Superstes Excerceo

And the answer was no. Alex wasn't going to be in any kind of trouble with Penny, as a matter of fact it was never mentioned. Here they were the next day, driving back to the bed and breakfast, and it seemed everyone was in high spirits. It was unanimous agreement that a shower was the first on the list of priorities and it seemed to be the most needed thing right now. Everyone was unclean, and for the men there was a lack of grooming.

Sitting in the back of the car, Alex rubbed Mike's chin where tiny, short strands of hair were now protruding from his skin. Giving his face a darker look. "What? You like it?" He asked, a crooked grin on his face.

Alex smiled, "Sure." she nodded, "It makes you look older somehow."

"Beautiful." He muttered sarcastically. "That's gonna be the first thing to go." Alex laughed and leaned into him, kissing his cheek.

"No, see, men look great when they get older. It's a good thing." She told him, smiling.

"I agree." Penny said, from her seat in the front of the car, "It's women that tend to deteriorate." Alex and Carolyn looked at each and Penny chuckled. "Present company excluded of course." Alex was unsure how to take Penny's new found good mood but she wasn't exactly going to knock it.

But being Alex she couldn't help but make a comment, "I can't tell if that was an insult or not." Alex didn't feel she was old enough to deteriorate, maybe it was just a feeling but she refused to let herself feel old. Mike smiled at her as if he could tell what she was thinking.

Bobby chuckled, "I'd go with 'not'." he told her. Penny nodded, the last thing she wanted to do was upset Alex after the good discussion they'd had the day before. It had stunned Penny that Alex had walked over to her to apologise.

"Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry that I've been such a pain in the ass this week." Alex apologised, not exactly getting on her hands and knees but she spoke with sincerity. Knowing that Penny had tried to save her life, even though she tried with a paintgun, it still meant a lot to her. Penny, who had been putting some equipment away stood up stunned.

"I-uh- Thank you." Penny carried on and Alex stood; disappointed in herself for apologising and for expecting one in return. Penny looked up when she realised that Alex was still there, "I know that I've been hard on you but to be honest I'm like that with everyone. I'm not going to apologise for it."

Alex raised her eyebrows at her. Penny stood up and looked at Alex directly in the eyes, "But I am sorry for making you feel that you had to apologise to me. I didn't come on this to make friends. I came to help you and your colleagues become a better team."

"Just a job?" Alex asked, shrugging a little.

"Just my life." Penny corrected, shaking a blanket and folding it. "This is what I do."

Alex slowly nodded and watched as Penny, as she'd finished her task, nod at her and turn to walk away. As Penny was walking, just before she was out of earshot, Alex said, "You do it well." Penny didn't turn around but she'd heard and she smiled.

Of course, Alex wasn't sure if she completely meant that but she had meant her apology and she was sure that if Penny was teaching people who wanted to be there then she'd be a fantastic teacher... Alex just wasn't a great student.

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"I don't want to hear any arguments." Alex said, quickly hushing any comments that could be made as she and Mike walked into their room at the bed and breakfast. "I am having the shower first. End of discussion."

Mike held his hands up in surrender, "Okay, Okay." He then held out his arm in an inviting manner, pointing out the bathroom, "Ladies first."

Alex smirked and following the direction that Mike had pointed out, she nodded slowly and closed the bathroom door behind her. Mike grinned and proceeded to get some of his things together and at least try to get himself vaguely human looking. He wondered briefly if he resembled that bear.

When Alex had emerged from the bathroom, Mike had managed to shave and prepare some relatively clean clothes so that he'd be a little quicker in the bathroom. Mike was your average guy and he didn't like to spend the better part of an hour fixing himself up in the bathroom. That was for women. He smiled at Alex and kissed her, softly at first but she deepened it quickly. She smelled of soap and he finally realised that she had been right about her hair, but he hadn't picked up on that before. Her hair, although wet, definitely smelt better but she had always tasted sweet to him, a few days in the wilderness wasn't going to change his mind about that. Releasing her lips and snaking his arms around her waist, bringing her body closer to his, he smiled at her. "That's better." she kissed his chin and rubbed his cheek with her thumb.

"So with or without?" He asked, referring to the facial hair.

"Without, definitely." She replied, approvingly.

Mike kissed her again, only briefly. He, although reluctantly, had to leave her to have a shower of his own because he knew that he did not smell as nice as her, no where near. "I won't be long." He left her and went into the bathroom closing the door behind him.

She was still drying her hair with the hair dryer when he opened the door, a bath towel wrapped around his waist and covering himself up to his mid-thighs, looking at her urgently. "What's wrong?" Alex asked, noticing his lack of clothing and having to stop herself from commenting on it. She felt her heart stop a little, apparently the intense reaction she had to him was permanent.

"Alex?" He asked, not noticing her reaction to him, "Have we reached that stage in our relationship where it's 'okay' to share a toothbrush?"

Alex's face screwed up in confusion and she looked at him, frowning, "A toothbrush?" she asked, and he nodded, "Why?"

Mike looked embarrassed and looked downwards a little before replying, "I think I left mine at the campsite." He wasn't surprised when she started laughing, almost hysterically, at him. Clearly she found this funny and he should've expected it.

