The Complexities of Dating a 'Friend'

Author: Sunnycouger (foolofatook_@hotmail.com)

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: You all don't honestly think that I own any of this do you? Roswell and all its characters are property of Melinda Metz and Jason Katims..I just take them out to play sometimes...

Category: Dark fic

Summary: Alex/Laurie fic set in the RBB continum! Tess drags Alex to a themed restaurant and while there they see Laurie with a date? How does Alex react? He's as cool and suave as usual of course...

Authors Notes: If you haven't read RBB all you really need to know is that Alex and Laurie know each other very well...Laurie is Tess' best friend who are now living together, Tess loves driving Alex slowly mad...the rest you should be able to pick up along the way...if not, go read Roswells Big Brother at roswellsbigbrother.tripod.com!!!

I should say that I dedicate this fic to Fez, who has been busting my head so much in the past year that she can't find any Alex and Laurie fic (that may be because they didn't share a scene together, but hey...each their own ) [plus, I'm trying to convert her to the possibility of Draco and Ginny in the HP universe so this is what I had to do *shakes head*

Um, one other thing: certain things are said in the course of this fic about a well known sporting event and certain games in this event and I should say that views expressed are not my own opinions (well, mostly ) So hopefully no one will take offence...

Are you all sitting comfortably? Well, lets get on with the fic...

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"Okay, not be accused of being 'cranky'...again. But *why* exactly am I here again? At a 50's themed restaurant...isn't this boyfriend duty?"

"You need me to remind you? Kyle said that he had a reputation to protect, a reputation that well...not to be completely cruel, but a reputation that you don't have."

"Hey!" He looked as his shorter companion in offence.

"You lost the bet so you, for tonight, are officially my date. So suck that up Whitman and enjoy..."

Alex Whitman groaned - that was why he was here, with Tess Harding in a place called the Pink Cadillac that's idea of style was the waitresses dressed in ankle touching hooped skirts and chefs with enough grease in their hair that they could use it to fry food in the Crashdown for a year. Yup, this was hell and the only reason he was here was because his best friend had screwed him over. Kyle Valenti would suffer for this...

"You do know that he screwed me over and asked a trick question..."

Tess turned to him and nodded her head as she pulled him along and answered cheerily. "Yeah, I know that...but we knew you wouldn't be able to resist the challenge."

His eyes widened in exasperation. "You as well? Where's the loyalty?"

"Oh Alex, stop being such a cry baby. If you weren't so competitive then you wouldn't have got involved, but no...you had to prove how 'superior' you were to us 'lesser mortals' and took the bait. So no one is to blame apart from you...now come on," She pulled hard on his arm. "Laurie said she might come..."

Alex muttered as she pulled him. "You know Isabel never made me do this...she had class, she wouldn't be seen dead in a place like this...and there's zero point in trying to butter me up with saying Laurie will be here...she has more class than this as well. "

Tess groaned loudly. "Alex, it's not a date! I am not trying to butter you up because Laurie will be here, you will not burst into flames if you smile while you slum it and," she smiled as she looked at him mischievously. "Isabel has been here..."

"Ah yes, with the interloper...i should have figured that this was his idea of a hot date. You know he split us up don't you? Mr flashy car...Mr Law Degree...Mr $85 000 a year...Mr 'I'm Going To Be The Youngest Partner since Ally McBeal'...Mr 'I Drive a Porsche to compensate for my lack of a...'"

"Alex!" Tess interrupted him sternly before he could continue. "You and Isabel split up before Jesse! You told her to go with it!"

Alex smirked and nodded his head. "What can I say, I have excellent taste in men. Good looking, smart, rich, sensitive, rich, successful, rich and with the worlds most kick ass car..."

"You realise you said rich about 5 times there which is showing your shallow side and, well...you kinda sounded *too* interested in him...what would the ladies say? Not that there's anything wrong with it...i just don't think you would get much back from him and if you did..." Tess took a deep breath as she continued talking. Alex sighed, she was clearly letting her imagination just run and run... "Well, if Jesse was to leave her for you she'd kill you both...there would be Alex and Jesse sized piles of dust..."

"Tess! Shut up, god...just...shh, okay?" He indicated with his hand for her to calm down as he continued. "You have a wild imagination...I was merely saying that he is a good match for Isabel..." Alex rolled his eyes, "Jeez, you could totally ruin my love life if you keep going on like that...."

"Um...okay, I guess you don't like him like that then...which is good." Tess smiled apologetically as she looked at him. "So, do you like Jesse in a non sexual way?"

