A/N: Annette, part one!

I've got another one, listen to me/And don't get all hung on
To things I have done wrong/Oh no, not again, I won't reply
It's only how I feel/It sometimes seems unreal
But everyone gets there once in a while/Are you wishing?

- Status Quo

We continue to bring Belinda out to train Kitten's men, at their insistence. I think it rankled them that they weren't able to catch and restrain her. Oh, they'd managed to plug her a few times so that, had the knives been silver and one of them been able to twist, she'd have been a smelly mess on the Wreck Room floor, but they were still working on catching and holding onto her. As for Belinda, even though she no longer got fresh blood, she got an extra plasma bag each day and a few hours out of her cell, so she didn't complain about being a running pincushion. And after a while, they slowly but surely improved.

Meanwhile, I was placing calls all over the globe, calling in my vampires and having them spread the word amongst their own people that I needed them all in Virginia. As I was on good terms with most of them, they readily agreed and the plan fell slowly but surely into place. I also contacted Charles to see if he would be willing to assist, and, great mate that he is, he also pledged his support. This was a tricky situation for the three of us, Charles, Ian and myself, as we'd all been mates for centuries. But with Ian, well…let's just say he ran hot and cold with both Charles and myself over the years, so it was a bit easier for Charles to decide to throw his lot in with me.

And then there was the other difficult situation: Annette. We had quite the history, Annette and I. We had a long-standing relationship as humans, and she very literally saved my life. In turn, I rescued her from hers and she became the first vampire I ever sired. After that, we'd had an on-and-off affair ever since. I knew how she felt about me, and while I definitely had love for Annette, I had never been in love with her: that feeling belonged solely to Kitten.

Annette had also been my "almost" in Chicago. While Kitten knew about that, she definitely wasn't particularly okay with it. That I could understand; I wouldn't want to have to spend time with her wanker one-nighter, either. I also knew that Annette was furious about how I left things between us that night, walking out on her because of a woman who had, after all, walked out on me. I knew there was bound to be some friction; I just couldn't have predicted how volatile it turned out.

It was Thursday when Annette was due to arrive from London. Kitten accompanied me to the airport to pick her up, and I thought it was time to fill her in on exactly who was arriving – but, a bit cowardly, I'd put it off until the very last second until we waited in the passenger pick up area.

"You haven't asked and there's been little time, but you need to know who it is we're getting, Kitten."

"Another old flame?" she joked. Blimey, she hit that nail right on the head.

"You could call her that, yes."

She grimaced. "Great, can't wait to meet her."

"You remember I told you when I was human, one of my clients saved my life by convincing the judge to ship me to Australia instead of hanging me for pick-pocketing? Well, that was Annette. After I returned to London as a vampire, I looked for the people who'd shown me kindness. Madame Lucille, the bordello owner who helped raise me, was dead by then, as were many of the prostitutes I'd lived with, but Annette was still there. I offered her this life, and she accepted. She's who we're picking up now."

Kitten looked as if she'd swallowed a bug. "And she'll be staying with us tonight. How cozy."

I took her hand and tried to reassure her. "Don't let it trouble you. You're the only woman for me, Kitten. Believe that."

Moments later, the charged air of vampire hit the air around us as Annette came strolling forward. "She's here," I said stupidly. Kitten could feel that energy as well as I could.

Annette's eyes locked on Kitten immediately, sizing her up, and she clearly did not like she saw. Bollocks. Why had I called her again? Annette finished eyeing Kitten and turned to me, effectively dismissing her.

"Crispin, can I have a kiss after my long flight?"

"Of course," I replied. Might as well not poke the angry bear. I gave her the barest brush of the lips on her cheeks. She returned the gesture only with more gusto, giving Kitten a superior smirk.

I turned to introduce them. "This is Cat."

Kitten extended her hand, and Annette took it for just the briefest moment, barely touching her. I could sense Kitten assessing her power level.

"Delighted to finally meet you, darling. I so hoped Crispin would be able to locate you."

Annette gave my cheek a light stroke with a (fake) sad expression on her face. "Poor sweet dear, he was positively wretched with worry that something ill had befallen you."

Again, Kitten grimaced like she'd swallowed something foul. "As you can see, Annette, he found me safe and sound." She took my hand she still held and kissed it. Inwardly I grinned. Little did Annette know that Kitten was not one to bow in defeat over an evil eye and a possessive gesture.

Annette's smile turned cold. "My bags should be arriving momentarily. Crispin, why don't you fetch the car whilst Cat and I collect my things?" I wasn't entirely sure it was a good idea to leave them alone together, but decided they would have to be left alone at some point and learn to get along. The middle of a crowded airport with tight security everywhere was as good a place as any. I bolted off for the car.

When I had parked in the passenger pick up lane, I headed back in quickly, knowing how much luggage Annette usually travelled with and thinking to grab it. However, as soon as I got inside I saw that Annette had already found a personal valet in the form of Kitten, only carrying a small valise herself. That pissed me off royally, but I decided discretion was the better part of valor - yet, at least.

