Introduction: Kate & Elliot

"Uggh," Kate grunts with dislike, swiveling her head away from the handsome, copper-haired man making a bee-line for her. If possible, she felt his penetrating gaze before she even saw him begin to cross the room towards her. Doing her best to ignore his unwanted presence she refuses to let herself make eye-contact with him as he closes the distance between them.

It wasn't like he intimidated her. On the contrary, unlike her roommate and best friend, Ana, Christian Grey holds no sway over Kate's emotions. To her, he comes off as too self-assured and cocky. And there is something else as well. She can't put her finger on it, but something lurks beneath the surface of Christian Grey's polished façade. For this reason, she refuses to succumb to the "Christian Grey" effect.

Kate steels herself for the imminent encounter, summoning some choice phrases for Christian about stalking and unwanted attention. What was he doing here? Ana, of course, but how and why? When was this guy going to get the message that Ana wasn't interested in him and his confusing mixed messages? Or was she. Where was Ana? Bathroom or getting some air? Her thoughts felt hazy. Clearly she was feeling the multiple margaritas' effect.

"Kate," Christian says, once he is within speaking -distance his voice somehow clearly audible over the steady beat of the thumping music.

Slowly, Kate swivels her head in Christian's direction.

"Christian Grey." Kate stares unabashedly into Christian's dark eyes, sarcasm lacing her words, "To what do we owe the honor?"

Breaking eye contact with Christian, Kate eyes the handsome blonde man standing behind him. Taller than Christian, but not by much, they clearly had entered the bar together. He was gazing at her in that way, the beginnings of a smile tugging at his beautiful lips. Without realizing what her body is doing, Kate adjusts her posture by shrugging back her shoulders and straightening her spine, her breasts standing to attention. She can feel her temperature rise under the blonde guy's continuing gaze as the music and background noise of the bar and dance music dropped away.

"Anastasia, Kate. Where is she?" Christian's tone, more urgently now, implores.

"Umm, bathroom, getting some air," she rambles, never breaking eye contact with the blonde god behind Christian. "She said she'd be right back. I think Jose went with her," Kate finishes lamely. Was it just her, or did Christian Grey's face harden a bit at the mention of Jose going with Ana. This guy has issues, she thought to herself.

Eyeing Kate, and perhaps noticing her lack of focus on their conversation, Christian turns back to the blonde guy behind him, then back to Kate's infatuated stare at his companion. "My brother, Elliot," Christian says, by way of explanation; a look of combined annoyance and amusement on his face. Turning back to the blonde, "Elliot, this is Kate Kavanaugh. She is Anastasia's roommate."

The smile playing at Elliot's mouth immediately spreads to the rest of his face at Christian's words. "A pleasure to meet you, Kate Kavanaugh. Christian didn't tell me Ana's roommate was a fox!"

Kate beams at him, batting her lashes at his comment. "I didn't know Christian Grey had a brother," she purrs back.

Momentarily breaking their connection by stepping into Elliot's line of sight, Christian says purposefully to Elliot, "Stay with Kate. I am going to find Ana."

"Great plan," answers Elliot playfully. "You know where we'll be."

Christian grimaces at Elliot's flippant attitude. He came here to find Anastasia, save her from herself, and all his brother is thinking about is getting laid, and with Ana's roommate, no less. Great.

"Right," he replies, spinning on his heal and heading out the way they had come in, the crowd moving out of his determined path.

Shaking his head at the intensity that is Christian Grey, Elliot resumes his burning eye-contact with Kate. She is beautiful. Not just beautiful, stunning. Strawberry blonde hair cascading down her back, the perfect figure silhouetted in her tight, but not too tight clothing, and that look on her face: self assured but not haughty. She gazes back at him impassively, although Elliot can detect the carnal interest underlying her seemingly innocuous gaze. I've met my match, he thinks to himself. This girl is something, and immediately Elliot's annoyance at Christian for interrupting their Guy Night has dispelled.

"Shall we," Elliot mouths, extending his left hand to Kate and motioning with his body toward the dance floor.

"We shall," Kate answers, beckoning him with her arched eyebrows, and exaggeratedly placing her right hand in his outstretched one. Grasping her hand, Elliot twirls her once in towards him and then back out, holding her just briefly against his muscled chest. She gasps, surprised by his bravado, then smiles up at him with a gleam in her eye.

All thoughts of Guy Night banished from Elliot's mind, he and Kate weave their way onto the dance floor.