem so far. It was painful and he'd been hiding a limp made much worse by the tango with 'Mike' or whoever, but he'd gotten along by putting his weight on the sides of his foot. That wasn't how Xander ran. He and his dead sprint downstairs to Gwen had demolished any hope of it just being or staying a bad sprain. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it and Gwen, definitely, had gotten the long end of that stick, but if there was anything to be grateful for about being stuck like... this, it was him not having to be the one to put up with the fresh pain. No matter how tough the guy was or how little it'd ultimately bother him, Xander was going to be pissed when he woke up and realized he had walk around on that foot. Then again, he'd been happy to spend an afternoon chasing down Agents on rooftops last year, and Alex'd had a fracture down his entire leg. Maybe Xander wouldn't notice.

We should fix it, Alex decided. It could get worse. But I don't think a hospital'd be the best place to go.

The Frenchman would've ruled it out. He knew Alex well enough to know his injuries would never drag him into such a public place so soon. That didn't necessarily hold for whoever else was on his army, though. If there was anyone else left, he meant, but they couldn't risk it yet.

If you think you can manage it, I'll let you look, Alex said. I think there's gauze - maybe - in the bag I brought. There's a towel in there too, by the way, in case your - uh... your nose starts up. He thought about it, what he'd seen before Xander had stepped in. How are you? Hurt? Any pains anywhere I should know about? If you need a hospital, we can go. I don't think Xander'll be able to get up for it - and I'll... be stuck here until I can get control - but we'll take the risk of running into them if it means making sure you're okay.

He hadn't been able to stand the first time he'd faced an Agent, back before he'd gotten a 'friend' injected into his brain. They'd kicked his ass like they'd wanted him dead, so to see her still walking, even wanting to help, was something he could barely wrap his head around. He was proud of her, and maybe a tiny bit jealous, but guilty too. That feeling started sinking in. He tried defending his choice to go upstairs and get his things, but his argument about leaving it behind and getting trapped in a disadvantage, seemed hollow now. They'd hit the worst case scenario and Alex had been the one to take them there. Whatever happened because of it would be his fault.

He'd fix it. He'd find a way. Get Xander up, get back in control, find a way to get rid of those damn Agents...

* * *

Jean wanted to protest. He wanted to get involved. Benoit, however, gave no sign he required assistance, and that was nearly as strong an answer as taking the woman into a different room and locking him and the brat out. As a result, Jean kept his mouth shut, even if he left his ears finely tuned for whatever his lead called for throughout his answer to the others.

"Alexander can overload a person's mind. The exact science behind it is something I have no interest in; so long as it remains stable, I am satisfied simply knowing it exists." Benoit's cigarette was running low. Jean had another one out for him. "The attacks are controlled through his willpower. Should he wish to kill a man, he will do so, and the person will drop, dead, immediately, unless the want to cause pain is a part of his plan as well. In that case, the effect is drawn out, and his victim lives only long enough to feel his mind fry in its skull. In contrast to this violence, he may choose to stun an opponent. He prefers to spark the feeling of a taser to the front of one's brain, and although I know he can, as far as I have experienced, he will not attack any lighter than that. What this translates to is his most frequent level of intensity is akin - or, I should say, is exactly - a seizure."

"It is the easiest way to track our target," Jean said, filling in the gaps Benoit had left for him. "'Frying the mind' is not a literal term. The deaths are indistinguishable from normal causes. The only way to be sure it is his work is to examine the victim's history. No record of such onsets or any traits that would suggest its likelihood in that poor fool means he has struck again."

"Though it may come as a late warning, the attacks are made through eye contact." The scowl on that child's face was well beyond entertaining. Benoit would have laughed had he been looking. "'Temporary'? No. Low dosage is what you must call it, and be grateful it was not at full strength. From what I have been reading as the reports came in, he ran into your team this morning. You met him while he was worn down. They weren't so lucky."

"And we're supposed to block this by closing our eyes? Why isn't that common knowledge?"

Jean was very polite as he replied in place of his lead.

"We cannot afford to have him grow used to opening our colleague's eyes. He has enough practise as it is. One less talent to hone will end well for us all."

"As per your second request," Benoit went on, "I suppose I could shed some light on the matter." He nodded. "Very well. Alexander. The guest, I should clarify, not the host. He is the thief we are here to judge, owing to his theft of the host the Agency intended to embrace."

"He is a failed experiment," Jean said. "That should be common enough."

The boy frowned. He frowned back.

"Alexander-the-guest was one of the lead Agents on the case, back when we knew too little of this strain of gifted persons to allow only one in charge to handle it. He was also a candidate for transfer, and was accepted as such and given the same rules anyone intent to do the same would find familiar: he would become the blessed host and, for the rest of his life, serve as an eternal employee of the Agency, dedicated to ensuring others like Alexander did not run wild with their strengths and kill millions. A noble cause to be sure, and one Alexander-the-guest accepted." He paused. He puffed. He went back to talking. "Until the transfer didn't work." Benoit liked explaining that. "For some reason, he wasn't able to take full control of the host, likely because the technology used was too new and barbaric. We solved the problem not long afterwards, but we realized the only way to ensure the original Alexander, the one we needed to contain for the greater good, was no longer able to terrorize the populace, was to remove all consciouses and start again. Alexander-the-guest knew this. When he woke up from his delightful nap, he ran, stealing the Agency's property and establishing our division as the hand that takes what was lost back." He paused again, this time having reached all he cared to offer. "Was that enough?"

"What about the two-month thing?" The other Agent seemed incapable of shutting up. "I read your reports, or at least bits you put up. You've had a whole line of Agents dying exactly two months after any skirmishes with your target."

"I know nothing of that," Benoit said. "If you feel it is more than coincidence, perhaps you should investigate."

"If you can manage without your toy," Jean muttered.

"Can you manage without your face? 'Cause that's what's coming next," the boy hissed.

Stupid child. The whole of his head could fit in Jean's hand and crush as quickly. Jean had no complaints in proving it.

"I look forward to the show," he said.

And again, the boy scowled.

[Guest]

The empty expression on her face did not shift or change as he spoke and she took the information in. It was always interesting to hear about the abilities of different cases when they offered that information at all. Two cases that she'd worked on before being assigned to Gwen had been with a boy who could teleport and a young woman who could control fire. So, Alexander "fried people's minds"? It was intriguing to say the least but her interest only went far enough to realize that protective eyewear would be absolutely necessary if they were going to encounter him again.

At the mention of the rest of her team, she realized immediately to whom he was referring. All of them had been working undercover and were her main source of information on Gwen, and they'd been ordered to await Jason's command to move in and assist him in bringing the target in. When he'd been disabled the night before, they must have known something was wrong and taken action. She already knew most of them were dead now and that Alexander was the cause.

Listening to the story he told, it illuminated things even further for her about the nature of the man Gwen was keeping company with. The split mind thing she kind of already knew about from reading Gwen's story and talking with Jason, but Benoit's history lesson offered her more background on how it had happened and the degree of what they were dealing with. Jason's input was also interesting and she looked at him for a second to hear the slight worried tone in his voice - he hid it well, but she caught it anyway and she wondered if she'd need to kill him if he screwed up again. The torture of waiting for something inevitable to happen and watching the ticking clock might be better punishment. Ignoring the juvenile squabbling between the two men, she looked Benoit over with new eyes.

Again, she had fully expected to meet resistance to her inquiries, as he'd reacted towards them before, but he was being surprisingly cooperative. He still might not be sincere about this whole teamwork thing, but he was making a good show of it at least. Her dull green eyes traveled over his features, searching for those telltale weaknesses that would confirm her suspicions. His long angular face was lightly aged and he had a large nose, but it fit his face well as did his ears, which were a bit big on each side of his head. The cigarette he held dipped between his full and smoothly curved lips that always held a haughty smirk under the surface and now blew out a thin cloud of cancer with a small pucker of the plush flesh. The eyes were the most telling feature of the face and his were no different, small but expressive, topped by slender eyebrows that curved and moved with sophisticated emotion. But the expression he held was not telling her anything, that he was lying or genuine, so she took the ambiguity of his features for what it was and did not let her guard down. Even so, having finished her inspection in the span of 2-3 seconds, she decided he was a man she could possibly grow to like if they ended up benefiting from this together. Maybe.

"Thank you, Benoit" she said with a hinted nod of her head. "This information will help us be more prepared when we encounter them again. I do not have any other questions about him at this time other than about the necessary equipment, of course. But other than that, I think we're brought up to speed. As for Gwen, there's not much to tell about her. She can hear and sense everything you think and feel as if they were her own thoughts and emotions. She may eventually be able to manipulate people's thoughts and even their memories, but as of right now, I do not think it's something we'll need to worry about. Everything is still pretty new and from my encounter with her, it is clear that she has very little control over the flow."

She paused then, her eyes growing a bit distant as she thought back over their fight and felt an electric thrill course through her internal layers. It had been such a rush to perform for her target, to see her in the flesh and talk with her face to face. Many nights she'd stayed up late imagining what it would be like to meet her and the reality had been everything she'd dreamed of and more. She was so innocent, so raw and unpolished. Stephanie's blocking ability should have been an even match for Gwen with her abilities at full power, but as it was, she'd been shoved around like a rag-doll and manipulated by the Agent. Still, there were several times she'd broken through Stephanie's defenses and it filled her with a sense of pride and euphoria to see the young woman get the upper hand occasionally. If Alexander had not interfered, she would have had her and it would not have felt that it had been too easy. That in itself was satisfying, but she could not wait for the rematch. Next time, Gwen would not be so lucky.

Her eyes refocused on Benoit and she picked up where she left off in her profile, barely missing a beat. "After many tried methods, the most successful way I've found to counter her abilities is the Emotion Desensitization Training that the Agents on her case go through. It deals with separating the emotions and dividing consciousness by building layers within the mind and putting up internal walls to block her sight." She sighed boredly before asking, "Anything else you'd like to know, or are we done trading information now?" There was a barely detectable energy about her, an eagerness for the Round two she so dearly deserved.

**************

Laughter bubbled up inside of Gwen at the nervous denials Alex put forth, the image of herself, body lightly tanned and stomach exposed to the sun, running across sand, a tiny, tropical floral print triangle of cloth tied over each slowly bouncing breast. She squirmed in her seat beside him as the laughter grew so deep she was gasping silently, when the image turned into a sexy nurse outfit set in the same scene. A lot of her joy came from how flattering his thoughts of her were - even though they were a bit pervy, she didn't mind - but also from how flustered he got when she mentioned she knew about it. Even locked inside as he was, he was the same as he'd been before, and it delighted her to tease him this way.

"Um, Ma'am?" Sal asked a bit nervously, his voice barely coming through the window. "Are you alright?" This whole thing seemed interesting and exciting at first, but as soon as the guy had gone to sleep, things just kept getting weirder. He was starting to doubt the woman was right in the head.

"Yes, I'm fine," Gwen said, still slightly gasping and giggling, but catching her breath. "Just ignore me. I'm okay." Letting out a loud sigh finally regaining her composure, she turned back to Xander as Alex brought up going to a hospital. No, she supposed it wouldn't be a safe time to go to somewhere so public. Reaching out mentally, she touched his foot again and realized it wasn't too bad, but any more running on it would probably not be a good idea. At his mention of the bag, she reached over and set it on the other side of her before lifting up Xander's leg onto her lap. They would have at least an hour before they got far enough away to feel safe, so she thought she might as well check it out now.

When he inquired about her condition, she smiled warmly in his direction, faced with Xander's closed eyes still. Due to her defense classes, Gwen had been able to counter at least some of Stephanie's attacks, but a few blows had hit their mark. Her stomach and sides were littered with bruises and her arms were sore from where the female Agent had been blocked, but she didn't think anything was broken. Touching the top of her head gingerly, she hissed a little as her scalp throbbed with the contact. Her hand came away without any blood, but it felt like the woman had torn a piece of her skull off.

"I'll live," she said with a shrug, starting to maneuver his shoe off the offending foot. "A few scrapes and bruises, but nothing to cry about. The bitch really did a number on my hair follicles though. And there is the slight headache from having my head filled with several hundred people today." She had his shoe off and had removed his sock before the guilt filling him even registered to her, but by that time, she was too distracted by the sight that met her to concern herself with that right now.

"Holy shit!" she said in shock, her eyes wide with concern as she gazed down at the darkly purple and blue toe on his left foot. The toe itself was swollen and crookedly arched and she hissed a little under her breath as she began to search the bag for the gauze he'd spoken of. In her search, she found the picture of his parents and paused to look at it for a moment, a warm feeling filling her to see such a sentimental item in his possession. Tucking it back into the bag, she finally pulled out the roll of loosely woven fabric and set about wrapping his foot as best she could, while Sal continued to watch with nosy interest from his rearview mirror.

[Tartra]

Okay, so that was pretty much the worst sound that could've come out her mouth. What the hell happened? Was it his foot? She said she'd look at it. Was it broken? Badly?

Uh... How is it?

As if he couldn't guess.

So long as it's attached and I can still feel my toes, Xander'll get along, he said. But if I need a doctor...

At least she was okay. He felt better about it, but he wanted to see for himself. In the darkness like this, not knowing if or when he'd get out of here, he'd hit a new level of discomfort. It'd been a long time since he'd had to depend on somebody, and even if she was more trustworthy than anyone he'd come across in a long, long time, he wasn't jumping for joy. With some luck, he'd still be able to actually jump. His foot had been through hell and back half a dozen times before, but with the way everything was going, he had a feeling today could be the day it decided to fuck off on him.

Stupid, pointless powers. Why couldn't he have gotten something like... like soul stealing or whatever? It'd be as dangerous as his overloads but he wouldn't keep having to chase people down to get in their face and use it.

He heard rustling. Gwen must've been looking after him. Great. He tried to take a breath, panicked a bit when he couldn't, but managed to relax despite that. In a few hours - minimum - they'd stop off at some place far away and rest. After that, he'd run for a week.

