Bat Country

The music was loud and hurt Alexis's ears, there were too many people that smelled good in here. She was uncomfortable with the number of people who kept staring and drawing attention to the group that you really couldn't miss.

Alexis had not wanted to go out, but Matt insisted that it would be a bonding moment for everyone if they went out as a group. He told her that since her creation, they had not done this and that it was long overdue.

"You could at least look like you're having a good time." Matt whispered into her ear, shaking her out of rooted space-out.

"Maybe I would look happy if I wasn't forced to come against my fucking will." Alexis hissed back at him. He'd had his arm around her shoulders, a little too tightly, and it was just irritating her more.

Matt moved closer to her and smiled, placing a hand on her cheek, his thumb stroking her cheekbone a little harder than necessary, and when he stopped, it was clear what he was communicating to her. "I don't really give a shit what you want. You need to feed, and we can't use the forest one hundred percent of the time. It draws too much attention to that area, and that's a problem. Do you fucking understand me?" His dominance was masked to others. It looked more like he was about to kiss her than anything else.

Alexis took Matt's hand and removed it from her face, shoving it back down. "Perfectly."

She sat at the back of this curved booth, and if she wasn't blocked in, she would be tempted to just get up and walk out but there would be hell to pay if she did. Her eyes flickered to Brian who was trying to pretend he hadn't overheard Matt and Alexis.

Finally Jimmy kind of chuckled and pushed a drink away from him. It was mainly bought to complete the deceptive charade that they were actually human. "Alexis, would you like to dance?"

"Yes please." Alexis sighed in relief.

Isabel and Brian scooted out of the booth to let Jimmy and Alexis out and as soon as Alexis stood up, Jimmy took her hand. "I'm not going to lie to you, I don't really know any dancing that isn't from those roaring 20s, you know, but I figured you'd want out of that booth."

Alexis laughed softly and looked back at Matt who was still watching her. She turned back to Jimmy. "What gave me away?" She asked sarcastically with a half cocked brow.

"He's been in a worse mood than a bird stuck in a washing machine." Jimmy chortled and turned to face Alexis. "Would you like to slow dance?"

"Weird analogy, but sure. We'll look ridiculous." Alexis said, locking her hands in Jimmy's as he put her in the correct position.

"I'm full of weird fuckin' analogies! I know you have Matt's memories, and I know he can swing dance. Be glad I'm not asking you to do that." He chuckled.

"Are you asking me to lead, because that's all I've got." Alexis laughed a little harder than she should have.

"I...I may have not thought of that." Jimmy admitted.

At this point, Alexis was glad she had chosen pants and belted booties over a dress and heels. She couldn't imagine how Miranda and Isabel had maneuvered through the forest to get here in heels, or would later dispose of their prey while wearing them.

"Well thanks, Jim." Alexis smiled.

"For what? Getting you away from Mister Moody over there? Stand on my feet. You weigh nothing, just do it."

"What?" Alexis asked. "Oh." She put her feet lightly over Jimmy's who began to dance with her like she was 5 years old which made her giggle. "Yes, by the way. From getting me away from Mister Moody."

Eventually Jimmy kept getting a little more exaggerated and goofy and Alexis was cackling as he danced with her. "No problem!" He smiled. "He was annoying me a little. I think he's a little scared of your boyfriend Brian."

Alexis's face suddenly became very serious. "Why does everybody call him that?"

Jimmy kept getting goofier, and luckily the music could drown him out mostly so that even with vampiric hearing, Matt could probably not hear him. Leaning forward, Jimmy brushed up against Alexis's ear. "I've spent a lot of time convincing the others it isn't true, but I've seen the way he looks at you. He shouldn't even be able to do that. Plus you left your books on the library table. Open. I figured it out."

Dread washed over Alexis's face as her panicked eyes came up to Jimmy's.

"Secret's safe with me." He smiled and for whatever reason, Alexis trusted him. "You want to tell me what happened?"

"I can't, Jimmy. I can't." Alexis whispered.

"Well can I ask you some yes or no questions?" He offered a compromise.

After a moment of thought Alexis nodded.

"Okay. Did the bond dissolve?" He asked.

"Yes." Alexis's eyes glanced over to Brian and Matt who actually looked like they were talking like friends.

"Was it a conscious decision for you?"

"No." Alexis's lip quivered in fear she would be discovered.

"Are you scared I'm going to tell him?" He asked softly.

"Yes." Alexis nodded, looking up at him.

"I won't, I promise. That'll put him in all sorts of a bad mood. Do you have a plan for when he finds out?"

"Yes."

"Will you be safe?"

"Will I be safe? Yes. Will Brian? I hope so." Alexis said sadly.

Jimmy whispered even quieter. "Nikki and Andy?"

"Yes."

"Well I'll do you a favor. I'll do my best to distract him so you and Brian can do your shit. Be as careful as possible." He told her.

"Why would you do that?" Alexis asked, confused.

"Because I like you. You're one of my favorites and honestly, you get a lot of blame when all you try to do is mind your own business. Apparently motherfuckers don't realize that you don't want the shit, but that you have to get it anyways. Besides you're the only one that makes Syn not mope around. You're helping his ass out of his depression. Matt will find someone else to dip his wick in and stop being so angry after awhile, but you're the only thing Brian's ever wanted and to be honest the idea of a coup is somehow appealing." He flashed a devilish grin at her.

"It's not a coup!" Alexis sighed. "He just gives me a freedom Matt can't."

"Brian is good for freedom. He hates confinement. Nesting for too long in one spot makes him anxious. You were pretty sheltered, right?" Jimmy asked, dipping Alexis.

"You could say that." She said, her hair brushing against the ground.

"Well then you want to be out, seeing, doing shit. That's what Brian likes. So if Matt gets pissy, and he will, so be it. To be honest Johnny and Miranda are already talking of leaving the nest. And if you and Brian are leaving as well, then that just leaves me, Matt and Zack and after the shit Matt pulled on Zack, if he didn't leave, I'd be surprised. He's coming dangerously close to losing everything because he can't control his temper. You deserve better than that."

"You seem to take Brian's side a lot."

"Well, he made me. We were pretty aggressive to each other for awhile there. But we both want you to be happy and that helped that out a lot. Hence I got you the bed after Matt ra--" Jimmy cut himself off, spinning around with Alexis still standing on his feet, as music that was totally inappropriate for the dance kept blasting.

"You got me the bed?" Alexis asked in shock.

"I did." Jimmy announced proudly. "It was easy enough to get, but watching Brian and I haul that shit back was hilarious. Not heavy at all, y'know. Just bulky. I couldn't have you choose between no bed, or a bed soaked in your blood."

"Thank you for that." Alexis murmured.

Brian crossed by them in that second and stepped next to Jimmy. "Gonna go out for a smoke. Bring her with you." He whispered before stepping aside and continuing on towards wherever it was he was going. Isabel finally scuttled past, chasing after him and Jimmy jolted forward, following him. Yelling 'hold up' while clinging to Alexis's hand as if he took her out by mistake.

The disappointment came when Matt caught Alexis's hand. "I don't think so."