Author's Note: I suppose I should admit, of the Highlander episodes I have
seen, I have never actually seen Mike, have only heard him mentioned.
Taking what I knew (that he was the head bartender), I created this back-
story for him. Like all the other cannon Highlander characters, I do not
own Mike, I do however own the reason he gives for not wanting to "inherit"
the bar from Duncan. For those who are familiar with the "real" Mike, I
ask you to keep two things in mind. 1) this story is AU, and I have
changed several slight details (from both Highlander and Highlander: The
Raven). And, 2) Mike's decision will help to bridge into the sequel to
this story.
Please note also, I only own Asher Jacobs, Darcy, and Sam Clarke. Like every fanfiction writer, I only borrow the others for my own amusement.
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April 13, 2005, 305 PM, Le Blues Bar
No one spoke. Darcy halted her idle turning, and blindly Asher reached for Richie's hand, lacing her fingers through his. He caught her eyes briefly, smiling shyly. Only Mike seemed to be unaffected.
"You were right in your theory, Asher. Adam has indeed hired Sam Clarke," continued Duncan.
"So, what does this have to do with selling the bar?" Darcy asked. Her voice sounded plaintive, even to her own ears. She noticed the calm expression Mike still kept serenely in place.
"Because of something Adam said to me, both before he left, and again today." He paused again, to observe the varied expressions, and he sighed. "I had hoped one of you would take the bar. I would hate to see it pass to a stranger's hand."
Duncan's eyes circled the room, and he saw Mike shake his head. The bartender did not have to speak his mind to make his answer known. He was twenty-eight, and had first been hired under Joe Dawson nine years earlier, in his second year as college, originally as a dish boy. When Joe had learned he was skilled in the art of mixing drinks, he had begun to allow him to help bartend the busy nights, before long, promoting him to head bartender. When the business had moved permanently to Paris, Mike had followed, but he was now ready to move on. To go back to school for his master's to teach high school English. He would have left after Joe had died, had Duncan not begged him to stay, and both men knew it.
Duncan nodded slightly, a look having passed between the two men, and Duncan shifted his gaze beseechingly, darting between the two figures on the couch with hands still tightly clasped, and Darcy, who shook her head regretfully. "I'll be twenty-four next month, Mac. I graduate university this spring. I want to see the world, I want to act," she paused, "you knew I would be leaving shortly after."
"Yes, I knew. I understand, Darce." He turned now to the last two figures, one of whom had only worked for seven months, but the other, who had worked first in the Seacouver bar, and now in Le Blues Bar on-and-off since he was nineteen -eleven years. "Richie?"
"I'll have to think about it, Mac."
Duncan nodded again, sighed, and he ordered everyone back to work. Miraculously, the bar, having been left alone to the crowd of drunken college students, still stood. Mike returned to the mixing and serving of the drinks, Asher retrieved the now room-temperature food from the kitchen to serve, Richie found the rum, moving to stock it in the shelves. Duncan sighed, and moved to keep his date with the paperwork he would need to finish. No one noticed the conspiratorial wink pass between Mike and Darcy.
Please note also, I only own Asher Jacobs, Darcy, and Sam Clarke. Like every fanfiction writer, I only borrow the others for my own amusement.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------
April 13, 2005, 305 PM, Le Blues Bar
No one spoke. Darcy halted her idle turning, and blindly Asher reached for Richie's hand, lacing her fingers through his. He caught her eyes briefly, smiling shyly. Only Mike seemed to be unaffected.
"You were right in your theory, Asher. Adam has indeed hired Sam Clarke," continued Duncan.
"So, what does this have to do with selling the bar?" Darcy asked. Her voice sounded plaintive, even to her own ears. She noticed the calm expression Mike still kept serenely in place.
"Because of something Adam said to me, both before he left, and again today." He paused again, to observe the varied expressions, and he sighed. "I had hoped one of you would take the bar. I would hate to see it pass to a stranger's hand."
Duncan's eyes circled the room, and he saw Mike shake his head. The bartender did not have to speak his mind to make his answer known. He was twenty-eight, and had first been hired under Joe Dawson nine years earlier, in his second year as college, originally as a dish boy. When Joe had learned he was skilled in the art of mixing drinks, he had begun to allow him to help bartend the busy nights, before long, promoting him to head bartender. When the business had moved permanently to Paris, Mike had followed, but he was now ready to move on. To go back to school for his master's to teach high school English. He would have left after Joe had died, had Duncan not begged him to stay, and both men knew it.
Duncan nodded slightly, a look having passed between the two men, and Duncan shifted his gaze beseechingly, darting between the two figures on the couch with hands still tightly clasped, and Darcy, who shook her head regretfully. "I'll be twenty-four next month, Mac. I graduate university this spring. I want to see the world, I want to act," she paused, "you knew I would be leaving shortly after."
"Yes, I knew. I understand, Darce." He turned now to the last two figures, one of whom had only worked for seven months, but the other, who had worked first in the Seacouver bar, and now in Le Blues Bar on-and-off since he was nineteen -eleven years. "Richie?"
"I'll have to think about it, Mac."
Duncan nodded again, sighed, and he ordered everyone back to work. Miraculously, the bar, having been left alone to the crowd of drunken college students, still stood. Mike returned to the mixing and serving of the drinks, Asher retrieved the now room-temperature food from the kitchen to serve, Richie found the rum, moving to stock it in the shelves. Duncan sighed, and moved to keep his date with the paperwork he would need to finish. No one noticed the conspiratorial wink pass between Mike and Darcy.