Alex looked at her and nodded his head. "Yeah, 'course I do. I mean, he's like the polar opposite to me...well, not really 'opposite' per se...see, whereas I'm more a young Obi Wan type person, wise, smart, an enigmatic rule breaker who isn't afraid to play it close to the line and with a sense of humour that can slay you in the aisles."

Tess began to laugh hysterically before she was swiftly silenced by an unamused glare. Alex shook his head as he continued. "And he's much more in the Luke Skywalker mode...hotshot, smart ass, full of himself, flashy yet still managing to be as dull as hell...just the kind of guy Izzy needs...of course," he began to laugh almost to himself, "I wouldn't be surprised if at one point down the line we found out that they were actually related to each other, and he ended up all alone with a mechanical hand..."

Tess shook her head. "It must be bad, you're insulting him using the damn Star Wars analogies, I thought we were all in agreement that you would only talk Star Wars in the presence of 4 people: Sean, Brody, Kyle and Michael? Besides, you do realise how sad it is that you relate yourself to a fictional character?"

Alex shook his head and began to laugh. "You, of all species are telling me about relating myself to fiction?"

"Touché." Tess slapped him and looked at him petulantly as she guided him to a table. "You're only being moody because you're jealous of Jesse."

"I'm only being moody because I'm plotting how to kill your boyfriend, slowly and with maximum pain..." He sat down and looked around the restaurant with the guitars on the wall, the lights and the jukebox playing some God awful piece of crap. "God, this is like a Pleasantville horror story. Of course, I don't even have a Reese Witherspoon to look at..."

He looked over at Tess who was positively bouncing on her seat and he realised it. It was true...he was in hell and any minute now a demon in a pink fluffy sweater would come over to claim his soul forever. Saying that, he thought as he looked at the offending 'demon' in her tight fitting clothes and perfectly coifed hair, there couldn't be many better ways to go, and it wasn't like he really needed his soul just now anyway...hell, he could even get into this hell world. He'd seen enough episodes of Happy Days to know that you could be a geek and cool if you paired up with a guy in a leather jacket...

He was perfectly happy in his reverie when all he felt was a sharp pain shooting through his leg. "Ow! What the hell was that for?"

He looked up to see an aggressive looking Tess glaring at him. "It is not appropriate for you to be drooling over another woman when you have an interest in my best friend!"

Alex shifted in his seat uncomfortably and looked at her indignantly. "A, I am not drooling..."

"10 seconds longer and your tongue would have rolled out onto the floor..."

He ignored her as he continued. "B, who says I have an interest in Laurie?" He folded his arms and looked at her insolently. "Just because I enjoy her company does not mean I am interested in anything else..."

Tess raised an eyebrow as she smirked. "Sure it doesn't. I mean you have only enjoyed her company for a year so I can see why you wouldn't be interested in anything else. This is the same guy who 10 weeks after meeting her and spending 24 hours together and jeopardising a reunion with Isabel..."

"Hey, I never jeopardised anything with Izzy...we got right back together again."

Tess rolled her eyes and sighed. "Whatever, all I'm saying is that you spent 6 months working out how you felt while you were with Izzy and after you both conceded defeat you've been too cowardly to make your move on the girl that you want to be with."

Alex rolled his eyes and folded his arms as he sat back further in his seat. Like Tess knew what was going on with him. It wasn't like he was that transparent...nope, she was way off base. The reason things didn't work out with Isabel had nothing to do with Laurie, or any stupid crush that he may have had. Nope...she was just a...friend. A friend that he liked...

"Hey Laurie! You came!"

Alex snapped round and saw Tess hugging the taller girl. He instinctively felt himself begin to smile at her as he stood up and waited on Tess to let her go.

"Of course I came...you didn't think I would miss this did you?"

Alex grinned at her as Tess took a step back and Alex took a step towards her. "Welcome to hell."

Laurie smiled at him and hugged him quickly. Alex wrapped his arms around her shoulders and instantly became overtly aware of her bare skin under his finger tips and the smell of her perfume. He quickly took a step back and smiled at her as she looked at him with an eyebrow raised. Yup, definitely just a friend...

"You aren't trying to tell me that this is not your idea of fun. I mean no offence but your best friend owns an alien themed restaurant afterall...this is just more colourful..."

Alex rolled his eyes. "Sure, if you like things that are loud and tacky..."

"Why do you think we like you Alex?" Tess chipped in as she sat down.

Alex turned and glared at her as he folded his arms, sat down and indicated for Laurie to sit. "Ignore her, she's just smarting because Kyle turned her down. You not going to sit Laurie?"

