Author's Note: This is my first ever songfic. In accordance with the site guidelines, however, I have removed the lyrics from this version. If you would like to see the fic with the lyrics, please check it out over on Archive of Our Own. Thanks!

Colder Weather

Mike Logan came awake slowly, surrounded in warmth. He had only begun waking this way recently. He usually came awake with a start, often from a nightmare. Mike turned on his side, staring at the red-head sleeping next to him. She was lying on her back, one hand over her head. Her shirt had ridden up, exposing her smooth skin.

Taking his fingers, he tiptoed them across her skin, smiling when she twitched. He leaned down and kissed the hollow of her neck. He was rewarded with the opening of her eyes.

"Morning, Logan," she yawned.

"Morning, Wheeler," he muttered before drawing her in a kiss. Wheeler ran her nails through his hair, moaning into his mouth. He slipped his boxers off and laid over her, pleasantly surprised to find her naked from the top down. "Were you waiting for me, Wheeler?"

Wheeler rolled her eyes and smacked his ass. "Better hurry up before my kid gets up."

Logan kissed her, wet and hot, his hands roaming all over her body. He was just starting to really get into it when he felt a small hand hit his foot and heard a tiny giggle. "Oh, shit!"

"What?" Wheeler exclaimed as Logan hurried to cover himself.

"Your kid just hit my foot!"

Wheeler laughed, sitting up. She looked down at her daughter. "How did you get out of your crib?"

Margot scrunched her face up. "Climbed, Mama. Hit Unca Mike."

"You certainly did." Wheeler slipped on Logan's discarded boxers. "Come on, love. It's too early to get up."

"Bye," Margot said, sadly, waving to Logan from her mother's shoulder as she was carried away.

Wheeler returned not six minutes later. "You ready to finish what we started?"

Logan frowned a bit, worried. "Is she asleep?"

"Asleep and the door's locked. You've got nothing to worry about."

"Then, get your ass in here. I'm getting cold and you have my boxers."

"Unca Miiiiiiiike!" Margot yelled, running towards the front door that he had just walked through, carrying pizza in his hands. She wrapped herself around his leg. "You here!"

"Hi, sweetheart," he replied, carefully bending down to pick her up.

Wheeler entered the living room, wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Hey, Logan. Were you supposed to come here tonight?"

Logan shook his head. "I just remembered that today was a busy day with Mommy and Me class right after you picked up Margot and it was the big presentation day."

"This is just so not like you," she teased, taking the pizza from him. "The presentation was okay. I think they're going to go with my security ideas."

"It sounds like it went fantastic, then!"

Margot giggled, shaking her golden red curls. "Tastic, Mama."

Wheeler put the pizza on the kitchen table and grabbed plates as Logan settled Margot in her highchair. She waited until they had all settled eating to start talking. "So, Logan, as you know, Christmas is coming up in a few weeks."

"Really?" he commented, drily. "So, that's what all the lights and commercials are about."

"I was thinking," she continued as if he hadn't responded, "that if you didn't have anything to do, you could hang out with Margot and I. My sister and her husband are going out of town to visit his family this year."

Logan cleared his throat. "I… don't know, Wheeler. That's not really our thing."

Wheeler shrugged. "I know. I just thought I'd offer since we're alone and you're alone. It's no big deal."

"I'll think about it," was all he would agree to.

"Somebody better be dead," Wheeler growled into the phone that woke her up in the middle of the night.

"I'm sorry, Wheeler," Logan slurred, obviously drunk.

She sat up, glancing at the clock, which read 3:27. "What are you sorry about?"

He hesitated. "I can't spend Christmas with you. I just… I can't. It's not our thing."

"It's okay." Wheeler swiped at her eyes, glad he couldn't see her.

"Sex, Wheeler," Logan blurted. "We were only supposed to have sex from time to time, but now, your kid calls me 'uncle' and you're inviting me to Christmas." He sighed. "I'm not a family man."

Wheeler bit the inside of her mouth. "I know, Mike. It was only a suggestion. It doesn't mean anything."

He let out a tiny breath of relief. "Okay. I'll talk to you later."

"Later, Logan."

"Mike! Mike Logan!"

Logan turned on the street, his face lighting up when he saw his own friend, David walking towards him. They shook hands. "How have you been?"

David grinned. "Good, good. Simon and I finally got married. We have two kids: both in college. How about you?"

"No wife, no kids." Logan chuckled. "None that I know about anyway." Logan sobered a bit as a flash of Wheeler and Margot flitted through his mind. He quickly changed the subject. "I'm a retired detective working as a PI."

"Listen, I've got to run, but I would love for you to come to dinner with Simon and I and catch up. Let me give you my card." David handed him a card from his pocket. "I expect to get a phone call in the next few days. Don't make me track you down!"

Logan raised his hands in mock surrender. "I promise; I'll call. Hey, man, it was great to see you."

Dave grinned. "You, too." He hurried away, calling over his shoulder, "I expect that phone call, Mike!"

"Can I get you gentleman anything else?" the waitress asked, leaning her body in Logan's direction.

