It had been two months since Alex and Aiden had last heard from DedSec, and she was beginning to think that the floodgates would open on them any day now. Aiden on the other hand didn't worry about it, it would be a bridge they crossed when they came to it. Right now he would still do his job, protecting the people of Chicago, as well as helping Jordi out when needed. His knee had healed and Alex had gotten a new job working as a secretary in doctors office downtown. They had both moved into a new apartment together, even though she hated him getting back into his fixer ways.
It was a Tuesday evening when she came home to find him waiting on her with a candle lit dinner.
"Well hello to you too. What is all this for?" He took her jacket and bag, setting them on the chair before sliding his arms around her and kissing her deeply. As he slowly pulled away and looked into her eyes he couldn't help but smile.
"I was just thinking, you and I have never had an official first date. So I thought that we could spend the night in together, no distractions. Just you and me and that bottle of wine. How does that sound to you?" Alex smiled slowly as her hands slid around his shoulders to the back of his neck.
"That sounds like the perfect date to me." She pulled him back down into another kiss as he pulled her body flush to his.
The next morning they woke up at the sound of her alarm going off, but Aiden pulled her closer to him again, his bare chest pressing against her back.
"Do you have to go in today?" She was momentarily distracted by his lips peppering kisses across her shoulder and neck as she slowly pulled at his hands.
"Unfortunately yes. I have a nine to five like a boring person remember." He let her go, watching as her naked form crossed the dimly lit room and disappeared into the bathroom. He heard her turn the shower on and he slowly got up and went to make a pot of coffee before returning to bed. He could hear her singing away as she showered and a smile spread across his face, this was the life he wanted, still his own boss, doing his own thing but now with someone who understood him and who loved him for who he was. Of course she hated when he would go out on one of Jordi's contracts, but she would kiss him deeply before he left and tell him to come home safe. That was all she wanted. He would be alone on a job sometimes worried that she'd not be waiting for when he came home, but she'd proved to him over and over again that she'd always be there for him.
She got to work that morning and made her way to her little office next to some of the exams rooms. She mostly did clerical work, filing and labeling charts so she tried to keep her office door closed, but today for some reason she left it ajar as she worked. Around ten that morning she began to hear a familiar voice outside her door, and as it grew louder there was no denying who it was. She stood up and stuck her head out of the door in time to see Mr. Chin being shown into one of the exams rooms. She waited until Gabrella, the nurse who'd shown Jordi into the room to come out.
"Hey Gabby, can I ask you something?" The nurse turned around all smiles as she saw Alex.
"You just did. Kidding, what's up?" Alex walked over and leaned just outside the door to the room Jordi was put in.
"The guy you led in here, was his name Chin?" Gabby wrinkled her brows together as she spoke quietly.
"No. Well his paperwork says Jones, but it took me three times saying it for him to answer. Do you know him?" Alex only shrugged as she looked to the door.
"I guess not. Maybe he's hard of hearing." She then turned and went back to her office, but decided she'd be taking a quick break in a few minutes.
Alex calmly waited outside in the parking lot pretending to make a call when Jordi walked out of the front door of the office, she watched him for a moment before she approached him.
"Mr. Jones or is it Mr. Chin." He stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned to see Alex standing there with her arms crossed.
"Hello Alex, I didn't expect to see you here, in the parking lot." His smart ass tone made her suspicious causing her to arch a brow at him.
"Fine, you got me. I was checking up on this doctor you work for. I wasn't sure if he was trustworthy and I worried. Sue me." She took a step in his direction, her voice quiet but demanding as she spoke.
"Did Aiden ask you to do this?" There was no hesitation to his answer.
"No. If he knew I was here he'd kick my ass. I was worried. This doctor has a bit of a reputation of being a womanizer, so I checked him out." She just stood there for moment, did he just admit that he cared for her in his own way?
"Jordi? You checked up on my boss without Aiden asking you to. You like me. And you want Aiden to be happy, with me. Jordi Chin does have human emotions." He tried not to grin as he looked her over, not liking that she had figured him out so easily.
"You got me. Fine. I do care and I want to see Aiden happy. Just don't screw that up." She couldn't help but feel warm knowing that Jordi really was a close friend with Aiden. She leaned in and kissed his cheek before walking back into the doctors office, and he called out as she was nearly to the door.
"You two still owe me a new set of sheets and a new chair." She never turned around, she simply smiled as she went back to work.
That evening when she got home from work the apartment was empty but a note from Aiden was sitting on the dining room table.
Sorry but I'll be in late, Jordi had a job he needed help with. I'll call you when I know you're home.
She sighed as she put her bag down and made her way into the kitchen to start making herself dinner. These were the nights she hated, these were the night that had her feeling nervous and insecure. She had gotten into the habit of closing all the blinds and locking the door when Aiden wasn't home but even that didn't make her feel any safer. She was just sitting down to eat when her phone rang and she couldn't help but feel relieved just to hear his voice.
"Hello." She quietly waited for his velvety reply.
"I'm sorry Alex. You know I hate not being there." She smiled hearing him, knowing he'd rather be home with her.
"Aiden it's fine. I understand. Just make sure Jordi knows I hold him responsible for your safety." The sound of his deep laugh was comforting as she began to eat.
"I think he knows that. I should be home before you leave in the morning, but if I'm not please don't worry. I'll call you when you're getting ready to leave." She swallowed the food in her mouth before answering.
"I hope you make it home, but I guess if I have to, I can take a call." He knew she was only playing with him, but he knew she really meant it deep down.
"I'll try to make it, you know I will." He took in a deep breath before continuing, he hated disappointing her. "I have to go, the guy I'm tailing is on the move. I love you, Bye." She sat in shock for a moment, had he really just said what she thought? Did he really mean it. She forced herself to talk once he cleared his throat on the other end of the phone.
"I, I love you too Aiden. Be careful. Night."
Alex cleaned up, watched to news and showered before climbing into bed alone that night. She laid awake, tossing from one side to the other as she thought about Aiden, hoping he was safe. When her alarm went off, she felt a warm body pressed against her and she looked over her shoulder at Aiden. She smiled as she turned her alarm off and rolled over to face him, then she gave him a little peck on the end of his nose. A groggy smiled crossed his lips and his eyes pried themselves open.
"Good Morning. I made it early." She ran her thumb over his jaw before leaning in to kiss him again, happy to see he'd made it home in one piece.
"Good Morning to you too." She snuggled close and Aiden pulled her to his chest as he rolled to his back. With her head on his chest now she could hear the steady beat of his heart, and she knew this was where she was safest, with him. She then remembered the gift she'd gotten for him a few weeks back. She just hadn't found the right time, but now she thought it was. She sat up before pulling from his arms, smiling at hearing his whine.
"No, don't get ready now. Just lay here with me." She opened the drawer on her nightstand and pulled out a box before she rolled back over and put it on his chest.
"I'm not getting ready just yet, I just wanted to give you this." He looked at the box and scooted up in the bed, his back now leaning against the headboard.
"You got me something? For what? Not that I'm not happy about it, but why?" Alex just shook her head as she motioned for him to open the box, hoping he'd like it.
Aiden slowly opened the box and for a moment he just started at the gift. A recognizing smile drifted across his lips before he looked at her and pulled her into a kiss. There in the box was a chain, and hanging on that chain was a small glass vial and inside that was the chip T-bone had taken out of her neck.
"Now you can always have a part of me with you, well sort of. In a kind of creepy sort of way." Aiden couldn't help but laugh as he pulled her into a kiss, he didn't care how creepy it was, he'd always have her with him now, no matter where he was.