CLUBLIGHTS

M-X: Don't Own Them. Enjoy!

Jesse's locks spilled forward, enveloping the space around his lips and the glass. He'd needed this drink, this one shot to steady himself, but the pictures kept coming back: Shalimar taking it off for a frenzied crowd. "Hit me again." He gestured to the bartender. He just needed one more.

Brennen had split to see what he could find out on his own. Smart move, Sparky. He thought. The molecular wasn't washing his sorrows now, just trying to steady his running nerves. His mind flashed back in a rage of what ifs: What if the crowd had broken with Shal or Lexa on the stage? What if he and Brennen hadn't been there to grab them? What if it had been Emma out there?

He half-slapped himself at that one. The redhead always managed to slip in when least expected. His fingers pressed against the glass, secretly hoping it would break, releasing his anger.

"That's enough, Rocko."

"Shalimar." The man all but hugged her, pulling back to brush her face in concern. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, but ix-nay on the names-we are undercover." She sat down next to her brother, watching his antsy state. "Jess, where's Brennen?"

"He went to do some of his signature 'snooping'." They couldn't decide who was not trying to look at the other more. Shalimar adjusted in her seat, smoothing slender fingers along the black fabric of her dress. Each of them could feel thee stairs of men who'd been in the stage area. Even whispers tickled the back of their necks; for once the feral was insecure. "You don't have to do that anymore." Jess started.

"I,,,It was okay, actually. With all the lights, you couldn't see the crowd. It kind of felt surreal, y'know?"

His eyes flashed over the rim of his glass. Suddenly, the feral needed a shot as well. "Did ,,,Did Lexa make you do this?"

"Hell no!" She spat. "I chose to on my own. Took a lot of thinking, and A LOT of nerve! But the decision was mine."

"I understand. How much longer are you guys here?"

"A few days. At least we don't have to go back out tonight." Her brown eyes flickered in defeat. "But those girls are going through much worse."

"I know."

The club was buzzing from the VIP outbreak. Bouncers were out in abundant force, watching every worker and client. This was almost welcome to the regenerative-elemental, who walked along the floor, now clad in a stunning burgundy halter. She'd grown tired of the depression cloaked under the bustle in the dressing room. The only escape was to wonder, but out here she came face to face with 'those' faces. The once unreadable mass from the stages, were now individualizing, and staring-at her. How could she get out of this place for a while?

Jordan's insecurity was much different than that of Shalimar's. She'd felt this before. Being on display for vultures that lacked as much humanity as they purposely disassociated from her. She and Lexa had done these black market breaks before, and always managed to escape with little more than their nerves infringed upon. But tonight, when the men tried to rush the stage, and she had been to frozen to phase, the woman knew she could have died under the throws of mass hysteria. "I need a drink." She whispered, moving to the bar.

"Allow me."

She turned to eye the much older, much heavier man. He sat smelling of illegal cigars in an expensive suit, and eyeing her daringly. "Mr. Movaro."

He couldn't understand why he didn't intimidate her or her friends. They were almost corporate in addressing him, and he didn't like it too much. But, when it came down to the bottom line, those three had brought a wailing of cash into his pockets. "My 'assistant' told me about what happened," The woman cringed under the large hand on her shoulder. 'Another shot,' she thought. "Are you alright?"

Her eyed him momentarily, searching for anything human beneath the intrusive glare. "Yes, thank you."

"Not talkative?"

"Still shaken." That was a mistake. Now, he had an arm around her. 'God! He smells like pork!' she thought, flinching under a gratuitous grin. Jordan turned, fingering her silky dreds in an attempt to escape. It came around the corner, clad inn his signature leather jacket. Her face turned back to the large man. "Excuse me."

"Rushing off?" He smirked, her eyes tried not to focus on the teeth grinning at her. If she could get away, then she could attempt to breathe again. Just out of sight, the man had spotted her, and stood watching the moment intently. His fingers brushing in dire need for activity.

"Ladies room." She whispered. Somehow, if Jordan could have slapped the prick, she'd been all right. "Have a good evening."

