Title: The Magic Man
Rating: M for sex, language and ROCK! You know, the works.
Disclaimer: Damn you, Kripke! I would have paid good money for the boys, and you know it! –sigh- I own nothing except that which is mine.
Summary: A late night in New Mexico in a smoky bar leads to an interesting time for one female bartender and a man from out of town.
A/N: This is what happens when you listen to Heart in the car in anticipation of the season finale. Yeah… No spoilers, so that's good, right? It is slightly fluffy, though.
--
"Come on home, girl," he said with a smile.
You don't have to love me yet,
Let's get high awhile.
But try to understand –
I'm a Magic Man.
--
Lia hated working nightshifts. The men got grabbier, the women got crabbier, and the smoke threatened to kill her via allergies and asthma. She kept her inhaler in her apron pocket at all times and took frequent hits, but she was seriously starting to reconsider new employment. She had been working this job for three months and couldn't understand why she stayed. Oakley's Bar in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico wasn't the best place for a five-foot-three, stocky built, natural brunette to be working, but she had needed a job, and her cousin knew a guy who knew a guy who ran the joint. She was going to kill Marty, if she didn't die of smoke inhalation first. The owner, Mel, hadn't hired her on looks, though. Lia had terrific vocal chords from years of church choir and musical theater in high school. He said that she'd be singing – that rat hadn't let her sing one note since she had started working. Lia slammed two beers down on the bar and reached for her apron strings, with a good mind to quit right then and there.
That's when he walked in.
He looked like a he. Tall, with broad shoulders and a slight swagger that made her think of John Wayne, of all people. His hair was close cropped and spiky, not her usual M.O., but he made it work. Faded blue jeans ripped at the knees, and a simple black t-shirt showed that he was here to drink, not pick up a woman, although Lia didn't doubt that he could if he wanted to. He was gorgeous. He was blessed high cheek bones and a broad forehead that was definitely not Cro-Magnon. He looked Irish, if she was going to be perfectly honest with herself. For a moment, her mind cringingly flitted over her mother's disapproval of this guy and then shook herself, mentally and physically. There was no way she was ever going to let her mother win, especially if the guy had really nice arms. And a nice neck, nice shoulders, nice pecs, and probably a phenomenal ass if she could get him to turn around…
As he approached the bar, Lia realized that she was staring and ducked her head in mortification. She could feel her cheeks flaming with embarrassment and willed them to cool down. A quick glance up and down the bar revealed that she was the only free waitress. She closed her eyes, cursing quietly, before a deep baritone broke into her mental rampage of dirty words.
"Excuse me; can I get a bottle of Jack and one shot of tequila?"
Eyes snapping open, head flying up, Lia's gray eyes were met and captured by the greenest eyes she had ever seen. The color wasn't so much what caught her as the emotion behind them. It was like looking into a whirlpool of so many different feelings, she almost got dizzy. Her hand flew out to grip the bar and she staggered, feeling her embarrassment return with bells on.
"Hey, are you okay?" Green Eyes and Nice Arms asked, leaning slightly over the mahogany bar top with concern in those emerald depths. "You look a little flushed."
"You're hot. I mean, it's hot!" Lia stammered, mentally screaming at Freud and his damn theories. "It's hot in here. Back here, I mean. Behind the bar, where I am. I mean," she laughed, a rather good impression of a hyena on crack, "I'm sure it's hot where you're standing, but the ventilation sucks back here, and there's virtually no breeze, so the only option to get cool is to stick your head under the beer taps, but that's just gross, not to mention unprofessional." Oh, sweet Jesus in Heaven, please help me to shut the fuck up!
He had a great smile, too. "I'm sure," he nodded slowly, eyes crinkling at the corners and large dimples appearing as he revealed a blinding white grin. Lia almost melted right then and there. Her breath caught in her chest and she bit her lip, humiliated. "One bottle of Jack and a tequila shot coming right up," she mumbled, placing the aforementioned objects on the bar and smiling, grimacing, at him before turning on her heel and doing her best to make a quick get away.
Her only friend in the place, Mica, found her ten minutes later in the cold storage with her head pressed against one of the metal shelves. Mica, a Philippine beauty from North Texas with great legs, who had definitely been hired for her looks, smiled sympathetically and rubbed Lia's back. "What's the matter, chick? You give someone the wrong drink again?"
Lia sniffed sadly and removed her forehead from the freezing metal. "No," she sighed, picking at her cuticles. "I just struck out with Apollo."
"A Greek god? Here, in Oakley's? Damn, you lucky girl," she drawled, pulling on Lia's arm, leading her to the locker's window. "Show me."