I hope you don't have another job you need to get back to tomorrow, he said. If you really are coming with us, it might be better if you mail in your two weeks' notice. She was losing everything. Her whole life, after she'd told him she'd grown up here, was slowly going down the drain and they couldn't do anything to stop it. He had to be positive. After all, they'd been hunting for her anyway. Maybe she'd be thrown into a world of life on the run for forever, but it was better than having someone dig their way into her head. At least you don't have to pay. We can't risk you going to the bank, so what you have is what you have. I've got a system set up, though, and Xander won't sleep anywhere that doesn't have at least four stars, so... there's that.

It wasn't a great consolation but it was the best he had. 'It's the thought that counts', he told himself. Hopefully, she'd get the message, and when he could feel enough of his arm to move it, he'd hold onto her. Until then, he'd just have to point to a nicer horizon.

* * *

Jean was not a tiny man. Benoit had selected him largely because of that. His competence was another strong factor, his skill in cornering opponents a glorious bonus, but it had been his great seven feet and loose change in inches that set him apart from his colleagues when the group had been assembled. There had been thirty then. Jean was the first to join this team and the last to remain on it. He held no small pride in that accomplishment, although he lacked surprise to go with it. Who would be surprised? His fingers were enough to crush rocks unaided and his square face, narrow eyes and skin cooked under the heat of the sun sent a silent, damning threat to anyone who dared do them harm. Aside from Alexander, who boasted a speed that was nearly a power in itself, there was nothing that stood a chance against his might.

And the brat refused to care.

He glared at the boy. The boy glared back. It stayed that way until he felt his lead mutely demand attention.

"Give them what they need," Benoit said.

Jean did so. He gave one pair of the mirrored glasses to the woman with a high note of respect, as was expected of anyone advanced enough to reach her level, but the second pair, his old ones, Jean nearly chose to crumple in his fist. His lead was aware of that, and ever easily amused, was trying not to laugh. Regardless, he was given a warning to co-operate. Squabbling, no matter how entertaining Benoit would find it, was not something he tolerated in the presence of other senior employees. Past a point.

"These have served us since we obtained our lenses," Jean explained. "Now that we have them, these are obsolete. I imagine you will find a use for them at any rate."

"I can shove 'em up your ass," the child grunted.

Jean had been the only one to hear it, but the leads had caught on.

"Play nicely, boys," Benoit said. "These are of higher quality than what our Agency provides as standard equipment. Alexander may have considerable practise at removing such effects from his enemy's face, but he knows not to try blasting through it. He learned the lesson the hard way - at the hands of Alexander-the-guest, no less, before they were stuck in their pathetic half-life. Actually, should either of you have the chance, I suggest you look into the story. It's quite funny."

"Not today," Jean said. "Today, we remain on task. The lenses allow us to follow a trail Alexander creates as he moves. Wherever he goes, we will be able to follow."

"Yes. At our leisure." Benoit flicked his cigarette to the ground. "I believe our lunch was earned. Come, Miss Agent, and her faithful companion. We should celebrate this union, and you will feel better after you eat."

Benoit would not be deciding where that was. If Jean let him, the man would choke down a plate of sugar and swear it was a vegetable 'because it came from a tree'. For someone so well trained in the art of combat and culture, who hailed from the heart of the land of French - the other and more Canadian one - and had grown up around the richest tapestry of cuisine, it was as if he had no tongue at all. Jean, instead, and as usual, would decide where they ate, and he refused to eat anywhere less than a mile from this dump. Had Alexander no pride in where he lived?

It would be good to have the boy walk anyway. He looked ill. If Jean's day were truly blessed, the effort and stress would kill him. It would be easier on everyone, he felt, as his patience was wearing thin and he would rather not have to explain to either lead why dear Jason's neck had collapsed as though iron had wrapped around it. Benoit, for one, would hate the paperwork.

[Guest]

Well, things were going well. He might be sincere about this afterall, but really only time would tell. Her facial expression stayed frozen as she accepted the eyewear Benoit's Agent gave her and she opened them to look them over with almost perceptible interest. She only looked up again when Benoit began explaining how they worked against his target, her eyes meeting his again with a dull stare. The continued animosity shared between the larger man and Jason was purposefully ignored by her but it did not go unnoticed and she was starting to lose patience with her colleague.

His offering for her to do research on whatever screw-up Alexander did to test out the specialized equipment against himself did not interest her in the least. "I do not find things funny," she said in a monotone voice that left no doubt that what she said was true. She folded up the sunglasses and tucked them away inside her golden yellow suit jacket, revealing a modest and plain white, silk shirt underneath it. At his suggestion for getting lunch before pursuing the pair, irritation filled her but did not show. Now she was beginning to understand why Alexander had slipped from his grasp so many times all these years. She did admit she was hungry, the afternoon growing long and her energy bar having been eaten. But with the way Benoit spoke, she doubted they'd be stopping somewhere quick on the road while chasing after the targets.

The internal clock ticked at her urgently and she could feel Gwen getting further and further away with every passing second. Not that she doubted the other Agent's word on how the lenses worked, she was just incredibly impatient. Upon realizing this, she stopped and took in a deep breath letting it out slowly through her nose. This eagerness had been what had let Gwen get away in the first place. She needed to calm down and take a lesson from the more experienced Agent. Of course, the man did not like losing his target over and over again. He would have learned by now the most efficient way to pursue Alexander and would not willfully attempt to sabotage himself, because if he was anything like her, he was a perfectionist and obsessed with his case and he would seek to improve himself at every opportunity.

Going slower like this and taking the time to plan was no doubt a better solution than rashly barreling ahead and coming up with a plan on the spot. She needed to be patient. After seeing Gwen and being able to touch her, it was difficult to accept that answer. She'd been right within reach and if they moved now she would be within Stephanie's grasp again. Her training kicked in to stifle the urge to leave Benoit and his Agent and pursue Gwen by herself, but still it rumbled deep within her in a cloud of malcontent. "That sounds wonderful," she finally responded with as much excitement as the average person would have about the prospect of watching paint dry to pass the time. Glancing at Jason for probably only the third or fourth time since this conversation began, she noticed the pallor of his cheeks and the weary look on his face. Stephanie assumed it had something to do with the goggles he'd lost - if what Benoit said about the suit was true - but she felt little to no sympathy. He was her partner on this case but her feelings were divided about his performance and she still felt the urge to blame him for nearly everything that had happened so far.

************

"Welllll..." Gwen said with a sigh as she started to straighten the toe out and tape it with the small roll of medical tape that came with the gauze. "There's no bones protruding from the skin or anything. And I can probably set it with something when we get to the hotel - this tape and gauze wrapping isn't gonna do the trick. But if I do that, I'm not sure if your shoe will fit again afterward. And it looks really ugly too." She shook her head with a small breathy laugh at that, and tapped the top of his foot lightly after she'd finished taping it up, satisfied with the result. As a temporary solution, it would do.

Her hands unrolling the gauze around his foot slowed and stopped when he mentioned her old job and sending in her two weeks notice. For the past few months, she'd been living off of her savings compiled from the money she'd made with the success of her book series. Since she hardly went anywhere and ate cheaply made home cooked meals, the modest mass of money had barely chipped away. She hadn't really thought too much about money yet, not having the time to worry about it and being constantly distracted, but it was a shame that she wouldn't be able to access the amount she still had saved up.

With a sigh of resignation, she finished taping up Xander's foot, the gauze wrapped tightly around his toes and the arch of his foot and held in place with tape, turning to him with a snort at the man's hotel preference. "Oh, please," she said in an amused tone. "What a spoiled brat. He's on the run from people who want to kill him and he stops to demand luxury?" She paused and thought for a moment, gently setting his foot back down on the floor of the cab. "Well...there is the Starbucks fixation." She should have expected it.

After about an hour and thirty minutes of driving, Gwen was starting to get tired of sitting in the only position offered her in the small seat in the back of the taxi. Looking at the meter she saw that they'd traveled over 60 miles and she thought that should be good enough distance for now, especially since they were entering a city. Opening the small window between the seats she said to the driver, "I think I'd like to stop soon." His thoughts had flittered through her mind during the drive and she knew that the place they were at now was a city called Vestal. From the look of things outside the windows, it was a pretty big city with lots of large businesses and shops and a sprawling residential area. "Could you find us a nice hotel to stay in?"

"Sure thing, Ma'am," Sal said with a nod. Internally, he had a sketchy map of the city in his head since he'd been here before a few times and knew the basic layout of where everything was. Gwen was pleased by the way the details of his mental map grew clearer as they drove down the streets, even before they reached the next ones in the direction he was taking them. She leaned over Xander's sleeping form to peer out the window as the taxi came to a stop in front of a tall and grandly built hotel. A gold and royal blue engraved stone slab sat out front in a flower bed, proclaiming in flowing letters that this was the Vestal Suites.

"Sal, I'm gonna need your help," she said, looking at the shining glass doors of the hotel. When she felt him grow expectant and confused - and a bit trepidatious; What did the psycho lady want now? - she continued on in a reassuring tone. "I need you to help me carry him inside. I'll pay you extra!" The last was added when she felt him start to decline and the effect was instant.

"Well...what's wrong with him?" he asked, turning his large girth in his seat to look over at the sleeping man. "Does he need like... a hospital or something? I saw you patchin' up his leg..."

"No, he's fine," she said nodding her head. "He got drunk and sprained his foot by acting retarded. He just needs to sleep it off." Still, Sal hesitated, turning over her excuse in his head. It didn't feel right; when he picked them up the guy hadn't seemed drunk... "Please, Sal," she begged. "I can't do it without you."

There were a few moments more that he continued to flip-flop on the decision, but finally he agreed. "Yeah, alright," and he started to open his door before her voice stopped him.

"No, not yet," she said, putting the money Xander had given her into her purse and adjusting the strap on her shoulder. "I need to get a room first." Taking a hair tie out of her bag, she tied her hair back into a neat bun and started to adjust and straighten her clothes. She was about to turn to Alex and ask for his opinion - she didn't want to look like she'd just been in a catfight or running for her life when she went into this wealthy place - but she remembered that Xander's eyes were closed. So, instead, she turned to Sal.

"How do I look?" she asked and waited for him to turn around again to look her over. His eyes instantly went to her cleavage and stayed there for the longest time, but eventually his gaze wandered over the rest of her and what he could see through the plastic barrier.

"Hot," he said with a small approving nod. Rolling her eyes, she began to button up her shirt. "No, don't. Leave it. You look fine." She could tell from the waves coming off of him that his response was genuine and that despite her distracting bust, he thought she looked like a lady. She looks like she belongs in a place like this, he thought. A smile and a blush appeared on her face and for a moment she wanted to kiss him on the cheek, even though he was once again busy admiring her bosom.

Turning to Xander's sleeping form lounging in the right hand corner of the cab, she said softly into his ear, hoping to not be heard by the driver but by Alex alone, "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

Leaving the cab through the door on her side, she walked up onto the sidewalk before stopping to look back. Through the cab window she could see Xander leaning against the door, totally lost to the world and defenseless. It did not sit well with her leaving him like this, but she really didn't have a choice. I'll only be gone a few minutes, she thought to herself before turning and entering the large swinging doors.

Getting a room was pretty easy once she was inside, although she did struggle a bit to separate the things people thought and what was actually said with how many people occupied the lobby, but she managed it. The only problem she faced was getting two rooms or at least a room with two beds. Before she'd put the money away in her purse, she'd counted it out and subtracted how much she'd have to pay Salvatore and set it aside. The rest was enough to pay for one room with a king sized bed, but there wasn't enough left over after that to pay for the extra bed. So, she took what she could get and briskly walked out with the pair of room keycards.

Her breath came out in a relieved rush when she exited the doors and still saw Xander in the backseat, unmoved and unchanged. Sal stood outside the car, leaning with an arm over the roof on the driver's side and was smoking a cigarette. As he thought to wonder What room? as he saw her approach, she said, "We're over on that side," and pointed in the direction he'd have to drive them before getting back in on her side of the car. She did not duck her head inside without casting a wary glance around at the darkening lot first. The front entry way and paved roadway around the sides of the hotel were surrounded by luxurious lamps that illuminated most of the spaces where anyone would be hiding, and helped her see clearly that no one was approaching them. Reaching out mentally, she felt the vibrations of people passing by on the street beside the hotel, but the emptiness that signaled Agents nearby, was not there.

Tossing the smoke away to land with a few small sparks on the pavement, Sal got back into the car and drove around the building to the right wing entrance. Driving in this direction took them to the parking garage underneath the building and after they parked, they both got out, Gwen carrying her purse and Alex's bag and Sal carrying Xander tossed over his shoulder. She checked the area as they headed to the elevators, but the place was empty right now, eerily quiet, the cars of other guests watching them pass with silent menace. And then she checked on Sal to make sure he was doing alright with his burden. Despite his initial reluctance, his wide frame did not have too much trouble toting the passed out man like a sack of potatoes, but he was feeling even more cautious than she was. He really didn't know what was going on and he still wasn't sure if he believed her story about Xander being drunk, and he really didn't want to get in trouble. She felt a small burst of sympathy for him, realizing that her behavior did seem rather odd this whole time, but she eased the guilt knowing that his involvement would be over soon.

The elevators took them up to the fourth floor and she led him down a lushly decorated hallway to the room she'd ordered. The little light on the lock blinked green and beeped in approval as she pushed in the keycard and the double doors opened up into a small entryway. Her eyes widened almost as big as Sal's did as she went through the rooms looking for the bedroom, turning on the lights as she went, Sal trailing behind with an unconscious Xander. "Whoa..." was his only comment as his eyes traveled over the furnishings of first the living room and then the bedroom feeling slightly out of place in this overly comfortable hotel room.

