| Summer Crossover Series 2003: Don�t Mess with Texas By Kuzibah |
| An Angel/Preacher (comic) Crossover Disclaimer: Lindsey MacDonald and other characters and situations particular to Angel: The Series are the property of Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, The WB Network, and other individuals and corporate bodies. Jesse Custer and other characters and situations particular to the �Preacher� comic series are the property of Garth Ennis, Steve Dillon, DC Comics, and other individuals and corporate bodies. No copyright infringement is intended or implied. Introduction to �Don�t Mess with Texas�: When Lindsey was last seen on �Angel,� he was headed out of town after a bad experience with an evil hand transplant. When last seen in my fanfic, he was on a westbound train on his way home to his people. Jesse Custer, the titular character in the �Preacher� comic series, is a disenchanted man of the cloth who has had his own dealings with the supernatural. Rating: R (language, adult content) Archive- Please email request. Feedback- Absolutely. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Lindsey put down his empty glass and signaled the bartender. �Another �Lone Star,�� he said, and the barman drew him a draft. The Cleburne, Texas night was humid and warm, a taste of the summer to come, and condensation immediately beaded on Lindsey�s glass and dripped onto the cardboard beer mat. Lindsey lifted the bottle and took a deep draw, thinking idly of the oft-repeated clich� that L.A. may be hot, but it�s a dry heat. Here the humidity was so thick he could almost see it, and each breath felt heavy. A tall man with long, dark hair slid onto the stool beside Lindsey and ordered a beer. Lindsey glanced over, noting the newcomer�s clerical collar. Then he took stock of the man�s trouble-worn face, especially the faraway look in his eyes. Lindsey had seen that look too many times. The bartender put down the man�s glass, then leaned in. �Can I have a few minutes of your time, Father?� he asked. �You don�t have to call me Father, Micah,� the Preacher said, his voice as Texas as the Lone Star beer. �I�ve been drinking here for two years now, and your Lucy and my Tulip go out for coffee together near every day.� �It�s Lucy I need to talk about,� Micah replied. �And I feel more comfortable calling you �Father� when I�m asking for spiritual guidance, Jesse.� �What�s wrong with Lucy?� Jesse prompted, suddenly concerned. �She told me this morning she�s expecting, Father.� �Well, that�s mighty good news, Micah,� Jesse said, but when the bartender didn�t share his smile, Jesse added, �isn�t it?� �I don�t know what to think,� Micah said. �She�s wanted one for so long, and I never had the heart to tell her�� He sighed heavily and began again. �I had the German measles when I was fourteen, Father. Left me sterile. That baby�s not mine.� Jesse turned the beer in his hand, thoughtfully rubbing the pad of his thumb through the dew on the side of the glass. Finally he spoke. �Has Lucy been a bad wife to you?� �Don�t it look like it to you?� Micah said bitterly. �Micah, don�t let your Goddamned pride answer the question,� Jesse said. �Hasn�t she kept your house? Cooked and cleaned for you? Supported and respected and cared for you?� Micah looked abashed at this. �Well, yeah, Jesse, you know she has. That�s why this comes as such a blow.� �Tell me the truth,� Jesse pressed. �Has she done anything to shame you? Has she been carrying on in public?� �No,� Micah admitted. �Put yourself in her shoes,� Jesse said. �She wants a baby. She wants you to be the daddy, but for twelve years it doesn�t happen. She doesn�t know you can�t, because you never told her.� Micah flushed, but did not interrupt. �So, she can accuse you of being less than a man,� Jesse said, �spend your nest egg going to fancy doctors and clinics. Or� she can just discreetly take matters into her own hands. You have your pride, she gets a baby, and the baby gets you as a daddy.� Jesse pointed at the barman sternly, looking every inch the Righteous Southern Preacher. �Now, are you gonna fuck all that up, or are you just going to trust her to be the loving wife she�s always tried to be?� Micah nodded, not looking Jesse in the eye. �It�s gonna be hard, Father,� he said. The Preacher took a drink of his beer. �Be a man, Micah,� he said. �Lucy may have had help to make that baby, but she wants you to be the daddy.� Micah nodded again, then mumbled, �Thanks, Jesse. Beer�s on me tonight,� before moving down the bar. �Good advice,� Lindsey said after a moment, catching the Preacher�s eye in the mirror over the bar. �Hope he takes it,� Jesse said, the ghost of a smile on his lips, then added, �you new in town? I don�t believe we�ve met.� �Just passing through,� Lindsey said. �Doing some buying for my brother-in-law�s machine shop. Name�s Lindsey MacDonald.� �Jesse Custer,� the Preacher said. �You�ve a church in town?� �No,� Jesse said, and Lindsey didn�t press. Behind them, the jukebox started and Tammy Wynette began singing about a man who left her broken-hearted. Lindsey watched in the mirror as the blonde with mile-high hair who�d started it weaved drunkenly to the pool table and began to play by herself. She giggled like a little girl for a moment, then exclaimed, �watch your hands, they�re freezing!� Lindsey�s head whipped around in an instant, and he saw the blonde wasn�t alone but with three rough-looking guys. He glanced back at the mirror to check, and found himself locking eyes with Jesse the Preacher. The other man�s gaze was hard, and Lindsey could see he knew. �Vampires,� Lindsey said. �Fucking vampires,� Jesse answered. As one, the two men turned on their stools and headed for the pool table. Jesse lifted a wooden chair as he passed it, and Lindsey pulled a pool cue from the rack on the wall. Propelling his entire weight forward, Jesse crashed the chair over the back of the vampire leaning over the girl, breaking it into many pointed shards. As the creature tried to recover from where it had landed on its knees, Lindsey snapped the pool cue over one upraised leg, and with one motion plunged the stout end through the vampire�s back and into its heart. It exploded into a shower of dust. The blonde began screaming, even as the dusted vamp�s two companions� faces twisted into their true image and they warily approached Lindsey and Jesse. The Preacher scooped up one of the broken chair-legs and held it backhand. �You ready?� he said. �Hell, yes,� Lindsey said, and then it all broke loose. ~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ They were still sitting on the bar�s back porch, sharing a bottle of Wild Turkey that Micah had left them, when the first rays of the sun began to stain the horizon. Jesse sobered immediately. �Jesus,� he said. �Tulip�s gonna serve me my own dick for breakfast. I gotta go.� He held out one hand to Lindsey, and the other man took it and shook. �Good meeting you,� Jesse said. �Hope to see you again if you�re in these parts.� �Likewise,� Lindsey agreed, and the Preacher walked off into the hazy dawn. Lindsey tipped back the bottle, and took another swallow. Main Menu ~ Return to Crossover Menu |