"Come on now, you guys are pulling my leg, right? There's no such thing as The Look, is there?" Richie asked. The young man looked towards Connor for some sort of sign.

Duncan and Methos, who were relaxing on the little footbridge which crossed the stream out behind the CDC property both turned as one and looked to Connor to see what he would say, if anything at all.

Connor, comfortably seated upon the grass seemed distracted, sporting a tiny smile as he gazed between a crouching figure working in the garden nearby, and another harvesting grapes in the compound's small vineyard.

"Hmmm? Oh. Yes, Richie, there is such a thing as The Look and I've got it. Duncan and Methos have it too. Heh, heh...you either have it, or you don't," Connor replied, his voice low and thoughtful.

Confused, the youngest immortal scratched his head and turned to his mentor and close friend.

"Mac, you have The Look? How does it work?"

He looked down at the stones making up the bridge. Duncan appeared to be gathering his thoughts before answering. Worrying a tiny hole in his jeans, the younger Scot turned to Richie.

"It's like thrall or hypnosis, sort of. With just our eyes, we can get any one of the CDC'ers to do our bidding."

"It works for all of them?" Richie sounded skeptical, but he was hopeful that such a thing could be true. After all, wouldn't that be a fun power to possess over these women?

"Not all of them equally Richie. Each of us has more power over certain ones and less power over others," Methos said quietly.

"If you have this power, why aren't you using it all the time? You could live like kings! I don't remember seeing you guys using The Look on anyone."

Richie glanced at the men, checking to see if they could possibly be joking. Each man looked him in the eye and none of them were smiling.

"Well...do I have The Look?

"You might have a look, but maybe not The Look!"

All three older immortals burst out laughing. Connor struggled to his feet, clutching his sides. Duncan lay back on the bridge, his hands wiping tears from his eyes. Methos stepped down and picked his way gingerly over to where Richie stood, wetting his bare feet in the process.

Cocking his head to the side, Methos sighed and peered at his young friend. "The only way to know that for sure, is try it out for yourself. You probably have it, but it may be that you need to practice it in order to be as good as us at it."

His blue eyes widened, suspicion clearly visible in them. Richie was still pretty sure they were playing some kind of joke at his expense. How could they expect him to believe that the girls would do their bidding with just merely a glance? Or was it more? And why hadn't he ever noticed it?

"I think I might be needing you to show this to me, if you don't mind. Learn it from the experts, I always say." Richie nodded his head to emphasize he thoroughly believed Methos...not!

Getting up with a heavy sigh, Connor wiped the back of his jeans absently, his gaze currently intent on the backside of the woman some distance away.

"All right, watch and learn, boy...watch and learn."

Duncan sat up and hopped off the little stone bridge, moving to join Methos and Richie. His interest was piqued.

*This should be good. MacNair can never withstand a genuine Connor MacLeod 'Look'.*

Connor strolled towards MacNair, who was now kneeling at the edge of one of the many CDC flowerbeds, pulling weeds. Slowly, he stepped closer and closer; careful to move as silently as a cat hunting its prey. He stared intently at the back of her hat-covered head. He stuck his hands in his pockets and curled them into fists.

MacNair hated pulling weeds, but someone had to do it. Those pesky things drank all the water and left their precious flowers to go thirsty. Unfortunately for her, it was her turn at this nasty duty.

Richie saw the little lady stop in mid weed-yank and straighten up, still as a statue. Her head turned and looked up as though she saw something interesting in a nearby tree, tilting her head to the side. Letting go of the weeds, she stood up and turned around, her eyes meeting Connor's.

Following close behind Connor, the trio watched to see him work his magic.

"MacNair, we're thirsty. Would you please fetch us some lemonade?" Connor smiled and 'heh heh'd' sweetly.

Blowing a stray lock from her sweaty forehead, she blinked and her jaw dropped open.

"Are you serious? Here I am, weeding this darned garden and you boys were resting on your, uh...your laurels over yonder! Why don't you bring me some lemonade?"

Turning away from her a moment, Connor glanced at his cohorts and arched an eyebrow. Turning back to her, he hunkered down, and fixed The Look upon her.

Seconds later, MacNair dropped her trowel and clapped her hands together. "Oh, lemonade! Of course I'll get you some!" Like a shot, she sped to the house, one hand holding her floppy sun hat to her head.

"Well! I don't think I've seen her run that fast before Connor," Duncan grinned, his pearly whites gleaming.