"Blimey, Annette. You should have told me how many bags you had!"

"Oh, forgive me, Cat," Annette chuckled falsely. "I'm accustomed to having an underling travel with me."

"Don't mention it," Kitten replied taughtly.

Luggage stowed, we got onto the highway and headed back to my house.

"When are the rest of our people arriving?" Annette asked from the backseat.

"Today and tomorrow. By Friday, I reckon we'll all be in place."

She gave a snooty sniff. "I say, Crispin, how did Belinda get herself in Cat's little snare? I haven't seen her since your birthday six years ago, or was it five?"

"She got caught because she started running with a group who liked to bring home live meals," I replied coldly as I looked in the rear view mirror and saw Annette giving a sly smile. Annette, do not go there…

"Terrible. She must have really changed. Wasn't it only five years ago that we three got together?" And…she did.

I glared back at her in the mirror as her meaning became clear to Kitten. "Answer the question, honey. Was it six or five years ago that the three of you all fucked? See, Bones already told me that he'd screwed Belinda, Annette, but thank you for letting me know you participated also."

Bloody hell. I yanked the car off to the side of the road. "I won't tolerate such rudeness, Annette," I said, turning to face her. "She knows bloody well what you're implying, as you can see, and I don't know why you feel the need to throw that up at her. You also know that it was eight years ago, before I met her, and I'll thank you not to entertain her with any more recollections." Since Annette had thrown discretion right out the window, I had no qualms about poking the angry bear now.

Annette gave Kitten a blank glance before giving me an innocent look. "I apologize. Perhaps it was the long flight which made me forget myself."

"Kitten," I asked. "Is that sufficient?"

"I think I can handle a little ménage à trois reminiscing, but just for the record, Annette, you can forget any repeats involving the three of us."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Annette assured with a gleam.

By some miracle, the rest of the drive passed peacefully. Annette was even able to call one of her people and make arrangements for somewhere else to stay.

Back at the house, I filled Annette in on the plan. When she heard the part involving Kitten's blokes, she was fascinated.

"Mere humans? Willingly walking into Ian's den as his collateral? Oh, Crispin, you must let me meet them. Can we have them for supper tonight?"

"She better mean to dinner with real food on the table," Kitten grumbled.

"Why, Cat, that's precisely what I meant. Can't have me eating the bait, now can we?"

She chuckled.

I glanced at Kitten and she shrugged. "It's not such a bad idea to have them meet first. Maybe it will make them less jittery about this whole Army of Darkness thing."

"Whatever you like. I don't care. If they agree, I'll pick them up when I get Rodney. He's our other guest tonight."

"Rodney the ghoul?" Kitten looked excited. "Oh, I liked him. He didn't get angry no matter how many times my mother insulted him."

I smiled at her. I'd just finished taking Annette's bags to her room, and she sat at the kitchen table sipping tea. Kitten was on the couch with a mostly-finished tall gin and tonic. Bloomin' security blanket. The fact that it was a tall one spoke silent volumes.

"Wait." She paused. "Is he…I mean, because of the last time we met…does he hate me?"

Ah. She was worried about Rodney being with me when I came back to his house to find her missing. I sat down next to her, setting down her glass.

"Of course he doesn't hate you. He was right sore at Don for threatening you, although we didn't know who'd done it then. As far as your mother—well. She didn't make a friend."

She gave a weak laugh. "She seldom does."

I snuggled in closer to her. "Actually, he's a bit unsettled himself about seeing you again, but not for that reason. Rodney thought perhaps you'd be upset with him over Danny."

"That was more your doing than his, Bones. We've already been over that. Besides, he's coming to help."

"That's what I told him you'd say," I said, wrapping my arms 'round her.

She poked me in the chest. "You think you know everything?"

I smoothed my hands across her back and kissed her temple. "Not everything, but some things. I knew without a doubt I'd fallen in love when we met. Then I knew I'd do anything to make you feel the same way," I murmured into her hair.

Annette's cup rattled noisily as she set it down. "I'll take myself off to shower now."

I ignored her. "Do that." She snapped the bathroom door behind her.

"You keep saying you fell in love right away, but you beat me unconscious, and you were so surly with me those first few weeks," Kitten teased.

I chuckled. "You asked for that beating, and you'd have stomped me into submission if I'd shown you any weakness. Of course I didn't let on how I felt about you. You hated the very sight of me."

"I don't hate you now," she purred, giving my neck a slow lick. Blimey, I love it when she does that. I snatched her up in my arms and headed toward the stairs.

She gasped and tried to wriggle free. "Wait, I was teasing! We can't, she'd hear us!" Keep wriggling, luv, keep wriggling…

I ignored her and kept going, bounding up the steps three at a time, and then depositing her on the bed.

"I wasn't teasing, and I don't care." I gave her a kiss that left her breathless and began tugging off our clothes. "We only have an hour. Let's not waste it."