Summary: PostEp for The Healer. Sequel to The Antagonist

Pairing: Mike/Alex

Spoilers: The Healer & Vacancy - This one features scenes from the episode, The Healer.

Disclaimer: I don't own CI or the episode. Credit goes to Dick Wolf and the writer who wrote this fantastic episode (Marlane Gomard Meyer), which ironically is MGM.

Series: Part of my Mike/Alex series. Check out my profile page for the other titles.

A/N - The Healer is one of my favourite episodes.

Contagious

Mike is looking at the body whilst scratching a severely red arm, that has an awful rash on it. Carolyn and Rodgers look at him with concern. "Are you alright, Detective?" Rogers asked, looking concerned at his constant arm scratching.

"Mmm?" He asked, turning around, still holding his arm, which he looks at. Letting go of his arm he said, "Yeah, I've got a rash."

"You mind if I look?" Rogers asked, curious to see what's wrong.

"Go ahead." he said, holding his arm and trying to hide his embarrassment by pulling a face at his partner. Rogers looks at his arm carefully.

"It might be Impataigo." she told him as she put her arm to his forehead, checking his temperature. "You feel feverish?" she asked it but it was more of a statement and Mike nodded. "If you want I could examine you."

Mike snorted, "Uh, yeah. Well, maybe when I'm dead. I got a cold, Rogers!" Trying his best to convince her but she wasn't so sure but she let the subject drop and they continued with the case.

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Whilst Carolyn and Mike were looking through year books, Mike was scratching his arms again. Carolyn looked at him with concern. "Have you seen a Doctor yet?" she asked,

"Yeah, those jokers at the HMO, they tossed a coin; heads was lime disease, tails was shingles."

"Well, it started right after we saw Lydia." Carolyn told him and Mike rolled his eyes. "She warned you."

"Oooooh, a spell!" he mocked. "Listen, what I don't believe won't hurt me."

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Alex looked at him as he sat on her sofa, covered in red rashes. She refused to go anywhere near him, concerned it was contagious. "You know you should really see a Doctor." she told him, sitting down on the sofa but not allowing herself to touch his skin.

"Yeah, so everyone keeps telling me. I've just got a cold." he told her, insistently. "You don't have to avoid me."

Alex looked at him as if to say he was having a laugh and pulling her leg. "I don't wanna catch it." she cringed at the thought. Without her knowing he kissed her cheek and Alex shook her head at him, leaning away. The phone rang stopping them both from continuing. Alex grinned at him and stood up to answer the phone. "Eames... Yes... When will it be?... Alright. Thank you." Alex put the phone down and Mike looked at her with curiosity. She sat back down and looked at him. "Harris' trail starts next week. Carver wants you there to testify." she told him and he nodded, suddenly not in the mood to talk.

It had been hard for him to do that to someone who was once his best friend but he didn't feel like he had a choice and he knew he didn't want it to happen again and he definitely didn't want him to attack Alex like that again, verbally or physically. As soon as the evidence collected from his home had been shown, Harris had been arrested for the assault of a Police Officer. So now all he could hope for was a quick trial. Mike had stayed with Alex until he was almost completely better, even when the tape had been removed from his apartment and he could go back there. Telling themselves it would be easier on him to wait until he could do everything himself again. He'd only just really got better and this was his first case back.

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, telling him that she'd be there with him if he wanted her to; wordlessly. He offered her a smile, which quickly turned into a grin when he realised she had her hand on him and she removed it, laughing at her, he quickly kissed her again.

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"Oh, yes I see. I recognise." Mama Louise told Mike as she studied his hand carefully after Carolyn had insisted he got to see a specialist once they'd discovered that this had happened before.

"Yeah?" Mike asked, "Can you do something about it?"

"I think so." she told him, giving him hope. "Did you touch anything in that woman's place?" she asked as she walked to a cupbard

"Just her nurses bag, I think." Mike replied as he turned to Carolyn.

"Yeah, I touched it too, nothing happened." Carolyn was thoughtful for a moment and then she turned to Mike. "What about the candle she dropped?"

Mike turned to her in realisation, "I picked it up for her."

"Oh, a gentleman." Mama Louise said, impressed. "That is how she tricked you." She passed him a bottle of white liquid.

"It's not ground up toadstools is it?" Mike joked.

Mama Louise smiled, appreciating the joke and she chuckled. "It's Calamine Lotion. She put Poison Ivy all on the candle. You have a very bad allergic reaction." Mike felt relieved. "Your doctor will give you a pill for your fever and your tummy ache."

Mike shook the bottle, amused. "Poison Ivy."