"I'm good, thanks," Logan answered, barely raising his head up. Dave shook his head, indicating that both he and Simon were fine, too. Logan looked to Dave when Dave began to chuckle. "What?"

Dave exchanged glances with his husband. "You keep saying that there isn't a girl, but you didn't even take a glimpse at her or her chest, despite her practically waving it in front of you. The Mike I know would have had her number by the time we ordered drinks."

Logan wave him off. "She's practically a child."

"She's in her mid-twenties at the least," Dave informed him, "and since when do you care about age? As long they're legal, they're game; isn't that what you used to tell me?"

"Come on, Mike," Simon encourage, placing his hand over Dave's. "He's never going to give this up. Tell us about your girl."

Sighing, Logan hunched slightly. "She's not my girl, not in that way. She was my partner and sometimes, we… you know..."

Dave laughed. "I think we remember."

"She has a kid, a little girl named Margot, who's almost two." Logan shook his head. "I'm not the relationship kind. And I have absolutely no business being around a kid. She invited me to Christmas with her and the kid. She said it didn't mean anything, but-"

"But it would have meant something to you if you had gone," Simon finished.

Hanging his head, Logan shrugged. "I don't know. Anyway, it's clear to me now that I need to walk away before they get hurt."

"What makes you think that they-" Dave cut off suddenly when Simon pressed his thigh.

Simon leaned forward. "Tell you what, Mike, Dave, the kids, and I are going to the cabin for Christmas. Why don't you come along? No, no," he countered when Logan protested. "We have a few friends coming and I promise that there will be no set-ups. Just fishing, good food, and good friends. It'll get you out of the city for a little bit."

Logan took a few moments to think it over. "You got yourself a deal."

"Merry Christmas," Dave said, entering the kitchen late Christmas Eve.

Logan looked up from his coffee. "What are you doing up so late?"

Joining him at the table, Dave chortled. "Christmas tradition. I can't put the gifts out until the kids are asleep and they like to stay up late just to drive their father insane."

"Kids will do that to you."

"What do you got there?" Dave asked, nodding towards a box in Logan's hand.

Logan held it up. "It's, uh, nothing. Just something that I picked up."

Dave took the box and opened it, revealing two necklaces with snowflake pendents. "Beautiful." He studied Logan. "You do realize that this is a gift for a mother and daughter, don't you?"

"Of course, I do!" Logan exclaimed. "I'm not as dumb as you and Simon think. But I saw it at the trading post and it's like I couldn't not buy it."

"You love this girl," Dave quietly pointed out. "You love her and you love her daughter."

Taking back the box, Logan huffed, "I know."

Dave tilted forward. "So, then, what the hell are you doing here? Go get your girls!"

"Thanks," Logan said, jumping up. "Tell everyone that I said good-bye."

"Good morning, love," Wheeler whispered in Margot's ear to wake her up. She had allowed Margot to sleep with her to contain her excitement over Christmas.

Margot woke up, smiling. She sighed, "Mama." Her eyes lit up as she realized what day it was and she sat up. "Santa come, Mama?"

Wheeler nodded. "Let's go see what he brought you!"

"See! See!" Margot scrambled down from the bed, her hair going wildly in every direction. She grabbed her mother's hand to drag her down the hall to the living room. She froze when she saw Logan standing in front of the tree. "Unca Mike! Mama! Santa bring Unca Mike!"

"Merry Christmas, sweetheart," Logan told her, swinging her into his arms.

Wheeler followed slowly behind. "What are you doing here?"

Logan took in a deep breath. "I've been an ass."

"Ooh!" Margot admonished.

"Sorry," Logan replied, kissing her temple. "I freaked out when you invited me to Christmas. I thought I would save you… and myself… heartbreak by backing out, backing away from you and Margot." He stepped forward, grabbing Wheeler's hand. "But it's too late; at least, for me. I love you, Megan; you and this little girl. I want to be a part of your lives, if you'll have me."

Megan's chin quivered. "For how long? Until someone assumes we're married? Or that you're Margot's father? I can't do it, Logan. I can't do it to myself or to my daughter."

Logan moved his hand to her face, brushing away her tears. "Forever, that's how long. And if you want to go to the courthouse tomorrow and get married, I'll do it. And if you think there's a chance in hel- heck that I'm not adopting this little girl, then you're nuts. I-"

"I love you, Mike," Megan admitted. She hesitated a brief moment before launching her lips on his. They kissed until Margot patted their faces.

"Ew," Margot told them.

Mike laughed. "I'll show you 'ew', sweetheart." He covered her face in kisses until she squealed. "I love you, too, Margot."

Margot hugged him. "I wuv you, Unca Mike." She looked at her mother. "Open presents?"

"Yes, we can open presents," Megan giggled, taking Margot. She sat on the floor, Margot in her lap.

"I got something for you," Mike told Megan, sitting down next to them, watching as Margot began to tear into her gifts.

Megan grinned at him, interlocking their fingers. "Save it for later. I already have the best gift ever."

THE END