Tizzy was on her way in to see Aiyla about possibly going shopping at Lunch(Tiz had had an argument with Jimmy and could use the shopping therapy) when she was quiet certain she heard a voice from the car say, "Do watch the buttons..."

Tizzy stopped looking at the car. She knew that was Lex's voice. She quirked an eyebrow and heard some one come to her side. "Mornin' Tiz!" Eire said cheerfully.

"Morning E!" Tizzy replied cheerfully, then nodded to the car. "Who's Lex in there with?"

Eire glanced at the car, then snorted. "Probably Faal..."

"Ah..." Tizzy said with an absent nod, staring at the car...She glanced at Eire, then at the car and they both began to grin wickedly.

Eire stepped up to the car, cleared his throat, and pounded on the window. Then said loudly in a lower tone voice then usual. "Sir, you're parked in the red zone...I'm going to have to ask you to move your vehicle if you don't want a ticket..."

Faal jerked his head up with a start at the voice, smacking his head of the roof. "Ow! Damn..." He glanced down at Lex who's shirt was half unbuttoned, skirt hiked up and had a shocked and still sexy expression on his face.

"Sir? Would you mind stepping out of the vehicle sir?" came the voice again.

Faal closed his eyes and hung his head. "Damn .. see? THIS is a perfect example of why I prefer privacy for this." Faal scooted back off Lex, pulling the skirt back down as Lex quickly rebuttoned the blouse.

He pulled his loose hair back over his shoulder, and redid the few buttons that Lex hand managed to undo, then opened the car door and climbed out. He felt Lex scoot across the seat closer to the door behind him.

The snicker gave him away as Faal looked up, expecting to see a police officer. He gave an irritated sigh, shaking his head. "Eire... "

Lex looked around Faal and saw Eire, and his eyes narrowed. "Oh little bastard..." Lex growled. and actually attempted to lunge from with in the car, around Faal with intent to deck Eire in the jaw.

"Oh shit!" Eire snickered and ducked around the other side of Tizzy. Tizzy was trying not to giggle out right as she attempted to get away from Eire, but Eire kept right behind her, now in a fit of giggles himself.

Tizzy snickered as Lex made a swipe for Eire, and Eire ducked further behind her. "Oh calm down, Lexi! IT was just a joke..." Tizzy said, still giggling.

"Oh really?" Lex hissed.

"He's right..." Eire said, from leaning against Tizzy, snickering. "It wasn't EXACTLY a joke...I mean mate, in the car? Come on!"

Tizzy stuffed a fist in her mouth to keep from laughing any more, and winced slightly at Lex's look. It was a rather upset kind of look, not so much as an angry upset sort of look...Eire how ever hadn't seemed to notice.

Faal ducked back inside the car and retrieved Lex's shoes. "Eire, juvenile is too adult a term to describe you at times..." he said with a sigh, handing Lex his shoes and shutting the car door, then took Lex's arm. "Shall we leave? Or head back inside..." he asked, silently hoping he'd suggest leaving.

"Oh bloody 'ell it was jus' a little fun!" Eire said with a mock whine from behind Tizzy.

"A little fun!? Oh God, Eire some times you can be so fucking dense!" Lex snapped. He looked at Faal and answered his question. "Leave, definitely, they wont miss me for a while... And Aiyla already knows I'm with you.." He glanced at the building, resigned to assume Aiyla had already won that part of the bet. He tried to reason with himself that the results wouldn't be THAT bad, and it should prove to be a simple job...but for some reason he wasn't really looking forward to it.

With Faal holding his arm, he took the earrings out of the one shoe, put them back in and slid on the heels, before giving Eire a dark look.

Faal tried to stifle the smirk that wanted to spread across his face.
Images of getting Lex back to the apartment.. alone with no interruptions...

Faal cleared his throat suddenly remembering Eire and Tizzy standing there. "Well.. let's go then. " He said opening the door for Lex. He turned and gave Tizzy a smile. "nice to see you again Tizabella. Eire" he added the latter with a scowl as he ran around to the driver's side and got in.

He started the engine, one hand sliding Lex's skirt back up as he gunned the engine and tore off up the street, heading for Lex's apartment.

