Eire sat crouched on the dilapidated balcony on the third floor, over looking the old run down church's court yard. Below congregated a group of vampires who'd been terrorizing the neighborhood. Below him, hidden by the shadow of a large religious statue hid his partner in crime, and lover, Xander.

Across from Eire, crouched on a top of a stone mausoleum was Eire's best friend, Nate. They were just waiting for the right moment. The right moment, their inside man said would happen. Their inside man had told them the vampires intended to have one of their...parties, which included a 'guest of honnor'. Eire and the others hoped to crash it and save another victim.

The gate of the garden crashed open and two vampires appeared, dragging a petite unconscious redhead. "'Ey Sid, we brought ya a new toy." One of the vampires called as they dragged the body along.

Sid, who was obviously the leader looked up from kissing one of the other male vampires to see what they were talking about. Eire shifted slightly, getting a better look. Sid let go of his current boy toy and moved foward.

The other two vampires dropped the red head at Sid's feet and he bent down, rolling the body over. "Aww...isn't he lovely." Sid cooed with a cold smile. Eire raised an eyebrow, from where he was the victim looked female...they were dressed in a pair of black hot pants and a long sleeved black crop top.

Eire could see the back seams of a pair of silk stockings and there was one high heel missing. They had long slightly curly fire red hair, obscuring the face. But there were bruises. Then Eire's eyes widened. It couldn't be! After two years? He looked quickly at Nate, who'd taken more interest in the turn of events.

"Yeah well, you know, when we saw him, we thought of you and how you sent us out to get a worthy guest of honor..." The second vampire said.

Sid's smile was still cold, but pleased. He turned back to the body and slapped the cheeks. The red head came awake with a kick, rolling around to kick one of the vampire's hard in the stomach, knocking them back, before rolling to their feet.

Sid's hand lashed out and he grabbed a hand full of red hair, stopping the red head with a jerk. Eire got a better look and his stomach tied it's self in knots as he watched Sid grab the dangerously feminine young man. Sid turned the delicate looking youth around and Eire wasn't surprised to see the young man lash out, cutting Sid across the across the face with his nails.

Sid cackled however and drove the red head to his knees. "I love red heads, they're so firey." He said to the others, laughing. "Such a treat..." Sid extended his canines, hauling the red head to his feet and perpared to bite.

There was a soft click and a shrill hiss of wind, before a raw smack and the lead vampire was howling, throwing the redhead at the two vampires and clawing at his back where a crossbow bolt was now embedded. Eire looked up sharply and saw Nate loading the crossbow again. This time he drew a silver bolt across the line, then took aim as Sid staggered around giving him an open shot. Nate smiled wickedly and pulled the trigger, the bolt sinking right into the vampire's heart.

The other two vampires caught the red head and had spun him around, but were stunned, watching their leader turn to ash before them. This gave the red head a chance and he kicked upward at the one vampire from his heeled foot, striking him across the face. This one let go of the redhead, who swung around and his stocking foot connected with the other's face, knocking the head back. Then the red head was running for the gate.

But some of the vampires cut him off. Eire jumped from his perch, with two short swords in hand, only to be joined a moment later by Xander with two silenced 9 mms, loaded with Mariko's special ammo. A couple of the vampire's turned and were fired upon from the roofs of the mausoleums which Nate was using to head for the gate and the vampires blocking off the red head.

The red head skidded to a stop and kicked up dirt into one of the vampires faces, reaching forward to shove the man away. As he did, he deftly removed the man's dagger and spun around, embedding it in one vampire's neck, twisting. He turned away from the blood spray and spun right into the third vampire who'd come up with vampire speed behind him, grabbing the red head's wrist, twisting it far enough to break it. The red head cryed out in pain, dropping the dagger.

But Nate landed behind the vampire and drew another silver stake. At the same time, he grabbed the red head's good arm, pulling him away as he sank the stake into the vampire's heart. Ash dropped around them as Nate straigtened up, turning to see Eire and Xander coming their way from finishing off the rest of the vampires. The red head was standing lopsided beside Nate, holding his wrist and trying to balance on one heel.

"W'll I think tha' squares us off wit' Boucard's group." Eire said with an irish accent and a sly grin.

"We can only hope." Xander said softly, pushing his long bangs out of his face.

"It will." Nate answered, before turning to the red head. "Ye alrigh'?" He asked with his scottish accent, though he appeared between looking angry or relieved.

"Oh yes, peachy. Thank you." The red head said, he had a soft spoken british accent and liquid green eyes. A pair of what looked like inverted tattoos under his khoel lined eyes. He wouldn't look at any one of them, chewing on his bottom cherry colored lip.

