Disclaimer: Non est mine.
A/N: Someone said I should write a sequel to Past Lives about New Years. Since they're doing a CI marathon on USA (jeez, can Nicole get any scarier?), I decided that I would just write this one because I've seen the episode on now. Here you all go, a fluffy New Years one-shot/sequel, written specifically because I just discovered I can recite the little preamble to the show. Sigh It's official, I'm a geek. If you're nice, I'll write a third one called Future Lives...
Present Lives
There was a knock on his door at ten minutes to midnight. It was his partner, and she was holding a bottle of Martinelli's. When he looked at it questioningly, she said, "My sister gave it to me. Leftovers from their party earlier. You going to let me in?"
He stepped back to let her by.
"You know, I don't know why, but I always forget how tall you are until you're right up next to me." She smiled as she set the bottle down on a coffee table and walked towards the kitchen to find something to put it in. "You're really tall." Her voice drifted in from the next room, accented by the clinking of glasses.
"Is that a problem?" He wasn't quite sure why it mattered. Well, he was, but he preferred to live in denial.
"Nope." She reappeared with two wine glasses. Where had she found those? "I like taller guys. Call me shallow, but I have a type, and it's tall. Luckily for me that's just about everyone."
She poured him some apple cider and sat down on the couch next to him. He had the TV turned to a station where they could watch the ball drop, but it was muted. She noticed that he shifted ever so slightly away from her, towards the other end of the sofa.
"Bobby, I don't bite." She moved a little closer. When he still seemed reluctant, she frowned. "You were the one who kissed me the other day, not the other way around. You don't have to worry I'm going to ravish you..." Suddenly, her smile was brilliant. "Unless you ask, of course."
He looked at her in shock. "Alex, have you been drinking?"
"Nope." Before he could protest, she'd set her glass down and moved so that her feet were tucked up under her and she was leaning back against his chest, pulling his arm down across her chest and hugging it to her. "Just... finally sure of what I want. That's all."
For a moment, she was afraid he was going to leap to his feet and order her out, but after a moment he relaxed. "Mmm." He pulled her gently across his lap so that he could wrap his other arm around her, surrounding her in his warmth and protection. They watched in silence as the final ten seconds counted down on the TV screen.
10, 9, 8, 7, 6...
She tilted her head back to smile at him.
5...
He leaned down so that his face was buried in her hair and neck.
4...
One of her arms looped up around his neck to hold him to her.
3...
He didn't want to lift his head, because she smelled good, like she did every day, but he wasn't allowed to do this at work.
2...
She didn't want him to move, because he made her feel dainty for the first time in her life, and she rather liked his possessiveness.
1...
He moved his head a few inches to the side and kissed her slowly, and she twisted to give him a better angle.
0...
"Happy New Year, Bobby."
"Happy New Year, Alex." He smiled down at her, lowering his head again so his lips brushed her ear. "I think I love you."
"Good." She grinned and pulled him down for another kiss. "Then I'm not the only one in love with my partner."
"Just remember who said it first."
A/N: There. How'd you like it? It's a bit more out of character... but I still love it.
