A/N - So, the angst has faded. YAY. Now on with the romance.

Summary: Gifts are exchanged in more ways than one. Sequel to Contagious

Pairing: Mike/Alex

Series: Part of my Mike/Alex series (check out my profile to read the others if you wish to)

My apologies if they seem out of character in this one. I've tried to keep them at least within some kind of boundary throughtout this series and although I know I've failed before, I'm not actually sure about this one.

Unwrapping Gifts

Mike Logan was packing his stuff away as he sat at his desk at Major Case, his mind doing something it rarely did. Race. He was practically going a mile a minute, with that strange feeling in his stomach. Was it excitement? Mike didn't know and quite frankly he wasn't bothered by it. All he was bothered about was getting home on time and seeing Alex. Alex had recovered from her flu/poison ivy illness about a week ago and the two of them had planned to spend an evening together at Mike's apartment; together without interruptions.

Mike turned to Carolyn and pointed at her, getting her attention. "I don't want any phone calls tonight, Barek!" He told her.

She smiled, "I know, I know. I won't call you." she replied, and then added with a grin, "Or Alex."

"Good." Was all Mike said, before grabbing his coat and walking out of the squadroom. Carolyn watched him go and shook her head in amusement.

Mike walked all the way to his car and got in before he let out any kind of noise. And then that was just a sigh of relief. He'd expected something to come up and make it so that he had to stay at work and he really didn't want that. Putting his key in the ignition he started his car and carefully backed out of his parking spot. The drive home was quiet and there were no incidents, which he was thankful of.

Rushing into his apartment he headed straight for the kitchen and put a pie in the oven (that had been prepared by someone else) and then reached up to the high cupbard and pulled out a box that resemble a jewellery box and then walking into his living room he picked up a brown bag and opened it, pulling out the gift bag he'd bought that morning, he put the box inside it and just simply wrote Alex's name on the tag.

Then after a few moments he took the gift and placed it inside a cabinet, concealing it from view and hiding it so that she would not notice it when she arrived. Mike looked at his watch and realised she would be there soon. Smiling to himself he quickly rushed into his bathroom to have a shower.

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When Alex had rang the doorbell, Mike had fully showered, dressed and cooked the food in record time. After he buzzed her up and she'd knocked on the door, he'd opened it and given her his infamous grin. She immediately laughed at him and walked into his apartment. "Hey." she said, greeting him with a smile and a small kiss.

He smiled and kiss her again, just because he could. Holding each others waists they walked into the living room and sat on the sofa. Alex was holding a bag, which she placed by her feet and then took her coat off. Mike took the coat and put it away for her. "I hope you're hungry." He said when he came back. "Because there is food."

"Starving." Alex replied, as her stomach rumbled at the thought of food. "We got a new case today and I haven't eaten all day." Mike sat down beside her and shook his head at her. She held her hands up, "I know, I know, I should eat. But ... really, when do I have time?" It didn't sound like a question, more rhetorical.

But Mike answered, "Inbetween interviews, sitting in the car, whilst Goren is talking..."

Alex swatted his arm for his last comment. "Hey!"

Mike laughed, "Sorry." Alex laughed with him, knowing he was only joking.

"So, there is food?" Alex asked, looking at him, hunger striking. Mike nodded, "Did Bobby make it?" Mike shook his head, smiling at the memory.

"No, although I didn't really make anything special. I just bought a pie and chopped up some vegetables." He replied and then added with a laugh, "I don't do gourmet."

Alex laughed, "I don't need gourmet, just food."

"You really are hungry." Mike said, with a small hint of sarcasm. "It's a good job it's ready to eat then." He took her hand and led her into his small kitchen where the two places were set at a small table. Despite the fact it was small, it was cosy. Alex smiled, as Mike took the two plates out of the oven and put them in the places on the table.

Alex sat down and picked up her fork and took a bite, after swallowing she looked at him and smiled. "It tastes amazing. Thank you." She told him as he sat down, satisfied. "The best store bought pie ever!"

He laughed, "You're just saying that 'cause you're starving."

"Yes." Alex agreed with a grin, "But it's still great." Mike took a bite and he had to agree with her, it was a great pie. After a few more bites of her food Alex suddenly stood up as if she'd forgotton something.

"You okay?" Mike asked, concerned. "I haven't poisoned you have I?"

Alex laughed, "No." she looked at him and flicked her finger at him. "I've got something for you." She disappeared for a moment and returned with the bag she'd left by the sofa. Sitting back down, she put her arm into the bag and pulled out a red, shiny parcel that resembled a rectangular present. "This is for you." She passed it to him with a smile.

Mike took it and looked at her in surprise. "Me?" He asked, "You got me a present?" Alex nodded, and he leaned over the table to kiss her. "Thanks. Can I open it?" He hadn't expected one from her, the exchanging of gifts had not be pre-planned and nor was it apart of their arrangement. Alex nodded at him, smiling at his grateful reaction. Mike tore off the wrapping and looked at her in surprise. "Wow!" Mike was genuinely impressed at his gift. He was holding a DVD.

"I noticed that it was the only Sinatra movie you were missing." She told him, explaining why she'd bought it for him.

"This is fantastic!" He told her, excited. He looked at her for a moment, "How would you know which one I was missing?"

Her face broke out into a huge grin, "Because my Dad is a huge fan and he has them all including that one." she pointed to the DVD in his hand.

Mike lifted it up, "Until now?" He asked, grinning.