Laurie turned and smiled at him tentatively before turning to Tess. "Um well...the thing is, I'm kinda here with someone..."

Alex looked at her and smiled. "Oh, really? Who'd you bring? Maria? She said she was doing something tonight...so I guess this was it."

Laurie looked at Tess and indicated with her eyes before turning back to Alex. "Um, no...no it's not Maria...someone else."

Alex looked at her quizzically. "Sean? God, am I going to have to have dinner with Sean again? He keeps pinging food at me..."

"Who keeps pinging food at who?" A deep voice asked from behind Laurie causing Alex to jump slightly. Who the hell was this guy listening into other people conversations? He felt his eyes widen slightly. And what the hell was he doing putting his arms around Laurie's waist?!? And he definitely should not be kissing her neck!

"Excuse me!" Alex felt his voice explode out of him loudly as the others all turned and looked at him. He blushed slightly and tried to smile as he stood up and looked at the two of them as he tried to keep his voice calm. Friend, Alex...she's just a good friend and you don't want her to make a mistake... "Um, what I mean is...don't you think it would be nice to maybe introduce us to your...friend...Laurie?"

Laurie looked at Alex and smiled shyly as she looked at him. "Yes, yes I do...Tess, you already know Kieran?"

Tess nodded her head as she smiled at the tall man and he shook her hand again before she turned back and looked at Alex who was looking at her disbelievingly. "Really? Tess, you met...Kieran before? I *can't* believe you didn't mention something..." He kept his voice light and turned towards Laurie and...Kieran as he took a drink. A long drink...dammit why couldn't anywhere in the vicinity sell alcohol?

"I asked her not to say anything to anyone, and what with Tess and I living together...it was kinda inevitable..."

"Of course it didn't help that she caught me coming out Laurie's room at 6 in the morning..."

Alex spat out the contents of his mouth as he felt himself suddenly feeling very faint.

"Alex? Are you okay? You look a little pale." Laurie asked with a concerned voice as Kieran began to laugh slightly. He already hated that guy...

"Yes, I'm fine...so fine just...really, really scratchy throat. Been choking all day, right Tess?"

Tess looked at him and he glared at her almost daring her to disagree with him when he was in this mood.

"Yes, he's been choking all day...but, you know Alex. Put's a brave face on it."

Laurie nodded her head in understanding but kept her arm on his shoulder as she indicated towards...that man she was with. "Anyway, Alex Whitman, meet Kieran Kielty. Kieran, this is Alex...the guy I told you about."

Alex straightened up and composed himself. "Kieran. Nice to meet you."

He stuck his hand out and Alex shook it as Kieran smiled at him. "Pleasure, it's nice to meet you too. Laurie told me a lot about you."

Tess smiled as she looked at Laurie. "Well, now that that's out the way. You two going to join us?"

Joshua looked at Laurie and nodded his head. "That would be great...it would be nice to meet some of Laurie's friends...but only if it's okay with you Alex? I wouldn't want to ruin your date..."

Alex looked at him and didn't pick up a word that was being said and merely shrugged his shoulders and mumbled what he hoped was a coherent 'no problem...not my date anyway...' As Tess got out and sat beside him leaving the other side of the table free for Laurie and Kieran.

Laurie looked at Alex strangely as she sat down. "Alex, are you sure you're okay?"

Alex suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and took a deep breath. "Yup, I'm good...you?"

She smiled at him and he became distinctly aware of how close her leg was to his. "Great. This place is good..."

"We're going to try some swing dancing on the dance floor later." Kieran said happily as he looked at Laurie. "She said she wanted to try it since she saw you two perfect it..."

Tess winced as she looked at Alex. "Well, it took us a while to perfect it..."

"A long while...but it's easy if you know how to handle it." Alex said as he eyed Kieran beedily.

Kieran nodded as the waitress came over and took the orders. Alex watched him, there he was...6'6" easy...blond hair, green eyes, athletic looking...completely wrong for Laurie. He looked at him and smirked inwardly. "So, Kieran...that's a strange name for round about here, I'm guessing Irish right?"

Kieran turned and nodded his head enthusiastically. "Yup, I was born there but my mom was American so we moved back here when I was 5."

Alex looked at him and smiled slightly. "Yeah? So, you planning on going back to Ireland at any time in the near future?"

Tess nudged him hard in the side as Kieran looked at him and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know, I try and get home to see my grandparents once a year..."

"Aw, that's nice. So when's your next visit due?"

Kieran looked around and smiled quizzically. "Um, during September..."