Gwen indicated the bed and set her things down in a chair in the corner. "Just lay him on the bed," she said, rubbing her forehead lightly, feeling exhaustion start to set into her bones and limbs. Sal obediently set Xander down with his head on the pillow on the right side of the bed and stood back with a sigh, his eyes once again wandering over the room. Stepping forward, Gwen reached for his hand, startling him a little bit before he felt the familiar touch of money placed within his palm. It was the full amount and a little extra, just like she'd promised.

"Thanks," he said with a nod. "I almost wish I had enough to stay in this place with you guys." He laughed a little and she smiled.

"Yeah, it is pretty ritzy," she cast a glance around at the space herself, noticing down a little hallway there were two doors opening into darkness but from the looks of it, both bathrooms. "Thank you for your help. I would have never gotten him up here by myself and I would have hated to try and explain his condition to the hotel employees."

"Hey, no problem," he said with a relaxed shrug. "You coulda just told 'em he's drunk and that he banged his toe up from being retarded. I'm sure they woulda bought it." She laughed and for a moment he relaxed, thinking that maybe she wasn't crazy afterall. And he took a moment to admire her cleavage one last time. "Well, I'll see myself out. You take care and good luck with...whatever." She nodded gratefully and watched him go, waiting to hear the door close and going to see that it was before she turned back to the sleeping man.

"We're here, finally," she said, with a sigh, speaking loud enough for Alex to hear her.

[Tartra]

He'd been paying attention throughout the ride. Like this, he couldn't sleep, so he'd had nothing better to do. He was well aware of who was picking him up and where they were taking him, even if he couldn't feel it and had to piece things together through the slight glimpses of light that floated in whenever the cab driver bounced him. They were definitely in a hotel. He could tell from the sounds around him that they'd gone into an elevator, and thanks to the complementary chime for the blind whenever they passed a floor, he could make out that they were on the fourth. ... Then this probably wasn't the penthouse. Xander would try to make them move.

He knew he had no reason to be worried. He just... always was. He couldn't help it. So he didn't see any reason to blame himself for wondering if the cab driver - no, there no one safe from his suspicion - was an Agent, too. Gwen could hear what people thought and Xander knew that group inside and out, more first-handedly than he would've liked, but one of them had no idea who the Agents were before this morning and the other had been in the middle of collapsing. If he could've just checked the man out for himself, he'd've felt better.

I hope he didn't slam my foot into anything, Alex said. From the sounds of it, it's bad enough already.

He felt something. Someone. Xander! Was he waking up?

"... Why'm I sleeping on hay?"

Can you open my eyes? I need to see, Alex said.

Xander didn't. He was quiet for minutes longer. He would've said the guy had gone back to sleep, but he heard fumbling.

"... better pillow than this..."

That settled it. There weren't going to be any short bursts of control and short rests anymore. Until this got fixed, they'd have to wait hours for Xander to rest up. But maybe that meant he'd be out for longer. When they'd first been put together, he used to be able to steal his body for weeks at a time. Hell, once, Xander took over for all of April. There had to be a reason Alex wasn't seeing for why he'd suddenly lost that strength, but it sure as hell wasn't for lack of trying. Fine. He took back what he said about not caring. He did care, but he wasn't going to forget the revelation about who he was really living with.

As long as you're going to be in charge of me, wake up and look around, he said, feeling bitter. I need to see what's going on.

"... Dude..." He sounded weak. "... Shut up..."

I'd show a little respect, Alex said. Aren't I the one who gets to kick your ass now?

"Oh God, it hurts to laugh. Stop talking, please. We know you suck." At last, his eyes were open. Alex could see Xander squinting against the light, like he really had been in a coma and was waking up after months of darkness. "So. Haven't been here before."

How's the foot? Can I check the foot?

"Foot's fine. It's the bed I've gotta worry about." He hadn't even glanced at the toe. His eyes closed again. Xander was shaking his head, trying to snap back to attention. "There better be a fucking Starbucks ten seconds away from here. And none of that 'oh, it's a little farther but it's just as good' bullshit."

I'd ask if you'd try making an exception considering we're running for our lives again -

"Nothing new. I want my coffee. Where's room service? Let's get food." He lazily scratched his neck, then gave Gwen a drowsy grin. "You carry me up here or something? You're stronger than you look. Maybe I will have to take you on as a bodyguard."

[Guest]

Hearing Alex's comment about his foot, she started to answer him but then felt the burst of excitement coming off of him in waves accompanied by Xander's own emotions filling her head. So, even before he started to mumble aloud, she knew he was waking up and she neared the bed on the unoccupied side climbing to sit on the edge. Gwen felt an amused sympathy for Alex and the worried and annoyed tone of his internal voice at not being able to see and she wondered what it was like to not have control over his own body anymore. She would have probably gone crazy after the first half hour if she were in his shoes.

At first, the drained tone with which Xander spoke made her feel worried, but she relaxed considerably when she heard that familiar snide humor again. When his eyes opened, squinting against the light, her face brightened with relief. Well, it looked like he was back, at least for now. She couldn't help worrying about if this would happen again. From what she gleaned of Alex's thoughts, he was worried about it as well and Xander's energy depletion seemed to be progressively getting worse.

When he mentioned his foot, she remembered her temporary bandaging job and also her plans for further mending it. No doubt a place like this had an infirmary in the main building somewhere with supplies or maybe a first aid kit in the rooms. If not, she'd have to call down to the front desk and see if they could spare something to help her straighten the toe out and keep it immobile. It would impede their escape if they needed to do any running, but she did not want to let it stay in it's current state.

And of course, Mr. Addict was concerned and feeling ornery about his precious coffee. She rolled her eyes and smiled down at him as he finally turned his attention to her with a flattering comment. "Actually, the cab driver helped me tote you up here," she said with a shrug. "He was a little freaked out about it but didn't make too much of a fuss with the extra $10 I gave him."

Her eyes grew distant for a moment as she looked over the mental map that Sal had drawn for himself, surprisingly still in her memory and she made note of where the nearest coffee shop was. Her smile grew as she saw that there was a strip mall with restaurants on the other side of the street in front of the hotel. "There's a Starbucks across the street, but not 10 seconds away, sorry. Hopefully you can hold out for a 5-10 minute walk to get there and are feeling spry enough to avoid traffic."

Glancing at his foot she continued with a tone of determination. "Before we do anything else or call for any room service, I'm going to fix up your foot. No arguments! If I don't straighten the bone out, it'll heal all crooked like that and could cause you problems later on. As much as I'm sure it'd be funny to watch you fall on your ass while we're trying to get away some time in the future, it's not an event I'm excited about acting out. Just think, if it's impossible to walk anywhere afterward, we can get you a wheelchair from the lobby and you can have fun in that." She giggled a little at the thought of him bullying a Starbucks employee from a wheelchair and rolling over people's heels if they complained about waiting in line.

She turned and started to slide off the edge of the bed but stopped and looked back to him. "Oh, and I'm glad you're okay," she said with a smile and a small blush. "We were worried about you on the way here - I mean...well, I was when you didn't wake up while Sal was carrying you. If coffee is what it takes to keep you from passing out, I'll buy a butt-ton for you and keep you loaded."

She was starting to feel a little awkward, sitting here making lame comments and grinning like a fool, so she quickly got up and started to look around the room for any first aid kits they might have tucked away. They had to at least have band-aids in a place like this with everything they offered in the rooms. And maybe some aspirin - she could hear the thoughts of those on their floor if she thought about and concentrated on them, but still, her head pounded with the low murmuring and emotions flying through her, every nerve feeling abused and pulled every which way like taffy. Even as she looked for something to help him, opening the bar under the flat screen TV hanging on the wall, her attention was mostly on Xander, although she tried not to show it.

[Tartra]

"I'm thinking we should do the wheelchair thing even if you fix the foot, which doesn't feel that bad anyway."

Then let me look at it!

"... I'm gonna say 'no', 'cause I wanna check something."

Okay, that was it. He wasn't putting up with this. It was one thing when Xander was out cold and wasn't deliberately trying to keep Alex out. It was something else entirely to be awake and actively refuse to try switching back. This was exactly what it was like the first year, constantly fighting and pulling and tearing at each other for what they both knew was their right to have. And just like before, one of them was very wrong, and that was Xander again because this was still his body and he'd taken it back before and if he had to do it again, he would. Right now. He started concentrating.

He fought harder.

Then harder.

Then stopped. Nothing. ... He was wrong.

In that first year, he'd always been able to feel his arms and legs. The problem was that they wouldn't move. It'd been as if steel had wrapped around them and kept them steady, ready to move only when this obnoxious intruder deigned it necessary. There wasn't that sensation anymore. In his panic, he hadn't really noticed, but reaching out for it now and practically swiping through empty air...

He tried one more time. Maybe he needed more motivation. He'd aim for punching Xander in the face. He doubted the guy would be nervous enough to give up control - if he could - for something like that, but one way or another, he'd know he still had some power.

Alex's fingers curled. His hand balled up into a fist. His elbow bent, his arm lifted, and with one focused push, absolutely nothing happened and he felt like an idiot for trying.

Dammit.

Xander's cue to crack up.

"Once again, I hold the cards," he laughed. "You can't control me, you can't hit me, I can tune you out like you're white noise and, if you try starting something, I'm gonna drink that whole damn bar until you shut up for a night."

That's called 'torture', Alex snapped. They use that on war criminals.

"Two years, snickerdoodle, and I turned out okay. I'm sure you can last a few hours." He really couldn't. The cab ride had been terrifying. "Gwen, if I were you, I'd just hand over the money and let me buy my own coffee. You're cute and everything, but I will wreck your shit if you get the order wrong. I'm not insane about it, but I like it done a certain way."

He smiled. Good to know he was awake enough to flirt.

Look down, look down, keep going - there, perfect -

What happened to my foot?!

"Huh. Looks swollen," Xander said, trying to bend it. "Ahhh, it's fine. I can still run on it."

Don't you even think about - Xander, dammit, sit down! Get off of it!

He didn't listen. Big surprise. He lowered himself onto the good foot, as in the one that wasn't mutilated and purple, then gradually eased his weight onto the other. There was no hiss of pain or sudden change in breath, but Alex could see the top of his cheeks and lips tensing into a faint wince.

"Okay. It's a little worse than I thought. Still workable, just... slow and steady would be nice."

Oh, yeah, definitely. Let's ask the French guy if he wants lunch before he comes to kill us - are you crazy? You did this to me! And for what? A latte?

"Which I didn't even get," Xander said. "Relax. Everything's fine. It's me we're talkin' about, not you."

... Fair enough. But still, Alex wasn't happy about this.

A wheelchair's too much. He could sense the disappointment. We could make do with crutches.

"Uh-huh, sure. So - who's Sal, exactly?"

[Guest]

There was a struggle... Slowly, she abandoned her search through the tiny liquor bottles crowded in the bar and turned to look at Xander with a quirked eyebrow. What was Alex doing? When the image of Xander's fist crushing into his own face flashed in her mind, she realized what the other man was trying to do: he wanted to regain control. For a few moments she watched as she felt him fight inside to feel his body and force his limbs to obey him. She was a little saddened that nothing happened - not that she wanted him to hit Xander, but she sympathized with Alex right now. Gwen knew how the ride here had been like torture for him, stuck in darkness because he could not even force his own eyes to open unable to move an inch through his own will and she thought it unfair that while they'd been in opposite positions, Xander seemed to gain control of the body seemingly whenever he wanted to. She hoped that they would eventually switch back or at the very least, that Alex would eventually reach the point where he got to feel something again. She still needed to test out that kiss...

As Xander started to laugh at Alex's efforts, she shook her head and turned away, returning to her search of the bar. In light of Alex's predicament, it was kind of cruel for Xander to mock him in such a way. Xander may have been through what Alex was in right now, but it was different when it was Alex's body in the first place. Then again, she wasn't sure if it had actually been worse for Xander not being in his own body at all. She thought of maybe saying something to him about it but decided against it. There was a lot she didn't know about their situation and she felt guilty enough as it was sticking her nose in it. Besides, what could she even say? 'Xander, now you be nice and let Alex have his body back! Alex, no hitting!' They weren't children - although their squabbling did occasionally border on the immature - they were grown men. Alex didn't need her to protect him and Xander did not need to be told what to do. Not by her.

"Ugh," she said with a frown as she pulled a small white plastic, rectangular case from a drawer in the bottom of the bar. Sometimes that smile could do wonders to her insides, but other times - like now, when it involved coffee - he could be a real jackass. She opted not to give him the money back because it wouldn't matter anyways; she was not going to leave his side. Although, the thought of walking anywhere right now did make her feel like collapsing to the floor, and her temple throbbed to think of how many caffeine addled freaks there would be in the coffee shop. Any other time it would have been entertaining to hear the guy serving Xander curse him out internally while crying and shaking on the outside, but right now she was worn out.

She had the case open on top of the bar and was looking through the contents when she heard Alex's exclamations and felt the pain in Xander's foot flaring in her own. Spinning around quickly, she gave him an annoyed look to see him standing on the foot, testing it out. "What are you doing?" she asked in an angered voice. "Sit back down right now, Mister, before you make it worse." Bringing the kit over to the bed, she sat at the foot of it and patted the comforter where he'd been sitting before, indicating she wished him to place his rump down. "Right here. Now. And put your foot up."

Waiting for him to comply, Gwen was busy looking through the plastic container for what she needed, finding better, more sturdy bandages than gauze. "Sal?" she said as she pulled out some tape and set it aside. "Oh, he's no one. Just my new boyfriend. He drives a taxi and he thinks I'm hot." Her tone was very aloof and indifferent, but internally, she was having difficulty keeping a straight face. "We...totally made out while you were gone in dreamland." A small giggle escaped her to think of herself kissing the portly, Italian cab driver. "I'm sorry, Xander, honey. I just couldn't wait for you."

She'd finally regained some of her composure, but continued to smile with a blush, small giggles erupting from her throat occasionally. None of that made any sense, and with what they'd been through today, Xander was probably asking out of wariness, so her foolish answer was immature. But she couldn't help it. She'd been able to tease Alex about how he was fond of her, and she wondered if she could do the same to Xander. He hardly never seemed unsettled - barring getting angry and obsessive about coffee.

