Disclaimer: Same as always, I don't own characters from Angel or Buffy, just my OC's. R & R please. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Captainof thePeroxide

By the time that they got back to their hotel room Della, Ena, Asa and Taft had finished their scouting of other clubs and were back in the room where Seth, Zev, Clarissa and Trixie had set up base. It looked like things usually did when they went away on trips alike to their current one. Computers, gadgets and other do-da's that could be used for various different things on such projects covered almost every surface possible.

Those who were already inside their hotel room turned their heads as the other half of their contingent trooped through the door and settled on whatever surface was not yet covered by the high-tech equipment that Seth had brought with him. Zev and Bren immediately went to each other as if drawn by invisible magnets, they retreated to a table in the corner of the room where they began speaking to each other in hushed voices that not even the vampires could hear. The mapping party handed over the results of their nights work to Seth who would copy the maps out for others to use or just in case they lost one (which was bound to happen).

Once all of this post-expedition activity died down most of the crew retired to their respective beds, although some opted for pyjama parties on each others beds (Bren and Ena being the noisiest), resulting in pillow-fights. Eventually everyone quieted down and went to sleep, of course by this time it was almost three in the morning.

--

The next morning was a slow start for most of the occupants in their apartment; in fact it took three cups of coffee to get some of them awake let alone alert. When everyone was up and awake to a degree Angel called everyone to meet around the breakfast table to discuss the plan for that night seeing as there wasn't much that they could do at this stage in the daylight. Most of the crew was free to roam until about four that afternoon when they would start preparations for the night.

Seeing as the TV in their apartment had cable Ena and Bren immediately headed for that followed closely by any other potential couch potatoes, Angel disappeared to his room and most of the boys went to the lap tops.

Spike however seemed to have dropped of the face of the earth (in the opinions of all but the most tolerant, for the better) until he began hollering for goldilocks. Darla and Bren being the only blondes around other than Spike (and he clearly wasn't hollering for himself) looked at each other, groaned and went to see what the problem was with Ena and Asa following close behind.

Bren reached the bathroom first, after concluding that this was where Spike was, and when she did the little blonde paused for a moment before turning away from the door overcome by laughter.

Spike's annoyed reply to this followed instantaneously, "Laugh all you like you undersized tart, I'll just beat you to a bloody pulp for it," Spike paused before adding, "Later."

The other three looked around the corner to see what had Bren laughing so hard that she was crying and the moment that they saw what it was Ena and Darla joined her. Asa on the other hand simply shook his head smiling wickedly and returned to his life as a couch potato.

After regaining her usual composure, Bren returned to the bathroom door and studied Spike's predicament, "Okay Captain Peroxide, what did you do to it?" she asked as she looked over the damage to the vampire's hair.

"I didn't do anything!" Spike exclaimed in a voice of innocence.

From the look that Bren gave him she wasn't buying it, "Sure you didn't," She dragged the words out adding sarcasm for further effect.

"Well, I might've used a little of this," Said the Vampire holding up a bottle of black hair dye.

Bren took one look at the bottle before exclaiming, "Flaming hell Spike, can't you read? Not to be used with bleach. That's peroxide that you had in your hair so no wonder," Bren stopped herself and gestured his scalp with her hand, "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Well can you fix it?" Spike asked.

Bren gave a snort of derisive laughter before she turned serious and inspected the seriousness of the situation.

"I can try," she offered.

"It's a start," Spike replied with a sigh, "I'll take it."

Ten minutes later Spike's hair had been restored to its natural state so that he could choose to leave it natural, dye it or once again opt for peroxide. Spike chose to dye it or rather asked Bren to do so for him seeing as he wasn't having much luck with that today.

The time left until the preparation for that nights action passed quickly and before they knew it Bren had her three girls of choice dressed with their make-up done and all. Ena had helped with the make-up, being Bren's sister and originating in ancient Egypt the two knew their cosmetics.

Gathering around the kitchen table before setting off on the night's business Bren felt uneasy. This was bringing back unpleasant memories and there was nothing that she could do to stem the flood of past experiences rushing through her mind.

Looking across the table at her Blaze could see pain in her eyes, it was something that only he or Ena would be able to see, but there was nothing he could do to help her. Young as she was in her latest form Bren had so many memories and this trip he could see was bringing out the worst of them. He wanted desperately to comfort his little sister, to tell her that everything was fine and that this was how it was staying. But he couldn't, to tell her that would be a lie and he couldn't lie, not to her.

Blaze moved around the table and stood behind Bren, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder. She flinched and tensed but when she realized who it was Bren relaxed, but only a little. She turned her head and looked straight into Blaze's face but he could see from the look in her eyes that it wasn't him she saw. Blaze saw in her eyes the pain and torment that had been brought upon them by his mother. Blaze also saw the fear that she was still out there free to harm them at will.

He took her into his arms and whispered gently in her ear, "She won't do that again, I won't let her do that to any of us or our friends, I promise."

At these words Bren seemed to snap out of her daze, "I know you won't," she hesitated before she added, "Big brother."

"Touching," Spike's voice was harsh to Bren's ears, so unlike to her brother's and friends voices.