"Oh come on! I don't believe that! Just blind luck or something. We all know how big a thing MacNair has for you Connor." Richie folded his arms across his chest, in total disbelief.

"Connor, maybe you should show him again?" Methos winked at the elder Scot, smirking and nodding at Richie.

"Fine."

Glancing to the right, lynnann was on a low stepladder, carefully cutting a large bunch of grapes from the top of a vine. She was humming a little tune, seemingly happy in her chore.

The group came to stand behind her, stopping just a few feet away.

Holding the grapes up to her nose, lynnann loved the smell of sunkissed and vine ripened grapes. She was just about to pluck one to sample when she felt a tickle at the back of her neck. She whirled around and saw Connor.

Smiling, Connor stepped forward. "lynnann? Would you please take my car into town, gas it up, and get it detailed? I'm afraid I'm a little short. Would you cover that for me? I'll pay you back."

lynnann looked from Connor, to the guys, to her basket, to the vines, and back to Connor.

"Connor MacLeod! I may be a lot of things and a friend to many, but that is asking way...."

Holding up his hand, Connor interrupted what was sure to be a tirade if he let it continue. Instead, he served her The Look, dipped back into his pocket and held his car keys out to her.

"...too much of someone less of a friend than me! Of course I'll be happy to do that for you! How thoughtful of you to ask me," she continued as if she hadn't stopped talking.

Hopping off the ladder, lynnann sped towards the garage. Hopping into Connor's vehicle, she started it, put it in gear, and drove down the drive, cheerily waving at them.

Richie grinned and rubbed his hands together. He was beginning to like the idea of The Look and the benefits he could reap from it when he mastered the technique.

"Who's next? Mac or Methos? I wanna see you guys do this too. Is there just one technique?"

Duncan eyed Methos and half-heartedly raised his hand. Spying Sharz in the distance, a wicked thought ran through him. He moved off in her direction. The boys followed after him.

MacNair walked as fast as her little legs would go. In her hands she carried a tray, heavy with a giant pitcher of icy cold lemonade and some glasses. To her dismay, she saw the boys moving off across the lawn towards Sharz. She followed behind them, wondering what was going on and why they hadn't waited for the lemonade.

Sharz lay swinging in a wide white hammock, tied up to two tree trunks. One foot was on the ground, using it to rock herself back and forth. Her hair was covered with a white scarf, which was under a wide brimmed natural straw hat with a red band. She wore black sunglasses and looked every bit a movie star on holiday. In one hand, she had a fruit smoothie, which she sipped at through a straw. In the other hand, she held what appeared to be a romance novel. On closer look, the man on the cover bore a striking resemblance to a certain dark haired MacLeod. The man was even wearing a kilt!

Duncan stepped away from the group and hunkered down next to the relaxing CDC'er. He cleared his throat and smiled at her sweetly.

"Sharz, I'm tired of sitting on the bridge over there. If you don't mind, I'd like to take a turn at the hammock."

"Duncan, I was here first. I work hard and now it's my turn to relax. I'm here minding my own business reading my book. Go find somewhere else!"

Sharz went back to her book, sipping defiantly from her glass.

Duncan craned his neck to wink at Richie. He silently mouthed the words, "watch this".

Reaching up, Duncan pulled off Sharz' glasses and threw her...The Look.

Two seconds later, Sharz handed Duncan her glass. She closed her book and held out her hand for the younger Scot to help her up.

"Sure, you can have the hammock. I was just going inside to cook up a giant pot of pasta, your favorite. How about Caeser salad to go with it? Or some minestrone soup?"

Chuckling, Duncan handed her back her smoothie and told her he would like both.

With a delighted smile, Sharz turned and headed for the house.

*Whoa! What just happened here? Duncan just looks at her and she runs off to make him dinner?* MacNair was confused as to what was going on. She was oblivious to the fact that she was still standing there with a tray of lemonade for the boys. All she noticed was Sharz acting out of character.

"Connor? I have your...."

"Wow Mac! That was A-maz-ing!"

Richie turned and looked at Methos. He saw three wonderful demonstrations of how The Look works. It was time now, in his opinion, to see how this feat would work for an immortal who was not a MacLeod.

"I know, I know it's my turn now. Hmmmm...."

*Turn? What does he mean his turn?*

lahoffy stepped out onto the porch, turning her face to the sun to enjoy the warm rays. The sunshine glinted off her halo, making it seem like it glowed with a life of it's own. Smiling happily, she bounded down the steps, planning to take a walk to gather flowers for the dinner table centerpiece. She was feeling in an artsy mood this glorious day.