[Tartra]

Sit. Down.

Xander didn't do it until Gwen told him to, and even then he almost kept standing. He dropped on the bed and bounced a bit, too unconcerned by the battered piece of meat attached to his ankle to bother 'wasting his energy' dragging over a chair. He needed to stretch it out. Could he really not feel it? Alex could, and he had to do it through his imagination.

"You switched from me to a guy who drives a taxi? You know I can fly a helicopter, right? And a jet."

No you can't, Alex said.

"Like I couldn't use a gun?"

You know what? You wanna just write down everything you can and can't do? I get that you enjoy surprising us with some amazing new skill you've never mentioned before - ever - but it'd be nice to know what we had available to us before we slapped a half-assed plan together in a desperate attempt to get away.

"About that," Xander said. "Where are we?"

Some hotel.

"This is the best they have...?"

Suck it up, your majesty, Alex muttered. We've got more important things to deal with.

Xander nodded, very blatantly considering a different set of priorities.

"What's the status on that Starbucks? Can we go? Now?" And before Alex had the chance to snap at him for that, he added quickly, "Unless you two are gonna fight the Agents alone."

No Starbucks. This is serious, Alex said. If you want coffee, we can get you some, but we can't risk you passing out if we head outside. There's probably something in here. Maybe it won't kill you in three sips, but it should wake you up.

For once, Xander had to see the sense in what -

"Yeah, I'm gonna go to Starbucks," he replied, immediately back on his feet. "I have to make sure I can walk around anyway. What're you doing with that?" He was referring to the container Gwen was digging through. "Relax. Don't waste your time. I'm fine. I'd jump on it and show you, but I figure this one'll start crying."

Gwen, if you have to drug him to fix the foot, do it.

If she wanted to drug him for the hell of it anyway, he'd be fine with that as well.

"... So... Seriously? Cab driver?" Alex almost laughed at him. "'Cause I can drive a train, too. I mean - it's not hard. You push a button and let the thing go off on its own, but still. Train. Better than taxi."

He could find someone to sleep with in the middle of the desert, but he couldn't pick up on a joke? Some training. Then again, Agents were notorious for being emotionless robots. Alex gave himself a pat on the back. In his head. His real back was... well... unaccessible.

[Guest]

The smirk did not leave her face when he bragged - was Xander being defensive? - about all the larger things he was able to operate and she said, "Oooohh, impressive. You gonna fly me somewhere, or will we have to tote you around like a piece of luggage for our next get away?"

Listening to their conversation, she found it interesting the new dynamic that was being established between Alex and his "roommate". Before, Alex had argued with him tirelessly about just about everything, but a lot of times, he relinquished control to Xander over decisions, seemingly depending on the other man for a lot of things. Now that he'd fully established that he could not control the body at all - the body that was rightfully his - he seemed to switch over to nagging a lot more, demanding Xander do things and trying to reassert control through his internal voice and reasoning alone. And of course, it had little to no effect on the other man. He was not going to budge.

Gwen had just been opening up the medical tape when Xander was eagerly standing again, ignoring the protests of his other half. She looked up at him and was about to voice her own protest when she realized it probably wouldn't do any good. Also, another thing came to mind with Alex's urging for her to drug him in order to get it done. Although she trusted Alex and liked him, when Xander had been "gone" it had scared her. She was starting to depend on him too, and she was not eager to see him rendered helpless again. Alex's other words about him passing out again when they got outside also made her nervous. If coffee would help revitalize him, then she really did want him to be pumped full of it at all times. She needed him to be here with her, to help her through this.

Tossing the things she'd taken out of the kit back into the tiny plastic suitcase, she nodded her head and sighed. "Alright, since I know I'm not gonna win this: let's get you some Starbucks," she said, snapping the case shut. She couldn't help looking down at his foot with a dismayed expression but said, "If you can put your shoe back on, then we'll go. I mean, the worse that could happen is it won't heal properly and arthritis could set in early, but if you can use it then I suppose it'll be alright. The swelling should go down...eventually."

She turned on the bed towards the chairs in the corner where she'd set her things, and crawled with her back to him to reach onto the nearest chair where she'd placed his shoe. Tossing it to him, she got up and got her purse, opening it to make sure everything was still in there and put the strap over her shoulder. "Oh, and the city we're in is called Vestal. I've never heard of it, but the driver seemed familiar with it. From what he knew of the area, I've got a bit of a map, but I'm not sure how accurate it is. He got us here, without turning around and getting lost, though."

At his comment about the train, she smiled big and felt Alex laugh and make a mental "rolling eyes" gesture. "Wow, a train?" she asked as she headed towards the doorway with a swaying walk to stop with a hand on the door frame looking back. "If you think you can handle it, maybe I'll let you drive me. I've got pretty complex controls..." Only after it was said did she realize how corny that sounded. Had she been reduced to flirtatious one-liners? God, shoot me now...

[Tartra]

Xander.

"Huh?"

Close your mouth.

Alex honestly couldn't tell what had the guy drooling: hearing they were finally going to Starbucks or Gwen's pandering to his - Alex's, really - hormones. He thought he'd grown out of that. Obviously not, but at least the foreign name of the city sunk in and distracted him from any overly-lewd answer.

"Vestal? Where's that?

Here.

"Oooh, he's clever tonight," Xander said, sitting on the bed long enough to start cramming his foot back into the shoe. Gwen had to've heard the sharp hiss of pain. It looked like arthritis was going to be the least of his worries... "Easy coming off, not so easy going on. But I guess the important part's that first one."

He was getting tired of this. Alex hadn't signed up to be a third wheel at any point in this day.

Would you stop flirting?

"Flirting?"

Oh, right. This was how he was normally. And Gwen liked this? Really? He wasn't saying he was surprised - just... maybe a little more than relieved Xander couldn't pick up on what he-would-call-but-most-certainly-wasn't-jealousy.

He didn't want to leave this place. He wanted to stay in one spot, off his foot, close to whatever they were calling 'home' for evening so they didn't have to streak through thirty blocks to get back. That plan made the most sense, considering they were being chased by a hundred different people. Gwen, more than anyone, and as a rookie to this 'getting chased' thing, should've been more concerned for her safety. He was glad his powers were putting her at ease and he was happy she'd been able to stand up to that Agent-woman's nightmarish attack, but this wasn't the time to be taking stupid risks. Who the hell knew what was out there? Why was he being painted as the crazy, neurotic one when he was the only guy here keeping track of how much danger they were in? They couldn't trust Xander. Sure, he was an Agent too, but that wasn't what he meant. Unless coffee was a magical cure for whatever had happened to them, they should stay here.

"Okay! Shoe's on. Let's get some Starbucks!"

Alex was waiting for whatever response he had brewing for Gwen. Was it about trains? Was it about trains being euphemisms? That's probably what it was, or what Xander'd been trying to get to. Next thing he'd know, he'd be hearing the guy going on about 'taking a ride on his train' or 'next stop, your tunnel' and oh God, why were those words in his head?

Let's just go, Alex snapped, focusing on anything else. Hurry up, and then straight back here.

"Yes, mommy." He could see Xander smirking like a demon. "And - uh... judging by your face, dear lady, I'm gonna go ahead and say he's thinkin' enough dirty shit for me to not have to."

I'm not!

"Easy there, studmuffin. We'll worry about the wild monkey-sex when I've got a latte in me. Or four." He smiled brightly at Gwen, ecstatic to finally be on his way. "Lead away. Shortest distance possible, please, for more than one reason."

Xander paused suddenly, lost in a happy thought.

Wait for it.

"Hey, doesn't 'vestal' -"

Shut up. Just shut up, right now.

"I'll take that as a yes," Xander said, proud of himself. "After you."

[Guest]

A shiver of pain ran through her own toes as Xander forced his swollen foot back into his shoe and she gave him a level look. Oh, sure, he could pretend all he wanted, but she knew what he was really feeling. He may not say when he was done having fun outside and past his limit, but she'd definitely make that decision for him when her sense of his pain had reached it's zenith.

Blushing a little at his response, her expression did not change, the smile on her lips placed firmly there, especially when she felt Alex burn with jealousy - and then denial. It felt good in a way to cause that reaction in him, because she really did enjoy his company on a more realistic level. Xander was definitely the fun one though. Then the smile faded to a more thoughtful expression as she listened to what else passed through his mind. He was right, it was extremely reckless. But what was she going to do? The man would not accept anything other than Starbucks and if his behavior in Roasters was any indication, when he got anything less he got passionately grumpy. If she by some miracle got him placated enough to settle for whatever the hotel offered, it would probably make him difficult to live with. She also worried that there was something special about Starbucks coffee in particular that might give him an extra boost. What did Alex expect of her?

She received her answer a moment later when Alex's thoughts drifted to possible responses Xander might come up with in answer to her own tired pick-up line. Even as she blushed, her mouth hung open in a shocked yet amused expression, a laugh escaping her when Xander mentioned it. Alex's denial of it only made it funnier to her. He was such a little pervert! However, with Xander's next comments, she realized the term wasn't exclusive to just him. But the blush and smile did not leave her face. Afterall, she'd been the one to start this dirty little game. She just hoped he didn't really expect anything.

Shaking her head at their last comments, she lead the way from the hotel room, looking around at the lush furnishings again on the way out. Sal may have never been in a place as nice as this, but neither had she. It was definitely a treat having the opportunity to stay here, even if it was a little hard to enjoy it with the threat of dying hanging over them.

"Oh! Just a minute!" she said, once they were both in the entryway, turning swiftly and jogging back through the rooms to one of the bathrooms. On the countertop beside the sink, she found a fancy, gold painted tissue box and she grabbed several and tucked them away in her purse. She wasn't planning on getting another nosebleed, but she'd gotten 2 today within hours of each other and it didn't hurt to be careful.

They left the elevator on the first floor, entering another hallway much like the one they'd left, and out the front doors to this wing of the hotel. As soon as they were outside, Gwen immediately tensed. Night had fallen completely while they'd been inside and now the borrowed light from lamps around the property, windows for nearby businesses and light poles on the street provided the only illumination. It might have passed for daylight if not for the ceiling of black overhead and the shadows drenching everything.

Before, Gwen had been helpless when it came to the flow of thoughts that entered her mind, but now, she stretched it out as far as she could, letting every person within the 1 mile radius fill her entire body. Her consciousness inspected each one for possible knowledge of the three of them or the familiar blankness of the Agents who'd been after her. It was different than in their apartment building and she no longer felt completely a part of everyone, ready to be swept out to the sea of moving emotion. She still felt everything as if they were her own thoughts and emotions, but she was set differently than the rest. Instead of them entering her mind, she was entering theirs. Maybe her practice with Alex in the taxi had something to do with it.

The front of the building had a few cars pulling up to it, other potential guests walking up to the front doors to get a room at this nice hotel for the night, but all of them were normal. Still, she watched them for a few moments as they made their way to the front of the property, passing the sign she saw before, now illuminated by two spotlights. The street in front of the hotel was moderately busy but there was a place to cross the street and a stop light right beside. Traffic flowed by like a river before them, her mind reaching out to catch glimpses and whispers of different people and different lives, like photographs and memories blowing by her like leaves on a breeze.

A great bulk of the vehicles turned in the left lane into a large parking lot bordered by shops and restaurants across the way, and Starbucks could be clearly seen among the other stores. Seeing a clothing shop over there, she started to think of tomorrow and what she would be wearing. Turning to Xander, as they waited for an opportunity to cross over, she said, "Could we stop at one of the other stores on the way back? I need to get something to wear for tomorrow." The serious expression she was wearing ever since leaving the hotel vanished a little as she smirked at him. "I mean, I know how much you like this outfit and everything, but it won't be flattering to wear again tomorrow."

[Tartra]

Not five minutes had gone by and already they were thinking of other things to do. He understood why Gwen wanted to go to a store, though. The need for clothes was what prompted him to suggest going to her apartment when he'd gone to his. It'd be one thing after another, he realized sadly. First, they'd get coffee because Xander wouldn't have it any other way. Then the clothes, which would probably lead to them getting hungry. Alex wouldn't bother forbidding anything sit-down, mostly because no how subtly he tried using reverse psychology, the guy would always pick up on it and do the one thing that'd screw up their day. It figured. Better to say nothing and hope the idea didn't sprout up in his head by itself.

It would. It always did.

"Sure. Clothes. If you think you need 'em." Xander's eyes hadn't moved from the Starbucks since he'd seen it. He hadn't even glanced at the traffic yet. Any second now and he'd just walk through the cars in some crazy trance. It'd happened before. Alex wasn't always paranoid for no reason. "I might need some."

I packed clothes. That was part of the reason of going to our room.

"Huh."

Red light. The cars stopped. Mostly. Good enough for Xander, who marched across the road like he had a death wish. He made it, thankfully, and waited patiently - according to him - for Gwen before taking off again.

Slow down, Alex said. I don't want us losing track of each other.

"Yup."

I mean it. It's not Gwen I'm worried about, Alex told him. If you drop on me, I can't get you up. I'm trapped in here, remember?

"So you keep telling me every ten seconds."

He picked up a trace of curiosity.

What?

"I don't know if coffee's gonna do anything," Xander said. His voice was lower. "I'm... okay for now, but I don't know how this'll hit me again."

When's that gonna be?

"Dunno."

Why wouldn't coffee help?

"Because I wasn't tired," he explained. "I mean - I was tired, obviously, but it wasn't a 'wow, keeping this up is a lot of work'. It was - just... exhaustion." Xander bristled a little. "And try to keep that to yourself, if you think you can manage this time."

She reads minds, Xander.

"Not my mind."

... I can't read your mind.