Eire and Tizzy exchanged looks, staring after the car.

Tizzy snickered, and started for the building. Eire quickly followed. "I swear, they can't take a joke...especially Lex!"

"Eire, you idiot...they were in the middle of something...' Tizzy said with a laugh.

"Wha? Makin' out?! Lord, they do that enough as it is!" Eire said rolling his eyes. "besides, it's not a good idea t' be makin' out in the back seat o' a car...especially outside THIS building!" Eire muttered.

Tizzy snickered. "You know, I think they make such a cute couple..."

"Oh God, YOU too?!" Eire groaned and as they entered the building, broke from Tizzy's side.

"Oh and Eire! Fairlen sends her well wishes!" Tizzy called. She saw Eire pause, look back, then blush and hurry on.

Tizzy snickered and went in search of Aiyla.

***
Aiyla had seen the most of what had happened from the window in Nate's office. She grumbled. "I am NOT losing this bet to him...you should have locked that door, Nate..." She looked back at him, with a touch a look, though something was tugging at the corner of her lips.

Lex shifted slightly in the seat, allowing the skirt to ride up just a bit more, revealing the lace tops of the stockings and the starts of the garter belt. He pulled the band out of the end of the braid, and unbraided his hair, shaking it loose.

"Lord, some times Eire goes to far..." He muttered, looking out the window, and absently twisting a lock of his own hair around his fingers...

Faal sighed softly. "Don't leave me, Lex..." he gave the thigh a squeeze as they wiped around a corner. " I'm risking a speeding ticket here to get you alone... it would be very nice if you were still in the mood when we get there..."

He gave him a soft smile, eyes twinkling to let him know he was joking... sort of.

"It wouldn't be the first speeding ticket, would it?" Lex asked softly with a slight smile. "Beside..." He shifted in the seat and leaned in Faal's direction. "You haven't lost me yet." He said softly with a coy smile. One garter came loose from the stocking and Lex glanced at Faal with an expression that he should take that as a sign...

Xander shifted nervously, realized the door was probably a bad idea, kept fidgeting and managed to get out. "Er...Aiyla sort of suggested....since I keep hangin'...'round...that I...should...er...ask for...an...application...and I have NO idea who to ask...but it seemed like a good idea..."

He stared at the floor, hard, taking in the pattern of the carpet and quiet deciding it was the ugliest carpet he'd ever seen, snuck a look at Sylvie, felt his ears reddening and tried to find something else to look at.

He wondered briefly, if any one else OTHER then Aiyla had noticed recently that he hadn't been dressing as...outrageously as he used to. In fact, today he was wearing a pair of black jeans and a simple long sleeved black shirt. Only exception to his usual wardrobe was the coat...it was impossible to give up since Jasmine had given it to him.

Sylvie eyed Xander for a moment, trying to decide what to say, when it dawned on her that he was serious. She raised an eyebrow and was about to say something when she stopped again. She noticed how nervous he seemed to be asking and she realized how difficult it must have been for him to actually ASK... to even want to apply for a job here, in a place where he was not well liked.

She leaned back against the desk and looked at him for a moment. He seemed to take a deep interest in the carpet and the walls and the ceiling.. anywhere that wasn't her. Sylvie suddenly realized her wasn't wearing any leather, or netting... there was no skin or body piercings showing through his clothing.. no chains... and she suddenly found herself trying to remember how long he'd been dressing nicer.. and acting less of an ass, come to think of it.
She felt herself blush suddenly with shame as she realized she didn't know. She'd always avoided him as much as possible and so had never really paid attention.

She cleared her throat. "Actually... we don't really have much of an application for the more 'active' part of the business... just the more mundane aspects... but I suppose you could add your 'extra' qualifications on a second sheet. " She stood back up and crooked a finger at him to follow her. "Come back to the main desk and I'll see if I can dig one up for you.” she said, walking past him to the door. "Oh and Xander... you look much better this way without all the.. 'snaz'... you should try a bit of color though. You look very nice in black, but all black al the time...."

Xander tried not to grin, managed a shrug that he hoped wasn't idiotic and said, rather softly. "I don't...have a lot of colors..." He winced, realizing that was probably the most stupid thing to say and shut his mouth, shoving his hands in his pocket, and obediently following Sylvie from the office.

