FAMILY AFFAIR

A/N: Thanks to somewhereinthedreams for betaing.

"Oh, honey. I found you a date for tomorrow!"

"Mom..." Paige took a deep breath and braced herself. This was the first time since she left for college that she brought somebody home to meet her family. None of her flings seemed important enough, not like Mike in the least. But he didn't have to know that. "I already have a date. Why didn't you ask me in the first place?"

"Because you never tell me anything! When will you get yourself a nice man and settle down? You're not getting any younger and I would very much like to become a granny before I turn 60."

"Not again, mom, please."

"Then when? Are you already engaged perhaps?"

"No, mom, but-"

"Then as I said, I would like some grandchildren before I'm too old to take care of them. I don't want to…"

Paige rolled her eyes and zoned out. She had a long day at work, she really didn't need her mother rambling about how her biological clock was ticking faster and faster each day. Besides, her relationship with Mike was going well, but they didn't need to start talking about settling down for good. Although she had a feeling it wouldn't take her too much convincing, considering how old-fashioned Mike was.

As if on cue, the door to her room closed, signaling that Mike was home. She closed her eyes and sighed when Mike dropped on the bed next to her and kissed her cheek. Sensing her distress, Mike brushed her hair to the side and rested his mouth on the back of her neck, gently caressing her golden back, left bare by her white strappy bralette - Paige tenderly leaned into his touch.

"Yes, mom. We'll be there. Bye." Paige dumped her phone on the bedside table and flopped on her back. "Finally!"

Mike chuckled. He crawled over to her. Laying on his side, he looked curiously at her red cheeks. He had never seen Paige so distressed after a phone call from her mom. She once told him how stressful her adolescence had been because of her parents' relationship, but he would bet all his money she was the troublemaker.

"Long day?"

Paige nodded. "And to top it all off, my mom was trying to set me up on a date! Apparently, my taste in men doesn't meet her standards."

Those words left her mouth before she could stop them. She opened her eyes to look at Mike, expecting him to be anxious or somehow jealous - worried, maybe - but he was looking at her like he was a predator and she was his prey.

"I guess we'll just have to prove her wrong."

He rolled on top of her and lowered his mouth to seek hers. Their lips touched softly at first, then more passionately. Paige deepened the kiss and tugged on his shirt, letting out a soft moan of appreciation when he pulled it off.

The Arkins had a pretty large luxury home. Mansion. Paige warned him her family was rich, but he didn't think they were this rich. Later that afternoon, he would find out her father was an entrepreneur and that he had been in the wood business since Paige was 2 years old. As soon as they set foot in the enormous entrance, Mike felt uneasy and lost. He couldn't even imagine how it must have been for a child to grow up in that house. Of course, from Paige's numerous anecdotes, he knew that her family had given her nothing but love, even though she did feel a little suffocated by that same undying love.

"So, Mike, what is it that you do for a living?" Paige's mother asked, swirling the wine in her glass in that way that reminded Mike of Paige. So much that it was almost scary. To be fair, they didn't look much alike. Paige indeed got her fine nose from her mother, but that was just about it. Those beautiful eyes he loved so much were a gift of her grandmother, the lovely elderly lady his girlfriend introduce him to a few hours before, while she resembled her father in everything else. Especially her toned physique.

He hadn't met her father yet, seeing as he was out of State traveling with her brother, but he had met many relatives from her mother's side and they all seemed to share the same opinion.

"I work as an undercover agent for the FBI, ma'am. But it's really just a bunch of boring and useless paperwork, most of the time."

Paige told him her mother didn't appreciate of her profession. That she dreamed of a successful career in law for her daughter, so he didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. After all, their job consisted of lying all the time. A small white lie wouldn't hurt, especially if it was said to protect their relationship.

The fact that Paige could have had any kind of job with a snap of her fingers and didn't choose the easy way out, made him even more proud of her. She was just that kind, and naturally selfless. He was so in love with that woman.

That afternoon Mike managed to find out many things about her family. He found out Paige's cousin Mariah was charming and very funny, while her nephew Jeremy, 21, had a passion for DC comics and guns. Wonder who he got that from? Her grandmother from her father's side was a painter. Somebody he didn't remember the name of told him her father was helping her brother settling down in Wisconsin, where he was starting a small business in catering. It seemed like at 24 he was finally ready to start all over again. During one of her most vulnerable moments, Paige confessed to him that her brother's last relapse took place some time 15 months before. But after a very close call, he finally decided to give up on drugs. Mike had automatically touched his side when the word 'junkie' came up during that conversation.

"Jen!" A couple called out to the lady Mike was talking to and they wandered over. Jen left excused herself, leaving the agent alone in a corner.

He followed them with his eyes. The woman was clinging to the man in a rather hilarious way, Mike would have laughed if he wasn't in the middle of a family gathering. A boring family gathering where all he could do to keep himself from yawning was scrutinize people and their quirks. He never really liked meeting his girlfriends' families. Sure, it was a major step that made their relationship official, but he wasn't the life of the party and hated being the center of attention. It felt like everybody was looking at him like he didn't belong. But Paige wanted him by her side and that was all that mattered to him. Knowing it was her wish to bring him there made all better.

What he appreciated the most though, was that the party was held outside, in the garden. It was full of people, which was a huge no to him, but the beauty of the many colored balloons, the composition of roses and candles reflecting Paige's beauty that night made putting up with all those people worth it.