"Oh, that's great! Not too far away." Alex nodded his head enthusiastically as Tess' mouth dropped open and she kicked him hard so he quickly added. "For your grandparents, I mean. It'll be great for them. I'm sure they miss you."

Kieran looked at him and nodded his head tentatively as he put his hand on Laurie's. "Yeah...they miss us all, that's why we like to get over as often."

He looked at Tess and smirked at her. "See, Kieran knew what I meant."

"Yeah, sure he did."

Laurie coughed loudly and looked at Tess. "So, you couldn't drag Kyle then?"

Tess looked at her and shook her head. "Nope, but he got me a replacement for the night...not as cute, not as funny, not as well built...but hey, beggars can't be choosers..."

Laurie began to laugh gently as she nudged Alex and looked at him. "You going to let her get away with that, Alex?"

Alex looked at Laurie and noticed how blue her eyes were...he let a sigh escape as he looked at her. Yup, she was definitely just a friend. "Well, she *has* to believe that Kyle is the greatest...basically because that's the best she can do..."

Tess turned to Kieran and shook her head. "Ignore him. He just wishes he was home so he could see Quantum Leap...for the 20th time."

"Hey, don't mock the greatest show of the last century!"

"I like that show as well...but, well...Alex was the one who got me hooked. I think I just like the idea of turning back time...righting wrong choices, and mistakes that shouldn't have happened..." Laurie looked at Alex and smiled slightly before dropping her head as she continued. "Just kinda appeals to me..."

Alex took a deep breath as he looked at her. "I know what you mean..."

The four of them sat in silence as the food came and Kieran shifted in his seat uneasily. Alex noticed this and couldn't help but smile. The poor boy was feeling awkward...good, that will teach him for being way to familiar with Laurie.

"So...Alex, you like sports?" Kieran asked almost desperately to try and start a conversation.

Alex nodded his head, being more friendly with guys had kinda brought him more into the sporting world. "Um yeah, baseball and soccer...I'm friends with a British guy so he kinda got me hooked on that."

Kieran immediately perked up and nodded his head. "Really? Excellent! You been watching the world cup?"

Alex looked at him and grinned... "Yeah, I have...what was the Ireland score again?"

Kieran's face fell and he looked down sadly. "We um...we...lost to Spain...in penalties...after playing them off the park for 85 minutes."

"Aw, that's a shame...oh well, at least England are through. That's good right? You can always support them." Alex said, trying to sound innocent but knowing full well the reaction he would get.

"Um, Alex? Maybe we could talk about something else..." Laurie said quietly.

Kieran put his glass down with a thud and took a deep breath as he looked at Alex. "England? You want me to support England? Why? Because they have been spawning results for the past 4 games? We put our hearts and souls into the whole thing and tried to win games. We didn't have a goalie who decided to throw the ball in the back of the net twice playing against us..."

Alex grinned as he took a chip and ignored the sound of Tess and Laurie trying to change the subject discreetly. "Ah, but my friend said that you guys had to dive for a penalty in that game. So, you know...that would make Ireland...well, cheats would it not?"

Kieran was turning a funny shade of purple as he took another deep breath, then a drink, then another deep breath. "Cheats? Hmm, your friend is English? Well, what was his opinion on their little diving escapades in the Argentina game? There was at least contact in the Ireland one and you know what else? We didn't need that penalty to win it!"

"Well, you didn't win it did you...you lost...were eliminated...thrown out...sent packing..."

"Alex!" Tess said loudly as Kieran stood up and took a deep breath.

"You know, I think I need some air...I'll be back soon." He began to walk away quickly while Laurie and Tess looked at Alex disbelievingly.

"What the hell was that all about?" Tess asked angrily as she looked at Alex who was grinning slightly.

"What? I was just trying to discuss it...you know, like I do with Brody and Kyle." He looked at Laurie who was looking at him angrily. "I was just trying to be friendly! Sheesh, if the man can't have fun talking about something he shouldn't bring it up!"

Laurie looked at him and shook her head. "I'm going to go get him, next time you are being friendly...don't be insulting okay? He's a nice guy...give him a break."

He watched as Laurie walked of and dropped his head onto the table loudly before turning it to look at Tess. "You met him? You met him coming out of her room at 6am and you didn't think of mentioning anything?"

Tess looked at him apologetically. "Everytime I try to bring up Laurie's love life you tell me you don't want to know! How am I supposed to know that you only don't want to know when there's nothing to tell? Besides, they've only been seeing each other a few weeks...okay, a few months...he's nice."