Eire was figure out something to say. Xander looked just as shocked. Finally Eire managed to blurt out. "We've been lookin' fer ya fer two years! TWO years! Where the fuckin' 'ell 'ave ye been, Lexine?!"

Lexine winced and cowered slightly at Eire's tone. Eire toned it down, seeing this. Once upon a time Lexine would have just rolled his eyes. "It's a long story...and I can only start now by saying I haven't meant keep alluding you, and I would have contacted you tonight if they hadn't jumped me out side the club."

Eire eyed him, trying to make sense of what Lexine was saying.

Wha' club?" Xander asked, peering at Lexine curiously.

"Le Serpent Rogue." The young man said, looking on the ground for something. He found a floor length white coat of some soft material and started to bend to pick it up and stumbled slightly. Nate retrieved the coat, holding it out.

"Tha' club is closed down." Nate said calmly as the red head took the coat.

He shrugged into the coat and turned those luminous eyes on Nate finally. "I know. I was only there on a business call anyway." He said softly.

"Ah...well this is Paris." Xander said with a roll of his eyes.

"Not THAT kind of business call." The red head hissed, eyes flashing. "I don't wear stocking and heels e'ery night. and it's a bit hard t' explain other wise, so if you'll excuse me." He began limping toward the gate.

Nate closed the gate with one hand, still watching the red head, who looked up at him wide eyed. It wasn't only that Lexine had been missing for two years, Le Serpent Rogue was owned by the man they were dealing with right now, which meant Lexine was covering something as well as refusing to explain where he'd been. "Do ye know Boucard?" He asked simply.

Lexine let go of the gate and stumbled back with a shrug. "I was doing a deal with him." He was still holding his wrist. "The vampires just slowed me down...and now my wrist'll slow me down more. If you know Boucard, just ask him, I'm sure he'll explain I was only heading there on a retrieval job, seeing as he wants the box so damned much...what ever's in it." He seemed to ramble slightly.

"We wish we DIDN'T know Boucard, we just have a deal with him as well." Xander said, looking the red head up and down.

"Look Lex, jus' tell us wha's up, we can help, then ye can tell us where ya been or wha's happened later..." Eire said with a gesture

There was a touch of nervousness to the delicate youth's smile, as he answered. "I don't think its that easy."

"Ne'er know. Damn it Lex, least let us get ya some medical attention fer tha' wrist..." Eire offered, then Eire's nose twitched and looked down at Lexine's waist to see blood seeping through the white material as the red head started to turn back to the gate.

"I'd rather not..." Lexine said, starting to open the gate with his good hand but winced with a gasp.

"Yer bleeding." Eire said with alarm.

Lexine looked down, but didn't seem to surprised. "So I am...and I think I'm going to pass out too..." Which he did, letting go of the gate to crumple toward the ground. Nate caught him before he could hit the ground and lowered him the rest of the way, before moving the coat to see where Lexine was bleeding from. There was a hastily bandaged wound on his left hip, that Nate discovered was a gunshot wound on closer inspection.

"Lets get im back t' the safe house." Nate said, scooping Lexine up gingerly.

Eire opened the gate, shaking his head. "Two years and he doesn't even try to contact us?"

"We'll find out later..." Nate growled, heading through the gate. Xander and Eire followed. They made their way around a corner into an alley way and an Astin Martin sitting there.

***Lexine came to in a dark, clean room. The gunshot he'd gotten the day before had been bandaged better, and his wrist was splinted. He sat up gingerly on the bed, the pain had dulled completely. Rubbing his eyes with his good hand, he got off the bed looking about the room. It was a standard motel room. And there were voices on the other side of an adjoining door.

Lexine made his way over to the door and opened it slowly. The beds were littered with gadgets and 'toys' Both beside tables had laptops and there was a desk computer on the dresser where the TV should have been.

"Oh hey, it's up!" A cheerful voice Lexine hadn't heard in a long time say and he turned and saw Aiyla Meeks sitting at the table near the window. She wasn't alone, Xander and Sands were sitting with her. Lexine blinked, staring at them wide eyed and stepped into the room.

"Mornin' Sunshine." Sands said from behind a coffee cup and cigarette.

"What time is it?" Lexine asked in confusion, rubbing his arm nervously.

"Sheldon is exaggerating, it's only two am." Aiyla replied giving Sands a look and smacking him with her left hand. Lexine caught sight of a wedding ring on her hand and wondered just what he'd missed.

"So wait, wha's goin' on?" Lexine asked, sitting on the bed.

"I think tha's wha' we wanna know from you, Lex." Aiyla replied. "I don't think I've ever seen Nate brooding so much, or Eire so agitated."

"It's a long story." Lexine replied, looking at one the computers, rather then at Aiyla.

