A/N: I forgot the disclaimer in Chapter one, so here it is. Not mine, no money exchanged hands.
A/N2: This is just a short transitional chapter to get to bigger and better thing.
Please review if you are so inclined. Reviews make me giddier than a little kid on Christmas morning. Thanks for everyone who has reviewed so far.
Chapter 2
For the next several hours Bobby followed Alex all over the mall picking up various gifts for her family and friends. He was now carrying several bags and was helping along the way. He had recommended a new children's book for her nephew and a locket for each of her nieces.
"If you buy them all the same thing, then they won't want what the other has," he'd said, looking at the tiny gold lockets in the jewelry case.
"You really are good at this," Alex said in amazement.
Bobby's only response had been a smile and a hand offered to take another bag.
At just after two, Alex stopped in front of a coffee shop and inhaled the wonderful smell.
"How do you feel about a coffee and a cinnamon roll for lunch," she said, her eyes dancing at the thought of fresh coffee.
"You promised me lunch, wherever I want," he said, teasing.
"I know, but we're already here and this place has really good coffee," she whined, knowing that he would give in.
"Ok, but you still owe me a lunch,' he said claiming one of the tables that had just been vacated.
"You sit there and I'll get the coffee," she said, turning toward the counter.
"And a cinnamon roll," he yelled after her.
He watched her get in line, looking at the menu board. He was having a surprisingly good time. He liked helping her pick gifts out for her family and walking around with her, talking about things other than cases or his mother. It would be his first Christmas with her gone, not that she had been there in a really long time.
Alex sat the coffee down in front of him and the largest cinnamon roll that he had ever seen.
"I thought that we could share the cinnamon roll," she said, cutting it with a knife.
Bobby took a sip of his coffee and winced, "It's peppermint."
"Oh, I'm sorry. That one is mine," she said reaching for it just as he snatched it away.
"I like it," he said, taking another drink.
"I don't think so, and besides this one is eggnog flavored," she said, holding up the other cup.
Bobby relented and traded cups.
"I know how much you love eggnog," she said, sipping the peppermint coffee and taking a bite of the cinnamon roll.
"Yeah, I remember, when you found out how much I liked it, you made me some in the middle of July," he said, as he finished chewing the gooey roll.
"I wasn't going to make it, but you cannot buy that stuff in July," she said, looking over her bags to see what she had.
"So what do you have left to get?" he asked, still sipping his coffee and licking the icing off his thumb.
"I have to pick up some perfume for my mom and that's it!" she said triumphantly, eating the last bite of her part of the cinnamon roll. "Then all that's left is the wrapping."
"I guess you expect me to help you wrap them too?" he said, standing up.
"How nice of you to offer," she said, standing up and throwing her cup away.
Alex headed back toward the department store that they had originally entered when they'd gotten to the mall. Bobby picked up the shopping bags and started after her. Alex darted through the customers and displays until she got to the perfume counter.
She looked around the glass case until she found the White Shoulders that her mother always wore.
"I'm wondering if I should get her something different this year?" Alex asked, looking at the other bottles.
"This one smells nice," Bobby said, handing her the bottle he had picked up.
Alex sprayed it on her wrist and smiled, "Bobby, that's what I wear."
Bobby took hold of Alex's wrist and held it up to his nose and inhaled, "I know."
He let go of her wrist and went back to looking at all of the perfumes.
Alex looked over the selection and finally decided on getting the White Shoulders anyway.
"Can I help you?" the sales lady asked.
"Yeah, I want the White Shoulders perfume," Alex said as the sales woman, whose nametag read Tiffani, eyed Bobby.
Tiffani leaned in to Alex and pointed to another fragrance in the counter called Wonderment and said, "Honey, with a man like that, I'd forget the White Shoulders and go with this."
"He's not…I mean we're not… a hell, throw one of those in there too," Alex said, watching her partner smile at her expense.
Alex paid for her purchases and left the counter before "Tiffani" could jump her partner.
"So you got both, huh?" he teased.
"It was easier than trying to explain to her," Alex said, stopping in front of the elevator doors and pushing the up button.
"Explain what to her," he said, this time seriously.
The door opened and the two detectives stepped into the crowded elevator.
"Explain what?," he whispered into her ear.
"Explain us," she whispered back, just as the door opened on their floor and she stepped out into the parking garage.
They walked to her car in silence. She popped the trunk and he loaded her packages inside.
"Is that it?" she asked before shutting it.
"Yeah, I don't think I could have carried any more," he said, shaking his hands.
"Admit it, you had a good time," she said, getting into the driver's side while Bobby rode shotgun.
"I did," he said shyly.
They drove through Manhattan traffic, which considering the time of day, wasn't too bad, but the snow was beginning to pick up and the roads were getting slushy. Alex drove through the tunnel and Bobby looked over to her.
"Was there somewhere else you needed to go?" he asked.
"I thought we'd go back to my place and I'll fix you dinner," she said, looking to him to gauge his reaction.
"Eames, I…thank you for…for taking me shopping with you today…but you should spend tonight with your family," he said uncomfortably.
"I am," she answered.
"I'm not up to...up to being with a bunch…of people"
Alex laughed, "I meant you, Bobby. Man for someone so smart…I'll see them all tomorrow. I wanted to spend today with you. And I knew that you wouldn't be up to the whole Eames clan."
"Are you sure this is what you want?" he said, still unsure.
"Yes, besides, do you really think I'm gonna wrap all that stuff myself?" she asked sarcastically.
They drove for the next twenty minutes until finally, Alex parked the car in her driveway and turned off the car.
"Let the games begin," she said, opeing the car door.