With a shaky finger, Lia pointed out Green Eyes to Mica, who just smiled and laughed. "Oh, dear, what are gonna do with you? He's clearly lonely, judging by those shots he's doing, and I'll bet on my momma's grave that you're exactly what he needs."
Lia cocked an eyebrow. "Your mother's not dead."
With a wave of a hand, Mica disregarded Lia's words like smoke. "Whatever. Go out there and talk to him! He's walking sex! Not to mention the fact that he has a great ass; I peeked when he walked in."
Ha, I knew it! Lia took a deep breath, but couldn't let it out with the confidence she desired. "I can't. I'm sorry, I just can't. Guys like that do not talk to girls like me."
"Bullshit!" Mica shrieked, deadening all noise in Lia's left ear. "That is a cop-out, Lia Marie, and you know it!"
"I know!" Lia yelled back, geared to fight. "I should be strutting my stuff out there like you and the other girls, but I can't. I'm not as brave as y'all," she finished lamely, avoiding her friend's eye.
Mica studied the timid girl next to her for a moment before smirking. "Fine. I'm gonna go talk to Mel."
Lia caught the double meaning in her voice and looked up quickly. "What? Why?"
"None of your business," Mica quipped and strolled out of the locker with her hips swinging. She passed Apollo at the bar and shot him a smile, which he returned full force. Lia didn't miss the way his eyes dropped to Mica's rear when she walked by, and her stomach twisted. Lia knew she was pretty, sure, but compared to the rest of the girls in this joint, she was an Ugly Duckling among swans. Just her luck that she'd be the designated dumpy one in this bar. Shit.
Mentally bemoaning her fortune, she watched as Mica walked up to their boss, Mel Oakley, and whispered in his ear. Mel liked Mica; she was good with people. He looked surprised at whatever she told him and glanced at her, eyebrows raised. Then he glanced in Lia's direction and she dove out of the way, heart pounding. Within three minutes, Mel was pushing open the locker door and Lia glared at very smug Mica.
"Lia, Stacey, the singer, decided to take a break and we've got a lot of requests coming in. I hired you for your voice, so why don't you get on that stage and entertain, instead of hiding back here with the vodka," Mel grumbled. Mel never did anything but grumble.
Eyes wide with horror, Lia looked from her boss to her (former) friend. "Oh, no. Please don't make me do that, Mel."
"Lee, you've got a great voice and you love being onstage? What's the problem?" Mica's voice was dripping amusement, but she had the gall to look genuinely concerned.
"The problem is, Mickey, that there's an incredibly hot looking guy out there who does not need to witness more of my stupidity."
"Nonsense. You need to make an impression on him, babe. This one's too cute to be pushed aside."
Lia glanced over Mica's shoulder to where he still sat, occasionally sneaking peeks over at the locker door. She told herself that he was waiting for Mica to emerge, but her inner cheerleader rallied that he was waiting for her. She looked back to Mica, helpless.
"But what do I sing?"
Mica beamed. "Let me take care of that. You just get on that stage." She wrapped an arm around Lia's shoulders as Mel grunted and pushed his way out into the bar. "Look at it this way – if you do well, Mel will keep you on the stage and you won't have to go back behind the bar. If this guy is worth it, he'll be eating out of your hand, which you need, since you haven't been laid in months." Lia squeaked indignantly, but she had no right to object – It wasn't like Mica was wrong.
With a deep breath, Lia pushed through the locker door and made her way around the bar to the side of the stage. The guitar player for the band, a twenty-something hippie named Ralph, smiled at her and Mica. Lia's knees buckled and Ralph reached out a hand to steady her. "Whoa, there, Lee. You doin' okay?"
"Is that a rhetorical question?" she muttered, trying not to look around the bar, but she needn't have bothered. Mica was running a play-by-play in her ear.
"He's watching you. He's put the Jack down and he's turned around. He's smiling." Mica gasped happily and Lia's stomach lurched. "He loves you. He wants to marry you. He wants you to have his bay-bies," she singsonged in a Sandra Bullock from Miss Congeniality kind of way.
Lia groaned. "Just let me get through this without puking first."
"Just get up there and make an impression," Mica cackled, pushing at Lia's back. The latter resisted as much as humanly possible, turning around and grabbing her friend's hands with her own. She smiled widely and did her best to stall.
"Okay, I'm pretty sure he heard me cackle like a hyena at the bar – if he doesn't remember that, then he's super dense, and I'm not sure I want a guy like that in my life, because I need a little bit more in a man-" One look from Mica cut off the steady stream of words leaking from her mouth. They stared at each other for a moment, one pair of eyes determined, the other pathetically desperate.