"Yeah, and you're gonna have t' fess up." Xander said softly from his spot. "It's been two years of questions regarding you, Lexine. Why do you think we're in Paris? No one stopped looking, especially Nate and Eire..."

"Does anyone have a fag?" Lexine asked, finally looking at the threesome. Sands silently slid his pack and lighter across the table toward Lexine.

He got up slowly, coming over to the table and picking up the pack, aware they were all three watching him. He was deliberately slow in lighting the cigarette and taking the first drag.

Then Sands broke the silence. "That's another thing...you've got a british accent..."

Lexine sniffled and rubbed his nose and looked at Aiyla. "You don't have any extra sweats or something...I want out of this outfit."Aiyla smirked, getting up. She and Lexine were practically the same size. "I was wonderin' when you were gonna ask darlin'." She said, going over to the far side were there was a stack of suitcases. She took one, putting it on the bed and dug through it, before tossing Lexine an sized black t-shirt, with the jack danels logo faded badly on the front. Lexine recognized the shirt, but said nothing and caught the grey pj pants Aiyla tossed him.

Taking the clothes and his cigarette toward the bathroom, he ignored Sands' remark completely. Sands and Xander watched him go. "Dodgey little brat ain't he?" Sands asked Xander as Aiyla come back and sat down. She leaned against Sands with a chuckle.

"He always was." She said softly. Sands wrapped his arm around Aiyla's shoulders.

They heard the front door hotel room opening and glanced that way to see Nate and Eire entering in, Eire was in a foul mood.

"Wha's wrong?" Xander asked, looking at his lover.

"Boucard's moved hideouts...some time yesterday..." Eire replied.

"Shit!" Aiyla cursed. She watched Nate moving over to the adjoining door into the other room and open it. "In the bathroom changing." Aiyla said softly as Nate started to turn. He nodded.

"Back to square one..." Sands muttered sarcastically.

Xander shifted crossly in his seat, then kicked the table leg. Aiyla caught the empty coffee cup with one hand, causually, before it fell off and sat it back on the table, giving Xander a look. He shrugged sheepishly.

"Maybe not." Nate said softly in regards to what Sands had said as he leaned up against the dresser. He turned his eyes on the bathroom door and waited.

As if knowing he was being waited on, Lexine came out of the bathroom, the outfit he'd been wearing, wadded up and he tossed them in a near by trash can, before turning to look at all of them.

"Wha' were ye doin' for Boucard, Lexine?" Nate asked calmly.

"I told you, I was on a retrieval job. There's a box in top lighting ring of the Le Serpent Rouge. Everyone seems to be mad to get a hold of it. I haven't got the slightest clue what's in it..." Lexine said with a gesture.

"So why were you retrieving this box?" Aiyla asked.

Lexine sighed and decided to owe to half the truth at least. "I'm tracking a friend's movements and he had dealings with Boucard. Boucard offered to give me the information of my friend's meetings with him, in exchange for the box..."

"Lost is your friend?" Sands asked.

"No, he's dead. And the police here in Paris think I did it." Lexine whispered, looking away.

"Wha!? How!?" Eire asked as Nate straightened up.

"I can't remember." Lexine replied just as softly. "All I can remember is...we argued, and there was gunfire..."

"That still doesn't explain were ye've been fer two years..." Nate replied, with a slight edge to his tone.

Lexine didn't miss the tone and he winced. "Later Nate, please." He said, a touch desperate.

Sands said quickly, watching Lex and Nate. "When did you meet with Boucard?"

"This afternoon." Lexine answered.

"So you know where he's at?" Sands asked. Lexine nodded. "Where?"

"In the basement of St. Aicards, here in the Paris slums...it's been converted into a gym." Lexine said. "Assuming we're still in the slums." "We are." Sands said with a nod.

"We can help each other out Lexi." Nate said finally. "We need to get to Boucard as well..."

"I'll need the box..." Lexine said, finally looking at Nate.

"Leave that to me." Aiyla said, getting up. Sands grabbed her hand, pulling back toward him.

"Be careful." He sneered, before kissing her.

"Dear man, I love it when you're concerned." Aiyla said with a giggle, patting Sands' on the head before going over to another suitcase.

Lexine watched her take out a small back pack and a hip holster. She buckled it on and pulled on a denim jacket, before heading toward the door. "Play nice boys." She said over her shoulder with a grin, before disappearing.

Lexine headed toward the other room, wanting to escape the questions. But of course Nate followed him, closing the door behind them. Lexine headed back to the bed and sat down, leaning against the head board. Nate had left the lights off, but from the neon lights out side, even through the heavy curtain Lexine could watch him moving to a chair near by.

"When ever ye wanna talk 'bout it. We've got awhile." Nate said softly.