"I'll see you soon, Carmen." The man watched as she walked off, his tongue brushing the teeth inside his pressed lips. That one, he thought. That one,,,

Jordan stalled in the bathroom before pushing back into the floor. Her steps took her opposite of where they'd been sitting, and along a strip of expensive bar laced with doors exiting onto the balcony. She stepped quietly, brushing past on lookers into the night air. "God! It's like they can see through me!" she whispered. Her steps carried her around a corner and into a thankful seclusion. The woman leaned against the Banister, lowering her head for air. She had needed that drink! A rush of warmth brushed her shoulders, Jordan to spin around. "It's you."

Brennen stood pushing hands into his pants pockets against the night air. "Glad to see you, too." He watched as she turned to her former position, leaning on the guard in attempt to calm down. His jacket now sat on her shoulders, partially in an attempt to cover her from earlier. "J.?"

"Yeah." her voice wasn't nervous, butt he could sense the edge. "You can't look at me?"

"Not now,,," For the first time, realization that he'd seen her stripping set in, nearly freezing her neck in it's turns. "Sorry, Sparky." The pressure of arms around her caused a release that was much needed. Brennen leaned his chin on the top off her head, watching the glittering skyline. "It's not like Lexa and I haven't done these types of missions before."

"You have?"

"Yeah, just this one hit a little hard." Her eyes followed a string of limos pulling up and down the street. "We shouldn't have involved Shalimar though."

"You shouldn't have involved yourself." The elemental squeezed her gently. "They could have trampled you, tonight." Her head nodded, slightly rocking his chin. "You don't have to go through anymore of this. I'll take you home."

She loved that idea, to be back at Sanctuary, inside the cover of the rock, at least till she got her nerves back. "I can't. We have to finish this."

"Will you at least trust Jesse and me to help? We're not leaving to you all do."

"Brennen, it's killing Shalimar to know you guys were here when we had to do that."

"It's killing you too?" That was more of a statement. The man couldn't stop watching Jordan, but secretly felt no guilt. "I was gonna pull you off the stage anyway."

"That's why you shouldn't have been here."

"We're not going to head in this direction." He started, the warnings for an argument flashed brightly in his mind. "Who was the fat guy at the bar?"

"Movaro." She whispered.

"I'm keepin' an eye on him." She was silent below him, pulling at the edges of the leather. "Need a drink?"

"Please!" Brennen handed her his glass, smirking when she swallowed the entire contents. "You and Jess been hangin' out?"

"Funny,,," Her form was now relaxing, almost falling back into his weight. "Sorry about the kick, too."

"You're paying for that one." She could feel his smile right then. "I'm too pretty for heel prints."

"Whatever." They were silent again. The elemental not wanting to let go of her, leaned into the woman for warmth. " Where is Jess?"

"He's around. We're supposed to meet back up soon." Brennen finally turned her to face him, lifting the small chin in his fingers. Her eyes still tried to overt his in embarrassment. "Look at me, Jordan." Her dark orbs moved to connect with his, leaving their original cloak of fear. The elemental leaned over her, pressing his forehead to hers.

"This hurts." She joked.

"You kick me, you get a big spot on your head." He grinned. "I know you can handle yourself, but I don't want you here as much as you don't want to be here. Any of you."

"Lexa knows you're goin' soft on her?" Her grin was unsettling him in the sweetest way.

"If she does, you're dead, J. Anyway say the word, and no matter what, I'm coming to get you. We'll get these girls out some way, but I'm not sacrificing anyone else." His mind flooded with images of Adam and Emma, forcing the man to close his eyes in escape. They opened to the woman's fingers tracing his jaw. "No one hurts any of you."

"Such a bad ass." She smirked sarcastically. Brennen knew he wanted to kiss her, but had to settle for his lips on her forehead, then shuttered when hers brushed his neck. "I have to go."

With that she pulled back, eyeing the man with question. Mulray was so overprotective of this team, even Lexa when he'd admit it. Now, he stood pulling the coat from her shoulders. He watched the woman walk back into the obvious eyes and whispers, knowing that this had to end. And, it will, he thought. Tonight.