AN: I know this chapter is short and it doesn't have our favorite ladies but, the next one will. Even if their interaction isn't a positive one. I'll do my best not to keep you all waiting long.

Chapter 2

Laurel looked up from the book she'd been reading at the sound of Mick's keys unlocking the front door. She'd been awake for hours and wasn't able to go back to sleep so she'd decided to wait up for Mick and if needed take a nap with him when he got home. "Good morning love." She tilted her head back to accept the kiss he gave her. She loved being there when he got home from work. His schedule wasn't consistent so their days off didn't fall on the same days as often as she liked. After two days apart she really missed him.

Mick smiled, he loved the sight of his wife first thing after two straight days of work. "Morning." Mick moved around the couch setting his work bag beside it. He lifted her feet off the couch and sat down, placing them in his lap.

She set the book she's been reading down. "How was your shift." She relaxed against the arm of the couch and closed her eyes as he started rubbing her sock covered feet. "That feels amazing," she hummed.

He smiled, his wife loved foot rubs, they were the simplest things so he gave them to her any time they sat as they were now. He looked at her for a moment appreciating how beautiful she looked in her messy bun, his SCPD sweater, plaid pajama bottoms, and fuzzy socks. Just when he thinks he couldn't love her anymore than he already does, he's proven wrong.

"Mick." She opened her eyes to check on him. He'd stopped rubbing her feet and had gone completely silent. She was worried he'd fallen asleep, it wouldn't have been the first time.

"Sorry." He chuckled. "I got distracted." He resumed his foot rub. "Shift was good. Had the usual, chest pains, breathing difficulty, drunk people, ran a call with PD yesterday afternoon." He waited for the words to register, he smiled when they did. Laurel had been looking forward to Sara and Ava meeting, he didn't have to say who they ran the call with for her to make the connection.

She opened one eye, sat up and opened the other. "Aaaaand, how did it go, and why are you just now telling me about it when it happened yesterday," she asked. She hated when he did this to her. He knew she'd been waiting for her sister and his partner to meet and it was finally happening. She couldn't believe in the months Ava and Mick had been working together this was the first time they worked a call with Sara. She'd wanted to set something up but he'd talked her out of it, saying something about letting things happen on their own time. "Wait, why are you making that face, what happened." Her stomach dropped, she was hoping for great news, like how she'd been right in the two instantly hitting it off and becoming friends.

"It wasn't all bad." He continued to rub her feet, doing his best to keep her relaxed. "Remember what the doctor said, you have to remember to relax, stress is not good on your body." Keeping Laurel relaxed was harder than putting out a fire without water.

"Mick I prosecute criminals for a living, this is me, relaxed. Now, start from the beginning, and don't leave out any details." She leaned back against the arm of the couch doing her best to relax, for Mick's sake. She loved how much he worried about her, even if he was overprotective at times.

"We responded on a medical clearance with Len and Sara. They're both fine." He added quickly at the worried look she gave him. "I bet her money that it would be Sara we were responding for, I even talked her up, told her what a badass she was and how no one ever got away from her." He was still confused as to what went wrong, he was sure Ava had been impressed. He'd seen her do a double take when she'd seen Sara and then the size of the criminal she'd taken down.

"So then what happened." It was taking everything in her not to call her sister and see what she'd done to annoy Ava at their first meeting. She'd met Ava a handful of times and she really liked the tall blonde. She was sweet, caring and someone she thought her sister would've really liked. "What did Sara do," she asked. It couldn't be Ava, she was way too friendly to be the one to have made a bad first impression.

"Nothing, not that I saw. She was being her normal charismatic self. Ava asked if she was hurt and when Sara said no, she brushed her off and checked on the prisoner, she even called her Officer Lance." He cringed at the memory.

"What the hell." She sat up again. "I'm half tempted to call Ava and see what's up with her." She had no reason to be rude to her sister.

"You will do no such thing." He pushed on her shoulder guiding her to lay back down. "You're supposed to be relaxing." He gave her feet a squeeze.

"I am relaxed." She argued. "Okay, okay. I'll try harder." She added when he gave her that look that said, 'really'. "I just don't get it." She relaxed against the couch, enjoying the foot rub once again.

"I don't either, let's just give them time. Ava said she's not looking to date." He moved his hands from her feet to her calves, massaging them.

"It's not like I want them to get married or anything." Laurel responded defensively. "You and I both know those two are like two peas in a pod. They could be the best of friends." Ava hadn't shared much about her past but Laurel knew that haunted look better than anyone, she'd seen it on her sister many times.

"You don't have to tell me, I'm on your side doll." He reminded his wife. He could understand her disappointment. She wanted her sister to be happy, as did he. Sara had been through more than any one person should in her short life. She had many friends but she never really attached herself to any one of them.

Laurel smiled, Mick reminded her daily why she loved him so much. No matter what happened he was always on her side and would defend her even when he didn't agree with her. He'd wait until they were behind closed doors before telling her so. "Have I told you lately how much I love you." She tilted her head to the side smiling at him.

"You have, but I never get tired of hearing you say it." He smiled leaning into the hand she extended towards him. He moved past her hand and rested his head against her chest, his hands abandoning her calves as one snuck underneath her back and the other lay across her abdomen while she played with the little bit of hair he had. He couldn't believe this was his life now. He'd gone from an abusive home where he was shown very little affection, to almost being thrown in jail, to numerous failed relationships, to being with Laurel, happy, content and loved. Sure they fought, but their fights never lasted more than a few hours. One of them always broke down and apologized even when they thought they were right. He hummed as her hand rubbed his neck sliding down the back of his shirt, unfazed by the raised skin under her fingertips.

"I really enjoy lazy mornings like this." She kissed the top of his head.

"Me too." He tightened his hold on her briefly before relaxing it once again.

She looked down at him a few seconds later and chuckled, he was already asleep and beginning to snore lightly. It amazed her how quickly he was able to fall asleep, one minute they'd be talking and the next he was passed out. She grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and covered them. She closed her eyes, she wasn't sure she'd be able to go back to sleep but she'd enjoy this peaceful moment with her husband for as long as she could. Her mind drifted to a time when Mick wasn't in her life. A time when she thought she didn't matter, a time she thought she'd never find the kind of happiness her parents had. As if sensing her dark thoughts, Mick adjusting against her, more of his body lay across hers. She smiled and let her mind drift to all the good things she had now, to include the man that made her the center of his world.

AN: An author friend of mine shared a story with Mick and Laurel together and I absolutely loved the idea of the two being together that I can't see them with anyone else now. (Earth two Laurel doesn't count, I'm definitely team DinahSiren).