Lexine crossed his arms and sighed. "It's such a long story." He said softly, finding his coat and his pack of cigarettes. From the corner of his eye he saw Nate shaking his head.

"Don't try an' dodge 'round this, sugar."

Lexine drew his knees up and said in a very soft voice. "I can't remember anything past the last two years...

Nate blinked repeatedly for a moment, then said. "Wha' ye mean ye can't remember anything?"

"I can't. I really can't. All I remember is waking up with sharp pain in my back and the taste of blood in my mouth." Lexine replied.

"But ya got all our names right t' night." Nate protested, sitting forward.

"Actually, no one has told me their name...but all I have is a file of names in my head and no faces to go with them! No voice, no history. So I've been guessing..." The only thing Lexine wanted to do was crawl into the nears hole, or make himself smaller.

Nate took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. "But ya know I'm Nate..." He said, looking at Lexine while holding his hat.

"I meet some one I'm supposed t' know, I put a name to them, and if it feels right, I go with it." Lexine explained softly, looking at him. "You have no idea how hard it is when you get it wrong..." He looked away again.

"Ya don't remember all the things we've done, bein' 'part of Chaos Inc?" Nate tossed his hat on the table and was moving closer to the bed. Lexine shook his head.

"Ya don't remember Chaos, Rue, yer brother Saffron, yer da, Auron?" Nate asked. Again Lexine shook his head.

"I've only got names..." Lexine whispered as Nate sat down looking at him.

"Ye don't remember wha' you and I had?" Nate asked softly, studying him for any sign any of this wasn't true.

Lexine raised his eyes from looking at the bedspread slowly. Even in the darkness of the room, Nate could still see the luminous green of Lexine's eyes, and the emotion which was quiet sad. He opened his mouth to speak, and Nate knew what it was before he'd even said it.

"No..."

Nate closed his eyes, inclining his head with a sigh. He found it hard to believe Lexine was telling the truth, but he couldn't have said that, it if hadn't been.

Then Lexine whispered, "But I have a feeling..." He sat forward a bit.

Nate looked at him. "Wha' kind of feelin'?"

"What...we had..." Lexine replied. He looked Nate in the eyes, biting his bottom lip. Then he leaned foward, closer to Nate and hesitantly raised a hand to Nate's cheek. Nate turned his head slightly, still meeting Lexine's gaze, and kissed the palm of his hand. Lexine moved his hand, leaning forward, kissing Nate softly.

It had been two years since Nate had kissed these lips, and he drank it up, kissing Lexine back hungrily. He raised one hand, tangling his fingers in Lexine's hair as he kissed him, pulling him closer. Lexine allowed himself to tumble forward into Nate who wrapped his other arm around him as Lexine kissed him.

It was until Nate's fingers brushed the wound on his hip, that Lexine pulled back with a gasp. "I'm sorry." Nate muttered, moving his fingers. "You can't remember anything? Not even us?"

Lexine shook his head, but whispered. "It feels right."

Nate caressed Lexine's cheek, but said. "Then where were ye fer the last two years?"

"England mostly...I was...I remember passing out again after I woke up with the pain. Then waking again in a medical bed. He said my back was broken. His name was Puk. He drove me to prove the doctors wrong, in twelve weeks. And he never asked why I couldn't remember." Lexine paused, then added. "He introduced me to Ivan Maxinov, who was a professor of...well I wouldn't say supernatrual. I started to attend Ivan's lectures and we became friends. He was fascinated by my fire control and amnesia and took it upon himself to find out who I am..."

"Is Ivan the friend who died?" Nate asked softly, wrapping both arms around Lexine's waist.

"Ivan asked me to come to his apartment, in Paris. He'd found out about Chaos Incorporated. I don't....remember what we were arguing about...but I remember the gun fire and finding Ivan dead...I don't know how long I was unconscious, but the police were arriving by the time I managed to make a break for it."

"Was Ivan shot?"

Lexine looked at his hand. "There was blood...I think so."

"Where ya carryin', Lexi?" Nate asked softly.

But Lexine shook his head furiously. "I don't carry a gun." Nate smirked slightly.

"So do you think some one else killed him?"

"Yes!" Lexine answered with a hiss. "He said he was nervous, cause some one wouldn't be to happy about him having this information. He gave me this address of a colleague and said if something happened to him, I was to go to her. Well I did after leaving his place and she gave him note book, Ivan never gave any one his note book. In it was a note that Boucard had helped him get some of the information. So I figured if I back tracked Ivan's moves enough, I could find out who the killer was...and clear my name."

Nate had to laugh softly. "You have never done anything the easy way."

"That's good to know?" Lex asked softly, wrinkling his nose in that way that Nate had missed. "Ow..."He muttered pitifully, moving the pressure off his wrist.