by Anne
Disclaimer: The Tomorrow People belong to Roger Damon Price, Thames/Tetra and ITV television. Highlander is the property of Panzer/Davis, Rysher/Gaumount Television.
I promise to return the characters in one piece, more or less, when I'm finished, but hold no liability for any physical injury or psychological trauma sustained by them in my fiction.
Alex belongs to Kevin and he's very possessive and overprotective so don't touch or even think about it.
The title and lyrics used are from 'Spanish Guitar' by Toni Braxton and don't belong to me either.
Thanks to: Linda and Misanagi for beta reading.
Dedication: For Linda.
Joe glanced at his watch. It was nearly closing time and the kid didn't seem to be showing any sign of leaving. Methos looked up and smirked. Joe shot him a warning look. Whatever was bugging Alex, he didn't need some smart ass immortal sticking his nose in.
Pouring a beer, Joe walked over to the table Alex had been sitting at for the last hour. "Get this down you," he suggested. "I never did get the chance to buy you one since you turned eighteen. I'm doing it now."
"Thanks," Alex mumbled, still clutching the empty coke glass in his hand. He looked over to where Toni was still jamming with her band and sighed. "She has no idea."
"No idea of what?" Joe sat down opposite Alex, glad to be off his feet. He found by the end of the night he'd had enough, the artificial limbs chaffing against the stumps of what was left of his own.
Before Alex had a chance to answer, Methos pulled up another chair. "Joe's right. If you're going to drown your sorrows over some girl, you need something stronger than coke."
"I wish that I was in your arms like that Spanish guitar. That you would play me through the night…" Toni's voice cut across their conversation, her fingers sliding down the guitar in her hands, caressing it, pulling the notes from it like a lover.
Alex closed his eyes, taking a swig of beer. "It's not a girl," he whispered.
"Of course it's not." Methos' voice was a little too smooth. Joe eyed him suspiciously.
"I'm not in the mood for crap." Alex opened his eyes, his temper flaring. He stood. "I came here for some peace and quiet. Now if you'll excuse me…"
"Whatever, kid." Methos shrugged.
"I'm not a kid." Although Alex was usually polite and somewhat quiet, he had one hell of a temper. He had also been as touchy as hell lately, though Joe wasn't sure why. Jamie, Alex's brother, filled in as pianist at Le Blues Bar some nights, but when asked about it, he had just shrugged and said that it wasn't for him to say.
"Could have fooled me." Methos paused. "Kid." He leaned back in his chair, drinking his beer. "Of course you could always try asking my advice." He shrugged. "I am older and wiser than you are."
Joe snorted. "Give it a rest, old man." Methos was deliberately winding Alex up. "Sometimes it's better to let it out and talk to someone. I've been told that I'm a good listener. The offer's there if you want it, Alex. It's up to you."
"I…" Alex opened his mouth, and closed it again, swallowing. He sat down, his shoulders slumping. "Thanks, Mr. Dawson."
"Joe, Alex." Joe smiled at him. "The name is Joe. We're all adults here, and been through too much together over the past couple of years to get hung up on formalities." He gave Methos a look. "Some of us are adults, anyway."
Alex made a noise between a laugh and a sob. "You're going to think I'm crazy, Mr…Joe." He shook his head. "I don't want you to be disgusted with me, how I'm…" He examined his drink, using the moisture from the glass to trace the outline of a circle on the wooden table. "I'm in love with someone."
"Love is in the eye of the beholder," Methos said quietly. Alex and Joe both stared at him. He shrugged, draining his glass. "Hey, you don't think that saying came from just anywhere, did you?"
"Of course not," Joe said dryly. Methos never could resist claiming credit. The history of the world according to Methos was a scary concept, if he had as much influence over it as he claimed. On one hand Joe hoped he hadn't, on the other it amused the hell out of him that he could have. But, as all he had was the old man's word, it was something he'd never know, and that was probably a very good thing.
"I need more beer." Methos wandered over to the bar, refilled his glass and sat down again. "Thanks, Joe."
"You pay for your own," Joe snorted. He'd lost track of how much Methos already owed him.
Methos looked hurt. "You never had the chance to buy me one when I turned eighteen either. Fair is fair."
"In your dreams," Joe muttered. Alex continued sipping his beer. He looked miserable, his hands shaking as he gripped his glass, one finger stroking it almost tenderly although it was doubtful he was even aware of the action. Whoever he was smitten with, he had it bad. Joe frowned, remembering something he'd seen and dismissed. As a Watcher he should have known better. "It's someone we know, Alex, isn't it?"
"Yes." Alex nodded, but didn't elaborate. He seemed nervous. "I should have realised sooner. I'm an idiot." He put down his glass. "I don't want to ruin our friendship. I don't…what if he thinks it's disgusting that I feel that way about him?"
