Title: No Worries
Author: Kristin aka KiaraAlexisKlay
Disclaimer: Roswell belongs to by Melinda Metz, Jason Katims, the WB, Fox, Scifi, etc. Highlander the tv series belongs to David-Panzer Productions.
Synopsis: Joe Dawson's worried about his new employee.
Category: Roswell crossover with the television show Highlander
Rating: TEEN to MATURE
Author's Note: This one wasn't my favorite, but I guess it turned out okay. See what you think.
No Worries
Over the years, Joe Dawson became used to all the various types of clientele that came through his bar. During the day, there were a few customers off and on -not enough to be truly busy, but enought that closing during the day would not be altogether a wise choice. The daylight customers were an eclectic bunch, starting with the opening Nine A.M.. until Noon bunch, veterans and retirees alike. Grizzled men -and on occassion, women- who enjoyed swapping stories, recalling children, jobs, weddings and funerals, sipping a cold one be it beer, water or soda, and just plain enjoying getting out of their houses or assisted living apartments to get away for a bit. Joe liked them in particular, and being a veteran himself, never lacked in conversation with these fine fellows.
The 11:30 to about 2 p.m. crowd were business types, suits who ordered expensively, expected swift service, and on occassion tipped outstandingly. Most of the time they were too good to leave more than a few nickels but Joe hadn't received any bad pennies yet. They also brought assosciates or contacts for a quick beer, showing the contact a nice time and a good beer, possibly change a decision or encourage one. Of course, business didn't really start until about five o'clock, when people on their way home from work stopped by to unwind, and by eight the place was in full swing until the wee hour of two in the morning with the exception of Saturday night-Sunday morning, where Joe's closed at 11:59:59 p.m. and not a second later.
But none of his usual customers compared to those he labeled under friends-slash-family-slash-ongoing-pains-in-his-ass. More commonly referred by their names as Adam Pierson, Richie Ryan, Duncan 'Mac' MacLeod, and lord have mercy and tight purse strings, Miss Amanda. His strange family, each one special and unique, also cost him more in beer, liquor, gray hairs, and almost heart attacks than owning the bar alone would have normally. But Joe was used to this, and even crippled as he was with amputated legs, he could handle most anything or anyone in this bar.
He just wasn't certain his new waitress could. He'd be horrified if she could, though.
He didn't know what it was about her, but Joe just wanted to hug her and protect her, and make sure that whatever put the sadness in her large doe colored eyes never got to her again. Joe suspected she was younger than she claimed, even though her id checked out just fine when he asked a regular -who just so happened to be a cop- to run it and make sure. Then again, 'Shirley' could have one of those faces that are eternally youthful. Just how eternal and how 'youthful' that eternally youthful look was, he couldn't say. Which was why he asked his friends, Richie and Mac, to check her out for any 'specialness' they might recognize.
Richie was checking her out a little too thoroughly, and Joe casually-accidentally knocked a glass over the leering boy's way.
"Hey!"
"Smooth, Richie," Joe growled sarcastically, rolling his eyes in disgust. No wonder the kid died young... Beside him, Duncan snorted and hid his grin in a mug of beer, licking the foam off his upper lip and to all intents and purposes was paying no attention whatsoever to the little punky, spiky haired brunette expertly weaving her way toward the bar proper.
"Hey, Joe, I need a couple more Miller's and some Jack Daniels, though I'd make 'em light 'cause those boys are trashed," Shirley made her request, leaning a hip against the cool, varnished wood and rested her forearms on top of the round serving tray she'd recently divested of empty glasses and bottles. She gave Duncan and Richie an absent acknowledging nod, though there was the faintest amusement in her eyes when she briefly caught Richie's eye.
Her sable hair was longest in the back, where it barely came past the nape of her neck, and the spikiness only added a sexy, edgier feel that took one's gaze away from the roundness of her cheekbones. Joe couldn't help but think, as he filled out her order, that she'd look a heck of a lot more natural with longer hair, but he couldn't deny the shorter hairstyle gave her a maturity that others couldn't ignore, especially if one managed a glimspe of those sorrow filled doe eyes.
"Here you go, sweetie. Them boys causing you trouble?"
Shirley laughed, her entire face lighting up with the brightness of her smile and the genuine twinkling mirth, temporarily alleviating the sadness. All three men stared at the transformation.
"Boss, I've been waitressing a long time. No worries. And if they give me trouble, trouble always seems to find them back in one way or another."
Strangely, Joe believed her, as he watched her glide away with an ease and level of comfortableness that only could come with many years of waiting tables.
Yeah, no worries.
finis