Alex groaned as he banged his head down again. "This sucks! I can't believe you didn't feel that this was important enough to tell me?"

Tess looked at him, exhaled deeply before she grabbed a hold of his hair and pulled his head back off the table. "Alex, what did you expect her to do? Wait another year for you to make your move? No...it wasn't fair to expect her to be alone while you pretended you weren't in love with her. So, you have to decide somethings: are you going to be the jerk who sits there and makes an innocent guy miserable because he has what you want, or are you going to be the bigger man who just lets Laurie find out what she wants...like she did with you and Isabel?"

Alex looked at her and nodded his head as he sighed. "Point taken...I'll watch what I'm doing. But, Tess? Could you let go of my hair now? It kinda hurts..."

Tess grinned at him and let her tight grip on his hair go as he patted him on the back. "Not a problem..."

Alex rubbed his head in pain as Laurie and Kieran returned. Now what was it Tess had said? Don't be a jerk...he could do that. There had to be *something* that he could like about Kieran...he liked his height...Alex was a tall guy himself so if by some miracle him and Kieran could become friends they could intimidate Kyle because of his shortness. He sighed. Was the prospect of intimidating Kyle really good enough to start liking about a person? Because of their height? He looked again desperately to see anything else that he could like. His hair was different...not many guys he knew had blonde hair...

"So, Kieran...do you dye your hair?" The question escaped involuntarily as he saw Laurie's mouth drop open and Tess kicked him repeatedly under the table. "Ow..ow, Tess, stop! I didn't mean that in an insulting way...I meant it as a compliment. Not many guys have hair that blond and I was curious."

He looked around the table to be met with 3 cold glares and he sighed. That wasn't quite what he was going for. "You know, it doesn't matter...I just think you have a nice colour of hair. Maria, one of my friends has that colour of hair and I've never seen a guy with it but now I have I believe her when she tells me she doesn't lighten her hair."

He looked around hoping to see a more positive reaction but to no avail. They clearly wanted more than that. "Um, sorry?"

Kieran looked at him and clenched his teeth as he forced himself to smile. "Not a problem...Al."

"Um, it's Alex."

Kieran looked at him and shook his head and forced another smile. "Oh, I'm sorry. That would be really annoying for you wouldn't it?"

Alex nodded his head as he grinned at Kieran. "Yeah, it would."

Kieran nodded and took a bite of his now cold burger. "I'll try and not do that too much then."

Alex looked at Laurie and smiled in a 'see, I can play nice with your new boy' type of way. She looked at him and smiled unsurely before Kieran reached over and put his hand on Laurie's. Was this guy just trying to make him feel inadequate? Rub his nose in it?

"So, Kieran...this your usual idea for a hot date or are you splashing out for tonight?" He immediately covered his mouth as he said it and winced as he waited on the reactions.

"Want to dance, Laurie?" Kieran's voice responded as Alex looked up and saw Laurie looking at him with disgust. She shook her head before smiling at Kieran.

"I'd love to, could you just grab me a drink first? Thanks."

Kieran walked off and Laurie glared at Alex and as soon as he was out of earshot she began to whisper loudly. "What are you doing? Why are you being like this? He is a nice guy and you haven't gave him a chance since you met him!"

Alex looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I just...I don't think he's right for you. You could do a lot better."

Laurie slammed her glass down angrily as she looked at him. "You have no right to decide who is right for me! You are not my keeper! You had your chance, you lost it! Don't dare think you own me!"

She walked quickly away as Alex looked at her and shouted after her. "I don't think I own you! I just think he's a jerk!"

Tess looked at him and shook her head. "Idiot. Complete idiot. You...you are beyond talking about. Michael would have done a better job than you but no, you felt the need to screw it up. You had a chance before you know, it wasn't that serious between her and Kieran. I'd met him all of twice...doesn't that tell you something? But no. You over react and blow everything."

She stood up and looked at him. "You should get points though, not many people can prove why they would make a bad boyfriend as well as you did tonight. So well done!"

Alex held his head and looked at her. "You think sarcasm is good now? Of all times? Because I think your timing sucks."

Tess reached over and patted his hand. "No, your timing sucks. Come on, we'll dance and then we'll try and work out how you can make it up to Laurie tomorrow."

Alex reached out and took Tess hand as she guided him towards the dance floor. "Okay, on a scale of 1-10...how much of an ass was I?"

Tess looked at him sympathetically. "You were so far off the scale that they ran out of zero's to put at the end of the number..."

Alex leaned back and looked towards the ceiling. "Why me?"

TBC

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