"It might have something to do with that not being your power," he said. "Geez - is this what it's like all the time? Whispering to a voice in your head? No wonder you don't have any friends. You look like a psychopath." He grinned at two fairly pretty young women walking by him on the sidewalk. They smiled back, but when they were past him, Xander snapped back into a serious mode. Gwen was likely still a little behind, but only because he was walking faster than normal. She'd blame it on his need to get coffee, he guessed. "Don't worry about it. You don't need to read my mind. And stop panicking over every little thing I say."

You aren't doing a lot to ease my suspicion, Alex said. Can't take over, can't 'read your thoughts'... How do you know she can't anyway?

"I can block her a little. I'm sure if she forced it - or if I'm sleeping or something - she can pick up some stuff. She's getting readings from my foot, that's for damn sure." He sounded sorry about that. Had his heart grown three sizes today? "But actual thoughts? No. I can keep her out of those."

Can I keep her out of mine?

"No."

What? Why not?

"Because you suck." He managed to restrain himself enough to wait for her again, letting her catch up. They were at the door of Starbucks now. Alex was impressed. He had actually learned to become responsible and considerate of others. That, or he remembered she had all his money. The credit cards were still in the hotel room. "You gettin' anything? You didn't finish yours last time."

Last time, you freaked her out and we got attacked.

Something told him Xander didn't see that as much of an excuse.

[Guest]

Gwen wasn't sure if Xander was trying to be funny with his comment or not, but she half-grinned anyway. He was only paying half-attention to her right now and she didn't blame him. Not really. She still didn't understand the total fixation on Starbucks coffee - possibly the addictive properties of caffeine? - but it was there and she knew that anything else took a backseat to his addiction. As soon as the light turned he was off like a man speed walking in a race and she followed behind as close as she could get. Even with his foot all banged up, he didn't seem to have trouble taking full advantage of his long-width gait. She seemed to be the only one feeling the pulsing pain in his foot and she cast it out of her mind so that she didn't accidentally fall in the midst of traffic.

Once she'd joined him on the other side, he barely waited for her foot to step up on the curb before he was walking off again. Now on the other side of the road, she stretched her senses out again, looking for anybody who didn't fit. Could the Agents follow them this quickly? Did they know where they were yet? She didn't know if they'd somehow be able to track them this fast but being out in the open made her remember the last time she and Alex had gone to a coffee shop. They'd seemed just like ordinary people at first. She didn't want to get caught by surprise or ambushed again. So, she stayed on her toes, looking around and pointing her mental focus in every direction she could. As a result, she missed a lot of the conversation the men were having, keeping an ear to their emotions but not focusing on them so much, saving her concentration for scanning her surroundings. If they sensed or found trouble before she did - she doubted they would - then she'd know it without needing to hear everything they were saying.

At one point she passed two women on the sidewalk who were blonde and pretty, shapely curves moving with seductive sways of their hips. They only acknowledged her with a polite look, but she zeroed in on their thoughts anyway, searching for anything amiss. Did they recognize her? Did they know of Xander and Alex? Cherri was still feeling a little giddy about the cute guy they'd just passed and the charming grin he'd cast in her and her friend's direction. She wasn't too used to getting that much attention although the guys she knew did pine for her. But a complete stranger making bedroom eyes at her made her blush and giggle. Teresa on the other hand was feeling haughty. She knew exactly what he'd been looking at and she thought, Well, why shouldn't he? She definitely had it going on and she'd seen the way his eyes had dipped lower and his crooked grin had widened. Knocking strangers off their feet was what she did.

An angry blush filled Gwen's cheeks to read the thoughts of the women as they passed her and walked away in the opposite direction, and she glared at Xander's back. What the hell? God, he was such a jackass! All of a sudden she had the urge to slap him and she felt incredibly embarrassed at the way she'd been behaving towards him. Apparently, throwing herself at him and flirting was not what he wanted. He'd most certainly look for a woman like Cherri or Tere-SA who would put out for the first hot stranger to smile and wink at them. Well that was not something she was going to do, so he could forget about it!

She tried to read his and Alex's mind to see what he really thought of those girls, but she stopped herself. Why was she even upset? She'd met him for the first time last night. They hadn't even gone on a real date yet. Despite being able to read his mind - well at least one of theirs - she didn't really know him. She was not going to let this get to her. He could do whatever the fuck he wanted, just so long as it didn't endanger her.

And they WERE still in danger. Here she was concerned about the status of a nonexistent relationship and they had people looking for them breathing down their necks and threatening their lives. She was done being an idiot. Finally catching up to him at the door of Starbucks, she dug into her purse and brought out the rest of the money he'd given to her, shoving it at him apathetically. "No, let's just get you coffee and get back," she said stonily, trying to force herself not to be mean to him. Stop pouting, you big baby! He'll notice! "I mean, I'm just getting a little tired...that's all. We can worry about clothes tomorrow, I guess." She shrugged and tried to smile at him but it was distant and brief.

[Tartra]

Alex wasn't completely sure, but the air around Gwen seemed a little... different. Drained, he guessed, when she said she was tired, and then he felt guilty as he decided she shouldn't've been pushed to keep pace with them. She had energy enough to push the bills at him though, and right when he was ready to accept that she'd been through a lot and could do with some shut-eye, he started wondering if he'd heard that tone before.

Gwen... He was sceptical. She smiled too fast for her to have meant it, and it wasn't in the 'I'm too tired to give you a full one' sort of way. Something wrong?

"You should have something if you're tired," Xander said, not the tiniest bit concerned. He took the money happily, but Alex could see in the front door's glass reflection that he still looked like a man possessed. "Up to you."

Starbucks was a completely different animal than any other coffee shop he'd been dragged to. He wasn't treated to the luxury of staying in one spot for very long, not when the counter so was close; Xander had his money back and now he was very purposely striding up to it. The guy was in luck. No one else had the crazy need to drink however many cups he planned on throwing down Alex's throat - now that Alex wasn't there to stop him - at whatever time of night this was, so they had the place to themselves, except for the stragglers that were finishing up what they'd ordered earlier.

Gwen wasn't panicking. That meant there weren't any Agents around. She wasn't rolling her eyes at anything, so it must not've been something stupid Alex had said. She sounded pissed off. Not a lot, maybe just annoyed, but that undoubtedly meant Xander, in some way, had offended her.

It wasn't because they'd walked ahead of her, was it? She knew what was going on and she'd more or less earned the right to be a part of whatever they were discussing, but she couldn't expect them to completely switch from years of only talking to each other to forcing themselves to include her in everything. In fact, she was better off not hearing. In the middle of all of this, she shouldn't have to know her powers had already - even if it could be overpowered - found a limit. She was lucky to have it. Xander was right: no one needed to read his mind.

Don't worry, Alex said. We're not leaving you out. And we really should get you something now while we know we're alone. In the morning, it might be different. They could be here by then.

"And caramel. And vanilla. And chocolate. And - like - half a bag of whip."

"So... everything -"

"Yes please!"

... 'Please'.

Like he said, a completely different animal. Gone was Xander, coffee fiend from the deepest circle of fast food Hell. Here was a guy who was almost in awe that they'd let a mortal man inside. It didn't matter if they spilled the drink, spat in it or threw it in his face, because Starbucks could do no wrong in Xander's eyes and he was giddy - like a kid on crack in a candy store - that they let him pay for their overpriced milk-water-heroin. But try saying that out loud without him punching Alex in the... wait - he didn't have a face right now.

Starbucks is crap and you should feel bad for drinking it.

"You shut your whore mouth," Xander screamed. And then immediately, he turned to the young lady behind the register with the most dazzling smile he had in his arsenal. "Not you. I love you. Please make me my coffee."

"No problem, sir," the girl laughed. And this was what Alex hated the most about the place: they were such robots and so used to coffee nuts running in and out of the sterilizingly wooden establishment that even these kinds of freak-outs could only startle them for a second. "Four venti skim everything lattes with 'half a bag of whip'." She grinned again. "Anything else?"

That's going to kill me.

"Probably. Yeah - that's it."

He didn't ask for 'gold encrusted flecks of chocolate' this time. He never did in Starbucks. Out there, in places like Roasters, he needed cue cards just to remember everything he wanted in them, which without a doubt proved he was only doing it to screw with the poor staff, because everything here was stuff he kept simple.

Don't drink it all at once.

"Uh-huh."

He was drooling again, watching the woman make his stupid drinks as if she was an angel sent purely to grant him this glory.

... Wait. Gwen wasn't mad about this, was she? Or - no - the two girls they'd walked by? That'd been a polite smile that they'd innocently returned... Had it been innocently?

The question would sound even stupider if he said it out loud. Alex asked something else.

Did those girls... giggle or anything when we saw them?

"What girls? Holy shit, look at her work. It's perfect already and she's not even done. I think I found a wife - let's steal her."

Okay. So if they had been... less than innocent, he could see how it'd be misinterpreted and how this was not helping his case in the slightest.

Hey. Xander? Why don't you make sure Gwen doesn't want anything? No answer. And that it'd be a good idea to run our errands before the Agents show up.

"Up to her. One's done!" And he just about giggled.

[Guest]

From the waves coming off of Alex, she could tell he knew something was wrong and she felt even more foolish for pouting about something so silly and inconsequential. So, when he asked if she was alright, her facial expression cleared to a more relaxed one and she started to shake her head 'No'.

"I'm alrigh-" But Xander interrupted her, in a distracted tone of voice. He didn't even really look at her and what he said told her he didn't even realize there was something wrong. Not even noticing that HE'D done something to upset her.

Despite what she knew about him and even realizing he was beyond normal human interaction right now with Starbucks a few steps away, she couldn't help feeling miffed by his lack of attention. He was so self-absorbed! Without meaning to, she walked into the place behind him, putting daggers in his back with her eyes, struggling to remain focused. Cut it out! There are more important things to be dealing with right now! With a begrudged sigh she turned away from him as he approached the counter, standing just a little to the side of him behind his elbow.

Looking around the place, she was unimpressed by the decor and boredly stretched out her senses to peek into the minds of those present. She didn't stay long in each, just enough to confirm for herself that they were not dangerous. Turning back to Xander, she reached out for Alex's familiar signature and felt him still worrying about her. Again she softened to know that he actually noticed her change in behavior but he still didn't get it. She liked him and he seemed like a great guy. One that if all of this wasn't going on, she might have a real relationship with. But he was half a person really. As long as he shared a body and mind with Xander, and as long as people were after them... it seemed impossible to expect anything to grow between them with everything else getting in the way.

And then there was Xander. He was rude, arrogant, immature, self-absorbed, and yet charming, smart, funny, spontaneous, and it did actually seem like he cared about her sometimes. Most of the time, his better qualities outweighed the bad and she felt herself drawn to him for reasons she couldn't quite articulate. Maybe it was the way he still kept everything hidden from her and mysterious, or maybe it was all the other characteristics and personality flaws combined had somehow wooed her. All she knew was that she wanted him to like her back and things like with those girls made her feel like for the first time since she'd met him, she was nothing but a brunette haired bimbo in his eyes.

Gwen was brought abruptly back to the conversation at hand when he screamed suddenly and she stared at him with a confused expression until she realized he was talking to Alex. He quickly corrected himself however when he adopted a subservient tone with the woman serving him, declaring his love for her. If it weren't for the addendum of 'Please make my coffee' immediately after that and the woman's internal response of having seen this behavior before, Gwen might have gotten mad again. It's just the coffee. It's just the coffee. It's just the coffee. she told herself over and over, folding her arms and waiting for the woman to finish his order.

Then she found herself berating her own thought processes again and just telling herself to remember the Agents. So, Xander just thinks about nothing but the Agents and coffee - that's what YOU should be doing! If you let yourself get distracted and let your guard down, you'll become not only useless to him but also a detriment to him as well! She didn't want that to happen.

Again she drifted into the conversation just long enough to hear him say he wanted to make the Starbucks lady his wife. Gwen's resolve broke and she glared at him. "Alright, you have fun with your girlfriend!" she said in a breezy yet icy tone. "I'm going to go to Sally's Boutique, just a few stores down, and start picking out some clothes to wear other than this for the week. Meet me there when you're done." Adjusting her purse strap on her shoulder she turned and left him there with his new coffee-making bride.

[Tartra]

Okay, yup - it was definitely those two girls from before that'd pissed her off. Well, the two girls plus the smile, which Alex was convinced had been completely innocent.

This was why he stayed away from people. It wasn't just because he had a war for control waged until the day he died, but also the fact that he couldn't manage what other people did. He couldn't even stop what Xander did, and that, above everything else in his messed up life, got him into more trouble than he thought possible. He was ready to admit this to her and try to explain as convincingly as he could that she shouldn't take anything out of his mouth seriously - no matter who was talking - when suddenly, she shot a burst of fire at him, gathered herself and left.

Gwen? You're joking, right? You can't go off on your own, he called to her, getting louder as she got farther away. Did volume matter anymore? Whatever - he was shouting, only because there was no other way to make sure he had her attention. It didn't look like it was working. Gwen - stop! We need you!

He was beginning to sense a pattern. Coffee shops and Gwen storming out after Xander said something careless was going to be their 'thing', wasn't it?

"Where's she going?"

Oh, he'd noticed? Big surprise, and for once, Alex didn't mean that sarcastically.

You made her mad again, he said, beginning to feel some of Gwen's frustration leak into his voice from having to spell it out.

"... Okay..." Xander looked back at his coffee. There were two done now, and the barista was in the middle of making his third. "Where'd she say she was going?"

You don't need to ask, Alex replied, because you're following her. What part of 'I can't move you if you collapse so we need her to at least find someone to drag my ass - which you stole from me - back up to the hotel' don't you understand?

"What's the point of her going alone? I've got all the money," Xander said. "Unless she took my credit cards."

She has her own, you know.

Gwen was long gone. He didn't bother trying to tell Xander to go after her again. He obviously -

"You mean she has cash? She's using cash and only cash?"