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Bobby and Alex were at their desk finishing off the paperwork of a recent case where a bridesmaid was killed in a hotel room by method actor. The case had been a little hard on Alex when she'd pushed a suspect into a false confession. So she was more than happy when it was finally over and they'd caught the right one and the false confession no longer held any weight. Bobby was watching her carefully and he was growing concerned with the way she was she seemed to be a little red skinned and was scratching different parts of her body; her arms, neck and it seemed to be her knees as well.

When he saw her scratch her nose he'd had enough. "Eames, are you alright?"

She looked up at him with a puzzled expression on him. "I'm fine." Not really sure why he was asking. She started scratching her neck and she noticed he was still looking at her. "What?"

"Have you got the same thing Logan has? I-it would make sense if you did." Bobby said to her, she frowned "Poison Ivy." Bobby said, completing the thought for her. Her hand stopped moving as she realised what he was saying.

Alex groaned, "Oh no!" Bobby couldn't help but find it a little funny, although he didn't like to see her in any pain. "That explains why it's hot in here!" She looked around the room trying to spot Mike but she couldn't, which meant he was still working his case and was either out or in interrogation. She turned back to Bobby, her frustration was evident. Scratching her arms again she looked at him, annoyed. "Great." she mumbled to herself, "Just great."

"Maybe Logan still has some of that Calamine Lotion left?" Bobby suggested, trying to be helpful.

Alex stood up and looked at her partner, "I am going to kill him!" she then turned on her heels and rushed off towards the female toilets. Bobby watched her leave, suddenly wondering if he should warn Mike or not.

Once she reached the toilets she began to wash her hands as if she could wash it off. She knew she was being stupid but now she knew about it the itching seemed worse. Turning the tap off in frustration, she sighed, and started scratching her arms again. Stopping as soon as she realised that that was making it worse. She put her arms down at her sides and stood there just trying to relax, knowing that she was over-reacting. Trying to tell herself she could deal with it. She wanted to rub her face but she was trying desperately not to, not wanting to look like some kind of red lobster tomorrow. She knew what she had to do. She had to go and see her doctor but she didn't move. It would be embarrassing to go back out into the squadroom, everyone must have noticed what she was doing even if she hadn't. Looking at the door, she tried to tell herself that she was strong and that she was to go there and continue with her work until clocking out time at least. Mentally preparing herself, she stepped outside in a breeze of confidence, not giving eye contact to anyone, she just sat back down at her desk and continued with her work regardless.

As soon as she saw Mike go to his desk she had doubts about staying where she was. It looked like they'd completed their case, she could tell from the way Carver was talking about deals and arraignments. She wondered briefly if she should confront Mike there but she didn't want to be the girlfriend who caused a scene, even if he did infect her with poison ivy, although she knew it was unintentional, it still itched like hell.

When clocking time finally arrived, Alex almost leapt out of her seat. Catching herself before she did though, she maintained her calm exterior and went about carefully putting her things away and getting her coat. "You're going?" Bobby asked. Alex nodded, there was no way she was going to change her mind, this was the time she'd promised herself she'd stay till, she'd done it so she was going home. "On time?" He couldn't believe it, they never left the office on time.

"Yeah, why?" She asked, as she pulled her coat on and made sure she had her car keys.

Bobby held up his hands, "No reason." She looked at him, knowing that wasn't true. He watched her as she grabbed her bag and walked straight out of the squadroom. Bobby realised that she was probably in pain and she wasn't the kind of person who liked to show it. Bobby looked round to Mike's desk and saw that he was concentrating hard on something on his desk, presumably his work. Bobby made a quick decision and went over to him.

Mike looked up when he felt Bobby's presence. "What can I do for you?" Mike asked, Bobby never wandered over to people's desk for idle chit chat.

"It's Eames." Bobby said, causing Mike to look worried.

"Is she alright?" Mike asked, concerned when he couldn't see her at her desk. Bobby noticed he was looking in that direction and nodded.

"She's just gone home." Bobby told him, but the concern didn't leave Mike's face and that was because Bobby still wouldn't come to his desk for chat about his partner either. "I think she's caught your..." Bobby pointed to Mike's rashes. "Infection."

Mike looked down at his hands and then sighed. "Oh." He looked at Bobby and pulled a face. "Ouch." Mike stood up and quickly pulled his things together. He nodded at Bobby, who nodded back and walked back to his desk. Mike looked at Carolyn. "I gotta go. I'll do this tomorrow." Mike didn't give her chance to agree or disagree, he was already heading out the door. Carolyn wanted to call him back but it was too late, he was gone. She looked at her watch and shrugged since it was late in the day and he did say he'd do it tomorrow and looking at his desk she could see that he'd nearly completed it so she grabbed the final folder and filled it out for him.

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TBC

I've gotta say whilst I was writing this one I've been itching all over. LOL. That's the wierdest reaction. Every single body part mentioned in this chapter I have ended up scratching. I'm still itching now, so I think I'm going to need a shower. LOL.