Eire was lingering in the hall, and gave Xander a dark look, starting to open his mouth. Xander returned the look with a look that plainly asked, 'Must you?!' and Eire suddenly shut his mouth, raising an eyebrow.

Xander continued on his way, following Sylvie, and rather then let the silence fester, said softly. "That was really nice of you...loaning Lex your earrings..."

Sylvie was a tad shocked that Eire hadn't made any rude comments to Xander as they'd passed by him, but smiled softly at Xander’s comment. "Yes well... Lex is a sweet boy, and a hard, dedicated worker... and he looked fabulous this morning. And those hoops were just not doing anything for that outfit." she laughed softly as they approached the main desk and she walked around it to the filing cabinets on the far side, where she began digging through assorted papers. With a smile she yanked a folder and plucked a couple papers from it, then plucked a couple blank sheets and a pen off the desk, handing them to Xander. "There you go... You'll probably want to pop into the kitchen and use the table..."

Xander took the papers and pen and smiled nervously. "Thanks...yeah, I'll uh...er...yeah, I'll go do that..." he muttered pathetically and inwardly winced. Yes, go ahead, make a complete fool of yourself, Xander... "Thanks..." He muttered again, cause he had nothing left to say. With another nervous smile, he saluted her with the pen and high tailed it for the kitchen.

Shauna glanced up and watched Xander leaving, then turned a curious look to Sylvie. "What was that about? He seemed .. really... nervous."

Sylvie chuckled softly as she returned the folder to the cabinet. "Xander is applying for a job with us."

Shauna snorted then looked down the hall, her pen tapping against her lip thoughtfully. "Nah.. that's not it. I know guys, and that wasn't the 'applying for a job' nervous... that was ' got the hots for a girl' nervous...."

Sylvie raised an eyebrow at Shauna. "Really?"

Shauna tilted her head to one side and rolled her eyes. "Trust me.. that's a look I see often enough to know it when I see it... He's got the hots for someone here.. that's why he keeps hanging out, that's probably why he wants a job here..."

Sylvie looked down the hall toward where Xander had disappeared. " Hmmm." she said then turned and grabbed another batch of files that had to be delivered the other offices.

**


Faal took a glance in his mirror and groaned, his hand leaving Lex's thigh and tugging the skirt back down in the process. " Jinxed." he said, watching the flashing lights pull closer until he was sure they were after him before pulling over.

Lex groaned, seeing the flashing lights. He covered his face with both hands a moment, before sighing and muttering, "Bloody hell...I think Eire jinxed us..."

The officer got out of his car and made his way toward the driver's side window. Lex kept his eyes on his hands in his lap, silently cursing Eire.

"Are you aware, you were double over the speed limit back there?" The officer asked, after Faal had rolled down the window. "Is there an emergency?" The officer asked politely, letting his gaze linger on Lex, a bit long.

"Not as such, officer, no.." Faal said, pulling out his wallet. "Lex, love, can you get the registration out of the glove compartment there for the officer? Thank you. " He turned back and handed his license to the cop. "I'm terribly sorry, I know there is no excuse I could offer that would mean anything other than to myself..."

The officer watched Lex lean forward to retrieve the registration from the glove compartment, and hand it Faal. "For doing nearly eighty in a sixty zone, no, there isn't an excuse, sir." The officer took the registration and license, and began heading back to his cruiser.

Lex watched him from the side mirror, an eyebrow raised. The officer had been watching Lex, more then he'd been looking at Faal. "I'm so going to give Eire a piece of my mind for this..." Lex muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Him and his little joke...

Faal turned with a sigh to face Lex. "You see? Now I had been my usual gentlemanly, restrained self, this would not have happened..." He glanced in his mirror at the officer then stole a kiss form Lex. " But then, where would the fun be in that... "

Lex gave a nervous giggle, aware the officer was coming back. "Its not your first speeding ticket..." He reminded Faal. "And it probably wont be your last...but don't blame me..."

The officer appeared at Faal's window again, handing back the license and registration. "I'm going to have to write you a ticket." He said, taking out the ticket book.