Uhh -

"You told her not to use anything but that, right? While I was out? You clearly explained why it'd be a fuck-stupid idea to use anything in her name - what am I saying? Of course you didn't. I can't trust you with shit." Instantly, he snapped his fingers at the woman, telling her, "Hey! You! I need that last one ten seconds ago."

"I'm making it now," the woman said, not feeling the pressure Xander was putting on.

Why don't you mind-fry her? Oh, but then you couldn't get your fourth gallon of caffeine. How tragic.

"Shut up."

That'd been bitter. It looked like Xander was going to have to choose, and he knew it.

Starbucks-chick might not've known what was going on, but Alex clued in. Credit cards, debit cards, ATMs or even cheques - all of it was completely off-limits, save for the ones he'd had made for life on the run. He knew it was stupid worrying about getting found when they had an Agent's freaking headpiece in their hotel room, but even if the Frenchman's team had been picked off one by one, the woman Agent might've had an army in the background. At the very least, a flag could've gone up to anyone else from their twisted group to keep on the look-out for him and Gwen. If she did anything that brought down their attention -

Can you stop waiting for the fucking coffee? You have three, he shot.

The agony of the impending loss came loud and clear in Alex's mind. It was the first real emotion he'd been able to pick up on.

"Fine." Clenched teeth. He grabbed the three in the tray, enough to shut down every organ in Alex's body, then started heading for the door, getting angrier with every step that took him farther away from Cup No. 4.

Thank you. I know it was hard -

"I'm gonna kill her." His eyes whipped around, looking for her everywhere. They settled on the stylized sign that oozed in pink letters 'Sally's Boutique'. He set off immediately. "I'm gonna chain her up, get my coffee back - she owes me five now - and then I'm gonna kill her."

Well, at least they'd be together again. That was something to be grateful for.

[Guest]

Pushing her way through the front doors she immediately toned Alex out and any emotional runoff that she got from the both of them, steaming mad as she stalked down the sidewalk towards the clothing store. SHE was the one who brought him to the coffee shop when there were plenty of other safer options she could have chosen! Why didn't he thank her for the risks she'd taken for his stupid-ass caffeine problem? Her temper was only dampened when logic chimed in that his addiction to Starbucks kind of prevented him from acting sanely right now, but she shoved it away for the much more satisfying burn of anger as she entered Sally's Boutique.

There weren't that many women in the store, besides the 3 or 4 employees who stood around stocking racks while waiting to offer help. One such approached her as the door chimed happily at her entry, a pleasant smile on her face. "Do you need any help today, Miss?" she asked in a distantly polite way. Probing her mind, Gwen gleaned that she was a stuck-up bitch, immediately casting Gwen in what she termed the "Homely girls" pile, only adjusting her own assessment when she noted the opened shirt top and her wrinkled skirt. Now she was a "Trashy slut" as well.

"No," Gwen replied, brushing the pretty woman off - probably another woman Xander would love to stick in his pocket - and she smiled to herself as the woman thought her rude and turned away with a roll of her eyes. Only to you, bitch...and well, any other slutty girl whom Xander might like better than me...

With a sigh, she tried to cancel such thoughts and stop herself from feeling angry - You're being stupid again, can't you see that? - as she started to look over the sales racks for a couple of outfits to wear while they were on the run. While she was searching, she got the urge to reach out to Alex and Xander when a fantasy of him making out with the Starbucks lady flashed in her mind, but she stopped herself. "No, I won't!" she said aloud to herself, ignoring the look a woman searching the same rack as her gave her. She didn't want to eavesdrop on whatever disgusting thoughts or feelings he was having for the new love of his life.

By the time she'd collected a few nice outfits, she'd cooled down a lot but still refused to mentally reach out to either him or Alex. In her time alone however, she did start thinking about her old life. It felt nostalgic to go shopping for clothes like this, as if without Xander or Alex nearby she'd gotten a piece of her life back. That led to her thinking about her past relationships. She'd never had very much luck with men, always knowing what she wanted but not willing to settle for an almost or a maybe. And then that freak who'd stalked her last year had set her back a few years. She'd completely shut down after that, not wanting anything to do with the opposite gender that could get so enthusiastic about their feelings, they would go so far as to not respect her desires and force them upon her waiting for her to break and give them the love they felt entitled to.

It had been a while since she'd been shown interest or even returned it, usually going for an ice cold approach - even polite smiles were an opening, she'd learned. Her books felt a little phony, writing about something she'd never had but longed for, but at least a million people had felt compelled to share in her fantasy. Gwen was finally willing to admit, after these past 9 months of telling herself she preferred to be by herself and liked the peace and quiet, she was actually very lonely. In the midst of the jealousy she still felt, it was a sobering thought.

Passing by some lingerie in the store, she browsed for a minute, but finally shoved the idea of seducing him out of her mind. No, that was not the way to get her "happily ever after" and would probably only make her even more of a throw-away doll if she reduced herself to that level just to get him to notice her. As she set her things down on the counter she decided the best thing to do was just suck it up and go with the flow. Enough of this pointless flirting and presenting herself as meat for him. She wanted Xander to like her for who she was, not because she was acting like one of these bimbos fawning for his male attention.

"$46.65, is your total," the college girl behind the counter said in a characteristically chipper voice. Gwen brought out her wallet and started counting out her money for the woman but she only had $30 of the needed amount in cash. Without even thinking about it, she brought out her bank card...

[Tartra]

This store looked a lot smaller on the outside. The minute he walked in, the place stretched out in front of him, changing from a few well-groomed mannequins and a shelf or two of clothes to a forest of fabric he couldn't find the end to right away. He hoped he didn't get lost. At least the emergency exit had a sign pointing to it.

There she is, Alex said.

Xander grunted back, no longer rushing to get to her now that he knew where she was. He took the long way around, sticking close to the wall and out of sight. He had the three coffees in his hands still, but despite the maddening need to gulp it down - plus the scent of it wafting up, which had to have been driving him crazy - he wasn't drinking it. That was a very bad sign in Alex's well-educated opinion. As non-magical and 'calming' as Xander claimed Starbucks to be, every first step outside the shop ended with someone getting their brain zapped. He was starting to think the crap really did come with some drug effect. This was exactly what they didn't need.

"Sir?" Some girl was beside them. Alex would've jumped. Xander barely noticed. "Did you need something?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Oh." She didn't leave. "... Are you sure?"

Could you stop skulking around the back like a serial killer? You're freaking people out.

"If I was a serial killer, this conversation would've ended four words ago. Besides, I'm not bothering anyone. I'm the victim here." He gave the girl an annoyed and tight-lipped smile. "I'm fine. Thanks. I'm waiting for someone."

"... Oh. Okay." She took a step back, accepting the answer only because she didn't want to stick around long enough to question it. "I guess if you're here with someone -"

Xander walked off. Gwen was on the move, dragging a few shirts and stuff to the counter. What stuck out was when she passed by lingerie and actually stopped to look through it. Alex wanted to say something, to joke or laugh or simply comment, but if those three lattes were being ignored - painfully and blatantly ignored - then he couldn't guess what Xander would try to do if Alex said the wrong thing now.

The cashier had a friendly smile for everyone walking by. She tried to give it to them too, grinning happily as they walked up. It froze when Xander failed to return it, then slipped off quietly when they made eye contact. Alex could see the pieces in place for an attack. There was nothing stopping them from making that connection turn lethal, except for Xander's disinterest and a flicker of movement as Gwen's hand went into her wallet for a second time. As she pulled out a card - she'd been about to fire a flare gun after all - and the light bounced off its shiny skin, Xander walked up behind her shoulder blades, reached around her arms and over her wrist, then sharply plucked the plastic out of her fingers and bent the thing in two with his.

"Two minutes," he said, getting his mouth by her ear, "was exactly how long you needed to wait for to me to be ready. In that time, I would've gotten my fourth latte, which I'd not only already paid for but depended on to complete a very specific order, and after that we could've skipped along to any fucking store you wanted. Instead -" He dropped the tray of drinks on the counter. They clattered a little but stood up straight and proud. " - you turned this otherwise glorious dinner into a massive disappointment. I'm not drinking it and I can't get another one 'cause the dynamic's thrown off." His hand curled around her wrist. "We're going."

The girl behind the counter looked confused.

"Do you still want -"

The connection was back. This time, Xander went for it.

"Oh. Wow. Someone should call 9-1-1 or something. I think she's having a seizure." And with his newly freed hand, he lazily scooped up the clothes and started pulling Gwen back to the door, impossibly striding through the jungle like it wasn't there. Other staff ran by him, alerted and panicked. The one who was too far away to have heard what Xander said got a quick update when she tried to ask whether they'd paid. It might've been less suspicious if they'd grabbed a bag or something. "She's having a seizure. Isn't that weird?"

Alex was too used to this to care. Damn you, Starbucks. Every single time... But at least they'd gotten free stuff out of it.

[Guest]

Thoughts of Alex and Xander were still occupying her attention as she automatically started to hand over the card with access to the money she'd saved up in the bank. Peripherally she noticed the alarm in the cashier's thoughts but she didn't actually look back at the woman until the card was yanked from between her fingers. Gwen gasped a little in surprise and watched as his fingers bent the card in two before her eyes, the voice in her ear causing a deep shiver to course through her body and fill her bones with ice.

"I--" she flinched as the tray of coffee was dropped upon the counter, instantly falling silent with every muscle in her arms and shoulders tensing. At the declaration that they were now leaving, his hand was around her slender wrist, his grip strong and intense making her feel incredibly small. The woman behind the counter spoke up and Gwen turned her blue eyes on her just in time to feel Xander do the same, the warm searing in the woman's brain flashing through Gwen's temple with a harsh pulse, her connection with the woman still strong enough that she felt exactly what Xander had done to her. She watched in horror as the innocent woman's eyes rolled back in her head and she fell to the ground in a fit of convulsions.

Then Xander was dragging her out of the store, the bundle of clothes she'd picked out held draped over his arm, leaving the scene of horror behind as well as his precious coffee. As they marched out onto the sidewalk, Gwen felt her eyes start to tear up even as her heart pounded rapidly in her throat with fear. What had she done? Suddenly everything leading up to this point - the girls on the sidewalk, the girl serving coffee, the girls in the store, the lingerie, her bank card - all of it felt like it had been the stupidest mistake she'd made in her life. Of course they were still on the run! Of course she couldn't use any cards attached to her old life! She'd let herself get carried away with the stupid little drama she'd created and thus left herself open and making careless mistakes.

"Wait," her voice was full of emotion and the tears ready to fall. He was not listening to her, still mad as hell and burning holes in the sidewalk with every swift, stomping step. "Wait, Xander, please!" Stopping in her tracks, she violently wrenched her arm free of his, her internal assessment finding a weakness in his thumb and breaking through his hold.

"I'm sorry," she said, pouting pitifully up at him, her blue eyes swimming with shining light and darkened color and her nose growing red with unshed tears. She breathed a soft sob and ran a hand over her hair, touching her bun lightly and some of it falling out into her face. "I didn't think you needed me right then. All I wanted was a moment by myself... I didn't think it would be a big deal. I was safe and there weren't any Agents around... I forgot what Alex told me about cards and it was stupid... but you didn't have to hurt that woman. She didn't do anything wrong." She cried then, tears falling down her cheeks.

Gwen wasn't just upset about the innocent bystander getting hurt because of him being angry with her, but also all the stupid and ridiculous thoughts that had been occupying her mind for the past 20 minutes. He was definitely going to leave her behind now, just because of the foolish risks she'd taken and put him through and that terrified her. Why hadn't she just waited for him? Why did it all of a sudden seem like a smile to a passing stranger meant more than everything he'd done for her? Why did she have to be in love with him when ANYTHING else in the world was more important right now?

[Tartra]

I want you to know that I mean it when I say I'm proud of you. If we ignore all the hundreds of interactions over the months we might've missed because we didn't know her, then yesterday's shenanigans took... I dunno, twenty minutes? Maybe ten for her to yell at for being loud and ten for you to throw pizza at her?

"About twenty, yeah."

And after that, it's been been almost a full day. We got up at... seven? Early start, sure, and we spent forty minutes getting ready and making food for that Agent guy. Alex thought about it. It's maybe... I don't know, eight? Nine? It's night and things are closing up, so it's been at least twelve hours we've spent with her. Add that to the other bit, and you've managed to go about 750 minutes before you made Gwen cry. Congratulations! You're an asshole! Absolutely no one's surprised.

"Shut up, Alex."

Ooh - 'Alex'. Y'know - I think with me, at least, you got friendlier. I haven't been called an assbag since I was pushed out.

"Trust me, I've got plenty of names you're not hearing." Sure he did. "Alright. You. Stop making noise and listen."

What a charmer!

"I clearly can't trust you to look after yourself because you don't know what's going on. It's not the same with me and this dickball -" Thanks. "- 'cause when I'm trying to cover my ass, I end up covering his, too. I can't control you, meaning I can't look out for you the way I'm used to, which is doing everything by myself. Or at least whenever the guy decides to admit he should shut his stupid mouth and quit arguing with me."

I would really, really like to know why you had to make her seize rather than give her fifty bucks.

Xander kept ignoring him. He puffed out his cheeks and exhaled sharply, still tense in a way everyone knew had to do with his coffee. He let his eyes wander around the street for a short while, wearing a thoughtful face Alex could see in his mind's eye, before finally locking back onto Gwen and talking again, this time with something that bordered on humane.

"I get that this is new for you," he said. "Yesterday, life was routine, and today you can't go into a store without some incredibly sexy man yanking cards out of your hands, but you need to wrap your head around the fact that you're operating on a new level. 'No Agents around'? I don't know that. You certainly don't. As far as... whatever your powers are exactly have told you, there's no Agents of the kind we were dealing with at the apartment. That woman who'd been beating the shit out of you - her team's probably in our now ex-home, scratching their ass and going, 'well, shit, what do we do now?' But there's other teams following other cases. They don't share work with each other and they most likely don't know we're here, but they're all after the same thing. If they get a report from one of them saying 'keep an eye out for blah-blah-blah', you can damn well bet we're gonna be tailed again, and this time, by people completely new. That could work in our favour, there's always that chance, but..."

