A/N: I am in Nikita withdrawal. It has been one week. Fandoms are like addictions - you take one little bit, you get hooked, you keep on needing a little here and there to keep you going and then BAM! It takes over your entire freaking life! Holy crap I need help.

Sean's Apartment, UES

I wake with a head that throbs and pounds like a Labrador whimpers after a Rottweiler dogfight. I am lying sprawled out on my bed, still fully clothed, with my duvet covering me. I turn my head and see a bottle of Gatorade and an aspirin lying on my bedside table. Sean.

He must have carried my drunken form and tucked me into bed, I think to myself. And left me medicine. I'm starting to like this guy as a roommate.

I smile at the thought of last night's antics - the teenage drinking game, Sean opening up about his dad, me toasting to our new-found attempt at a friendship. I remind myself to call Nikita and thank her for her advice. Then, as I laugh out loud at the thought of her inevitable excitement, my head pounds once more. Maybe I could have gone easy on the Tequila.

I drag myself out of bed, open the Gatorade bottle, and down the pill in one gulp. Slowly, while nursing my hangover headache by pressing my hand to my pulse points, I make my way to the bathroom. Right now, I just need a shower. Whoever said that Russians can hold their drink like none other, obviously haven't met this one.

I walk into the living room, fully dressed and hair dried (thank you Mama for always telling me to pack a travel hair-dryer) and see Sean, sitting at the breakfast counter with a coffee and a newspaper. I smile involuntarily. It's almost - domestic.

'What are you reading?' I ask, as I slide behind him to the counter to the coffee machine to make myself a much-needed boost.

'The New York Times,' he replies. 'And no coffee for you, you just consumed a third of my alcohol in one night and you are not dehydrating yourself by drinking an espresso.'

'Since when did you become the hangover treatment expert?' I tease, reaching for a glass of water.

'Experience,' he responds dryly. 'I guess my stunt at the gala went down well, then,' he says after a moment.

'What?' I ask in confusion. 'How do you know?'

He puts down the paper and shows me the article he is reading. "New York philanthropist to wed Russian heiress after public proposal". Plastered on the page is a picture of Sean, in the act of proposing to me on stage. I choke on my water.

'So, what about the fundraising?' I ask, tactfully avoiding anything wedding-related. Let's keep this conversation pleasant.

Sean's face lights up. 'So far, I've gotten twenty time what I expected. It was a total success.'

'That's fantastic,' I enthuse. 'It looks like your plan worked.'

'Yeah, the proposal story has gone viral. It's everywhere. I believe the Russian press has gotten a hold of news and is running it back on your soil.'

My face falls. 'Wh - what?' I falter. I set my glass down on the counter so that I don't drop it.

'Alex, what's wrong?' Sean inquires, concern etched into the worry lines of his face. His hand instinctively flies to my shoulder to steady me.

'My mom,' I breathe out. 'She doesn't know about us - this thing. She's probably having a heart attack right now. Or, she's on a plane over here to kill me.'

Sean pales. 'You didn't tell her?' he asks, shocked.

I shrug. 'I didn't want her to know what I was doing,' I admit. 'She would have tried to talk me out of it, then kill my dad for making me do it.'

'Then why don't you call her?' he suggests, rubbing soothing circles on my back unconsciously.

I take a deep breath. 'You're right,' I say. 'I'll go do that now.' I head out of the living room to make the phone call, dreading and anticipating the worst.

'Let me know how it goes,' Sean says as I turn to leave.

'Only if you promise to come to my funeral,' I joke back.

'Alexandra Natasha Udinov, what the hell is wrong with you!' screams my mother into the phone. I wince and open my mouth to explain, but as if by telepathic powers, she interrupts me again before I can explain myself. 'I am going to kill your father!'

'Wait, you know?' I ask.

'He had to give an explanation after I come home to find the cook muttering to the butler about my own daughter's WEDDING!'

'Again, I'm sorry, I should have told you,' I say.

'A whirlwind romance is one thing, Alexandra,' my mother says, sighing. 'But this is no better than prostitution.'

'Mama!'

'I'm not mad,' she says. I scoff under my breath. 'Okay, maybe a little mad,' she amends. 'But I'm mostly just shocked. And angry that you didn't think to tell me. You should have told me.'

I close my eyes. 'I'm sorry, I know that, Mama,' I say.

'It's okay, baby. But you do realize that I'm going to have to fly out to New York, don't you?' I protest loudly, but to no avail. 'You can't have a public wedding without your mother there.'

'But I don't even know when the wedding is!' I exclaim.

'Then I'll help you plan it. It doesn't seem like this Madeleine woman has any taste.'

'Mama!'

'I'll see you soon, Alexandra. I love you.'

'Love you too, Mama,' I reply. 'But least give me another week before you come over here?'

She sighs over the phone. 'Three days.'

She hangs up, and I sigh, half with relief that this conversation is over, half with panic at what is about to happen. As if this couldn't get any crazier.

'How did it go?' Sean asks as I re-enter the living room. He is piling a plate high with pancakes as I walk into the room, and my stomach grumbles approvingly.

'It looks like you're going to get a chance to meet the in-laws sooner than expected,' I say. 'My mom isn't going to fry me, she's going to fly here.'

'I take it from your expression that that isn't a cause for celebration?'

'You haven't met my mother,' I reply.

'Well, you've met mine,' Sean jokes. 'How bad can she be?'

I raise my eyebrows at him. He gives me his lopsided, goofy smile. 'Pancakes?' he suggests, gesturing to the plate in front of him. I nod. 'Chocolate chip or banana?' he asks.

'Both.'

A/N: Just a short, lighter, fluffier chapter to contrast with the heaviness of the one-shot I just posted (I'm going to go ahead and shamelessly self-promote: go check it out!). I think I'm going to have the Sean-meets-the-parent-Udinovs scene in the next chapter, but I'm kinda stumped for ideas after that as to how our Princess and the SEAL fall in love realistically. Ideas?

As always, reviews are appreciated.

Until next time, Salex-shippers!

P.S. For the Guest who was wondering where the promo for Salex making out is, it's around the 7 second mark at watch?v=pQpp0-sBQd4. Enjoy!