Paige.

She was a vision in her dress. It was nothing too scandalous - Mike was able to convince her that wearing a leather mini-dress to a family party wasn't the best of ideas - but it wasn't so modest either that Paige didn't seem Paige anymore. A black backless crop top adorned her torso and matched the faint touches of smokey and green eye make up she was wearing, making her beautiful doe eyes pop. Her hair was left in big golden waves, but Mike couldn't keep his eyes off her legs. Leg, to be exact. To complete her outfit she had put on a stretchy maxi skirt with a tapered, thigh-high, cut-out slit and some gladiator sandals.

She was standing next to the stairs, where the light of candles and dimmed lights made her skin look even more appealing than before. That skirt was driving him crazy. It was covering almost all of her, but he knew what was hidden underneath. It was tempting him. Teasing him. Challenging him to pull the hidden rear zipper down and take her to the nearest isolated location. Before he knew what he was doing, he was already halfway to the stairs.

Paige saw her aunt's attention shift to something behind her, but she kept talking. They hadn't seen each other in five years, two of which her Aunt Kelly had spent teaching surfing in Thailand. They spent the past two hours catching up and she was so envious of her - she had always dreamed of going to Thailand and the stories she was being told did nothing but increase her wish to go there.

The DEA agent didn't budge when an arm snaked around her waist and a pair of warm lips pressed against the back of her head - she could see a beer bottle angled back out of the corner of her eye, signaling that there was a man behind her taking a sip out of his drink. A man whose hand was identical to Mike's. Without missing a beat, Paige smiled a little wider and finished her story. Her hand, however, slid along Mike's bare arm, finally lacing their fingers together on her hip, where Mike's hand was mindlessly caressing her skin.

"That was the last time I ever tried to shoot with a sniper rifle. It's just not for me, I'm better off on the field. This one on the contrary," Paige craned her neck to look back at Mike with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. "He's a great marksman, I've never seen anyone handle a gun so well."

The suggestive tone in her voice didn't go unnoticed. There was a hidden meaning to those words and judging from Paige's aunt's smile, it was obvious to her too.

Mike cleared his throat, threatening Paige with just a look. Paige laughed and kissed his cheek. "Mike, this is my Aunt Kelly. Aunt Kelly, this is my boyfriend Mike."

Mike smiled at the woman as he observed her. She was wearing a colorful dress - a kimono, if he was not mistaken - and seemed to have various bracelets hanging around her wrists, and ankles, too. Her hair was short, but held up by a crystal hair piece that reflected the lights around her. It was obvious now whom Paige got her sense of style from.

Their hands were still into a firm hold when Aunt Kelly leaned over to the couple and smiled affably. "Call me Aisha, darlin'. It's my spiritual name."

Taken aback, Mike nodded with a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh, hush," Paige giggled, turning into Mike's arms. "She's a buddhist. She changed her name, but everybody still calls her Kelly. And everybody will. Forever."

"Well, that remains to be seen, sweetie. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll leave you two sugars to each other - there's a desert rose over there that wants to be my next messiah."

She left them standing there, with Mike's face scrunched up in confusion. But not before pinching Paige's side on her way past her and murmuring - at least that was what she was probably thinking she was doing, despite Mike being able to catch every word, "Good job, sugar, you got yourself a major babe. He's cute!"

Mike observed the tail of her blue and silver kimono sliding along the floor, before redirect his attention to the beautiful agent in his arms. He wasn't surprised to see that she was as surprised as he was by her aunt's last statement.

"Well, that was weird." He commented.

"Yeah. Yeah, it was." Paige chuckled, before circling her arms around his waist and sweetly kissing him - he saw with the corner of his eyes that her mother was watching them, hence the sudden display of affection. Maybe Paige was convinced her mother thought he was just a cover, or maybe she just wanted to show him off. What he was sure of was that he wouldn't miss this chance of kissing his girlfriend in public like that. It was so rare that they'd get to do it in public.

"D'you like her?"

Mike nodded with a smile. He brushed his hands over her shoulders. "She seems… extravagant."

"You mean freaky?"

Mike laughed as Paige rolled her eyes with a smile and took a sip of her wine. He watched her with his heart full of love and affection, wondering how she could even stand to look at him when she herself was the most beautiful human being, inside out, he had ever seen.

Paige looked at him curiously. "What? I think she's freaky too, no big deal. That's why she's my fave!"

"It's not that," Mike shook his head and tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "She reminds me of you."

Not letting go, Mike brushed his thumb along her jawline and pulled her close. He could smell her fruity scent and that was enough to send him to heaven. He couldn't wait to get back home and have her all to himself. All that time talking about her with her family members did nothing but increase his need of her.

"Plus, what's with you Arkins and headlights?"

"What?" Paige asked.

"Well..." He hid his smile and bit his lip. "She clearly implied I am the headlight here."

Paige's jaw dropped. She pulled back and crossed her arms in front of her chest, not seeming to mind that Mike's hands were still placed on her hips. "Is that so? We'll see about that tonight!" Slapping his chest, the blonde agent moved to free herself from his sold. Mike stubbornly pulled her back to him, glad to hear her gleefully laugh when she bounced back on his chest.

He framed her face with his hands and passionately kissed her.

There were eyes everywhere burning holes in the back of his head, but he didn't care. As long as Paige was in his arms, the whole world around them disappeared. But he could never be lost, because he had his very own headlight showing him the way.