Two Newbies at a Bar... Who: Introducing Megan Baxter & Harrison Barnes, with an appearance by Lilith Ravenwood Where: Eden When: Wednesday evening
Considering his connection to Jacob Mitchell, who was a Werecougar and worked as a detective here in downtown L.A., and Harrison's own psychic abilities, it wasn't entirely a surprise to find him at Eden a club catering to both humans and supernatural creatures alike. Only the normal humans didn't know about the second club below where Harrison was at the moment. Currently at his favorite place: the bar.
Staring into her drink, Megan Baxter sat at the bar, dressed in a sharp black and red dress suit, absently running her fingertips through her short black hair. She'd just been sent to Los Angeles to take over the training of a Slayer, but, as has been the case since all Slayers became active, the council wasn't exactly sure WHO she was being assigned to yet. 'We'll let you know in the next day or so', they said. Great.
He'd gotten his second glass of Jack, his preferred drink of choice, glanced at the attractive woman dressed in black and red. Harrison smiled at her, the gesture the last five years always carrying a hint of sadness to it, before turning his attnetion foward again and taking a burning gulp of the drink.
She noticed him smiling to her, and in return, gave him a friendly nod, a slight hint of a smile to it. She'd normally be even more friendly, but dammit, she had a lot on her mind.
Harrison finished the second glass of Jack in record time, hailing the bartenders attention and then glanced at Megan again. Quietly he asked while gesturing a hand to her glass, "Can I get you anything?"
"Sure." She shot back, forcing a smile so as not to seem rude. "Martini please?" She just didn't have it in her to tell him to leave her alone, as he looked for all the world to see as if his puppy was just run over.
"Ah, a martini for the lady and, uh... another Jack Daniels for me, please." A brief polite smile to the bartender before he turned his haunted attention to Megan. It then occured to him that he should introduce himself, "Oh! Uh..." He stuck out his hand, "Harrison Barnes."
She took his hand, a firmer grip than one would expect from so petite a lady. "Megan Baxter. A pleasure."
She was confident based on her firm handshake, Harris noted. He liked confidence--Heather had been a very confident woman--which was something he now lacked. "Megan... that's a nice name."
"Well... thank you, Harrison." Her voice was sweet, yet strong. Her tone suggested an occasionally stiff demeanor, and her eyes held the promise of a woman who wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers to get what she wanted.
"Um..." Harris nodded, "Your welcome." Their drinks arrived and he lifted his glass to her, "Cheers." Harrison took a gulp and then said, "You'll get an answer soon, by the way." He said with a glance.
"Pardon me?" She asked, a fine brow rising into a small arch.
"To the question you asked." Harrison nodded, "You'll know by the end of the week." He took another gulp of Jack.
"Oh... a psychic. I get it." She smirked, tapping her forehead. "Well... hopefully I'll be happy with my answer."
The man shrugged, "Sorry, occupational hazard." Harris said with a small, sad smile. His drink hovered in front of his lips as he too a quick "peek" at the Slayer who would be so lucky to have Megan as a Watcher, "I don't think she'll like you all that much." He glanced at the woman, "At first."
"Well... that will probably be because unlike my peers, I don't believe in coddling people." She said bluntly, taking a long sip of her drink.
Harrison actually chuckled a little, his sad smile reappearing, "No... No you don't." He took the last gulp of his drink and caught the bartenders attention again for another one.
"So, I'm new here, and not exactly a social person to begin with.... but why are YOU sitting here all alone looking completely downtrodden?" She asked, a quirky smirk smpreading across her mouth.
The bartender handed him his new glass of J.D. and Harrison lifted the drink in mock salute, "To forget." He took another gulp.
"Enough said." She nodded, knowing that everyone, herself included, had things they wished they could forget. "If you're gonna sit there getting drunk off your ass, at least let me buy the next round. Hate to see you drunk AND broke."
Harrison looked at the woman, regarding her sincerity and then he shrugged while a small smile grew on his lips. It still held it's note of sorrow, but it was an attractive smile nonetheless and Harris gave a small gesture, "If that's your wish."
"Oh, check out the genie here." She chuckled, finishing her drink. "Keep answering me like that, and I'm gonna start calling you Aladdin." Her eyes, while eyes that had clearly seen a lot in her short life, also still held an adorable innocence to a degree.
Megan's chuckle was infectious and although Harrison didn't chuckle in reply, he did smile again. He shrugged, "Well, I can't guarantee three wishes, but I can try for one."
Well, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that a club that plays old-fashioned motown instead of this... noise... isn't one you can grant, so I'll skip that." She smirked, shaking her head. "I think for now, some decent conversation will be enough."
Harris chuckled a little at the joke and agreed with her, "No... no, I'm not in the habit of turning one club into a motown club. But," He lifted his glass to hers, "I can grant your second wish."
"So what do you see now?" She asked, smirking again. "Aside from a severe hangover in your future."
The sad smile returned as Harris clinked his nails against his glass, "I don't know, Ms. Baxter." He took a sip of his drink, "The, ah... future is never set in stone." Although the truth, he used it as cover to mask the fact that he had long ago become a sad, lonely man and the he probably would become a sad, lonely, old man with liver problems at the rate he was going.
You know... handsome men are much more attractive when they're not wallowing." She shrugged, letting him take that as he would. "Just a little FYI."
Harrison's sad little smile appeared again, "Yeah... I don't hide it very well, do I?" He finished off his drink, knocked on the counter again for another.