Leaning forward as she laughed, Alex tried to control herself. "Uh- I have one you can have, I think." She finally replied, still laughing, walking over to her bag and rumaging through it to find her toiletries.

Mike watched her and asked, "You bought more than one?" As Alex turned to meet his eyes, Mike gave her an incredulous look.

"Well, yeah." Alex replied, she thought it was a smart thing to do, she wasn't always that prepared, not like her partner, but she figured his organisational skills were starting to rub off on her.

"What for?" Mike asked, as Alex passed him a toothbrush, a blue and white one.

Alex smirked, "In case I lost one at the campsite."

"Ha. Ha." Mike mocked, and walked back into the bathroom. Leaving Alex to watch him walk away, taking full note of his back and the way his towel, which was small, was allowing her to see quite alot.

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"We don't have to do another task, do we?" Mike asked, as the six of them sat down at a restaurant for dinner. "Because if we do, count me out."

Alex, who was sat next to him, smiled, "And me."

"Me too." Carolyn nodded her head in agreement, "I think we've had our fair share of activities." Carolyn looked at Dave, sat next to her and he chuckled. He'd expected as much.

"For a year." Mike added to her statement.

Alex looked at Bobby, who seemed thoughtful, when he noticed her watching him he realised she was waiting for a response, "A-actually... I'd like to do more tasks. I found them interesting."

Alex rolled her eyes, "I should've known."

"No, you don't have any more tasks to do." Penny told them and they all visibly celebrated. Mike softly punched the air in happiness. "However, Detective Goren, if you wish we could give you one more." Penny had a cheekiness to her tone of voice. Alex was laughing at him and so was Mike. Carolyn smiled, and gave him a sympathetic look. Bobby hadn't meant that he'd wanted to one more.

"Yeah." Alex commented, sarcastically, "I'm sure Penny could find something for you to do."

"Thanks, Eames." Bobby muttered, also sarcastically. He didn't want her to jibe him.

Carolyn yawned and they all looked at her, "What? I'm tired. Sleeping on the ground isn't very comfortable."

Alex snorted, "I'll say."

Mike leaned into her, his tone of voice suggestive, "I don't know, at times it seemed very comfortable to me." His voice may have been low but because they'd all strained to hear, they had heard. Alex shot him a look, trying not to grin but failing. Alex looked down and laughed, although it was barely audible, Mike heard it and he grinned. Judging by everyone's faces, he knew they'd heard. "What?" Bobby shrugged and looked away. Carolyn smirked whilst Dave and Penny didn't reall know what to do, they hadn't expected that.

As punishment, Alex jabbed Mike in the ribs with her elbow. That just made him laugh. She shot him a look that said he was in serious trouble but because of the merriment filling her features it didn't quite go to plan. Mike grinned at her and Alex's smile returned to the surface, forcing her mouth to curl upwards and show her teeth; she was smiling that much.

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Walking into the Major Case Squad, they had never felt more alive. "Home, sweet home." Mike muttered, as they continued to walk towards Captain Deakins' office, noticing that he'd spotted them. They'd dropped off most of their gear but they knew they had to 'debrief' the Captain, so they came straight there. Their weariness showing in the features and Deakins could tell immediately from the way they seemed to be dragging their feet and drooping their eyes.

"How did it go?" He asked, once they were all in the office.

"Oh, just peachy." Alex replied, sarcastically. Deakins shot her a look. "It went well."

Bobby nodded, "We were able to take part in some really interesting activities that really did help to created a sense of bonding and-"

Mike moved to interrupt, "-They were childish and I'm glad it's over." Bobby looked at him, annoyed that he'd been interrupted but he never voiced that because that wasn't his way.

Deakins nodded, slowly, he expected as much, "I assume you've all got jet lag?"

"Well, Barek's alright, she slept like a baby on the plane." Mike smirked as he spoke. Carolyn shot him a look of annoyance.

Deakins ignored that comment completely, "I want you to go home, take the weekend because I expect you back at your desks Monday morning." Alex had to hold back the groan that threatened to escape her lips. Bobby nodded, he was already ready to go back. Looking at them, Deakins then asked, "How did you fair with the guides?"

That was a loaded question, one that Alex refused to answer. "They were really helpful and they knew what they were doing." Carolyn answered.

Deakins sat down at his desk, "You're all gonna need to write me a report." Alex didn't hide the groan this time. More reports were not what she wanted, she figured her desk was already overflowing with them, which was why she'd averted her eyes when she'd passed it, and she refused to look now. Deakins smiled at her, "Sorry." he said, but he didn't sound to apologetic to her.

"So, we can go home?" Mike asked, for clarification.

"Yeah." Deakins replied, "Get outta here." They all nodded their thanks and left the room. Deakins watched them leave, watching the way they walked together and smiled. Maybe they hadn't enjoyed it but whether they wanted to admit or not they'd definitely bonded on a deeper level.

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Sorry it was a short chapter but you'll notice that sometimes short ones happen. :) So now, I make haste and I leave to go on holiday and you'll get more with this series when I get back.

Please review, please?