"Oh lahoffy..." called Methos, whose mind had suddenly filled with an outrageous idea. It was one surely to get a resounding "NO!!" from this particular female.

"I'm trying to get up a game of lawn darts, and I was wondering if you would loan us your halo to use as a target?"

Not even giving her a chance to reply, Methos grabbed lahoffy by the shoulders and liberally applied her with The Look When he was sure he used enough, he released her and turned to crack a smile for his friends.

"Anyone for lawn darts?" The old man looked really smug and pleased with himself. MacNair stared in shock as lahoffy cheerfully whipped off her halo and handed it to The ROG. She was horrified to see lahoffy smile up at the old guy and unabashedly flirt with him.

*Just what in blue blazes is going on here? I sure would like to know!*

"Connor. Here is your...." MacNair spoke softly, going unheard by the boys once again. Being rebuffed wasn't sitting well with the little lady, since Connor had told her he was so thirsty.

"Well, Richie, what do you think? Want to give it a go?"

"Now I just don't get this at all. If The Look works so well, why aren't you guys using it like...all the time?"

Duncan smiled gently at his friend and student. "Because we don't treat the ladies that way. It's not right, and it's not fair to them. They are here at the compound because they want to be. The same as we are, for good or bad. How do you think they would feel if they knew...really knew that they could be controlled this way?"

*WHAT?!?!*

"Yeah. No fun after a while," Methos added wistfully.

"Yeah..heh heh...getting them to do something the old fashioned way is more fun." Connor's eyes twinkled at his thoughts.

Richie looked like a kid in a candy store who suddenly found out he was allergic to sugar. But it didn't matter, not to him anyway. He simply had to try out The Look on somebody...anybody.

Just then, new CDC'er hayden came around the corner of the house, laughing and giggling with fellow new CDC'ers pacem and Janne. They stopped when they reached the small crowd standing around.

Richie grew determined, his jaw set and his shoulders squared. With reassuring pats on the back from the boys, he stepped forward and faced off with the inductees.

"Janne, pacem...hayden, I'm hot. I need something to cool down. Get me something and get it fast. Please."

The three newbies looked at each other and all the other faces standing around before facing Richie. Pacem couldn't help herself. She started snickering, which in turn set off hayden and Janne.

Unnerved by their reactions, The RYG turned to the older immortals for guidance. All three nodded their heads, smiling, shrugging and making hand gestures urging him to 'go for it'.

Turning back to face the three, Richie rubbed his eyes and fixed his best Look on them. His lower lip pooched out with the effort.

Janne brightened, recognition and understanding coming to her like a lightbulb over her head had suddenly clicked on.

"Oh, I think he means it girls! Let's get him something to cool off."

Tugging on her friends, Janne dragged them through the group, the men parting to allow them passage.

"MacNair? May we have some lemonade please?"

"Sure, Janne! Help yourself!" Smiling happily, MacNair raised up that heavy tray just a little higher.

"Connor? Did you still want...."

Interrupted again, the trio of CDC newbies turned around with full glasses and headed back to stand in front of Richie.

Hayden smiled sweetly. "Richie? Ready to cool off?"

The young red headed youth swelled with pride. Inside, he was gloating. Connor, Methos and Duncan had each controlled one woman at a time, getting them to do their bidding. And here, he controlled three!! And on his very first try!

Puffing out his chest, he sneaked peeks at his comrades. If he had been wearing suspenders, he would have been stretching them right about then.

"Uh, yeah...I'm ready to cool off. Give it to me."

As one, the three ladies tossed that icy cold lemonade at Richie before dissolving into fits of giggles.

Gasping from the sudden chill, Richie stood there, dripping sweet citrusy goodness. His hair was plastered down and he looked like a wet cat.

Connor stepped up and laid a concerned hand on his shoulder. Duncan stepped up and did the same on the other side. Leaning down, Duncan whispered into his ear. Both men were biting hard on their lower lips to keep from laughing. Methos covered his mouth to hide his ear-to-ear grin.

"That's why we don't use The Look around here. Doesn't always work."

Methos headed off, pausing to look at poor Richie. He shook his head sadly at the young man.

"Tsk tsk tsk. Practice boy, practice."

"Connor? Um...about this lemonade...."

~~*The End*~~

SheezaCDC
Sat. June 15th, 2002

And a full, heartfelt welcome to the newest members of the Clan CDC, pacem, Janne and hayden!

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