"No, you really don't." She snickered, motioning for the bartender to bring them each another drink. "Last one for you, dear. I don't fancy seeing you leaving here in an ambulance."
He held up his hands in a surrendering gesture, a lazy smile slowly curving his lips, "As the lady wishes."
"Well all RIGHT... that's two wishes!" She exclaimed, laughing. She was actually glad she came here, bad music be damned.
The laugh caught his attention and Harrison basked in the noise. It had been so long since he's heard it, spending so much time alone in an empty house. He lifted his glass again, "Maybe I can grant you three wishes."
"But I have no clue what to make the third one." She laughed and shrugged. "I don't really desire very much in life."
Harrison was quick to respond, "Everyone desires something out of life." He sipped at his drink.
"Well, I doubt a healthy relationship, a stress-free job, and a house on the hills is in your playbook there, buddy." She winked and chuckled.
Harrison tilted his glass a tad, staring down into its contents a moment in silence before answering, "It was, before... Well, before a lot of things." The man downed the last of the contents of the glass, setting it on the bar and stood.
"Hey..." she said, as he stood up. "If you ever feel like leaving the past in the past, and trying to give a chance to living your life... call me." She handed him a business card with her name and number. "I don't do pouting well... but I can be a fun person to hang out with, despite how it seems."
The blonde haired man had to smile at that, taking the card and sticking it in his wallet. "I... I'm married." Harrison flashed his wedding ring, "But, uh... thank you." He cleared his throat and headed for the stairs to the upper level. he was intercepted by another woman with wild colored dark pink hair. The rest of her outfit was black. The two spoke briefly before, the woman sent someone to follow Harrison. She eventually made her way over to the bar, taking Harrison's seat. The woman smiled, flashing fang, "Very well played, my dear." Her accent was clearly British.
She played at not knowing what the vampire was, although the situation clearly had thrown her for a loop. "Hey... sorry about that. If I knew he was married, I wouldn't have even flirted. No harm done?"
Lilith laughed, "My dear, Harrison hasn't been married for the last five years." Light gray eyes strayed to the stairs that the man had ascended. She looked back at Megan, "Not since the murder of his wife and children. And," the vampire leaned toward Megan, briefly touching the woman's arm, "You couldn't harm the man any more than he has been, dear." Lilith pulled back, "Actually, you've done quite the opposite, in fact."
"Wait what?" The Watcher asked, a confused look scrunching her features up. "He just said he's married, then you come waltzing in all 'ooo look at me', and now I'm absolutely confused."
She smiled again, laughing. "Ms. Baxter, you are new in town and not a regular. That is Harrison's little defense mechanism to stay faithful to a woman he loved body and soul." Lilith looked at Megan, "I have to admit, I'm quite shocked at you. You managed to do something Detective Mitchell has been trying to get Harrison to do for years."
"...go one night without damaging his liver?" She asked, that brow going up again.
Lilith regarded the answer, nodded once in agreement, but said, "Talk to someone. Well, besides the very few jobs he has." The vampire crossed a leg over a knee, "Every time Harrison comes in here, he drinks his Jack Daniels, speaks to no one and leaves."
"Well then, color me flattered." Megan smirked and gave a long sigh. "Now I feel bad, because I've probably got him thinking I'm something I'm not."
"Oh, please, Ms. Baxter." Lilith chuckled, "If he's thinking that at all, you should be flattered. Harrison hardly thinks of anything but his misery." The vampire held up a hand, "Might I suggest some advice?"
With a mistrusting smirk, Megan crossed her arms and leaned against the bar. "By all means."
Lilith leaned forward again, "Despite how Harrison looks now..." the vampire straightened, "He's quite a charming fellow. Call him, Ms. Baxter." Lilith smiled, "You won't regret it."
What're you, his pimp?" Megan asked with a lazy grin. "I didn't get his number. He took off."
The vampire's smile widened, revealing fangs, at the insinuation. "Oh, hardly, Ms. Baxter." Lilith gestured around the club, "I am the owner of this club and I like to keep my customer's happy."
"Hey. Sure. I'll give the guy a call. Since you're playing pseudo-pimp, wanna get me his number then, since he took off?" Megan smirked again.
Lilith turned to the bartender, "Anthony? Pen and paper, please?" Anthony the bartender complied and the vampire wrote down Harrison's contact information, her writing spidery, with little flourishes on certain letters. Folding the paper in half, Lilith held it out to Megan, "For the record, Ms. Baxter, I am not pimping Harrison out. He is a troubled soul that needs help."
"Well... I can be a good friend. But if by some chance it doesn't work? Dont come flashing those teeth at me and think I'm gonna feel bad." She couldnt help it... it was in her nature to be basically bitchy to any vampire, even if it was a good or neutral one.
"Ooooo, a tough and bitchy Watcher." Lilith's lips curved into a smile, "I'm very, very impressed, Ms. Baxter." The vampire leaned toward the woman, patting her hand, "Not to worry, dear, I don't flash my fangs at those who are unwilling. And if Harrison doesn't become interested you? Well, then ... he's just a bloody idiot."
Aw, how sweet. The vampire thinks I'm pretty." She stood then, snatching the paper. "Thanks for the number. I gotta get outta here."
"My pleasure," The vampire murmured at the retreating Watcher and then called out, "Do come back!" She smiled again and then turned to the bartender, "My usual, please, Anthony."