by Donna and Toni

After her dance with Jason, Sarah Jo wandered across the room to go get a soda. She was still feeling pretty good after her encounter with Methos in the back room and that feeling had only been amplified as a result of dancing with the sexy stripper. She ordered a cherry coke and then turned to watch the dancers.

As she stood at the bar, a familiar voice behind her said warmly,

"Would you like to sit for awhile, lass? I don't think dancing with that drink in your hand would be a good idea." When she turned to see the speaker, she smiled as she saw Fitz standing there and grinning at her.

Putting the drink down first, she reached and gave him a happy hug.

"Glad to see you! You've been having a lot of fun haven't you?" she asked, poking him gently in the ribs.

He chuckled softly. "That I have. But the best part of the evening so far has been to see you looking so happy. I take it that little trip to the back with Methos did you more good than just physical." He fingered the collar of the shirt lightly to emphasize his point.

Sarah Jo ducked her head and blushed brightly as she nodded. Fitz picked up her drink for her and led her across the room to an empty table. As they sat down, he asked softly, "All right, Sarah, you can tell old Fitz. What was it he told you that made you brighten up so?" He smiled at her encouragingly.

"Lots of things, Fitz," she said, looking thoughtful. "Can I ask you a question, dearie? Do you think I've been too easy?"

He thought about it a moment, figuring how to best put his answer, and told her, "No, love, not easy, really....more like curious, wanting to experiment. It's perfectly understandable, given the circumstances you were raised under; if it were me, I'd probably feel the same way, and do the same things. But sometimes, people misunderstand this natural curiosity as being 'easy', as you put it, and get the wrong idea. Is that what Methos talked to you about, the idea that some in this town might think of you as easy?" He looked at her with understanding; he sincerely did want to help her too, if he could.

She shrugged and nodded. "He said I should be more mysterious. I don't have a clue how to be that!" she said with a laugh.

He laughed too, enjoying the sound of hers, and smiled, "It's not that hard, lass. I'd say you've done a fine job already, with a few of the gents here who wanted to take you into the back. I didn't know the reason why you'd done it, but I nearly laughed out loud at the looks on their faces when you turned them down. You'd have thought it had never occurred to them that you would, with the disappointed way they looked!" They both laughed again, and then his smile again turned warm. He said, "Seriously, though, he was right; I'm always more intrigued by a woman with a little bit of mystery about her....just why did she say no? I always have to find out."

Sarah Jo nodded, then speared the cherry in the bottom of her drink with the straw and pulled it out to eat it, unaware that Fitz was watching her with keen interest as she sucked on it first, and then nibbled slowly on it, savoring each bite. "It was hard saying no," she admitted.

"I can imagine; but it's a step in the right direction that you did. It will only improve you as a person, make you realize more of your own self worth." He was trying not to stare at her lips, stained slightly red by the cherry, but couldn't help it, as he mentally told another part of himself to go down.

"It's just that sometimes I can't help but think you guys wouldn't be nearly so interested in me if it wasn't for that peculiarity of mine," Sarah Jo said.

He was drawn away from his physical distraction by the wistful sound of her voice as she spoke. He took her hand in both of his, and said very softly, "I cannot speak for other men, but I must tell you that is not true in my case. If you remember, I was attracted to you before I even knew about it, so that wasn't what drew me to you. It was your pretty face, and your sparkling sense of humor....you enjoy life in a free and easy way that I have seen in very few people, Sarah. It's very refreshing. It's what brought me to you then, and it's what keeps me interested in you now - whether it be as a lover or a friend, or both. Whatever you desire it to be is fine with me, so long as I am in your life."

Sarah Jo smiled brightly and leaned against his chest for a nice hug and snuggle. "You are such a sweetie," she said. "You don't know how good it is to hear that."

He cuddled her close, then kissed her hair, and smiled softly, "Well, you deserve to hear it a lot more, so I will plan to remind you of it often. Meanwhile, they seem to have started a song by an older band called 'The Who'; I believe their lead singer is that chap who looks and sounds just like me. Would you care to have this dance with me, or are you too tired?" His eyes sparkled with mischief as she raised

her head and looked at him; he knew she loved dancing.

"I'm not tired," she said and she immediately jumped up and hauled him to his feet. Laughing and giggling like schoolchildren, they made their way out onto the dance floor.

The song was a fast paced one, and by the time it ended and they got back to their table, they were a bit breathless. As they sat down, Fitz smiled, "I think I will take Rayden up on that offer to handle the Bistro for me for one night, and you and I can go out on a real date, with no pager at my side. Would you like that, my lady?"

"I would love it," she said happily. "I have Wednesday off, so Tuesday night would be good. Or Friday night. I work the night shift that morning and have Saturday off."

"All right, let's see....I don't want to give the poor boy a busy night, that wouldn't be fair. What about this Tuesday night, say about 7 or so? I could pick you up, we could have a wonderful dinner at my place, and then go out dancing, or whatever you'd like. How does that sound?"

"That would be grand!" she said happily.

He brought her hand to his lips, kissed it, and smiled, "Consider it done, my lady. Now to find my worthy helper...." Looking around the room, he caught sight of Rayden standing at the bar joking with Rufus, and headed off in that direction after excusing himself from the table.