Lex didn't fail to notice that officer's gaze traveled over him again, and lingered on the hemline of the skirt. He shifted slightly in the seat, trying not to tug the skirt lower, trying to leave his hands folded demurely in his lap.

Faal waited patiently for the officer to finish writing the ticket, becoming aware of Lex tensing up beside him. He turned to glance at the redhead and saw how he was sitting, not looking at him and thought for a moment that he'd upset him somehow.. at the same time the officer handed his registration and license back to him and he turned, catching how the officers gaze seemed locked on Lex.

He cleared his throat rather irritated. "Excuse me, but am I going to have to call someone to report unseemly behavior form an officer? My lawyer.. the police chief, perhaps? I haven't spoken to Charles in a while and I'm sure he wouldn’t be very happy to have an old acquaintance explain to him how one of his officers had made a lady feel very uncomfortable with his attentions..."

The officer neither reacted with embarrassment or resentment, tore the ticket off the book and began handing it to Faal, but kept a grip on it, from his end. "Perhaps the lady shouldn't make a spectacle of herself." He replied monotone, but he gave a rather wicked grin.

Lex's eyes snapped around, slightly wide, he met the officer's gaze. The officer winked, and it took Lex a moment to realize he'd seen him before, but he couldn't figure it out. It wasn't until the officer turned his head to glance a car going by, that Lex realized where. He was one of Xanato’s' pets, from the Black Cat. This caused Lex to look away again, quickly.

"Oh no..." Lex muttered in a whisper, a hand going to his mouth in hope the officer hadn't heard him. He had a sneaking suspicion where this was going to lead. He was trying to figure out which one of Xanato’s two pets the officer was, when the officer turned his head back. He was still holding on to the ticket

Xander wandered down to the kitchen, looking the papers over and scratching the back of his neck with the pen. The problem was, his mind was else where and he really wasn't read the papers like he should have been.

Thankfully the kitchen was empty for the moment. He flopped down at the table, but ended up staring at the wall, not really seeing it.

Faal had caught both the officers look and heard Lex, and turned a irritated look to the officer. "Excuse me? What do you mean by her making a spectacle of herself? She's more then decently dressed and is sitting very ladylike, she is covered up very discreetly, no bosom showing, nor too much leg. She hasn't said a word to you, so it couldn't possibly be anything she's said to you, and she's barely even looked at you, so you can't claim she's been giving you lavacious looks! " Faal removed his phone from his pocket and handed it to Lex." This is outrageous. Phone Charles for me, darling, it's number two on speed dial. We're going to end this right now."

Lex started to take the phone, but hesitated. He did his best not to look at the officer, and said very softly. "Faal, can we not make a scene of this?" He asked, biting his lip. He was afraid anything Faal did would have repercussions. He'd been vaguely aware that Xanatos still had an interest in him, but this was the first time he'd run into either of Xanato’s' pets, and didn't fancy running into Xanatos himself.

The officer snickered softly, then said quiet cheerfully. "Go ahead and make that call sweetheart, it's not the police chief I have to answer to... I really like this car by the way," The officer stepped back, and Lex realized it was Lea, the one who'd been leering at him when he and Nate had had the private drink with Xanatos, the one Lex considered more danger of the two. "I like it better then the S700 in the series."

Faal turned and looked at Lex curiously, but the officer's comment about not answering to the chief caught his attention. He turned back to the window, made sure he had both his license and registration back, then glanced in the mirror to see the license plate number on the car. Then he turned a bright smile to the officer. "Excuse me... I'd like to thank you for clearing up this little problem."

The officer turned a quizzical eye on Faal, but before he could say anything, Faal hauled of and blasted him with a burst of rainbow light that knocked him almost completely across the road.

Faal grabbed the phone back from Lex, hitting the number as he tore away from the curb, one eye on the road the other on the man just gaining his feet again as he vanished into the rearview mirror.