"Lia?"
"Yeah?"
"Go."
Lia tried to resist for a few more futile seconds before her fear of God and Mica took over. "Yes ma'am," she muttered, dropping her head. She felt Mica brush past her and she closed her eyes, trying to block out the bar, but unable to block out Green Eyes. She hoped he was so drunk that he wouldn't judge her too harshly for what was about to come.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our house singer is taking a break at the moment, but we do have a little in-house entertainment for you this evening," Mica's voice was gleeful and Lia had to smile. "You might recognize her as the woman who serves your drinks, but that's just her secret identity! Please, put your hands together for Miss Lia Monroe!"
Taking a deep breath, Lia bounded up the stairs and took the microphone from Mica, sending her ill wishes even as she smiled. Mica winked and bounced down the stairs, making her way back behind the bar. Lia saw Green Eyes lean over the bar to speak to Mica and her breath quickened. A quick look around at the band to see if they were ready, and a reassuring wink from Ralph had Lia smiling and she filled her lungs with life-giving air as the first riff ripped through the air. She recognized the melody immediately and caught Mica's eye, smiling thankfully. Heart had always been her strong point. Lifting the mic to her lips, she began, slow and deep like Ann Wilson.
"Cold late night so long ago,
When I was not so strong you know;
A pretty man came to me -
Never seen eyes so blue…"
Or green, Lia quipped mentally, a small smile playing about her lips as she held the note. The rest of the verse played out and she played it safe. The chorus was always her favorite part because of the powerhouse opportunity it offered.
"Come on home, girl," he said with a smile.
You don't have to love me yet,
Let's get high awhile.
But try to understand –
Try to understand.
Try, try, try to understand…
I'm a magic man."
She glanced out over the crowd and caught Green Eyes' gaze. It was fixed on her and she boldly offered a wink. He beamed and she returned the grin. It felt good to be onstage. She had always loved the security that the stage offered – the blinding lights and warm, heavy air was a security blanket. Onstage, Lia was a completely different person – a person who winked at complete strangers while singing Heart's "Magic Man".
"Summer lover passed to fall
Tried to realize it all.
Mama says she's worried -
Growing up in a hurry, yeah."
Her voice rose and fell with the natural rhythm of the music and she closed her eyes as she launched into the high notes of the chorus. This felt good. There was no sound from the audience, which was odd, but she didn't pay too much attention to it. She was only performing for him, and he seemed to like it. The instrumental part of the song took over and she looked at Ralph, nodding in time with the music. Going on the road as part of a band briefly flitted across her mind, but then the lyrics were back and she didn't have time for such thoughts anymore.
"'Come on home, girl' he said with a smile.
'I cast my spell of love on you, a woman from a child!
But try to understand,
Try to understand, oh ... oh ...
Try to understand,
Try, try, try to understand.
He's a magic man!' Oh, yeah.
Oh, you've got the magic hands!"
She saw Mel, nodding appraisingly in the back, arms crossed and feet planted like he always stood. His body was tilted forward, however, as though it was drawn to the sound of her voice. She saw Mica, dancing behind the bar, arms above her head and eyes closed.
Lia saw the man, making his way through the crowd, eyes fixed on her, and she flushed. Her voice didn't falter however, as she finished up the song and said a quiet, "Thanks, y'all."
The bar erupted into cheers and whistles, clapping and loud shouts of praise. Lia threw her head back and laughed, highfiving Ralph and thanking the rest of the band. She turned around to find Mica and was surprised to see a hand, reaching up to help her down off the stage. She smiled shyly and took it, blushing when Apollo transferred her hand to his shoulder and placed her other hand on the opposite side so that when she jumped down from the stage, her body was flush against his. Lia hoped he couldn't feel the heat from her cheeks as her feet hit the floor. Over the praise and mayhem, he leaned forward and spoke loudly in her ear, "I'm Dean!"
Finally, a name for the face, Lia thought as she nodded. He pulled back, green eyes sparking and she pointed at her chest, jabbing her first finger into her skin.
"Lia!" she explained, smiling when he laughed. "Yeah, I got that," he yelled, and her smile faltered. He laughed again, a deep, rumbling bass that echoed through her entire body. She had to look up considerably to see him, which she loved. One arm was still wrapped securely around his neck. She bit her lip sheepishly, which turned into a surprised gasp as he brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes. Then he asked her a question that she hadn't been asked in a very, very long time.
"When do you get off?"
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TBC