Undercover

<center>Undercover</center>

By


Lady MoonHawke


Disclaimer: Okay. Here we go. I do not own Joe Dawson, or the whole Immortal thing. Rysher/Panzer-Davis does, the lucky so-and-so's. No money involved here, just blood and sweat and so forth. Kelly and Kyle are mine, however.



"Kelly Anderson?"

Kelly looked up from her desk, quickly taking in the blue eyes and gray hair of the gentleman in front of her desk. He was leaning rather heavily on a cane. "That's me. Can I help you?"

He offered his free hand. "Joe Dawson. Pleased to meet you."

She stood and took his hand, praying that he didn't notice her trembling. She didn't need to see his tattoo. The name alone was enough of a legend among Watchers. Dawson had been a bane to the Old Guard, and was a hero to members of the new generation who wanted the opportunity to really know their subjects. But she was certain he would draw the line somewhere. And fairly certain that she had crossed it long ago. "The pleasure is all mine," she replied.

He threw a glance at the door behind her. "We need to talk. Can we go somewhere a little more private?"

Kelly checked her watch. "Sure. Let me make a quick call, then we can grab some lunch, okay?" At his nod, she picked up her phone and pressed a speed-dial button. "Hi, it's me. I can't make lunch today. Something's come up.... Okay. I'll see you later, then....Love you, too. Bye." She hung up the phone. "I'm all yours."


They found an out-of-the-way booth at a quiet coffee shop a few blocks away, and ordered sandwiches and coffee.

"So tell me about your assignment," Joe requested after their food arrived.

"Kyle Ross," she replied. "Very quiet for an Immortal, I think. He doesn't go looking for other Immortals, he seems to try to avoid fighting if he can. I guess it's an ideal assignment."

"So no problems, then?"

"None whatsoever," she answered, her smile perhaps a bit too wide. "Why?"

"I've noticed some changes in your reports," he explained. "Fewer details, less... curiosity, I guess. You used to ask all these questions in your reports, wondering about personal things; what he ate for breakfast, what kind of after shave he used. Now there's a distance. So what happened?"

Kelly's wide smile stretched a little wider. "I guess I just figured out what was important, that's all." She quickly bit into her sandwich to avoid continuing.

"You know, Kelly, it's not a big deal if you've talked to your assignment. There are allowances for that kind of thing now," Joe explained, concern evident on his face.

She nodded, then swallowed. "I know. That's not the problem."

"So there is a problem," he declared, pouncing on her words.

"Yes...No...I didn't..." she stammered. "It's so damned invasive," she said finally.

"It can be," he agreed. "Do you want to transfer to Archives or Research? Stay out of the personal parts?"

"No," she answered quickly. "I just... wish there was another way sometimes."

"You won't be risking a bullet to talk with him, you know. Just something to think about."

She nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Dawson. I've got to get back to the office."

"It's Joe," he told her. "And don't forget to call me if you need to talk, okay?"

She nodded again. "Thank you for lunch, Joe," she said, sliding from the booth. "I'll keep in touch."

----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----

Late that night....


Kelly rolled over in bed, trying to find a comfortable position and the sleep that was eluding her.

"Are you going to tell me about it?" asked a voice in the darkness beside her.

"I'm sorry, Kyle. I didn't mean to wake you," Kelly apologized.

Kyle Ross sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. "Wake me, nothing. I haven't been to sleep either, listening to you tossing and turning. I'm guessing it has something to do with our canceled lunch today?"

"My boss came in, and I had to talk with him," she explained.

"I take it you don't mean Mike Curtis," he replied, referring to the ad agent she assisted.

"No. My other boss. He said he noticed some differences in my reports, and I had to come up with an excuse quick."

"Are you going to come out of it okay?" Kyle asked, pulling her close. "We can ditch them if you want."

"It will be fine. I just have to remember to speculate more about your 'private life.'"

"Really? Like what? My toothpaste? What side of the bed I sleep on?" he teased.

"Something like that, if you ever get around to sleeping." She sighed. "How do you do it?" she asked.

"What amazes you now, my love?"

"How you can be so strong all the time. Is it another trait I should speculate about for my reports?" she asked lightly.

His reply was more solemn. "Sometimes we're not that strong. I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to just disappear to protect you. But I'm too selfish. I love you, and being with you, too much to give it up."

"So what do we do now?"

"Keep on as we are, I think. You go back to speculating, and maybe 'discover' something every so often, to seem like you're making progress, and I keep my head down and out of the Game so there aren't many other Watchers around. When you're ready, you can bow out and we'll ditch the others, if you want." He kissed her temple. "Ready to sleep now?"

She snuggled down under the covers. "Yes. I think so," she replied as he snapped off the light. "How do you always know what to say?"

"A lifetime and a half of experience," he replied, cuddling up behind her. "Who knows? In another hundred years, I may come up with something even smarter."

She was still chuckling as she drifted off.

*The End*

This story was originally written for the Highlander Lyric Wheel Challenge. Interested in knowing more about the Lyric Wheel? Want to join in? Find more stories and info at: The Lyric Wheel Homepage


Tears Like Flowers
Sarah Masen

Things are getting clearer now
Like water, like healing
Time is moving everything faster
Than I've ever felt before
And tears are like flowers pulled up by the sun
Feeling like a coward under my own gun

And the mystery the mystery of
When the wind falls through places such as stone
Similar to flesh sometimes
When the water is scarce
And your tongue is so dry
And you're looking so scared
But then you know why
Cause it comes time when it knows who and where you are

Healing waters come on down
Healing waters come on down

And the moonlight touches it's brother
And darling, does it have to end with two?

Cause someone's undercover
And they're staring hard at you
And they want to be discovered
Want to know what's true

Can you run like you know who and where they are
So they cry

Healing waters come undone
Healing waters come undone

On keep holding on
Giving out the best that you can give
Sometimes we're not that strong
Oh keeping praying for the healing, don't give in
Don't give in

Tears are like flowers, pulled up by the sun
Feeling like a coward
(Tears are like flowers)
Under my own gun
(Pulled up by the sun)

Healing
(You're not in this alone)
Waters
Cleansing
(You're not in this alone)
Waters
Healing
(You're not in this alone)
Waters
Cleansing
(You're not in this alone)
Waters

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