"Charles! Hello, it's Faal.. yes, long time. Look I have a bit of a problem.. or I should say, you do. I was just pulled over by an officer who was not only extremely rude but claimed to not have to answer to you." Faal slowed enough to take the corner safely, then poured on the speed again, circling back towards the office. "No actually, I think he's.. yes that right. Yes I do.. the plate on the vehicle and the badge number. Of course, let me know when you're ready." Faal rattled off the numbers as he maneuvered through the side streets. "Excellent. Thank you. Hmm? Oh, I knocked him on his ass and took off, but he'd already seen my registration and license, so who knows what trouble he might cause. Of course, Charles, that was my next call. Thank you again. I will. " He snapped the phone shut and pocketed it, pulling out onto the street the office was on and heading around to the back of the building to park this time.

He turned to Lex as he shut the car off and saw an shocked yet somehow wary expression on his face. "He wasn't a real cop, Lex.. and I take it you know him?” He opened his door and quickly moved around to Lex's side and opened his. "come on, Luv. let's get inside incase he tracks us down. I need to call a couple Lawyers and whatnot.."

Lex rubbed his temple, but slid out of the car, tugging down the skirt. "I wouldn't exactly say know..." Lex said softly and he quickly explained about the under cover assignment at the Black Cat with Nate. "We thought at first it was Xanatos, but when two were murdered while Xanatos and his..pets were in the private lounge with us having a drink, well there was no way...The thing is, Xanatos admitted he well connected, and I'm rather sure he knew exactly where my collar came from." Lex ended as the entered the offices.

**

Sylvie delivered the last of the assignment folders to the last of the offices and was heading back to the main desk when she decided to detour to the kitchen and check on the coffee.

She saw Xander sitting at the table staring blankly at the wall, the papers in front of him on the table forgotten. she glanced at the clock and frowned. It had been a good twenty minutes ago that she'd sent him off to fill out the papers. A quick glance over his shoulder showed he'd managed to fill in name, age phone number, species/race.... and then had apparently stopped.

Sylvie was about to say something when he gave his neck another scratch with the pencil and twiddled it for a moment , seemingly rereading the paper before sighing and returning his stare at the wall.

She walked around him to the coffee maker and gave the mostly empty pot a swirl before deciding it was probably toxic by now and dumped the remains out. She quickly changed the filter and started a new pot before turning back to Xander. He was still sitting the same way , the pencil still held as if he wasn't sure what to do with it.. but instead of staring at the wall, he was staring at her.

"Writer's block?" she asked. "I know I know...that's not the right term, but you've got the same look I used to see in the middle of exams and such at school. Unprepared for paper work just causes the mind to erase itself at times... "she smiled reassuringly. She'd decided he probably hadn't filled out anything like this, if not ever, being a former hell-raised slave. "Need some help?"

"Oh...er..." Xander actually blushed. He couldn't remember the last time some one had actually caused him to blush. But blushing in front of Sylvie, only made him blush more and he looked back at the papers. What WERE you thinking, Xander... "I guess a little help couldn't hurt." He offered a rather nervous and shy smile.

Faal heard a door slam as he hung up the phone from explaining things to his lawyer and frowned. He peered out the door as saw a flash of red making a beeline for the door. "Lex!"

Lex had heard Faal, but he was already pushing the door open to head out side, digging in his purse as he went. he didn't know if he was mad at Xander or about everything else. he just suddenly did NOT want to be around any one, except Faal... He glanced over his shoulder as he went around the corner of building, hoping Faal had followed.

Faal jogged down the hall, waving off a couple of the others who'd emerged form work to see what the commotion was, and hurried out after Lex. He stepped out side, looking around, then heard the faint click of heels and hurried around the corner.

"Lex... sweetheart, will you PLEASE think before storming off?!" he said in a gentle soothing voice. "There are people who are obviously after you... please stop putting yourself in positions where you become a target." He said and gathered Lex into his arms. "I worry enough about you.. if someone took you or hurt you.. where would I be?"

Lex dropped everything back in the purse with a sigh, wiped his cheeks off again. "I had to get out of there...it got to...claustrophobic..." He muttered. "I'm sorry, I should have at least stopped at the door...but Xander was sitting the kitchen with Sylvie, apparently running off at the mouth again, about things he should have..."

"Xander was talking to Sylvie... that in itself should give you pause. And you know Sylvie isn't the type to either put up with or pass on gossip. Perhaps you were too harsh? I mean, the incident earlier has obviously upset you.. perhaps you over reacted a touch...?" Faal asked softly, holding Lex close to him.