Private Dancer
Eating food and talking together was a process that required time and perhaps less eating than talking if you planned on having an involved conversation. So they'd spent less time on the prepared food and more time talking about random topics. Bobby's food may have been good but they were definitely more interested in each other. Cases had only been mentioned briefly - Mike was closing a case with Carolyn; investigating the murder of a young violinist who's mother is the lead vocalist in the performance. Alex had spent the day at a crime scene with Bobby; a man had apparently been killed whilst on top of a tower taking photos. That was all they said on that subject. Now they were talking about anything; about themselves.
Alex pointed behind her at the photographs in simple frames. "Who's that?" she asked.
Mike looked to where she was pointing and replied, "You, Me, Goren and Barek."
Alex had that 'duh' look on her face. She knew that one. "I meant the other one!"
"Oh." Mike said, looking down before he answers, "That's my father."
Alex smiled and then turned around to get a better look of the photo, after giving the man a good look she turned back to him, "You can see the resemblance."
Mike smiled as well at her comment before dryly adding, "Better than looking like her." taking a sip of his wine, something called Pinot Grigio; he didn't usually drink the stuff but it was sweet tasting and Carolyn had told him as much and he was very much aware that Alex seemed to have a sweet tooth.
"Her?" Alex asked, confused as to who this 'her' was. But she took in his expression and realised he was referring to his mother. "You and your mom didn't get on?" she tried to tread carefully because she didn't want to upset him or spoil the mood.
"She wasn't always bad." Came his cryptic reply. He saw Alex's confusion but he wasn't sure he wanted to talk about it. It wasn't an easy subject for him. Alex had seen this and she just smiled, nodding. She accepted that he didn't want to talk about it and that touched him. "Uh... she would send me out to get her some alcohol." he ventured, speaking in a low tone, trying to mask any pain; she didn't need to see that. "Then she get herself blind drunk before she'd beat me."
Alex knew he didn't want sympathy so she refused to say 'I'm sorry' but she couldn't mask those feelings on her face. She looked at him with sad yet compassionate eyes, expressing to him without words how sorry she was for him.
He smiled, sadly. "My Dad; he kept me going." She smiled at that and his sad expression turned into one of happiness as happy memories filled him for a moment. He then held up his glass as if to propose a toast, she followed suit. "To my Dad!"
"Cheers." she said, quietly. Taking a sip of her drink. After he put his glass down he looked at her thoughtfully, wondering if he should ask. She could tell he was curious because of the way he was looking at her. "There's a question burning there, I think."
He offered her a laugh and shrugged, "It's nothing."
Alex frowned, "It doesn't look like nothing to me." She watched him as he looked hesitant but he nodded.
"Back at your house there was a picture of a man... with you." He was going to continue explaining the picture but he could see by the sorrowful look on her face that she knew what picture he was referring to. "Who is he?"
Alex folded her arms in front of her, resting them on the table, "He was my husband." Mike could tell from soft yet low, sad tone of voice and the few words chosen that there was a painful explanation. "He...uh died in the line of duty almost 8 years ago." she explained. Mike dropped his head as he felt himself regret asking and bringing up this dreadful pain from her past but he heard Alex let out a little laugh, causing his head to shoot back up. "He'd like you." she said, smiling.
"Oh yeah?" Mike asked, pleased. Alex nodded, "He wouldn't mind me dating his wife?" he asked, sarcastically, "Because I'd still be doing this." Mike pointed to the table, the candles and her. Alex laughed hard, somehow doubting that he'd do that but it was funny to hear it all the same. Mike grinned at her. "I would."
Alex smiled, both of them falling into a comfortable silence. Watching each other and pretending to be concentrating on their food, which was starting to go cold. Alex was finding some of her attention was on the music in the background. "What music is that?" she asked
Mike shrugged, "No idea. Just some radio station playing Jazz."
Alex smiled, an idea hitting her. "It sounds like the kind of music you can dance to." she stood up and walked over to him, holding out both hands. "Dance with me." Mike looked at her as if to say 'no way' but she softly smiled, "I insist, Michael Logan!"
"Oh, really?" Mike took her hands and stood up. Letting go of one hand he put a hand on the small of her back and gently pulled her body towards his. "Alexandra Eames!" He gently guided her to the radio and he turned the volume up.
Reaching a space in the room, they began slowly dancing in a circular pattern; a 2:1 rhythm. He let go of her other hand and put both of his on her waist as she clasped hers behind his neck. Smiling at him, she looked down at his feet before softly joking, "Who knew you could dance?"
"I'm full of surprises." he said, looking down at her as she looked up; their noses brushing together. So close to each other that they couldn't see a whole face, almost out of focus. It didn't matter to them, they just needed to look into each others eyes. The music was being played by a soulful Saxophone player; swaying their hips to every sliding note. Their heartbeats were matching the pulse of the song, together in rhythm.
"I can see that." she whispered.
"You can dance too." he told her honestly.
She smiled and nodded. "Sssh, don't tell anyone, I've..." she started but then he joined her completing the sentence together, "Got a rep to protect." they laughed. Alex and Mike then moved a little closer, pressing their cheeks together.
He closed his eyes and just let himself breath her in. She felt so warm close to him and he loved that feeling inside. He could feel her hips moving through his hands resting on her waist. He could feel her breathing on his neck and he could smell the shampoo she'd just used before he'd arrived to pick her up. He'd never forget the image of her wrapped in that towel for as long as he lived, and he'd never forget how she felt right now moving close to him as they danced.
