Tegan Chronicles

Affairs of Love 10

" 'Though I've tried before to tell her, of the feelings I have for her in my heart; Every time that I come near her, I just lose my nerve, as I've done from the start.'" The lone male a cappella voice was faint over the din of patrons in the bar, and he was either drunk or rearranging lyrics to suit his needs. "'Every little thing she does is magic. Every little thing you do just turns me on.'"

Tegan glanced around the room as her heart rate quickened, and a crazed orangutan somersaulted in her stomach.

"Are you ok?" Janet reached out and touched her forearm eliciting a startled jump.

"Yeah." Tegan continued to look for the owner of the voice, astutely aware it wasn't a recording.

"'Do I have to tell the story of a thousand rainy days since we first meet? It's a big enough umbrella, but it's always me who ends up getting wet.'"

"Are you sure?" Jack glanced around automatically reaching for a p-90 that wasn't there. Feeling a little foolish he pressed once more. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Heard one, actually." She stood up her chair pushing back in the process. "It's probably nothing."

She turned to find the bathroom just in time to see him, to know that there was no escape. Although she wasn't certain that was really what she wanted, at least not from him.

"Tegan!" He flashed his opal smile and held out his arms.

"What's he doing here?" Jack asked even as an unseen forced pulled Tegan into those waiting arms. Sam shrugged.

"What are you doing here?"

"Dance?"

"You didn't fly from Dulles to dance with me Greg." She heard something faintly on the jukebox but couldn't really make it out.

"What if I did?" He pulled her closer feeling how perfectly she fit into his embrace. "You've got an audience and at least one of them wishes they were me."

"Jack always wishes he was 'that' guy." She let him lead her for a few seconds.

"I didn't say it was Jack."

"Ah." She at least had an excuse this time. "Eagle eyes thinks I'm overworked and would rather I be at home in bed right now. She won't even let me drive."

"But here you are."

"I am." She pushed away from him. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Paige." He grinned. "I stopped by your place. When you weren't home I called and she told me to check Janet's and here for you."

"How long are you here for?"

"I'm taking the redeye out Sunday."

"So, why are you here again?" She probed for the answer he didn't want to give her.

"I needed to get away, and I remembered this cute little redhead who owed me a rain check."

"I could take you out right here," She warned lightly.

"I have no doubt about that." He looked at Janet who was starting to get restless. "So what do you say tomorrow night, I'll pick you up at seven."

"Okay." She didn't think about it too long before he led her back to the table.

"I didn't come here to crash your party." He pulled out her chair and kissed her cheek. "Wear something nice."

"Wear something nice?" Jack scoffed after Greg had left.

"Yeah who says that?" Daniel piped in.

If she didn't know better she'd think her whole team was jealous. She looked at Janet, "what?"

"You're supposed to be resting this weekend."

"I'll be home by ten I promise." She grinned before adding, "And he's driving."

Jack looked curiously between the two women before looking to Sam and raising his eyes brows in question.

Tegan opened the door to find Greg standing there in a black suit with unclear pinstripes and a black dress shirt, the top button undone. In his hand was a single long stemmed rose. "Dior? I see you haven't lost your sense of style."

She wondered why he could dress him self so well, but his choice of color on her was so poor. Luckily she didn't have to wear any presents tonight. She'd decided to play it safe with a classic black knee length cocktail dress with a deep v-neck.

"You look radiant as ever." He forbid his eyes to travel her body, already knowing it was prefect, he offered her the rose. "I know you'd rather have an entire rose bush, but I was running late."

"Thank you." She blushed. "Let me find a vase and I'll be ready to go."

Dinner had gone fine, light conversation. It was just like old times, and maybe that was the problem as dessert arrived, a decadent chocolate mousse with white chocolate shavings and caramel drizzled on top. Tegan picked up her spoon not really sure how to attack it, or if she was up to the task. She chose a different path. "Are you dating?"

Greg blew out the breath he'd just taken, "Off and on since you left."

"That's good." She dipped her spoon in the edge taking a small bite. It was so good she almost moaned.

"Is it?" He knew the comment wasn't about dessert.

"I want you to be happy Greg."

"I want the same for you." He pushed his half eaten crème brulèe away.

"Who is she?"

"Are you jealous?"

"No, that ship sailed a long time ago Greg." She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. "We're… we're just us."

"That's what I needed to know." He picked up his glass of wine and it was the first time Tegan noticed he'd finished the entire bottle on his own. He cleared his throat and surprisingly hit the right key. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd picked a better song to serenade her with, but this wasn't meant to be a serenade. "'If that's all you will be, you'll be a waste of time. You've dreamed a thousand dreams; none seem to stick in your mind. Two points for honesty. It must make you sad to know that nobody cares at all.'"

"Greg?" She tried to interrupt as she folded her napkin in her lap. Without looking around she knew they'd drawn unwanted attention and was glad she probably wouldn't be back at this particular restaurant anytime soon.

"'Can't lift a finger, can't change my mind. I never knew till someone told me that... If that's all you will be, you'll be a waste of time'"
 He'd never acted like this before, not even when he drank, which was rarely. He'd always been the perfect man, the only one she'd ever really felt anything for. She couldn't blame his behavior on aliens, which would actually be a blessing. It was the kind of behavior she expected from David, except he couldn't sing. "Greg it's not polite to be rude, and it's not like you to be insincere."

"'Two points for honesty,' baby! 'It must make you sad to know that nobody cares at all.'" He licked his lower lip. "'Nobody cares at all. They never care at all'"

Tegan looked at the bill the waiter left with dessert and pulled out a couple of large bills to cover it and gratuity.

"I've got it baby." He slurred his words for the first time.

She lowered her voice so only he could hear here. "Don't baby me!"

She pulled out a hundred and a fifty out and folded them neatly in her palm before standing, "Good bye Greg."

"Don't leave." He watched her walk up to the maitre D'.

"Please make sure my friend gets safely back to his hotel." She slipped him the two bills to cover cab fair and his trouble before writing down the address. She then quietly slipped out the front pulling out her cell phone to call Paige.