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling again.

We should get going, Alex said. I don't know when you're gonna drop.

"Yeah... And as far as needing you goes, this - the whole 'falling horribly asleep' business - should've tipped you off you have to stay around. You want your space? Okay. You don't have to stay. But if you're coming with me -" Us. "- then you're working. Don't lose sight of me, 'cause that could be the last time."

Alex started getting thin trickles of... guilt. From Xander. Was he feeling bad about this? The mystery around that was solved pretty fast because, in the next minute, he saw himself stepping forward and sweeping Gwen up into his arms.

"Sorry I got mad," he said, as a grin grew in his voice, "even though you did completely ruin my Starbucks experience."

Alex was going to say something about that, but he stopped himself, sensing a faint change in the air. Xander had scooped her up jokingly, crushing her to him to be a jerk but still managing to keep some space. It was a peace-offering of sorts, one he'd made Alex - if he was too tired - give to whomever else he'd made cry several times before. Unlike before, however, Xander was holding her for a second longer than he'd needed to get his point across. And he'd relaxed suddenly. It wasn't dramatic and Alex was more than willing to say he imagined it, but in that short moment, it seemed as if the friendly, stupid hug became -

"Okay, let's go," he chirped, stepping back. "Here's your clothes. I'm not carryin' 'em around."

... Did I miss something here?

"Probably. You're incredibly stupid," Xander said. "So, yeah. That's over, as far as I'm willing to put effort into it. And don't worry about that chick in there. She's not dying. She'll wake up tomorrow with a headache."

But for now, she's having a seizure.

"Yeah, but... that's short-term. Are we eating or what? I'm starving."

[Guest]

After he'd taken her by the wrist in the store, she'd reopened the lines between them, so even as she stood in the middle of the sidewalk, sobs shaking loosely from her, she could hear Alex's familiar voice echoing inside. Distantly, she appreciated the effort, but she did not blame Xander at all. It had all been her and her idiotic jealousy; he had every right to be angry with her after what she'd almost done.

His voice was still curt and angered, but when he addressed her, she quieted down, sniffling softly as she listened, wiping her face free of tears with her hand. Everything he said made sense to her and she knew that having her around was probably a hard adjustment from the way he and Alex had always done things before. For a moment, her worry that he would leave her behind spiked sharply until she sensed his vibrations changing. He wasn't angry anymore it seemed, but still as he continued on she felt even more terrible for the mistakes she'd made, her eyes looking around at the shops and parking lot nearby, before coming to rest back on him. How stupid could she be? She hadn't been looking for the right things when she'd reached out and scanned the area. If there were Agents around that weren't looking for them yet, they'd probably be able to identify them quickly if the three of them had already passed them by. And that meant looking for "people who don't fit" and "empty holes in the universe" was not the only thing she had to watch out for.

And how could she have forgotten? The whole ride here she'd agonized over whether or not he would wake up in a timely manner if Agents showed up and the first moment she got, it slipped her mind completely. She'd put him in more danger than she'd realized, especially since she had cut him off from her senses the whole time she'd been shopping. What if something had happened? What if he passed out before he got a chance to drink his coffee? Gwen wouldn't have noticed until he'd drawn attention to himself - most likely nobody would accept 'He's narcoleptic' or 'He's drunk' if they were actually standing there watching him fall to the ground. They probably would have insisted on sending him to the hospital if they could not rouse him right away and her urging to just help her get him back to the hotel would be incredibly suspicious.

She was still sniffling a little when he apologized, but she calmed down considerably at his offer of it, especially with the squashing hug that made her grunt with a slight laugh. She could not help feeling comforted by his arms wrapped around her like that though and was a bit disppointed when he released her. After he stepped away the tears were gone from her eyes and only her slightly pink nose remained, her cheeks coloring the same as she smiled up at him. Taking her new clothes from his arms, she surreptitiously tucked a new set of underwear under the pile so it was not seen, and brushed her hair out of her face. From what he said about the cashier woman, she was even feeling somewhat better about that although Alex still thought it was an extreme response from his roommate.

Looking around the line of buildings built shoulder to shoulder, each with their own different colored signs and titles, she felt a moment of trepidation about whether or not any of the buildings held Agents in them. Stretching out, she did not feel the regular signatures she was used to but now knew that meant very little except the people looking for them were not here right now. But there might be others.

Looking at Xander, she trusted him to recognize them before she did, but at the same time she worried about him as well. She couldn't deny, however, that she was incredibly hungry. Most of the restaurants in this strip mall were sit down places, with one or two classier places, and also one buffet that was more like a cafeteria with several different food stations within it.

"Do you want to eat here?" she asked as she turned to him, indicating the area around them with a small gesture. "Or do you want to go back to the hotel room? I'm sure we could just order a bunch of room service and pig out." A smile appeared on her face at the suggestion. It was a fun option, one that was safer, one that she would prefer if anything were to happen. Although, that expensive Italian place, just across the way, might be nice and she felt a small swoon catch in her throat to think of sitting across the table from Xander and eating someplace high-class like that.

[Tartra]

"Given the options, I'd shoot for the hotel," Xander said. "Seems easier. Plus, I like bossing people around on the phone."

Alex was relieved. It was nice that they wanted to walk around and relax like nothing had happened ten seconds ago, which he admit would make for a much easier day tomorrow, but they still had to get through the night. Unless someone had a cart to drag Xander back to the hotel, they should go wherever it was safest.

Tomorrow. That was tricky. They'd gotten out of the city, but they were far too close for comfort. He was happy to have Gwen here - delighted beyond belief he had new company even if the circumstances were a little lacking - but this was going to be the first of a new set of problems. All the small things Xander had beaten into him, all the instincts he'd developed over years of practise and all the tricks he'd put together to keep out of sight had to be broken down, simplified and then stretched to fit two people. They shouldn't have stopped when they got away. They had the money to make it halfway across the country, and they should've been doing that, but they'd stopped.

He had to remind himself he was doing this to help her. She needed him until her powers were under control. Why Xander was bothering was his secret, but Alex wasn't leaving someone behind, not when she was on her own and new to this. The bank card was the first step to learning; it was a small, but in the right direction. From here on out, everything was going to have to be geared towards telling her what he knew. Then even if they were separated, he could be sure she had the basics under her belt and maybe get away before the Agents could do anything.

The hotel's a good idea, he said. We could always -

"Then again," Xander stepped in, now beginning to turn and look at everything around him, "as long as we're out here, we might as well see what they have."

... No, that's not what we're doing -

"That looks fancy."

And his eyes settled on an extremely sleek restaurant. Its windows were wide and gleaming in the city lights, but wooden blinds were set against them to keep the glow out. From what he could make of it, the place was dark inside, set low to create the kind of ambiance any millionaire would crave. Or else it was like that to keep its customers from seeing the price on the food. It looked expensive and private, the two most important things on Xander's list.

We're under-dressed.

"Maybe you are. I've got a wad of cash in my pocket. I'm settin' the dress code." He gave Gwen an excited grin. "Feel like spending a hundred bucks on fries?"

This was the sort of place Alex tried to not argue against. He loved living the high life as much as Xander did and he put up with some of the more questionable methods of getting money just so he could keep it up, but they weren't sure what was going to happen to him...

Just come up with something to get out of there fast, Alex muttered. Do anything to keep from going to the hospital. Believe me when I say that's the worst place to be in this sort of... transition.

[Guest]

Xander's choice did crush the fantasy in her mind a little bit, but she immediately began building a new fantasy, one that involved laying back on the king sized bed in the hotel room and eating steaming food and rich sweets. And of course, sharing the dishes with her companions. As they started to walk along, she holding the new clothes she'd gotten and he walking beside her silently, she started to feel a lot better, leaving that sudden sadness and craziness behind. She resolved to be more focused from now on and to keep a lid on her emotions. She had enough trouble as it was controlling the flow of other people's thoughts into her head, she didn't need to worry about letting her own take over.

Gwen looked at Xander as she heard Alex speak, of course having felt the wave of relief from him earlier when the safer plan had been selected, but she visibly perked up when Xander suddenly changed his mind. There was the characteristic protest from Alex but she was not worried about Xander being shown reason, knowing the typical way these discussions went, and she smiled happily as she saw the restaurant he'd indicated. It was like he was able to read minds as that was exactly the place she'd been thinking of when he'd first suggested they get something to eat. Someplace quiet and soothing with a wealthy decor that made her feel like princess. Somewhere to be alone with him.

Tossing away the old plans to veg on the hotel bed with ice cream sundaes and watching TV with Xander by her side, she began to grow even more excited about the prospect of sitting down with him at the warmly sophisticated establishment. Her eyes sparkled as he turned to her with that smile of his, her insides turning to goo and a smile spreading across her own features in an uncontrollable response. And echoing into her mind was of course Alex, ever the voice of reason and always worrying about what was safe or not. He was agreeing of course, but in that begrudging manner that made her think of the opposite of what they were planning to do. Made her realize what they should be doing. Throwing away her earlier resolution, she instantly tuned him out and linked her free arm through Xander's.

"What are we waiting for?" she asked in a bright, excited voice. "I'm starving!" Gwen couldn't help but feel giddy and free when she was with him, locked deep within his spell, her veins pumping with a desire for whatever life had to offer. When he was around, she was tugged along and magnetized to his energy, feeding off of it. It was like nothing could hurt them. If he'd just smile at her like that again, she'd say yes to anything he wanted. Somewhat soberly she said, "All you have to do is ask," meaning it in more ways than one and smiling softly as they proceeded in the new direction.

It was hard to keep from squealing in joy and skipping but she managed it, as they approached the building, with affluent designs on the outside but not overstated or pompous. She didn't mind the fact that she wasn't wearing anything fancy, and that she had a bunch of clothes with her; afterall, it didn't seem like it mattered much to Xander. It was more about what they were doing rather than how they looked doing it, and it was a philosophy she could wholeheartedly get behind.

The doors opened into a darkly lit entryhall playing low and softly flowing classical music and she squeezed Xander's arm a bit in a small burst of excitement. As they entered the main building, the door being held open for them by an attendee waiting there just for that purpose, she remembered her newly established routine and probed every mind she could touch within the place. Her mental touch was brief for each however and she cast them out of her mind as a man in his late thirties stood up straight as they came up to his podium.

[Tartra]

"Welcome to Arimana's," the squat, grey-haired man said, his moustache twitching like he was ready to twirl it. "Name? Reservation? And we have a dress code."

I told you.

"We're missing all three," Xander said, "but I'm paying in fistfuls of cash, so I'm sure we can work something out."

"Oh." That was a weird mix of distaste and greed. "You're one of them. Very well, come with me. Window or booth?"

"Booth's fine." Windows were dangerous. The man stepped lightly from his podium and began to walk deeper into the restaurant. Xander followed swiftly enough, lagging a little either because he was lazy or staying off his foot. He was waiting for Gwen anyway, and before they fell into line behind the short waiter in his dark suit, he gestured to the decor with a quick nod of his head. "Looks nice, huh?"

'Nice' was putting it mildly. The person who'd designed this place had gone out of their way to make it swanky. It wasn't over-the-top or nauseating, and that was probably why it was so lovely. The simple browns, blacks and touches of beige wrapped together in the modest light, brought up by the gentle lamps glowing on the walls. The restaurant was divided into several sections, each one built a little higher than the last to have an excuse for the plush stairs and gleaming rails leading up. The waiter was taking them to the highest level - something Xander stopped appreciating after a minute of walking up - and when they arrived, the tops of the walls dividing the room revealed themselves to be small gardens. Glossy ivy came from the thin planter boxes and draped themselves over the edge. It was graceful, Alex felt, and if he didn't have to be stuck in some motionless, unreachable prison, he would've been thrilled to be here.

It's beautiful, he murmured.

"Nothing crazy," Xander said, sitting where the waiter waved. "I should be eating in places like this more often. It's the whole reason I take the jobs I take."

Let's not get into that, please. What's on the menu in here?

"Pasta. Gold. I want a burger," Xander said.

Great, except that's not on there.

Gwen was happy again. It eased his stress considerably. He shouldn't have been so worried about Xander talking to her; she liked him and they got along, even despite the flaring temper Alex knew was going to show up in its full glory eventually. But Xander was also impatient - ignoring the 'let's sit down and have a twenty-hour meal' mood he'd slipped into - and quick to point out mistakes. She might need them now, but once she had what she wanted, she could disappear whenever the next fight popped up, whereas they were stuck until this blew over. There wasn't going to be any 'light sleeping' or forcing themselves to stay awake. An extra pair of eyes was going to mean everything.

"I want them to put steak in the middle of two slices of bread."

You know we could've gone literally anywhere else and gotten you that.

"Yes," he said, "but then I'd be paying five bucks to crappy fry-cooks instead of fifty bucks to fancy Italians. It's the little things, really. So - d'you think they'd have fries?"

Also, the guy was a child. Alex didn't know if Gwen had picked up on that yet, but it was something she was going to have to put with, too.

[Guest]

At the man's introduction and specifications, she got worried for a brief moment, turning to Xander with a searching look. But of course, he would not be denied and she smiled proudly as the waiter gave in without a fight with the promise of getting paid and she followed both men further into the establishment. Her blue eyes widened appreciatively at the lush decor and she took her time making her way up the steps to where they would be seated, drinking everything in. The color choices helped fill the space with an old world, classical feel, as if all of a sudden when they'd stepped through the front doors, they'd somehow been transported directly to Italy. She'd never been of course, but she couldn't help feel like this was what restaurants would be like over there, but it had a lot to do with the fact that she'd never been in a restaurant as nice as this before. The lights cast a diluted golden light on everything and she felt very secluded and calm here, even as ascending the steps made her feel like she was walking up onto a stage.