Both Bren and Blaze ignored Spike; he was annoyed that it wasn't going to be him going into the strip club that night. Annoyed that Angel, Nab and Zev were going in and he was to be left with the street patrol.

"If you don't like what you're doing then why don't you say something about it?" Bren asked in a practical manner.

"Yeah Spike," Ena spoke up from next to Bren, Spike hadn't noticed her, "I'm sure someone wouldn't mind trading places, just ask Angel if it's allowed, you'll fit right in at the club."

"Because, if I do…" Spike's answer was cut off by the debriefing's start.

As it turned out Angel had decided to put Nab on street patrol in Spike's place without the talking to. As had happened the night before Bren, Darla, Kitty and Lani would be in the strip club, some of them would be scouting out other joints in addition to the street patrol. Seth would hold the fort with Clarissa to keep him company and in case any uninvited guests dropped by, while Angel, Spike and Zev made sure no one hurt their girls in the strip club.

After all of their companions had left Clarissa stood in the door way looking wistfully in the direction where they'd vanished from her sight.

"What's wrong whitey?" Seth asked from the depths of the apartment.

"Nothing's wrong, glove boy, it's just that I never know if any of them are going to come back in one piece and I hate waiting."

Seth joined her looking in the same direction for a moment before he closed the door, "They'll be back."

His voice was so certain but Clarissa knew from years of being his friend that he too wondered how many would return and how long it would be until one of them didn't.

--

When they neared the strip club Angel pulled the other six members of his contingent of the group into an alley. He shushed Spike's protests at having his trench coat rules violated by pointing out to them that it probably wasn't the best idea to enter the strip club all in one group. Of course it was understandable for the girls to enter in one group as that was now how the boss would be expecting them to arrive, but if they came with men of their own then that would be a little suspicious. The girls agreed and headed off in a chattering group for the entrance while the boys hung back in the alley for a few minutes and then followed.

Inside the club the air was filled with cigarette smoke, the smell of beer and a smell for vampires only, blood pulsing wildly through the veins of a pretty young tit bit. Spike eagerly looked around and it was clear that he was all too willing to get on with what he'd been instructed to do that night. Angel it appeared had other plans as he dragged Spike and Zev to a table near the wall where it was reasonably dark and they weren't likely to be bothered.

The crowd suddenly quieted to a certain extent, whispers went around among customers and staff alike. All eyes turned slowly to the stage (including Zev, Angel and Spike's) where a man in his early thirties was leading a small, blonde hooker with heavy eye make-up onto the stage.

Zev frowned, he knew that this was Bren but somehow, not the same Bren he'd been holding close to him only minutes before. She'd undergone an extremely quick change, Bren now seemed to be a real stripper, and not just Bren dressed up as one.

Realizing the man was talking Zev turned his attention on him, "You've missed this little pretty for three years now to all of my regulars but you'll still remember her, no doubt. It's our very own Bren Divino back on stage for your pleasure."

At this the crowd roared its approval and the man tied Bren's chain-link lead to the nearest pole. For a moment Bren just stood taking in the scene around her, then she turned to the sound box and called out to the man working the lights and the music.

A popular song blared from the speakers as Bren began her dance. Zev watched, entranced by her fluid movements, he was almost as taken by her as the first time he'd met her. Of course this time he wasn't a stuttering twelve year old standing in front of a girl with a feisty attitude.

Looking at her now Zev took in every inch of Bren's constantly moving body as she worked her way through the old yet familiar dance. Her golden hair flicked wildly about, the different coloured lights showing clearly against the pale colour. She really was a beauty that was clear as Zev tore his eyes away from Bren to look at the other strippers who were watching with different feelings on each of their faces. It didn't matter how beautiful all of them were, Bren was in a class on her own and that was clear.

The dance ended all too soon and the man once again made his way onto the stage to let Bren off her lead and down off the stage. Cheers and hoots of appreciation filled the large club as Bren made her way towards Zev, who was also making a beeline for her. By the time they managed to reach each other the cheers had subsided and life in the club had returned to its usual lively state.

"Did you like that?" Bren whispered gently in his ear.

"You were gorgeous, why are we whispering?" Zev replied.

"For effect," Bren said in a simple tone as she pulled away from him slightly, "So, how would you like to be my first customer? I can't stay with you too long but I could do with a test run to get rid of the dust."

Zev looked at her, smiled and nodded allowing Bren to take control.

--

That night Bren's group was the last to return to the hotel to tell the rest of the crew what their hours of questioning had resulted in. Sadly they couldn't tell their friends anything useful and as they found out when they came in, no one else had been any more successful. Seth and Clarissa seemed to be the only ones in high spirits when all of the 'evening news' as they called it had been passed around.

"Yeah I know that you're disappointed about having not found anything," Clarissa said to Kitty as they headed for their beds, "But it is better that you don't know anything than that you know too much and don't come home because of it."

"I suppose, but still," Kitty allowed her voice to trail off, it was frustrating to do such dirty work for a project like this and have absolutely nothing to show for it.

Clarissa smiled at her best friend and patted the strange girl's shoulder comfortingly, "I'm sure you'll find something, just be patient Kitty, good night."

Kitty looked up at Clarissa who stood a full three inches taller than her and smiled answering with the appropriate, "Good night Clarissa."