She unclasped her hands, putting one on his shoulder blade and the other on the back of his neck. Smiling she moved her head and looked directly into his eyes. She could feel their noses touching again, moving passed that she could feel her lips starting to touch his as they slowed down. Barely moving anymore but the music hadn't ceased. Talking against his lips she said, "The food's gone cold."
She could feel him smile against her lips but she couldn't see it, "That's okay, I didn't make it." any other thought was lost as their lips met fully and passionately. The food forgotton as was the music, the candles and the terrential rain. All they could sense was each other and how it felt so new to be this way.
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Eventually they had had to part simply for the human need for air; specifically oxygen. When they had, they'd just wrapped their arms around each other and held each other slowly becoming aware again.
Once she was fully aware she suddenly realised that she was actually hungry. She pulled away slightly and smiled, "So, is there a dessert?" she asked.
Mike grinned, "Yes."
"A real one?" Alex asked, quickly remembering where Mike's mind can go.
Mike nodded. "Yes a real one, and yes I can make this one too." He feigned hurt but Alex didn't fall for it she just laughed at him. Mike rolled his eyes in humor and grinned. "You hungry?"
"What gave me away?" she asked, laughing.
Mike shrugged, "Your growling stomach." and Alex grinned at him. Mike was fully prepared to go and fetch her dessert but some reason he couldn't bring himself to seperate from her. Sensing that, and although she found it sweet, she slowly removed her arms and hands because she really wanted that dessert. This produced the desired result and Mike slowly moved away from her too. "Okay, well I'll go fetch it." he said, a little distracted and she couldn't blame him. Watching him leave she suddenly wished she hadn't wanted it because for some reason she regretted seperating from him too.
Ignoring it, she chose that moment to sit down on his sofa and look at the picture of his father again.They really did look alike and she couldn't believe she hadn't noticed that before. Mike was lucky his father had been around but she sensed that he no longer was.
She was still looking at the picture when he returned holding a tray with two bowls of fruit and ice cream, and two cups of coffee. "Yeah, we do look alike." Mike said, noticing where she was looking. "He's handsome right?" he said with a cocky tone of voice.
Alex laughed wholeheartedly at that, "Only you would say it like that." he noticed that she didn't argue the point but he didn't say that. He sat down beside her, putting the tray on the floor in front of them. She picked up a bowl and spoon, taking a mouthful, she closed her eyes enjoying the taste.
"It looks and tastes delicious." She told him, sincerely.
He picked up a bowl too, "Oh, good. I try." Despite the fact that it was obviously easy to make she let it pass and chose not to mention that. Watching her as she took another mouthful, "I've got another question for you."
"Mmm?" she asked, unable to form a word because her mouth was full of fruit.
"Yeah." he sat back a little, "On one of your pictures there is a girl on a stage, it's black and white, who is that?" Alex swallowed her food and then turned to him; a huge smile upon her face.
"You've met her." she told him and he raised an eyebrow, "That's my mother when she was a little girl and she'd just performed at some Christmas event."
"Performed?" Mike asked, wondering if her mother was an actress.
"Yeah." Alex said with a proud smile on her face, "She's a singer." her smile dropped, "I keep the picture there because she doesn't want to be reminded."
"Why?" Mike asked, worried.
Alex took a deep breath, "Ever since she had the stroke, she can't sing anymore." She said, sadly.
Mike nodded with sadness, he could understand why Maggie Eames wouldn't want to be reminded of such a huge loss. "Was she good?" he asked.
Alex's face showed how much she thought her mother good sing. "Oh, yes." she breathed, enthusiastically.
"Do you sing?" he asked, just wondering because it was a fact that mothers who sing teach their children to do so.
Alex shook her head, "Mom used to make us go to Choirs when we were little but as soon as I was old enough to say 'No' I jumped both feet first." she laughed and Mike chuckled at the thought. He'd found out she was a rebel from her brothers now this just confirmed it.
"And before you ask, no I don't. I sound terrible when I try to." He quickly added before she could ask.
"Oh." she said, stretching the sound. "Is that why it's raining?" He looked her feigning offense but she just laughed at him. She then took another mouthful of fruit to stop herself from saying anything else. Not saying anything else until she had demolished the whole thing. Looking at him with a smile she picked up her coffee and they sat facing each other in twisted positions on the sofa.
Putting her cup back down after only take a few sips, she held out a hand to him. "Let's dance again." He didn't need any convincing at all. He put his cup back down and put his arms around her and rested his forehead on hers.
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The next day when Alex arrived at work she could tell that Bobby was just itching to ask how it was, but she knew that as far as he was concerned she didn't know he or Carolyn had helped cooked the meal. She could tell that because he would've asked already and she'd been there for almost two hours and he'd not said a word about it.
Bobby really wanted to ask how the evening went and how his food was but he was no fool - he knew that she wouldn't provide any other detail than 'it went well' and that they probably didn't eat his food.
He spent the day watching her to see if he could spot on any clues and the only one he got was that she seemed brighter for the most part and was spending a lot of time looking in the direction of Mike's desk again. Clearly it had gone well and Bobby chose to leave it alone.
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Let me know what you guys thought.
I don't know what Maggie Eames' occupation would really be but for some reason I didn't want her to be a nurse or somebody else who saved a life, it felt more right for her to entertain lives anyway.