There were others here, seated at their own tables behind dividers and nosily she probed into their thoughts, letting a few emotions drift in here and there. Gwen did it partly out of curiosity of how a person who went to this type of place actually lived, but also to check and see what different meals on the menu were like. Every mind she touched, she got a burst of flavor into her mouth and a name to go along with it. It was a strange new thing but she didn't need the person to actually consciously think of something for her to know it. Their memories could be touched too. The first she got a mouthful of was someone eating "Orange scented seafood brodo" and she crinkled her nose, shoving the sensation of the fishy mixture away. The next she tried was a "Sardinian cheese and potato ravioli" and her expression cleared to one of appreciation, especially when the older gentleman eating the dish washed down the bite with a splash of Bordeaux wine. By the time they'd reached their booth, she'd sampled a bite from half the menu without feeling a tiny bit full from it.

Tossing the bundle of clothes down onto the inside of her side of the booth, she glanced at Xander and the comment he made, assuming instantly that he was talking to Alex, even though she could not hear him at the moment. What did he mean about that? What 'jobs' did he take? It only really occurred to her then to wonder where the money was coming from. Even so, as she seated herself comfortably across from him, she kept silent about it and concentrated on enjoying this evening eating out.

Hearing Xander's choice of a meal, she giggled aloud, shaking her head lightly at his explanation. "You're the ONLY guy I know who'd come to a place like this to get American food," she said giving him an amused look. It was that child-like freedom that she found especially captivating about him. "Then again, you're the only guy I know who could get INTO a place like this..." She shrugged and pushed aside her menu without even looking at it. "If you're ready to order? I have no doubt you'll find some way to get them to accommodate what you're craving."

Turning to the waiter she stopped herself from making out her order of Eggplant Parmigiana and glanced at Xander again. Out of all the things she'd tasted, this particular meal had struck her fancy for this evening, but she found his playful choice to be contagious. Looking at the waiter once again, she lightly jerked her head in Xander's direction and said, "I'll have what he's having. And the best bottle of wine you have as well, please." It did feel kind of silly and pointless to come here ordering food like that, but she didn't care and couldn't force herself to.

[Tartra]

Great. Your stupidity's spreading. You got her eating the same thing.

"Gwen, Alex called you stupid. Burger, please," Xander said, handing over his menu.

"Sir, we don't serve hamburgers here." The waiter serving them now was different than the one who'd seated them. He was thinner, taller, but in the same kind of suit as the first one. He was also seemed less forgiving about the 'quirkiness' of the order, but that probably only had to do with the fact he hadn't heard about the cash. "There's a McDonald's outside -"

"Why is this concept so hard for people to figure out? Take steak, take bread, put them together..." Xander rolled his eyes. "If you want me to make it myself, I'm more than willing to go back there."

That was a scary thought.

"Customers are not allowed in the kitchen, sir. If you'd like more time with the menu -"

Eye contact. Alex had the unfortunate inability to tell how sharp the effect was now that he was riding in the backseat; he could, however, make a pretty close guess, and he decided the waiter was lucky Xander still had a use for him. The jolt was barely anything, not even enough to feel pain, but it caught the man's attention and shut him up damn fast. Now he was on his guard, suspicious, not quite sure what had happened but quickly forming a theory for it. Whatever he decided on, it was the proper conclusion, which was great because Xander was more than willing to shoot him a few more times until he got what he wanted. The waiter accepted the non-menu choice, took Gwen's menu as well, then high-tailed it out of there, glancing once over his shoulder before disappearing entirely.

"I made a new friend," he said, folding his arms on the table. "Damn. Should've told him I wanted it rare. Think he'll figure it out?"

I think he'll take a stab at it, Alex said.

Yet again, it was up to him to worry. Wine? Ha. Yeah. Well - he could see where that'd be going. No, not... not any of that. He meant tactically. He almost wanted to bring up his concern, but then Xander really would drink just to spite him. Alex had figured out very early on that drinking stopped the voices in his mind and he was almost positive it'd work both ways. If Xander had too much and then he passed out, would Gwen be able to hear him? What about if she went to bed too, but then didn't get up if he started yelling? It'd be worse if only one of them drank, he felt, because then the full effects would be on that sole person, but if both finished the bottle... Unless she really felt sure Xander knew how to stop at 'just one'.

"I'll cut 'im some slack," Xander said. "So long as it's not burnt. Anyway. Gwen. How's the day been so far?"

[Guest]

She was really starting to think everything would be alright. There was no telling what the future might bring or what troubles lay around the corner waiting for them, but tonight she was filled with a peace of mind. And it all had to do with the man sitting across from her. Hearing from Xander what Alex had said, she rolled her eyes noncommittally. Yeah? Well, he's an uptight little shrimp who doesn't know how to have a good time, she thought to herself with a smile. But it slowly faded as the waiter began arguing with Xander about their meals. Gwen was certainly willing to cave and order something more reasonable but so long as Xander was fighting for what he wanted, she would not add a dissenting argument.

Then she took in a sharp breath as she felt him release that same jolt of power that he'd used before. All the times she'd experienced it before had felt like he'd taken a white hot, pointed iron rod and jammed it violently into someone's brain, whereas this was more like standing really close to a large bonfire and feeling the heat on her skin. Uncomfortable and disorienting but it wasn't painful. Still, she did not expect it and sat for a few moments blinking at the man before he finally hurried on his way, his internal thoughts racing with suspicions and accusations, feeling incredibly distraught.

"Poor Antony..." she murmured as she watched him go, a small grin appearing on her face when she turned back to Xander. "He's putting in the order as medium-rare," she said, releasing the slender man from her consciousness after confirming what he planned to do with their order. She paused a moment, playing lightly with the cloth that was wrapped around her silverware before answering his question. "Well, if you take out the part where I got to fight a robot woman and you making me feel like a complete idiot... it's been pretty good. Never a dull moment."

Gwen looked across the table at him and smiled happily, but finally looked away again to adjust the cloth napkin again. God, why was she so nervous? It was Xander afterall. Her smile grew wider and her eyes were distant with recent memory for a moment as she said, "That scene you made in front of Roasters had to be the scariest shit I've ever been through but it was pretty damn cool though. If I wanted to write the next best-seller, all I've gotta do now is etch out an Autobiography." She laughed lightly and ended up tearing the cloth a little before nervously shoving it away so she was no longer touching it.

"How about you?" she asked, taking a sip of water to calm herself of the sudden butterflies that filled her. "Have I completely ruined your life yet?" There was humor in the question but also a sense of probing. She wanted to know how he felt about her as her normal powers gave her next to nothing as far as answers. It was surprisingly nice how quiet it was though, without Alex constantly chiming in with 'That looks dangerous' or 'This isn't a good idea'. If not for that same tingling on her skin that let her know when he was speaking inside, she could almost forget he was there completely.

[Tartra]

Alex heard Xander take in a breath and he thought the question over. It looked like the answer wasn't going to be as rhetorical as Gwen might've meant it.

"There are..." He thought some more while he bobbed his head along to it. "I'd say there's three things that'd ruin my life completely. One of them's already happened - this... situation I'm in -"

How the hell do you think I feel? I never wanted you here.

"The second would deals with getting caught by the Agents. They're not gonna be as 'nice' with me as Alex before they destroy us. I've been trained to analyze things a very particular way, so if they do get us, they'll be going through every memory I've made over the past eight years."

Six.

"It won't be fun and it'll be very thorough. If I'm lucky, I won't feel a thing, and if I'm smart, it won't happen, but it's worth mentioning I'm already a little screwed 'cause there's a psychopath in my head hellbent on my destruction." From what he could make out, Xander had grinned again, but more wryly than usual. "As for that third thing... well, I've lived through it twice. I don't think I have to worry about it again. Still - though. Something to keep an eye out for, more or less."

A waiter - the third one of the night - came by with a bottle of red. It might've been rich, fancy and expensive, but Xander didn't look at it long enough to for Alex to check. He cracked it open like he'd done it a million times before, and by the time the waiter left, he'd already filled a glass for both of them. Wonderful. So everyone was drinking. Lovely - just... lovely.

Easy on the 'happy juice', he muttered.

"Uh-huh. So - don't worry," Xander said. "You haven't ruined anything. I'd say I should be asking you that, but considering it was me fucking your every plan at normality or the robot yanking your mind out of your brain, you technically owe me a thank you." His grin became a smile. "I'll settle for a card and eight coffees. I'm a simple man."

One annoyed by places with only three stars.

"And one that wants the book to be a best-seller. You wanna write I'm six feet tall with dashing green eyes and gorgeous brown hair? I don't want 'em thinking I'm some sickly kid. Alex."

Oh-ho, you're so - you're so funny, I just - I can't - shut up, you jerk.

Xander, who'd held off on a snappy comeback in favour of downing his wine, had to hold off again as a cry sounded off in the distance. It was somewhere on one of the lower levels, and though the planter-walls weren't so high that they couldn't see if they stretched, whatever was going on was obscured by the ivy and the rush of guests scrambling from their tables and tripping down the stairs. It would’ve been funny to see people as beautifully as dressed as that fall over themselves, but Alex’s sense of panic kicked in and, this time, Xander’s seemed to agree.

They saw him. A boy. Well – ‘boy’ in the sense he looked to be within his teens. He was ragged and homely as though he’d scraped himself together out of sewage and cloth he’d pulled from the gutter, and his face was filthy. His hair had been shaved off and around his chest was a strap for the bag that waited on his right hip. He stood with his back facing away from Alex, but he turned his head so quickly he might as well have been spinning. He was gathering his bearings or something like that, and when he did, a minute later, after everyone who’d been around him had either pressed themselves to their chair or run off entirely, he dove at the nearest table and started shovelling food into his mouth.

“Gwen,” Xander said, his voice low and focused, “I don’t know if your powers are automatic or as flashy as mine, but shut them off anyway. Whatever happens, don’t let that guy know you exist.”

Is he an Agent?

“Nope. Another case.” And as if the boy was trying to prove that point, he flickered out of existence and then popped back at the side of a different table ten feet away. “He’s moving too fast. He’s got people following.”

You see them? This wasn’t good. Dammit – they should’ve gone to the hotel!

“It’s just obvious. You don’t hurry like that unless you’ve got a tail.” He immediately stopped being interested and turned back to his drink. “Whatever. Leave him. Either the Agents show up or he goes away.”

Only one of those things is a good thing.

“Mm. Damn! This is fantastic,” Xander said. “I’m not much of a wine drinker, but holy shit.” Oh God the Agents. Oh God the Agents. Oh God the Agents. They could be here any second and they could find him – “What do you think, Gwen?”

[Guest]

She watched, completely rapt as his expression grew thoughtful and his voice when he spoke was serious and yet still light. As he answered her question by listing the things that would make his life a living hell, she smiled sympathetically when the first mentioned was being stuck as he was with Alex. Gwen could not begin to fully grasp what it must be like for them, but from what she understood and how she imagined it, she could definitely see it as worthy of the position 'number one' on that list.

The second thing he listed made her frown briefly, wondering what exactly the Agents had in store for her. She most certainly did not share a head with someone... and when they'd encountered that one Agent, the one Alex had left alive in the alleyway, Xander mentioned something about them putting Agents in peoples' heads to control their powers. Was that what Stephanie wanted with her? It was a thought that made her shiver, especially remembering the blank, dead look in the woman's eyes, but she shrugged the musings away in time to be graced with Xander's grin again.

God, how does he always do that? she wondered airily, feeling a warmth fill her limbs and the smile returned. Yes, she understood what he meant about Alex making things difficult for him, but she knew the other man probably felt the same way about him. In fact, she knew he did from the constant badgering he put them both through. Except when he got his way, but Xander had been like that when he'd been inside. Funny how they could both be so alike and so different.

As the wine was poured, she took up her glass under her nose and took it in with a deep breath, the scent of it filling her with an electric warmth. This'll go great with hamburgers and fries, she thought with a small smirk. As he finished the thought her smile grew gracious in an amused way and she bowed her head a little in a gesture of 'thanks', raising her glass to her lips. At his offer for her to get him coffee and a card, she murmured under her wineglass, "You might get more than that..." but she most definitely wasn't promising anything.

She almost choked on her mouthful of wine as she laughed at his suggestion about her book and she said, "Come on now, I won't need to stretch the truth for readers to know how dashing you are..." Her laughter faded off slowly as she heard the sounds of alarm coming from behind their table further into the restaurant.

Immediately, she reached out mentally to find out what was going on and was struck by the disgust and horror from some of the guests. She was in the midst of mentally counting heads, not being able to see anything from her position even as she craned her neck to look over the divider at her back, and had just found someone who had not been there before when they'd first entered. Xander's voice caught her attention with it's cold and serious tone from across the table and she quickly turned back around in her seat.

Looking at him with her eyes wide, Gwen immediately moved to obey, cutting herself off from the flow of thought and emotion that filled the room. She was like a deer caught in headlights, her whole body tensing in her seat as he spoke, only a fraction of the tension leaving when he mentioned the "he" was not an Agent. When he finally settled back however, it helped ease her mind a little more, but her thoughts mirrored Alex's. Agents showing up, whether they were after them or not, was not a good thing! With a bit of dismay, she realized she should have listened to Alex before and had to resist the urge to reach out to him now to make up for all the listening she hadn't been doing the past 5-10 minutes.

At Xander's question and still hearing the noises of people in fear behind her, she drained her glass fully and swallowed before wiping her lips and answering. "I think I need another glass..." Goddammit! Why did Alex have to be right all the time? Then again, the need to return to the apartment had been his idea...

Rarely did she ever indulge in drinking of any kind, except at the few social gatherings she'd attended to promote her books, but the warm sweetness of the wine and acidic tang afterward had a soothing effect on her. After hearing something glass break, she started to reach for the bottle hoping to take a swig directly from it. Screw decency. Anyone disapproving of her conduct at this moment was obviously not worried enough about the other spectacle going on.

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