"Him?" Methos chuckled, amused. "You're not the first person to fall in love with another man, Alex, and you sure as hell won't be the last. It's got a lot going for it actually. One day I should tell you about the time I met…"
Joe shuddered. That was one image he didn't need. The less he knew about Methos' sex life the better. Five thousand years of…
No, just no.
"It's okay, thanks, Methos." Alex shook his head. "Umm, I don't want to seem ungrateful but…"
"Fine," Methos sniffed. "Just remember I offered." He took another swig of beer. "So if you don't want to hear about my love life, please tell me you're going to at least tell us about yours."
"I don't have a bloody love life, okay?" Alex glared at him. "That's the problem. He's probably not even interested in me like that. Hell, why should he be? I've got nothing to offer, nothing to…" His voice trailed off. "Oh god, and now I've really made an idiot of myself."
"No, you haven't." Joe pulled his chair closer. "None of us think rationally when we're in love. I've done some stuff in my time I'm not proud of but…" Even now the memory of what could have been between him and Amy's mother was painful. "You should tell him how you feel."
"Kevin's not an idiot, Alex, even if he acts like one." Methos needed lessons on the subtle approach.
"He doesn't act like an idiot!" Alex sprung to Kevin's defense immediately. "He's intelligent, kind, thoughtful and sex….oh fuck."
Methos smirked. "Thought so," he said smugly, "though you're not going to know about that last one unless you tell him, yes?"
"Methos…" Joe sighed, relieved that his suspicions had been correct but wishing Alex's secret had come out a bit less tactlessly. The poor kid was bright red, and didn't seem to know where to put himself, although Joe suspected Methos would be only too happy to help with suggestions for that too.
"Yes, Joe?" Methos shrugged. "The way I see it Alex here needs to tell Kevin how he feels so they can do something about it, whether it be the horizontal mambo, or whatever. They haven't got all the time in the world, why waste the little they do have?"
Alex coughed. "I'm here. You don't have to talk about me like I'm not." His voice was hoarse, but he stood his ground. The kid had guts, but then he'd always had. He'd get through this.
"That's my point exactly." Methos was going for broke. "You're here. He's there. I know distance isn't a problem. Tell him you're coming…" He smirked. "I'll rephrase that, shall I?"
"He might be more receptive than you think," Joe interrupted before Methos went too far, though he doubted there was much further he could go. But then, the old man had surprised him before.
"Maybe." Alex didn't look convinced. It was a shame. When Kevin thought no one was looking, he watched Alex in a way that that more than strongly hinted that it wasn't just friendship he wanted. He yearned for him, desired him, and loved him, probably thinking he was totally out of reach. Joe knew that look from experience, and how much it hurt. Being a Watcher for years had taught him how to read people; his own life had filled in the gaps his training and experience hadn't.
"If you're not going to finish that beer, it would be a crime to waste it." Methos put his hand out and took Alex's glass, upending it in one long gulp.
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Alex frowned; he seemed confused.
"Bright boy." Methos put down the glass and clapped. "I always knew you'd go far. Now run along and talk to your boyfriend."
"He's not my boyfriend." Alex shook his head.
"Ah yes, but he could be." Methos nodded sagely. "But not if you sit here and do nothing about it. A rolling stone gathers no moss. Now, I could tell you…"
"Can it, Methos." Joe had had about enough. "Go talk to Kevin, Alex. The worst he can say is no, right? And then you'll know."
"Yeah, then I'll know." Alex's eyes glazed over for a moment. When he focused again he was smiling, but very nervous. "He's home. I'm going to see him now." He stood. "Um, thanks for listening."
"Sure, kid." Methos' tone softened slightly. "You'll be fine. Trust me. I'm older and wiser."
"Take care, Alex." Joe smiled. "Let us know, okay?"
"I will." Alex made sure he didn't have an audience, closed his eyes and teleported.
"What the hell were you playing at?" Joe turned on Methos the moment they were alone.
"What makes you think I was playing?" Methos' expression was a mixture of wistfulness and sadness, not what Joe had expected to see at all. He shrugged again. "You're all dying, Joe, but their kind especially. I sometimes wonder just how long they'll last; those powers come with too high a price. Why not encourage the kid to grab some happiness while he still can?"
"They don't have to die," Joe felt the need to point out. "I like to think they might be a hope for the future."
"Tell the Hunters that. I know what it's like to be feared and to live your life in hiding. One day one of them is going to slip up and that will be that." Methos sighed. "I didn't ask for this bloody job and I've failed it once already. Love doesn't come without risk, Joe. I thought you, of all people, would realise that."
"I never said it didn't." Joe shook his head. "But sometimes it's worth the risk. We both know that." Methos seldom spoke of Alexa but with Joe he didn't need to. They understood each other, meeting occasionally on common ground although neither would admit it to the other.
"Sometimes," Methos agreed. "It is."
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