Alex laughed, "No, see, I bought that. Trust me, I would never dare to steal his collection. He'd shoot me!"

Mike laughed at the thought of John going wild over his missing DVD and hunting Alex down. He leaned over and kissed her again, "This is... the best present ever given to me. I love this, thanks." Smiling, she kissed him back.

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They had continued their meal almost quietly, but not in an uncomfortable way, both were hungry so eating was more important than small talk. Although Mike had decided that he was going to be put the DVD on and show her the movie whether she'd like it or not. Surely, being a woman, she at least appreciates Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack? At least that was the assumption he was going with.

So, once they were back in the living room, sipping on wine, he put the DVD in the machine and just allowed it to play in the background. Giving her the option of watching it when and if she chose to. She looked at him and smiled, "I'm okay with you watching it, you know." She told him, when she noticed him watching her and not the movie.

"It's okay. You're here now." He told her, in that deep voice of his, "The movie is on DVD." Alex laughed at him.

"So as soon as I'm out the door..." she said with good nature. She twisted in her seat, "I best go so you can watch it..." Mike grabbed her arm and laughed as he pulled her back toward him. She allowed him to and she was pulled closer than she had been before. She was almost on his lap, but not quite. She was sat so close that their legs were tight together at the sides and their shoulders overlapped. She grinned at him and watched him as he tried to watch the DVD, it was evident to her that he wasn't really concentrating on it. She looked down at their legs and she knew why, so without him noticing, she sneekily kissed him on his jaw line. Mike turned to her as she was just moving her head away, so their lips grazed one another. They pulled their heads back a little so they could see each other properly. Mike smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Actually, I've got you a gift as well." He spoke so low that she wasn't sure she heard it, but she did.

"You do? Is there an occassion that we both forgot yet somehow remembered?" She asked, with a smile as he seperated himself from her and walked over to his cabinet and pulled out the gift bag he had put there earlier. He walked back and sat down next to her, although not quite as close as they had been just then. He handed her the bag and she looked at him curiously. Well, straight off she could rule out DVD. "What is it?" she asked, she always did this and it never worked. She had always tried to trick her parents into doing that when she'd been a child and she'd never stopped trying.

"Well open it and find out." Mike said, with a laugh. Alex, amused, shook her head at him and then opened the bag to reveal a black jewellery box. She looked at him for a moment and then pulled the box out of the bag. Mike watched her as she slowly opened the box whilst her eyes kept darting back to him.

Looking at him with surprise as soon as she'd seen the contents, she was smiling, almost shyly. "Mike." she breathed. "It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." He told her, sincerely. He took the box off her and removed the necklace from it, he helped her put it around her neck and he fastened it in place. Alex used the tips of her fingers to feel the small diamond cross that was now at the top of her chest. Mike, who wasn't a cross wearer, knew that she still had most of her faith intact and that was partly his reason for choosing that one. That and he knew that she wasn't the kind of woman who walked around wearing heart shaped jewellery.

"Thank you." she smiled and kissed him, long and sweet. He wrapped his arms around her and when their lips parted and she rested her head on his chest, he held her tighter. They sat like for a few minutes, just breathing. Just watching the TV but not really concentrating on what was being said. All Alex could hear was his heartbeat and that was good enough for her. "I wish I'd bought you jewellery now." she told him, smiling, although he couldn't see it.

"I prefer my movie." He told her, quietly, giving her a kiss on her head. She laughed, trust Mike to really like his movie. He could feel her laughing against his chest and it caused him to move slightly at the touch. She lifted her head so she could meet his eyes with her own and she looked at him for a moment and then kissed him again; passionately. When they parted again, Mike rested his forehead on hers and smiled at her. "I'm not very good at doing this." He said, almost gruffly, and definitely in a low tone. She sensed he was kind of nervous so she just nodded. "I know we've done this before, and ever since we've skipped around the subject." he told her, his eyes almost burning into hers before looking away. She touched his face to bring his eyes back to hers. "I do love you." He punctuated every word, pronouncing it correctly so that there was no mistake; he didn't want any misunderstanding. "I didn't say it right before and..." Alex kissed him to shut him up.

"It sounds about right to me." she whispered, with their heads still close together and their arms wrapped around each other, as Alex almost sat on him, she smiled. "I love you, too." They laughed, happily as their lips met again and they didn't let go.

Not until that pesky need for oxygen creeped up again. Looking into each others eyes, that had been closed before, all they could see was desire. Unsure of his own control, Mike had to do this now, "Are you sure?" he asked, because he knew once he started there was no going back.

Alex kissed him, almost hungrily. "I'm ready." she whispered into his lips. Mike stood up and took her with him. He picked her up and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, feeling the way he needed her almost instantly. She was kissing his neck as he carried her to his bedroom and he was kissing her ear. Reaching the door, neither stopped what they were doing as Alex reached behind her and pulled on the doorhandle to open it.

Walking inside, Mike closed it with his foot as he proceeded to show her that no one ever really was ready for Mike Logan.

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Hopelessly addicted,

Helplessly attracted,

Chemically reacted,

Naturally we acted.

(Hopelessly Addicted, the Corrs, taken from Talk On Corners which is a fantastic album).

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TBC

Hopelessly Addicted is the song that started this entire series and I thought it fitting that the breakdown to the song be placed here to remind those faithful readers of where it all started and I guess I kind of consider this their song.

Please review.

PS. It's not over. ;)